synelar

Synelar lets you own your personal data. Create a secure digital ID , encrypt & store your info privately, share only what you want, and earn SOL when apps pay to access it powered by Gemini AI .

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Inspiration

I started Synelar because I got tired of seeing how much personal data gets collected and sold online without users getting anything back. Living in India, where everyone uses apps and social media but privacy feels like an afterthought, I wanted to build something that actually gives control back to people. The idea hit me: what if your data could be yours to own, lock up securely, and only share when you want—and get paid for it? Synelar is my attempt to make that real using Solana for fast, cheap transactions and Gemini AI to make sharing decisions smarter and safer.

What it does

Synelar lets you create a personal digital identity called SynID — basically a soulbound NFT on Solana. You add things like your name, bio, email, social links, etc., encrypt them so only you can unlock them, and store the locked version on IPFS (decentralized storage).

When an app, service, or anyone wants access to specific parts of your data, they send a request. You review it, decide which fields to share (or none), and if you approve, they pay you a small amount in SOL directly to your wallet. Gemini AI helps by analyzing the request: it can suggest a fair price, flag suspicious asks, or even auto-approve low-risk ones based on rules you set. You get a simple dashboard showing your earnings, who asked for what, and transaction history.

In short: your data, your rules, your money.

How we built it

I built the whole thing solo using Next.js (App Router) for both frontend and backend API routes. Wallet connection and Solana stuff (minting NFT, sending SOL) uses @solana/web3.js and Metaplex for metadata. Encryption is done in the browser with Web Crypto API (AES-256-GCM). Encrypted data goes to IPFS via Pinata gateway. For now, everything you own is saved in localStorage on your device.

Gemini integration happens through API calls to Google’s Gemini models: it processes incoming access requests, gives smart suggestions (price, risk level), and helps explain why a share might be safe or not. The app is deployed on Vercel — live at https://synelar.tech, code open at https://github.com/synelar. Currently runs on Solana devnet.

Challenges we ran into

  • Getting Solana devnet transactions to confirm reliably — sometimes airdrops or sends take forever or fail randomly.
  • Keeping encryption truly private: the key never leaves your browser, but still making approved sharing work smoothly without security holes.
  • Tuning Gemini prompts so it gives useful, privacy-respecting advice instead of generic or risky suggestions.
  • Explaining NFTs and soulbound tokens to normal users without sounding too crypto-heavy.
  • LocalStorage isn’t perfect for long-term data (size limits, not backed up), but it kept the MVP simple and no-server needed.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • End-to-end working flow on devnet: connect wallet → create & mint SynID → encrypt & upload data → demo access request → pay & receive SOL → see it in dashboard.
  • Real (testnet) SOL transfers when access is granted.
  • Gemini actually making the system smarter: suggesting prices and spotting bad requests.
  • Clean, interactive demo mode so anyone can try the experience without minting anything.
  • Built and deployed a full prototype solo in a short time.

What we learned

  • Privacy tools have to feel dead simple on the surface — all the crypto and AI complexity stays hidden.
  • AI like Gemini is powerful for personalization, but you need tight controls so it doesn’t suggest sharing too much.
  • Testnet is great for building, but real user testing on mainnet will reveal a lot more.
  • Decentralized identity + payments is exciting, but most people just want “it works” without learning blockchain.
  • Full-stack + blockchain debugging is multi-layer pain — browser console, RPC logs, API errors all at once.

What's next for Synelar

  • Launch on Solana mainnet with real SOL economics.
  • Add better persistence (maybe encrypted cloud backup or on-chain pointers).
  • Expand Gemini features: chat-based request handling, automatic anomaly detection in access logs, or AI-generated privacy summaries.
  • Build an SDK so other apps can easily integrate SynID access requests.
  • Do user testing especially in India — understand what fields people actually want to monetize.
  • Explore verified credentials (e.g., proof of education, employment) inside SynID.
  • Open up to community contributions and partnerships.

This is just the beginning — I really believe personal data ownership can change how the internet works.

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