Onboarding users to the Cardano ecosystem. The target audience is game developers and business owners from cross-chain and off-chain/IRL. True "adoption / onboarding” blends B2B with B2C engagement.
Our “Web2.5” platform allows users to upload APIs for traditional and Web3 applications and can support Cardano Fungible Token swaps (via uex.finance). Target audience is Web2 businesses and gamers.
This is the total amount allocated to Swamplands: A “Web2.5” App Store that Blends Gaming, Business, DeFi, TradFi, and NFTs.
Andrew Sung
No dependencies.
While we expect to open-source certain portions of the project in the future, the decision to keep this closed-source at the beginning, is two-fold:
When Swamplands gains sufficient traction, some developers will start looking at other places in Cardano and in Web3 to expand their businesses into. At this point, we may open-source our products and applications and help other ecosystems develop.
Lastly, most of the development is already underway, as we were able to secure funds through other means. The funds requested in this proposal are for the purpose of scaling the platform (marketing, advertising, etc) to onboard users, developers, and entrepreneurs. This is further broken down under the “detailed budget breakdown” question, below.
Onboarding and adoption can be encouraged by utilizing a platform that Cardano users, cross-chain users, and off-chain/IRL users are already familiar with—something that is largely Web2. The Swamplands is off-chain and predominantly Web2, but has elements of Web3 mixed into it (wallet connections, cryptocurrency payment rails, NFT integration, and integration with certain dApps).
It is human nature for people to be risk-adverse and stay within their comfort zones. To bring them into the ecosystem, the Swamplands utilizes technologies that people are familiar with. This is better explained through examples and the functionality:
Swamplands is our scaling solution for user acquisition, with an emphasis on B2C interactions. Swamplands is not intended to be a fully-immersive Web3 experience. The foundation is largely Web2 with some Web3 elements mixed into it, and this was done intentionally. Why? Because onboarding is easier when users use familiar software. Instead of pitching the next big shiny object, we are providing services to the equivalent of an app store. Anyone with an existing Web2 brand will be able to upload their APIs into the Swamplands without downloading a wallet, getting ADA, and/or learning the basics of Web3. Account creation on our dashboard can be done by connecting a wallet (dApp), or by creating a username/password instead. In both cases, the dashboard will automatically create an “internal dashboard wallet” for the user, which can be used to interact within the Swamplands. Adding or withdrawing funds can be done with our exchange, which is built into the Swamplands as part of the payment layer. Users who are not familiar with the basics of Web3 will be able to learn this through our system. If they like what they’ve experienced and see other opportunities, they will be able to venture out of Swamplands and explore the plethora of other projects that the ecosystem has to offer. We expect the first developers to come from the Cardano (NFT) ecosystem, since the first scaling solution for Swamplands was to unify the Cardano NFT space through the use of "Living Lands", which already provides exposure to other prominent projects/products in the ecosystem.
We will be focusing on several different metrics to determine the health of the Swamplands. In no particular order:
a. Swamplands user activity;
b. Swamplands vendor/developer activity;
c. Cardano Crocs Club (CCC) social media activity (Discord, Twitter, etc);
d. Feedback from vendors, developers, and users;
e. Feedback from CCC holders;
f. Feedback from other Cardano NFT projects developing on Swamplands;
g. Feedback from other Cardano projects (non-NFT) developing on Swamplands;
h. Engagement from potential builders, clients, partners, backers/sponsors, etc.
i. CCC holder count;
j. $C4 wallet holder count;
k. Total profits/revenue generated (to determine growth and sustainability)
Most of these metrics are indicators of project growth. As these metrics rise, we will have stronger cases for marketing and expansion.
Swamplands benefits Cardano in several ways:
The outputs and results of the Swamplands will be pretty apparent, as metrics like user activity, developer/vendor activity, and notable key players (sponsors, partners, etc) will all be announced publicly. Today, you can find several members of our project on Twitter spaces, and the Discord server. There will be a heavy emphasis on socializing, networking, and building partnerships at future in-person events, both in the Web3 and IRL setting.
We have been transparent with our plans since the inception of our project, and have no plans to change this. We will be happy to answer any questions regarding our journey, the implementation of Swamplands, and technical questions pertaining to the above-referenced metrics when asked.
