Kakarot has successfully developed a working implementation of a zkEVM (zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine) using Cairo, StarkWare's open-source programming language, to create STARK proofs for Ethereum Layer 1.

While Kakarot's co-founder Clement Walter acknowledges the advantages of a ZK-friendly instruction set, he cautions against hastily adopting RISC-V, stressing the need for tailored high-performance systems to meet Ethereum's specific requirements.

Kakarot, a startup supported by Vitalik Buterin and StarkWare, is developing an innovative system for generating zero-knowledge proofs on Ethereum, with a goal of achieving real-time proof generation by the end of 2025.

The startup's approach is focused on enhancing the efficiency of Ethereum smart contracts while ensuring the validity of all transactions, which is crucial for the network's integrity.

Kakarot's innovations are particularly significant as Ethereum's roadmap aims for full zero-knowledge verification by 2028, heavily relying on the implementation of ZK proofs.

Based in Paris, Kakarot has raised $6 million and transitioned from a community project to a next-generation blockchain infrastructure developer.

Positioned as the first credible alternative to existing zero-knowledge proof generation stacks, Kakarot aims to diversify the tools available for Ethereum, which currently rely on a singular EVM implementation and prover.

Eli Ben-Sasson, CEO of StarkWare, praised Kakarot's unique ZK-native stack, emphasizing its importance for client diversity, a key factor in Ethereum's resilience and scalability.

The startup has ambitious plans to generate a STARK proof within eight seconds of block generation, outperforming Ethereum's current block production time of twelve seconds.

This announcement comes at a time when discussions are underway regarding the potential replacement of Ethereum's EVM with the open-source RISC-V architecture, a proposal advocated by Buterin to enhance scalability.