Future Quest: the next-gen platform for X-prize style impact funding. We’re a match-making incubator for high impact projects leveraging web3, community and science.

[GENERAL] Name and Surname of Main Applicant

Esther Val

[GENERAL] Email address of Main Applicant

esther@future.quest

Additional Applicants

matt@future.quest

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

12

[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.” in this field.

No.

[GENERAL] Will your project outputs be fully Open Source?

No

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

Yes, when it comes to the platform for hosting and organising the Quests.

[METADATA] Category of Proposal

Incubation

[METADATA] SDG rating

GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

GOAL 13: Climate Action

GOAL 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal

The SDGs identified and their associated targets will guide project development and its assessment. We'll track and report on progress towards achieving these goals as part of our ongoing project management and review processes.

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

An increasing amount of public and private funds are moving into the space in a for-profit and nonprofit manner. Web3 climate companies (Flowcarbon, Toucan etc.) are seeking connection to mid-size and enterprise businesses and partners outside of web3. Unfortunately, this space is full of solutions looking for a problem. This is true for web3 but also for the wider climate tech and even wider impact tech space.

Our solution involves working with partners who indicate market gaps that need to be fulfilled (eg. data storage for carbon credits or regeneration initiatives for a large land project, or policy implementation in a city etc). An entrepreneur can then browse a list of open “tenders” for startups to solve known problems.

The projects listed are viable from the get-go and are vetted, supported and fostered via a global community of experts, founders, designers, scientists and investors into full scale impact companies, projects, programs and commons.

We create whole project bounties or “Quests”, which work like public tenders and are akin to small, highly targeted XPRIZE awards. The platform will offer innovators funding, an existing need and product-market fit (backed by LOIs, min 3 required) and a whole support framework.

Innovators can pitch against that quest and whoever wins, gets the money and the oppportunity to build an MVP solution. They can start working with orgs which signed LOIs, which will position them well for a further capital raise while derisking their startup (or public good) and the solution it brings.

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

We address the challenge by helping increase the scalability of Cardano through the introduction of climate-based solutions while improving the overall quality of the software being delivered across the ecosystem.

The Quests will be solutions built onto the Cardano ecosystem. Our model has proven (eg. for Celo before) that we can bring 2x the funding to match and then support founders to help build vital elements of infrastructure and application ecosystem.

We are addressing the massive climate investment mismatch and hence missed opportunity to collaboratively and efficiently solve the climate change crisis for the benefit of the planet as well as current and future generations!

This vision is fully aligned with Cardano’s Mission statement: “a platform built for a sustainable future, to help people work better together, trust one another, and build global solutions to global problems”. 

Our quests combine:

• A need shared by multiple industry players
• Grant funding to start addressing that need, from those players
• LOIs for use of such product if it existed, from those players
• Global network/community
• Media vehicle for promotion

To create:

• Startups
• Commons & Public Goods
• Accelerated market fit for existing orgs

We provide:

• Matchmaking for impact leveraging the most intersectional impact-focused global community (120K+ community members).
• Project vetting using a scientific framework developed with Regenerative Intelligence (the creators of Project Drawdown) and partners.
• White-glove support and additional services through our own 3 agencies (300+ brands, products, apps, platforms, websites shipped!).
• Proprietary AI augmentation and tooling support to accelerate results.
• Monitoring, milestone tracking and reporting.
• Marketing and promotion with partners.

In a nutshell our unique value proposition is summarised below:

— Values and mission alignment with partners  to drive outsized regenerative societal outcomes.

— Multiplying impact and efficiency through funds matching  for 2x or 3x with partners.

—  Risk and cost reduction through instant MVP fit, confirmed demand, incubation and follow-on. 

— Return on impact investment through our global community support system, media vehicle and marketing reach.

We are excited to build on Cardano and gain exposure to its climate-conscious community. We hope to showcase the potential of Cardano to become a ReFi friendly ecosystem for projects and developers that want to monetise their efforts but also contribute to the overall sustainability mission of the Cardano ecosystem.

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

We closely track the Quests and receive reports from founders. 

In Phase 1 we received a tremendous amount of information, which was largely self-reported (See Impact report https://future.quest/). 

In Phase 2 we will create a much deeper analysis by setting clear milestones for each project, with essential reporting. 

Gradually we will roll out a third party impact assessment to validate the direction (working with partners such as RegenIntel and Tidal).

