BrainBlock: Paving the Way for Blockchain Education

[GENERAL] Name and Surname of Main Applicant

Yosr Benmahmoud

[GENERAL] Email address of Main Applicant

yosr.benmahmoud@etudiant-fst.utm.tn

Additional Applicants

I am the only applicant.

[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 outputs 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.”

Our choice to retain proprietary aspects of our project is driven by the desire to create a commercially viable product. This strategy serves a dual purpose. Primarily, it provides us a revenue stream to fund the project's continuous development and maintenance. Concurrently, it underscores the Cardano ecosystem's potential to support not only open-source, community-led initiatives, but also profitable solutions.

Our aim is to foster real value within the Cardano ecosystem that transcends typical open-source endeavors. By developing a commercially successful application on Cardano, we aim to spotlight Cardano's capacity to propel capital market growth and stimulate substantial enterprise adoption. This won't only allow us to profit from our project, but also enhance the overall worth of the Cardano ecosystem.

We are of the view that illustrating successful project commercialization within the Cardano ecosystem can encourage other entrepreneurs and enterprises to harness this technology, thereby spurring the ecosystem's growth and extending its impact. While open-source projects are key to the ecosystem's cooperative evolution, commercially viable projects validate the practical use and economic feasibility of the technology to a wider audience. We believe it's this equilibrium between collaboration and commercialization that will ultimately fuel the enduring success of the Cardano ecosystem.

[METADATA] Category of proposal

Other

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

Our proposed solution is to develop a blockchain-based peer-to-peer learning platform that will connect students seeking tutoring or mentorship with knowledgeable peers, facilitated by blockchain technology.

Problem Perception: Many students require additional academic assistance beyond the classroom. However, finding suitable peers for tutoring or mentorship is often a challenge due to the lack of a centralized system. 

Our Approach: We've chosen to approach this problem by leveraging the power of blockchain technology. Its decentralization, security, and transparency make it a perfect foundation for building our platform. Our solution is unique because it provides a seamless connection between students and tutors while also rewarding tutors with ADA tokens, thus incentivizing knowledge sharing. 

Engagement: Our project will primarily engage students in need of academic help and those willing to offer tutoring or mentorship. By providing a rewarding system for tutors, we hope to stimulate an active participation from students. 

Impact Demonstration: The impact of our project will be demonstrated by the increased number of peer tutoring sessions and the active usage of our platform. We plan to continuously monitor and assess these metrics to ensure our solution effectively addresses the problem.

Benefit to Cardano: Our solution benefits Cardano by providing a practical use case for the ADA token as a means of incentive. Furthermore, by leveraging the Cardano blockchain, we bring more users and transactions into the ecosystem, thus promoting its growth and popularity.

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

Our proposed solution directly addresses the challenge's aim of supporting student blockchain startups and onboarding into the community. By creating a blockchain-based peer-to-peer learning platform, we not only encourage student entrepreneurs who leverage blockchain technology but also stimulate the interest of more students towards blockchain, potentially leading to more Catalyst proposers and blockchain engineers.

Our project has several benefits for the Cardano ecosystem:

Practical Use Case: Our platform provides a practical use case for ADA tokens as a means of reward and incentive. This could result in more people holding and transacting with ADA, thus adding to the overall liquidity and value of ADA.

Onboarding New Users: As the platform engages students in need of academic help and those willing to offer tutoring, we expect to onboard a considerable number of new users to the Cardano ecosystem.

Community Development: By encouraging students to share their knowledge and rewarding them with ADA tokens, we foster a knowledge-sharing community that strengthens the Cardano ecosystem. 

Visibility: The usage of Cardano's blockchain for a beneficial and impactful educational initiative would increase its visibility and reputation. This, in turn, can attract more developers, investors, and users to the Cardano ecosystem.

In summary, our project aligns with the objectives of the challenge by fostering a new generation of blockchain users and developers, and by providing a practical use case for ADA tokens, thus strengthening the Cardano ecosystem.

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

The success of our project can be measured using a combination of quantitative and qualitative metrics:

User Growth: This is a crucial indicator of the success of our platform. We will track the number of new sign-ups, active users, and tutoring sessions arranged through our platform. This data will be analyzed over time to understand the growth and usage trends.

Transaction Volume: As our platform will use ADA tokens as a reward mechanism, we will measure the number of transactions related to rewards distribution. . This will provide an indication of the platform's activity and the ADA tokens' utility.

User Satisfaction: We will conduct regular user surveys to gather feedback on their experience using the platform. We'll measure aspects like ease of use, matching effectiveness, and overall satisfaction with the platform.

Community Engagement: We will monitor the growth and activity of our community, gauging the level of interaction among users, the amount of knowledge sharing, and feedback. 

In the short term, the success of our project will contribute to Cardano’s growth by introducing a practical use case for ADA tokens and by attracting new users to the Cardano ecosystem. Over the long term, by fostering a community of knowledge sharing and learning, our project can cultivate a generation of blockchain-savvy individuals who could become future contributors to Cardano's ecosystem.

