Tech for Impact Summit 2025: Asia's Premier Cardano Event
Problem
Given Cardano's origin, the Japanese community holds significant importance. However, no events currently exist to attract people from outside the Cardano ecosystem and encourage them to adopt Cardano
Total to date
This is the total amount allocated to Tech for Impact Summit 2025: Asia's Premier Cardano Event.
About this idea
NB: Monthly reporting was deprecated from January 2024 and replaced fully by the Milestones Program framework. Learn more here
[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant
Seira Yun[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)
Entity (Incorporated)[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] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)
We organize Tech for Impact Summit 2025, which will bring together Cardano stakeholders from Japan and beyond, fostering collaboration and encouraging Japanese companies to adopt Cardano.
[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] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs
Our project is proudly open source, licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPLv3). This license allows others to freely use, modify, and distribute our code/outputs, under the condition that any derivative work will also be open source under the GPLv3. This fosters collaboration and community-driven development, as it encourages other developers to contribute to our project, or to use our code/outputs as a starting point for their own projects, thus driving innovation in the sector.
By making our project open source, we aim to contribute to the global movement of shared knowledge and collaborative problem solving. This approach ensures transparency, promotes the sharing of knowledge, and encourages a collective approach to addressing the challenges associated with the impact job sector. Ultimately, we believe that open-sourcing our project will lead to a more robust, efficient, and impactful solution, thanks to the contributions of the global developer community.
[METADATA] Horizons
Events[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution
We propose organizing the Tech for Impact Summit 2025, building on the success of its inaugural event. This summit will strategically unite Cardano stakeholders from Japan and around the world. The Tech for Impact Summit 2024 was a resounding success, bringing together 489 in-person and 586 online participants from 58 countries in a single day. Our vision is to create a dynamic platform for collaboration and to encourage Japanese companies to adopt Cardano's innovative blockchain technology.
Core Objectives and Impact
Our initiative is driven by three core objectives:
- Unified Gathering of Cardano Stakeholders: We aim to convene all Cardano stakeholders in Japan, enhancing the event's appeal through the participation of esteemed international speakers. This gathering will serve as a pivotal point for exchanging ideas, sharing insights, and forging new partnerships.
- Cross-Border Collaboration: By facilitating direct interactions between international and Japanese Cardano stakeholders, we anticipate a surge in collaborative projects and initiatives. This will not only strengthen the global Cardano network but also inject fresh perspectives into Japan's blockchain ecosystem.
- Promotion of Cardano Adoption in Japan: A critical goal is to increase Cardano's footprint within the Japanese business sector. Through targeted engagement and showcasing Cardano's capabilities, we aim to encourage Japanese companies to adopt and integrate Cardano's blockchain technology, thus expanding its use and influence. We named this event the Tech for Impact Summit to attract a broader audience beyond the Cardano ecosystem, while gently encouraging Cardano's adoption.
- Enhance Cardano's Reputation in Japan: By focusing on Tech for Impact, we position Cardano as a leader in "Blockchain for Good," showcasing its potential for positive societal change.
Alignment with Cardano's Vision
Our proposal is in line with the vision of Cardano. We aim to promote the growth of Cardano in Japan by involving a diverse group of stakeholders. This initiative has the potential to be a significant milestone in Cardano's journey towards wider acceptance and utilization, particularly in the historically important Japanese market.
[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
How the Project Brings Value to the Cardano Community:
- Strengthen the Japanese Cardano community and encourage active participation in the global Cardano ecosystem.
- Facilitate networking and collaboration among Cardano enthusiasts, developers, and stakeholders.
- Promote the adoption of Cardano among Japanese companies.
Measuring the Impact:
- We will track the increase in membership and activity levels within Japanese Cardano community groups and forums pre- and post-events. Surveys will be conducted to assess changes in community engagement and satisfaction.
- We will track the number of new collaborations and projects initiated during or as a result of the events. Participant feedback will be collected to gauge the effectiveness of networking opportunities.
