Stelle

1.    Project Overview

1.1    Solution Overview

PITCH - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llag0DQq4pE

Stelle presents a groundbreaking online platform revolutionizing the process of freelancer hiring and employer-freelancer connections. We harness the capabilities of blockchain technology to guarantee transparency, security, and efficacy across all operations.

Website: https://hackathon-two-pi.vercel.app

Key Features

Stelle integrates smart contracts into its blockchain framework to facilitate secure transactions between employers and freelancers. These smart contracts are preprogrammed with specific terms, ensuring automatic execution upon fulfillment, thus removing the need for intermediaries and nurturing trust.

By utilizing blockchain-based verification, users can establish trust and credibility within the platform, minimizing the risk of fraudulent activities. Funds are held in escrow until both parties fulfill their obligations, bolstering confidence among both employers and freelancers.

Moreover, Stelle incorporates a transparent reputation system where users can rate and review each other based on their interactions. These ratings are permanently recorded on the blockchain, ensuring immutability and transparency. This system empowers employers to make informed decisions based on a freelancer's reputation, while freelancers can enhance their credibility within the platform.

Furthermore, Stelle integrates secure payment processing mechanisms, facilitating seamless and secure transactions between employers and freelancers. From milestone tracking to communication channels, Stelle provides all the necessary resources for smooth project execution.

2.    Business Analysis

2.1    Competitors

Stelle enters a market bustling with competitors, each offering their own blend of services and features. Understanding the landscape is crucial for positioning Stelle as a unique and valuable platform for both freelancers and employers. Here's an overview of some of the key competitors in the freelance marketplace:

Upwork

- Upwork is one of the largest freelance platforms globally, offering a wide range of services across various industries. It provides features for both freelancers and employers, including project management tools, payment protection, and a vast pool of talent.

- Strengths: Established brand, diverse talent pool, robust features for project management and collaboration.

- Weaknesses: High competition among freelancers, significant fees for both parties, occasional quality control issues.

Freelancer.com

- Freelancer.com is another prominent player in the freelance marketplace, connecting millions of freelancers with employers worldwide. It offers features such as contests, hourly or project-based work, and secure payments.

- Strengths: Large user base, diverse project categories, multiple payment options.

- Weaknesses: Quality of work may vary, transaction fees can be substantial, limited dispute resolution options.

Fiverr

- Fiverr stands out with its gig-based model, where freelancers offer services starting at $5. It caters to a wide range of industries and services, from graphic design to digital marketing.

- Strengths: Simple pricing structure, user-friendly interface, focus on quick tasks and services.

- Weaknesses: Limited scalability for larger projects, quality control challenges, transaction fees can add up.

Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of Stelle

Stelle aims to differentiate itself in the competitive freelance marketplace through its innovative integration of blockchain technology. By leveraging smart contracts on the blockchain, Stelle offers unparalleled security, transparency, and efficiency for both freelancers and employers. Smart contracts ensure that agreements between parties are automatically enforced, eliminating the need for intermediaries and reducing the risk of disputes or payment issues.

Additionally, Stelle prioritizes user experience by providing a sleek and intuitive platform design that simplifies the process of finding or hiring freelancers. Through advanced algorithms, Stelle matches employers with the most suitable freelancers based on their project requirements, skills, and preferences.

Furthermore, Stelle fosters a sense of community and collaboration among its users, offering features such as forums, knowledge sharing, and networking opportunities. By cultivating a vibrant ecosystem of talent and opportunities, Stelle aims to empower freelancers to thrive in their careers while enabling employers to find the perfect match for their projects.

2.2    Value Proposition

Client Side

• Customer Assignments: Stelle offers a comprehensive platform where clients can easily post their project requirements, specifying the scope, budget, and timeline.
• Winnings: Clients gain access to a diverse pool of skilled freelancers, enabling them to find the perfect match for their projects efficiently.
• Pains: Clients often face challenges in finding reliable freelancers, ensuring the security of transactions, and managing project timelines and payments securely.

Value Proposition

• Pain Relievers:

Secure Transactions: Stelle leverages smart contract technology on the blockchain, ensuring secure transactions between clients and freelancers. Payments are released only upon satisfactory completion of milestones, eliminating the risk of fraud.

Verified Freelancers: Stelle implements a rigorous vetting process for freelancers, including identity verification and skill assessments, alleviating clients' concerns about the quality and reliability of service providers.

