> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://hello.kodadot.xyz/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://hello.kodadot.xyz/about-us/who-are-we/beginning-of-story.md). # Beginning of Story Explore the origins of KodaDot, an open-source NFT marketplace in the Polkadot ecosystem, and learn about the founders' mission to create a collaborative and inclusive platform. KodaDot's Co-founder, [yangWao](https://twitter.com/yangWao), discovered the potential of the Polkadot ecosystem while researching [Substrate](https://docs.substrate.io/) developers. He decided to delve deeper and built a web-based Subket. With this tool, users could: * Create a Substrate account from a mnemonic and hex seed * Load their account * Sign data * Verify signatures During his project, yangWao encountered challenges and identified a lack of resources for Vue native developers in the Polkadot ecosystem. To address this issue, he teamed up with Co-founder [Viki](https://twitter.com/vikiival) and created [https://vue-polkadot.js.org](https://vue-polkadot.js.org/), featuring Vue.js libraries, utilities, and classes. Their efforts received a grant from the [Web3 Foundation](https://medium.com/@web3) in 2019. ### KodaDot's Evolution: From Experimenting to NFT Marketplace Although successful, yangWao and Viki wanted to make their creation more practical and useful for themselves. They tried different ideas, such as an [Automated Registry](https://hackmd.io/@yangwao/r1nRVC3nL) and visualizing blockchain blocks in AR/VR. However, these projects didn't meet their expectations for continuous innovation and community collaboration. Their path changed when they found [Bruno Skvorc](https://medium.com/@bitfalls)'s work on the [RMRK.app](https://www.rmrk.app/) for the Kusama Network. They studied the [rmrk-spec repository](https://github.com/rmrk-team/rmrk-spec) and realized the flexibility of Substrate Data. The duo built an RMRK.app NFT reader, which gained traction within the crypto community. This accomplishment inspired them to develop KodaDot, and, after submitting a [proposal](https://kusama.polkassembly.io/motion/256) to become an NFT explorer, it emerged as the first public good in the Dotsama ecosystem. To learn more about KodaDot's inspiring journey and growth, read [here](https://medium.com/kodadot/traverse-to-the-prime-show-733d6046d3f5). --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://hello.kodadot.xyz/about-us/who-are-we/beginning-of-story.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.