SPRIND prototyping competition for digital wallets

In the first nomination round of the prototyping competition in SPRIND’s EUDI Wallet Prototypes innovation competition, 6 teams were nominated.

A remarkable milestone for digital identities and an efficient approach to developing digital technologies. This competition clearly differs from traditional public tenders due to its prototypical approach and emphasizes the importance of agile and user-centric software applications.

In Germany, the development of digital proof of identity, known as wallets, is the focus of a pioneering initiative. Under the banner of the SPRIND Funke “
EUDI Wallet Prototypes
“, innovative solutions are being sought that make digital identities secure and extremely user-friendly.

The innovation competition “EUDI Wallet Prototypes”, which has now been announced, stands out significantly from traditional public tenders due to its prototypical approach. This prototypical approach is a clear commitment to the importance of agile and user-centered development processes in technology development.

This innovation competition focuses on digital wallets, which are set to play a key role in the management of digital identities. These digital wallets allow users to securely store and manage their proof of identity, which is essential for accessing various public and private services.

In view of the increasing digitalization of our society, the development of a secure, user-friendly and universally applicable European Digital Identity Wallet is of strategic importance for the Federal Republic of Germany and beyond.

“With the EUDI wallet, citizens will be able to identify themselves digitally. They will also be able to store, manage and present their identity data and official documents in electronic form in these digital wallets.” – Rafael Laguna de la Vera – Head of the Federal Agency for Jump Innovations SPRIND

This is a task under state sovereignty, so the responsibility lies not only in the development of functional and secure technology, but also in guaranteeing data protection and the digital sovereignty of citizens.

This innovative prototyping competition aims to create prototypes that will then also serve as an all-round trustworthy basis for the nationwide introduction of digital identities in Germany.

The SPRIND innovation forge competition

Launched in April 2024, the competition runs through three phases in which the participating teams can receive up to 350,000 euros per stage. This funding will support the teams in developing their wallet prototypes that are not only secure and interoperable, but also have the potential to be widely adopted by us users.

The competition is open not only to German teams, but also to international teams. This promotes a global exchange of ideas and innovations, which is particularly important for the development of solutions that are to be interoperable at European level.

A total of 58 entries from 14 different countries were received for the SPRIND Funke “EUDI Wallet Prototypes” competition. The Federal Agency for Leap Innovations invited ten teams from the funded track to the decisive Pitch Day, where the teams were selected for the first stage of the competition. Of these ten, six teams were ultimately selected to further develop their prototypes for the European digital identity wallet.

Innovation leaders in the spotlight: the six pioneering teams of the SPRIND Funke EUDI Wallet Prototypes competition

Meet the six leading teams that have qualified for Round 1 of the competition to help us shape the future of digital identities in Germany:

Team: Sphereon Wallet for All

Team: Sphereon Wallet for All – Source: SPRIN-D – BUNDESAGENTUR FÜR SPRUNGINNOVATIONEN – copyright Felix Adler

Team Sphereon ‘s vision is to redefine the use of personal and corporate identities to create trust in a digital world. The team has set itself the task of developing digital proofs of identity that enable the efficient, forgery-proof and data protection-compliant exchange of information. Their approach is to combine innovation and compliance so that digital proof of identity meets the stringent requirements of regulated sectors. We emphasize user-oriented design and intuitive interfaces to improve usability and make it accessible to everyone.

Team: Heidi: Human-centered EID infrastructure

Team: Heidi: Human-centered EID infrastructure – Matthias Wellig, Fabian Aggeler, Patrick Amrein, Ubique Innovation AG – Source: SPRIN-D – BUNDESAGENTUR FÜR SPRUNGINNOVATIONEN – copyright Felix Adler

Heidi focuses a modern E-ID infrastructure must be based on solid cryptographic procedures that guarantee data protection, security and a high level of trust. For such an infrastructure to be successful, it must be accepted by users and offer real added value. The Ubique team’s “HEIDI – Human-centered E-ID Infrastructure” project addresses both challenges simultaneously. The Zurich-based digital company’s interdisciplinary team combines in-depth technical knowledge with outstanding UX skills to make the project a success. Ubique stands for meaningful digitalization and first-class UX – an unbeatable duo.

