Afrocharts | Web3 Artist Portal (Awen)

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Ian McCullough

[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

Leonard Novati

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

9

[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)

Build a Proof of Concept web3 portal for token-based membership and revenue share tools to be used on AfroCharts.com, the largest independent African music streaming service.

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

Yes

[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.”

Yes, this project is dependent on NMKR & CardanoPress

[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

The code generated from this grant will be released as open source under the MIT license, promoting transparency, collaboration, and accessibility for the broader developer community.

[METADATA] SDG rating

SDG Goals

10 - Reduce inequality within and among countries

SDG Subgoals

10.1 - By 2030, progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population at a rate higher than the national average

10.b - Encourage official development assistance and financial flows, including foreign direct investment, to States where the need is greatest, in particular least developed countries, African countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their national plans and programmes

Key Performance Indicator (KPI)

10.b.1 - Total resource flows for development, by recipient and donor countries and type of flow (e.g. official development assistance, foreign direct investment and other flows)

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution.

Problem:

The problem we aim to solve is the lack of artist empowerment and limited global financial inclusion of the African music industry. Talented artists struggle to monetize their work effectively - often at odds with unaccountable predatory industry actors and unsustainable business practices. Additionally, fans and collectors from across the world lack meaningful engagement and participation opportunities with musicians in the African continent.

Approach:

To address this problem, Awen and AfroCharts team will implement a token-gated membership portal in the AfroCharts platform for artists and fans to utilize NFT sales. By issuing NFTs as membership tokens, fans and collectors will get access to the portal to view exclusive songs, digital collectibles (NFTs), programmable Discord roles, and the ability to claim a percentage revenue share from artist’s Afrocharts.com streaming royalties.

The revenue share percentage will be defined by the musician as to how much the collector may claim.

Engagement Strategy:

We will engage popular African artists, music enthusiasts, and the greater Afrocharts.com community of over 150,000 registered users and 15,000 musicians. Enthusiasts, fans, and collectors can benefit from owning NFTs to claim a percentage of streaming revenue generated by Afrocharts.com. Fans will enjoy access to exclusive interaction via digital collectibles and programmable community roles on artist’s Discord servers, deepening connections between artists and their fans and collectors.

Impact Demonstration:

To demonstrate the impact of our solution, we will analyze user engagement metrics of Afrocharts.com and the on-chain metrics of the NFTs such as sign-ups, sales, interactions, and active participation in community roles. These metrics will showcase the level of fan engagement and the portal’s overall vibrancy.

Additionally, we will gather feedback from artists, fans, and collectors through surveys to assess their satisfaction and gauge the solution's effectiveness. Through these impact demonstration strategies, we aim to provide evidence of the positive outcomes and benefits brought about by our web3 portal. 

The integration of a web3 portal into Afrocharts.com will bring several benefits to the Cardano ecosystem. 

1. African & Global User Adoption: As an integration into the current Afrocharts.com platform, the project will onboard the current Afrocharts.com users to the Cardano ecosystem. This will bring a vibrant and diverse set of musicians, fans and collectors that will result in user adoption and an increased transaction volume from users across the globe. The new user sign-ups, interactions, and transaction volume can be measured as a quantitative metric to assess the growth of the user base.
2. Community Engagement: The features of our portal such as digital collectibles, programmable community roles, and streaming revenue sharing will drive community engagement within the Cardano ecosystem. Qualitative metrics, such as user feedback, success stories, and active participation in community roles, can be used to gauge the level of engagement and the impact of the project on community dynamics. Additionally, the number of comments & GitHub interactions will provide invaluable insights into what areas and parts of the code to focus on and what parts that need to be improved.
3. Token Utility: The NFT Membership tokens will have utility within the Cardano ecosystem beyond Afrocharts.com. By measuring the number of NFT transactions and the variety of use cases across different platforms and applications, we can assess the growth of token utility and its impact on Cardano's ecosystem.

We will ensure transparency and accountability by issuing milestone reports that detail the progress, achievements, and challenges faced throughout the project. These reports will be made public to all via our websites, Twitter, Discord, and other relevant channels.

Furthermore, to showcase the success stories of artists benefiting from the web3 portal and token-based membership rewards, we will highlight the journeys and achievements of artists who have experienced increased revenue, fan engagement, and artistic empowerment through our platform. By sharing these success stories of African artists, we aim to inspire and engage the wider music community, further promoting the adoption and impact of the project.

We also plan to showcase the success of the web3 portal integration to AfroCharts at speaking engagements at conferences like NFTxLV, Rare Evo, Twitter spaces, podcasts, and other events.

