Sports Engagement Platform bridge to Cardano Adoption

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Nicholas Fekete

[GENERAL] Email address of main applicant

Nick@yepple.io

Additional applicants

Mathieu Perron

[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.” .

No dependencies

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s 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.”

We will open source the development components that we believe will have the most outsized impact on increased developer efficiency within the Cardano ecosystem. Specifically, we will open source the key fundamentals of the bridge between off-chain collectibles and Cardano NFTs.

[METADATA] Category of Proposal

Other

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

Cardano's technology, which enables the creation and exchange of both non-fungible and fungible tokens, is an impressive resource that only lacks one element - global AWARENESS. What better way to augment this awareness than by providing a myriad of people around the globe a tangible reason to use it?

The sports industry has consistently showcased that it harbours the most active, devoted, and participatory fan base worldwide. Our objective is to tap into this base through a platform that enables fans to engage with their preferred teams and athletes, supporting and tracking them and earning points by participating in their sports events, purchasing their sports merch, supporting peripheral businesses, etc.

Our sports engagement platform will offer fans the opportunity to purchase and collect trading cards and other digital memorabilia while gaining engagement points to empower real-life events or put toward purchases. Why have such collectibles remained physical until now? The answer is simple - the absence of a reliable system that ensured the safekeeping and easy trade of these items with friends, akin to real life.

Cardano and its impressive NFT ecosystem are game-changers. We aim to integrate this platform and the user accounts with the blockchain, facilitating users to import and export their sports trading cards from our platform and trade them with friends and family. Cardano allows the replication of this proven effective system.

Upon widespread adoption of this system within the sports industry, the Cardano community will witness an influx of new, experienced sports fans eager to explore the possibilities of this technology.

We have all the designs and blueprints in place, ready to launch this phenomenal platform into the world and are in discussions with key sports stakeholders to commence the construction and roll-out of this system. This will not only enhance the awareness of Cardano's user-friendly, secure, and efficient ecosystem but will also motivate other developers and industries to adopt Cardano as a tool for adding trading functionalities to their digital goods.

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

This idea revolves around leveraging the passion and loyalty of a specific user group and the businesses that have a financial incentive to engage their loyal consumers - sports enthusiasts and team owners. These individuals are known for their dedication to collecting items related to their interests and their unwavering loyalty to their teams and athletes. They form a substantial and engaged audience that could significantly boost the usage of the Cardano ecosystem from the ground up, meanwhile building alongside the team owners and peripheral businesses increasing institutional support.

By introducing these individuals to Cardano through a platform that allows them to collect and trade digital assets (like sports trading cards), and gain engagement points, we provide them with a new avenue to pursue their interests. They're not only able to engage in their favorite hobby in a modern, digital context but also are introduced to the broader potential and utility of blockchain technology and NFTs.

This could increase the number of Cardano users exponentially. With a higher number of users, the Cardano ecosystem becomes more robust, diverse, and vibrant. This increased activity also gives Cardano more opportunities to test, iterate, and improve its system, leading to greater stability, security, and efficiency.

Moreover, these users, being loyal and engaged, could become ambassadors for Cardano, sharing their positive experiences with their peers and spreading awareness about the platform. This could lead to a positive feedback loop where increased awareness leads to more users, which further enhances the ecosystem and its impact.

The overall effect would be a significant and positive impact on the Cardano ecosystem, increasing both its user base and its real-world utility. We have already started developing mock-ups and backend infrastructure and used the latter to reach out to potential prospects. To date, we have had some immediate interest that solidifies our ideas and tactics.

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

Our upcoming sports engagement platform is set to be an exciting, transformative endeavor. This ambitious project will be implemented in stages, ensuring meticulous attention to detail and precision at each phase. 

Success for us is gauged by the enthusiasm and interest we spark in teams eager to embrace our digital collectibles platform for their fan base. The adoption of fan bases starts with the support and implementation of our solutions by the teams that the fans are engaging with. We will actively monitor the sentiment of sports team leaders against different approaches to digital collectible distribution mechanisms and techniques, and we will utilize these techniques with the highest promise of majority acceptance and adoption. From there, our primary metric at this stage of platform development will be the conversion rate of prospective team leaders that we discuss the platform with as well as the overall quantity of teams that adopt our platform for usage in their fan communities.

