DEMU Jukebox: Be Your Own Music Platform (Shopify For Music)

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Session Cruz

[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

Randall Harmon - CTO

Armita Jalooli - CFO

Piotr Napierała - Full Stack / Smart Contract Developer

Viviek Patel - Head Of Marketing

Andrew Donavan - Artist Relations

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

6

[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)

DEMU Jukebox: A permissionless, all-in-one toolset - music player, record store, streaming service & fan engagement hub - turning musicians into their own music platforms.

Shopify for Musicians.

[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?

Yes

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

Our project, DEMU Jukebox, will be partially open source, ensuring transparency and community involvement. We intend to use the MIT License for our software, known for its permissiveness and wide adoption in the open-source community. This license allows users to do almost anything they want with the project, like using, copying, modifying, and distributing it, subject to very minimal conditions.

Specifically, the core components of the DEMU Jukebox, including the music player, record store, and streaming service, will be open source. This approach will enable developers to contribute to the improvement of these tools, fostering a collaborative environment. However, certain proprietary elements, particularly those involving our unique fan engagement algorithms and some backend infrastructure, will remain closed source to protect our competitive advantage and ensure the sustainability of the project.

By adopting this hybrid model, we aim to balance openness and innovation with practical business considerations, ensuring the long-term viability and impact of DEMU Jukebox.

[METADATA] SDG rating

Here's a bullet-point summary of how DEMU aligns with specific Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations:

SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth):

• Empowers artists with tools for direct control over their music and earnings.
• Ensures timely and fair royalty distribution, promoting economic growth for artists.
• Provides a platform for global payments, enhancing economic productivity in the music industry.

SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure):

• Introduces innovative solutions like smart contracts and decentralized storage (MUnode).
• Utilizes the Cardano blockchain, showcasing commitment to technological advancement.
• Connects fragmented music ecosystems, fostering a more efficient and sustainable music industry infrastructure.

SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities):

• Connects artists from developing countries to global markets, reducing inequality.
• Democratizes access to the music industry, offering equal opportunities for success to artists regardless of their background.
• Addresses the challenges faced by artists in emerging markets, promoting inclusivity.

SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities):

• Facilitates access to a global market for artists, promoting cultural diversity and sustainable communities.
• Supports the preservation and promotion of diverse musical traditions, contributing to the cultural vibrancy of cities and communities.

SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production):

• Promotes sustainable music consumption by decentralizing storage costs to end-users.
• Encourages responsible production and consumption patterns within the music industry.

SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions):

• Enhances transparency in royalty payments and music rights management.
• Contributes to building strong institutions by promoting fairness and equity in the music industry.

SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):

• Fosters global collaborations and partnerships within the music sector.
• Utilizes technology to support sustainable development in the music industry, aligning with global efforts to achieve the SDGs.

DEMU's approach to leveraging blockchain technology for music rights management aligns with these SDGs by promoting economic growth, innovation, reduced inequalities, sustainable communities, responsible consumption, transparency, and global partnerships.

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

Please watch our DEMU Protocol Whiteboard Deep Dive here:

https://youtu.be/6lNEriBRWAA

Here is a DEMO of the DEMU Jukebox. This should satisfy the requirements of this challenge, where an MVP must be built already and a product being used by the community.

https://youtu.be/gaw2ILS4Ykg

The DEMU Jukebox tackles big problems in the music world like unclear payment systems, limited artist-fan connections, and hard-to-control music sharing. This is even tougher for artists in poorer countries.

We're making more than just a place to listen to music. DEMU Jukebox is a set of tools that lets any musician run their own music platform. It has a music player, a place to buy music, a streaming service, and lots of ways for fans and artists to connect. We use blockchain to make sure artists get paid fairly and can talk directly to their fans.

DEMU is different from other music projects because we're fixing the root problems in the music industry. For example, some projects let artists sell their future Spotify revenue to fans. This sounds cool, but it actually keeps a bad system going and passes on the same bad deal to the fans. It's like moving chairs around on a sinking ship - it doesn't fix the real issue. DEMU Jukebox changes things in a big way, giving power back to the artists.

