From Platforms to Protocols: A Vision for Open Networks

As I discussed in my previous blog about my love for open source, the spirit of sharing and collaboration has always inspired me and shaped my vision. Observing the Indian tech landscape, I noticed an acceleration of platforms built around closed ecosystems. Whether it’s food delivery apps or other services, most platforms operate on commission-based models that extract value from providers while adding extra costs often opaque or fuzzy to the customers.

This practice has not gone unnoticed. Recently, communities on Reddit and other forums have exposed and criticized these models. Companies like Zepto and other startups have faced scrutiny over their pricing, discounting, and hidden charges. Customers can see the difference firsthand: the price you pay at a restaurant versus what you pay for the same order online through platforms like Swiggy or Zomato. These platforms consolidate control, leaving sellers with little autonomy or power to operate commission-free or more independently.

While these closed platforms have grown rapidly, the future of technology I envision flows in a very different direction. Open protocols allow for sovereignty among sellers and buyers, enabling networks that operate without centralized control. Instead of extracting value, these open networks empower participants to transact, collaborate, and innovate freely.

This shift from platforms to protocols represents a profound change in thinking. It’s about moving from centralized, closed systems to decentralized, open networks systems that are transparent, equitable, and collaborative. The idea of building on open protocols excites me deeply because it aligns with my vision of technology that serves humanity first.

What we are working on embraces this openness. By creating and contributing to an open network, we aim to foster systems where innovation, fairness, and collaboration are at the core. This is not just a technical approach it’s a philosophical vision: from platforms that extract, to protocols that empower.

This video explains how, from a technology perspective, the foundation—or the basic building blocks—of a system are structured. It highlights the underlying technologies that make platforms and networks function, showing how these fundamental layers enable more complex applications and services.