MapChain: Decentralized Cadastral Mapping on Cardano

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Aaron Moguin

[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)

6

[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 will create a decentralized platform for users to upload, verify, and tokenize land boundaries as NFTs, providing a transparent, secure, and verifiable record of land ownership and boundaries.

[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

The Landano project will issue an Apache 2.0 license for the intellectual works it creates, along with any software artifacts that are produced as a result. See https://docs.landano.io/d/technical-architecture

[METADATA] Horizons

Real Estate

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

We propose a product that leverages the utility of the Cardano blockchain to address the critical issue of unclear land boundaries in rural areas underserved by current governance structures. By enabling users to upload, verify, and tokenize land use and boundary information as NFTs, this will offer a transparent, secure, and immutable record of information supporting land ownership and other rights. This can empower local communities and landowners to resolve disputes, clarify ownership, and manage land more efficiently.

By integrating decentralized verification processes, allowing multiple stakeholders—including landowners, community representatives, and legal bodies—to validate boundary information. This decentralized approach ensures trust and removes reliance on a central authority. Furthermore, by using Cardano’s energy-efficient proof-of-stake system, the solution will be scalable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly.

Our vision is to provide an accessible land information verification system, with more trustworthiness than existing authorities in the area, that significantly improves land management and ownership clarity in rural regions, increasing economic potential and reducing disputes that can lead to violence.

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

Our project will expand Cardano's utility by introducing real-world use cases for land management, attracting rural communities, surveyors, and enterprises. This product will be able to be used by other RWA-type products developed on Cardano. It will also promote transparency and trust through decentralized land verification, driving more transactions and engagement within the ecosystem. By tokenizing land data as NFTs, the project showcases Cardano’s strengths in immutable records and fosters new dApps in real estate, urban planning, and governance.

Impact Measurement:

Quantitative: Number of land parcels tokenized, number of users (surveyors and communities), number of other Cardano dApps that utilize this new product, volume of related Cardano transactions.

Qualitative: User feedback on trust, ease of use, and reduction in land disputes, as well as partnerships with authorities (e.g., Lands Commission).

[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?

Aaron Moguin, COO of Landano and Project Manager: Aaron is responsible for the project's overall management, ensuring that all tasks progress cohesively and efficiently. His expertise in operations management is key to maintaining project timelines and delivering on milestones.

Dorus van der Kroft, CTO of Landano and Lead Developer of the Project: Dorus is the driving technical force behind the project. With extensive experience in blockchain technology and software development, he ensures the technical excellence and innovation of our solution.

Peter van Garderen, CEO of Landano and Systems Analyst for the Project: Peter brings a strategic vision for integrating blockchain solutions with enterprise systems, overseeing the analytical aspects of the project. His insights are vital in aligning Landano’s record-keeping requirements with industry standards.

Technical Feasibility & Project Management:

Our approach combines agile methodologies with continuous integration and deployment, ensuring that the project adapts to changing requirements and incorporates feedback efficiently. We leverage state-of-the-art tools for project tracking and version control, guaranteeing transparency and consistency.

Risk Mitigation:

We have identified key risks, including technical challenges in blockchain adoption in rural areas, and have strategies in place to mitigate them. Regular reviews, testing phases, and community engagement will ensure that we promptly address any issues, maintaining the project's integrity and progress.

Our team's combination of technical acumen, strategic insight, operational excellence, and community engagement positions us to successfully deliver a product that meets the needs of the Cardano ecosystem and its stakeholders.

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

Design and Prototype 

Milestone Outputs

• Detailed design specifications document 
• A functional prototype 

Acceptance Criteria

• Approval of the design specifications document by the project review committee.
• Successful demonstration of the operable prototype in a controlled test environment, illustrating key product functions.

Evidence of Milestone Completion

• Publication of the design document on the official Landano project website.
• Video recording of the prototype demonstration, uploaded to the Landano project’s official YouTube channel or website.

Testing and Refinement

Milestone Outputs 

• Comprehensive testing to identify and resolve critical bugs.
• Updated prototype that meets all functional requirements as outlined in the initial design document.