Additionally, the Afrocharts.com 100,000+ users email list and mobile app push notifications will serve as a powerful communication tool. We will periodically share updates, milestones, and opportunities related to the project with the user base.

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

Additionally, according to IFPI’s Global Music Report 2023, Sub-saharan African music revenue grew by 34.7% in 2022, making it the fastest growing region in the world.

According to EMURGO Africa “State of Web 3.0” Report, Africa's cryptocurrency market grew by over 1200% between 2020 and 2021 with Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania ranking in the GLOBAL top 20 for crypto adoption.

Our project brings value by demonstrating the real-world application of blockchain technology in the music industry and to reduce inequality for indigenous African musicians. It showcases Cardano's capabilities in enabling secure and transparent transactions, while also highlighting the potential for NFTs and decentralization to revolutionize creator’s revenue models and fan engagement to create a more equitable, fair and progressive music industry in the African continent.

By implementing a Cardano-based blockchain solution to Afrocharts.com, the most popular independent African music streaming platform, we have the opportunity to engage with over 15,000 African musicians and 150,000+ users with the mission of Cardano for financial inclusion and sustainable development of the growing African music industry. 

It will provide the Afrocharts.com users with tools for financial inclusion in a global market where African-based music demand is growing in Western countries such as the UK, France, and USA.

Our solution will 

• increase the number of Cardano-based products in Africa by enriching the current ecosystem with a new use case for music.
• Increase the number of integrations by bringing the existing solution of Afrocharts.com together with Cardano’s African vision.
• Increase and enhance the quality of the Afrocharts.com platform by building new functionality for artists, fans, enthusiasts, and collectors.

[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?

Transparency

To ensure trust and accountability, we maintain a transparent and collaborative approach with clear deliverables and financial reports (including cost breakdowns and on-chain transaction history) for each project milestone. 

For each milestone, we will include regular communication, sharing project updates, and actively soliciting feedback. This open line of communication fosters trust and ensures that all parties are engaged throughout the integration process.

Technical & Regional Expertise

Leonard Novati and the AfroCharts team developed the largest independent mobile and desktop app (Afrocharts.com) for Indigenous African music that includes a feature-rich music streaming platform with music monetization, real time analytics, and a beat marketplace. AfroCharts has reached 16M views, 150k+ total mobile app installs, 15k+ artists signups, and over 200k songs uploaded.

Ian McCullough (Cullah) has lead decentralized music communities using p2p networks and open licensing frameworks for 10+ years. He has relevant experience and understandings of the Cardano ecosystem as a full-stack developer. Founder of Awen LLC providing software solutions for the decentralization of the creator economy.

Validation Methods

To validate our work, we will measure with

• Number of artists who join the platform, the increase in revenue generated through NFT sales and streaming revenue sharing, and the feedback and testimonials from artists regarding their experience and success.
• active users, the frequency and depth of fan interactions, the growth of the community through social media channels, and qualitative feedback from fans on their level of engagement and satisfaction.
• Volume of NFT transactions, the variety and demand for digital collectibles, and the integration of NFTs in other Cardano projects and platforms.
• User surveys, monitor user retention rates, track the time spent on the platform, and analyze feedback and reviews to assess user satisfaction and experience.

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

Research, Planning, and Initialization

Cost: 20,000 ADA (20%)

Length: 1 month

Milestone Output(s)

• Conduct a thorough analysis of the current Afrocharts.com platform and its technical infrastructure in order to design the web3 portal.
• Develop a detailed project plan, including milestones, deliverables, and timeline.
• Open a Github account and begin development.

Acceptance Criteria:

• Completion of the platform analysis report.
• Project requirements document finalized and approved.
• Detailed project plan with milestones and timeline created.

Development

Cost: 25,000 ADA (25%)

Length: 2 month

Milestone Output(s)

• Collaborate with the AfroCharts and Awen development teams to integrate Web3 technologies and NFT functionality into Afrocharts.com.
• Implement the necessary APIs and interfaces for seamless integration.
• Target 5-10 strategic artist partners on Afrocharts.com platform to participate in the initial portal launch.

Acceptance Criteria

• Integration of Web3 portal for NFT sales and token-gated membership into Afrocharts.com.
• Have 5-10 artists partner’s songs uploaded and ready for launch.