By using these metrics, we aim to measure both the direct impact of our platform (number of users, transactions) and its broader influence on the Cardano ecosystem (community development, attracting new users).

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

We are fully dedicated to disseminating the results and impacts of our project as widely as possible. Our objective is to expand its benefits and inspire more exploration into the immense potential of blockchain technology. Here is how we plan to fulfill this commitment:

Continuous Communication: We intend to keep the Cardano community updated about our project's progress, significant accomplishments, user feedback, and key learnings through regular updates.

Broad Engagement: We plan to broadcast these updates across multiple online channels and social media platforms. This strategy will not only enhance our project's visibility but also draw a diverse audience towards the Cardano network.

Open Source Collaboration: As and when suitable, we plan to make certain parts of our project open source. . This move will encourage collaboration, allowing other developers to understand, contribute to, and draw inspiration from our work. This will mutually benefit our project, the broader open source community, and Cardano.

Springboard for Future Innovations: The insights and data derived from our project will inform our future development activities. We expect to identify areas for improvement, opportunities for introducing new features, and possibly uncover more blockchain use cases in different sectors. Our project's outcomes could pave the way for more sophisticated blockchain applications in the future.

By sharing our project's results and impacts extensively, we aim to maximize its reach, stimulate wider interest in blockchain technology, and significantly contribute to the ongoing growth and evolution of the Cardano ecosystem.

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

Our ability to execute this project with the highest level of trust and accountability is grounded in our accumulated experiences, professional acumen, and unwavering dedication to openness and responsible stewardship. Here's why we consider ourselves optimally positioned to undertake this project:

Proficiency in Blockchain: Both Oussama and I come from a strong background in the blockchain domain. As a second-year computer science student, I've successfully proposed and implemented three initiatives in past Cardano Project Catalyst funds. Oussama, as an established Blockchain specialist and the initiator of PeakSoft - a Germany-based firm delivering software development and test automation consultation services, holds vast industry experience.

Openness and Dialogue: We commit to maintaining transparent communication with the Cardano community. Regular progress reports, transparent fund usage updates, and active participation on pertinent platforms will bolster our project's accountability.

Guidance and Backing: With his deep expertise and experience, my brother Oussama will act as a mentor throughout this project. His expert advice will be crucial in effective project management and ensuring its successful completion.

Concerning the handling of funds, we plan to institute a comprehensive and explicit budget plan detailing the fund utilization. We will make sure all expenses are strictly allocated for project purposes and provide periodic financial updates to the Cardano community. Our prior success in managing project funds endorses our capacity to administer finances responsibly and with full transparency.

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

Our project's main goals encompass both quantitative and qualitative elements that aim to facilitate peer-to-peer learning through a blockchain-based platform. Here are our key objectives and the means by which we'll validate their accomplishment:

Develop a Blockchain-Powered Learning Platform: We aim to build an efficient, secure, and user-friendly platform that connects students seeking academic guidance with their knowledgeable peers. We will validate the platform's efficacy through iterative testing and user feedback.

Onboard a Significant Number of Users: Our goal is to attract a significant user base within the first year of launching the platform. We will quantify this goal by tracking user registrations, active users, and session durations on our platform.

Ensure User Satisfaction: We aim to provide a high-quality, seamless user experience that meets the tutoring needs of students and the mentorship aspirations of tutors. User satisfaction surveys and continuous feedback mechanisms will help us measure this qualitative goal.

Increase Blockchain Adoption Among Students: By incentivizing tutors with blockchain-based rewards, we aim to foster an understanding and adoption of blockchain technology among students. We will measure this through the number of transactions made on our platform and surveys to gauge students' understanding and interest in blockchain technology.

For the technical implementation of our project, we'll follow a phased approach:

Phase 1 - Requirement Gathering and Design: Understand user needs and create a platform design that meets these needs.

Phase 2 - Development: Develop the platform using blockchain technology ensuring security, transparency, and integrity of transactions.

Phase 3 - Testing: Rigorous testing will be done to ensure the platform's functionality, usability, and security.

Phase 4 - Launch and User Acquisition: Post-launch, we'll focus on user acquisition through various marketing strategies and community engagement.

Phase 5 - Maintenance and Upgrades: Continual maintenance and platform upgrades based on user feedback and evolving needs.

Our technical team's strong expertise in software development and blockchain technology, along with our robust project plan, make our approach feasible and likely to succeed.

[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.

