The unit: ARCTIC is the Web4 GROUP unit responsible for Layer 3, the decentralized compute backbone.
The problem it addresses: Most of the modern internet runs on a small number of very large cloud providers. That concentration is a single point of failure and a single point of control — and it is the opposite of an architecture where infrastructure traces back to the people using it.
The approach: Turn everyday consumer devices — laptops, phones, small home servers — into a distributed network that provides storage and processing power collectively, rather than renting it from a handful of data centres.
Why it sits under Web4 GROUP rather than standing alone: ARCTIC is a layer, not a separate business. It has to interlock with identity above it and hardware below it, which is why the seven units are coordinated centrally.
Current stage: ARCTIC is in closed beta and runs as operating-system-specific software rather than an app-store download.
More about the unit: arctic.linkspreed.com