Implementation & Prelaunch

Cost: 27,500 ADA (27.5%)

Length: 2 months

Milestone Output(s)

• Conduct comprehensive testing of the integrated features and functionalities.
• Identify and resolve any bugs or issues.
• Perform security audits and implement necessary measures to ensure safety and integrity.
• Collect user feedback and make necessary improvements based on testing results.

Acceptance Criteria

• Completion of comprehensive testing and bug fixing.
• Security audits conducted and necessary measures implemented.
• User feedback collected and analyzed for further improvements.

Launch and Rollout

Cost: 27,500 ADA (27.5%)

Length: 2 months

Milestone Output(s)

• Engage in a public launch of the proof of concept Web3 portal with Afrocharts.com.
• Communicate the launch to the Afrocharts.com community and wider audience.
• Monitor and support the initial adoption phase, addressing any issues or concerns.

Acceptance Criteria

• Successful public launch of the integrated Web3 features.
• Public NFT sales from AfroCharts artists and Discord communities operational
• Smooth operation of the platform during the rollout phase.

Closeout & Evaluation

Cost: 30,000 ADA (30%)

Length: 2 months

Milestone Output(s)

• Collect and analyze user success stories, testimonials, and qualitative feedback.
• Evaluate the impact of the Web3 integration on artists' recognition, opportunities, and compensation.
• Prepare a comprehensive report highlighting the metrics and analysis.

Acceptance Criteria

• Collection and analysis of user success stories, testimonials, and qualitative feedback.
• Evaluation of the impact of the Web3 integration on artists' recognition, opportunities, and compensation.
• Completion of a comprehensive report showcasing the achieved metrics

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

Ian McCullough (Cullah)

LinkedIn

Role: Full Stack Developer

Relevant Experience:

• Award-winning musician composed and licensed 10,000+ syncs of 16 years of open-source music in video games, films, tv shows, and advertisements.
• Senior level developer with a 10+ years of full-stack web development and scripting languages.
• MPhil in Music & Media Technology from Trinity College, Dublin.
• BS in Computer Engineering from Marquette University.

Maggie Schmidt

LinkedIn

Role: Project Manager / Quality Assurance

Relevant Experience:

• 5 years of project management working with companies like Universal Audio, Audiophile, and Wisconsin Music Ventures
• 10 years of entertainment industry experience
• BA Music Performance from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• Associate Degree, Audio Engineering from MATC

Leonard Novati

LinkedIn

Role: Full Stack Developer

Relevant Experience:

• Founder, CEO, and Developer of AfroCharts
• Deep understanding of the African music industry
• 10+ experience in Software Engineering, Management, product development
• Grew up in a refugee camp in Tanzania
• BS in Computer Science, Stetson University

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

The costs for this concept will be mostly work hours for administration, project management and full stack development and design. The costs include service and hosting fees.

Assuming a $0.3 USD to 1 ADA exchange rate and average cost per team work hour:

Full-stack developer : 250 ada per hour

Project Manager : 150 ada per hour

Milestone 1: Research, Planning, and Initialization (20,000 ADA - Approximately 20%):

• 2x Full-Stack Developer: 40 hours x 250 ADA/hour = 10,000 ADA
• Project Manager/QA: 67 hours x 150 ADA/hour = 10,000 ADA

Milestone 2: Development (25,000 ADA - Approximately 25%):

• 2x Full-Stack Developer: 70 hours x 250 ADA/hour = 17,500 ADA
• Project Manager/QA: 50 hours x 150 ADA/hour = 7,500 ADA

Milestone 3: Implementation and Prelaunch(27,500 ADA - Approximately 27.5%):

• 2x Full-Stack Developer: 65 hours x 250 ADA/hour = 15,000 ADA
• Project Manager/QA: 75 hours x 150 ADA/hour = 10,000 ADA

Milestone 4: Launch & Rollout (27,500 ADA - Approximately 27.5%):

• 2x Full-Stack Developer: 69 hours x 250 ADA/hour = 15,000 ADA
• Project Manager/QA: 68 hours x 150 ADA/hour = 6,250 ADA

Milestone 5: Closeout and Evaluation (30,000 ADA - Approximately 30%):

• 2x Full-Stack Developer: 55 hours x 250 ADA/hour = 13,125 ADA
• Project Manager/QA: 108 hours x 150 ADA/hour = 16,875 ADA

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

The project costs have been diligently considered, taking into account industry standards, market-driven rates, and the comprehensive skill sets required.

This ensures that every ADA spent contributes to the successful execution of the project, aligning with Cardano's vision for a decentralized and informed community.

The budget reflects not only the project's immediate needs but also its enduring impact on the Cardano ecosystem.

[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