AURORA: Decentralised AI and Filecoin/IPFS for Carbon Credit Verification and ESG Reporting #1988
Description
Open Grant Proposal: AURORA: Decentralised AI and Filecoin/IPFS for Carbon Credit Verification and ESG Reporting
Project Name: AURORA
Proposal Category: Integrations, Research & protocols
Individual or Entity Name:
Veritas Tech (Australia) & Kenja (Japan), as a joint-venture, Veritas-Kenja Labs (www.veritas-kenja-labs.com)
Project Repo(s)
From SingularityNET Deep Funding: https://deepfunding.ai/proposal/aurora-decentralised-ai-for-carbon-credit-trust/
(1) AURORA-AI-Svr-CO2-Analytics: https://github.com/kenja-k-k/AURORA-AI-Svr-CO2-Analytics
(2) AURORA-AI-Svr-Predictive-Analytics: https://github.com/kenja-k-k/AURORA-AI-Svr-Predictive-Analytics
(3) AURORA-AI-Svr-ESG-Reporting: https://github.com/kenja-k-k/AURORA-AI-Svr-ESG-Reporting
Do you agree to open source all work you do on behalf of this RFP under the MIT/Apache-2 dual-license?
Yes
Project Summary
AURORA is a decentralised AI platform for verifiable, scalable carbon credit certification, developed by Veritas-Kenja Labs (Australia–Japan joint venture). It integrates IoT-based CO₂ monitoring, AI analytics via SingularityNET, and blockchain-based ESG reporting.
The AURORA team has successfully completed the SingularityNET AI grant under the Deep Funding program, delivering two milestones that validated decentralised AI services for real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and ESG reporting.
We now aim to extend this AI framework by adding decentralised storage and computing, leveraging Filecoin/IPFS for tamper-proof climate data archiving and retrieval. This next phase ensures that carbon credit data - from IoT sensors to AI-generated ESG reports - remains verifiable, auditable, and accessible across global markets. In collaboration with Monash University in Australia, the AURORA project will advance secure and privacy-aware decentralised storage infrastructure to support the trustworthy management of ESG and CO₂ datasets.
AURORA directly addresses the challenges of greenwashing, data fragmentation, and manual audits in carbon markets by introducing an automated, AI-driven verification engine supported by decentralised storage infrastructure.
Impact
AURORA enhances Filecoin’s ecosystem by introducing a climate data vertical focused on sustainability and verifiable environmental intelligence. It delivers:
- Permanent and verifiable climate data storage powered by Filecoin/IPFS.
- Integration of decentralised compute (SingularityNET) and storage (Filecoin) - a cross-protocol use case demonstrating how AI and storage can collaborate for global impact.
- Open access to trustworthy ESG data for regulators, researchers, and financial institutions.
- This project positions Filecoin as a foundational infrastructure for climate-tech innovation and sustainability-focused data ecosystems.
Beyond delivering a working prototype, AURORA will serve as a catalyst for long-term research collaboration between Filecoin and academic institutions such as Monash University, fostering innovation in decentralised storage, data assurance, and blockchain-based sustainability frameworks.
Outcomes
-
Filecoin/IPFS Integration Layer
Implement a decentralised storage module for AURORA’s ESG datasets and AI outputs. -
Smart Contract Anchoring
Extend AURORA’s blockchain layer to store Filecoin proofs and IPFS hashes on-chain. -
Climate Data API
Provide APIs for auditors and researchers to access verified environmental datasets.
3+ partner integrations across academia, carbon registries, and environmental agencies
Monash University’s collaboration in the AURORA project focuses on ensuring the security and privacy of the decentralised storage layer, which is critical for managing commercially sensitive environmental and ESG data. Leveraging Monash’s world-class research expertise in blockchain and cryptography, the project integrates advanced privacy-preserving and cryptographic mechanisms to safeguard data integrity and confidentiality while maintaining transparency and verifiability.
Adoption, Reach, and Growth Strategies
- Target Users:
- ESG auditors and data verification firms
- Research institutions
- Climate-tech startups and green investment funds
- Adoption Strategy:
- Collaborate with sustainability data consortia.
- Publish open-access ESG datasets via IPFS gateways.
- Integrate AURORA’s Filecoin module into existing AI-powered ESG platforms.
Development Roadmap
1. Milestone 1: Analysis & Design — $20,000
- Define architecture for Filecoin/IPFS integration within AURORA’s AI and blockchain ecosystem.
- Design system modules for decentralised data ingestion, hashing, and storage.
- Specify APIs for storing and retrieving ESG and carbon data through Filecoin/IPFS.
- Produce detailed technical documentation, data schema, and workflow diagrams.
Deliverables:
- System design report and architecture document.
- Integration specification and API design.
- Initial simulation dataset for testing.
Duration: ~8 weeks.