- We will follow up with participating companies to record instances of Cardano adoption or integration post-event. Attendance by corporate representatives will also be a key metric.
Sharing Outputs and Opportunities:
We will share the outputs and opportunities of our project through the following methods:
- During and after the completion of the project, we plan to spread its outputs. This will include providing milestone reports, as well as regular town hall meetings.
- We will share information about the project's outputs, impact, and opportunities with community members. The close-out report and video will be publicly available on YouTube. Additionally, we will share updates on our website and social media platforms. Work opportunities for Cardano developers will be listed on our Socious platform, which is a talent marketplace.
- We will also engage with the community through community forums and social media platforms, providing regular updates and insights.
Tech for Impact Summit 2024
On September 10, 2024, we hosted the inaugural Tech for Impact Summit. The event was an overwhelming success, attracting 489 in-person attendees and 586 online participants from 58 countries. Our goal is to establish a vibrant platform that fosters collaboration and encourages Japanese companies to embrace Cardano's groundbreaking blockchain technology.
The event attracted numerous Cardano influencers from Japan and beyond. Charles Hoskinson delivered a compelling keynote speech, while Ken Kodama offered an insightful lecture. Glen Jordan from Empowa also shared valuable perspectives. Thought-provoking panel discussions featured RealFi's John Connor, alongside Shunsuke Murasaki and Amar Singh from Emurgo, as well as Sebastien Guillemot from dcSpark.
To encourage the creation of Cardano wallets, we offered discounts on NFT tickets. We successfully distributed 43 NFT tickets, with many recipients being newcomers to the Cardano ecosystem.
Additionally, we successfully onboarded a startup (https://tonari.no/) to create a Cardano wallet. We are also in ongoing discussions with a major Japanese public company regarding potential Cardano adoption in their operations.
The Tech for Impact Summit 2024 garnered coverage in several Japanese media outlets:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V4_kjikXtMFor more comprehensive information, visit our website: https://tech4impactsummit.com/
Explore our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TechForImpactSummit
Watch our event highlight reel:
https://youtu.be/t6pDbVhZrkE[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?
Our team is aptly suited and equipped to successfully deliver this project. We possess the requisite capabilities that uniquely position us to execute this project to high standards of trust and accountability.
Socious is a fast-growing impact startup that provides a talent marketplace, making impact work accessible and transparent. We connect purpose-driven professionals with impact organizations through AI matching. We use blockchain to trace impact work and reward contributions.
Socious is supported by 500Global, Microsoft, and Milkomeda Foundation. Our platform lists over 80k jobs, 24k organizations, and has 8k registered users. Our team consists of experts in impact measurement, finance, data science, and blockchain development.
We have 10 full-time members and 20+ part-time contributors. Our team members include:
- Seira Yun
Title: Founder and CEO
Role: Product Ownership, Project Management, Research
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seirayun/
Bio:
Seira Yun is a Cardano Ambassador and an ICC member. He is a serial impact entrepreneur and an impact angel investor with years of experience in the impact sector, leading teams within the ICRC, UNHCR, and social ventures. As a full-stack developer with a Master's degree in Social Innovation from the University of Cambridge, Seira enjoys blending technology with purpose. Upon exiting his first social venture in 2021, he founded Socious, a decentralized talent marketplace that uses blockchain for verified certificates and AI for matching individuals to meaningful jobs, eliminating background checks and fostering social and environmental change. He is also a board member at TELL, a suicide prevention non-profit. When not working, you can find Seira shooting hoops, running, reading, and spending quality time with his kids.
- Elaine Cardenas
Title: Head of Product
Role: Blockchain Development, Product Management.
Bio:
Elaine has been coding in Haskell and other functional programming languages for the past 7 years and building on the Cardano blockchain for the past 3 years. Prior to joining Socious, she worked for Sundae Labs, contributing to the SundaeSwap V3 implementation and Hydra development. She also worked at Obsidian, an IT consulting company, where she helped Starbucks with its loyalty points system. Elaine is an active Cardano community member and serves as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in Argentina.
