DEMU Jukebox Music Player | Phase 2 - (Cash App + Spotify)

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Session Cruz, Founder

[GENERAL] Email address of main applicant

session@demu.pro

Additional applicants

Randall Harmon, CTO

Armita Jalooli, CFO

Piotr Napierała, Full-Stack/Smart Contract Developer

Avatar Nick, Full-Stack/Smart Contract Developer

Viviek Patel, Marketing

Mecca Rashawn, Artist Onboarding

Wheels, Artist Onboarding

Keith Kirk, Music Metadata Specialist

Lucas Macchiavelli, Artist Onboarding

We've carefully recruited Cardano community members with a deep passion for music & Web3, as well as music industry professionals with decades of experience.

[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.” .

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

dApp

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

Here is a 3-minute pitch for DEMU

https://youtu.be/nxho1BMNDAk

The DEMU Jukebox Music Player is the first dApp built atop the DEMU Protocol.

Imagine a media player inside your Cash App or Venmo. And every time you played a song, your account was deducted and the artist was paid, directly.

The Jukebox is Cash App & Spotify combined.

Artists can become their own Bank. Streaming Platform. And Record Store. All in one. 

We've already built an MVP of the Jukebox (beta) with the F8 funds our team was awarded. Here is a 3-minute demo of the Jukebox.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynajnmO7wb0

Next step is to continue development of the Jukebox dApp and focus on its growth. We must emphasize that the work outlined in this proposal is currently on-going and self-funded for the time being.

By onboarding artists, with the core value proposition that every artist could become their own bank, streaming platform, and record store, we will build a library of licensable content that will be made available for other apps & dApps to license via the DEMU Protocol.

Our artist onboarding strategy is two-pronged, targeting both emerging and established artists. Initially, we'll focus on artists already exploring Web3. We plan to expand our onboarding team with representatives in South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. For artists in these emerging markets, DEMU provides an opportunity to reach a global audience without entering into potentially exploitative agreements with foreign music companies.

In parallel, we're also targeting Independent and Legacy artists. These are artists with established fan bases who no longer need to enter into traditional record deals. We've recruited a specialist to lead our efforts in this area. As we gain traction, we anticipate attracting the attention of Major labels. This could come from executives recognizing the efficiencies and revenue opportunities unlocked by managing IP on the blockchain, or directly from artists seeking a direct relationship with their fans.

We are not building in a bubble. We're speaking directly to major artists who will be our future users. These are the next pieces to the Jukebox that will make the dApp attractive to all artists.

1. Mobile Wallet Compatibility - We've been working with VESPR wallet to provide a seamless user experience for the music listener. Listeners can buy music without signing a transaction each time, simply use a thumb or FaceID. We need additional development dollars to make our player compatible on iOS. (Update: This milestone is now complete).
2. Credit Card Payment - We plan to onboard artists whose fans aren't familiar with crypto. While this makes for an excellent onboarding opportunity for the Cardano community, we need to accept credit card payments (like Winter or MoonPay) in order to make it easy for fans to purchase an artist's music.
3. Embeddable Music Player/Marketplace - Our vision is that every artist can be their own platform. It is very important that artists drive their hard-earned fans to their website, not some third party's (ie. ours). For this reason, we need to build the tools that allow artists to embed a DEMU-compatible music player onto their own website, and allow fans to mint their albums directly from them. This is effectively like Spotify & Shopify combined.
4. KYC - Artists will need to be KYC'd to verify their identity in the event the music they upload isn't theirs. There are also benefits for fans to feel confident that the music they're supporting is in fact being attributed correctly to verified creators. As we build this feature, we will continue manually onboarding artists. Building this KYC solution streamlines the solution for artists onboarding.
5. Rights Holder Dashboard - This will be a comprehensive tool for artists, record labels, and other rights holders to manage their music, track their earnings, and interact with their fans. The dashboard will provide real-time analytics to grow their brand and understand the value of their IP. It will also enable rights holders to manage their music catalog, set their own pricing, and control how their music is distributed. The initial version of the dashboard will display data produced by Jukebox Application activities. As more applications are built on the DEMU Protocol, the dashboard will evolve to aggregate relevant data across all revenue-generating channels for the IP. The dashboard will be the central hub for artists to manage their music.