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

We are well-versed in developing solutions with a transparent customer-centric approach, and our experience with Agile Scrum development methodology ensures that we deliver continuous value at a sustainable pace.

Our plan is to share the outputs and results of our project in a phased manner to best align with the Agile principles of iterative development and feedback. We will release monthly updates that provide an overview of the project's progress, the challenges encountered, the solutions implemented, and the milestones achieved. This continuous feedback loop will not only help us maintain transparency but also allow us to incorporate stakeholders' feedback into future iterations.

Our project's outputs will be disseminated among various stakeholders, such as the teams, their fan base, and the broader Cardano community. This will be done through a variety of channels, such as project updates on our website, posts on social media platforms, community forums, newsletters, and webinars.

Upon project completion, we plan to share a comprehensive report detailing the project's impact, key learnings, and opportunities that emerged as a result. We believe this project will open up new possibilities for using the Cardano ecosystem, and we're eager to share these insights with the community.

Moreover, we will actively engage with other development teams within the Cardano ecosystem and beyond. Our goal is to foster an environment of collaborative learning and mutual growth. After all, our success is intrinsically linked to the success of the entire ecosystem.

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

Yepple prides itself on a robust track record of delivering high-quality software solutions punctually, a testament to our commitment to reliability and accountability. Having successfully completed over 100 projects on the Cardano blockchain, we have proven our proficiency in this cutting-edge technology. Notably, our portfolio includes trusted, high-profile platforms like January Walker's regulation-enforced political sale, Ada Inmates complex gamified NFT platform, Salty Seagulls entire NFT platform and much more to demonstrate our ability to handle sensitive and complex tasks with utmost discretion and efficiency.

Our adherence to Agile methodologies combined with our rigorous quality assurance processes ensures a high standard for our deliverables. We believe in transparency and uphold the highest ethical standards in all our operations. Our primary focus is on customer satisfaction, and we dedicate ourselves to meeting and surpassing our client's expectations.

Our proven history of successful deliveries stands as a testament to our capabilities to execute this project effectively, responsibly, and to the highest industry standards.

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

Project Goals:

1. To develop a sports engagement platform that allows fans to collect and trade digital assets as well as engage with their favorite team. 

• 2. Boost the usage of the Cardano ecosystem by introducing it to a large user base that we already know has a penchant for collecting and loyalty.
• 3. Validate the concept of NFTs for digital collectibles with utility in the sports industry and establish a system replicable in other industries.

Let’s see how we intend to validate the feasibility of our approach:

Platform Development:

•  Our team of experienced devs at Yepple, known for timely, high-quality software delivery, will use Agile Scrum development methodologies. 
• Our progress will be tracked through a series of sprints, with regular updates and feedback loops to ensure we're meeting our objectives and can pivot if necessary.

Validating NFT Concept in Sports Industry: 

• Success in this regard will be gauged by the number of teams that express interest in our platform for their fanbase, the number of digital collectibles traded, and feedback from users about their experience. We'll conduct regular survey studies to capture this qualitative data.

Boosting Cardano Ecosystem Usage: 

• We'll measure success by the number of new users our platform attracts to the Cardano ecosystem. We'll use analytics tools to track these metrics and assess the impact that our platform has on the overall usage 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.

Our project will be implemented in a phased manner, with each phase representing a significant milestone in our journey. Here's a detailed breakdown of our project's milestones, the main tasks or activities to reach each milestone, the expected timeline for delivery, and the projected cost in ADA for each milestone:

Milestone 1: Requirements Gathering and Design (2 months, 43,400 ADA) 

Key Tasks: Conduct user story mapping, market research, stakeholder engagement, and finalize the technical design. 

Success Criteria: Approval of technical design documents and clear user stories.

Milestone 2 (291 900 ADA total)

Milestone 2.1: Backend Development (2 months, 103,400 ADA) 

Key Tasks: Design and develop the data models, the business logic, and the APIs.