- Chrisanne Yee
Title: Founder’s Associate
Role: Project Management Assistant, Admin and Finance.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisanneyee/
Bio:
Chrisanne is trilingual in English, Chinese and Japanese. She has experience with marketing and business development. Chrisanne is an active Cardano community member and serves as an alternate to the Constitutional Convention in Argentina.
- Taichi Yokoyama
Role: Communication and Marketing
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mryokoyama/
Bio:
Taichi is an entrepreneur and a Cardano Stake Pool Operator (AIRX). Taichi is an active Cardano community member and serves as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in Argentina.
- Minh Douangprachanh
Title: Lead Designer
Role: Design
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michel-douang/
Bio: With more than a decade of experience specializing in product design, Minh is a multidisciplinary artist who has always believed art has a language of its own. As a neurodiverse individual, Minh is passionate about helping people and creating sustainable and inclusive solutions. Minh is a Cardano community member for the past 3 years.
- Ehsan Mahmoudi
Title: Lead Developer
Role: Backend/Blockchain/AI Engineering
LinkedIn:
https://linkedin.com/in/ehsan-mahmoudi-611123b8/
Bio: More than 8 years of experience in Python and Machine Learning as well as extensive experience in blockchain development. Ehsan has worked for global startups including Rechat, AEC, and Navaak. Ehsan is a Cardano community member for the past 3 years.
- Sanaz Mahmoudi
Title: Senior Frontend Developer
Role: Frontend Development
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanaz-mahmoudi/
Bio: An experienced frontend developer with 7+ years of experience. Sanaz is a Cardano community member for the past 2 years.
- Marjan Arami
Title: Senior Frontend Developer
Role: Frontend Development
Bio: An experienced frontend developer with 10+ years of experience. Marjan is a Cardano community member for the past 2 years.
- Azin Zare
Title: QA Engineer
Role: Quality Assurance
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/azin-zare-355a27179/
Bio: An experienced QA engineer with 9+ years of experience. Azin is a Cardano community member for the past 3 years.
- Mohammad Balkhani
Title: Software Engineer
Role: Backend and DevOps Engineering
Commitment: Full-time
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammad-hosein-balkhani/
Bio: An experienced software engineer with 7+ years of experience. Mohammad is a Cardano community member for the past year.
- Raphael Hode
Title: Design Advisor
Role Design Direction
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelhode/
Bio: Raphael is a Strategic Designer with a passion for social innovation and sustainability. After a few years in advertising agencies in Paris, Raphael moved to Tokyo in 2015 and joined Designit, a global strategic design firm. At Designit Raphael worked on growing a team and helping some of Japan’s most ambitious companies make innovation happen, leading him to endorse a variety of roles across UX design, service design, business design, and strategy.
In parallel, he has been passionately engaging in activities related to sustainability and social innovation: giving talks and workshops, mentoring early-stage social founders, and eventually co-founding a social venture. Today, he spends most of his time working with incredible social entrepreneurs to help them define, design, and launch visionary products that contribute to creating a more sustainable society.
To supplement our core team, we maintain a reserve of skilled freelancers, ready to contribute at short notice. Our talent marketplace, Socious, is a hub for over 8,000 individuals, many of whom could potentially assist in this project, if required.
The trustworthiness in our fund management processes is grounded in our serious adherence to legal and financial compliance. Each transaction conducted is meticulously documented with tangible evidence and audited internally for accuracy. To bolster our commitment to financial transparency, we have established collaborations with external accounting firms that assure compliance. Our Japanese entity works with Tatsumi Accounting Firm, while our Singaporean entity partners with BBCIncorp.
Additionally, we liaise with an external law firm, Enlighten Law Group, to ensure full legal compliance. This meticulous, multilayered approach to fund management reflects our dedication to maintaining high levels of trust and accountability.
[PROJECT MILESTONES] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?
Milestone 1: Venue and Event Registration Form
Outputs
This milestone includes the following key activities:
1. Selecting Venues
- Research and Shortlist Venues: Identify suitable locations based on event size, accessibility, and facilities.
