Merge pull request #36 from rauljordan/master

Prysmatic Labs Request for Funding (Sharding)

grants/PrysmaticLabs/roadmap.md

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+# Prysmatic Labs Roadmap
+
+### The Ruby Release: Local Network
+
+Our current work is focused on creating a localized version of phase 1, quadratic sharding that would include the following:
+
+-   A minimal, **collator client** system that will interact with a **Sharding Manager Contract** on a locally running geth node
+-   Ability to deposit ETH into the SMC through the command line and to be selected as a collator by the local **SMC** in addition to the ability to withdraw the ETH staked
+-   A **proposer client** and cryptoeconomic incentive system for proposer nodes to listen for pending tx’s, create collations, and submit them along with a deposit to collator nodes in the network
+-   Ability to inspect the shard states and visualize the working system locally through the command line
+-   A fleshed out P2P spec in collaboration with other sharding teams
+
+Proposers and collators will interact through a local file system, as peer to peer networking considerations for sharding are still under heavy research.
+
+We will forego several security considerations that will be critical for testnet and mainnet release for the purposes of demonstration and local network testing as part of the Ruby Release.
+
+ETA: End Q2, Start Q3 2018
+
+### The Sapphire Release: Ropsten Testnet
+
+Part 1 of the **Sapphire Release** will focus around getting the **Ruby Release** polished enough to be live on an Ethereum testnet and manage a set of collators effectively processing collations through the **on-chain SMC**. This will require a lot more elaborate simulations around the safety of the randomness behind the collator assignments in the SMC. Furthermore we need to pass stress testing against DDoS and other sorts of byzantine attacks. Additionally, it will be the first release to have real users proposing collations concurrently along with collators that can accept these proposals and add their headers to the SMC.
+
+Part 2 of the **Sapphire Release** will focus on implementing state execution and defining the State Transition Function for sharding on as an extension to the Ruby Release.
+
+ETA: Q1, Q2 2019
+
+### The Diamond Release: Ethereum Mainnet
+
+The **Diamond Release** will reconcile the best parts of the previous releases and deploy a full-featured, cross-shard transaction system through a Sharding Manager Contract on the Ethereum mainnet. As expected, this is the most difficult and time consuming release on the horizon for Prysmatic Labs. We plan on growing our community effort significantly over the first few releases to get all hands-on deck preparing for real ether to be staked in the SMC.
+
+The Diamond Release should be considered the production release candidate for sharding Ethereum on the mainnet.
+
+Prysmatic Labs will begin by focusing its implementation entirely on the **Ruby Release** from our roadmap. We plan on being as pragmatic as possible to create something that can be locally run by any developer as soon as possible. Our initial deliverable will center around a command line tool that will serve as an entrypoint into a collator client that allows staking, a proposer client that allows for simple state execution and creation of collation proposals, and processing collations through on-chain verification via the Sharding Manager Contract.
+
+ETA: Q1, Q2, 2020

grants/PrysmaticLabs/team.md

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+# Prysmatic Labs Team
+
+### Preston Van Loon - Co-Lead, Co-Founder
+
+Software Engineer @GoogleNYC. 5+ years of full stack web development. Experienced in Golang, Node.js, Java, Software Architecture/Infrastructure, Cloud Computing Services (GCP/AWS). Focused on code review, test coverage, code quality, and software design for our implementation.
+
+**Socials**: [Github](https://github.com/prestonvanloon) \| [Twitter](https://twitter.com/prestonvanloon)
+
+### Raul Jordan - Co-Lead, Co-Founder
+
+Previously 3+ years of full-stack web development. Experienced in Golang, Python, Javascript/Node, and Ethereum protocol development. Thiel Fellow, Harvard Computer Science. Focused on operations, software design, documentation, making sure the team knows exactly what we should be working on at any given time, and implementation.
+
+**Socials**: [Github](https://github.com/rauljordan) \| [Twitter](https://twitter.com/raulitojordan)
+
+### Terence Tsao - Core Protocol Developer
+
+Cloud computing expert in SF. Experienced in Go, Python, openstack virtualizations, network automations, and testing. Experienced in dApp development.
+
+**Socials**: [Github](https://github.com/terenc3t) \| [Twitter](https://twitter.com/terenc3t)
+
+### Enrique Fynn - Solidity Expert, Ph. D. Candidate in Distributed Systems
+
+Currently doing a PhD in distributed systems. Analyzing how the data partitioning could affect the performance of the system. In-house solidity expert leading our implementation of the Sharding Manager Contract.
+
+**Socials**: [Github](https://github.com/enriquefynn) \| [Twitter](https://twitter.com/FynnEnrique)
+
+### Nishant Das - Core Developer, Implementation Focused
+
+Previously worked in fintech firms maintaining their backend systems and being involved in business development. Strong understanding of cryptoeconomics, the Ethereum protocol, solidity, and Web3.
+
+**Socials**: [Github](https://github.com/nisdas)
+
+### Sylvain Laurent - Core Developer, P2P, EVM and Execution Engines
+
+Experienced in protocol design, worked on altcoin projects before and private blockchain deployments. Sylvain is experienced in understanding execution engines, p2p, and other difficult aspects and caveats of the Ethereum blockchain.
+
+**Socials**: [Github](https://github.com/Magicking) \| [Twitter](https://twitter.com/magicking_)
+