Swamplands will provide us with several data points, which will use to further the project. For example, the type of development occurring on Swamplands, the type of content/products that users are consuming, and general sentiment around different announcements will give us feedback on the ecosystem. These are similar metrics that we’ve used to navigate the NFT scene as well, and we strive to better each day.
We’ve developed, or partnered with others to develop, the following products that utilize $C4, our Cardano Fungible Token:
Through trial-and-error, we’ve assembled a team of over 20 people, ranging from artists, developers, project managers, founders, and Discord managers/moderators that share the vision of Swamplands and want to create this ecosystem. Together, we have an extensive background in the TradFi world, and DeFi ecosystems on other blockchains, and hope to integrate everything through the Swamplands.
Other products in development, which are expected to be live later this year, include the following:
These products are in various phases of development, and expected to launch later this year. (The development of these products will not be influenced by the outcome of this Catalyst proposal.)
The Swamplands has several goals, but the main objective is to create an interactive ecosystem that “bridges Web2 to Web3” (like how every project is trying to do). It is a “Web 2.5” app store that puts gaming, business, DeFi, TradFi, and NFTs under one roof. The target audience is developers, gamers, entrepreneurs, and business/brand owners. To describe how this is possible, a summary of what makes up the Swamplands is first necessary:
Swamplands is made up of three (3) parts: Living Lands, Recreational Lands, and Commercial Lands. (Note: all three types of Lands take the form of Cardano NFTs).
The Living Lands tailor towards the NFT community and provide a gamified dashboard experience. The purpose of Living Lands is to “unify the Cardano NFT scene”. This was made possible by allowing other Cardano projects to stake their NFTs for our token, $C4, which brings them into the ecosystem at no cost to them. In the future, Croc NFTs staked on Living Lands may passively bring “gifts” to their users’ wallets, adding to the gamified experience. Living Lands have eight (8) levels, with higher levels provide greater staking rewards (capped at Level 5), and with different value propositions available for Levels 6, 7, and 8.
Recreational Lands are development tools, serving as the “application layer” for Swamplands. Recreational Lands are where the applications reside. Anyone who owns a Recreational Land can upload their applications onto Swamplands through our APIs.
Commercial Lands are development tools, serving as the “payment layer” for Swamplands. By default, all payment will be processed through $C4. But with Commercial Lands, users can link their applications on Recreational Lands to other payment methods. For example, instead of $C4, they can use our stablecoin, $USDC4.
Together, Recreational Lands and Commercial Lands fulfill the second and third purposes goals of Swamplands, which is to enable cross-chain interaction and Web2/off-chain businesses interactions, respectively. At the moment, we have several members from our own community and other Cardano-project communities, building applications on Swamplands. Additionally, we have several entities waiting to build on Swamplands, once the cross-chain interoperability is fully in place.
Two metrics to validate the effectiveness of this project are user activity and transaction volume. As the Swamplands opens up to a larger audience, we will market/advertise it accordingly to the appropriate audience. Over time, the general interest and development on Swamplands will increase, and we will be monitoring these increases to see which strategies are most effective.
Past Milestones
October 2021 – Project inception and Cardano Crocs Club collection mint
October-December 2021 – Burning Event for the Cardano Crocs Club collection (supply was reduced from 10,000 to 7,700; a total of 4,600 NFTs were burned, and 2,300 new NFTs were minted)
January 2022 – Staking launch for $C4
March 2022 – Radioactive Crocs Club mint
Summer 2022 – Baby Crocs Club breeding game
October 2022 – Poker Platform (Version #1) launch, team expansion, C4 Player Pass mint, upgraded dashboard features and capabilities
October-December 2022 – Swamplands (Living, Recreational, Commercial Lands NFTs) presale
December 2022 – Living Lands staking for $C4 launch (and NFT withdrawals for Living Lands)
January-February 2023 – Acquired IPs for KNFTY World, Happy Tiger Club, and Baby Alien Club (Cardano NFT projects)
March 2023 – $C4 funding opportunities launch
April 2023 – VPN service launch
May 2023 – Uex.finance (USDC4 exchange) launch, Creation of “NET Technology LLC” (the parent company for everything CCC and acquired projects)
June 2023 – APIs for Recreational Lands launch (Recreational Land NFTs not available yet)
July 2023 – Croc Bonds launch (corporate Bonds, backed by NET Technology LLC), USDC4 launch
Future Milestones
Blockchain File Hosting Service, NFT Image Generator, NFT Minting Tool (July-August 2023 expected)
Lending App launch (August-September 2023 expected)
Croc Pot launch (a show similar to Shark Tank; objective is to provide projects (outside of crypto/NFTs) with funding, marketing, and general help during this economic downturn) – September 2023 expected
Marketing, advertising, promoting Swamplands (conferences, in-person crypto events, partnerships/collaborations with existing brands) – September 2023 onwards
Multiple games (Swamp Tanks, Gangster Croc City, Crocs Dropz, several casino-themed games) – July-December 2023
(All applications listed above are in various stages of development already, and will be released appropriately).