- Negotiate Terms and Costs: Work with venue providers to agree on rental terms, costs, and any included services (e.g., catering, security, AV equipment).
- Book Venue: Finalize the booking, ensuring all contractual details are clear.
2. Manage Event Registration and Participants
- Define Target Audience: Identify the expected demographic, including industry professionals, academics, stakeholders, and enthusiasts.
- Create Registration Process: Set up an online registration platform. Consider early bird, standard, and late registration phases.
- Plan for Accommodation and Travel: Provide information on nearby hotels and travel options.
- Manage Participant Communication: Regularly update participants on event details, and provide essential information like schedules, and maps.
Acceptance criteria
The acceptance criteria for this milestone are as follows:
- The event venue is booked: Provide the name and address of the venue, along with a document proving that it has been booked for the event. This document will be saved on our Google Drive and will be publicly viewable.
- The event registration link is available: Share the event's registration link, which will be publicly available for any community member to register.
Evidence of Milestone completion
As evidence of milestone completion, we will submit the following:
- Provide the name and address of the venue, along with a document proving that it has been booked for the event. This document will be saved on our Google Drive and will be publicly viewable.
- Share the event's registration link, which will be publicly available for any community member to register.
Expected timeline for the delivery
Month 2
Cost
25,000 ADA
% Completion
25%
Milestone 2: Event Website and After-Party Venue
Outputs
This milestone includes the following key activities:
1. Setup an Event Website
- Design and Develop Website: Create an engaging and informative website for the event.
- Implement User-Friendly Navigation: Ensure easy access to all relevant information.
- Integrate Registration System: Set up a secure and efficient online registration process.
- Optimize for Mobile Devices: Ensure the website is responsive and accessible on all devices.
- Define Key Themes and Topics: Identify the main areas of focus relevant to the audience and objectives of the event.
- Call for Speakers and Presentations: Open a call for speakers, setting clear guidelines and deadlines for submission.
2. Selecting after-party venue
- Research and Shortlist Venues: Identify suitable locations based on event size, accessibility, and facilities.
- Negotiate Terms and Costs: Work with venue providers to agree on rental terms, costs, and any included services (e.g., catering, security, AV equipment).
- Book Venue: Finalize the booking, ensuring all contractual details are clear.
Acceptance criteria
The acceptance criteria for this milestone are as follows:
- Event website: the event website URL is public and is fully functional and contain all necessary information about the event, including registration details and agenda. The website should be responsive and accessible on all devices.
- The after-party venue is booked: Provide the name and address of the venue, along with a document proving that it has been booked for the event. This document will be saved on our Google Drive and will be publicly viewable.
Evidence of Milestone completion
As evidence of milestone completion, we will submit the following:
- Event website: we will share the URL of the event website.
- Provide the name and address of the venue, along with a document proving that it has been booked for the event. This document will be saved on our Google Drive and will be publicly viewable.
Expected timeline for the delivery
Month 6
Cost
25,000 ADA
% Completion
50%
Milestone 3: Logistics and Marketing
Outputs
This milestone includes the following key activities:
- Secure contracts for essential logistics, including audio and sound technicians, videographers, photographers, and translation services.
- Execute targeted marketing activities to promote the event
Acceptance criteria
The acceptance criteria for this milestone are as follows:
- Proof of engagement: Provide copies of signed contracts or invoices from key service providers, including audio-visual technicians, videographers, photographers, and translation services.
- Marketing materials: Share samples of created marketing materials, such as social media posts, email templates, and promotional graphics.
Evidence of Milestone completion
As evidence of milestone completion, we will submit the following:
- Copies of signed contracts or invoices from key service providers, including audio-visual technicians, videographers, photographers, and translation services, available on our Google Drive.
- URLs of published marketing materials across various platforms.
Expected timeline for the delivery
Month 9
Cost
25,000 ADA
% Completion
75%
N/A
N/A
Milestone 4 (final): Hosting the event and close-out report/video
Outputs
This milestone include the following activities:
Event Delivery Activities
- Event Setup and Decoration:Arrange and set up signage, stages, seating, and any special displays.
