[C2VN] Cardano Bootcamp & Hackathon Series for University Students

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Hieu Nguyen Van

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

Entity (Not Incorporated)

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

7

[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)

Lowering barrier to entry by providing free developer bootcamps and hackathons for university students, covering basic to advanced concepts, culminating in an NFT certificate to showcase their skills.

[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

We strongly encourage participants to open-source their hackathon projects. All learning materials and resources developed for the bootcamp will be made available under an open-source license

[METADATA] Horizons

Education

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

We see the lack of accessible Cardano education and hands-on program as a significant barrier to widespread adoption and innovation within the ecosystem. Many students are interested in blockchain technology but find the current learning resources too technical and intimidating. This limits the potential for new developers to contribute to the Cardano community.

Our project combines structured learning with practical application. Our bootcamps provide a foundation in Cardano development concepts and welcome anyone with basic programming knowledge, including newcomers to Web3 and those ready to launch their blockchain projects. To complete the bootcamp, students must solve challenges that test their blockchain knowledge. Successful participants earn a CIP68 NFT certificate that can be included in their CV or LinkedIn profile. Following the bootcamps, hackathons offer a collaborative environment to apply these skills, fostering creativity and problem-solving. By offering these programs for free, we aim to make Cardano development accessible to all IT students.

C2VN has extensive experience teaching blockchain in universities, organizing hackathons, and deploying projects on Cardano. This experience has provided us with some insights into the essential content for successful bootcamps. Specifically, we plan to offer two levels of bootcamps:

This structured approach will ensure that participants gain a comprehensive understanding of Cardano development, from fundamental concepts to advanced techniques.

Our hackathon empowers developers to gain deep technical knowledge and hands-on experience building solutions on Cardano. It also provides entrepreneurs with the opportunity to explore Cardano as the ideal blockchain technology for their businesses. Our goal is to support winning teams beyond the hackathon by providing priority access to Project Catalyst, incubation programs, and other acceleration opportunities in our ecosystem.

To maximize the impact of the hackathon and foster the development of innovative solutions, we will:

• Invite Companies and Startups: Engage companies and startup teams to participate in the hackathon, facilitating networking and potential partnerships to further develop promising ideas beyond the event.
• Collaborate with Media Partners: to raise awareness of the hackathon and promote the image of Cardano and Project Catalyst and increase the visibility of student projects and attract broader community interest in Cardano development.
• Provide Dedicated Mentors: Assign dedicated mentors to each participating team to ensure thorough support and guidance. Mentors will offer expertise, address challenges, and help teams refine their ideas.

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

This project would have a significant positive impact on the Cardano community by:

• Lowering the barrier to entry for students: We make it easier for students to engage with Cardano by providing free, accessible educational resources and hands-on learning opportunities. This will empower a new generation of developers to contribute to the Cardano ecosystem even when they are still in school.
• Growing the developer base: By attracting and training new developers, creating opportunities for students to connect with each other, we foster a stronger and more vibrant community and contribute to the growth and sustainability of the Cardano community.
• Fostering innovation & adoption: The hackathons will stimulate creativity and encourage the development of novel solutions on Cardano. With proper nurturing and support, these solutions could be a future adoption.

We will measure our impact through several key metrics:

• Number of participants: Tracking the number of students attending the bootcamps and hackathons will demonstrate the reach of our program.
• Project outcomes: The quality and innovation of the projects developed during the hackathons will showcase the skills and knowledge gained by the participants.
• Community engagement: We will monitor the involvement of participants in the Cardano community after the program, such as contributions to open-source projects or participation in online forums.
• Feedback surveys: Collecting feedback from participants will help us assess the effectiveness of the program and identify areas for improvement.
• NFT certification: The number of students earning NFT certificates will demonstrate the successful completion of the program and their readiness to contribute to the Cardano ecosystem.

By tracking these metrics, we can provide concrete evidence of the positive impact of our project on the Cardano community and the growth of its developer base.

[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?

1,Our highlight activities:

The members of the project are the core team who organized the Community-Led Events Cardano Summit 2022 [1] and Community-Led Events Cardano Summit 2023 [2] . We consist of technical experts from Cardano2vn.io and professors from 5 major universities.

Community-Led Events Cardano Summit 2022 in Hanoi

Community-Led Events Cardano Summit 2023 in Hanoi

We also organize Blockchain meetup in Hanoi [3]

We hosted Catalyst working group in Ho Chi Minh City in 2023 [4]

As a result of a project funded by Catalyst at Fund11, we established Blockchain lab. Collaborate with the Faculty of Information Technology, University of Transport and Telecommunication to found blockchain club in this University.

2,We understand the academic environment in Vietnam:

C2VN is an active member of the University Blockchain Alliance (UBA). We are fortunate to have the opportunity to participate in discussions, workshops, and scientific research conferences with many different universities.

