The Internet was built on open standards, or protocols. For example HTTP stands for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. And TCP/IP stands for Transport Control Protocol / Internet Protocol.

Stacked Protocols

Pop Quiz: What is the 8th layer on the OSI Model?

The Missing Internet

When the Internet was first designed over 30 years ago, they assumed everyone would build Open Systems. You know, like in OSI. However, even though the words open systems were the essence of the original design of the Internet, everyone built closed and opaque networks.

Today's Internet then represents a collection of all the centralized networks, aka the walled gardens, and the overall vision of everyone connecting into a global village for shared prosperity never came to be.

What is a Walled Garden? And why it is the strategy of Google, Facebook and Amazon Ads platform?

Layer 8 Protocols

Get it? Awake is a set of Meta Network Protocols, as well as the associated set of Meta Networks.

And the missing Internet is not really missing, it is covered up by the various centralized networks, they seemingly run the show today, the so-called Big Tech companies. Underlying them all, and surrounding them, is the original Internet Protocol, from TCP/IP. People may have forgotten, but we have not.

a64z then is the collection of Awake Protocols, designed for entrepreneurs and investors. These protocols combine to form end-to-end global business networks that digitally transform industries. Like Lego blocks for Internet Ventures. Not all have been released yet, but the key ones are already in use by early adopters:

Awake Me

The Internet Sovereign Identity Protocol.

Awake Social

The Internet Connections Protocol

Awake Chat