Our idea is special because it's decentralized, meaning that no one has to ask for permission to sell their music. Artists can control their music, talk to fans, and get paid directly, all without middlemen. This makes it fairer for all artists, especially those who usually don't make much money, like artists just starting out, and those in poorer countries.

We're going to work with lots of different people: independent artists who want more control and fair pay, music fans who want to be closer to artists, and the Cardano community who are excited about new uses for blockchain.

To show how well we're doing, we'll keep track of how many artists use our platform, how much music is bought and sold, and what artists and fans think of it. We'll share stories of artists, especially from places that don't get much attention, to show how great our platform is.

This project fits with Cardano's goal to make fairer and clearer systems. By using Cardano's blockchain, we're showing how it can change more than just the money. DEMU Jukebox will give artists a way to control their own careers and prove how blockchain can improve the lives of all creatives.

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

The DEMU Jukebox can significantly benefit the Cardano community by showcasing the practical and transformative applications of blockchain technology in the creative sector, particularly in the music industry. Here's how we plan to measure and share its impact:

1. Demonstrating Blockchain Utility: By successfully implementing a blockchain-based music platform, we'll provide a tangible example of how Cardano's technology can be utilized beyond traditional financial applications. This will help in promoting broader adoption and understanding of blockchain capabilities.
2. Expanding Cardano's Reach: As artists and fans globally engage with DEMU Jukebox, it will introduce a diverse audience to Cardano, potentially expanding its user base. This includes people who may not be traditionally involved in the crypto space but are drawn in by the music industry.
3. Strengthening Cardano's Ecosystem: Our project will contribute to the diversity and robustness of the Cardano ecosystem. By adding a new dimension (music industry) to the blockchain's applications, we enhance the overall appeal and utility of Cardano.
4. Measuring Impact:

• Quantitative Metrics: We will track the number of artists and users adopting the platform, the volume of transactions (music sales, fan interactions), and the amount of ADA used within the platform.
• Qualitative Feedback: Gathering testimonials and case studies from artists, especially those from underrepresented regions, to highlight how the platform has impacted their careers and earnings.

5. Sharing Outputs and Opportunities:

• Community Engagement: Regular updates and reports will be shared with the Cardano community through forums, social media, and Cardano-related events.
• Collaborations and Partnerships: We aim to collaborate with other Cardano projects and stakeholders, creating synergies and shared opportunities.
• Open Source Contributions: Parts of our project will be open source, allowing other developers in the Cardano ecosystem to learn from, utilize, and build upon our work, which will result in the DEMU Protocol which is the next phase of our roadmap.

The success of DEMU Jukebox will not only validate the utility of Cardano in a new industry but also attract a wider audience to the ecosystem, thereby enriching and diversifying its applications and community. Our commitment to transparency and collaboration ensures that the benefits and learnings from our project will be widely shared and accessible within the Cardano community.

[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?

Our team at DEMU is uniquely positioned to deliver this project, building on our successful track record and diverse expertise. Here's how we demonstrate our capability and validate the feasibility of our approach:

1. Proven Track Record: We've already been funded in Fund 8, where we successfully built the MVP that is now operational and accessible to all. This not only shows our ability to deliver on our promises but also provides a practical demonstration of our concept's viability.
2. Impressive Early Results: In just the first month of operation, we generated $3,676.56 in revenue for 10 artists, selling 261 albums. This is a significant achievement, equivalent to 1,225,520 Spotify streams in terms of revenue generation. These results underscore the potential of our platform to revolutionize music distribution and artist earnings.
3. Industry and Technical Expertise:

• Our founder has extensive experience in the music industry, including working with high-profile entities like Kanye West's Yeezy Season and developing partnerships with United Nations, iHeartMedia, and being monitored by Def Jam Records, Republic Records, and others. This deep industry knowledge and connections are invaluable for our project.
• Our team includes blockchain and smart contract experts, ensuring robust and secure implementation of our platform on the Cardano blockchain. Our CFO, a former member of IOG's Professional Services Group, brings critical insights and expertise in blockchain technology and tokenomics.

4. Project Management and Financial Responsibility:

• We have a history of successfully managing funded projects, demonstrating our ability to efficiently utilize resources and deliver results.
• Our commitment to transparency is evident in our regular updates, reporting, and community engagement, fostering trust and accountability.
• We adhere to strict financial management practices, including detailed budgeting, regular financial reporting, and independent audits. Notably, our founder did not draw a salary from the previous funding, underscoring our commitment to careful financial management.