Blockchain File Hosting Service, NFT Image Generator, NFT Minting Tool
Finalize development and release three services, available for purchase in $C4 or USD/USDC4. The description of deliverable is self-explanatory—they will be alternative products available on the market, created to tailor towards NFT projects and holders.
Lending Application
Creation of a lending application that supports Cardano NFTs, ADA, and other cryptocurrencies. This lending application combines elements of TradFi and DeFi, and is intended for users to leverage their assets to explore the Swamplands and the rest of the Cardano ecosystem. Our expectation is that lending applications like these will become more prevalent as the Cardano DeFi gets larger (as seen on other blockchains), and we are positioning ourselves for this result. The lending application will support other cryptocurrencies as well, bringing exposure to a new audience that would otherwise never interact with Cardano NFTs or Cardano DeFi.
Croc Pot Show
This show will have a similar structure to the popular TV show, "Shark Tank", with the objective of providing projects with funding, marketing, and general help/direction. This is not limited to Cardano projects, nor is it limited to Web3. The target audience is existing projects/products/services that just need a little push during the economic downturn, but otherwise have a good chance of being profitable/sustainable. As part of the agreement, we will integrate these projects with Swamplands, which allows for our ecosystem to grow alongside their release. The objective of Croc Pot is three-fold:
Games/Gaming
Multiple games are being created by CCC, partners, or community members. These games have their own timelines, with some being closer to completion than others. These games will be found on Swamplands, and expected to release between now and December 2023.
The release of each item/product/service is expected to increase the use-cases of Swamplands, with each one targeting a slightly different audience/userbase.
Marketing/Advertising
The above-referenced products and services serve as the core of the platform, and the objective is to work with other existing brands to push the platform into the market through “traditional means”. We already have several entities willing to work with us (pending proof of concept). We will leverage these brands to attract like-minded builders to the Swamplands, and into the greater Cardano ecosystem.
Development Costs – Secured and covered through prior NFT mints/secondary sales, partnerships, collaborations, angel investors, and through self-funding.
Marketing Costs – $60,000 USD (207,000 ADA)
This cost includes the following: 6 conferences/networking events, with 2-5 people attending each, 2-3 booths, several media kits, and other forms of advertisement/marketing (publications/adverts/strategic promotions).
Many people are driven by incentives. Right now, there are few “reasons” for developers and users to participate in the Cardano ecosystem. Swamplands is one potential avenue to address this issue. The costs shown in this proposal are limited to marketing, advertising, and attending conferences, and overall, spreading the word about the Swamplands. We've already made many successful interactions at several in-person conferences, in which people were pleasantly surprised that we were developing on Cardano, and wanted to contribute once Swamplands was live. The costs represent reimbursable expenses for average networking events and are considered fair. Even if no long-term relationships are formed during these events, Swamplands as a working proof of concept shows that development is happening on the Cardano ecosystem at rates that some may not be aware of.
At the present, the key players on the team consist of:
Vadym Doliuk – CEO of the Net Technology, Co-founder of NET Technology;
Basil Zahorodniuk – Investor, Operations & Marketing, Co-founder of NET Technology;
https://www.linkedin.com/in/basil-zahorodniuk-820924234/
https://twitter.com/basil_invest
Sean Benson –Co-founder of Cardano Crocs Club and of NET Technology;
https://twitter.com/bensoncrypto
Asung – Team Lead of Cardano Crocs Club and Official Speaker for NET Technology;
Michor – Team Lead of Cardano Crocs Club and Customer/Relations Specialist for NET Technology;
https://twitter.com/Michor_CCC
Dom - Moderator & Community Manager of Cardano Crocs Club
Bofke - Community/Discord Manager of Cardano Crocs Club
https://twitter.com/bofke1992