Innovation center to promote Cardano and facilitate entrepreneur participation

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Sheraz Ahmed

[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

Elli Koch, Decentral House General Manager

D.Jur. Nicola Massella, Legal & Compliance Dept.

Sophie Ivarsson, Marketing & Growth Dept.

Nara Babayeva, Branding & Design Team

Louis Beuque, Finance & Fundraising Dept.

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

10

[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)

https://decentral.house/ innovation centre to promote Cardano to the Geneva entrepreneurs and support them with proposing impactful and meaningful (development) projects on Catalyst.

[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

All our outputs will be open source. The outputs of the individuals or teams working with us will be up to them to decide.

[METADATA] SDG rating

SDG Goals

4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

SDG Subgoals

4.4 - 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

Key Performance Indicator (KPI)

4.4.1 - Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution.

Decentral House is a web3 innovation centre in Geneva focused on providing a space for the web3 community. Our activities are focused in 4 areas, 

• a workspace for those in web3, either through private offices or our coworking space, 
• an event space for groups of up to 100 people to meet, network, and learn, 
• a community space for those in the web3 to come together organically, learn from each other and build with each other, 
• and finally a Consortium space for larger corporations and organizations in the Web3 sphere to collaborate, advocate, and strengthen the Web3 community.

This state-of-the-art innovation centre will incorporate emerging technologies, fostering an ecosystem that nurtures creativity, collaboration and revolutionary breakthroughs, pushing the boundaries of innovation.

Members will enjoy exclusive access to a series of industry-focused events, workshops and informal discussions that will allow them to learn from world-class experts, showcase their work and forge partnerships. They will have access to all the tools necessary to propel their projects to new heights!

The hub is scheduled to open in January 2024 and already has attention from financial institutions, NGO’s, legal firms, luxury enterprises, and web3 SaaS providers to participate in the Consortiums and community ecosystem, as well as startups and remote workers based in Geneva. Pre-launch events have already drawn prominent speakers from Lacoste, UNHCR, 1Inch Network, WTO, Walder Wyss, Arab Bank, DAO Suisse, and the Swiss NFT Association. 

Decentral House Offer to the Catalyst Community 

For this proposal we suggest to have an annual subscription of 135,000 that will include the Hub displaying the Cardano brand as one of our sponsors and setting aside space for the project to proceed. We will assign a team member to be responsible in the hub for the Cardano initiatives as well as coordinating with the Cardano foundation (several CF partnership team members are based in Geneva) and the Cardano Ecosystem.

Our team will assist Cardano community members proposing in project Catalyst during 2024 (expected to be Fund 12 and Fund 13):

1. Education about Cardano and Cardano funding around project Catalyst 

2. Networking and brainstorming ideas

3. Pitching and gathering support for ideas

The goal is to increase the number of valid submissions out of Geneva and also to give existing teams a physical space in which they can meet and develop their ideas during scheduled events or office time.

In addition the hub will be used for a Satellite event for the Cardano summit in 2024 where we will invite the local ecosystem to participate. 

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

This is a "builders first" initiative, aiming to increase their familiarity with Cardano's role in Switzerland and Geneva, and the many advantages of being part of the Cardano community. The following points elaborate on the importance and potential impact of our initiative:

• A strong presence in a key innovation hub in Geneva 
• Great exposure for the global ecosystem in Geneva (Banks, Orgs, Corporates, NGOs)
• We intend to have a proactive approach to expose the Web3 entrepreneurs to the Catalyst opportunity for Fund 12 and 13 during 2024 and support the application process. This will result in more quality proposals for innovative use cases and will support making Cardano stronger in the ecosystem in Geneva/Switzerland
• Through collaboration with Cardano Foundation, Decentral House hopes to promote Cardano in general, but the focus will be on the prospective, new, and current community members.

[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?

Decentral House is an innovation centre in Geneva whose mission is to remove obstacles between Web3 entrepreneurs and the goals of trust, decentralisation, and disintermediation. It is a fit-for-purpose working environment made to support the kinds of teams who submit for Catalyst funding rounds.

In addition, STORM Partners (among other Web3 businesses) is present in the space and will help with the acceleration of the teams.

STORM Partners has spent the past years building its capability to promote ecosystems like Cardano in the Web3 way, through community-driven engagement and by making the value of Web3 clear to more traditional stakeholders. 

Legal & Compliance Department has extensive experience with the legal recognition (and related regulation) of DAOs, as well as other regulatory requirements related to Web3 projects. Marketing & Growth Department has helped curate high-level go-to-market strategies while providing the affiliated brand research and guidance needed to become a leading dApp or DAO, helping with long-term communications, social media, public relations, growth hacking, personal branding, and influencer programs.

