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[GENERAL] Name and Surname of Main Applicant

Soniya Ahuja

[GENERAL] Email address of Main Applicant

hello@orbis86.com

Additional Applicants

Devin Sumaoang

https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinsumaoang/

Helping as an advisor and a team member, Devin works closely with students at the University of Washington. He has also run a Cardano node for many years.

Advisors

Anushka Patel | IOHK | https://www.linkedin.com/in/anushka-soma-patel/

Tony Rose | Ex-IOHK | https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-rose/

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

9

[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?

Yes

[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.

We plan to integrate proofspace. This is not a blocker dependency but instead of building our own system for verifiable credentials we plan to leverage proofspace and atala prism

[GENERAL] Will your project outputs 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.” in this field.

The source will be open source. If possible we will also create a plugin that other users can use. The educational content will be free to access but people will still need to earn tokens by completing tasks so they have a motivation for finishing the course and completing their milestones

[METADATA] Category of Proposal

Education

[METADATA] SDG rating

There is a direct correlation between literacy and economic status. As a female founder who was able to complete her education only because of scholarships awarded to her, Soniya is passionate about creating an equitable accessible learning platform.

Source: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/literacy-rate-vs-gdp-per-capita

The following information is from the SDG tool provided by Project Catalyst.

SDG goals:

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Reduce inequality within and among countries

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

SDG subgoals:

Implement the principle of special and differential treatment for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, in accordance with World Trade Organization agreements

Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance

Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships

By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes

By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university

By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship

By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations

By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development

Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws

Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women

Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors

Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services

Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending

Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020

Key Performance Indicator (KPI):

Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill

Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by sex

Completion rate (primary education, lower secondary education, upper secondary education)

Parity indices (female/male, rural/urban, bottom/top wealth quintile and others such as disability status, indigenous peoples and conflict-affected, as data become available) for all education indicators on this list that can be disaggregated

Proportion of informal employment in total employment, by sector and sex

Amount in United States dollars committed to public-private partnerships for infrastructure

Universal Human Rights Index (UHRI):

#proposertoolsdg

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

e5e.ai: Propelling Blockchain Literacy and Driving Cardano Adoption for Inclusive Growth

As the world embraces the Fourth Industrial Revolution, blockchain technology is fast becoming a cornerstone of transformative digital innovation. However, despite its potential, it remains an esoteric concept to the majority of the global populace. As per a 2021 survey, only 10% of the world's internet users have interacted with cryptocurrencies or blockchain, spotlighting a stark knowledge deficit. This gap widens even further when we consider underrepresented communities, where access to and adoption of this revolutionary technology remain limited. Additionally, the absence of relevant incentives for learning about specific blockchain platforms such as Cardano compounds the issue. To combat these challenges, we present e5e.ai: an avant-garde Learning Management System (LMS) aimed at amplifying blockchain literacy, fostering inclusivity, and inspiring a broader understanding and adoption of Cardano's unique value proposition.

Introduction: A Revolutionary Step Towards Universal Blockchain Literacy

e5e.ai, a key component of the Orbis86 World of Web3 ecosystem (OWOW), is a pioneering LMS that seeks to democratize blockchain and Cardano education. Catering to an extensive demographic range—high schoolers, undergraduate and graduate students, developers, professionals, and curious minds—it represents a critical stride towards addressing the blockchain literacy gap, a deficiency that affects over 90% of the global internet population.

Studies demonstrate a direct correlation between literacy and poverty alleviation: a 1% rise in literacy rates translates to an impressive 2.5% increase in GDP. This statistic indicates the transformative potential e5e.ai holds for disadvantaged communities. 

The Core Solution: A Comprehensive LMS

At its heart, e5e.ai is a fully functional LMS offering a well-structured journey through the intricate landscape of blockchain. In addition to standard certificates of course completion, it provides learners with the chance to secure future prospects in the burgeoning blockchain domain.

Verifiable Credentials with Proofspace/Atala Prism

To instill faith and ensure traceability, we plan to integrate with Proofspace or Atala Prism, thereby providing verifiable credentials to our learners. This means that every certification from our LMS will be backed by blockchain's immutable verification, adding an extra layer of credibility to learner accomplishments.

Holistic Cardano Curriculum

Our platform will introduce Cardano in a way that caters to various learning stages. From high school students discovering blockchain to developers and professionals keen on leveraging Cardano's strengths, our comprehensive curriculum will equip learners with the skills necessary for competent utilization of Cardano.

