Xerberus Powered Catalyst Analytics Dashboard

[GENERAL] Name and Surname of Main Applicant

Simon Peters

[GENERAL] Email address of Main Applicant

sp@xerberus.io

Additional Applicants

Xerberus Labs Ltd.

Noah Detwiler

Matthias Guilbert

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

6

[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 dependencies

[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.

Project will be fully open source.

[METADATA] Category of Proposal

Data, Explorers, Trackers

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

• The Problem: While Catalyst is the most exemplary decentralized funding mechanism and successfully fueled Cardano projects for the past 9 funds, we, as Community, frequently encounter outbursts of frustration following the conclusion of Catalyst Votes. Allegations of voting manipulation or interference from larger powers often arise. These frustrations and accusations pose a direct threat to the legitimacy of Project Catalyst and place significant strain on the community and all those involved.
• Our Approach: Xerberus believes that these issues can be addressed through the implementation of an easy-to-use analytical dashboard. This dashboard will serve two main purposes. Firstly, it will provide clear and transparent data, dispelling the cloud of accusations and allowing for a more informed understanding of the voting process. Secondly, it will effectively address any genuine issues by prominently displaying them for everyone to see.
• The Solution: We offer a free dashboard on the Xerberus Platform that serves two key functions. Firstly, it presents a visual representation of the on-chain voting results in the form of a leaderboard. This will demonstrate how many wallets ultimately made the decisions on catalysts through their voting. For example, we can identify if a single wallet influenced the majority of votes. Additionally, we utilize Xerberus Technology to determine if wallets are associated with each other, such as when a whale splits its holdings. Secondly, the dashboard provides an overview of how Catalyst Funds are spent by monitoring the wallets of the funding recipients. If privacy concerns arise, we are flexible and willing to adjust our communication with the Catalyst Team to publish only aggregates. These aggregates can show, for instance, the proportion of Catalyst funds immediately sent to centralized exchanges (CEXs), stored in stable coins, or held privately.
• Engagement: Our plan involves close collaboration with the Project Catalyst Teams to ensure the optimal development of this dashboard. We are committed to addressing any questions that may arise during the development process, as these insights would be invaluable for effective fund management. Additionally, we aim to engage other projects like Lido Nation to integrate dashboard results as well as the broader Cardano Community and demonstrate that Catalyst is a fair and truly community-driven system.
• Our Impact: We will demonstrate the impact of our work through the delivery of a finished product that can be utilized by the entire community. Furthermore, we will provide a Code Package to Project Catalyst, enabling them to build upon our Fund Analysis Engine for their own purposes.

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

The challenge is about researching and developing systems to advance Project Catalyst and enhance the capabilities of the Fund Administrator in serving the community more effectively. 

The continuous questioning of Catalyst, along with the need for the Fund Administrator to justify its existence, and the projects that receive funds, creates a pressing need for a system that offers easily accessible data. Such a system would provide peace of mind to both the community and the Fund Administrator, bolstering participation and strengthening the reputation of Project Catalyst.

Moreover, the analysis system we propose to develop will offer the Fund Administrator highly detailed insights into voting behavior and fund allocation. This knowledge can be leveraged to optimize the voting process and gain a better understanding of the flow from proposal to funding, ultimately leading to successful project outcomes. By utilizing statistical process control, the system can generate warning signals if a project's funding follows a pattern typically associated with unsuccessful outcomes. These insights, combined with milestone surveillance, will provide valuable information to ensure project success.

We firmly believe that an analytical dashboard, offering freely accessible information to create peace of mind, along with a detailed dashboard for the Fund Administrator, perfectly aligns with the objectives of this funding initiative.