Success Criteria: Stable, test-passed backend with full functionality.

Milestone 2.2: Frontend Development (2 months, 103,400 ADA) 

Key Tasks: Create the user interface following the design guidelines, connect with the backend APIs, and ensure responsiveness across different devices. 

Success Criteria: Intuitive, user-friendly, and responsive frontend that communicates seamlessly with the backend.

Milestone 2.3: Digital Assets Integration (1 month, 41,700 ADA) 

Key Tasks: Develop the core functionalities of creating and acquiring Digital collectibles on the platform in a seamless way. 

Success Criteria: Users can buy and manage their Digital Collectibles smoothly on the platform. 

Milestone 2.4: Cardano Integration (1 month, 41,700 ADA) 

Key Tasks: Integrate the platform with the Cardano ecosystem. Users can now redeem their Digital Collectibles from the platform to the Cardano blockchain and connect their wallet to the platform. 

Success Criteria: Seamless interaction between our platform and the Cardano blockchain and open-sourcing of the resulting code. 

Milestone 2.5: Testing and Debugging (1 month, 41,700 ADA) 

Key Tasks: Conduct thorough testing of all functionalities, including Cardano integration, fix identified bugs, and ensure the application is secure and reliable. 

Success Criteria: A bug-free MVP that passes all unit and integration tests ready for user trials.

Milestone 3: Testing and Refinement (2 months, 41,700 ADA) 

Key Tasks: Alpha and Beta testing with early adopters, gathering and incorporating user feedback, addressing identified bugs, improving UX/UI. 

Success Criteria: A refined MVP that's stable and user-approved, ready for public testing.

Milestone 4: Full Launch, Marketing, and Continuous Improvement (2 months, 41,700 ADA) 

Key Tasks: Final testing and bug fixes, full-scale launch, user onboarding, kickstarting marketing campaigns, and continuous development based on wider user feedback. 

Success Criteria: Successful product launch, increasing user base, positive user reviews, and further refined platform.

Our project management approach is agile, with regular sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and retrospective meetings to ensure we're on track and adapting to any changes or challenges. We'll use project management tools to track progress and maintain clear communication among the team. We're committed to transparency and will provide regular updates to stakeholders about our progress.

We understand that funded proposals will be required to submit a Statement of Milestones confirming the milestones detailed in their proposal, and we're prepared to comply with this requirement.

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

Milestone 1: Requirements Gathering and Design 

Deliverables: User story mapping report, market research report, stakeholder engagement feedback, finalized technical design. 

Intended Outcomes: Clear understanding of user needs, a solid technical design that meets those needs, and readiness to begin development. 

Progress Measurement: Approval of technical design and clear user stories.

Milestone 2.1: Backend Development 

Deliverables: Completed data models, business logic, and APIs. Documentation of development process. 

Intended Outcomes: A stable and fully functional backend that satisfies the technical design and user story requirements. 

Progress Measurement: Successful passing of backend tests and review of the developed APIs.

Milestone 2.2: Frontend Development

Deliverables: Completed user interface, integrated with backend APIs. 

Intended Outcomes: An intuitive, user-friendly, and responsive frontend that meets the expectations of the user stories. 

Progress Measurement: Testing of frontend interface across various devices and successful API communication.

Milestone 2.3: Digital Assets Development 

Deliverables: A functioning system for creating and managing digital assets. 

Intended Outcomes: Users can smoothly create, manage, and trade their digital assets on the platform. 

Progress Measurement: Testing digital assets' basic functionality and integration.

Milestone 2.4: Cardano Integration 

Deliverables: Fully integrated platform with the Cardano ecosystem. 

Intended Outcomes: Seamless interaction between our platform and the Cardano blockchain, enabling transparent and secure transactions. 

Progress Measurement: Successful testing of Cardano blockchain integration.

Milestone 2.5: Testing and Debugging 

Deliverables: A bug-free MVP, testing reports, and a list of fixes. 

Intended Outcomes: A stable, secure, and reliable MVP ready for user trials. 

Progress Measurement: Successful passing of all unit and integration tests and bug-free status of the application.

