Funding Funnels: A Cardano-driven AI Event with Funding Pathway for Young Innovators

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

CLEMENT MAURICE UMOH

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

Individual

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

2

[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 propose a 3-day event designed to provide mentoring, supportive & collaborative programs that would harness the disruptive innovations of young tech enthusiasts and introduce them into 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 event in its entirety from start to finish will be made available to the wider Cardano community via numerous virtual platforms to encourage widespread and real-time participation.

[METADATA] SDG rating

>> SDG SELECTION:

• SDG goals:
• Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
• Reduce inequality within and among countries
• Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
• Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

• SDG subgoals:
• By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
• By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy
• By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries

• Key Performance Indicator (KPI):
• Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill

>> UHRI SELECTION:

The following Universal Human Rights Index(es) are applied:

• Federal and State Governments have acknowledged that socioeconomic factors, including poverty, high levels of illiteracy, unemployment and insufficient income levels are among the underlying causes fuelling tensions and violence among groups in the Middle Belt. Minorities are often among the most disadvantaged populations and experience the worst socioeconomic conditions. A comprehensive national plan against poverty and social exclusion should be urgently adopted, with clear objectives and specific benchmarks and timelines for completion. The plan should contain measures focused on the most vulnerable groups at the State and local levels, and include specific attention to the issues of minority women. 

>> PHDI SELECTION:

The following report is applied for the selected Planetary pressures-adjusted Human Development Index:

'''

Nigeria is ranked 163 (Human Development Index) and when adjusted for the Planetary pressures is ranked 160 a rise of 3. 

 In 2021 it had a Human Development Index (HDI) value of 0.535 that when adjusted for the Planetary pressures-adjusted HDI (PHDI) had a value of 0.524, a difference of 2.06. 

 The Planetary Pressures adjustment factor of 0.98 is made up of the SDG9.4 Carbon dioxide emissions per capita (production) 2020 of 0.61 tonnes (indexed value 0.99), and the SDG8.4 and 12.2 Material footprint per capita of 3.6 tonnes (indexed value 0.97). 

 For more information about the details of the PHDI please reference: 

 https://hdr.undp.org/planetary-pressures-adjusted-human-development-index#/indicies/PHDI 

 https://hdr.undp.org/system/files/documents/phdi2020technicalnotespdf.pdf 

 The specific SDG targets 

 https://indicators.report/targets/9-4/ 

 https://indicators.report/targets/8-4/ 

 https://indicators.report/targets/12-2/ 

 Source data: 

 https://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/2021-22_HDR/HDR21-22_Statistical_Annex_PHDI_Table.xlsx (table 7)

'''

#proposertoolsdg

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution.

It's worrisome how promising young talents face significant barriers when it comes to accessing resources that can transform their ideas into reality. The problem often lies in the lack of proper infrastructure and collaborative systems that can connect these young innovators with established industry experts and entities, as traditional channels often fail to recognize the unique perspectives of these young innovators. Many of these young innovators are unaware of currently existing collaborative and support mechanisms the Cardano community offers to help accelerate their innovations. We have identified a need for systematic exposure and integration of these untapped innovations into the Cardano ecosystem

Our proposal projects a 3-day tech event that aims to tackle the barriers hindering the full participation of these young innovators in the tech sector by identifying the key challenges they face and in response, design mentoring and collaborative programs that would unlock and harness these disruptive innovations and ultimately entrench them into the Cardano ecosystem. We are strongly affirmative that this would cement a dynamic and inclusive tech ecosystem that drives progress and innovation at a global stage.

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

With all amount of certainty, I strongly believe our 3-day Cardano-driven AI Event with a Funding Pathway for Young Innovators holds substantial promise for the broader Cardano community. Firstly, our event will create a dynamic platform for innovation at the intersection of blockchain and artificial intelligence, fostering the development of groundbreaking projects by young minds. The infusion of fresh ideas and perspectives will contribute to the evolution and enrichment of the Cardano ecosystem.