- Ensure proper placement of branding materials.
- Registration and Welcome:Set up registration desks and welcome attendees.
- Distribute event materials like badges, schedules, and welcome packs.
- Speaker and Presentation Management:Coordinate with speakers for any last-minute needs or changes.
- Manage presentation logistics, such as AV setup and timing.
- Conducting Sessions and Workshops:Oversee the smooth running of keynotes, panels, workshops, and networking sessions.
- Facilitate transitions between different segments of the event.
- Catering and Hospitality:Coordinate meal and refreshment times.
- Address any special dietary needs and ensure guest comfort.
- On-Site Support and Troubleshooting:Provide assistance to attendees and speakers.
- Address any technical issues or other unforeseen challenges.
- Event Closing and Thank Yous:Facilitate the closing ceremony or final remarks.
- Thank participants, speakers, sponsors, and staff.
Post-Event Feedback and Reporting Activities
- Collecting Feedback:Distribute post-event surveys to attendees, speakers, and sponsors.
- Collect informal feedback during and immediately after the event.
- Data Analysis and Report Creation:Analyze feedback data to assess satisfaction, engagement, and areas for improvement.
- Compile a comprehensive event report, including metrics like attendance, engagement levels, and survey results.
- Debrief with Team and Stakeholders:Conduct a debriefing session with the organizing team to discuss successes and challenges.
- Share insights and lessons learned with key stakeholders and sponsors.
- Publicizing Success Stories and Outcomes:Highlight successful outcomes, collaborations initiated, and any significant achievements from the event.
- Share stories and outcomes through media releases, social media, and community channels.
- Future Planning and Follow-Up:Identify opportunities for future events based on feedback and outcomes.
- Follow up on connections made and projects initiated during the event.
- Close-out**:**
- Produce a close-out report
- Produce a close-out video
Acceptance criteria
This milestone’s acceptance criteria are as follows:
- Photos of the event space showing signage, stages, and seating arrangements. The files will be saved on our Google Drive and will be viewable by the public.
- If the speakers agree to be filmed, videos of the presentations will be recorded. The files will be saved on our Google Drive and will be viewable by the public.
- Copies of the distributed surveys. The files will be saved on our Google Drive and will be viewable by the public.
- The final event report, including analysis of feedback and key metrics will be produced. The reports will be publicly viewable on Notion and/or Google Drive.
- Copies of media releases and social media posts. Public links will be shared.
- Close-out report is produced and shared with the community reviewers
- Close-out video is produced and shared with the community reviewers
Evidence of Milestone completion
As evidence of milestone completion, we will submit the following:
- Photos of the event space showing signage, stages, and seating arrangements. The files will be saved on our Google Drive and will be viewable by the public.
- If the speakers agree to be filmed, videos of the presentations will be recorded. The files will be saved on our Google Drive and will be viewable by the public.
- Copies of the distributed surveys. The files will be saved on our Google Drive and will be viewable by the public.
- The final event report, including analysis of feedback and key metrics will be produeced. The report will be publicly viewable on Notion and/or Google Drive.
- Copies of media releases and social media posts. Public links will be shared.
- Close-out report is produced and shared with the community reviewers
- Close-out video is produced and shared with the community reviewers
Expected timeline for the delivery
Month 12
Cost
25,000 ADA
% Completion
100%
[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?
Answer:
Our team is aptly suited and equipped to successfully deliver this project. We possess the requisite capabilities that uniquely position us to execute this project to high standards of trust and accountability.
Socious is a fast-growing impact startup that provides a talent marketplace, making impact work accessible and transparent. We connect purpose-driven professionals with impact organizations through AI matching. We use blockchain to trace impact work and reward contributions.
Socious is supported by 500Global, Microsoft, and Milkomeda Foundation. Our platform lists over 80k jobs, 24k organizations, and has 8k registered users. Our team consists of experts in impact measurement, finance, data science, and blockchain development.