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

• The success of the project can be primarily measured by the satisfaction of the Project Catalyst Fund Administrator. Their feedback, based on their experience using the analytical dashboard, will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of the system in serving their needs.
• A secondary measure of success is a reduction in the feeling of distrust towards Catalyst within the broader community following the conclusion of voting. This can be assessed through surveys conducted after a fund has concluded, asking questions such as whether the community believes Catalyst is free from manipulation. We can compare the results of this survey with another fund that utilized the Dashboard and determine if there has been an improvement in community sentiment.
• Additionally, we can measure the level of engagement by tracking the number of unique visitors to the public dashboard. This metric will help determine the extent to which people are utilizing and accessing the provided information.

By combining these measures, we can assess the impact of the project on both the satisfaction of the Fund Administrator and the perception of Catalyst within the community.

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

Our timeline for delivery includes providing an initial basic version of the analytical dashboard to the Fund Administrator within the first three months. This will serve as a starting point for further discussions and feedback to ensure their needs are fully satisfied. We will maintain an ongoing exchange with the Fund Administrator to address any additional requirements and make necessary improvements.

Once the Fund Administrator is satisfied with the dashboard, we will proceed to release a public version of the tool for the entire community to access. In the spirit of openness and collaboration, we will open source certain parts of the code used for the public version. Furthermore, we will share the entire codebase with the Fund Administrator, granting them the option to continue independently if they choose.

To ensure the availability and sustainability of the public version, Xerberus commits to hosting and maintaining it indefinitely. This guarantees continued access to the tool for the community, fostering transparency and trust in Project Catalyst. We are also willing to hand the entire project over the Fund Administrator, we will comply with the wishes of the Catalyst Community. 

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

A thorough assessment of Xerberus' accountability to the Cardano community must encompass both our technical capabilities as a team and, more importantly, our trustworthiness.

Our technical competence is demonstrated by the fully functional application we have developed while actively engaging with the Cardano community. The "Legacy Xerberus App'' features advanced functionalities, including an advanced wallet and token explorer, as well as a bottom-up wallet labeling system based on statistical properties. While this application initially served as a research tool and a means to build a community, it clearly showcases our commitment and ability to deliver products to end users.

Access the Legacy Xerberus App'' through the following link: https://legacy.xerberus.io/ using the provided credentials:

Email: demo@investors.com

Password: investors@123

Alternatively, visit our documentation: (https://documentation.xerberus.io/legacy-app/wallet-explorer)

The core team behind Xerberus comprises highly accomplished and competent individuals with diverse backgrounds in venture building, mathematics, software development, and more. Their collective knowledge and skills form the foundation of Xerberus' capabilities. Furthermore, our project benefits from the guidance and support of a strong advisory board consisting of experts in quantitative trading and institutional finance, who provide valuable insights, expertise, and an extensive network. Additionally, we have a dedicated group of community supporters who excel in building large databases and developing machine learning models. The combined expertise of our team and their support network positions Xerberus for success in achieving its goals.

The trustworthiness of Xerberus as a company is demonstrated by our formalization as a Limited Liability Company incorporated in London, United Kingdom, under the registration number 14966821 at Companies House (Xerberus Labs LTD). As a registered company in a reputable jurisdiction, we are obligated to publish our financial statements, and the embezzlement of company funds for private expenses is considered a criminal act. We will publish audited financial statements, conducted by an external party, to provide transparency and accountability to the community members who mentor our project's progress. This deliberate setup reflects our commitment to compliance and regulation, positioning us as part of a new wave of crypto companies dedicated to bridging the gap between crypto and traditional finance for widespread adoption. Our commitment to transparency and accountability extends not only to ourselves but also to others within the industry.