Contribute ideas at the meeting with East Asia University of Technology to bring Blockchain into official teaching activities [5]

Working with IT faculty of Phenikaa University on supporting students in scientific research and teaching Blockchain [6]

We discussed with the IT department of the University of Industry about compiling the Blockchain curriculum [7]

C2VN also has members involved in training university lecturers on blockchain

and supporting and mentoring students in scientific research activities

C2VN conducts the first Cardano Blockchain Hackathon in Universities, gathering the participation of students from 05 Universities [8]. After implementing the first hackathon, we saw the potential and benefits for students from other universities, so we wrote this proposal.

3, Our history with Catalyst:

We have a good track record of completing funded projects (Fund6: 1, Fund7: 3, Fund8: 4) . All 8 projects have been successfully implemented, delivering impacts beyond expectations and marked as completed on IOG's tracking board.

[PROJECT MILESTONES] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

Duration: 1 month

Milestone outputs:

• Kickoff meeting
• Review Bootcamp program outline, Assign a person in charge of conducting workshops 
• Preparing Bootcamp materials (slide, lab, tool, ref doc, final course completion challenge...)
• Planning for Bootcamps schedules & marketing plan
• Planning for Hackathons (Timeline, rule, juding criterias, venue, tracks & prizes, marketing plan, partnership plan..)
• Project managment

Acceptance criteria:

• Clear communicate Project objectives, Project schedule, marketing plan, partnership plan, regular meeting minutes
• A documented team structure, roles and responsibilities for each team member and communication plan.
• Clear learning objectives and target audience defined for each workshop
• Comprehensive marketing plan with target audience, channels, and detailed schedule (date, time, locations)
• Detailed Hackathon plan with clear timeline, rules, judging criteria, venue, Defined tracks or themes, prizes and marketing and partnership plans.
• Regular tracking of progress, Risk management and issue resolution strategies in place.

Evidence of milestone completion:

• Meeting minutes or records of team formation discussions.
• Finalized Bootcamp program outline document
• List of workshop leaders with their assigned topics
• Finalized Bootcamp schedule and documented marketing plan
• Documented Hackathon plan with all details, 
• Marketing materials and communication strategy.
• Regular meeting minutes report

Duration: 1 month

Milestone outputs:

• Run marketing program for basic bootcamps (Before, during and after)
• Bootcamp#1 completion
• Bootcamp#2 completion
• Bootcamp#3 completion
• Project managment

Acceptance criteria:

• Target audience reached through various channels (social media, email, etc.)
• All planned workshops delivered successfully.
• Learning objectives met for each workshop.
• Regular tracking of progress, Risk management and issue resolution strategies in place.

Evidence of milestone completion:

• Records of marketing activities (e.g., social media posts, email campaigns).
• Attendance records for each workshop.
• Workshop materials and resources shared with participants.
• Photos or recording of the bootcamps
• Regular meeting minutes report

Duration: 1 month

Milestone outputs:

• Run marketing program for basic bootcamps (Before, during and after)
• Bootcamp#2 completion
• Bootcamp#2 completion
• Bootcamp#3 completion
• Hackathon venue and other facilities preparation
• Project managment

Acceptance criteria:

• Target audience reached through various channels (social media, email, etc.)
• All planned workshops delivered successfully.
• Learning objectives met for each workshop.
• Room for hackathon day is guaranteed to be available along with facilities (we book this room in advance)
• Regular tracking of progress, Risk management and issue resolution strategies in place.

Evidence of milestone completion:

• Records of marketing activities (e.g., social media posts, email campaigns).
• Attendance records for each workshop.
• Workshop materials and resources shared with participants.
• Photos or recording of the bootcamps
• Receipt/document for reservation
• Regular meeting minutes report

Duration: 2 month

Milestone outputs:

• Invite Companies and Startups to join the hackathon as sponsor, judges, advisors/mentor, team member
• Collaborate with Media Partners to promote hackathon event
• Run Marketing programe and & open for hackathon registrations
• Assign mentors to groups, run Mentoring/Coaching sessions
• Organize the preliminary round, announce shortlisting results ( <=7 teams)
• Hackathon Prize preparation
• Project managment

Acceptance criteria:

• A diverse range of relevant companies and startups invited to participate.
• Develop a media plan outlining promotional activities and timelines
• Reach target audience through various channels (social media, email, website).
• Provide guidance and support to teams on technical and project-related challenges.
• "Evaluate all projects in the preliminary round to find out the shortlisted teams.
• Provide constructive feedback to all participating teams."
• Participating teams feel their contributions are recognized and appreciated.
• Regular tracking of progress, Risk management and issue resolution strategies in place.

