Journo

Problem Statement

Journo is an innovative peer-to-peer travel platform that merges accommodation hosting and ridesharing, setting itself apart through cutting-edge, blockchain-powered trust and verification features. Unlike traditional platforms, Journo leverages World ID—a cryptographic proof-of-humanity system—allowing every user to verify their identity in a privacy-preserving way. This eliminates fake profiles and enhances safety for both travelers and hosts at every stage of the journey.How Journo Works Users can register as hosts or travelers, undergo multi-level identity verification (including options like biometric orb scanning and face authentication), and list or book accommodations in just a few steps.The platform integrates ridesharing, making it possible to seamlessly match rides with stays and drastically reduce the friction that travelers experience when navigating new destinations.Advanced zero-knowledge proof technology enables document and age verification (such as government IDs or driver's licenses) without exposing sensitive details—essential for building trust, especially among vulnerable groups like solo or female travelers.Smart contracts on Worldchain govern bookings, payments (including escrow), and a non-transferable reputation system. This ensures reviews are authentic and prevents manipulation found on legacy platforms.Journo is designed with a strong focus on privacy, using selective data disclosure and rigorous GDPR-compliant data minimization. Core user flows and data such as reputation scores, booking status, and verification states are stored on-chain for transparency, while personal details are kept securely off-chain.What Makes Journo Different Trust and Safety: Cryptographic verification, privacy-preserving checks, background assessments, and unique enforcement tools set safer standards than basic social-media or email checks.Community and Authenticity: Journo encourages genuine local experiences and meaningful host-guest connections, not just transactional stays or rideshares.Sustainability: Non-transferable reputation tokens discourage gaming the system, and insurance options plus transparent dispute resolution provide peace of mind.Growth Focus: The platform’s launch emphasizes grassroots community building, strategic partnerships (especially in university towns and influencer networks), referral rewards, and gamified engagement to quickly build critical mass.Implementation Credentials Journo’s guide provides an end-to-end 36-hour hackathon implementation roadmap, covering everything from setting up the tech stack (React, Next.js, Node, MongoDB, Polygon/Ethereum, IPFS, Worldchain, etc.), configuring smart contracts for bookings and reviews, to integrating real-time communication, rideshare modules, and privacy-preserving document checks. This agile modular approach enables rapid iteration and deployment, suited to hackathons and real-world scaling.Who It's For Journo targets digital nomads, young travelers, business professionals, and local hosts who value authenticity, safety, privacy, and a sense of community. It’s built for those seeking more meaningful, secure, and frictionless travel experiences through technology.

Solution

Journo was built as a hackathon-ready, blockchain-powered travel platform, combining technologies that deliver secure, verifiable peer-to-peer hosting and ridesharing. The technical approach centers on modular architecture, rapid prototyping, and deep integration with cryptographic identity and privacy solutions.Core Technologies Used Frontend: Built using React.js and Next.js for fast development, SEO optimization, and responsive UI. MapBox was used for location services and Tailwind CSS for rapid UI styling.Backend: Node.js with Express.js, MongoDB for off-chain data, Redis for caching, and Socket.io for real-time communication between hosts and travelers.Blockchain Layer: Deployed smart contracts to Worldchain (a Layer 2, EVM-compatible blockchain) using Foundry and Ethers.js for seamless booking, escrow, and non-transferable reputation token systems. MetaMask integration was implemented for wallet connectivity.Decentralized Storage: IPFS (via Pinata) for off-chain user data and property images; on-chain hashes ensure integrity and privacy.Verification and Identity: World ID with device, orb scan, and orb face auth levels for cryptographic proof-of-humanity. The Worldcoin MiniKit SDK and IDKit widget were embedded for easy authentication flows with frontend/backend sync.Zero-Knowledge Proofs: Used Circom and SnarkJS for JavaScript-friendly ZK circuits. zkPDF tech was leveraged for document verification without exposing private data. This enabled age, document, and location attestation for trust building in under 30 minutes of setup.Third-Party APIs: AuthBridge for real-time government document and driving license checks. Stripe for fiat escrow payments. Twilio for SMS verification. Chainlink oracles for external data feeds.Architecture Overview Journo uses a hybrid on-chain/off-chain model:Smart contracts: Govern identity, booking, and reputation, using circuit breaker and proxy patterns for security and upgradeability. Reviews are stake-weighted to counter gaming.World ID smart contract: Prevents double-verification with nullifier hashes and keeps device/orb status in sync across all flows.Zero-knowledge circuits: Allow users to prove credential details (like age or presence in a region) without ever sharing them, dramatically improving female traveler safety and privacy.Hacky and Notable Solutions Rapid integration of zero-knowledge document verification with zkPDF for PDF-based credentials—users can verify IDs and licenses without leaking sensitive fields.Social recovery wallets via tKey: Wallet recovery is split across user devices and trusted friends, making crypto onboarding painless.Decentralized, non-transferable reputation tokens: Built with custom ERC-721 smart contracts featuring decay mechanisms to prevent reputation abuse and ensure trust is earned through recent activity, not legacy points.Network-optimized product strategy: Targeted launches in university towns, influencer-based growth hacking, referral waitlists, and host-driven onboarding were all designed and automated using backend scripts for rapid iteration during the hackathon timeframe.Partner Technologies and Impact World ID and Worldchain infrastructure provided cryptographic identity, authentication, and payment rails out-of-the-box, drastically reducing build time and increasing platform trust and security.AuthBridge and Twilio APIs allowed real-time government document verification and seamless onboarding via mobile devices—critical for fast user growth and high engagement rates.Journo’s architecture and hackathon build leveraged cutting-edge stack choices, rapid modular development workflows, and advanced cryptographic identity and verification, creating a uniquely secure, privacy-respecting, and scalable travel platform.