Team: Animo Easy PID

Team: Animo Easy PID – Timo Glastra, Ana Goessens, Berend Sliedracht- Source: SPRIN-D – BUNDESAGENTUR FÜR SPRUNGINNOVATIONEN – copyright Felix Adler

Animo Solutions was founded in 2020 with the aim of making the creation of proof of identity self-determined, understandable and accessible to everyone. We have specialized in the development of low-level open source components. Animo Solutions has a proven track record in several open source communities, with long-term investments in the Credo framework, a TypeScript SSI framework compatible with React Native and mainly used for the creation of identity wallets.

Team: eID client Wallet-Evolution

Hartje Bruns, Marco von der Plütten, Jule Jensen – Team: eID client Wallet-Evolution – Source: SPRIN-D – BUNDESAGENTUR FÜR SPRUNGINNOVATIONEN – copyright Felix Adler

For 25 years, Governikus has focused on secure electronic communication and the management of data and identities in exchanges between citizens, public authorities and companies. The “eID-Client Wallet-Evolution” team consists of experts from Governikus’ “Secure Identities Competence Unit” who have extensive experience in the development of applications such as the “AusweisApp”, the “Governikus ID Panstar” eID server, the eIDAS middleware and other eID(AS) projects. These solutions help to strengthen people’s digital sovereignty in an increasingly networked world. By participating in the SPRIND Funke “EUDI Wallet Prototypes”, Governikus strives to develop an advanced EUDI wallet that will facilitate citizens’ transition to a new national and international digital infrastructure.

Team: TICE Wallet

Team: TICE Wallet Fabio Tacke, Andreas Ganske, Simon Kempendorf, TICE- Source: SPRIN-D – BUNDESAGENTUR FÜR SPRUNGINNOVATIONEN – copyright Felix Adler

TICE focuses on the challenge of developing a highly secure and user-friendly wallet while at the same time meeting the very high demands on UX on the one hand and security and data protection on the other. Their approach is a wallet solution with a smartphone app as the central component for millions of citizens. Open source components and existing protocols are used as a matter of priority. Based on the German ID card, which fulfills high security criteria, we are expanding the possibilities that a digital wallet can offer: Identification, authentication, signing digital documents, pseudonymous login and strong customer authentication.

Team: eEWA – easy EUDI-Wallet App

Team: eEWA – easy EUDI-Wallet App – Andreas Plies, Robin Acker, Patrick Hille, AUTHADA GmbH- Source: SPRIN-D – BUNDESAGENTUR FÜR SPRUNGINNOVATIONEN – copyright Felix Adler

The eEWA – easy EUDI-Wallet App team combines its expertise in cybersecurity and electronic identification to offer an advanced wallet solution. Through the use of its technology in various sectors, the AUTHADA GmbH team has already gained extensive experience in how digital identity solutions can be implemented effectively. Their solution follows the vision of making digital transactions more secure and efficient. Thanks to the Qualified Electronic Signature (QES), contracts will no longer require a handwritten signature in future and can be concluded completely digitally in a legally secure manner. AUTHADA has been in existence since 2015 and currently employs 24 people at its Darmstadt site. Certified by the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and in accordance with ISO27001, AUTHADA already fulfills basic security requirements.

Unity through diversity!

Each of the six teams brings a unique blend of technological expertise, strategic vision and practical experience to the SPRIND Funke project.

While Sphereon and TICE focus strongly on technological innovation and security, Heidi and Animo attach great importance to user-friendliness and community involvement. Governikus and AUTHADA use their many years of experience and established technologies to offer reliable solutions that can be integrated directly into existing systems.

“Germany now needs a path for the eIDAS-compliant infrastructure.” –Berit Dannenberg, Co-Head of the Federal Agency for Leap Innovations SPRIN-D

This diversity underlines the complexity of the field of digital identities and shows the diverse approaches that are necessary to address the challenges of this important area.

Interdisciplinary jury and expertise

f.l.t.r.: Christiane Fritsch, Luise Kranich, Thomas Lohninger, Uwe Kraus, Anja Lehmann, Peter Parycek, Brian Behlendorf, Torsten Loddersteddt, Ulrich Weinberg, Ariane Jäger – copyright Felix Adler

The competition will be judged by a panel of experts from various fields, including civil society, security and user experience. This diversity guarantees a comprehensive evaluation of the prototypes from different perspectives.

The jury paid particular attention to the innovative approach of each team, the practical feasibility of their projects, the expertise and composition of the team members and the economic viability of the proposed solutions.