I am confident that due to the DEMU Protocol and the ecosystem of apps that will be built upon it, we will begin to attract artists, including some of the world's most popular ones, to Cardano. Each music app built on DEMU multiplies the earning potential of the underlying intellectual property.

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

The Jukebox addresses several aims outlined in the F10: Products & Integrations Campaign Brief:

1. Creation or improvement of different products: DEMU Protocol & the Jukebox dApp are two new products that will be introduced to the Cardano ecosystem. DEMU is a Music Rights Management Protocol that aims to revolutionize the way artists and other music-related entities manage and monetize their intellectual property. Jukebox Music Player is a dApp that combines a Media Player with a Digital Wallet to empower artists to sell their music direct-to-consumer.
2. Integrations with other existing services, products, and protocols: The DEMU Protocol will integrate with the Cardano blockchain, leveraging its smart contract capabilities to automate music royalty payments to all rights holders.
3. Solving a key problem or issue: The protocol addresses several key problems in the music industry, such as lack of ownership for artists, inefficient royalty payment systems, and a fragmented music ecosystem.

In terms of impact, DEMU could bring significant value to the Cardano ecosystem:

1. Attracting new users: By providing a solution for artists and music-related entities, the DEMU Jukebox could attract a new user base to the Cardano ecosystem, including music companies, artists and music consumers.
2. Strengthening the ecosystem: By introducing a new use case (music rights management) to the Cardano ecosystem, DEMU could help to diversify and strengthen the ecosystem.
3. Transaction volume: As artists and consumers interact with the DEMU Jukebox (e.g., to create, buy, sell, or stream music), this could drive a significant volume of transactions on the Cardano blockchain.

In terms of quantifying the impact, it's difficult to provide specific numbers. However, considering the size of the global music industry, even capturing a small percentage of this market could result in a substantial number of new users and transactions for Cardano.

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

The success of the DEMU Jukebox can be measured through a combination of quantitative and qualitative metrics:

1. Number of Artists & Record Labels Onboarded: This is a key indicator of the project's success in attracting artists and other music companies to use the Jukebox for managing and monetizing their music rights.
2. Volume of Music Uploaded: This metric can help gauge the extent of usage and adoption of the Jukebox by artists.
3. Number of Transactions: The number of transactions conducted through the platform, such as the creation, buying, selling, or streaming of music, can indicate the level of activity and engagement on the Jukebox.
4. Number of Music Tokens Minted: This is a direct measure of the utilization of the Jukebox's unique Music Tokens feature. A higher number of tokens minted indicates greater adoption and usage of the Jukebox's services.
5. User Feedback: Collecting and analyzing feedback from users (both artists and consumers) can provide valuable insights into the Jukebox's usability, features, and overall value proposition.
6. Number of Integrations: The number of apps built atop the DEMU Protocol can indicate its success in fostering an ecosystem of music-related applications.

In the short term, the innovation brought by the DEMU Jukebox can boost Cardano's productivity by driving a significant volume of transactions on the blockchain. It can also attract a new user base to the Cardano ecosystem, thereby contributing to its growth.

In the long term, the DEMU Protocol can help establish Cardano as a go-to blockchain for music rights management and other creative industries. This can further strengthen the ecosystem and attract more developers and users to Cardano, contributing to its sustained growth.

This proposal's funding serves as seed capital for initial development and launch. As we scale, we plan to secure additional venture capital, ensuring the protocol's self-sustainability as we roll out onboarding and expand its reach.