Milestone 1: Requirement Gathering and Design (1-2 Months)

• Tasks: Conduct user surveys, create user stories, and design platform wireframes and architecture.
• Success Criteria: Completion of user stories, platform wireframe, and architecture design.
• Cost: 8900 ADA

   

Milestone 2: Development (3-6 Months)

• Tasks: Develop platform based on design, integrate blockchain technology, establish reward system.
• Success Criteria: Completion of a working prototype.
• Cost: 15,800 ADA

Milestone 3: Testing and Refinement (7-8 Months)

• Tasks: Conduct unit tests, system tests, security tests, and usability tests.
• Success Criteria: All tests pass, and any identified bugs or issues are resolved.
• Cost: 5850 ADA

   

Milestone 4: Launch and User Acquisition (9-10 Months)

• Tasks: Launch the platform, run marketing campaigns, user registration, and initial engagement.
• Success Criteria: Achieving the target number of user registrations, positive user feedback, and active engagement.
• Cost: 8930 ADA

   

Milestone 5: Maintenance and Upgrades (11-12 Months and ongoing)

• Tasks: Monitor platform performance, collect user feedback, implement necessary upgrades or enhancements.
• Success Criteria: Sustained platform performance, positive user feedback, and improved features based on user needs.

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

Milestone 1: Requirement Gathering and Design

• Deliverables: User survey results, user stories, platform wireframes, and architecture design.
• Intended Outcomes: A comprehensive understanding of user needs, expectations, and the creation of a blueprint for the platform. The progress can be measured by the completion of these deliverables.

Milestone 2: Development

• Deliverables: A functional prototype of the platform with integrated blockchain technology and reward system.
• Intended Outcomes: A working platform prototype that aligns with the user stories and design specifications. Progress will be tracked through the completion of development tasks and the successful creation of the prototype.

Milestone 3: Testing and Refinement

• Deliverables: Test results, a list of identified bugs or issues, and a refined platform.
• Intended Outcomes: A stable, secure, and user-friendly platform ready for launch. The progress will be measured through the completion of all test cases and the resolution of any identified bugs or issues.

Milestone 4: Launch and User Acquisition

• Deliverables: A launched platform, marketing campaign results, user registration data, and initial engagement metrics.
• Intended Outcomes: A functioning platform with active users who are gaining value from it. Progress will be measured by user registration numbers, engagement metrics, and user feedback.

Milestone 5: Maintenance and Upgrades

• Deliverables: Platform performance reports, user feedback, and updates or enhancements to the platform.
• Intended Outcomes: A continuously improving platform that caters to the evolving needs of users. Progress will be measured by user satisfaction, the performance of the platform, and the successful implementation of upgrades or enhancements.

These outputs, deliverables, and outcomes will help ensure that the project stays on track and that it is continually aligned with user needs and expectations.

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

Our detailed budget breakdown is as follows:

Requirement Gathering and Design: This will mainly involve our time, hence no significant costs are associated with this mileston

Development: We estimate a cost of 15,000 ADA for this phas

Testing and Refinement: The cost here is estimated at 6,000 ADA, which covers the use of testing tools and the time we will spend identifying and resolving bugs or issue

Launch and User Acquisition: This milestone has the most significant budget allocation, estimated at 14,000 AD

Maintenance and Upgrades: We reserve the remaining 4,480 ADA for maintaining the platform, implementing upgrades, and resolving any unexpected issues that may aris

Please note that the above costs are estimated and may vary slightly. However, we are committed to managing the funds responsibly and transparently, ensuring they are strictly used for project purposes. We will provide regular financial updates to the Cardano community, detailing how the funds have been used.

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

The project's financial blueprint has been thoughtfully structured to assure optimal value for the Cardano community. Here's a breakdown of the cost allocation and its value reflections:

1. Cost Justification: Multiple factors have been weighed in determining the final costs, including the complexity of the project, its scope, required resources, and prevailing market rates for similar endeavor. This budget is devised to recognize the investment of time and effort necessary to craft a high-quality solution that aligns with the Cardano community's aspirations.

1. Consistency with Market Rates: Our cost assessment was benchmarked against standard industry charges for analogous blockchain development project. This alignment with current market rates ensures that our budget provides fair compensation for the skill set and expertise essential for the project's successful execution.

1. Value Representation: The following points articulate how this project offers value for money:

  a. Quality and Stability Focus: By allocating adequate resources and budget, we aim to construct a robust, reliable platform responsive to user needs. This ensures a high-quality solution that augments the Cardano community.

  b. Future Sustainability: Provisions for project management, documentation, community interaction, and reporting are incorporated into the budget. These aspects are pivotal for the project's durability and success in the long run. By dedicating funds for these areas, we guarantee continuous support, maintenance, and platform enhancements, contributing to the sustained value and growth of the Cardano ecosystem.

  c. Competitive Market Stance: The proposed budget has been arranged to remain competitive in the marketplace while maintaining a balance between cost and quality. This positions us to attract and retain top talent, guaranteeing the project's success and providing the Cardano community with a valuable and innovative solution.

  d. Return on Investment: The project's objectives, milestones, and deliverables are linked to expected benefits and outcomes for the Cardano ecosystem. The Cardano community can anticipate a positive return on their investment through increased adoption, engagement, and ecosystem expansion.

In summary, the project costs have been meticulously justified, adhering to market rates and industry norms. The budget allocation ensures value for money by delivering a top-tier solution, promoting long-term sustainability, remaining competitive in the market, and assuring a positive return on investment for the Cardano ecosystem.

[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