Collaboration with Cardano Academy

We aspire to collaborate with Cardano Academy for co-certification of our Cardano courses, provided the partnership can be established. Such a partnership would reinforce the authenticity of our courses and potentially provide a gateway for course graduates into the Cardano ecosystem.

AI-Assisted Content Creation

One of our ambitions is to integrate our platform with ChatGPT, an AI model developed by OpenAI, to assist course creators in developing and refining course material, making the process more streamlined and ensuring content quality.

Incentivizing Learning and Expanding Cardano Adoption

The MVP of e5e.ai aims to provide free but incentivized learning opportunities. Participants completing a course within a designated time frame will be rewarded with tokens, creating an environment where education is not just accessible, but also profitable. This strategy aims to cultivate a community of learners who can become advocates for Cardano and contribute to its ecosystem's growth.

Soniya's Ongoing Educational Journey

Our proposer, Soniya Ahuja, is an experienced educator, having imparted Java knowledge to 800-1000 students and professionals and taught Agile practices to hundreds of practitioners. She has played a pivotal role in onboarding hundreds of individuals to Web3, reflecting her dedication to expanding the horizons of digital literacy.

Conclusion: Building an Inclusive, Knowledgeable Community

Through e5e.ai, we aim to cultivate an inclusive and informed community adept at understanding and utilizing Cardano. By fostering a broader awareness and practical understanding of Cardano and blockchain technology, we hope to encourage wider adoption, alleviate poverty through literacy, and usher in a new era of inclusive growth and digital transformation.

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

Solution Relevance and Potential Benefits to Cardano

Our solution directly addresses the challenge of lack of blockchain and Cardano literacy among the general public and specifically within underrepresented communities. The e5e.ai platform aims to dismantle the existing barriers to understanding this revolutionary technology and Cardano's unique value proposition. By providing an accessible, structured, and incentivized learning pathway, we expect to significantly elevate the level of blockchain literacy worldwide.

Enhanced literacy will invariably lead to increased adoption. An educated community is far more likely to invest time, resources, and creativity into the Cardano ecosystem, facilitating its expansion. Furthermore, the co-certification of our Cardano courses (subject to a partnership with Cardano Academy) will offer learners globally recognized credentials that can enhance their career prospects in the blockchain industry and contribute to Cardano's talent pool.

Value Addition to the Cardano Ecosystem

In terms of value, this project brings educational and socio-economic contributions to the Cardano ecosystem. By educating a diverse range of learners about Cardano and incentivizing them to delve deeper, we're shaping an informed and engaged user base. This approach not only amplifies the understanding of the Cardano platform but also has the potential to attract more developers, investors, and stakeholders.

Our solution also caters to the need for verifiable blockchain certifications, thanks to the proposed integration with Proofspace/Atala Prism. This feature offers users globally recognized credentials, further enhancing Cardano's reputation as a trustworthy and user-friendly blockchain platform.

Projected Impact on the Cardano Ecosystem

The e5e.ai platform's integration with the Cardano ecosystem is designed to achieve a marked increase in Cardano adoption rates. Based on the assumption that around 10% of our active learners might choose to further engage with the Cardano ecosystem post-completion of their courses, we can expect hundreds, if not thousands, of new Cardano users and developers within a year of our platform launch.

Our proposer, Soniya Ahuja, has a track record of teaching 800-1000 students and professionals Java and Agile practices, along with onboarding hundreds onto Web3. This experience sets a positive precedent for the e5e.ai project and the potential number of learners it can attract.

In terms of transaction volume, learners receiving token rewards upon course completion will likely spur an increase in the use of the Cardano blockchain for transactions. Over time, we expect to see increased Cardano token usage both within and beyond our platform.

We have successfully onboarded 300+ new people to Hedera within a week through simple activities like token drops. We host IRL events like lu.ma/orbis86futureofweb3 and we plan to leverage these platforms to onboard more users. We aim to onboard 1000+ new users to Cardano within 9 to 12 months.

In conclusion, the e5e.ai project is poised to make a significant and tangible contribution to the Cardano ecosystem by advancing blockchain literacy, broadening Cardano understanding, and incentivizing engagement, thereby fostering a diverse, informed, and thriving community.

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

Success Metrics and Project Benefits 

The success of the e5e.ai project can be measured quantitatively and qualitatively through several key metrics. 

