Scaling Cardano Adoption in Latam: A University & Incubator Outreach Program

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Jose Miguel De Gamboa

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

Entity (Not Incorporated)

[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)

Targeted outreach to Latam universities & incubators. Educates future builders, expands developer pool, & empowers institutions for organic transaction growth for the ecosystem.

[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.”

Our biggest dependency are the universities where we will present, Thanks to the diversity and reach of our community we already have built strong relationships with several prestigious universities in each country, so we are confident this dependency won´t cause any delay.

[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

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

The Latam Cardano Community proposes a significant expansion of the "Universities Onboarding to Cardano" project funded in Fund 10. With a proposed execution time of 10 months, our solution tackles the lack of widespread Cardano awareness within Latam universities and incubators, fostering long-term growth in the Cardano user base and transaction volume within the Latam ecosystem.

Shifting Focus from Courses to Awareness Building:

• We will create a comprehensive database encompassing all relevant universities and incubators in our target countries: Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, and Argentina.
• This database will leverage a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) strategy to categorize institutions based on factors like:
• Size and academic reputation (national and regional)
• Quality of academic programs (for universities) and focus areas (for incubators)
• Maturity of entrepreneurship and innovation programs (for universities) and track record of successful startups (for incubators)
• Employing the Pareto Principle (80/20 rule), we will strategically focus our outreach.
• 80% of efforts will target the top 20% of universities and incubators identified as most strategically important based on the CRM categorization.
• We will develop distinct communication strategies tailored to each category within the database, addressing the specific needs and interests of universities versus incubators.
• Our outreach will focus on:
• Highlighting the potential of Cardano for various academic disciplines (e.g., computer science, business, finance, law) and entrepreneurial ventures.
• Sharing success stories and case studies of Cardano adoption globally, showcasing its applications across various sectors.
• Connecting universities and incubators with Cardano experts and resources to facilitate independent curriculum development, student support initiatives, and exploration of Cardano's legal and regulatory landscape.

Benefits of a 10-Month Execution Time:

• Deeper Engagement: A longer timeframe allows for building stronger relationships with key universities and incubators, fostering a more impactful and lasting impact.
• Sustained Momentum: The extended duration facilitates ongoing engagement activities beyond initial outreach, such as connecting institutions with Cardano experts for ongoing support.
• Community Building: 9 months provide a solid foundation for fostering a collaborative environment between universities, incubators, and the Cardano community, encouraging knowledge exchange and fostering organic Cardano education initiatives within these institutions.

Combined Impact:

These efforts will drive a paradigm shift within Latam universities and incubators, empowering them to independently develop Cardano-focused programs and support mechanisms. This will ensure a more sustainable and long-term approach to increasing Cardano awareness and adoption within the Latam ecosystem.

Benefits:

• A comprehensive database allows for targeted outreach and maximizes resource utilization.
• Categorization helps prioritize engagement with the most impactful institutions.
• Tailored communication strategies ensure a more relevant and engaging experience for each audience segment (universities vs. incubators).

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

The expansion of the "Universities Onboarding to Cardano" project, with its focus on awareness building and institutional capacity development, will generate a significant positive impact on the wider Cardano community:

• Catalyzing Organic Cardano Education:
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• By empowering universities and incubators to develop their own Cardano programs, we will stimulate the creation of a diverse range of educational offerings tailored to specific student and entrepreneur needs across various disciplines, including law.
• This fosters a more sustainable and scalable approach to Cardano education within Latam, compared to a centralized course delivery model.
• Enhanced Skill Development and Innovation:
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• By connecting universities and incubators with Cardano experts, we can foster an environment where students and entrepreneurs can gain the knowledge and support needed to develop innovative Cardano-based solutions.
• The project will contribute to a more geographically diverse Cardano developer pool, enriching the global talent landscape.
• Thriving Latam Cardano Ecosystem:
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• By fostering collaboration between universities, incubators, and the Cardano community, we will cultivate a vibrant Latam Cardano ecosystem.
• This ecosystem will serve as a platform for knowledge exchange, mentorship, and ongoing support for new Cardano developers and builders.
• A strong Latam Cardano Community will contribute to the long-term sustainability of Cardano adoption within the region and fuel further innovation within the wider ecosystem.
• Positive Network Effects and Organic Transaction Growth:
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• Increased awareness and adoption of Cardano within Latam will generate positive network effects for the entire ecosystem.
• A larger and more active user base in Latam, equipped with the knowledge and skills to leverage Cardano, will contribute to a steady and organic growth of daily transactions on the Cardano Blockchain.

By empowering Latam universities and incubators to become drivers of Cardano education and adoption, this project has the potential

[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?

The Latam Cardano Community has a demonstrably strong track record of delivering successful projects, fostering trust and accountability within the Cardano ecosystem. Here's how we ensure continued success with this proposal:

Proven Expertise and Delivery:

• Our team comprises experienced professionals with a deep understanding of the Latam educational landscape, blockchain technology, and community engagement.
• We have members with experience in relationship building with universities and incubators, curriculum development (though we won't be directly delivering courses in this project), and community outreach strategies.
• Our most compelling strength lies in our history of successful project delivery. Having been previously funded in numerous proposals, the Latam Cardano Community has a proven track record of exceeding expectations and achieving established goals.

