BridgingSpace therapy.ai for Cardano Catalyst community

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Edet Ekpenyong

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

Entity (Incorporated)

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

12

[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)

BridgingSpace is a platform that uses a combination of AI virtual assistant, natural language processing, machine learning, and recommendation engines to provide personalized and accessible therapy.

[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

BridgingSpace AI is not yet open source. However, the team is considering making it open source in the future. If BridgingSpace AI is made open source, the licensing model will be decided at that time such as the MIT License or the Apache License 2.0 (permissive license) which allows for the free use and distribution of the software, with little or no restrictions.

[METADATA] SDG rating

Sustainable Development Goal 3 - Good Health and Well-being.

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution.

BridgingSpace is a platform to allow therapists and users to converge together and break the barriers of communication through an AI-assisted technological approach and a robust Monte Carlo simulation. It uses a combination of chatbots, natural language processing, machine learning and recommendation engines to provide personalized and accessible therapy to everyone.

Through the use of AI-assisted technology, users can maximize the usefulness of Cardano's deep funding approach, be up-to-date on new global trends of AI as well as grow the platform through user conversions and purchases.

Our business model for generating profit includes taking a 60% commission fee for every booked therapy session via the following two streams:

• Virtual therapy which gives users quick access to counselling at their convenience via professional therapists and AI-assisted technology.

• The online support group (which will be handled by a licensed therapist) will incorporate consensual geopositioning data which can create a sense of community and support, give users an avenue to share their experience, learn from others- and provide information about local resources, such as therapists, support groups, and other mental health services.

• Lastly, the mental health self-care & newsletters will serve as value-added services in order to give users daily tips to maintain good mental health.

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

The BridgingSpace therapy AI project will have a positive impact on the wider Cardano Catalyst community in the following ways:

• Increased accessibility to mental health care: BridgingSpace will provide a safe, anonymous, and convenient platform for people to access mental health care, regardless of their location or socioeconomic status. This will be especially beneficial for people in underserved communities who may not have access to traditional mental health services.

• Improved mental health outcomes: BridgingSpace's AI-powered therapy will provide personalized and effective treatment for a wide range of mental health conditions. This will help to improve the mental health of Cardano Catalyst community members and their families.

• Reduced stigma associated with mental health: By providing a platform for people to openly discuss their mental health, BridgingSpace will help to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. This will create a more supportive and inclusive community for our users as well as Cardano Catalyst members.

• Empowerment of Cardano Catalyst members: BridgingSpace will provide Cardano Catalyst members with the tools and resources they need to manage their own mental health. This will help them to live happier and more fulfilling lives.

• Increase productivity: Improved mental health can lead to increased productivity at work and in school. This can have a positive impact on the Cardano Catalyst community's overall economic well-being.

• Create a more compassionate society: By reducing the stigma associated with mental illness, BridgingSpace can help to create a more compassionate and caring society. This can have a positive impact on the overall quality of life for Cardano Catalyst members.

• Identifying mental health risks through evaluation indicators as soon as possible in order to provide timely therapeutic management and support.

• Providing AI data-driven educational therapy and psychometric assessments for institutions and corporate specifics.

• Providing effective channels for the Cardano Community by reaching users through partnerships & collaborations with local support groups, for-profit, nonprofit organizations, and the government.

• Achieving the sustainable developmental goal 3 (Good Health & Wellbeing). Although mental health is a critical and important component, it is often a neglected part of “Health” as a whole. Thus, this will serve as a Contribution in helping to achieve “health for all.

[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?

BridgingSpace's capability to deliver itd project with high levels of trust and accountability is rooted in a combination of factors, including:

1. Team Expertise: The BridgingSpace team comprises experienced professionals with expertise in mental health, artificial intelligence, sales & marketing, product design and software development

1. Data Security and Privacy: BridgingSpace prioritizes data security and privacy, adhering to strict data protection regulations and employing robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard user data

1. Transparency and Accountability: BridgingSpace is committed to transparency and accountability throughout the project's development and implementation.

1. Rigorous Testing and Evaluation: BridgingSpace will employ rigorous testing and evaluation methodologies to validate the effectiveness and safety of its AI-powered therapy.

1. Ethical Considerations: BridgingSpace is committed to ethical considerations throughout the project lifecycle.

1. Community Engagement: BridgingSpace will actively engage with the Cardano Catalyst community to gather feedback, address concerns, and ensure that the project aligns with community priorities.

To validate the feasibility of its approach, BridgingSpace will conduct a pilot study involving a representative sample of users. The pilot study will assess the effectiveness, acceptability, and safety of the AI-powered therapy. Data collected during the pilot study will be thoroughly analyzed to refine the platform and optimize its performance.

