Elevating and Standardizing Impact Measurement of Businesses and Tokenized Assets for Cardano and the greater Web3 Ecosystem

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Impact Measurement System

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

Entity (Incorporated)

[GENERAL] Co proposers and Additional applicants

Metera Protocol

Sustainable ADA

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

4

[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)

A rating impact system, with detailed methodologies and global frameworks that will help rate digital assets in order to empower stakeholders for informed decisions and drive positive change.

[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?

No

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

The global frameworks used will be open source, but for this phase of the Impact Measurement System we will be creating a rating impact system that will not be open source. We plan to eventually make it open source once we have further refined it into a more complete product and tool, with tiers for licensing and plans for commercialising IMS.

[METADATA] SDG rating

Connects to all of the Sustainable Development Goals indirectly. The Impact Measurement tool takes into account and analyzes all of the parameters from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Indicators, and the IRIS+ Impact Category System used by the Global Impact Investing Network (GINN).

Alongside its own parameters to test digital assets characteristics as the Manual Rating System, which intends to provide investors with a comprehensive and objective assessment of a project's sustainability and impact dimensions. And the GSRM, which helps evaluate and monitor the sustainable aspects of decentralized applications (DApps) and entities (DAOs).

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution.

Problem introduction:

Traditional ESG and organizational impact rating systems are insufficient in evaluating the social, governmental and environmental impact of digital assets.

These systems are designed for evaluating the impact of traditional assets, which have different characteristics and operating principles.

Most digital assets operate within a decentralized ecosystem and can have unique impact criteria that are not accounted for by traditional ESG metrics.

We are working to usher in a new era of impact on Cardano, by providing accurate ratings to those projects focused on creating impact.

Solution:

The proposed solution is the remodel, and implementation of the Impact Measurement System (IMS) as a comprehensive evaluation tool for rating digital assets and Web2 & 3 organizations. 

The initial team has invested their own funds to create the basis and start testing the IMS, which aims to address the gaps in evaluating the impact of digital assets on society, government, and the environment. 

The team has a first MVP version which was tested with 6 digital assets. During this phase, a wide range of opportunities were detected that needed a new approach on how the model is tackling the different categories and also how the scoring functions.'

More about the IMS:

The IMS considers key factors such as UN SDGs, IRIS+, Alignment to Impact Investment, Impact (Positive and Negative), Organization, Strategy, Risks, Technology, Industry, Governance, Business Model, Risk Management, Environmental Impact, and more.

The goals are to take our completed research on the IMS and collaborate with other projects in the space also focused on impact evaluation. Metera is combining forces with Sustainable ADA to create a new standard for evaluating the impact of organizations and digital assets. 

To ensure the effectiveness and transparency of the IMS, it is crucial to have thorough reviews, collaborative debates, and diverse perspectives from the community. The goal is to refine the model and scoring methodology through expert guidance and input from various stakeholders. 

The intention is for the IMS to eventually be an open-source tool, developed and used by the community to rate digital assets on the Cardano Blockchain based on their impact on the ecosystem.

By pushing the boundaries and providing a clearer and robust rating method, the IMS aims to facilitate transparency and direct evaluation of digital assets' impact.

Benefits and Impact:

The IMS will empower stakeholders to make informed decisions and drive positive change, will enhance transparency and credibility in evaluating digital assets' impact and will foster sustainable practices and responsible investment in the digital asset ecosystem.

The main points we are focusing on to strengthen the model are: 

Rebalancing of methodology, weightage and score through volume testing

• Devise overall measurement systems and their respective category groups and indicators for us to add, remove or complement information. 
• Devise scoring for each measurement system, category group and indicators. 
• The methodology, weightage, and scoring must be further stabilized through volume testing to establish the resilience of the model through various data samples and situations.
• ~ 60% of overall attributes across Manual & GSRM tabs require stabilization.
• Testing 3 Cardano Digital Assets will reasonably stabilize the majority of indicators for Cardano

Two Cardano Projects focused on Impact

A partnership between Metera & Sustainable ADA will help with the growth and success of the IMS being used far and wide in the crypto ecosystem:

We will build the IMS into its own product and service to be used for any Cardano community member. The partnership between Metera and Sustainable ADA will help lead the way in creating a more defined standard for measuring the impact of tokenized assets. This in turn will catalyze impact in the Cardano ecosystem and beyond.  

