No-time-for-bootcamp: training for busy entrepreneurs

[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

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)

An ongoing bootcamp with only two-hours a week focusing on the most important topics so Cardano entrepreneurs can keep growing while they run a business or work a day job.

[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

Project will be fully open source.

[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.

We will organize a continuous bootcamp, running through the entire program twice so that if someone is unable to attend a live session, they will be able to get it the second time around, broken into month-long focuses on legal, marketing, and fundraising issues. The time commitment will be 2 hours of virtual classroom time and 1 hour of self-work. The beginning of each session will clearly outline the material planned to be covered so entrepreneurs can prioritize topics they feel are more relevant or that they have less mastery over. We will also be rigorous in collecting feedback from the community to make sure the most important and valuable problems are being addressed.

The bootcamp will be organized into monthly areas of specialization, namely legal, growth, and fundraising. Additionally, we will have sessions during the fourth month that are more of an interactive Q&A for people, grouping attendees by their stage of development (individuals, early-stage startups, growth-stage startups, and scaleups) so we can have very focused and relevant discussions.

Topics will include (order to be confirmed):

LEGAL

• Regulation
• Tokens/Assets/Securities
• Contracts
• Compliance

MARKETING

• Strategy
• Growth
• Branding
• Public Relations

FUNDRAISING

• Data room
• Tokenomics, private sales, ICOs
• Fundraising
• Investor relations

Q&A / TROUBLESHOOTING

• Individuals and team members
• Seed and early-stage
• Growth-stage
• Scaleups

Depending on the number of participants, the needs, and the budget, we’ll offer additional events or one-on-one time. The goal is really to have the attendees feel like we've helped them get passed obstacles to their success.

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

Running or being part of a startup is painful, and failure costs not just the investment of the participants and the opportunity cost of the great idea not coming to fruition. It is expensive in terms of lost time and personal pain.

Our goal is to help people learn the important lessons that most of us "don't have time" to learn, but that we end up learning through our mistakes. STORM Partners is a team of entrepreneurs who have already made those mistakes, and we believe this program can help people in startups or ad hoc dev projects recognize those mistakes before they happen so they can avoid them and make better, more important mistakes :)

Success means people and projects who are prepared to learn faster, build safer and with better alignment to the community or their customers, and more confidence to take on new challenges or move from an idea to action. We'll also do our best to frame this common startup wisdom within the opportunities available to Cardano members, which should result in people feeling more confident that choosing Cardano as the foundation of their entrepreneurial journey is the right seed bed for growth.

[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 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.

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

The bootcamp will be ongoing, but each department will go through the following milestones in sequence, with the first one being planning the month before the start of that section.

Milestone output(s)

• Announcement of the course for the following month to the Cardano community and on socials
• Collecting community feedback and needs through outreach and surveys
• Finalizing the schedule, slides, and other materials

Acceptance criteria 

• Two 2hr sessions scheduled per week–one live and one recorded–with slides prepared.
• One social post per week with the possibility to sign up for the topic and series

Info provided to verify the milestone achievement 

• Draft slide decks made available
• Report on the results of the outreach

Webinars conducted on the most pressing issues reported by the survey respondents and as determined by the experts on the team.

Milestone output(s)

• Slide design work and continued marketing efforts to increase attendance
• Up to four workshops conducted in-person in the Geneva area during the duration of the project developed based on the survey results and expert inputs.

Acceptance criteria 

• Four webinars completed

Info provided to verify the milestone achievement 

• Pictures and recordings of the sessions that can be watched by the community, with stats on dates and attendance (while maintaining attendee privacy)

Validation that the primary needs have been met, including a limited number of 1-on-1 sessions, depending on budget and demand.

Milestone output(s)

• Creation of a second survey for content delivery feedback. Sending the survey to all participants
• Refinements to the research and materials based on community feedback.

Acceptance criteria 

• All of the listed Cardano DAOs and attendees contacted and feedback compiled.
• Feedback incorporated into the next iteration of the materials.

Info provided to verify the milestone achievement 

• List of DAOs and contact attempts or meetings booked.
• #s on attendee outreach and meetings–no names for privacy reasons
• A report on the feedback received

We will provide the slides and reporting on entrepreneurial trends within the Cardano community. If warranted (depends on the quality and clarity of the participants), we’ll organize an investor demo day or coordinate with the Cardano Foundation to arrange a prize for the top participants.

Milestone output(s)

• A report divided into the different topics and sections containing the information, (links to the) videos, and project results.
• The finalized slides.
• (Optional, TBC) an event where the most promising entrepreneurs and startups can be rewarded for their participation and ideas.

Acceptance criteria 

• At least one page on the survey results, each workshop, and the outcome of community interaction.
• Slides finalized.

Info provided to verify the milestone achievement 

• The materials listed above.

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

Legal & Compliance Department - Legal Workshop

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 grow a brand and business.

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.

• Project Management and Coordination (overall)
• Outreach to community 30%
• Coordination and organisation: 40%
• Survey creation, data analysis, report creation 30%

Subtotal (16 weeks * 2) = 14000 ADA

• Research and content creation (milestone 1):
• Marketing 20-30h, ~16000 ADA
• Legal 20-40h, ~25000 ADA
• Fundraising, 15-25h ~16000 ADA

Subtotal (Draft guide and materials) = 57000 ADA

• Webinar preparation and delivery (milestone 2):
• Marketing15-20h ~9000 ADA
• Legal 15-20h ~17750 ADA
• Fundraising 15-20h ~9000 ADA

Subtotal (12+ webinars and Q&A sessions) = 35750 ADA

• Marketing expenses (Milestone 1, 3, 4): 
• Advertisements on social media platforms: 10%
• Reaching out to relevant communities: 50% 
• Event organisation, moderation and link creation: 40% 

Subtotal = 23800 ADA

Miscellaneous: 6'500 ADA (5% circa of total sum)

Grand Total: 137,050 ADA

[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.

Most importantly, STORM Partners is comprised of entrepreneurs who have already made mistakes and can teach you how to avoid them so you can focus on building your idea and growing your business.

[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