Finance & Fundraising Department has a successful track record in developing articulated fundraising strategies and financial planning. Areas of expertise include tokenomics mechanisms, nurturing investor relations, pitch deck structuring, etc.

As a founding member of DAO Suisse, we seek to strengthen leadership in Web3 by focusing on overcoming the challenges faced by DAOs operating here and abroad.

We are also highly active in the Cardano ecosystem and have contributed through various initiatives and events to strengthen and shape its community and ecosystem. Some of our Cardano contributions and initiatives include:

• Sheraz Ahmed as Master of Ceremony at the Cardano Summit 2022 in Lausanne.
• Host at the Crypto Valley Conference 2022 & 2023, welcoming Frederik Gregaard.
• Executive Leadership at Crypto Valley Association coordinating activities with Cardano Foundation to promote the ecosystem in Zug and abroad.
• Participated in various Cardano side-events / meetups such as the London Masterclass and Meetup on 9th May 2023.
• Contribution to CIP-1694 workshop in Zug in June 2023.
• Early-stage private investors in Cardano projects such as MELD.
• Nicola Massella Conducted a Legal Masterclass on Legal and Regulatory Aspects of Staking Mechanisms at the Cardano Summit 2023
• Sheraz Ahmed Judged the hackathon at the Cardano Summit 2023, and also contributed to the prize pool.
• Influencer campaigns for Cardano Spot

We understand the importance of financial planning, budgeting, processes and accountability for the engagement we perform. Specifically, we will deploy progress updates. The team will regularly update each milestone with detailed explanations of a given task, with hours employed, outcomes and measurements.

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

This milestone will include onboarding to Catalyst, onboarding Cardano to Decentral House, initial meetups, and preparing builders for Catalyst fund 12 

 

Milestone output(s) March 2024 

• Onboarding to Project Catalyst
• Assign a team member to be the Cardano lead
• Medium Logo, Brand Exposure 
• Fund 12 - initial info
• Recruitment of builders: Inform builders about Project Catalyst Fund 12 and accelerated submission
• Initiate ideation sessions
• If needed, help to form teams (i.e. connect to other builders in the ecosystem) 
• Informing builders about Cardano, Cardano technology resources, Cardano Innovation space, and the events and services available to them in 2024

Acceptance criteria 

• Team member is assigned
• Adding Cardano logo to the Decentral House communication
• Information shared with builders 
• Social network activity regarding Cardano collaboration
• Project catalyst initial stage

In addition to ongoing activities, this milestone will include the support for builders to apply for Catalyst Fund 12. 

Milestone output(s) Remainder Q2 2024

• Cardano, promoted to the local community coordinated with Cardano Foundation team.
• Monthly Cardano enthusiast meetup.
• Ongoing Brand Exposure activities.
• Fund 12 application support 
• Continue ideation and builder informative sessions.
• Application support to fund 12 (how to apply, best practices, deadline, content, connect with relevant teams in the Cardano ecosystem, connect with Cardano communities).

Acceptance criteria 

• At least one networking and brainstorming event.
• Up to 15 proposals for fund 12, by multiple teams.
• At least 4 Catalyst dedicated sessions for the teams.
• Two Cardano monthly meetups.
• We will aim for 150 people participating in the events (cumulative).

Continuation of ongoing activities, but this milestone will shift to a second cohort of builders writing proposals for Fund 13, and support in getting started for builders that submitted to Fund 12. 

Milestone output(s) Q3 2024

• Can include webinars or in-person events about Cardano and the success of the program, promoted to the local community and coordinated with Cardano Foundation team.
• Monthly Cardano enthusiast meetup.
• Ongoing Brand Exposure activities 
• Support onboarding to Cardano of Fund 12 funded proposals
• Fund 13 initial activities  
• Continue work efforts with projects that did not get funded in Fund 12
• Recruitment of builders: Inform builders about Project Catalyst Fund 13
• Initiate ideation sessions
• If needed, help to form teams (i.e. connect to other builders in the ecosystem) 

Acceptance criteria 

• At least one event
• 2 Cardano monthly meetups
• Share brand exposure activities 
• Aim for 200 people participating in the events (cumulative)
• Working with up to five teams for Fund 13

In addition to ongoing activities, this milestone will include the support for builders to apply for Catalyst Fund 13. We will also conduct a feasibility study to use Decentral House as a Cardano Summit Satellite event in Geneva, in coordination with the Cardano Foundation team.

