RISC Zero. Overview

This article discusses the RISC Zero project, which is developing the first open general-purpose platform based on zero-knowledge (ZK) technologies. It covers the project’s mission and goals, its features like zkVM and Bonsai, recent investments, and future plans.

It’s no secret that ZK (Zero-Knowledge) technologies are one of the rapidly growing trends. Many existing projects integrate such solutions, and a lot of new ones are being created based on it.

RISC Zero

RISC Zero is the first fully open and free general-purpose computing platform based on ZK. The project has been under development since 2021. The team addresses the largest problem in the industry — high centralization and consolidation not only of applications but also of the infrastructure used to create and manage them. Therefore, moving general-purpose computing to a zero-knowledge ecosystem will allow users to trust programs running anywhere, while enabling developers to use tools they already know and love (such as the well-known Rust and C++).

The mission of RISC Zero is to provide developers and infrastructure providers with cryptographic tools to ensure a new generation of reliable, scalable, and decentralized computing; both on-chain and off-chain, allowing them to create solutions that challenge conventional perceptions of blockchain and other computing systems. The innovative system allows users to confidently take control of their digital world, ensuring computational integrity and providing undeniable proofs of the exact execution of programs.

The RISC Zero zkVM (Zero-Knowledge Virtual Machine) allows developers to create ZK-based applications with the convenience of traditional programming languages. Utilizing advanced features such as continuations (in the context of their zkVM, continuations are a mechanism for splitting a large program into several smaller segments that can be computed and proven independently), the RISC Zero zkVM can run programs of arbitrary complexity and volume, using ready-made computing platforms — for the first time in the blockchain industry.

In simple terms, on the zkVM, you can run almost any software that works on a computer, not just what can run on Ethereum. Recently, they also introduced zkEVM “Type 0” to make zero-knowledge technology more accessible.

Additionally, they developed the Bonsai project — allowing for unlimited computing on any blockchain, which is currently in the waiting list phase.

Investments and Team

I won’t go into detail about the team. Everything is great there, you can check it out on their website and LinkedIn profile.

Seattle, Washington — July 19, 2023 — RISC Zero, the developers of leading general-purpose zero-knowledge virtual machine technology, raised $40M in Series A. The round was led by Blockchain Capital, joined by seed round leader Bain Capital Crypto (seed round took place on August 9, 2022, raising $12M) with participation from other notable investors including Galaxy Digital, IOSG, RockawayX, Maven 11, Fenbushi Capital, Delphi Digital, Algaé Ventures, IOBC, Zero Dao by Tribute Labs, Figment Capital, a100x, and Alchemy.

Imagine a world where privacy, security, and data trust are no longer issues, where software supply chains are transparent and verifiable, and where a new generation of applications can harness zero-knowledge computing to solve some of the most pressing problems of the digital age. This is the promise of zero-knowledge computing and the reason we invest in RISC Zero,” said Bart Stephens, Founder and Managing Partner of Blockchain Capital.

This funding round will enable RISC Zero to bring its computing platform Bonsai to market, supporting the rapid development and deployment of applications in both cloud and decentralized environments. With Bonsai, developers can focus on writing their applications without worrying about the complexities of proofs and server infrastructure.

Bonsai will provide massive parallel ZK verification functionality to any developer, in any language, and on any chain.

Conclusion

It can be said that RISC Zero is creating a diverse, talented, and global team engaged in exploring the latest computing technologies. They are working in the right field and in the right direction. Following them at the very least won’t hurt.

There aren’t many activities yet. The testnet is 200% likely to happen. The ambassador program will launch soon. Language channels on Discord are planned.

Useful Links

• RISC Zero
• [NODERS]Team