We have 10 full-time members and 20+ part-time contributors. Our team members include:
- Seira Yun
Title: Founder and CEO
Role: Product Ownership, Project Management, Research
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seirayun/
Bio:
Seira Yun is a Cardano Ambassador and an ICC member. He is a serial impact entrepreneur and an impact angel investor with years of experience in the impact sector, leading teams within the ICRC, UNHCR, and social ventures. As a full-stack developer with a Master's degree in Social Innovation from the University of Cambridge, Seira enjoys blending technology with purpose. Upon exiting his first social venture in 2021, he founded Socious, a decentralized talent marketplace that uses blockchain for verified certificates and AI for matching individuals to meaningful jobs, eliminating background checks and fostering social and environmental change. He is also a board member at TELL, a suicide prevention non-profit. When not working, you can find Seira shooting hoops, running, reading, and spending quality time with his kids.
- Elaine Cardenas
Title: Head of Product
Role: Blockchain Development, Product Management.
Bio:
Elaine has been coding in Haskell and other functional programming languages for the past 7 years and building on the Cardano blockchain for the past 3 years. Prior to joining Socious, she worked for Sundae Labs, contributing to the SundaeSwap V3 implementation and Hydra development. She also worked at Obsidian, an IT consulting company, where she helped Starbucks with its loyalty points system. Elaine is an active Cardano community member and serves as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in Argentina.
- Chrisanne Yee
Title: Founder’s Associate
Role: Project Management Assistant, Admin and Finance.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisanneyee/
Bio:
Chrisanne is trilingual in English, Chinese and Japanese. She has experience with marketing and business development. Chrisanne is an active Cardano community member and serves as an alternate to the Constitutional Convention in Argentina.
- Taichi Yokoyama
Role: Communication and Marketing
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mryokoyama/
Bio:
Taichi is an entrepreneur and a Cardano Stake Pool Operator (AIRX). Taichi is an active Cardano community member and serves as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in Argentina.
- Minh Douangprachanh
Title: Lead Designer
Role: Design
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michel-douang/
Bio: With more than a decade of experience specializing in product design, Minh is a multidisciplinary artist who has always believed art has a language of its own. As a neurodiverse individual, Minh is passionate about helping people and creating sustainable and inclusive solutions. Minh is a Cardano community member for the past 3 years.
- Ehsan Mahmoudi
Title: Lead Developer
Role: Backend/Blockchain/AI Engineering
LinkedIn:
https://linkedin.com/in/ehsan-mahmoudi-611123b8/
Bio: More than 8 years of experience in Python and Machine Learning as well as extensive experience in blockchain development. Ehsan has worked for global startups including Rechat, AEC, and Navaak. Ehsan is a Cardano community member for the past 3 years.
- Sanaz Mahmoudi
Title: Senior Frontend Developer
Role: Frontend Development
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanaz-mahmoudi/
Bio: An experienced frontend developer with 7+ years of experience. Sanaz is a Cardano community member for the past 2 years.
- Marjan Arami
Title: Senior Frontend Developer
Role: Frontend Development
Bio: An experienced frontend developer with 10+ years of experience. Marjan is a Cardano community member for the past 2 years.
- Azin Zare
Title: QA Engineer
Role: Quality Assurance
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/azin-zare-355a27179/
Bio: An experienced QA engineer with 9+ years of experience. Azin is a Cardano community member for the past 3 years.
- Mohammad Balkhani
Title: Software Engineer
Role: Backend and DevOps Engineering
Commitment: Full-time
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammad-hosein-balkhani/
Bio: An experienced software engineer with 7+ years of experience. Mohammad is a Cardano community member for the past year.
- Raphael Hode
Title: Design Advisor
Role Design Direction
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelhode/
Bio: Raphael is a Strategic Designer with a passion for social innovation and sustainability. After a few years in advertising agencies in Paris, Raphael moved to Tokyo in 2015 and joined Designit, a global strategic design firm. At Designit Raphael worked on growing a team and helping some of Japan’s most ambitious companies make innovation happen, leading him to endorse a variety of roles across UX design, service design, business design, and strategy.
