diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7c9f304
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[submodule "src/main/proto"]
+	path = src/main/proto
+	url = git@github.com:covidhub/socialgraph-proto
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index e3ab5bf..71f7a12 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 plugins {
+    id "com.google.protobuf" version "0.8.12"
     id 'io.spring.dependency-management' version '1.0.9.RELEASE'
     id 'java'
+    id 'idea'
     id 'org.springframework.boot' version '2.2.5.RELEASE'
 }
 
diff --git a/src/main/proto b/src/main/proto
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..b0ff521
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/proto
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit b0ff521e7ff3e3b43832e062533f3fd5fb66a700