Building on Success: Leveraging Past Experience and Global Connections

• The valuable insights gleaned from past projects, particularly the "Universities Onboarding to Cardano" project funded in Fund 10, will be directly applied to this expanded initiative.
• We understand the nuances of effective engagement within the Latam university and incubator ecosystem, allowing us to refine our approach for even greater impact.
• Our team's deep involvement with the Global Cardano Community strengthens our capabilities. This connection provides access to a wealth of knowledge, best practices, and potential collaborators who can support our outreach efforts.

Strong Ties to Intersect MBO and Cardano Governance:

• Many Latam Cardano Community members are actively involved with Intersect MBO, a member-based organization shaping Cardano's governance development.
• This involvement positions us to stay current on the latest Cardano advancements and tailor our awareness campaign to resonate with the evolving needs of the Cardano ecosystem.

Project Management & Transparency

• We will continue to employ a transparent and agile project management methodology, utilizing tools to track progress, manage resources effectively, and ensure clear communication with stakeholders.
• Regular progress reports will be submitted, detailing achievements, challenges, and adjustments to the strategy as needed.

Feasibility Validation:

• To further validate the feasibility of our approach, we will conduct the following activities:
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• Pilot Outreach: Before full-scale rollout, we will conduct a pilot outreach program with a selection of universities and incubators. This allows us to refine our communication strategies and assess institutional receptiveness to Cardano adoption.
• Metrics & Benchmarks: We will establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the project's success. These may include the number of universities and incubators engaged, website traffic generated through our outreach efforts, and the level of community interest in Cardano within Latam.
• Expert Consultation: We will involve Cardano subject matter experts in the validation process to ensure our outreach materials and strategies accurately reflect the capabilities and potential of the Cardano blockchain.

By combining our team's expertise, proven track record of successful delivery, deep connections within the global Cardano community, and a data-driven approach to validation, we are confident in our ability to deliver this project with the highest levels of trust and accountability. We are committed to ongoing communication and transparency throughout the project lifecycle.

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

Project Initiation and Planning (Month 1)

• Milestone 1.1: Assemble and onboard project team members. (No change)
• Milestone 1.2: Develop a high-level project plan with timelines and resource allocation. (Focus on initial outreach activities)
• Milestone 1.3: Initiate development of the CRM database structure for categorizing universities and incubators.

Intensive Outreach Preparation (Month 2)

• Milestone 2.1: Prioritize data collection for a subset of universities and incubators in each target country (focusing on the top 20% identified earlier).
• Milestone 2.2: Develop core communication materials for universities and incubators, highlighting Cardano's potential across various disciplines (including law).
• Milestone 2.3: Identify a core group of Cardano subject matter experts for initial outreach and relationship building.

Pilot Outreach and Concurrent Content Refinement (Month 3)

• Milestone 3.1: Conduct a pilot outreach program with the prioritized universities and incubators. (Focus on gathering early feedback)
• Milestone 3.2: Refine communication materials and outreach strategies based on pilot learnings while concurrently populating the CRM database with additional institutions.
• Milestone 3.3: Develop a comprehensive outreach strategy for full-scale implementation, incorporating pilot insights.

Full-Scale Outreach and Relationship Building (Month 4)

• Milestone 4.1: Launch the full-scale outreach program, engaging with the broader set of universities and incubators identified in the CRM.
• Milestone 4.2: Organize initial webinars and information sessions featuring core Cardano experts.
• Milestone 4.3: Begin facilitating connections between universities/incubators and Cardano experts for early discussions on curriculum development and student initiatives.

Expanding Relationships and Monitoring Progress (Months 5-7)

• Milestone 5.1: Continue full-scale outreach activities while fostering deeper relationships with engaged universities and incubators.
• Milestone 5.2: Organize additional webinars and information sessions based on evolving needs.
• Milestone 5.3: Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as website traffic, universities/incubators engaged, and community interest in Cardano.
• Milestone 5.4: Refine the CRM database based on ongoing outreach efforts.

Project Monitoring and Evaluation (Month 8-10)

• Milestone 6.1: Focus on long-term sustainability initiatives, including support for curriculum development and student programs.
• Milestone 6.2: Prepare a final project report detailing achievements, challenges encountered, and lessons learned.
• Milestone 6.3: Develop a comprehensive long-term sustainability plan for ongoing engagement with the Latam university and incubator ecosystem.

