Published by Jessica Weisman-Pitts
Posted on September 12, 2024
3 min readLast updated: January 29, 2026
Kuopio, Finland, September 12th, 2024, Chainwire
Kampela, an innovative hardware startup, has successfully secured funding through a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) on the Polkadot network, marking a significant milestone as the first hardware project to be fully backed by a DAO in the Polkadot ecosystem. This achievement demonstrates the power of decentralized governance in supporting tangible technological innovations and opens new possibilities for hardware development in the blockchain space.
Kampela’s device leverages NFC technology and operates without the need for wired charging or a battery, showcasing a novel approach to secure, user-centric hardware wallets. The company’s innovative strategy consolidates both the design and production processes within a single integrated platform, enabling the delivery of highly differentiated solutions to the market.
Key Highlights:
– Funding secured through Polkadot Referenda #62, #370, and #886, totalling approximately 253,000 DOTs (around $1 million USD at current DOT price)
– Transparent, community-driven decision-making process
– Establishes a new model for supporting hardware innovation in the blockchain industry
– Battery-free operation powered exclusively by NFC during active use
– Secure NFC-only connectivity, eliminating vulnerable USB interfaces
Kirill, ex-CISO of Parity and Kampela’s Co-Founder, stated, “Not only is Kampela one of the very few fully open hardware wallets on the markets (you can get everything, up to the precise machining instructions for the casing, from our GitHub), but the project is also a brilliant example of the power of DAOs in the new, blockchain-enabled economy: the project was funded via the Polkadot Treasury (one of the biggest DAOs in the world right now), and it is thanks to this funding that our designs are so uncompromisingly open, free, and democratic.
The successful funding of Kampela through a DAO on the Polkadot network showcases how community-driven funding can fuel advancements in secure, user-centric devices. This achievement is expected to attract attention from blockchain enthusiasts, hardware innovators, investors interested in decentralized funding models, and Polkadot community members and stakeholders.
Kampela’s hardware design features several enhanced security measures, including battery-free operation and secure NFC-only connectivity. The device remains completely powered down when not in use, deterring physical access or tampering, and its NFC-only communication provides an additional security layer compared to traditional USB interfaces.
With six hardware revisions conducted and 54 components in its design, Kampela represents a significant leap forward in blockchain hardware innovation. As the first fully DAO-funded hardware project in the Polkadot ecosystem, Kampela sets a new precedent for how hardware startups can leverage decentralized funding and governance to bring cutting-edge products to market.
For more information about Kampela and its innovative hardware wallet, readers can visit https://www.kampe.la/ or https://x.com/kampela_signer.
About Kampela
Kampela, a Finnish startup, is revolutionizing secure transaction management with its innovative NFC-powered hardware device. Operating without Bluetooth, USB, or batteries, it features an e-ink display and open-source design. Tailored for blockchain applications and backed by the Web3 Foundation and Polkadot Treasury, Kampela offers a sustainable, secure solution for digital interactions in decentralized systems.
Media Contact:
Viktoria
CMO [Telegram: @vikrpc ]
CMO
Viktoria
Kampela
vv.repich@gmail.com
NFC, or Near Field Communication, is a set of communication protocols that enable two electronic devices to communicate when they are within close proximity, typically a few centimeters.
A cryptographic key is a piece of information that determines the output of a cryptographic algorithm, used for encrypting and decrypting data.
A blockchain is a decentralized digital ledger that records transactions across many computers in a way that the registered transactions cannot be altered retroactively.
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