(Pension Funds) Solve global pension crisis

[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] 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)

This research will provide a possible framework for Cardano to become one of the leading and secure pension investment options.

Leading to adoption of Cardano by the public worldwide

[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.”

No dependencies

[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

Fully open source Whitepaper

[METADATA] SDG rating

SDG Goals

• 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere
• 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
• 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
• 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

SDG Subgoals

• 1.3 - Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable
• 1.b - Create sound policy frameworks at the national, regional and international levels, based on pro-poor and gender-sensitive development strategies, to support accelerated investment in poverty eradication actions

Key Performance Indicator (KPI)

• 1.3.1 - Proportion of population covered by social protection floors/systems, by sex, distinguishing children, unemployed persons, older persons, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, newborns, work-injury victims and the poor and the vulnerable

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

Our goal is to establish a fair and decentralized pension system accessible to a global population. This is not only necessary with aging demografic, but also in countries not providing reliable social systems.

The market is gigantic and often corrupted by politics, making it the ideal option for decentral systems

While the concept has potentially immense potential, its objective presents various challenges, including but not limited to:

• Ensuring Liquidity and Rewards
• Maintaining Stability in Value (similar to a Stablecoin with Low Fluctuation)
• Managing a Balance between Rewards and Usage,
• Investment of funds in opportunities outside the Ecosystem
• Guaranteeing Benefits for the Cardano Ecosystem
• Implementing Upgradability and Continuous Improvements in a Decentralized Framework
• Constructing a Reliable System Capable of functioning well for 50+ years

Given the complexity of these challenges, a clear solution has yet to be developed and evaluated, necessitating further research into potential strategies.

Initial concepts under consideration include:

1. Vested Staking: This involves long-term holding (15+ years) to enhance liquidity on Cardano, with correspondingly higher staking rewards. - Its implementation would require a protocol change.
2. Separate Stablecoin Network: Establishing a separate stablecoin network to ensure stability in value within the pension system.
3. Decentralized Hedge Funds: Exploring the creation of decentralized hedge funds to diversify investment options within the system.

While these concepts hold promise, each presents its own set of challenges and an evaluation, regarding fesability and benefits.

Through our research we hope to provide an analysis and may eventually find one, a combination of these, or even new approaches, to fulfil the challenges.

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

The idea offers a pioneering research on pension security through decentralization on the Cardano blockchain. This could very well revolutionize the global pension landscape and offer immense push onto Cardano.

Consider the Norwegian pension fund, valued at approximately $1,590 billion USD. This illustrates the enormity of the opportunity, given that this solution aims to offer a worldwide solution.

Therefore, developing a decentralized system not only presents a real-world alternative but also unlocks a vast market potential.

This is no easy task and certainly not a de-facto guarantee on any adoption, however we believe the initiative serves as a necessary starting point and is hopefully the first major (protocol level) adoption - Leading to a broad decentralization movement among the general population.

[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?

Vito Melchionna, the creator of the GranADA Pool, brings experience and deep connections within the Cardano community. His background in stake pools and research makes him the ideal person for this grand

Sandro Schaier, with notable experience in various Cardano projects, adds technical expertise to our team.

Contributions include projects like NMKR, Whiskees NFTs, and the Catalyst Proposal Dead-man-switch Wallet.

Together we have a passion for research and are dedicated to building a fair and decentralized systems. We hope to make a meaningful contribution to the Cardano community and bring all our vision of a decentralized future one step closer.

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

For Milestone 1, our focus is on conducting comprehensive research to lay the groundwork for our project.

This involves three key components:

1. Literature Review: We will compile a list of existing literature, academic papers, and relevant publications to gain more detailed insights into the current landscape of the pension domain. By reviewing established models, theories, and frameworks, we aim to build a solid foundation of knowledge and identify gaps for further exploration.
2. Model Analysis: In addition to literature review, we will analyze existing models and methodologies relevant to the project objectives. This includes case studies, best practices, and successful implementations to extract valuable lessons and potential strategies for adoption.
3. Expert Identification: We will seek out potential experts and researchers in this field. Spanning from researchers, practitioners, industry professionals, and academics with relevant expertise and experience. Hopefully engaging and interviewing with these individuals will provide us with valuable insights, guidance, and potential collaboration opportunities.

Through meticulous research and analysis, we aim to gain a comprehensive understanding of the landscape, identify key stakeholders, and lay the groundwork for the subsequent phases of our project.

In Milestone 2, our primary objective is to write an extensive whitepaper outlining our proposed solutions.

This involves several key steps:

1. Problem Definition: We will clearly define the problem statement, highlighting the challenges and deficiencies in the current landscape that our solution aims to address. This will serve as the foundation for our whitepaper, providing context for our proposed solutions.
2. Proposed Solutions: Building upon the problem definition, we will outline our proposed solutions in detail. This includes describing the core components, features, and functionalities of our solution, as well as illustrating how it addresses the identified challenges
3. Technical Architectures: We will provide a technical overview of our solution, outlining the underlying architecture, protocols, and technologies that would be required. This section will offer insights into potential design and implementation of our solutions, and give an estimate on development time
4. Benefits and Impact: We will emphasize the benefits and potential impact of our solutions, highlighting how it creates value for stakeholders, addresses user needs, and contributes to the broader ecosystem. This section will underscore the significance and relevance of our proposed solutions and compare them with oneselfs.

By crafting a well-defined whitepaper, we aim to communicate the vision, rationale, and technical details of our proposed solution effectively. This document will serve as a guiding framework for stakeholders, investors, and collaborators, laying the groundwork for a potential implementation into Cardano

In our final milestone, we'll present the solutions, conduct voting for the most feasible and best option, and potentially propose a Cardano Improvement Proposal (CIP).

1. Solution Presentation: We'll present our solution comprehensively, covering problem statement, proposed solution, technical aspects, benefits, and roadmap.
2. Voting: The community will vote for the most feasible and overall best option among proposals.
3. CIP Proposal: Based on voting results, we will if necessary propose a Cardano Improvement Proposal (CIP) outlining changes needed for implementation.

This milestone is crucial for engaging stakeholders, finalizing decisions, for further advancement of our solution into implementation and adoption

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

• Sandro Schaier - Research
• Vito Melchionna - Research

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

We anticipate a prolonged timeline due to several factors, including the potential delay in scheduling interviews with experts.

Our team will not be working full-time but will dedicate time to research and conducting interviews.

Considering the German/Swiss cost of living, we adhere to a standard rate for expenses incurred during the project.

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

The project cost represents a beneficial investment for the Cardano ecosystem in several ways:

1. Potential: Cardano could become the first blockchain offering secure decentralized pensions.
2. Thorough Research: We dedicate this project for a long term success and will provide a detailed analysis
3. Strategic Investment: Viewing the cost as an investment positions Cardano for long-term success.

In summary, the project cost is a strategic investment into research that could enhance the Cardano's resilience, innovation, and competitiveness in a major factor