To measure impact, both quantitative and qualitative metrics will be employed. Quantitatively, we'll assess the number of innovative projects generated, the level of community engagement, and the extent of financial support provided. Qualitatively, we'll gauge the uniqueness and potential societal impact of these projects, ensuring they align with Cardano's principles.

Outputs and opportunities arising from the event will be widely shared. Regular updates will be communicated through community forums, social media, and dedicated project channels. A comprehensive report, including success stories and lessons learned, will be published. Collaborative partnerships with existing Cardano projects and educational institutions will be explored, creating a ripple effect of positive impact.

The success of this project brings immense value to the Cardano community by nurturing a culture of innovation, attracting new talent, and fortifying Cardano's position as a hub for cutting-edge solutions. Through transparent reporting and engagement, we aim to inspire continued community involvement, ensuring sustained growth and impact.

[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?

As an individual,I recognize that building trust and ensuring accountability are at the core of our commitment to executing our proposed Cardano-driven AI Event with a Funding Pathway for Young Innovators. Our capability to deliver with high levels of trust is underpinned by a combination of experience, transparency, robust processes coupled with the fact that my team an myself have successfully executed similar events in times past with numerous impact stories.

Firstly, our team brings a proven track record in organizing impactful events and managing projects in both the blockchain and AI domains. Our collective experience attests to our ability to navigate complexities and deliver on ambitious goals.

Transparency is key. We will establish clear communication channels to keep the community informed at every stage. Regular updates, progress reports, and financial statements will be shared openly. We believe in an inclusive approach where the community is not just an audience but an active participant in the project's journey.

To validate feasibility, we'll conduct a meticulous feasibility study encompassing the technical, financial, and community engagement aspects. This study will involve consultations with experts in the blockchain, AI, and event organization fields. We'll also seek community feedback through surveys and open forums to ensure our approach resonates with the diverse perspectives within the Cardano community.

Regarding fund management, we'll implement a multi-layered approach. Funds will be held in a transparent and secure smart contract on the Cardano blockchain, ensuring traceability. Financial transactions will be subject to regular audits by reputable third-party firms. We're committed to financial prudence, utilizing funds judiciously to maximize impact.

Furthermore, we'll explore partnerships with established entities in the Cardano ecosystem to provide an additional layer of oversight and accountability. This collaborative approach not only enhances trust but also fosters a sense of community ownership.

In summary, our capability to deliver this project with trust and accountability is grounded in experience, transparency, community engagement, and a commitment to rigorous financial management. We believe that by aligning with Cardano's principles and involving the community every step of the way, we can create an event that not only delivers value but also earns and maintains the trust of the broader Cardano community.

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

Milestone Name: Event Conceptualization and Logistical engagements

Milestone Description: This involves developing the overall concept for the conference as well as identifying, securing and finalizing logistical arrangements relevant to the execution of the conference/event

Milestone Deliverable: Conference concept, venue and logistics plan

Deliverable description (Acceptance Criteria): A comprehensive plan detailing the conference's concept, goals, format, proposed activities, chosen venue, logistics arrangement and associated costs.

Outcomes/Ouputs:

1. Development of the overall concept for the conference including theme, objectives and target audiences

2. Identifying and securing appropriate venues for the conference as well as procurement of relevant logistics

3. Identification and engagement of speakers, panelists, industry experts and mentors who will contribute their knowledge and experience to the conference

4. Finalizing arrangements to ensure participation of speakers and mentors at the event.

Milestone name: Intellect Fair and Innovation Pitch-a-ton

Milestone Description: This milestone focuses on organizing the intellect fair, including participant registrations, booth arrangements, judging panels, attendee engagements, as well as the set up for pitch competition (Selection of pitch-a-ton judges and preparation of innovation pitch competition guidelines).

Milestone Deliverable: Intellect fair schedule, participants list, selected startup list and pitch competition guidelines

Deliverable Description (Acceptance Criteria): A finalized schedule for the intellect fair outlining the participants, their projects and allocated booth space as well as official guidelines for the innovation pitch competition, a list of start ups selected to participate, along with the review and evaluation mechanism.

