Apillon: A Year in Review
With hard work and dedication, Apillon has grown into one of the most prominent new projects reshaping the Web3 landscape.
From a niche product to an ecosystem booster. With hard work and dedication, Apillon has grown into one of the most prominent new projects reshaping the Web3 landscape. But the hard work is still ahead of us.
To say it was a rollercoaster year would be an understatement. But we embraced change, grabbed it by the horns, and steered it onto the fastest path forward.
In this end-of-year review, we bring you the highlights of our journey so far and chart the horizons Apillon has yet to explore.
Before Apillon, there was Authtrail
For the people behind Apillon, it was not always about how to build the next web. But it was very much about how to add a valuable share to it.
With Authtrail, Apillon’s predecessor, we were developing and marketing a product that introduced blockchain-backed data integrity to enterprise data. By integrating advanced Web3 technologies and perfecting their utility to serve this particular use case, the Authtrail platform combined Data Validator, Authtrail Demo, and other tools for an end-to-end, Web3-based integrity of enterprise data.
The platform, which was initially built on the Ethereum Network and later migrated onto the Moonbeam Network, soon attracted attention from Web3 communities, VC backing, and ecosystem partners.
Authtrail held great potential to change the way businesses and customers gain value from product data. But more so, it got us thinking in the grander scheme of things — and we realized the ecosystem needed more than just another niche solution for a single use case…
The glue holding shards together
True to its original intention, the sharded Polkadot ecosystem consists of a plethora of Web3 parachains and services sustaining and creating the web of the future.
But it also needs straightforward and unified access that would allow millions of Web2 developers to adopt the Web3 technologies with just a few lines of code.
Towards the mid-year, we shifted our perspective from niche-centric to ecosystem- and user-centric. In the months that followed, we took everything we built, had, and knew, and decided to address the issue of Web3 technology adoption.
The concept of Apillon was born. A new sandbox on the Web3 playground that lets developers come and use all the available tools, gadgets, and blueprints to create new Web3 landscapes.
Apillon’s vision is to accelerate the world’s transition to a completely decentralized Web3 future.
— Matjaž Sobočan, CEO of Apillon
Learn more about the change of product direction. 👇
Leaving a mark isn’t easy. But we did it.
With a refined vision and full of enthusiasm, we shifted to the highest gear on all fronts. New CPO, Nino Kutnjak, joined the team, and the rest is history.
With Nino’s guidance over the design of the Apillon platform, the initial ideas and concepts started taking form overnight, and the product development got a serious boost in the final quarter of the year.
Learn more about Nino joining the Apillon (then Authtrail) team. 👇
And in less than six months since the pivot, Apillon has solidified its position as one of the key adoption boosters in the Web3 ecosystem.
Here’s how we put Apillon on the Web3 map.
New product, new brand
First, what meets the eye.
Apillon is more than the platform, its functionalities, and code in the back end. Great brands are about the feelings they evoke. And Authtrail’s old brand identity just didn’t cut it anymore.
The new Apillon brand, revamped from top to bottom, and all its designs, are the (art)work of Jure Sobočan, Lead Designer at Apillon. The merge of architectural boldness and organic creativity represents the merge of Web2 and Web3 technologies, and delivers a familiar yet professional experience to the end user.
Learn more about the rebrand to Apillon. 👇
Apillon platform
And then, what Apillon is all about.
We said it often and will say it again. Web3 is complex, but its adoption shouldn’t be. To simplify the process of building Web3 products, and boil it down to just a few lines of code, the platform design needed a unique approach.
We put ourselves in the shoes of a typical Web2 developer who is familiar with certain tools, schemes, and matrices, but is pretty much in the dark when it comes to Web3 technologies.
So, we took the idea of bringing different Web3 services of various Polkadot parachains under one roof … 👇
… and turned it into a user-friendly Web3 development platform donning a sleek UI and advanced functionalities. 👇
The soon-to-be-released Apillon Beta will give you the means to create Web3 projects simply by attaching the available Web3 services via API calls. Of course, more Web3 services will become accessible down the line and let you expand the utility of your Web3 products and apps.
Apillon Closed Beta is just around the corner, so stay in the loop on our social media channels and never miss an update. In the meantime, take a sneak peek. 👇
Collabs & partnerships
The world’s transition to Web3 is happening right before our eyes. With Apillon, we’re adding our share to accelerate Web3 adoption by continuously empowering the builders of the future web.
— Domen Uršič, Apillon CMO
As an enabler of Web3 services adoption, Apillon could not exist nor function without the support of the ecosystem. We’re lucky to collaborate with visionaries, masters of their trade, and great supporters of up-and-coming projects seeking their spot under the Web3 sun.
In just a few months, we have established strong relationships with key builders of the Web3 space, and we’re proud to be working closely with:
🚀 Crust Network
🚀 Phala Network
🚀 KILT Protocol
🚀 Moonbeam Network
Their unique functionalities, perfected for niche use cases from Web3-based authentication and identity to storage and computing, will soon be brought to mainstream developer audiences through the Apillon platform.
Marketing & events
A great product with a solid market fit is a start but doesn’t work on its own. Soon after announcing the new direction, we went heavy on marketing.
Airport lounges became our second home as we flew from one Polkadot/Web3 event to another to hold presentations, share the stage in panel discussions, and even host community dinners.