Xerberus also has a track record within the Cardano community. We have actively attended several Cardano events and represented Cardano at various conferences throughout the year, including Web3 Berlin and Crypto Cruise Cologne, where we delivered keynote speeches. We are proud to have earned the trust of key members of the broader community. For instance, we serve as official advisors to the Orcfax Oracle Project. Over the past year, we have been actively involved in the community, assisting members by answering questions and providing high-quality information, such as the report on the Token Dumping accusation addressed to the SundaeSwap Team. You can access the report through the following link: (https://docsend.com/view/ntwt6mx75bhfwgdp)

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

The main objective of this project is to develop a comprehensive analytics dashboard that provides insights into voting wallets and the allocation of Catalyst funds by projects. To achieve this goal, the following skills are required:

1. Dashboard Creation: Proficiency in designing and developing a user-friendly dashboard that can effectively present complex data in a visually appealing and accessible manne

1. Blockchain Proficiency: A thorough understanding of blockchain technology and the ability to seamlessly extract and analyze data from the blockchai

1. Advanced Data Processing: The capability to perform advanced data processing techniques to cleanse and curate the collected data, ensuring its quality and reliability for analytics purpose

Xerberus, the team behind this project, possesses the necessary skills and expertise to fulfill these requirements successfully. They have previously developed an analytics web application, as referenced in the text, demonstrating our ability to create functional dashboards. Moreover, our daily experience in reading and interpreting blockchain data equips them with the essential knowledge to navigate the complexities of the technology.

Additionally, Xerberus showcases our competence in tracking funds, as exemplified in the provided image. This demonstrates our proficiency in identifying collaborative wallets and understanding the flow of value. Leveraging these techniques, they will customize their approach to meet the specific needs of Project Catalyst.

Overall, Xerberus is highly confident in their ability to accomplish the project's objectives by leveraging their skills and experience in dashboard creation, blockchain proficiency, and advanced data processing.

[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.

Milestone 1 (Kick off Month): Wallet Votes Visualization

• Main Tasks: Develop a dashboard for the Project Catalyst Fund Administrator to visualize which wallet votes for each proposal.
• Expected Timeline: Start immediately and complete within 2 weeks.
• Success Criteria: The dashboard is functional and provides accurate visualization of wallet votes for proposals.
• Projected Cost: $6,400

Milestone 2 (Second Month): Funding Monitoring Dashboard

• Main Tasks: Shift focus to developing a funding monitoring dashboard for the Project Catalyst Fund Administrator.
• Expected Timeline: Start after completing M1 and complete within 3 weeks.
• Success Criteria: The funding monitoring dashboard is implemented and displays real-time data on fund allocations, disbursements, and remaining balances.
• Projected Cost: $6,800

Milestone 3 (Third Month): Prototype Handover

• Main Tasks: Finalize the first prototype of the dashboard and hand it over to the Fund Administrator.
• Expected Timeline: Start after completing M2 and complete within 1 month.
• Success Criteria: The prototype is functional, user-friendly, and meets the requirements specified by the Fund Administrator.
• Projected Cost: $6,400

Milestone 4 (Fourth Month): Kick off 2-Month Sprint

• Main Tasks: Initiate a 2-month sprint based on the feedback received from the Fund Administrator on the prototype.
• Expected Timeline: Start immediately after completing M3 and continue for 2 months.
• Success Criteria: The sprint progresses as planned, addressing the feedback and implementing requested improvements.
• Projected Cost: $17,600

Milestone 5 (5th Month): Sprint Closure

• Main Tasks: Conclude the 2-month sprint and finalize the updates and enhancements to the dashboard.
• Expected Timeline: Start after completing M5 and continue until the sprint is completed.
• Success Criteria: The sprint objectives are achieved, and the dashboard is refined and ready for further testing and deployment.
• Projected Cost: $5,600

Milestone 6 (Last Month): Public Version and Publishing

• Main Tasks: Develop a public version of the dashboard and prepare for its release.
• Expected Timeline: Start after completing M6 and complete within 1 month.
• Success Criteria: The public version of the dashboard is accessible, secure, and meets the requirements for public use.
• Projected Cost: $10,400

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

Month 1: Wallet Votes Visualization

• Deliverables: Dashboard for Fund Administrator to visualize wallet votes. Documentation on implementation and functionality.
• Outputs: Functional visualization of wallet votes, increased transparency in voting behavior.
• Intended Outcomes: Improved trust in the voting process, enhanced decision-making for Fund Administrator.
• Measurement of Progress: Tracking development of wallet votes dashboard, Fund Administrator feedback.