Sustainable ADA’s pre-funding activities and impact measurement experience:

Sustainable ADA has been focused on Impact Measurement in Cardano since fund 6, and the team has experience with in-depth universal impact assessments such as the UN SDG, B-Impact, and GIIN’s Iris +including many others.

During Fund 6:

With the Cardano Aim team we led the research of adding SDG ratings to proposals in the Catalyst ecosystem. Also the introduction of the SDG Proposer Framework Tool:

Proposal Framework Tool: https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/6/f6-dlt-entrepreneurship-toolbox/proposal-framework-tool-aim-f90a5

Add SGD Ratings to proposals: https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/6/f6-partnerships-for-global-adoption/add-sdg-ratings-to-proposals-aim

Research in Applying Frameworks: https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/6/f6-partnerships-for-global-adoption/research-in-applying-frameworks-aim

During Fund 7: 

Sustainable ADA during fund 7 did research to evaluate and look at different Impact measurement frameworks to find what works best for blockchain technology.

We also did research on creating a token called the Sustainable Goals Token.

From this research we refined our idea to create a framework and platform for impact investing and evaluation.

We created a white paper for both the Impact Measurement Tool & the Sustainable Goals Token

Proposal Framework Tool: https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/7/f7-open-source-developer-ecosystem/proposal-framework-tool-aim-842b5

Impact Measurements Tool: https://www.canva.com/design/DAFC7zRNrdg/em1s_yQDnNU6sPW6KJ8hnA/view?utm_content=DAFC7zRNrdg&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink

https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/7/f7-improve-and-grow-auditability/impact-measurements-tool-research

SGT White Paper: https://www.canva.com/design/DAFE9HA3qQ8/IvJ93aosRmlIKZ9_17Izcw/view?utm_content=DAFE9HA3qQ8&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink

Sustainable ADA Goals Token: https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/7/f7-miscellaneous-challenge/sustainableada-goals-token-research-5d5d2

Fund7Proposals + SDGs - Cardano AIM:

https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/7/f7-open-source-developer-ecosystem/fund7proposals-sdgs-cardano-aim

During Fund 8:

Cardano impact project directory:

https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/8/f8-cross-chain-collaboration/cardano-impact-project-directory

Fund8Proposals + SDGs - Cardano AIM:

https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/8/f8-open-source-development-ecosystem/fund8proposals-sdgs-cardano-aim

Proposal Framework Tool - AIM:

https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/8/f8-open-source-development-ecosystem/proposal-framework-tool-aim

Partnership Generation

• https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/8/f8-cross-chain-collaboration/cross-chain-impact-lead-generator
• https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/8/f8-business-solutions-b2b-and-b2c/community-lead-generation

Onboarding new Users:

• https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/8/f8-new-member-onboarding/the-impact-onboarding

During Fund 9: 

During fund 9 we carried our Impact Measurements for Business with support from erable (formerly known as Cardashift) 

Cardano Impact Report 2023

We have had a lot of success while growing Sustainable ADA over the last few years. We have been closely connected to the Cardano community through Project Catalyst. 

Learn more about all of our past funded projects here: https://sustainableada.com/catalyst/

Sustainable ADA has created: 48 individual stories on projects building in the Cardano community and making the world a better place.

More info here: https://sustainableada.com/news/

Sustainable ADA also created the Cardano Impact Report where they highlighted over 65+ Impact Project buildings on Cardano to make the world more sustainable and equitable for all. 