Acceptance Criteria

• Resolution of all identified critical bugs during the testing phase.
• Confirmation from the technical team that the updated prototype meets the predefined functional requirements.

Evidence of Milestone Completion

• Detailed test reports that outline the outcomes, issues found during testing, and resolutions applied.
• Demonstration video of the updated prototype, showcasing the refined functionalities and compliance with initial design specifications.

Final Validation and Documentation

Milestone Outputs

• Finalized and validated version of the product ready for deployment.
• Comprehensive documentation and user guides.

Acceptance Criteria

• Positive feedback from key stakeholders and potential users confirming the viability and usability of the prototype.
• Detailed documentation that provides clear instructions and guidelines for users to effectively utilize the product.

Evidence of Milestone Completion

• Availability of detailed documentation and user guides on the Landano project website.
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Outputs:

• Final closeout report
• Final closeout video

Acceptance Criteria:

• Final closeout report is publicly available
• Final closeout video is publicly available

Evidence of Completion:

• Link to final closeout report
• Link to final closeout video

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

Project management: Aaron Moguin, Project Manager and COO - Landano

Aaron is responsible for this project's overall management and delivery schedule, ensuring that all components progress cohesively and efficiently. His expertise in operations management is key to maintaining project timelines and quality. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-moguin-0a769512/

Software development: Dorus Van Der Kroft, Software Lead and CTO - Landano

Dorus is co-founder of Landano. He is an expert full stack developer with over twenty years of industry experience delivering projects from start to finish. His broad set of software engineering skills have been used in start-ups and large enterprises.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorus/

Design and requirements: Peter Van Garderen, System Architect and CEO - Landano

Peter is co-founder of Landano. He is a professional archivist and a world-renowned expert in the field of digital records management. He is the creator of the most widely deployed open-source archives management applications in the world and a long-time decentralization advocate. Peter has designed software architectures and led development teams for over 15 years.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/petervangarderen/

User engagement and testing: Dan Amankona, CMO of Landano and Community Liaison: Dan plays a pivotal role in engaging with the developer and broader Cardano community, gathering feedback, and fostering collaborations that enhance the project's relevance and adoption.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-amankona-50346649/

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

To accommodate for the fluctuation in ADA price, which creates a conversion risk and a potential budget shortfall, we are using the October 2023 historical low (October 2023) base price of $0.25 ADA to calculate our expenses.

We will employ 1 senior Mendix software engineers ($130/hr = 520 ADA/hr), 1 systems analyst ($100/hr = 400 ADA/hr) and 1 project manager ($100/hr = 400 ADA/hr) to complete this work over a three month period. The systems analyst role includes requirements analysis, documentation, user acceptance testing and community management.

Milestone 1 (60 days): ₳63,600

Software Engineer: 90 hrs (₳46,800)

Systems Analyst: 30 hrs (₳12,000)

Project Manager: 12 hrs (₳4,800)

Milestone 2 (60 days): ₳63,600

Software Engineer: 90 hrs (₳46,800)

Systems Analyst: 30 hrs (₳12,000)

Project Manager: 12 hrs (₳4,800)

Milestone 3 - Final (60 days): ₳22,800

Software Engineer: 30 hrs (₳15,600)

Systems Analyst: 12 hrs (₳4,800)

Project Manager: 6 hrs (₳2,400)

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

By addressing a critical need in rural communities, the project demonstrates blockchain’s practical utility and broadens Cardano’s use cases. The development of reusable APIs and smart contracts adds long-term value by enabling other projects to build upon this infrastructure, making the investment highly scalable.

When implemented, the benefits to the Cardano community at large and the Cardano blockchain are vast and manifold, greatly outweighing the value as expressed in ADA or any fiat currency, quantitatively. This platform will allow users to upload, verify, and tokenize land parcels as NFTs on Cardano, which should directly lead to more transactions, especially as this product is targeted at an underserved market. As users verify each others’ property information, a virtuous circle of decentralized authorization and on-chain activity is realized. 

These rates are competitive with standard consulting fees for these services, allowing team members to devote attention to this project that will result in its success. Additionally, the budget is well-distributed across development, project management, security, and marketing.