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

The DEMU team plans to share the outputs and results of the project in several ways:

1. Public Reports: The team will publish regular updates and reports on the project's progress, key milestones achieved, and the results of the project. These reports will be made available on DEMU's website and other public platforms. Use this link for up-to-date news on our progress.
2. Community Engagement: The team will actively engage with the Cardano community through various channels such as Reddit forums, Twitter Spaces, and Discord calls. This will include sharing updates, soliciting feedback, and discussing DEMU's impact and future opportunities.
3. Partnerships and Collaborations: The team will work with other entities in the music and Web3 to share the project's outputs and explore opportunities for collaboration. This could include partnerships with music platforms, record labels, and other Web3 projects.
4. Further Research and Development: The results generated from the project will be used to inform further research and development activities. This could include refining and expanding the DEMU Protocol, developing new features and services, and exploring new use cases for the protocol.

By sharing the project's outputs and results in these ways, the DEMU team aims to maximize the project's impact, foster a vibrant ecosystem around the protocol, and contribute to the growth and development of the Cardano ecosystem.

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

The DEMU team brings together a diverse range of skills and experiences that make them well-suited to deliver this project:

1. Industry Experience: DEMU's Founder has extensive experience in the music industry, both as a touring artist and in the music business, giving him a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in this space. Most notably, he worked for worldwide Hip Hop superstar Kanye West's Yeezy Season for several years and has Def Jam Records tracking DEMU's progress. This industry knowledge & connections to a network of music professionals is crucial for designing, implementing, and gaining adoption for a solution that meets the needs of artists and other music-related entities.
2. Technical Expertise: The team includes experts in blockchain technology and smart contracts, which are key components of the DEMU Protocol. The DEMU team's CFO is ex-IOG, joining us full-time after discovering the project while working on its Tokenomics under IOG's Professional Services Group. This technical expertise ensures that the team can effectively leverage the capabilities of the Cardano blockchain to deliver a robust and secure solution.
3. Project Management: The team has a proven record of completing projects for funded proposals, demonstrating their ability to plan, coordinate, and deliver projects on time and within budget.

In terms of trust and accountability, the DEMU team is committed to maintaining high standards of transparency and accountability:

1. Regular Updates and Reporting: The team will provide regular updates on the project's progress and use of funds, allowing the community to track the project's progress and hold the team accountable.
2. Community Engagement: The team will actively engage with the community, soliciting feedback and incorporating it into the project. This open dialogue fosters trust and ensures that the project aligns with the needs and interests of the community.
3. Financial Management: The team will implement rigorous financial management practices to ensure that funds are used effectively and responsibly. This includes detailed budgeting, regular financial reporting, and independent audits. Here was the Expense Breakdown for F8's Proposal. Founder's Note: I did not pay myself a dime from that $100k.

Through these capabilities and practices, as well as the two years the Founder has spent building in front of the community, the DEMU team is well-positioned to deliver this project with high levels of trust and accountability.

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

The main goals for the project are:

1. Develop the Jukebox Music Player dApp: The primary objective is to develop the Jukebox Music Player's features detailed in this proposal. By offering a unique value proposition where every artist and record label can sell their music directly to consumers, we aim to attract a diverse range of artists, thereby expanding the licensable content repository within the DEMU Protocol. This expanding repository will pave the way for a music license marketplace, making this licensable content available to other software developers and music businesses. This initiative will catalyze the growth of an application ecosystem built on DEMU, ultimately transforming it into a comprehensive Music Rights Management Protocol. The development of key features for the Jukebox, as outlined in our proposal, such as Mobile Compatibility, Credit Card payment acceptance, the Rights Holder Dashboard, and the embeddable music player/marketplace for artists, are critical steps towards achieving this goal.
2. Attract Artists to the Platform: The team aims to attract a significant number of artists to use the platform for managing and monetizing their music rights. This includes artists from different genres and from different parts of the world, with a particular focus on artists from developing countries who are often underrepresented in the music industry. We will create an alternative to Spotify with world music and exclusive content not available there. And early adopter music fans will feel good that the money they spend goes directly to the creators.
3. Foster an Ecosystem of Apps: Another key goal is to foster an ecosystem of apps built atop the DEMU Protocol. Each app built on the protocol multiplies the earning potential of the underlying intellectual property, thereby creating a vibrant and diverse ecosystem. In order to kickstart this ecosystem, there must be a fully developed solution attractive to popular artists. By onboarding well-known artists, our repository of licensable content grows, and we are able to attract music businesses that will build solutions leveraging the music IP of these artists.
4. Revolutionize the Music Industry: The ultimate goal of the project is to revolutionize the music industry by providing a more transparent, efficient, and equitable system for managing and monetizing music rights.

