CatalystCon 2023

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Josh Fielding

[GENERAL] Email address of main applicant

josh@wada.org

Additional applicants

-

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

4

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language.

No

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.”

No dependencies.

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

Yes

[GENERAL] If NO, please describe which outputs are not going to be open source. If YES, please write “Project will be fully open source.”

Project will be fully open source.

[METADATA] Category of proposal

Events

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

Main deliverable:

Building upon the success of CatalystCon 2022 by hosting another event for 2023. This event aims to engage the Catalyst community, inclusive of project contributors, voters, entrepreneurs, developers, and interested firms looking for funding and blockchain solutions.

Project Brief:

The 2023 CatalystCon will be an immersive, two-day event held in December, with the aim to engage, educate, and inspire the Catalyst community and beyond. Day one will be a spotlight on various projects, featuring live product demonstrations, panel discussions and opportunities for networking.

On the second day, the focus will shift towards knowledge sharing and capacity building. We will host a series of interactive workshops, panel discussions, and presentations addressing various topics relevant to our community.

This event will also introduce a new component – live, in-person interactions, aiming to foster deeper connections within our community and offer previously unavailable networking opportunities.

Conference Hackathon:

A well-received element of the CatalystCon 2022 event was the developer hackathon that took place just before the main event, in partnership with Snapbrillia. We have confirmed their interest in participating in a new hackathon for this year's event, to span both technical and non-technical categories.

Technical Implementation:

We intend to use tried and tested platforms such as Zoom, Slido, and Miro, which we have used successfully in previous events. We will conduct a series of test runs in the weeks leading up to the event to ensure that the technology supports a smooth and high-quality convention experience. Additionally, our team will be on hand throughout the event to manage any technical issues that arise.

[IMPACT] How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?

Challenge Impact:

The Catalyst Open category exists to provide those proposals without defined categories of their own to have the opportunity to seek funding for relevant Catalyst projects. Typically, this project exists wherever there is space for community events, with the main proposal placed in miscellaneous category and sub-proposal spotlights placed where appropriate.

Cardano Impact:

Cardano prides itself on being a community-driven ecosystem, demonstrated in its dedication to decentralized governance and its collaborative approach to innovation, through Project Catalyst.

With this in mind, the presence of an annual, community-run event highlighting the progress and achievements of Catalyst is a highly-valuable initiative, of benefit to the entire ecosystem. It helps to create an interconnected and engaged community, beyond the confines of categories and industry silos.

[IMPACT] How do you intend to measure the success of your project?

Key Metrics:

• No. of Event Sign-ups
• No. of Event Attendees
• No. of Collaborations/Partnerships created
• No. of Catalyst project participants
• Social media engagement metrics
• Approval rating of attendees (post-event survey)

[IMPACT] Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?

Proposal Output Timeline:

Outputs and results will be spread over a reasonable timeline using the milestones approach as outlined by Catalyst. Reports on progress will be shared publicly with the Catalyst community through well-known channels.

However, the nature of an event naturally lends itself to a 'one-time output' approach, which will have to be balanced with Catalyst's new milestones-based implementation preference.

Outputs will be shared publicly with the Catalyst community, by way of post-event recordings.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

The Wada team has a proven track record of delivering high-quality events and projects for Catalyst and Cardano.

Previous work includes the successful organization of the CatalystCon 2022, a 2-day virtual event that brought together over 100 participants from more than 15 countries.

CatalystCon 2022 Highlights

https://youtu.be/YbxjgrojsX8

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

Project Goals:

• At least 100 participants over the course of the 2-day event.
• At least 3 live locations participating in Catalystcon 2023.
• An approval rating from participants over 4.5 (out of 5).

Validation:

These goals will be validated though a combination of available analytics tools, proof-of-life video evidence and post-event surveys provided to participants.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed breakdown of your project’s milestones and each of the main tasks or activities to reach the milestone plus the expected timeline for the delivery.

Project Milestones:

Milestone 1:

• Task: Outline event plan, confirm team roles, and establish communication channels.
• Success Criteria: Finalized event plan, established team roles, and confirmed tech stack.
• Projected Cost: 10% of total budget.

Milestone 2:

• Tasks: Engage partners and moderators, create schedule, identify proposed speakers, panelists, design marketing campaign, prepare content and website updates.
• Success Criteria: Secured participation agreements, finalized schedule, launched marketing campaigns, and website updates.
• Projected Cost: 30% of total budget.