Free Version can be found here: https://sustainableada.com/cardano-impact-report/

Why read the Cardano Impact Report?

“For those who are not in the Cardano community, this report is not just about Cardano. This is about an awakening to the wider global issues we face today, and a clear call to action, that our time has come to address these issues, head on. The report offers a path forward towards a sustainable and equitable future. By engaging with the innovative projects and initiatives presented here, you can also contribute to positive change and find solutions to the complex issues that burden our world, and at a minimum get inspiration to create your own projects, wherever you are in the world, and you can count on our community to guide you.”

- Dr Mihaela Ulieru, Blockchain Pioneer, President at IMPACT Institute, World Economic Forum Expert and Chief AI Alchemist at SingularityNet

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

The benefits of the IMS for the Cardano ecosystem are significant. It enables stakeholders to make informed decisions, promotes transparency, establishes accountability, and aligns the projects to impact frameworks such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals of 2030.

By offering a standardized evaluation process and fostering collaboration, the IMS strengthens the ecosystem's trust and inclusivity. 

Overall, the IMS enhances the sustainability and resilience of the Cardano ecosystem. It encourages the development and adoption of digital assets that prioritize social and environmental considerations and measurable impact, driving positive change and contributing to a responsible and impactful blockchain ecosystem.

[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?

The team are the co-founders of Metera Protocol, an asset management DeFi protocol with an impact thesis, built on the Cardano blockchain that enables the creation and support of tokenized portfolios known as Metera Tokenized Portfolios (MTKs) which has a solid community of more than 3400 supporters, solid partnerships such as Mlabs, TxPipe, Clarity Dao, Osmium Dao, VyFi, more than 2 years building the product and a solid track record of first delivering and then asking for funds to keep improving.

We have developed with our own funds the basis of the IMS tool alongside some third-party experts in the field. Now, we want to keep onboarding the right people to keep guiding us in the correct direction to make this tool fully robust and useful in the Ecosystem.

Sustainable ADA has a successful and dedicated track record in the Cardano community. By Metera and Sustainable ADA partnering to expand the work around the IMS they will be able to together create greater impact across the ecosystem. 

What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

The main goals are to:

• Improve, test and rebalance the model.
• Open source the tool
• Rate digital assets.
• Communicate progress and promote the project

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

Project Review and Planning (month 1)

Tasks: 

• Conduct a comprehensive review of the existing IMS MVP.
• Identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
• Outline the roadmap, plan the scope and goals for the refined IMS, considering feedback. 

Deliverables:

• Updated project plan.
• Documented review of the current IMS.

Outputs:

• Identified areas for improvement.
• Defined scope for the refined IMS.

Outcomes:

• Clarity on project direction.
• Enhanced understanding of project requirements.

Research Refinement ( month 2)  

Tasks: 

• Refine the research methodology based on lessons learned. 
• Enhance the methodology, evaluating the sustainability criteria and global frameworks.
• Evaluate and update data sources for more relevant and accurate insights.
• Revise documentation for clarity and accessibility.
• Coordinate with the sustainable team for mutual goals and expectations.

Deliverables:

• Revised research plan.
• Inclusion of sustainability-focused indicators.

Outputs:

• Enhanced research methodology.
• Integration of sustainability criteria.

Outcomes:

• Improved alignment with sustainable goals.
• Inclusion of recognized frameworks.

Testing Preparation (month 3)

Tasks:

• Identify a subset of digital assets for initial testing.
• Develop a testing plan and criteria.
• Prepare the testing environment.

Deliverables:

• Testing framework outline.
• Identified digital assets for testing.

Outputs:

• Defined testing criteria.
• Prepared testing environment.

Outcomes:

• Readiness for testing phase.
• Clarity on assets to be tested.

Testing (month 4) 

Tasks:

• Conduct minor testing of the refined IMS with selected digital assets.
• Gather feedback from internal stakeholders.