To validate the feasibility of the approach, the DEMU team will use a combination of methods:

1. Technical Validation: The team will conduct rigorous testing of the protocol to ensure it functions as intended and can handle the expected volume of transactions. This includes testing the smart contracts, the digital wallet, and the Jukebox music player.
2. User Feedback: The team will solicit feedback from artists and other users of the platform to validate the usability and value proposition of the Jukebox. This includes conducting user interviews, surveys, and beta testing.
3. Market Response: The team will monitor the market response to the Jukebox, including the number of artists using the platform, the volume of music uploaded, and the number of transactions conducted through the platform.
4. Ecosystem Development: The team will track the development of the ecosystem of apps built on the DEMU Protocol as a measure of the Jukebox success in fostering innovation and multiplying the earning potential of the underlying IP. The Jukebox is the foundation for DEMU Protocol.

Through these goals and validation methods, the DEMU team aims to deliver a transformative solution for the music industry and contribute to the growth and development of the Cardano ecosystem.

[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.

Here is a detailed breakdown of the DEMU project’s milestones, tasks, activities, and the expected timeline for delivery:

COMPLETED

• Milestone 1: Development of the DEMU Protocol
• The initial version of the protocol was developed using the funds from Fund 8.
• The cost for this milestone was covered by the funds received in Fund 8.
• Milestone 2: Development of the Jukebox Music Player
• Development of the Jukebox Music Player, the first dApp built atop the DEMU Protocol. This includes the development of features like auto distribution of royalties, the mint & sale of music tokens, our tokenomics & the decentralized content storage network.
• The cost for this milestone was covered by the funds received in Fund 8.

• Milestone 3: Mobile Wallet Compatibility
• Tasks: Work with VESPR wallet to provide a seamless user experience for the music listener. This includes development to make the player compatible on iOS.
• Timeline: We are currently working on this as we speak and should be done by the time the voting begins. Funds awarded in F10, should this proposal earn enough votes, will go towards backpaying the team. (UPDATE: Milestone Completed - 7/11/23)
• Success Criteria: Successful integration with VESPR wallet and compatibility with iOS.
• Projected Cost: $15k

IN PROGRESS

• Milestone 4: Credit Card Payment Integration
• Tasks: Integration of credit card payments to onboard artists whose fans aren't familiar with crypto. We'd like to include Apple Pay, and as many other payment options as we can. Also want to research credit card off-ramps for artists, so that the revenue their IP is generating is immediately available to them.
• Timeline: This should not take long, and most of the work relies on researching the right partners. 4 weeks. (UPDATE: Found partner. 7/14/23)
• Success Criteria: Successful integration of credit card payments.
• Projected Cost: $10k