Quantitative Metrics:

1. Course Enrollments and Completions: This is a fundamental metric for any educational platfor

1. User Growth: This will be evaluated in terms of the number of new users attracted to the platform and the Cardano ecosystem, as well as the retention rate of existing user

1. Token Rewards Claimed: This metric will measure how many users have been sufficiently motivated to complete courses within the stipulated timeframe and claim their reward

1. Certifications Issued and Verified: The number of certificates issued upon course completion and their subsequent verification using Proofspace/Atala Prism will demonstrate the project's tangible impact on blockchain education and professional developmen

Qualitative Metrics:

1. User Feedback: This involves gathering user testimonials, conducting user surveys, and analyzing platform reviews to assess the overall user experience, course content quality, and platform functionalit

1. Community Engagement: This can be gauged through social media interactions, forum discussions, and community events related to the platform. 

These metrics are realistic considering the platform’s proposed features and the proven experience of the project leader in educating hundreds of students and professionals in tech-related domains. 

Impact on Cardano's Productivity and Growth

The e5e.ai project, through its innovative approach to blockchain and Cardano education, will likely drive an influx of new users, developers, and investors to the Cardano ecosystem. In the short term, this would generate increased activity and transactions on the Cardano blockchain due to the platform’s token reward system. This can potentially contribute to the value of ADA, the native cryptocurrency of Cardano.

In the long term, the project will foster a more informed and engaged Cardano community. This has the potential to catalyze the development of new applications and initiatives within the Cardano ecosystem, stimulate more widespread adoption of Cardano, and ultimately bolster the growth and resilience of the Cardano network. Moreover, the issuance of blockchain-verified certifications can enhance Cardano’s reputation as a blockchain platform that promotes professional growth and lifelong learning. 

By achieving these impacts, the e5e.ai project will significantly contribute to the fulfillment of Cardano's vision for a democratic, inclusive, and decentralized world.

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

Dissemination of Project Outputs and Results

Our aim with e5e.ai is to make a significant impact in blockchain literacy and Cardano adoption, and we are committed to sharing the progress and results of this initiative transparently. We envision a robust multi-channel strategy for sharing our outputs and impacts.

Online Platform: e5e.ai will itself serve as a primary channel for showcasing course completion statistics, token rewards issued, and certifications granted. We aim to maintain a live dashboard to keep learners and stakeholders updated about these key metrics.

Community Engagement: We plan to actively engage with the Cardano community through forums, online meet-ups, and social media platforms. Regular updates about the project’s progress, user stories, and key milestones will be shared to keep the community involved and informed.

Blog Posts and Case Studies: Periodic blog posts will provide insights into the project's development, its impact on users, and the broader Cardano community. We will also document and share case studies illustrating how our learners have benefitted from the platform and applied their learnings within the Cardano ecosystem.

Partnerships and Collaborations: We intend to liaise with educational institutions, blockchain organizations, and other industry partners to promote our platform and its offerings. By leveraging these partnerships, we aim to extend our reach and impact. e5e.ai can also serve as an onboarding platform for existing and new Cardano communities who want their new members to become Cardano literate.

Radio Show and Online News Publications: We plan to present the e5e.ai project and its findings on our radio show - thesilicondreams.com as well as through guest posts on thecoinrepublic.com

Utilization of Project Results for Future Development

The results generated from e5e.ai will serve as invaluable inputs for future research and development activities. User feedback and performance metrics will guide us in refining our course content, improving the platform's user experience, and devising more effective incentive schemes.

We will analyze the data on course completion, token rewards claimed, and certification verification to identify trends and correlations. This analysis will inform our strategies for course development, user retention, and community engagement.

Furthermore, the insights we gain about the challenges and successes of promoting Cardano literacy and adoption through e5e.ai will be invaluable for future projects aimed at expanding the Cardano ecosystem.

Lastly, we aim to use our experiences with e5e.ai as a case study to promote the potential of blockchain and Cardano for education and professional development, thereby inspiring further innovation in these areas.

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

Capability, Trust, and Accountability

Our project is spearheaded by experienced leaders and supported by a team well-equipped to deliver with high levels of trust and accountability. The extensive experience of our team leaders and the proven track record of our organization position us perfectly to manage the project and funds effectively.