The selection of the six leading teams was based on specific criteria that were described in detail in the tender:

• Security: Evaluation of the security concept and implementation according to the principle of “security by design”.
• Data protection: Review of conformity with European and German data protection law and compliance with “Privacy by Design”.
• Interoperability: Compatibility with the “Architecture Proposal v2” and the “EUDIW Architecture and Reference Framework”.
• User experience: Assessment of the usability, accessibility and internationalization of the solutions.
• Reach: Potential of the solution to reach a broad user base.
• Completeness: Scope and coverage of the functions and features included in the proposal.
• Cost-effectiveness: cost-benefit analysis of the proposed solution.
• Software design quality: Quality of the software architecture and code.
• Performance: Efficiency and responsiveness of the implemented solution.
• Scalability: Ability of the solution to scale effectively with an increasing number of users.

These criteria ensured that the selected teams not only contribute visionary ideas, but also have the ability to establish them sustainably and economically in the market.

Innovative prototyping approach for smart software development

The prototyping approach in the SPRIND Funke competition is particularly innovative. It allows teams to develop creative and interoperable solutions that prioritize data protection and user-friendliness. The competition addresses critical challenges in the design of EUDI wallets and provides a testing ground for various implementation approaches.

Challenges and expectations

Participants in the competition are faced with the challenge of developing prototypes in accordance with ARF compatibility requirements while ensuring security, data protection and user acceptance. The resources provided by SPRIND and the opportunity to receive feedback from experts offer a unique opportunity to further develop and refine their projects.

Despite the strict requirements for compliance with certain technical standards and protocols, the teams have the freedom to pursue innovative approaches. This also includes the possibility of proposing additional protocols and data formats if these can offer significant advantages in terms of security, data protection, user experience or reach.

The participating teams retain ownership of their developments, even if the results have to be published under an open source license. This is particularly important as it encourages innovation while ensuring that the results can benefit the community.

Outlook: How will the competition continue?

The next phase of the competition for the best wallet will involve further development and testing of these prototypes, with the aim of qualifying up to four teams for the final round. The results of these innovative approaches will definitely have a significant impact on the future of digital proof of identity in Germany and beyond.

The wallets must meet a variety of technical specifications, including support for strong customer authentication (SCA) and qualified electronic signature (QES), which are not yet fully defined in the current architecture framework (ARF). These requirements ensure that the solutions developed are robust and secure, which is critical for acceptance and trust in digital identity solutions.

The SPRIND Funke “EUDI Wallet Prototypes” competition is an unprecedented endeavor. Why? It is the first approach of its kind to be implemented on this scale and with such an integrative, interdisciplinary and international approach. It brings together innovative minds from all over the world to work together on the future of digital identity in Germany and Europe.

Multidimensional challenge

The challenge is not only technological, but also socially and politically significant. The prototypes must meet the highest security requirements, while at the same time being user-friendly and preserving privacy. This requires a fine balance between technical feasibility and user acceptance, which is to be achieved through constant interaction with the end users.

Promoting innovation and collaboration

The competition is designed not only to promote the development of new technologies, but also to facilitate exchange and collaboration between different players. Teams from various sectors – from start-ups and academic institutions to established companies – can take part and contribute their ideas. This allows a broad range of perspectives and expertise to be utilized, which increases the chances of breakthrough innovations.

Openness and transparency

Another outstanding feature of the competition is its commitment to openness and transparency. All prototypes developed as part of the Funded Track must publish their source codes under an open source license, which enables the free exchange of knowledge and technology and promotes the development of standardized solutions. This not only promotes collective learning, but also the rapid adaptation and further development of technologies.

The selection of the teams that will participate in the SPRIND Funke “EUDI Wallet Prototypes” in the non-funding track, i.e. without financial support, is currently in the final discussion phase of the jury. The final decisions and the announcement of the selected teams are planned for next week.

Long-term vision and global integration

The SPRIND Funke competition is also unique in that it only targets the current urgent needs of our society with regard to our digital transformation. The prototyping approach thus sets the course for our future of trustworthy digital identities in line with European digitization efforts. Compatibility with European standards and interoperability with systems from other member states are key aspects that must be taken into account from the outset when developing the wallets.

All of this shows how innovation can be driven forward through targeted support and creative freedom in key technological areas.

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