Milestone output(s)

• Cardano summit Satellite event in Decentral House
• Monthly Cardano enthusiast meetup
• Ongoing Brand Exposure activities 
• Fund 13 application support 
• Continue ideation and builder informative sessions
• Application support to fund 13 (how to apply, best practices, deadline, content, connect with relevant teams in the Cardano ecosystem, connect with Cardano communities) 

Acceptance criteria 

• At least one event
• Up to 30 proposals for Fund 13, by multiple teams 
• At least 4 Catalyst dedicated session
• 2 Cardano monthly meetups
• Share brand exposure activities 
• Aim for 300 people participating in the events (cumulative) 
• Closing report 

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

General Manager of Decentral House.

Ellissa Koch

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

Ellissa Koch has a Master's in Business Administration,with over 10 years of experience in marketing, sales, and client relations. She has experience working in various sectors including art, fashion, finance, and publishing, and is committed to expanding the reach of women in industry.

Legal & Compliance Department

Nicola Massella - Partner & Head of Legal

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

D.Jur. Nicola Massella is an expert on crypto-assets and blockchain technology regulation with a commitment to decentralising and democratising capital markets. He is the head of STORM Partners’ Legal & Compliance Department. Additionally, he is engaged pro bono as Legal Research Officer at the Blockchain & Climate Institute and as a member of the Regulatory Working Group at the Crypto Valley Association. He developed specific expertise concerning DAOs by assisting multiple decentralised organisations in establishing a sound legal structure.

Marketing Department - Marketing Workshop and Design

Sophie Ivarsson - Marketing Director focused on Growth

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-ivarsson-815491b1/ 

Sophie has spent the last ten years becoming an expert growth marketer on the road to mastery. She has worked for large organisations like Lego and also helped launch two startups, both of which have transitioned to stable and profitable concerns. She’s an expert strategist and team builder, which translates directly into how to structure and 

Nara Babayeva - Graphic Designer

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nara-babayeva-797251119 

Nara, an accomplished designer based in Istanbul, has worked on international projects related to web3 and the metaverse. With six years of experience in graphic design, Nara specialises in brand identity, social media, and UX/UI. They hold an MBA degree in Visual Marketing, which enhances their ability to approach design strategically. Their designs seamlessly blend global trends with localised aesthetics, resonating with audiences across borders.

Finance & Fundraising - Fundraising workshop

Louis Beuque - Fundraising Manager

https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-beuque-4153b0104 

Co-founder of a DAO focused on entertainment, Louis has been operating as a Head of Investor Relations and Fundraising Manager for more than 13 projects over 2022 cumulating more than $60M. Originally focused on top-tier projects such as Polygon, he has been more recently raising for upcoming blockchain-based projects and DAOs, which he recognises as more exciting and as a future trend in Web3.

Project Coordinator - 

Sheraz Ahmed - Managing Partner

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherazahmed1/

Sheraz Ahmed has advised hundreds of organisations on the implementation of modern Web3 practices to further their business objectives. As the Managing Partner of STORM Partners, an all-in-one service provider, and as the Co-Executive Director of the Crypto Valley Association, he drives growth, collaboration, and integrity across the global blockchain ecosystem!

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

We have divided the annual budget into 4 payments based on the 4 milestones and closing report. The total amount will be 135,000 ADA. If the ADA price goes up, we will consider enhanced activities with more reach and scope.

Milestone 1 - 40,000 ADA

• 25% for space and services
• 25% events
• 25% brand exposure
• 25% dedicated support person to Cardano & admin

Milestone 2 - 30,000 ADA

• 25% for space and services
• 25% events
• 25% brand exposure
• 25% dedicated support person to Cardano & admin

Milestone 3 - 30,000 ADA

• 25% for space and services
• 25% events
• 25% brand exposure
• 25% dedicated support person to Cardano & admin

Milestone 4 - 35,000 ADA

• 25% for space and services
• 25% events
• 25% brand exposure
• 25% dedicated support person to Cardano & admin

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

As showcased, STORM Partners comprises highly skilled individuals who are leaders in their respective areas with multiple years of experience on Web3 projects and involvement in the Cardano Ecosystem. Furthermore, the project would not only directly benefit the participants in the online workshops but would also serve as a trampoline to increase the reputation and awareness of Cardano DAOs in Switzerland and internationally.

By leveraging our existing network in Web3, social media presence, and marketing efforts, we will contribute to the betterment of the reputation of the Cardano DAO ecosystem. We want it to be the go-to place for DAO builders and collaborators. Most importantly, the cost associated with the project will democratise information which is often hard to obtain and scarce in the market. 

STORM Partners have applied competitive market rates for the types of expertise and quality of the delivery in the context of a leading Web3 consultancy firm.

The space itself is over 500m2, and will provide the right kind of culture and environment for ideas to grow in.

The budget represents around 1% of the total budget in the category and will include a range of events throughout the year and a strong brand exposure in a dedicated Web3 space.

[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