Leadership Capabilities

Soniya Ahuja, the project's main proposer, has a career spanning 17+ years with reputable companies such as Deloitte, Broadcom, and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. She has extensive experience in educating hundreds of students and professionals in Java and Agile practices and onboarding them onto Web3. Soniya's frequent presence at blockchain conferences and her reputation in the Bay Area blockchain network testify to her expertise in the blockchain domain.

Devin Sumaoang, a Director at the University of Washington, brings in an impressive educational perspective and management experience to the project. His position in the academic realm, coupled with Soniya's blockchain expertise, forms a unique synergy that is crucial to the success of an educational platform like e5e.ai.

Organizational Capabilities

Orbis86, the parent company of e5e.ai, boasts a full-time team of over 10 members, all of whom are fully doxxed, enhancing the transparency and trustworthiness of our operation. Our company has proven capabilities in the blockchain domain, further adding to our credibility.

Financial Management and Accountability

We have implemented robust processes and protocols to ensure financial transparency and accountability. We maintain meticulous records of all financial transactions related to the project and conduct regular audits to ensure the proper use of funds. Our team is committed to upholding the highest standards of financial integrity and management. We understand the importance of responsible financial stewardship and are prepared to provide detailed financial reports to the Cardano community as required.

Our team is also committed to delivering project milestones on time and within budget. We have a proven track record of meeting deadlines and delivering results, which speaks to our ability to successfully manage and execute projects.

Previous Results

We had received a grant from Filecoin foundation in the past for an amount of 10,000 USD which we used to build a fully functioning Web3 job portal which is free for everyone to use. web3careers.orbis86.com

In summary, our rich professional backgrounds, our company's robust capabilities, and our firm commitment to financial transparency and accountability make us highly capable of delivering the e5e.ai project successfully. We are dedicated to not only meeting but exceeding the Cardano community's expectations with this initiative.

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

Project Goals and Feasibility

Our project, e5e.ai, aims to address the challenge of enhancing blockchain literacy and accelerating Cardano adoption through an innovative online learning platform. Our goals span the creation of educational content, user engagement, and community contribution.

Goal 1: Create Comprehensive Educational Content

We aim to develop a robust curriculum of 10-15 hours of quality educational content focused on Cardano and blockchain technology. This content will be tailored to various learning needs, catering to high school students, graduate and undergraduate students, as well as developers and professionals.

*Feasibility and Validation*: The development of the educational content will be led by Soniya Ahuja and Devin Sumaoang, who have vast experience in education and technology fields. Progress will be tracked and shared with stakeholders through regular updates. The completion of the curriculum within the projected timeline will be the primary validation of our approach.

Goal 2: Onboard Users and Foster Engagement

We aim to onboard at least 800 users onto the e5e.ai platform within the project timeframe. We seek to not just attract learners but also ensure they engage with the courses and complete them.

*Feasibility and Validation*: With Soniya's proven track record in onboarding people onto Web3 and the incentive mechanism of rewarding learners with tokens, we are confident of achieving this goal. The number of new user sign-ups, course enrollments, and course completions will be the primary measures of success.

Goal 3: Issue Blockchain-Verified Certifications

Our goal is to issue verifiable credentials via a system like Proofspace/Atala Prism upon successful course completion, thus contributing to the professional development of our learners and promoting the use of blockchain in education.

*Feasibility and Validation*: Our technical team has the necessary expertise to integrate with blockchain-based credentialing systems. We will seek support from Proofspace for this integration. The number of blockchain-verified certifications issued and verified will serve as the key validation metric.

Goal 4: Grow the Cardano Ecosystem

The ultimate goal of e5e.ai is to foster growth in the Cardano ecosystem by educating and engaging new users, developers, and investors.

*Feasibility and Validation*: We will monitor the activity of our platform users within the Cardano ecosystem, such as their involvement in Cardano-based projects or transactions involving ADA. Moreover, we will seek feedback from users about their learning experience and its impact on their engagement with Cardano.

Technical Implementation and Resources

As a software-driven project, we will employ Agile methodologies for our development process. Regular sprints will ensure that the project stays on track and adapts to any emerging needs or changes. The technical implementation will be transparent and involve regular updates to stakeholders.

Our in-house team already possesses the expertise to work on the Learning Management System (LMS). We will hire additional resources as needed for blockchain development and course content creation, ensuring the best talent is involved in realizing our project goals.

Through these defined goals, we aim to contribute significantly to the Cardano ecosystem, providing a benchmark for educational initiatives in the blockchain space.

