The ecosystem of decentralized applications (dApps) on Ergo is constantly evolving. The community now welcomes Bene V2, a major upgrade to the ecosystem's premier 'Proof-of-Funding' fundraising platform.

This release transforms Bene from a simple fundraising tool into a robust, feature-rich platform designed for the next generation of Ergo projects.

Built on a purely P2P architecture, the application runs entirely client-side without central servers, ensuring users maintain full control within their chosen browser environment.

How Bene "Proof-of-Funding" Works

For those new to the platform, Bene operates on a specific smart contract architecture designed to protect both the project owner and the contributor:

• Campaign Creation: A project creates a fundraising box with a minimum funding goal and a deadline (block limit).
• Token Acquisition: Contributors send the requested asset (ERG, SigUSD, GAU, etc.) and receive project tokens instantly.
  The Safety Valve (Refunds): If the project hits its deadline without selling the minimum required amount of tokens, the contract automatically unlocks a refund mechanism. Contributors can exchange their project tokens back for their original contribution.
• Successful Funding: If the minimum threshold is met, the project owner can withdraw the raised funds to the address specified in the contract.

See this video for more information on how Bene works!

What’s New in Bene V2?

While V1 laid the groundwork, V2 focuses on flexibility, user experience, and trust. Here is a breakdown of the new features now live on the platform:

1. Multi-Asset Fundraising

Campaigns are no longer restricted to just ERG. You can now accept contributions in a variety of tokens to better manage treasury volatility or leverage ecosystem assets.

• Supported Assets: Accept ERG, SigUSD, Gluon Gold ($GAU), or any custom token.

2. Expanded Wallet Support

Bene V2 ensures broader accessibility for users across the ecosystem.

• Connect Your Way: Full support for both Nautilus and SafeW wallets.

3. External Token Minter

External Token Minter

A separate, low-fee application is now available for creating participation tokens.

• **Optimized Costs: **This standalone tool allows for the minting of Proof-of-Funding tokens while avoiding the high overhead costs of other minters.
• Ecosystem Modularity: By keeping the minter separate from Bene, the ecosystem maintains a modular philosophy, ensuring applications remain lightweight and purpose-built.

4. Reputation & Trust

To help contributors make informed decisions, V2 introduces social layers to the fundraising process.

• Comment Systems: Engage with the community and verify the reputation of campaign creators through integrated comments.

5. Flexible Deadlines

The "block height" calculation is now handled for you, offering a much more user-friendly experience for setting campaign timelines.

• Duration Options: Set your fundraising deadlines via simple duration, exact datetime, timestamps, or traditional block heights.

6. Rich Text Editor

Presentation matters. Project creators can now tell their story more effectively.

• Markdown Support: Describe your campaign with a rich text editor that supports markdown and live previews.

7. Decentralized Network Settings

Power users and privacy advocates have more control over how they interact with the blockchain.

• Custom Connections: Choose custom explorers and APIs for greater robustness and decentralization of choice.

---

Powered by Google Summer of Code

This massive leap from V1 to V2 is a testament to the collaborative strength of the Ergo developer community.

The upgrade was expertly executed by @AdityaGupta065 during the Google Summer of Code. This achievement was made possible through the mentorship and guidance of Josemi, @Zahnentferner, and @ldgaetano.

Congratulations to Aditya and the mentors for delivering a powerful tool that significantly expands what is possible on Ergo!

---

Live Now: Support the Unstoppable Hackathon

You can test the power of the upgraded Bene platform right now by supporting a critical community initiative.

The Unstoppable Hackathon already has nearly 2,000 registered participants. This event is a massive opportunity to bring visibility to Ergo, attract new talent to our smart contract environment, and foster innovation.

We are running a Bene campaign to make Ergo an official sponsor of the event.

• Goal: Raise funds to secure sponsorship and attract developers.
• How to help: Visit the campaign link below to contribute. Your support directly helps expand the ecosystem.

👉 Contribute and Sponsor Ergo Here

Explore the updated platform: ergo.bene.stability.nexus
View the Code: GitHub Repository