Evidence of milestone completion:

• List of invited companies,confirmed participants with their roles
• Documented media plan and communication strategy.
• Records of marketing activities.
• List of assigned mentors with their expertise and contact information.
• Documentation of mentoring sessions.
• Records of judging deliberations and scores and shortlisted teams.
• Minutes of the award structure, receipt of the order (if any)
• Regular meeting minutes report

Duration: 2 month

Milestone outputs:

• Run marketing programe and for final round
• Update mentors to groups, run Mentoring/Coaching sessions
• Hackathon day (Pitching, demo, announce results and awards)
• Collect of participant feedback, Analyze results and publish insights
• Project managment & Final project closing tasks

Acceptance criteria:

• Target audience reached through various channels (social media, email, etc.)
• Provide guidance and support to teams on technical and project-related challenges.
• Provide a platform for teams to pitch their projects and showcase demos, Announce winners and distribute awards.
• Identify areas for improvement in future events.
• A completion report, summarizing project activities, outcomes, and lessons learned, is submitted to the Catalyst team or relevant stakeholders.

Evidence of milestone completion:

• Records of marketing activities (e.g., social media posts, email campaigns).
• List of assigned mentors with their expertise and contact information.
• Documentation of mentoring sessions.
• List of winners and awarded prizes.
• Photos or videos of the event.
• Published insights.
• Completion and submission of the Project Close Out Report and Project Close Out Video

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Our core team member are:

Nguyen Van Hieu

Bio: Founder of HADA stake pool, member of Plutus Pioneer Program, and Lead Technical Support at many successful startups.

Telegram:

Linkedin:

Facebook:

Do Ngoc Minh

Bio: Computer Science Researcher, and Lecturer at the Information Technology Institute, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Advisor for Open Educational Resources (OER) programs of UNESCO, ASIA, and Vietnam.

LinkedIn

Twitter

Email: minhdn@vnu.edu.vn

Telegram

Hoang Van Thong

Role: Program quality Assurance Officer,

Bio: Lecturer (since 2001) and Dean of Faculty of Information Technology (since 2020), University of Transportation and Communications, computer science experts, developed many websites

• Fields research: fuzzy logic, soft computing, data mining, machine learning.
• LinkedIn
• Email: thonghv@utc.edu.vn
• Facebook

Cao Thi Luyen,

Role: Program Development member

Bio: Lecturer (since 2001) of the Faculty of Information Technology, University of Transportation and Communications, received a Ph.D. in mathematical assurance in computational systems at the military academy of science and technology (since 2018). developed many applications.

• Fields research: watermarking, data hiding, machine learning, blockchain. 
• LinkedIn
• Email: luyenct@utc.edu.vn 

Mai Manh Trung

Role: Program Development member

Bio: Lecturer (since 2007) and Dean of Faculty of Information Technology (since 2004), University of Economic and Industry, computer science expert.

• Fields research: Security, application programing, data mining, machine learning.
• Email: mmtrung@uneti.edu.vn

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

The detailed breakdown of our project’s milestones and activities is avalable at this Google sheet it is summarized here for your quick reference.

Budget summary:

Milestone 1: Project Planning, BootCamps & hackathons preparations-1 months: 22,941 ADA =25.66% 1 month

Milestone 2: Cardano Basic Bootcamps-1 months: 12,647 ADA = 14.14%

Milestone 3: Cardano Advanced Bootcamps-1 months: 17,059 ADA =19.08%

Milestone 4: Hackathon preliminary round-2 months: 17,353 ADA = 19.41%

Milestone 5: Hackathon final round-2 months: 19,412 ADA =21.71%

Total Estimate cost: 89,412 ADA

Budget breakdown in to categories:

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

1-High Return on Investment (ROI):

• Skill Development: The project directly invests in building human capital within the Cardano ecosystem. By equipping students with valuable skills and knowledge, we create a workforce capable of contributing to Cardano's growth and development. This translates to a long-term ROI as these skilled individuals become active contributors and innovators.
• Innovation Catalyst: Hackathons are proven breeding grounds for innovation. The relatively low cost of organizing these events can potentially yield high-impact solutions and applications that benefit the entire ecosystem. This fosters a culture of creativity and problem-solving within the Cardano community. 
• Community Building: Strong communities are crucial for the success of any blockchain platform. This project fosters community building by connecting students, mentors, and industry partners. This strengthens the network effect and contributes to a more vibrant and collaborative ecosystem. 

2- Cost-Effectiveness:

• Targeted Approach: Focusing on students ensures that your resources are directed towards a demographic with a high potential for long-term engagement with Cardano. This targeted approach maximizes the effectiveness of your investment.
• Scalability: The project model can be replicated and scaled to other universities and regions, amplifying its impact and reach while maintaining cost-effectiveness.