TO DO NEXT

• Milestone 5: Embeddable Music Player/Marketplace
• Tasks: Development of tools that allow artists to sell DEMU-protocol music on their own website.
• Timeline: This is the hardest to estimate, 8 weeks.
• Success Criteria: Successful development and testing of the embeddable music player/marketplace.
• Projected Cost: $25k
• Milestone 6: Artist Onboarding
• Tasks: Organize a sales team to do artist onboarding. This includes the funnel that begins at cold/warm outreach and ends with collecting their metadata & manually uploading tracks (until we build the Artist Portal, not mentioned in this proposal).
• Timeline: Ongoing. (UPDATE: 15 Artists already signed up - 7/17/23. Blocker: Legal Contracts. Cost: $10k)
• Success Criteria: 5 artists signed up first month, growing incrementally from there on, as the team gathers feedback, and tests the stability of the platform.
• Projected Cost: $30k
• Milestone 7: KYC Integration
• Tasks: Integration of KYC to verify the identity of artists and mitigate IP infringement risk.
• Timeline: Altho the team has engaged with DID vendors in the ecosystem, more research needs to be done. 8 weeks.
• Success Criteria: Successful integration of KYC.
• Projected Cost: $15k
• Milestone 8: Rights Holder Dashboard (Contingent)
• Tasks: Development of a dashboard for rights holders to manage their rights and royalties. This includes features like viewing earnings, withdrawing funds, and managing rights.
• Timeline: The development of this dashboard is expected to take around 6-8 weeks.
• Success Criteria: Successful development and testing of the Rights Holder Dashboard, with the ability for rights holders to effectively manage their rights and royalties.
• Projected Cost: $30k

The contingency milestone is provided so that we can deliver increased impact if things go well in earlier work, but covering risk of unplanned costs. The budget will be used to its best advantage in either case.

The project will be implemented using an agile project management approach, with regular sprints and iterative development. This allows for flexibility and adaptability, ensuring that the project can respond effectively to changes and challenges. The team will also maintain regular communication and collaboration, ensuring that all stakeholders are kept informed and involved in the Jukebox's progress.

Note: Remaining funds will go towards legal fees for team contracts, an artist attestation that the works they upload are their own, Terms of Service, etc.

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

COMPLETED

Milestone 1: Development of the DEMU Protocol

• Deliverables: An early version of the DEMU Protocol capable of handling basic royalty distribution.

Milestone 2: Development of the Jukebox Music Player

• Deliverables: A fully functional Jukebox Music Player, the first dApp built atop the DEMU Protocol.

UPDATED: COMPLETED (7/11/23)

Milestone 3: Mobile Wallet Compatibility

• Deliverables: A version of the Jukebox Music Player that is compatible with iOS and integrated with the VESPR wallet.
• Intended Outcomes: A seamless mobile user experience for the music listener, with the ability to buy music without signing a transaction each time.
• Measurement: The success of this milestone will be measured by the successful integration with VESPR wallet and compatibility with iOS.

IN PROGRESS

Milestone 4: Credit Card Payment Integration

• Deliverables: Integration of credit card payments into the Jukebox Music Player.
• Intended Outcomes: An easier onboarding process for artists whose fans aren't familiar with crypto, and the ability to accept credit card payments.
• Measurement: The success of this milestone will be measured by the successful integration of credit card payments.

Milestone 5: Embeddable Music Player/Marketplace

• Deliverables: Tools that allow artists to embed a DEMU-compatible music player onto their own website, and allow fans to mint their albums.
• Intended Outcomes: Artists will be able to drive their hard-earned fans to their website, not some third-party's, and fans will be able to mint & collect artists' albums.
• Measurement: The success of this milestone will be measured by the successful development and testing of the embeddable music player/marketplace and it's adoption by early artist users.

Milestone 6: Artist Onboarding

• Deliverables: A sales team for artist onboarding, and a funnel that begins at cold/warm outreach and ends with collecting their metadata & manually uploading tracks until the Rights Holder Dashboard is built.
• Intended Outcomes: A growing library of licensable content made available for other dApps to license via the DEMU Protocol.
• Measurement: The success of this milestone will be measured by the number of artists signed up each month.

Milestone 7: KYC Integration

• Deliverables: Integration of KYC to verify the identity of artists in the event the music they upload isn't theirs.
• Intended Outcomes: Increased trust and confidence for fans that the music they're supporting is in fact being attributed correctly to the creators.
• Measurement: The success of this milestone will be measured by the successful integration of KYC.