5. Community Engagement and Feedback Incorporation:

• We maintain an open dialogue with the community, actively seeking and incorporating feedback to ensure our project aligns with the needs and interests of the broader ecosystem. Here is our Project's Twitter page. http://www.twitter.com/demupro

6. Alignment with Cardano's Vision:

• Our project aligns closely with Cardano's ethos of creating equitable and transparent systems. By building on Cardano, we leverage its secure and sustainable infrastructure, furthering the blockchain's real-world applications.

The combination of our proven track record, industry and technical expertise, responsible project management, and alignment with Cardano's vision positions us ideally to deliver on the milestones set in this proposal. Our early success and ongoing commitment to transparency and community engagement further validate the feasibility and potential impact of our approach.

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

Credit Card Payment Integration

• Tasks: Integrate credit card payments to onboard artists and their fans who are not familiar with crypto. This includes adding options like Apple Pay and researching credit card off-ramps for artists.
• Timeline: Completed but not yet pushed to Mainnet.
• Success Criteria: Successful integration of credit card payment options on the platform.

Embeddable Music Player/Marketplace

• Tasks: Develop tools that allow artists to mint their albums and host the sale of their music on their own websites, powered by DEMU.
• Timeline: 2 months.
• Success Criteria: Successful development and testing of the embeddable music player/marketplace. Artists selling music on their website, as opposed to sending them to a third-party vendor where they can't control the experience.

Artist Onboarding

• Tasks: Organize a sales team for artist onboarding, led by Andrew Donavan of The Listening Room, including outreach and collecting metadata for manual track uploads.
• Timeline: This will be ongoing.
• Success Criteria: Signing up 10 artists per month, with incremental growth thereafter.

KYC Integration

• Tasks: Integrate KYC process to verify artist identities and mitigate IP infringement risks. This will make DEMU truly permission-less.
• Timeline: 2 months.
• Success Criteria: Successful integration of KYC. Artists will now be able to onboard themselves while offering recourse in the event that any IP is infringed upon.

Rights Holder Dashboard

• Tasks: Develop a dashboard for rights holders to manage their rights and royalties, including features for viewing earnings, withdrawing funds, and managing rights.
• Timeline: 6-8 weeks.
• Success Criteria: Successful development and testing of the Rights Holder Dashboard.

Project Completion Report and Video

• Tasks: Compile a comprehensive project completion report detailing the outcomes of all milestones, challenges faced, solutions implemented, and overall impact of the project. Additionally, produce a video that highlights the project's journey, key achievements, and testimonials from artists and users.
• Timeline: To be completed at the end of the project timeline, following the completion of all other milestones.
• Success Criteria:A detailed and informative project completion report that provides a thorough overview of the project, its successes, and learnings.
• A professionally produced video that effectively communicates the project's impact, featuring interviews, platform demonstrations, and user feedback.

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

Project Team and Roles

Piotr Napierała

• Role: Full-stack Developer, specializing in Smart Contract Development on Cardano.
• Responsibilities: Leading the development of Milestone 3, focusing on Mobile Wallet Compatibility.
• LinkedIn Profile: Piotr Napierała

Randall Harmon

• Role: Chief Technology Officer (CTO) with 30 years of experience in Distributed Systems, Cryptography, and Blockchain Technology.
• Responsibilities: Leading the development of Milestone 4 (Credit Card Payment Integration) and Milestone 7 (KYC Integration).
• LinkedIn Profile: Randall Harmon

Session Cruz

• Role: Founder.
• Responsibilities: Overall project vision and strategy.
• LinkedIn Profile: Session Cruz

Viviek Patel

• Role: Head of Marketing.
• Responsibilities: Overseeing marketing strategies and initiatives.
• LinkedIn Profile: Viviek Patel

Andrew Donavan

• Role: Artists Relationship Manager.
• Responsibilities: Managing relationships with artists and overseeing artist onboarding.
• LinkedIn Profile: Coming soon

Armita Jalooli

• Role: Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
• Responsibilities: Handling administrative, finance & accounting, tokenomics, and fundraising duties.
• LinkedIn Profile: Armita Jalooli

Scott Kaufman (Partner, Sullivan & Worcester LLP)

• Role: Outside Legal Counsel.
• Responsibilities: Providing legal guidance and support for the project, including handling team contracts, artist attestation, Terms of Service, etc.
• LinkedIn Profile: Scott Kaufman

Recruitment Plans

• Additional Team Members: We plan to recruit additional team members as needed, focusing on specific skills that complement our current team's capabilities.
• Skills Sought: These may include additional development expertise, marketing and community engagement professionals, and operational support staff.