In a span of a few months, our constant presence in the Web3 crowds positioned Apillon among the most prominent projects in the ecosystem — not only in terms of adding a unique share to the space but, more importantly, by aiding others in reaching greater audiences and spurring adoption far and wide.
Matjaž Sobočan (Apillon CEO), Zoé Meckbach (Growth VP & Partner at Phala Network) and Patrik Kogoj (Apillon Growth Manager) at sub0 dinner in Lisbon. Nino Kutnjak (Apillon CPO) at first Polkadot Meetup in Ljubljana.
We attended BlockSplit 3 Conference in Split, Croatia, participated at Polkadot Decoded in Berlin, Germany, joined the ParisDotComm Conference in Paris, France, rocked the stage in London, UK, and Brno, Czech Republic, and left a mark at sub0 Conference in Lisbon, Portugal.
But we went even further and organized events on our own — for two reasons. First, to spread the knowledge of Polkadot and its potential in local communities, and second, to become a catalyst for Web3- and Polkadot-based growth in the Adriatic region. The first Polkadot Meetup in Ljubljana, Slovenia, attracted such an audience that we needed to follow up with the second take soon after.
Join us at the next edition and take a glimpse into the events we attended in the past few months. 👇
But it’s not the spotlight that keeps us going, it’s the community. To bring the Apillon narrative to a conversational level, we hold frequent AMAs and discussions on Twitter Spaces, most often with our CPO, Nino Kutnjak. Stay tuned for the next episode and get your questions ready.
Plus, as a thank you for the unwavering support and as an incentive to keep growing the Web3 space with Apillon, we launched a special giveaway of not-your-usual Christmas merch.
More community programs are coming soon, so keep an eye on our socials!
It’s also worth mentioning that we’re devoted to spreading the word about the Polkadot ecosystem as a whole. We’re proud to have a vital member of the Apillon team, our Growth Manager, Patrik Kogoj, reach the status of a Polkadot Ambassador.
Patrik’s knowledge of the Web3 space and passionate collaboration with key Polkadot projects will help them reach further, particularly in the Adriatic region.
Get more Apillon news fresh from the oven and follow us on 👉 Twitter, Telegram, LinkedIn, Dev.to, Discord, GitHub, and Reddit.
Education & development support
We designed the Apillon platform to keep the development process as simple as possible. Still, to reduce the chance of misunderstanding and head-scratching, we published some of the essential materials that explain the concept of Apillon, and the main elements that make up the platform and redefine the experience of building in Web3.
Take a deep dive in Apillon with:
📃 Apillon Wiki
📃 Apillon Lightpaper
📃 Apillon’s NCTR Tokenomics
As the platform evolves, we will keep updating the materials and create more educational content to help users at every step of their Web3 way.
Ecosystem contribution
The mission of Apillon is to improve the Web3 space and boost its adoption even beyond the walls of our native product.
In our collaboration with KILT Protocol, we set off to develop DID Vault, encrypted storage for KILT-powered DID credentials. Recognizing its potential for the ecosystem, we filed a Polkassembly Grant Proposal to support the project development.
DID Vault would eliminate the need for local storage and management of DIDs or use of a Sporran wallet, while opening up the possibility of using DIDs in up-and-coming Web3 apps, both mobile and web.
Learn more about it here. 👇
Horizons to explore and conquer in 2023
In just a few months, we managed to tick quite a few things off of our list. But most of it is still ahead of us.
Starting on the first working day of 2023, we’ll be diving head-first into processes that will help us deliver the Apillon platform in its best version, to continue improving what it has to offer, and to reshape the way we think and build the web of tomorrow.
Here’s what we achieved in the past few weeks and what is ahead of us as the year turns.
December 2022
- Back-end architecture & microservices ✔️
- Infrastructure ✔️
- Identity, Logging, Monitoring ✔️
- Working KILT Authentication prototype integration ✔️
- Working Crust Storage module ✔️
- Working Web3 Hosting module ✔️
- Internal Alpha testing starts
Q1 2023
- Closed Beta
- Closed Beta with Storage and Authentication services
- Administration panel v0.1
- Asset custody v0.1
- Payments for underlying services v0.1
- Phala integration starts
- Open Beta
- Log in with wallet
- DID Vault Phase 1
Q2 2023
- Phala integration
- Governance draft published and in testing
- MVP
- New services listed for integration
- Smart contracts integration: Moonbeam
- DID Vault Phase 2
- First projects on the platform
- Freemium model in production
Q3 2023
- Smart contracts integration: Astar
- One-click deploy NFT collection use case
- Smart contracts service: deploy + call
- Smart contract premade templates
- Premade smart contracts coupled with infrastructure: one-click install
Off to new beginnings
It’s been an exceptional year, for sure. And just one of many more to come. Here’s to new, uncharted territories, exciting challenges, and growth on all levels.
Join us on our quest to expand the Web3 landscape one developer at a time, and help the ecosystem live up to its true potential.
Upwards and onwards!
⧓ About Apillon
The Apillon platform serves as a unified gateway to the Web3 services provided by linked Polkadot parachains. Following the multi-chain vision, Apillon powers the transition of developers to Web3, simplifying its adoption in the real economy, and expanding its versatility as the ecosystem grows. With Apillon, Web3 services are within reach for every developer, regardless of their background and experience with blockchain technology.
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