Quantitative KPIs will include:

• Number of quests on the platform
• Level of funding committed by partners
• Number of innovators pitching for quests
• Number of MVPs developed
• Partnerships signed after the MVP stage
• Funding raised post MVP 

Qualitative KPIs will include:

• - Partner and funders’ feedback: We will collect and analyse feedback from platform stakeholders
• - Community engagement: We will assess community engagement and feedback via social media channels, discussion forums, and online/offline events

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

Each Quest will have:

• A short video explaining the market need
• A short article on it and distributed to our PR network
• Marketing on social media channels (we have 120,000+ followers so far) and partner media channels (millions of followers collectively)
• A permanent tracking page on the platform
• Direct messaging to our core community
• We encourage cross-promotion 
• Results will be presented at upcoming Future Horizon events to be published here https://futurehorizon.to/events 

FH organised an event at COP27 last year and is busy organising one with partners for COP28, Dubai.

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

Future Quest is uniquely positioned for this opportunity:

• We have an existing, active and strong global community which is envisioning and building a regenerative future on an increasing scale. 
• Future Horizon might be a perfect “neutral” match-making ground for web3 impact (eg. Toucan) and industry (eg. BMW). 
• There is not a more intersectional gathering in impact.
• Future Quest will become the underlying and supporting infrastructure. The TAM is somewhere in the billions.
• We have attention and positive rapport with both ReFi and institutional partners
• We own 3 agencies that can provide supporting services (300+ brands, products, apps, platforms, websites shipped!)
• Highly unique and scalable model. no one is doing anything similar. 

The group's shared management, values and goals assure maximum impact of all its parts. Our parent company Liminal Future Group (LFG) is born to unite our various projects across design and technology services (HOO KOO E KOO, Future Works), impact community and innovation match-making (Future Horizon) and regenerative innovation acceleration (Future Quest).

Note also that we have a highly experienced team with an impressive track record in delivering impact through innovation. Our team and advisors have helped launch 100s of projects in climate, deep tech, and blockchain.

See team here: https://future.quest/team

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

The main goal is to validate an innovative model of driving funds to highly targeted, highly vetted projects where a recognized market gap meets capable founders forming an unparalleled collaboration opportunity to solve global pressing problems.

Following the first test period (approx. 6 months, 6-7 figures deployed into 10-15 quests) we will expand to increasingly work with bigger organisations in a four phase program:

• Build Phase 1:
• Partners: Web3 orgs, L1s
• Bounty Checks: $25k - 100k
• Here we build and prove the initial platform, based on our POC app.future.quest
• 
  
• Build Phase 2:
• Partners: Bigger Web2 and legacy impact orgs
• Bounty Checks: $50k - $250k
• Here we also launch an R&D Lab aspect to the project. As we expand beyond web3, we maintain web3 transparency for proof of impact
• 
  
• Build Phase 3:
• Partners: Mid market, Enterprise, ESG and CSR impact
• Bounty Checks: $50k - $500k
• 
  
• Build Phase 4:
• Partners: Large NGOs, Governments, Enterprise
• Bounty Checks: $50k - $2M

We anticipate each of these phases to take about a year to complete. We are purposefully building from web3 and out, not the other way around to enable maximum transparency and interoperability, while keeping our eyes on cross-sector connection.

[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.

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

PHASE 1

 Full legal assessment for US operations

• Prove non-profit fundraising
• Prove for-profit fundraising
• Build initial community
• 100 true fans
• Hire core team
• Strategic partnerships
• Advisory board

PHASE 2

• Final legal org structure setup
• Support first quests
• Understand audience and community
• Understand available funding flows
• Select MVP Focus 
• Complete MVP platform approach
• Complete tokenomics concept
• Revised roadmap

PHASE 3

• Seed raise
• Complete platform architecture
• Quest Platform release and iteration
• Filling first 1,000 gigs and roles
• Implementation of strategic partnerships
• Gradual deep integration of Future Horizon and Future Quest

PHASE 4

• Full marketing
• $QUEST token public sales
• Community growth
• Progressive decentralization
• 100s of projects accelerated

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

90% of the funding raised will be distributed to bounties proposed by the Cardano community and team.

• Each distribution into a project is released upon each milestone which will be agreed with grantees/partners at the beginning of the programme as part of a taylormade roadmap which will take into account of the specificities of each quest. 
• Milestones will be tracked publicly on the Quest page and publicised on our social media. 
• All decision data will be available for review and audit and any point. 

10% covers our handling, marketing, team, coordination, development, tracking and reporting.

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

This is a highly scalable model and there is no comparable match-making community-powered platform like Future Quest on the market. 

Our vision is for 100M+ Grants and Funds being distributed to the most capable founders building real solutions to real problems over time. 

Cardano can help form the backbone of the system.

[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