Deliverables:

• Testing results report.
• Feedback summary.

Outputs:

• Detailed report on testing outcomes.
• Collected feedback from stakeholders.

Outcomes:

• Identified areas for improvement.
• Stakeholder input for refining IMS.

Documentation and Scaling Plan (month 4) 

Tasks:

• Document the refined IMS process.
• Generate a comprehensive report outlining research findings and testing results.
• Develop a plan for scaling the refined IMS based on testing outcomes.
• Define the budget, timeline, and expected outcomes for next phase.

Deliverables:

• Refined IMS documentation.
• Research and testing report.
• Scaling plan.

Outputs:

• Insights from stakeholder feedback.
• Document the refined IMS process.
• Comprehensive documentation.

Outcomes:

• Improved IMS functionality.
• Identified areas for further enhancement.
• Strategic plan for scaling and future development.
• Alignment with stakeholder expectations.
• Enhanced understanding among stakeholders.

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

Metera

Daniel Sampson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-sampson-26966a225/

CEO and CoFounder of Metera

Entrepreneur and innovator in the web3 ecosystem with a strong background in traditional asset management. Experience in marketing, project management and investor relations.

Carlos Ernesto: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ernesto-sampson/

• COO and Founding Team Member of Metera Protocol. Business manager and strategist. With experience in the creation, development and administration of projects. Experience in planning, management, and daily operation of Fintech and Crypto projects. Deep interest in new technologies and passionate about making things happen.

Santiago Portela: https://www.linkedin.com/in/santiago-portela-4a789099/

• CSO and CoFounder of Metera, Santiago is a strategic leader at Metera, guiding the protocol's overall objectives, vision and strategy, developing impact assessment systems, and developing Metera's tokenomics engineering for sustainable decentralized asset management.

Paulo Rivera: 

• CFO and Founding Team Member Financial professional with more than 10 years in Tradicional Finance as trader, and blockchain entrepreneur. 

Impact Web3 & Sustainable ADA - Cardano Summit 2023 Masterclass Speakers | Cardano Summit 2023 Blockchain for Good Nominee

Cole Bartlett and Razali Samsudin Co-founded Sustainable ADA and Impact Web 3, and have been shaping it into what it is today.

It all started with the initial idea for Sustainable ADA back on April 20th of 2021 (Sustainable ADA 2021). Together, we co-founded it in June of 2021. We have backgrounds, professional experiences, and knowledge in education, economics, sustainability, and how blockchain technologies can be harnessed for good.

Cole Bartlett:

• Co-Author of Recalibrating Value, Identity & Impact Through the Blockchain Cardano Impact Report 2023 | Bachelor in Economics and Sustainability | Blockchain/Sustainability Researcher | Social Entrepreneur | Co-Founder of Impact Web 3 & Sustainable ADA | Positive Blockchain Contributor | Impact Measurement Expertise | US Director for Yagazie Foundation | Blockchain Learning Center Core Member | Co-Founder of Vermont Fishing | Decentralized Lead Generation | UNITE 2030 Youth Delegate | Photographer, Videographer, Editor | Content Creation 

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/cole-bartlett
• https://twitter.com/cole_vt

Additional Info: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14mOmk473KapciDHj6uiCrREkIwutIYrl6rNZhNp68Bk/edit

Razali Samsudin: Co-Author of Recalibrating Value, Identity & Impact Through the Blockchain - Cardano Impact Report 2023 | Cardano Summit 2023 Masterclass Speaker | Cardano Summit 2023 Blockchain for Good Nominee