Additionally, BridgingSpace will collaborate with mental health experts to evaluate the platform's effectiveness and ensure that it aligns with evidence-based practices in mental healthcare. Also ongoing monitoring and evaluation will be conducted to continuously improve the platform and ensure that it delivers the desired outcomes for users.

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

PHASE I

Milestone Name: Project Kickoff & System Design

Milestone Description: Meet with teammates to define project scope and objectives as well as design the architecture of the platform

Milestone Deliverable: Project charter & System design document (5 weeks)

Deliverable Description: A document that defines the project scope, objectives, deliverables, research & development as well as the system architecture, including the components, interfaces, and data flows

PHASE II

Milestone Name: Development of BridgingSpace therapy.ai

Milestone Description: Development of the platform for delivering the AI-driven therapy, including user interface, back-end systems, and integration with existing clinical systems

Milestone Deliverable: Platform code

(3 months)

Deliverable Description: The source code for the platform including AI model capable of diagnosing mental health disorders

PHASE III

Milestone Name: Pilot Testing & User Training

Milestone Description: Testing of the platform with a small group of users, including evaluation of user satisfaction and clinical outcomes. Also training of users how to use and navigate the platform.

Milestone Deliverable: Report on pilot testing results (2 months)

Deliverable Description: A document that describes the testing methodology and procedures including training materials, such as documentation and videos.

PHASE IV

Milestone Name: Onboarding, Hosting the service and/or API call expenses

Milestone Description: Upload service host and API to server

Milestone Deliverable: Service hosting & API call execution (4 weeks)

Deliverable Description: Onboarding, Service host, and API call.

PHASE V

Milestone Name: Deployment & Full Launch

Milestone Description: Deploy the platform to users and full-scale launch

Milestone Deliverable: Deployment plan (1 month)

Deliverable Description: This describes the deployment methodology and procedures. Also include marketing and promotional materials.

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

I and my teammates have been working together and have a combined industry experience of more than 20 years, from which we have a wide variety of skills and professionalism which include (but are not limited to) web & mobile app development, medical operations, sales & marketing, UX/UI design, data analytics, design thinking, startups fundamentals, finance management, scrum mastery, psychology and AGILE project management. Below is a brief about my team:

• Edet Ekpenyong - Founder & CEO

https://www.linkedin.com/in/edet-ekpenyong-b65056106

Edet Ekpenyong is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BridgingSpace Technologies Limited, an Ambassador of the Institute of Economics and Peace, Sydney, Australia, and a Fellow of President Obama’s Signature Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Having served as Co-Director, Manager, a design thinker, Consultant, among others, in both community-based and international organizations, Ekpenyong has a wealth of experience and capacity to manage diverse projects across different themes. He is visionary, a design-thinker, and a global think tank. He is a Biomedical Scientist garnering significant certificates following training in different areas including leadership and management in health, Global Mental Health, and project management in global health from the Department of Global Health, University of Washington, as well as governance and health and human resources for health from the Global Health E-learning Centre.

Through his work on BridgingSpace, he has been accepted and made it to the semifinals of some notable multi-national incubator and accelerator programs including Mass Challenge - semifinalist (Boston), Bridge to Mass Challenge - Top 10 Finalist (Nigeria), VC4A Mentor Driven Capital - incubated winners, Social Innovators Program and Awards by LEAP Africa - semifinalist, AfricavsVirus Challenge (featured), MIT Challenge (featured), Alibaba GET Challenge (featured), Ignite Africa challenge (semifinalist) and was recently selected as one of the 30 Most Inspiring Digital Innovations of 2020 by Spindle, the innovation platform of Partos. BridgingSpace was also accepted to represent Nigeria (NITDA) in the GITEX Future Stars Showcase at Dubai World Trade Center in 2021.

Currently an EMBA grad at the Quantic School of Business & Technology.

• Clement Mendie – Head of Product Design & Data Analytics

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mendie-clement-85848b112

As the Chief product designer for BridgingSpace AI, Clement has a proven track record across diverse tech industries, encompassing B2B and B2C products. Leveraging years of expertise, I have led the creation of innovative solutions that cater to user needs while driving business growth. Beyond design, I passionately share my insights as an entrepreneurial coach on air, empowering others to navigate the dynamic world of technology. My journey reflects a commitment to excellence, both in crafting exceptional products and mentoring aspiring tech entrepreneurs.

• Olawale Famoriyo – CMO/CTO

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

I'm a seasoned entrepreneur with a wealth of experience in various industries. I'm also a highly skilled and accomplished professional with a strong background in business strategy, sales and marketing, and technology development. I'm currently the Founder and CEO of Kcreave, an on-demand food delivery network for chefs, where I have honed my skills in WordPress, WooCommerce Elementor, and Marketing to build and grow the company.

