Smart Donations for Software Development via Blockchain

Abstract

The paper discusses the challenges open-source software (OSS) developers face in securing funding for their projects. It proposes the creation of a demo for an escrow smart contract, modeled after Initial Coin Offerings (ICO), to provide funding for OSS projects. The smart contract incorporates multi-signature, escrow, and ICO logic to give donors control over the project’s status in a decentralized autonomous organization. The workflow involves developers creating proposals and roadmaps, with guest users supporting the project to become donors. Donors receive special tokens that allow them to vote on the project’s development process. The demo aims to provide a structured and transparent process for funding and decision-making within the project, addressing the challenges OSS developers face.