Engagement and Verification

• Engagement: All team members have been engaged and are committed to the project. We have direct lines of communication established, ensuring effective collaboration.
• Technical Group Engagement: We have engaged with relevant technical groups via channels like Discord or Telegram to ensure we have access to the necessary resources and expertise.
• Verification and Consent: All team members are aware of the public nature of this proposal and have consented to the inclusion of their information. 'Proof of life' verifications will be completed as required by Catalyst funding guidelines.

This team composition demonstrates a strong mix of technical expertise, industry experience, and legal and financial acumen, positioning us well to successfully deliver on the project's objectives.

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

Budget & Cost Breakdown

Development Costs

Milestone 1: Credit Card Payment Integration

• Cost: $0 (Completed)
• Includes research, development, and integration of credit card payment systems, including Apple Pay and other options.

Milestone 2: Embeddable Music Player/Marketplace

• Cost: $25,000 (54,324 ADA)
• Development of tools for artists to sell music on their websites.

Milestone 3: Artist Onboarding

• Cost: $30,000 (65,189 ADA)
• Sales team organization, outreach, metadata collection, and track uploading.

Milestone 4: KYC Integration

• Cost: $25,000 (54,324 ADA)
• Integration of Know Your Customer (KYC) systems for artist verification.

Milestone 5: Rights Holder Dashboard

• Cost: $30,000 (65,189 ADA)
• Development of a dashboard for rights holders to manage rights and royalties.

Final Project Completion Report and Video

• Cost: $0
• Documentation, video production, and dissemination of project results.

Marketing and Community Engagement: $25,000 (54,324 ADA)

• Marketing Campaigns
• Community Outreach and Engagement Activities

Project Management and Administration:

• Project Management Tools: $3,000 (6,518 ADA)

Total Budget:

$138,000 (300,000 ADA)

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

The cost for additional development of the DEMU Jukebox can offer significant value for the Cardano ecosystem for several key reasons:

1. Innovation and Utility: The DEMU Protocol and Jukebox Music Player are pioneering solutions addressing critical challenges in the music industry, such as transparent and fair music licensing and royalty distribution. These innovations are poised to attract a large number of artists and users to Cardano, enhancing its utility and appeal.
2. Ecosystem Growth: Beyond developing a single dApp, the DEMU project aims to catalyze an entire ecosystem of dApps built on the DEMU Protocol. Each new dApp leveraging the protocol amplifies the value of the underlying intellectual property, thereby enriching the Cardano ecosystem's overall worth and utility.
3. Community Engagement: A significant aspect of the project is its emphasis on community engagement. With initiatives focused on artist onboarding and user outreach, the project is set to expand the Cardano community and boost user interaction within the ecosystem.
4. Cost Efficiency: The budgeting for the DEMU Jukebox is grounded in a lean and efficient approach. Embracing a "scrappy startup" mentality, the project bootstrapped the build of an MVP and validated the business model before requesting these additional funds.
5. Proven Track Record: The DEMU team's credibility is bolstered by their successful track record. Previously funded in Fund 8, the team delivered on that promise, demonstrating their ability to effectively utilize resources to deliver tangible results and value.

Investing in the DEMU Jukebox is a powerful opportunity for the Cardano ecosystem. It's not just a financial commitment; it's a strategic move that promises to spark innovation, energize the community, and significantly enhance the ecosystem's capabilities. By focusing on delivering practical, user-friendly solutions in a cost-effective manner, and with a track record of proven success, this project stands out as a wise and impactful investment. It's a chance for Cardano to not only support a pioneering project but also to be part of a transformative journey in the music industry. This isn't just spending; it's investing in a brighter, more innovative future for Cardano.