2. Milestone 2: Development & Proof of Concept (PoC) — $30,000
- Implement decentralised storage module using Filecoin/IPFS.
- Integrate Filecoin proofs into AURORA’s blockchain layer for auditability.
- Deploy prototype showing ESG and CO₂ datasets stored and retrieved via Filecoin/IPFS.
- Conduct live demonstration and testing of AI + Filecoin integration.
- Document performance, reliability, and data retrieval success metrics.
Deliverables:
- Working PoC prototype.
- Filecoin testnet deployment and demonstration video.
- Technical documentation and final project report.
Duration: ~12 weeks.
Total Budget Requested
A total of $50,000
Maintenance and Upgrade Plans
Post-grant, Veritas-Kenja Labs will maintain the Filecoin/IPFS integration as an open-source module within AURORA.
Team
-
Bob Weihai He - Project Lead
Founder, Veritas Tech (Australia), President, Veritas-Kenja Labs
Bob is the Founder of Veritas Tech (Australia), developing Blockchain, AI, and IoT solutions for a sustainable future. A European Engineer (EUR ING) and UK Chartered Professional (CEng, CSci, CITP), he has worked with Ericsson and Schneider Electric on mission-critical OT/IT systems. He holds an MSc (Distinction) from the University of Oxford, and a Dual Master’s in Blockchain Technologies from Barcelona–Zigurat. A Senior Member of IEEE, ACS, and BCS, Bob is also an Honorary Industry Associate at University College London (UCL).
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bob-weihai-he
GBBC: https://www.gbbc.io/about/bob-weihai-he -
Ted Katagi - Business Lead
Founder, Kenja (Japan), Chairman, Veritas-Kenja Labs
Ted Katagi is the Founder and CEO of Kenja (Japan), a technology company focused on digital collaboration and blockchain-based certification systems. He previously served as Head of Private Equity Asia for Fidelity Investments, Chief Marketing Officer for Vodafone Japan and Verizon Wireless (West), and Global Head of Commercial Strategy at Vodafone. Ted also held senior roles at IBM and Bain & Company. Ted holds a MBA (Distinction) from Harvard Business School.
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tkatagi
GBBC: https://www.gbbc.io/about/ted-katagi -
Dr. Hui Cui – Senior Lecturer, Monash University
Dr Cui will lead the development and deployment of the decentralised storage module (using IPFS and Filecoin) for ESG and CO₂ datasets, ensuring data is securely stored, verifiable, and efficiently retrievable. She will oversee the system’s data architecture, testing, and performance evaluation, contributing to a robust, industry-ready prototype that demonstrates seamless integration of blockchain and decentralised storage technologies for environmental data assurance.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hui-cui-33040492
Monash University: https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/hui-cui/ -
Prof. Joseph Liu – Professor of Cryptography & Blockchain Security, Monash University
Prof Liu will lead the cryptographic design and blockchain integration for the AURORA project, focusing on embedding Filecoin proofs into AURORA’s blockchain layer to enable verifiable auditability and data authenticity. His expertise in privacy-preserving cryptographic protocols and secure decentralised systems will ensure that the system’s core infrastructure upholds the highest standards of trust, integrity, and resilience.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-liu-a5b05886
Monash University: https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/joseph-liu/
Team Website
https://www.veritas-kenja-labs.com/
https://deepfunding.ai/proposal/aurora-decentralised-ai-for-carbon-credit-trust/
Relevant Experience
- Veritas Tech has successfully completed a Filecoin Green grant Open Grant & Green Grant Proposals: SaaS Platform to Analyze a Product’s Climate Impact #894, focusing on decentralised sustainability data infrastructure and verifiable environmental datasets.
- The AURORA team has delivered Milestones 1 & 2 under the SingularityNET Deep Funding program, building decentralised AI services for carbon monitoring, predictive analytics, and ESG reporting.
- The team brings extensive experience in AI, blockchain, and climate data verification, with cross-disciplinary expertise across Australia and Japan.
- Dr Hui Cui has extensive research experience in decentralised applications security, distributed ledger technologies, and integration of such systems with real-world operational data flows.
- Prof Joseph Liu is internationally recognized for his foundational contributions to cryptography and blockchain security, especially in privacy-enhancing technologies and decentralised system architectures.
- Collectively, the group contributes to open-source AI analytics, green digital infrastructure, and ESG reporting standards
Team Code Repositories
(1) AURORA-AI-Svr-CO2-Analytics https://github.com/kenja-k-k/AURORA-AI-Svr-CO2-Analytics
(2) AURORA-AI-Svr-Predictive-Analytics
https://github.com/kenja-k-k/AURORA-AI-Svr-Predictive-Analytics
(3) AURORA-AI-Svr-ESG-Reporting
https://github.com/kenja-k-k/AURORA-AI-Svr-ESG-Reporting
Additional Information
Veritas Tech is a previous Filecoin grantee. Contact: [email protected]