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

Jose Miguel De Gamboa - Project Manager and Colombia Country coordinator

Management, Economics and HR strategic management from CESA, University of W. Sydney and Cornell University. He is an experienced professional with 25 years in the corporate world specializing in culture and catalytic leadership. He currently teaches blockchain at CESA. In the Cardano community, he serves on Intersect’s Governance Advisory board and in the Civics committee where he is currently collaborating to write Cardano's constitution first draft. He's also a founding member of the Latam Cardano Community, has contributed to Catalyst as Challenge team member/leader and Community reviewer since fund 7 and has co-authored several governance related papers. His work aims to capture collective intelligence at the service of common growth.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jose-miguel-de-gamboa/

Mauro Andreoli - Argentina Country Coordinator 

Cardano Ambassador, European Cardano Community co founder, Organizer of La Plata CIP1694 Workshop, Organizer of Pan Latam Workshop, Rep at Edinburgh global workshop

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauro-agust%C3%ADn-andreoli-7b58621a0/

Lucas Macchiavelli - 

Cardano Ambassador, Co-founder of Token Allies, a Decentralized Venture Capital on Cardano, the LATAM Cardano Community and the Cardano Newsletter. F8 Proposal Assessor & F7, F8, F9, F10 & F11 funded proposer. As the Co-founder of the LATAM Cardano Community, Lucas had an impact both within and outside the Latin America region. Co-hosted over 70 LATAM Townhalls and Spaces aimed at lowering the barriers to adoption of Cardano in Latin America. Also helped organize 13 CIP 1694 Workshops held in LATAM and attended the Global CIP 1694 Workshop in Edinburgh.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucasmacchiavelli/

Cristian Rojas - Mexico Country Coordinator

In Cardano for a little more than two years,F7 funded proposer(Support small farmers in Latam)

Participated as a reviewer in fund 8, 9 and as level 1 reviewer with a total of 80 proposals reviewed in Fund 11. As a member of the Latam Cardano Community, I have participated in educational content with Universities in Mexico. Leading in Mexico the proposal funded in fund10 "Universities Onboarding to Cardano" from Latam Community. Participated in the Cardano summit in mexico 2022. Representing Cardano Latam Community in "Cardano Days" , Guadalajara , Mexico. Participated in organizing two CIP-1694 workshops in Mexico, in the Pan-latam workshop in Uruguay and participating in the final workshop in Edinburgh. Co-authored the Latina American regional conclusions document (https://github.com/latamcardano/CIP1694Workshops.) Regarding prototype development, for the fund 7 proposal I submitted, I had to make a prototype capable of mining tokens, transferring them and creating Cardano wallets. 

https://twitter.com/CrisRo0787

Wilmer Varón - Venezuela Country Coordinator

https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilmer-leonardo-var%C3%B3n-63a29666/

Ezequiel Marclé Montenegro - Operations: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emarcle/

Experience as a translator coordinator in the Community Translator Team and has more than two years of experience in the community, assisting and collaborating with the Core Team. He is an Accountant as a background formation, with specialization in web3 and DAO management. 

Other functional areas such as Marketing and Community managers of the organization will provide support.

Juanita Jaramillo - Communications (CoFounder Cardano Fem, Collaborator Cardano 4 Climate, Organizer of Bogotá and Manizales CIP1694 Workshops, Organizer of Pan Latam Workshop)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanita-jaramillo-rivillas-6009534b/

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

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

 Maximizing Impact for Cardano

The proposed project, "Scaling Cardano Adoption in Latam: A University & Incubator Outreach Program," offers exceptional value for money to the Cardano ecosystem. Here's how our budget allocation translates into significant benefits:

1. Long-Term Growth & Sustainability:

• Our outreach program fosters organic Cardano education within universities and incubators, creating a pipeline of future developers, builders, and Cardano enthusiasts.
• This long-term impact is significantly more sustainable than short-term marketing campaigns, as it empowers institutions to become self-sufficient advocates for Cardano.

2. Increased Network Effects:

• By engaging universities and incubators, we cultivate a geographically diverse pool of talent in Latam. This broadens the developer base, contributing to a more robust and innovative Cardano ecosystem.
• Increased developer adoption in Latam will naturally lead to more applications and projects built on Cardano, further strengthening the network effect and driving organic transaction growth.

3. Cost-Effective Outreach Strategy:

• We leverage a targeted outreach approach, focusing our efforts on a prioritized list of high-impact universities and incubators in Latam. This ensures efficient resource allocation and maximizes outreach effectiveness.
• Utilizing a CRM database allows us to streamline communication, track progress, and measure the return on investment for each outreach activity.

4. Measurable Results & Transparency:

• We commit to establishing clear key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the project's success. Examples include the number of universities engaged, website traffic generated, and community interest in Cardano within Latam.
• Regular progress reports will detail program outcomes, cost breakdowns, and adjustments made to ensure we deliver optimal value within the allocated budget.

5. Building on Past Success:

• Our team's proven track record of delivering successful Cardano projects ensures efficient use of resources and a high likelihood of achieving project goals.
• We leverage insights from past projects, such as "Universities Onboarding to Cardano" (Fund 10), to refine our outreach strategy for even greater impact at a cost-effective scale.

In conclusion, by investing in this project, the Cardano ecosystem gains a sustainable and cost-effective approach to accelerating adoption in Latam. We focus on empowering future generations of builders and fostering a thriving Cardano community within the region.