Outcomes/Outputs:

1. Participants registration, booth arrangements and allocation

2. Recruitment of judging panel and scheduling of attendee engagement activities

3. Preparation of pitch competition guidelines and settings for the pitch competition 

Milestone Name: Workshop Implementation, Skill-building and Mentorship

Milestone Description: This entails designing and developing the workshops and skill building sessions on various thematic across coding, block chain technology, robotics, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, etc. This milestone also entails executing the workshops, ensuring smooth facilitation, and providing necessary resources to both facilitators and attendees.

Milestone Deliverable: Workshop schedule, materials and feedback

Deliverable Description(Acceptance Criteria): A detailed schedule outlining the workshops, session topics, facilitators and duration followed by retrieval of completed workshop materials, feedback from attendees and facilitator evaluations for further improvement

Outcomes/Ouputs:

1. Smoothly facilitated workshop sessions

2. Successful impartation of conference contents and objectives on participants

3. Maximum engagement of participants

Milestone Name: Post conference evaluation and Integration of successful innovators into the Cardano ecosystem

Milestone Description: This milestone involves efficiently executing all conference activities including keynote speeches, workshops, networking sessions, the intellect fair and the innovation pitch competition. In addition, it also focuses on collecting feedback from participants, speakers, mentors and stakeholders, with the aim of assessing the program's effectiveness. This would be followed by the identification of top performing innovators whose innovations would undergo post-conference mentorship engagements in preparation for their submissions to be integrated into future idea scale funding rounds within the Cardano ecosystem

Milestone Deliverable: Successful conference conducted, post conference report and feedback summary

Deliverable Description: A well executed conference with all planned activities and sessions successfully conducted as scheduled backed by a detailed report summarizing the conference outcomes, including participant feedback, speaker and mentor evaluation, and recommendations for future editions.

Outcomes/Outcomes:

1. A successfully and completely conducted conference

2. Identification of top performing and ground breaking innovators and innovations

3. Ada token rewards for young outstanding exhibitors and innovators

4 Successful iterations on completed activities of the conference as well as the procurement of a concise document that navigates challenges and prospects of every part the execution phase of our event.

5 Successful mentorship and integration of the conference participants into the Cardano ecosystem

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

OUR TEAM

Clement Umoh : Clement Umoh is the CEO of Star Hive Initiative and the founder HIESMEDIC - a telemedicine platform. He is an AI researcher with specializations in telemedicine and AI pattern recognition. He has organized multiple programs with impact on thousands of persons especially tech enthusiasts. He has participated and exhibited at several reputable intellect fair and pitch-a-ton events and his innovations have gained recognition from reputable institutions such as African Health Impact Initiative and the University of Toronto, Canada. This qualifies him as the Project Coordinator for this event.

https://www.facebook.com/clement.umoh.336

Janet Odey: Miss Janet Odey is a full stark developer and software engineer with widespread understanding of the tech ecosystem. She is the co-founder Scephtech, co-founder HIESMEDIC, a TECHNOVATION regional ambassador and a Ford Foundation alumni. She has organized regional summits, intellect fairs and pitch-a-ton events for reputable organizations such as TECHNOVATION and ENACTUS Global. These engagements and experiences qualify her for the role of our Programs Manager for our event. She will be responsible for curating the conference programs, identifying relevant topics and speakers and ensuring the content of our summit aligns with the objectives of integrating these young innovators into the Cardano ecosystem.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-odey-127375159/

Vera Mohie: Miss Vera Mohie holds a bachelors degree in Mass communication and public engagement with numerous volunteering and social engagement experiences at reputable organizations such as the International Red Society where she has headed their communications unit at various regional and local levels. She possesses an exceptionally strong marketing and communication skills. She will undertake the role of the Marketing and Communications Manager for our event. She will be responsible for promoting our event, creating marketing strategies, managing our social media platforms and coordinating with media partners to attract to attract participants and innovators to our event.