[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 and Implementation Plan

The e5e.ai project will be executed in an agile manner, with clearly defined milestones, their related tasks, timelines, and success criteria. The milestones align with our project goals and are aimed at creating an effective Learning Management System (LMS), integrating a blockchain-verified certification system, and facilitating user and content creator onboarding.

Milestone 1: Learning Management System (LMS) Development

The first milestone will involve developing the base structure of our e5e.ai platform - the LMS. This includes setting up a user-friendly interface, creating course structure templates, and establishing backend functionalities.

*Tasks*: Requirement analysis, interface design, backend development, and testing.

*Timeline*: 2 months.

*Success Criteria*: Fully functional LMS with a user-friendly interface and a stable backend.

*Projected Cost*: 30,000 ADA

Milestone 2: Integration with Blockchain-Verified Certification System

Upon having a functioning LMS, our next milestone will be integrating it with a credentialing system like Proofspace/Atala Prism for issuing blockchain-verified certificates.

*Tasks*: Feasibility study, integration design, development, testing, and troubleshooting.

*Timeline*: 2 months.

*Success Criteria*: Successful integration with Proofspace/Atala Prism and ability to issue blockchain-verified certificates.

*Projected Cost*: 15,000 ADA

Milestone 3: Course Content Creation

The third milestone will involve the creation of educational content, encompassing various aspects of Cardano and blockchain technology.

*Tasks*: Curriculum design, content creation, content testing, and deployment.

*Timeline*: 2 months.

*Success Criteria*: At least 10-15 hours of engaging educational content available on the LMS.

*Projected Cost*: 5,000 ADA

Milestone 4: Onboarding Content Creators

We aim to onboard content creators onto the e5e.ai platform who can contribute to the knowledge base and diversify the learning resources.

*Tasks*: Building relationships with potential content creators, providing them with training and support, and integrating their content onto the platform.

*Timeline*: 1 month.

*Success Criteria*: At least five content creators contributing to the e5e.ai platform.

*Projected Cost*: 10,000 ADA

Milestone 5: User Onboarding and Engagement

Our final milestone will involve attracting users to the platform and encouraging them to engage with the courses.

*Tasks*: Marketing and promotion, user onboarding, tracking user engagement, and tweaking the platform based on user feedback.

*Timeline*: 2 months.

*Success Criteria*: At least 800 users enrolled in courses with substantial course completion rates.

*Projected Cost*: 14,500 ADA

Our project will be managed by an experienced team led by Soniya Ahuja and Devin Sumaoang, following agile principles. We believe this detailed, stepwise plan will guide us toward successful project completion while maintaining transparency and accountability.

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

Milestone 1: Learning Management System (LMS) Development

*Deliverables*: A fully functional Learning Management System. We'll produce a product roadmap, design documents, test cases, and code repositories.

*Intended Outcomes*: An accessible platform where users can explore, enroll in, and track progress in a range of courses.

*Measures of Progress*: Code deployment frequency, successful execution of test cases, user experience (UX) testing feedback.

Milestone 2: Integration with Blockchain-Verified Certification System

*Deliverables*: A system for issuing blockchain-verified certificates upon course completion. This includes integration design documents, test cases, and updated code repositories.

*Intended Outcomes*: Learners will receive certificates on successful course completion that are verifiable on the blockchain, providing undeniable proof of their acquired skills.

*Measures of Progress*: Successful certificate issuance and verification tests, learner feedback, and system stability.

Milestone 3: Course Content Creation

*Deliverables*: Educational courses focusing on Cardano and blockchain technology, comprising videos, quizzes, reading material, and more. Output includes course outlines, scripts, final course material, and user feedback forms.

*Intended Outcomes*: Learners will have access to high-quality, comprehensive courses to expand their knowledge of blockchain and Cardano.

*Measures of Progress*: Number of courses created, feedback from beta testers, course completion rates.

Milestone 4: Onboarding Content Creators

*Deliverables*: Onboarded content creators who are actively contributing to the platform. Documentation includes partnership agreements, content creator guidelines, and feedback forms.

*Intended Outcomes*: A diverse and growing knowledge base on the platform, contributed by a community of content creators.

*Measures of Progress*: Number of content creators onboarded, the volume of new content added, user engagement with new content.

Milestone 5: User Onboarding and Engagement

*Deliverables*: User onboarding strategy, user guides, promotional materials, feedback surveys. We'll have an active user base engaging with our courses.