Milestone 3:

• Tasks: Confirm all speakers, panelists, and product demos, open registrations, and start marketing campaigns across platforms.
• Success Criteria: As above.
• Projected Cost: 10% of total budget.

Milestone 4:

• Tasks: Reconfirm all speakers and panelists, release agenda on social media, run test session.
• Success Criteria: Final confirmations from all participants, successful agenda release, successful completion of test runs.
• Projected Cost: 5% of total budget.

Milestone 5:

• Tasks: Hosting event, ensuring smooth technical execution and on-the-day management.
• Success Criteria: Successful hosting of CatalystCon 2023 with minimal technical issues and positive attendee feedback.
• Projected Cost: 30% of total budget.

Milestone 6:

• Tasks: Gathering feedback via surveys and team sessions, analyzing the success and impact of the event.
• Success Criteria: Successful collection and analysis of feedback. Understanding the event's impact.
• Projected Cost: 15% of total budget.

Project Management:

Projects are typically managed through a series of video meetings at regular intervals and by utilizing the Google suite of products for documentation, data gathering, reporting and analysis. We typically lay out a detailed plan for each project, detailing the sequential steps in order to track progress, set deadlines, and ensure timely completion of tasks.

Additional notes:

Milestones are expected to be completed over a 3-month period from October to December, with the bulk of the work completed in the month of December.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

Milestone 1:

• Deliverable: Finalized event plan with established team roles, and functioning communication channels.
• Outputs: Event plan, team roles document, established tech stack.
• Intended Outcomes: A clear roadmap for the event, effective team in place, and secure, functioning tech infrastructure.

Milestone 2:

• Deliverable: Participation agreements, event schedule, marketing materials, and updated website.
• Outputs: As above.
• Intended Outcomes: Confirmed event participants, clear event timeline, prepared marketing content for promotion, and an updated event website.

Milestone 3:

• Deliverable: Confirmed speakers, panelists, and product demos, open registrations, and live marketing campaigns.
• Outputs: As above.
• Intended Outcomes: Ensured event preparedness, increase in registered attendees, and event awareness through social media.

Milestone 4:

• Deliverable: Final confirmations, released agenda on social media, successful completion of test runs.
• Outputs: As above.
• Intended Outcomes: Finalized list of participants, increased awareness and anticipation, assurance of event's smooth execution.

Milestone 5:

• Deliverable: Successfully hosted event with positive attendee feedback.
• Outputs: Live event and attendee support.
• Intended Outcomes: Successful execution of the event, attendee satisfaction, and constructive feedback for future improvements.

Milestone 6:

• Deliverable: Feedback report and impact analysis of the event.
• Outputs: Survey results and feedback report.
• Intended Outcomes: Insight into attendee experience, understanding of the event's impact, and guidance for planning future events.

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

Proposal Budget Breakdown:

• Event planning and Documentation: 6000₳
• Technical Support: 10000₳
• Platform Costs and Third-party Services: 3000₳
• Project Management and Coordination: 20000₳
• Translators, Moderators and Others: 10000₳
• Speakers and Panelists: 15000₳
• Live-event Support: 40000₳
• Administration and Operational Costs: 10000₳
• Marketing and Community engagement: 20000₳
• Hackathon Prize Fund: 6000₳
• Contingency: 9000₳
• Total: 149000₳
• Amended Total: 75000₳

Additional Notes:

The budget had been amended in order to satisfy the campaign criteria of a max budget of 75000₳.

This has been achieved by limiting the scope of the in-person component of the event, reducing marketing efforts and reducing capacity for speakers.

Proposal is self contained and will not depend on additional funding in order to take place.

Fund 10 Milestones Budget

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

The cost of the project is justified by aligning it with the expected outcomes and impact on the Cardano ecosystem. Each milestone's cost has been determined based on an analysis of the project's requirements and the resources needed to achieve its objectives effectively. Market rates, complexity of tasks, and necessary investments have been considered to ensure that the costs are proportional to the value they bring.

The project's value for money is demonstrated through its potential long-term benefits and positive impact on the ecosystem.The costs are justified by the outcomes, such as increased community engagement, growth of Project Catalyst and expanded awareness of Cardano through public events.

Overall, the project's costs are well-justified and reflect a strategic investment in the growth and success of the Cardano ecosystem.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agreed to Fund10 rules and also that data in the Submission Form and other data provided by the project team during the course of the project will be publicly available.

I Accept