Hanson Ekpo: Hanson Ekpo is an IT specialist and a graduate of computer science and engineering. He possesses strong organizational and problem solving skills. He is the Executive director of Experteens and the programs director at Street Priests Incorporated. He is a social entrepreneur who has piloted impactful programs across several countries in Africa. He has a track record of organizing hitch free events with all logistics well positioned. He will be handling the role of our Logistics Coordinator for our event.

https://www.facebook.com/donsofia.donsofia

Prince Andong: Prince Andong is a multi-certified IT specialist with over 4 years experience in business branding, development and sponsorship management. He is the lead product designer at Afrogon Studios Africa and the Co-founder and head of Human Resource at Hiesmedic. He will be piloting the role of our Sponsorships and Partnerships Manager for our event. He will be responsible for securing partnerships and sponsorships relevant to the success of our event.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CtgMHdPIlzA/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== 

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

Event Conceptualization and Logistical engagements (Funds will be allocated to the development of the comprehensive plan detailing the conference's concept, goals, format, proposed activities, procuring the event venue, logistics arrangement and other associated costs) - 20,000 Ada

Intellect Fair and Innovation Pitch-a-ton (Funds will be allocated to scheduling for the intellect fair, recruiting the participants, prototyping/development of selected ideation projects, procurement and allocation of booth spaces for tech ideas/product exhibition, honorarium for the innovation pitch competition adjudicators, token rewards for outstanding young innovators, as well as final review and evaluation) - 20,000 Ada

Workshop Implementation, Skill-building and Mentorship, Post conference evaluation and Integrations (Funds will be allocated to the development and scheduling of workshops, session topics, transportation, accommodation and honorarium for facilitators, procurement of workshop digital learning materials, development and analysis of feedback mechanisms from attendees and other associated costs) - 15,000 Ada

Publicity / marketing / promotion / community engagement / Miscellaneous - 5,000 Ada

Total Ask - 60,000 Ada

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

I make bold to say that the budget allocation for our proposed Cardano-driven AI Event with a Funding Pathway for Young Innovators has been meticulously crafted to ensure maximum value for the Cardano ecosystem.

Event Conceptualization and Logistical Engagements (20,000 Ada): This segment covers the foundational planning and logistical groundwork. It represents an investment in ensuring a seamlessly executed event, setting the stage for meaningful interactions and collaborations. The value lies in the creation of a well-organized and engaging platform that maximizes the potential for innovation and community participation.

Intellect Fair and Innovation Pitch-a-ton (20,000 Ada): This portion accounts for the heart of the event—where ideas are showcased and innovations take center stage. The allocation reflects a commitment to fostering a culture of intellectual exchange and innovation within the Cardano community. The value is inherent in the potential discoveries, solutions, and inspirations that emerge from this creative crucible.

Workshop Implementation, Skill-building, and Mentorship, Post-conference Evaluation, and Integrations (15,000 Ada): This category represents the backbone of sustainable impact. Funds are earmarked for workshops, skill-building initiatives, mentorship programs, and post-conference evaluations. The value here extends beyond the event's duration, as it aims to cultivate skills, mentor relationships, and integrate the event's outcomes into the broader Cardano ecosystem.

Publicity/Marketing/Promotion/Community Engagement/Miscellaneous (5,000 Ada): This allocation recognizes the importance of visibility and community engagement. It's not just about the event; it's about ensuring that the Cardano community and beyond are aware and involved. The miscellaneous component provides flexibility for unforeseen needs, ensuring adaptability and responsiveness.

Our cost decisions are rooted in a thorough assessment of the specific needs and potential impact of each segment. A detailed budget breakdown involves considerations such as venue costs, resource remuneration, technological infrastructure, marketing strategies, and community engagement tools. Continuous consultation with experts and stakeholders within the Cardano ecosystem has informed these decisions.

In essence, our budget reflects a commitment to responsible financial management, with every Ada allocated with a clear purpose—creating an event that not only serves as a catalyst for innovation but also represents a sound and impactful investment for the Cardano ecosystem's growth and vibrancy.

[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