Before Kcreave, I'm serving as Co-Founder and CTO of Cheda Gaming, a web platform for hosting, streaming, and earning from online tournaments for gamers. Here, I gained expertise in React.js, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and UI/UX. I'm also serving as the CMO/CTO of BridgingSpace, an online platform for mental health services. I have a strong background in B2C Marketing, Product Development, Content Marketing, and Marketing Strategy.

I have also founded and led several other ventures including pVisz, a branding, and marketing agency, and Birthe, an event management company. Through these experiences, I have honed skills in front-end development, UI/UX, business strategy, marketing, writing, and advertising. I have also authored a book, Identifying Your Business Models that helped startup founders to pivot into a sustainable model that scales. I volunteer in various speaking engagements with topics varying from sales, marketing, business, development, and tech.

• Cornelius Ogah - Clinical Psychologist

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cornelius-ogah

A Mental Health advocate with a great enthusiasm for Development & societal transformation, he is Highly Observant, Critical in Thinking, Determined & Passionate, Apt and a great Decision Maker.

He is a dynamic and resilient man, with a strong level of inner motivation, great multi tasking skill, honest and transparent with an outgoing character and detail oriented. He is keen to the entire psychological well-being of individuals as well as research & social reformation.

Cornelius possess a B.Sc. in Psychology & at the penultimate stage for the award of an M.Sc. in Clinical Psychology with intervention & research interest on Emotional disorders, Psychological wellbeing, treatment seeking behavior, trauma care as well as a the generality of Mental Health and Psycosocial Support (MHPSS) following the mhGAP-IG & IASC guidelines.

In his effort to remain abreast in the mental health sector in providing optimal services, Cornelius has overtime taken a plethora of trainings and course’s from the Nigerian Association of Clinical Psychologist (NACP), Columbia University, John Hopkins Institute of Public Health, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), World Health Organization (WHO), UNFPA etc.

He is also experienced in the Administration, Scoring and Interpretation of Diverse Psychological Test Instruments such as; BDI-II, RSPM, MSI, S.T.A.I, EPQ, GAD-7, PHQ9 & TSQ, as well as being trained in MHPSS, Clinical Interview, Psychological Report Writing, Psycho Education and Psychotherapy.

Suffice to mention my savvy proficiency with Microsoft Suite packages especially MS Word, Power point, Outlook and Excel. I also do have a consummate knowledge and hands on experience with management information systems such as NOMIS, HMIS and having a great handling of the Google, Amazon & Citrix workspaces.

He is excellent with documentation and records keeping, having both great customer relationship and people management skills with the seasoned ability to run the the necessary tools such as Kofax, ERP, Salesforce & Bitrix24.

Cornelius hope’s to see someday, a society where everyone takes action and importance to great care of their mental health as well as making positive informed life choices

In addition to our team, we may need to onboard an additional junior AI developer and/or DevOps to support our implementation efforts. Nonetheless, community feedback, collaboration,

support, and usage of our work (pilot & full scale launch) will be greatly valued.

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

Milestone Name: Project Kickoff & System DesignMilestone Related Budget: $7,000

Milestone Name: Development of BridgingSpace therapy.ai

Milestone Related Budget: $25,000

Milestone Name: Pilot Testing & User Training

Milestone Related Budget: $5,000

Milestone Name: Onboarding, Hosting the service and/or API call expenses

Milestone Related Budget: $8000

Milestone Name: Deployment & Full Launch

Milestone Related Budget: $5000

Total ---> $50,000 (130,000 ada)

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

The BridgingSpace therapy.ai project represents significant value for money for the Cardano ecosystem by providing a scalable, accessible, and cost-effective solution to address the growing mental health needs of the community. By leveraging AI technology, the project offers several advantages that justify its investment:

Scalability: The AI-powered therapy platform can cater to a large number of users simultaneously, making it an efficient solution for addressing the mental health needs of a growing community.

Accessibility: The platform's user-friendly interface and remote accessibility make it accessible to individuals regardless of their location or socioeconomic status.

Cost-Effectiveness: Compared to traditional mental health services, which often involve in-person sessions with mental health professionals, the AI-powered therapy platform offers a more cost-effective solution.

Personalized Treatment: The AI algorithms can tailor therapy sessions to each user's individual needs and preferences, providing a more personalized and effective treatment approach.

Continuous Learning and Improvement: The AI technology continuously learns from user interactions and data collected throughout the therapy process.

Reduced Burden on Healthcare Systems: By providing an alternative pathway for mental health support, the AI-powered therapy platform can help reduce the burden on traditional healthcare system.

[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