Milestone 8: Rights Holder Dashboard

• Deliverables: A comprehensive dashboard for rights holders to manage their rights and royalties. This includes features like viewing earnings, withdrawing funds, and managing rights.
• Intended Outcomes: A platform that provides rights holders with full control over their music and their earnings. The dashboard will provide real-time analytics on streams, downloads, and fan engagement. It will also enable rights holders to manage their music catalog, set their own pricing, and control how their music is distributed. The initial version of the dashboard will display data produced by Jukebox Application activities. As more applications are built atop the DEMU Protocol, the dashboard will evolve to aggregate relevant data across all revenue-generating channels for the IP.
• Measurement: The success of this milestone will be measured by the successful development and testing of the Rights Holder Dashboard, with the ability for rights holders to effectively manage their rights and royalties.

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

Here is a detailed budget breakdown for the proposed work and resources:

Milestone 1: Development of the DEMU Protocol

• Cost: This milestone was covered by the funds received in Fund 8.

Milestone 2: Development of the Jukebox Music Player

• Cost: This milestone was covered by the funds received in Fund 8.

FUND 10

Milestone 3: Mobile Wallet Compatibility

• Cost: $15,000
• Resources: Development team, VESPR wallet integration

Milestone 4: Credit Card Payment Integration

• Cost: $10,000
• Resources: Development team, Credit card payment service provider (like Winter or MoonPay)

Milestone 5: Embeddable Music Player/Marketplace

• Cost: $25,000
• Resources: Development team, Nebula (considered for saving time)

Milestone 6: Artist Onboarding

• Cost: $30,000
• Resources: Sales team, Legal contracts, Artist outreach and onboarding process

Milestone 7: KYC Integration

• Cost: $25,000
• Resources: Development team, KYC service provider

Milestone 8: Rights Holder Dashboard

• Cost: $30,000
• Resources: Development team, Rights Holder Dashboard development

Additional Costs

• Legal fees for team contracts, artist attestation, Terms of Service, etc.

Cost: $15,000

• We have additional team members handling administrative, finance & accounting, and fundraising duties.

Cost: $20,000

Total Cost: $170,000

The budget for each milestone includes the costs associated with development, integration of third-party services, and artist onboarding. The development team will be led by our own in-house programmers and developers, and their costs are included in the budget for each milestone.

DEMU will also make use of third-party services such as VESPR wallet for mobile wallet compatibility, credit card payment service providers for payment integration, Nebula for the embeddable music player/marketplace, and a KYC service provider for KYC integration.

The DEMU team will manage the funds provided responsibly, ensuring that all costs are accounted for and that the project is delivered on time and within budget. The team will also provide regular updates to the community, keeping them informed of the project's progress and any changes or challenges that arise.

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

The cost of the DEMU project represents significant value for money for the Cardano ecosystem for several reasons:

1. Innovation and Utility: The DEMU Protocol and the Jukebox Music Player are innovative solutions that address significant challenges in the music industry, such as music licensing and royalty distribution. By simplifying these processes and making them more transparent and fair, the DEMU project can attract a large number of artists and users to the Cardano ecosystem.
2. Ecosystem Growth: The DEMU project is not just about building a single dApp; it's about kickstarting an ecosystem of dApps built atop the DEMU Protocol. Each dApp built on the protocol multiplies the earning potential of the underlying intellectual property, thereby increasing the overall value of the Cardano ecosystem.
3. Community Engagement: The project includes a strong focus on community engagement, with plans for artist onboarding and user outreach. This will help to grow the Cardano community and increase user engagement on the platform.
4. Cost Efficiency: The budget for the DEMU project has been carefully calculated to ensure cost efficiency. The costs are based on a “scrappy startup” philosophy and build an MVP that validates our business model. We have also factored in the costs of third-party services and tools that will be used in the project.
5. Track Record: The DEMU team has a proven track record of delivering value for money. The team was previously funded in Fund 8 to build a "Decentralized Music Platform", and they have successfully developed the DEMU Protocol and the Jukebox Music Player using those funds.

In conclusion, while the cost of the DEMU project may seem high, it represents significant value for money when considering the potential impact on the Cardano ecosystem, the innovation and utility of the solutions being developed, and the cost efficiency of the project.

[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