YoSync, a startup incubated at IIITB-IMACX Studios, signed a research collaboration in agreement with IIIT Bangalore, to partner with BelfricsBT, a Malaysian based blockchain startup. The partnership is aimed at jointly developing a blockchain platform for COVID-19. The project has been funded by Mphasis’ CSR arm, the Mphasis F1 Foundation, as part of their larger outreach programme to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in India.

This partnership has fast-tracked the development and rollout of BelYo – India’s ? rst-ever blockchain platform for COVID-19. BelYo uses the BelfricsBT Belrium blockchain platform to convert COVID-19 related clinical and vaccination data of citizens from their current physical form into digital assets which can be retrieved by any contact tracing app (like Aarogya Setu) via APIs. Using these APIs, an individual can scan and retrieve data (colour-coded results) by scanning a QR code. The whole process is 100% contactless and seamless at any point of entry during and post the COVID-19 crisis.

Speaking about the platform, Satish Shekar, Founder & CEO YoSync said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently chaired a high-level meeting to evaluate the usage of technology to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. He stressed the need for using the latest technological innovations to monitor and control the spread of COVID-19 across India, and very importantly, he emphasized how technology could play a key role during the vaccination stage.”

Prof. Sadagopan, Director-IIIT Bangalore and Chairman IIITB-IMACX Studios said, “We had initiated a COVID-19 challenge – Setu Bandhan, in association with Mphasis to support IIITB’s startups with research and funds. BelYo provides a solution that is the need of the hour. By creating digital assets on the blockchain it complements existing COVID-19 applications like Aarogya Setu, Apthamitra (in Karnataka) etc. Using its state-of-the-art multi-admin module layer, BelYo will be able to simplify the tracking of all the COVID-19 patients in India – from symptoms to vaccination certi?cates in a decentralized manner, without compromising on the privacy of data.”

“We believe in using innovation in technology as a catalyst to solve real-life problems and are excited about this application of blockchain which will address the nation’s monitoring requirements. Mphasis had had a long and fruitful association with IIIT Bangalore, from our collaboration to create a Centre of Excellence for Cognitive Computing, which focuses on supporting innovative technology-based projects with high impact potential and continues to stay invested,” said Nitin Rakesh, Chief Executive Officer, Mphasis.

Praveenkumar Vijayakumar, Founder & CEO of Belfrics Group said, “COVID-19 infections are on the rise both within India and across the world, and there is an urgent need to use technology to deal with this grave situation. With the help of financial support from Mphasis, we will be able to expedite platform rollout, expand operations, and onboard testing centers (hospitals and private labs) by the end of 2020.”

BelYo plans to issue certificates for COVID-19 clinical records as well as immunization certificates on blockchain at a cost of less than INR 20. The final documentation for COVID-19 will be the vaccination record of citizens when that stage is reached, which is when recording and retrieving such data becomes vital for any economic activity. BelYo is built to issue such digital certificates (clinical and immunity certi?cates) to “n” number of admins at state or municipal level, with the union government acting as ‘super admin’.