New technologies will change not only the way we communicate or process payments but also our cities, transportation system and many other spheres. With smart cities, IoT and other large-scale innovations being around the corner, more and more people are concerned about the security of their data. Will Google or other major corporations control every aspect of our lives? Is there any alternative?
Luckily, with the advent of blockchain technologies, decentralized projects just keep showing us that there is indeed a better way to store our data and, of course, money. What the world is lacking is more ambitious infrastructure-level solutions for our common decentralized future. Let’s dive into one such project that was born in Sichuan, explore how it plans to solve our concerns for data security and how one can participate right away.
Q: How IPFS Harbor is different from simple storage like cloud products of the major tech companies?
A: IPFS Harbor is a technology enterprise focusing on professional decentralized storage hardware R&D, production, sales, hosting integration, committed to become the world’s leading IPFS storage ecosystem service provider.
We provide decentralized storage hardware R&D, IPFS system, marketing and custodian service.
In comparison with major tech companies, we provide lower cost of storage, higher transmission efficiency, professional options to ensure the incident of data loss, and most importantly, all of this is decentralized.
Q: Who are your competitors?
A: Generally speaking, our competitors are centralized providers, such as Google, AWS, Baidu Cloud etc. IPFS is unique because it solves some of the shortcomings of current centralized storage. Filecoin is the incentive layer of IPFS, it mainly encourages the users to provide their storage, establish a decentralized Internet system.
Our current product is for providing professional hardware equipment and customized software systems to ensure our clients’ stable incentive and data security.
Q: Who can join the network and for what? Could it be regular people who are interested in cryptocurrencies, small businesses, corporations? What can they find there?
A: Everyone can join the network, all they need to do is install the IPFS on the client-side. As a client, it would be the best value way to provide their storage and also ensure security and stable data.
Q: Do you plan to issue your own currency like bitcoin?
A: Our company is a decentralized storage solution provider so we won’t consider issuing our own currency. Filecoin is the only recognized currency in the IPFS ecosystem. We will focus on the decentralized field and web 3.0 establishment.
Q: We saw that you have plans for storing information for smart cities? Do you plan to work with the governments? Will it be safe for citizens in terms of storing private data?
A: Yes, smart cities are a logical outcome of web 3.0. In the present situation, smart cities will have a large amount of data storage needs, and we need to provide safe, stable, and low-cost storage services.
We have reached technical cooperation with the University of Electronic Science and Technology Laboratory and will plan to build a connection with the government very soon.
For citizens, it is a safe and good choice as the IPFS feature is decentralized. IPFS Harbor is also determined to create storage applications that can be used by ordinary users.
Q: Yes, thank you for your clarification. But it must be tons of information? It seems that most of the major cryptocurrencies are struggling to find a solution for scaling. How do you plan to be able to process all this information without compromising safety and speed?
A: Yes, it is the same as other blockchain projects. Filecoin also suffered the TPS problem so it caused the higher gas fee and limitation of storage increasing. On 7th July, Filecoin updated v13 HyperDrive to decrease the gas fee and increase the speed for confirming a block of transactions.
Q: Also, in your plans for the digital economy you mention something about the Consumption upgrade? Could you please elaborate on that?
A: Mankind has already entered the digital economy era, COVID-19 has enhanced the development of the digital economy, people can do all the things at home, such as online education, online shopping etc. It has produced massive data and has to be used in a safe way for storage management. In this case, Filecoin must be the best choice.
In the massive data storage market, Filecoin has solved:
- Storage at a lower cost, reducing storage cost consumption
- Provide the security guarantee because of distributed structure, and blockchain technology.
Q: Is it possible to join the network right now? Are you available for joining in all countries? Are there any preferences for early birds?
A: Yes, it can join anytime as Filecoin is open for everyone. We have a global marketing plan to welcome people from all countries and we already offer global services.
In the economic model of Filecoin, the sooner you join in, the more incentive you get because Filecoin is the incentive layout for users who provide storage earlier.
Q: Who are your leaders? How did they start such a global project?
A: Yingqu, Wan, the chairman of IPFS Harbor, graduated from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, an advanced figure in microelectronics. He is a senior investment consultant and entrepreneurial mentor, with rich experience in business operations. At the beginning of the company’s establishment, Mr. Wan Yingqu conducted an in-depth investigation of the Filecoin project and conducted research on the current storage market. He found that the storage market has high cost and low-efficiency problems, and there are big problems in data storage security. The storage market is in urgent need of innovation.
Based on this, IPFS Harbor was officially established, becoming a follower and builder of Filecoin, and aims to extend to the global market.
Q: How is it governed?
A: Filecoin is a distributed storage network, and there is no centralization. Some large-scale smart miners already have more than 1/10 of the computing power, there may be many possibilities but the management and governance is total control by the IPFS ecosystem and economic model.
For storage providers, there are reliable staking mechanisms, lock-up mechanisms and disciplinary mechanisms, etc., it can effectively avoid the incident from some speculator
From an economic point of view, storage providers have no reason to delete or destroy user data. Only storing user data in accordance with the order contract is the most profitable and wisest choice.
Q: So, your headquarters are in Hong Kong? How tightening Chinese regulations are affecting your business? Do you expect other countries to tighten regulations for that?
A: In Chengdu. There is no impact on our business from the Chinese policy of prohibition of cryptocurrency mining. We are doing the data storage service that is totally legal business with practical application landing. And also, FIlecoin is less energy-demanding that is consistent with China’s carbon neutrality goals.
Similarly, there will be no problem with strong supervision for other countries.
Q: What growth plans does the company have? Are you looking for investments? What countries are you planning to cover in the next few years?
A: Our vision is to become the world-leading storage ecosystem service provider. And focus on the best service and customized products to our users. In the next 3-5 years, we will also promote the development of web 3.0.
We currently have completed the angel round of financing, and the hardware scale has exceeded $10 million, and we are planning to obtain contracts with professional blockchain investment institutions. At present, we are expanding the global market, it mainly covering Japan, South Korea, North America, Russia and Europe.
Q: You state that your mission is to promote the development of web 3.0? Why is it important for a regular citizen and what is your role in it? (In other words, how the presence of web 3.0 can help a regular user)
A: Yes. As the next-generation Internet, Web3.0 will be a major evolution of human society. Our production and lifestyle, living habits, communication methods, safety and other aspects will all change. Web3.0 includes many aspects, such as smart cities, smart homes, autonomous driving, etc., and as a storage service provider, we act as an infrastructure builder and play a cornerstone role.
