Add Common Compute Network grant application

[w0w]

Project Abstract

Project Abstract

Common Compute Network is a decentralized infrastructure protocol that transforms edge devices into a distributed AI inference network with economic incentives built on Polkadot. The project extends the existing Common Compute OS (production-ready and deployed) to create a tokenized network where compute providers earn rewards for serving AI inference requests. Our architecture uses Substrate pallets for transparent coordination (device registry, job intents metadata) while keeping AI inference off-chain via gateway and device agents. This approach delivers a practical path from single-device inference to a networked system without on-chain computation overhead.

Grant level

• [ x] Level 2: Up to $30,000, 3 approvals

Application Checklist

• The application template has been copied and aptly renamed (project_name.md).
• I have read the application guidelines.
• Payment details have been provided (Polkadot AssetHub (USDC & DOT) address in the application and bank details via email, if applicable).
• I understand that an agreed upon percentage of each milestone will be paid in vested DOT, to the Polkadot address listed in the application.
• I am aware that, in order to receive a grant, I (and the entity I represent) have to successfully complete a KYC/KYB check.
• The software delivered for this grant will be released under an open-source license specified in the application.
• The initial PR contains only one commit (squash and force-push if needed).
• The grant will only be announced once the first milestone has been accepted (see the announcement guidelines).

[github-actions]

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I have read and hereby sign the Contributor License Agreement.

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[keeganquigley]

Hi @w0w I'm not seeing anything in the application regarding DOT or how it would be used in the system? Can you further elaborate?

[semuelle]

Thank you for the application and the interest in building on Polkadot, @w0w. However, the Web3 Foundation decided to shut down the original Grants Program to focus on products aligning with our newest guidelines. Following these guidelines, we are looking for teams with a proven track record building on very specific issues with a product-mindset. I'm afraid edge AI is not one of those issues. I am therefore going to close this PR.

Feel free to check out the new Kusama Vision program instead: https://x.com/Zendetta/status/2011414901374451777. In any case, I wish you best of luck.

[w0w]

@semuelle Thanks for response and updtate, I will look into Kusama program.

@keeganquigley Sorry I was away from dev and just resumed today from a digital detox, I believe the PR is closed but will share in brief what application of DOT ( token/blockchain ) i am working on -

Nodes running AI models provide inference and token usage on each node is stored on an immutable ledger ( perhaps it may evolve into its own parachain as network grows ) the uptime, availability, health checks are non monetary datasets which needs to be on chain for transparency on node usage/performance and the payouts to be executed on chain with wallets attached to each node. I am not sure if it fits but this is so far my understanding coming from web2/hardware background.