• 17+ years of impact experience as an interdisciplinary Educator from early years settings to postgraduate level, with a background in social sciences, humanities, and sustainability.
• Co-Founder of Streets of ADA - A Samsudin Brothers Projek
• Author, Editor, Digital Economy, Blockchain, Sustainability and Impact Measurements Researcher (#Blockchain4Good, #Cardano4Good, #NFT4Good), Social Entrepreneur, Catalyst Proposal Mentor.
• Zinc VC Fellow
• Aspen Institute
• Wada UN SDG and Education Coordinator, Contributor at Cardano AIM, PositiveBlockchain, Catalyst School and Adafilms

https://www.linkedin.com/in/razali-samsudin

https://twitter.com/Razlosophy

More about the Sustainable ADA team:

Catalyst Journey:

We joined Project Catalyst, Cardano’s decentralized innovation fund, during fund 4. After applying and learning from both funds 4 and 5 along with lots of support from Cardano community members and teams, we were able to construct a strong proposal together that focused on our goals and ambitions for Sustainable ADA, and the Cardano community’s goals. We submitted a proposal focused on helping Grow Cardano, and Grow Africa.

With this funding, we had more capacity to focus on researching and sharing stories from change-makers in Africa and the diaspora, who are engaging with Cardano, creating a better tomorrow, today. 

Thanks to the Cardano community and the use of their voting power from holding and staking ADA, we successfully secured the funding we were seeking. This helped us to take significant steps towards fulfilling our vision and mission having secured these crucial and helpful funds.

Through our time in the Project Catalyst ecosystem, we have been able to create a lot of strong and exciting partnerships with projects and businesses all across the world. This has led us to develop new ambitions for the work we do and to expand beyond education.

More about the projects we have been involved in: https://sustainableada.com/catalyst/

Experience and Expertise 

The Sustainable ADA team has experience working with Figma, Canva, Wix, Final Cut Pro, Da Vinci Resolve 17, Adobe CC, Microsoft Products (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc).

Sustainable ADA has experience and backgrounds in Sustainability, Economics, Humanities, Social Sciences. Along with work with NGOs, Social Enterprises, Freelance journalism, and blogging. 

The team has been a part of the Cardano ecosystem since 2020 and is very dedicated to the Cardano ecosystem. We created Recalibrating Value, Identity & Impact Through the Blockchain: Cardano Impact Report 2023”.

The team also has undertaken the first of its kind Cardano Impact Report. 

The Cardano Impact Report is a comprehensive publication that aims to capture and showcase the positive impact generated by the Cardano community. It is designed as a book NFT (Non-Fungible Token) to leverage the unique features of blockchain technology, ensuring authenticity, transparency, and immutability of the content.

https://sustainableada.com/cardano-impact-report/

Sustainable ADAs Community Partners:

The Project will be managed by Metera and Sustainable ADA in the following roles:

• Project Manager: To oversee the project.

• Technical experts: Individuals with a deep understanding of blockchain technology, smart contracts, and decentralized systems. They would be responsible for designing and implementing the technical aspects of the IMS.

• Subject Matter Experts: Professionals with knowledge and experience in impact assessment, environmental science, social governance, and related fields.

• Communication and Outreach Specialists: Individuals skilled in communication and marketing who can effectively communicate the purpose, benefits, and progress of the IMS to the Cardano community and other stakeholders.

• Data Scientists: Experts in data analysis and modeling who can develop algorithms and methodologies to assess the impact of digital assets accurately. They would work on refining the scoring model and ensuring the data-driven integrity of the IMS.

Roles we will be filling through our various partnerships and supporting projects:

• Technical Expert: Part of the blockchain field who can help us with the technical aspects of the proposal. This expert will help with analyzing requirements, and designing IMS connections to the Cardano blockchain ecosystem around the integration and expansion of the IMS open sourced tool.

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

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

The cost of the project represents value for the Cardano ecosystem by providing:

• Comprehensive evaluation of digital assets.
• Informed decision-making for stakeholders.
• Transparency and trust through a standardized evaluation framework.
• Long-term sustainability by promoting impact-aligned assets.
• Industry leadership in responsible blockchain development.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agrees to Fund 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