Showcasing Cardano NFTs and Artists at NFT.DXB in UAE (Highlighting Cardano NFTs to the Arab Region)

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

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

[GENERAL] Co-proposers and additional applicants

More to be hired as needed if funded

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

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

Host custom designed booths at NFT.DXB event in UAE to educate about Cardano, showcase Cardano NFT artists, and expand the Cardano community in a new exciting crypto friendly market.

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

[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.”

N/A

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

All booth designs and marketing materials will be made open source for reuse and modification by the community under cc-0 MIT licenses.

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

We will design and host custom booths at the major NFT.DXB event in UAE to introduce Cardano and Cardano NFTs to a new audience, with a focus on the UAE and broader Arab market. The booths will be strategically designed to maximize engagement and education.

Key components will include:

• Cardano education: We will develop a series of talks, presentations, and printed materials to teach attendees about the Cardano blockchain, its capabilities, and its ecosystem. This will include introductory content for newcomers as well as more technical deep-dives for experienced audiences.
• Cardano NFT artist showcases: We will curate a selection of top Cardano NFT artists to feature at the event. Each artist will have a dedicated digital display showcasing their work, as well as printed profiles detailing their background and inspiration. Attendees will be able to browse the displays, learn about the artists, and scan QR codes to visit their online galleries.
• Interactive experiences: To further engage attendees, we will develop a suite of interactive experiences. This may include live minting of exclusive event NFTs, a scavenger hunt where participants scan QR codes at different booths to unlock rewards, or a virtual treasure box where people can win Cardano/NFT prizes. The goal is to make the learning fun and memorable.
• Community artist selection: To involve the Cardano community, we will conduct a nomination and voting process in advance of the event to select which artists are featured. This will generate excitement and give the community a sense of ownership over the initiative.

Through this multifaceted approach, we aim to create a buzzing hub of activity that exposes Cardano to an untapped market, attracts new users and creators, and spotlights the talent of Cardano artists. The UAE and Arab world is a fast-growing market for crypto and NFTs, making this an ideal opportunity to establish Cardano's presence.

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

This initiative will significantly boost Cardano adoption and awareness in several ways:

1. Expanding to new markets: By targeting the UAE and broader Arab world, we will be introducing Cardano to a large population of untapped potential users. The UAE in particular is a hotbed for crypto and NFT activity, so establishing a foothold here could lead to substantial growth. As the first major Cardano event in the region, this will plant a flag for Cardano.
2. Attracting new users and creators: Our educational content and interactive experiences will be designed to convert event attendees into Cardano users. By teaching people about Cardano's capabilities and making it easy for them to get started, we can onboard a wave of new users. The NFT focus will particularly appeal to creators, who we hope to inspire to start building on Cardano.
3. Boosting Cardano NFT artists: The featured artist showcases will give major exposure to Cardano NFT creators, helping them reach new fans and collectors. This will inject energy into the Cardano NFT scene and potentially attract more artists to the ecosystem. It also helps brand Cardano as the blockchain of choice for creators.
4. Generating buzz and media attention: As a large-scale, high-touch activation at a major industry event, this initiative is likely to generate substantial buzz on social media and attract media coverage. We will amplify this with a dedicated PR push. This raises overall awareness of Cardano and provides valuable social proof.

To quantify the impact, we will closely track key metrics like booth visitor numbers, new Cardano wallets created, social media mentions and engagement, press hits, and NFT sales for featured artists. We will also gather qualitative feedback through attendee surveys and interviews. Post-event, we will compile a thorough impact report to share with the community.

Ultimately, this activation has the potential to trigger a flywheel effect of attracting more users and creators to Cardano, which in turn makes the ecosystem more vibrant and valuable, further fueling growth. It could be a major inflection point for Cardano adoption.

[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?

Crucially, we have strong connections to the NFT.DXB founding team. We have been in discussions with them about this activation and working on a commitment to prominently feature Cardano at the event. They are bought into our vision and will be active partners in ensuring the success of this initiative.

To further validate the feasibility of our approach, we will take the following steps:

1. Solicit detailed proposals and quotations from booth design and fabrication to ensure our plans are achievable within budget and timeline
2. Survey Cardano NFT artists to gauge their interest in being featured and gather their input on how to maximize the opportunity
3. Get the community feedback on the artists to be featured
4. Collaborate closely with the core Cardano Foundation team for feedback on our plans and to ensure tight coordination with other ecosystem initiatives
5. Conduct focus groups with target attendees in the UAE to pressure-test our creative concepts and educational content
6. Consult with local Emirati authorities to ensure all necessary permits and approvals are secured well in advance

By combining our own expertise with a thorough validation process and strong support from key partners, we are confident in our ability to execute this project flawlessly and deliver maximal impact for the Cardano community.

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

Finalize event plan and secure commitment from NFT.DXB organizers (Month 1-2)

• Deliverables: Detailed event brief, final booth locations and floorplan, signed contract with NFT.DXB

Complete community nomination and voting process to select featured artists (Month 2-3)

• Deliverables: Nomination mechanism (e.g. Google Form), voting dApp UI, winning artists announced

Finalize booth designs and interactive experiences (Month 3-4)

• Deliverables: Booth renderings, interactive demo prototypes, educational content

Conduct pre-event marketing and outreach (Month 4-5)

• Deliverables: Social media campaign, press release, influencer/media partnerships, promotional giveaways

Host booths at NFT.DXB event (November)

• Deliverables: Fully constructed and staffed booths, live social media coverage, attendee surveys

Conduct post-event analysis and follow-up (Month 7-8)

• Deliverables: Impact report with key metrics, attendee testimonials, artist sales data, post-event media coverage, learnings and recommended next steps

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

Chadi Nassar - Project Lead and Artist Lead

Nic Caridi - Marketing and Booth Lead

Additional hires - Booth designers, developer for voting dApp, support staff for event

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

Booth Design and Construction: 30,000 ADA

• Custom booth design
• Materials and construction
• Shipping to event venue
• Installation and teardown

Interactive Experiences: 20,000 ADA

• Development of Cardano educational materials
• Creation of digital artist showcases
• Programming of interactive demos or NFT minting

Marketing and Promotion: 15,000 ADA

• Social media campaigns
• Influencer outreach
• Press releases and media kits
• Promotional giveaways

Event Costs: 15,000 ADA

• Booth space rental at NFT.DXB
• Event registration and exhibitor fees
• On-site expenses (electricity, wifi, cleaning)
• Catering for booth staff

Artist Participation: 10,000 ADA

• Honorariums for featured Cardano NFT artists
• Travel and accommodation stipends

Staffing: 8,000 ADA

• Wages for event support staff
• Contractor fees (designers, developers)

Contingency: 2,000 ADA

• Allocation for unexpected costs

Total: 100,000 ADA

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

This initiative will generate outsized impact compared to cost in terms of:

• Expanding Cardano to a major untapped market
• Efficiently reaching large numbers of potential new users at a single event
• Providing high-visibility opportunities for Cardano NFT artists
• Delivering education and creative experiences that will resonate with attendees

The exposure for Cardano and onboarding of new community members will deliver strong ROI and long-term value.