In parallel, he has been passionately engaging in activities related to sustainability and social innovation: giving talks and workshops, mentoring early-stage social founders, and eventually co-founding a social venture. Today, he spends most of his time working with incredible social entrepreneurs to help them define, design, and launch visionary products that contribute to creating a more sustainable society.
To supplement our core team, we maintain a reserve of skilled freelancers, ready to contribute at short notice. Our talent marketplace, Socious, is a hub for over 8,000 individuals, many of whom could potentially assist in this project, if required.
The trustworthiness in our fund management processes is grounded in our serious adherence to legal and financial compliance. Each transaction conducted is meticulously documented with tangible evidence and audited internally for accuracy. To bolster our commitment to financial transparency, we have established collaborations with external accounting firms that assure compliance. Our Japanese entity works with Tatsumi Accounting Firm, while our Singaporean entity partners with BBCIncorp.
Additionally, we liaise with an external law firm, Enlighten Law Group, to ensure full legal compliance. This meticulous, multilayered approach to fund management reflects our dedication to maintaining high levels of trust and accountability.
[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
Please see below for a detailed breakdown of our budget. The base conversion rate for ADA-USD is 0.39
Executive summary:
Total Cost: 100,000 ADA
Milestone 1: 25,000 ADA
Milestone 2: 25,000 ADA
Milestone 3: 25,000 ADA
Milestone 4 (final): 25,000 ADA
Please find the details of the breakdown here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VKOsD3HFnvaNb-kIVDcUvEI0pAsaX9IXej19-LVBCJY/edit?usp=sharing
[VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?
Our project budget has been meticulously planned, keeping in mind the prevailing market rates and economic context of Japan. We have benchmarked our costs against:
- Venue and Logistical Costs: The costs associated with venue booking, logistics, and technology are based on extensive market research and comparisons.
- Benchmarking with similar projects: We have conducted a benchmarking analysis of our project against a similar Catalyst project. This project is relevant to us because it involves organizing events in Japan. The main differences are that our project includes international speakers and has a budget of 100,000 ADA, while the other project has a budget of 267,024 ADA.
Value for Money:
- Strategic Investment in Community Building: By investing in these events, the Cardano ecosystem is not just funding a series of gatherings but is strategically investing in community building and networking. This strengthens the ecosystem's foundations and fosters long-term growth.
- Promotion and Adoption of Cardano in Japan: The project is pivotal in promoting Cardano's adoption among Japanese businesses and professionals. This opens up new avenues for Cardano's utilization in a significant market, potentially leading to increased demand and valuation.
- Creating a Hub for Innovation and Collaboration: The events will serve as a hub for innovation, where ideas can be exchanged, and new projects can be initiated. This is invaluable for the dynamism and continuous evolution of the Cardano ecosystem.
- Long-Term Ripple Effects: The benefits of this project extend beyond the immediate outcomes of the events. The collaborations, projects, and relationships initiated here have the potential to create long-term ripple effects, contributing to the ecosystem's resilience and adaptability.
Supporting Evidence for Cost Justification:
Detailed Budget Breakdown: We have provided a comprehensive budget breakdown, showing how each cost element is crucial for the project's success.
Please find the details of the breakdown here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VKOsD3HFnvaNb-kIVDcUvEI0pAsaX9IXej19-LVBCJY/edit?usp=sharing
Please note that the Tech for Impact Summit 2024 cost more than $200,000, with the Socious team absorbing a significant portion of the expenses. This proposal is likely to cover only 20% of the total budget for the Tech for Impact Summit 2025; however, we firmly believe that the event will be highly beneficial for the Cardano ecosystem.
In conclusion, our project, while mindful of costs, is focused on delivering substantial value to the Cardano ecosystem. The strategic allocation of resources, combined with the expected outcomes, makes this an investment into the future growth and vibrancy of the Cardano community.
Team