Project Management Tools: Stelle offers integrated project management tools, allowing clients to track progress, communicate with freelancers, and manage milestones effectively, reducing the administrative burden.

• Gain Creators:

Access to Talent: Stelle provides clients with access to a global talent pool of freelancers with diverse skill sets, enabling them to find the best fit for their projects, leading to higher quality outcomes.

Cost Efficiency: By leveraging freelancers, clients can save costs associated with hiring full-time employees, paying only for the services rendered, thus optimizing their project budgets.

Time Savings: Stelle streamlines the freelancer hiring process, saving clients time in sourcing, interviewing, and onboarding talent, allowing them to focus on core business activities.

• Products and Services:

Freelancer Marketplace: Stelle offers a user-friendly platform where clients can browse profiles, portfolios, and reviews of freelancers, facilitating informed hiring decisions.

Escrow Services: Stelle provides secure escrow services powered by smart contracts, holding funds until project milestones are met, ensuring fair and transparent transactions.

Dispute Resolution: In the event of disputes, Stelle offers a transparent and impartial resolution process, mediated by blockchain technology, ensuring fair outcomes for both parties.

3.    System Requirements

3.1    User Stories

Freelancer

1. As a Freelancer:

I want a user-friendly platform to showcase my skills, receive project notifications, and ensure secure payments via blockchain smart contracts.

2. As a Freelancer:

I seek a supportive community, transparent communication with employers, and seamless project tracking for efficient collaboration.

Employer

3. As an Employer:

I need an easy way to post projects, evaluate freelancer profiles, and ensure secure transactions with blockchain smart contracts.

4. As an Employer:

I require tools for effective communication, collaboration, and transparent payment processes to streamline project management.

4.    System Design

4.1    Technologies Used

• Next.js

• TypeScript

• Scroll

• ENS

• Vercel

• Solidity

• HardHat

4.2    Solution Mockup

Image 1: Mockup designed by the team.

5.0 Problematic

With the rapid growth of the freelance market, there is a need for innovative solutions that ensure security, transparency, and efficiency in contractual transactions. Blockchain technology emerges as a promising tool to address these challenges, offering a secure and decentralized platform for closing contracts and processing payments online.

Freelancer Market Context

In recent years, we have witnessed a boom in the number of freelance professionals, with statistics showing exponential growth in this mode of work. Institutions like the Bureau of Labor Statistics report an increase of about 50% in the number of freelancers in recent years, with over 60 million workers in the US alone. Renowned companies such as McKinsey & Company and PricewaterhouseCoopers highlight that the freelancer industry moves trillions of dollars globally, reflecting a growing trend.

Current Challenges in the Freelancer Market

Despite the growth, the freelance market faces significant challenges, especially regarding the security and efficiency of transactions. Studies show that a substantial portion of freelancers faces issues such as non-payment for services rendered, payment delays, and lack of transparency in contracts. The lack of security and reliability in online transactions exposes both freelancers and contractors to the risk of fraud and contractual disputes.

Benefits of Blockchain Technology in Our Solution

Blockchain technology offers a comprehensive solution to the challenges faced by the freelance market. By ensuring immutability, transparency, and traceability, blockchain prevents fraud and contractual alterations, creating a trustworthy environment for all parties involved. Moreover, the elimination of intermediaries reduces the costs associated with financial transactions, allowing freelancers to receive payments more efficiently and economically. Studies by McKinsey & Company indicate that the implementation of digital technologies like blockchain can reduce costs by up to 20%, providing significant savings for freelance professionals.

In summary, blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize the freelance market, offering unprecedented security, efficiency, and transparency in online transactions. By adopting blockchain to close contracts and process payments, freelance professionals can mitigate the risks associated with non-payment, payment delays, and contractual disputes, thereby driving the growth and sustainability of this rapidly expanding sector.

Our Solution

In response to the challenges faced by the freelance market, emerges Stelle, an innovative platform that utilizes blockchain technology to revolutionize the way work contracts are managed and executed. By integrating smart contracts into the process, Stelle aims to provide unparalleled security, transparency, and efficiency while eliminating the costs and complexities associated with traditional intermediaries.

Source Code

The source code for the project is hosted on GitHub. You can find the frontend codebase at https://github.com/joselitojunior/hackathon.