Inco

Inco is a social enterprise building an inclusive, sustainable global economy by supporting future workforce development and business leaders, operating internationally with a significant presence in Paris, France. The organization is known for Impact², an annual Paris event convening over 1,500 leaders from 50 countries. Impact² serves as a prominent forum for economic and political leaders, alongside businesses, to discuss social entrepreneurship and sustainability. While specific funding details are not publicly disclosed, Inco operates on a social enterprise model focused on global impact. Key figures include founder and chairman Nicolas Hazard, and Megan, a marketing professional on the INCO US board. The organization was founded by Nicolas Hazard. Its business model centers on social enterprise model, funding details not known.

High-Level Overview

Inco refers to multiple entities, but the most relevant technology company matching the query is Inco (inco.org), a blockchain infrastructure provider building the confidentiality layer for Web3. It develops protocols enabling encrypted state onchain, confidential composability, programmable access control, and hidden randomness for smart contracts, using technologies like Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE), Multi-Party Computation (MPC), and Trusted Execution Environments (TEE).[3][6] Inco serves Web3 developers, DeFi protocols, and institutions needing privacy on public blockchains, solving the core problem of transparent ledgers that expose sensitive data like balances or trades, which hinders mainstream adoption.[3] Backed by leading investors, it powers use cases like confidential ERC20 tokens and institutional onchain operations, with products like Inco Lightning for low-latency confidentiality.[3]

A dissolved UK entity, INCO TECHNOLOGIES LTD (incorporated 2022, focused on software publishing and IT services), no longer operates as of June 2024.[1] Other "Inco" names include a social enterprise (inco-group.co) for impact skilling and ventures,[2] a marketing firm,[4] and an electrical panel builder (inco-tech.com).[5]

Origin Story

Inco (the Web3 confidentiality provider) emerged to address blockchain privacy gaps, spearheading open-source standards like the Confidential ERC20 Framework via the Confidential Token Association.[3] Its backstory ties to advancing Web3 beyond transparent limitations, with innovations in encrypted onchain state and composability unlocking 30+ use cases.[3][6] Specific founders are not detailed in available data, but the project positions itself as the "final layer" of the blockchain stack, evolving from research on FHE and MPC to practical tools like Inco Lightning.[3]

For context, INCO TECHNOLOGIES LTD was founded on 4 November 2022 in London as a private limited company in software publishing (SIC 58290) and IT services, but dissolved on 18 June 2024 with minimal public traction.[1]

Core Differentiators

Inco stands out in Web3 infrastructure through its confidentiality stack, blending enterprise-grade crypto for onchain privacy without offchain compromises:

• Encrypted state onchain: Stores and processes hidden data directly on public blockchains, enabling private DeFi and payments.[3]
• Confidential composability: Allows seamless interactions between encrypted apps, unlike isolated privacy solutions.[3]
• Programmable access control: Custom compliance and logic for institutions, with MPC for secure decryption.[3]
• Hidden onchain randomness: Generates verifiable random numbers privately, unlocking gaming and lotteries.[3]
• Inco Lightning: TEE-powered for native app speed with near-zero latency confidentiality.[3]

This developer-friendly stack outperforms basic mixers or zero-knowledge proofs by supporting complex, compliant use cases.[3][6]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Inco rides the Web3 privacy trend, where regulatory demands (e.g., AML/KYC) clash with blockchain transparency, timing perfectly with institutional adoption and FHE/MPC maturity.[3] Market forces like rising DeFi TVL and onchain finance favor it, as confidentiality unlocks trillions in private assets.[3] Inco influences the ecosystem by standardizing confidential tokens and inspiring frameworks for compliant blockchains, accelerating Web3 from speculative to enterprise-grade.[3]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Inco is poised to dominate as the go-to confidentiality layer, with expansions in Lightning for high-speed apps and institutional tools amid growing privacy regs.[3] Trends like AI-blockchain integration and regulated DeFi will amplify its role, potentially evolving into a protocol with widespread EVM integration. As Web3 matures, Inco's stack could redefine onchain trust, turning transparency's flaw into a superpower—bridging public chains to real-world finance.[3]