*Intended Outcomes*: An educated, engaged user base that is growing in their understanding of blockchain and Cardano, driving adoption and contributing to the Cardano community.

*Measures of Progress*: User registration numbers, course enrollments, course completion rates, user feedback scores.

The aforementioned deliverables and outcomes will be validated against our project goals, user feedback, and key metrics. Regular tracking and measurement of progress will ensure we're aligned with our mission and the expectations of the Cardano community.

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

Here's a detailed budget breakdown for each milestone based on the funding requested:

Milestone 1: Learning Management System (LMS) Development - 30,000 ADA

• Software Development: 20,000 ADA
• This includes front-end and back-end development of the LMS. It also covers costs for system architecture, UI/UX design, database management, security protocols, and testing.
• Project Management: 5,000 ADA
• This will cover the costs of planning, executing, and controlling the project.
• Documentation: 5,000 ADA
• Documentation includes system architecture documentation, user manuals, and technical guides.

Milestone 2: Integration with Blockchain-Verified Certification System - 15,000 ADA

• This is the cost provided by Proofspace at https://bizdev.proofspace.id/catalyst-f10/

Milestone 3: Course Content Creation - 5,000 ADA

• Content Creation: 3,000 ADA
• This covers the costs of creating high-quality educational content.
• Content Review & Validation: 2,000 ADA
• Rigorous quality checks for the created content.

Milestone 4: Onboarding Content Creators - 10,000 ADA

• Partnership Development: 5,000 ADA
• Costs associated with building partnerships with content creators.
• Onboarding & Training: 5,000 ADA
• Onboarding new creators and training them to use our platform.
• Marketing

Milestone 5: User Onboarding and Engagement - 14,500 ADA

• User Onboarding: 4,000 ADA
• Costs for the implementation of user-friendly onboarding processes.
• User Support & Community Management: 3,000 ADA
• Costs for managing user support and the community.
• Marketing & Promotion: 6,500 ADA
• This covers the costs of promoting the platform to attract users.
• Community Feedback & Reporting: 1,000 ADA

Overall, this budget plan ensures we have adequate resources for development, community engagement, documentation, and promoting the platform to ensure its success. In case the funding request falls short, we plan to explore alternative funding options like sponsorship, revenue from the platform, or fundraising through other channels.

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

When considering the value for money for the Cardano ecosystem, we need to evaluate the impact of the project holistically, not merely in terms of immediate monetary costs. With e5e.ai, we are making a substantial investment in human capital and education, a factor that is challenging to quantify in monetary terms but holds profound implications for a community's growth and sustainability.

The proposed budget of 70,000 ADA (equivalent to approximately $21,000 USD at the current rate) is intended to be judiciously allocated to achieve the defined milestones. These include:

• Developing a fully functional Learning Management System (LMS)
• Integrating the LMS with Proofspace/Atala Prism
• Creating relevant and high-quality course content
• Engaging with the Cardano Academy for co-certification
• Building a potential integration with ChatGPT for course creation

Our team comprises individuals across various geographies, with the majority being in regions like India and Africa (Kenya and Nigeria) where the cost of living and wages are considerably lower than in countries like the United States. However, it is worth noting that two of our core team members, including Devin Sumaoang, are based in the United States.

In India, according to Payscale, the average salary for a software engineer is approximately ₹700,000 per year, translating roughly to $9,500. This corresponds to an hourly rate of around $4.50, considering a 40-hour work week. In Kenya, a software developer's average annual income is about $7,200 (as per Salary Explorer), which amounts to an hourly rate of roughly $3.50. In Nigeria, the average software developer salary is around $6,000 per year (as per Glassdoor), or approximately $3 per hour.

In contrast, the median wage for software developers in the United States is significantly higher. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for software developers was $110,140 per year in 2020, which equates to an hourly wage of approximately $53.

The inclusion of US-based team members does increase the average wage rates for the project. However, we believe this is offset by the high level of expertise and experience they bring, which is invaluable for the project's successful execution.

The cost breakdown we have provided reflects our commitment to using funds effectively and judiciously. We believe that the value e5e.ai offers to the Cardano ecosystem, by facilitating accessible, high-quality education on Cardano, promoting its widespread adoption, fostering a knowledgeable community of users and developers, and paving the way for future innovation, far outweighs the initial project costs. These long-term benefits underscore the exceptional value for money our project represents to 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