Month 2: Funding Monitoring Dashboard

• Deliverables: Funding monitoring dashboard with real-time data. Documentation on implementation and functionality.
• Outputs: Comprehensive tool for Fund Administrator to monitor fund allocations. Improved oversight of funding.
• Intended Outcomes: Efficient tracking of Catalyst fund utilization, effective resource allocation.
• Measurement of Progress: Verification of funding monitoring dashboard, Fund Administrator feedback.

Month 3: Prototype Handover

• Deliverables: Finalized prototype of the dashboard. Handover to Fund Administrator. Documentation on features.
• Outputs: Functional prototype meeting Fund Administrator's requirements. Clear understanding of capabilities.
• Intended Outcomes: Evaluation and validation of prototype, feedback for further improvements.
• Measurement of Progress: Confirmation of finalized prototype, Fund Administrator feedback.

Month 4: Month Sprint

• Deliverables: Updated dashboard based on Fund Administrator's feedback. Documentation on updates.
• Outputs: Progress in addressing feedback, refined dashboard ready for testing.
• Intended Outcomes: Continuous improvement of dashboard, enhanced functionality.
• Measurement of Progress: Tracking feedback implementation, regular communication with Fund Administrator.

Month 5: Sprint Closure

• Deliverables: Final updates and enhancements to dashboard. Documentation on sprint objectives.
• Outputs: Achieved sprint objectives, refined dashboard for testing and deployment.
• Intended Outcomes: Completion of sprint, increased readiness for testing.
• Measurement of Progress: Verification of completed objectives, evaluation of dashboard readiness.

Month 6: Public Version and Publishing

• Deliverables: Public version of dashboard, documentation, open-sourced code parts.
• Outputs: Accessible, secure, and functional public dashboard. Fostered collaboration and transparency.
• Intended Outcomes: Increased transparency and trust, community empowerment.
• Measurement of Progress: Successful development and deployment, visitor count, community feedback.

Overall Progress Measurement:

• Regular communication and feedback with Fund Administrator.
• Timely completion of milestones.
• Evaluation of deliverables against success criteria.
• Feedback surveys from Fund Administrator and community.

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

All funds collected for the proposal will be allocated 100% towards development hours. The monthly expenditure will range from a minimum of $2,400 to a maximum of $12,000. Our objective is to create a robust and comprehensive product with a strong emphasis on data processing, while ensuring the interface is user-friendly and acceptable.

The allocated funds will be utilized to support the development efforts required to build the analytics dashboard. A significant portion of the resources will be dedicated to data processing tasks, ensuring the accuracy and quality of the information presented. This includes advanced data cleaning, curating, and analysis techniques to provide valuable insights.

Additionally, a considerable focus will be placed on designing an interface that is intuitive, user-friendly, and meets the expectations of the Project Catalyst Fund Administrator and the broader community. The goal is to create a visually appealing and accessible dashboard that effectively communicates the necessary information.

By investing the allocated funds in development hours and dedicating efforts towards data processing and interface design, we aim to deliver a comprehensive and high-quality product that meets the needs and expectations of all stakeholders involved.

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

• Value for Cardano: Project Catalyst is the backbone of Cardano's Builder Community. Therefore, any improvements in the flow, as well as the applications for Project Catalyst, will have numerous positive second and third-order effects. These effects include increased participation, leading to high-quality projects being funded, which in turn results in better products and greater user adoption of Cardano.
• Cost of the Project: We are offering to build a fully functioning, highly specialized analysis product tailored to the needs of the Project Catalyst team. We will put all our experience and expertise into the product and hand it over in full to Project Catalyst. The sum of 200k ADA, or roughly $50k USD, is a bargain price for such a product.

[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