Milestone 3: Testing and Refinement

Deliverables: A refined MVP, testing reports, and user feedback report.

Intended Outcomes: A refined, user-approved MVP ready for public testing.

Progress Measurement: Feedback from early adopters, successful alpha and beta testing, and refined UX/UI based on feedback.

Milestone 4: Full Launch, Marketing, and Continuous Improvement 

Deliverables: Fully functional platform, marketing materials, development plans for future improvements. 

Intended Outcomes: A successful product launch with an increasing user base and positive reviews. The platform continuously improves based on wider user feedback. 

Progress Measurement: User reviews, user growth metrics, and successful marketing campaigns.

Each milestone will be closely monitored to ensure we're on track to meet our goals. Regular progress reports will be shared with stakeholders to keep them updated.

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

Milestone 1: Requirements Gathering and Design - 43,400 ADA

• Market Research: 10,850 ADA
• Stakeholder Engagement & User Story Mapping: 15,190 ADA
• Technical Design and Documentation: 17,360 ADA

Milestone 2.1: Backend Development - 103,400 ADA

• Data Models and Business Logic Development: 41,700 ADA
• API Development and Integration: 61,700 ADA

Milestone 2.2: Frontend Development - 103,400 ADA

• User Interface Design and Development: 65,040 ADA
• Frontend and Backend Integration: 38,360 ADA

Milestone 2.3: Digital Assets Development - 41,700 ADA

• Development of Digital Assets functionalities: 41,700 ADA

Milestone 2.4: Cardano Integration - 41,700 ADA

• Integration with Cardano Ecosystem: 41,700 ADA

Milestone 2.5: Testing and Debugging - 41,700 ADA

• Application Testing and Debugging: 25,020 ADA
• Security Measures and Checks: 16,680 ADA

Milestone 3: Testing and Refinement - 41,700 ADA

• Alpha and Beta Testing: 20,850 ADA
• User Feedback Incorporation and Refinement: 20,850 ADA

Milestone 4: Full Launch, Marketing, and Continuous Improvement - 41,700 ADA

• Final Testing and Bug Fixes: 8,340 ADA
• Marketing and Community Engagement: 25,020 ADA
• Project Management: 4,170 ADA
• Documentation and Reporting: 4,170 ADA

All the third-party products or services have been included in the budget breakdown. We'll be using various software development tools and platforms for which the licenses have been incorporated into the development costs. The project management tools and marketing platforms are also included in the budget.

The proposed budget accurately reflects the scale and complexity of the project. In case the project cost exceeds the funding request, we have provision for additional funding from our company reserves. The team is committed to prudent and responsible use of the funds provided, to deliver maximum value to the Cardano community.

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

By enabling growth and engagement within its community through the innovative use of NFTs, our project represents significant value for the Cardano ecosystem. By offering a digital collectible platform for sports teams, we're creating a new way for fans to interact, transact, and engage with each other that can be bridged to the Cardano blockchain. This will not only grow the user base but also improve the overall transaction volume on the Cardano network.

The costs associated with our project have been meticulously calculated, taking into account several factors:

Industry Standards: 

• The project's costs reflect the typical rates for top-tier software development within our industry. We've benchmarked these rates against similar projects to ensure competitiveness and value.

Complexity of the Project: 

• This project involves multiple complex tasks like NFT transactional systems development, Open-source integration and npm modules creation, and building a user-friendly, robust platform. These tasks require skilled professionals, and the budget reflects this need.

Long-Term Value: 

• The costs also consider the long-term value our project will bring to the Cardano ecosystem. The platform's potential to attract a significant number of new users, drive transactions, and heighten overall engagement in the ecosystem make it a high-value investment.

Risk Management and Contingency: 

• A percentage of the budget has been allocated to managing unforeseen challenges or changes in scope during development, ensuring the project's completion without compromising on quality.

We firmly believe this project will provide excellent value for money, considering the potential growth, community engagement, and additional transaction volume it can bring to the Cardano ecosystem. We are committed to leveraging every dollar of the budget to create a platform that exceeds expectations and provides significant benefits to the Cardano community.

[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