Cardano Builder Asia - Building a Connected Cardano Builder Network in Asia

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Cardano Builder Asia

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

Entity (Not Incorporated)

[GENERAL] Co-proposers and additional applicants

Mesh JS

SIDAN Lab

Socious

Cardano Vietnam

[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

Yes

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

Cardano Builder Asia promotes collaboration, resource sharing, and networking among builders in the Asian region to create a stronger and more innovative Cardano ecosystem

[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

All project-related resources will be fully open-source, including community documents, development tools, and shared knowledge libraries.

[METADATA] Horizons

Connected Community

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

Cardano Builder Asia aims to establish a regional hub that connects builders, developers, and stakeholders across Asian countries. Our solution includes:

• Connecting builders: Organizing regular meetups, online forums, and using collaboration tools to enhance interactions among builders in the region.
• Resource sharing: Building and maintaining a shared resource hub, including knowledge, tools, and libraries to support application development on the Cardano platform.
• Mentorship and support programs: Providing mentorship programs and technical support to encourage new developers and projects to join the ecosystem.
• Regional representation: Representing the needs and perspectives of the Asian builder community within the global Cardano ecosystem.

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

The project will drive participation and innovation by creating a strong network of Cardano builders in Asia, thereby enhancing collaboration and contributions to the ecosystem. By providing shared resources and a supportive environment, the project aims to lower entry barriers for new developers, improve project quality, and promote the adoption of Cardano in the region.

[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 core team consists of experienced community leaders, developers, and project managers from established Cardano projects. Our network includes active members from Socious, MeshJS, SIDAN Lab, and Cardano Vietnam, who have successfully executed various projects. We will evaluate feasibility through community engagement metrics, periodic reports, and a transparent governance structure.

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

Milestone 1 (1st month – 2nd month): Team Formation and Initial Planning

Output:

• Form a core team from various builder communities across Asia.
• Develop a detailed plan for activities and community events for the next six months.
• Set up official communication channels (Discord, Telegram, email).
• Host the first online meetup to introduce the project and gather community feedback.

Acceptance Criteria:

• Public announcement of the team and project plan on official channels.
• Establish communication networks with at least 30 initial members from the Cardano community in Asia.
• Successfully conduct the first online meetup with at least 20 participants.

Evidence of Completion:

• Link to the public announcement of the team and project plan.
• Summary report of the first meetup, including participant list and feedback.
• Summary of communication activities over the first two months.

Milestone 2 (3rd – 4th month): Resource Development and Online Workshops

Output:

• Build and launch an online resource hub with technical materials, development guides, and developer tools.
• Host at least two online workshops focused on technical topics and project development.
• Launch a monthly newsletter to provide community updates and opportunities.

Acceptance Criteria:

• Resource hub with at least 10 useful documents for developers and builders.
• Successfully conduct two online workshops with a minimum of 20 participants each.
• Publish at least two monthly newsletters with updates and activities.

Evidence of Completion:

• Link to the online resource hub.
• Summary reports of the workshops, including videos and presentation materials.
• Links to the published newsletters.

Milestone 3 (5th month): Regional Meetups and Mentorship Program

Output:

• Organize in-person meetups in 1-2 countries, such as Singapore, Hong Kong, or Vietnam.
• Launch a mentorship program to support new builder and developer projects.

Acceptance Criteria:

• Successfully host 1-2 meetups with at least 20 participants per event.
• Establish at least five mentor-mentee pairs to support ongoing projects.

Evidence of Completion:

• Summary report of the meetups, including photos and participant lists.
• Mentorship program report, detailing mentor-mentee pairs and project progress.

Final Milestone 4 (6th month): Reporting and Project Completion

Output:

• Complete the final project report, including lessons learned and achieved outcomes.
• Create and publish a closing video summarizing the project’s results and impact.

Acceptance Criteria:

• Final report published on official communication channels.
• Closing video released on Cardano Builder Asia’s official platform.

Evidence of Completion:

• Link to the final project report.
• Link to the closing video on online platforms.

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

This project is a collaborative effort among multiple Cardano-related communities and builder projects across East Asia, each bringing unique expertise and roles:

1.MeshJS: Technical Support and Developer Resources

Technical Lead: Hong Jing (Jingles)

Profile: https://jingles.dev

Role and Contribution:

MeshJS, led by Hong Jing, will provide technical expertise in tool development, event infrastructure management, and developer support. With Jingles actively pursuing a PhD in machine learning and working as a full-stack developer, MeshJS will ensure the smooth operation of open-source tools designed for Cardano blockchain applications. The team will also manage the technical aspects of the event website, on-chain ticketing system, and other blockchain activities during the event.

*See more information in the link below.

https://x.com/meshsdk 

https://meshjs.dev/

2.SIDAN Lab: Research and Knowledge Sharing

Role and Contribution:

SIDAN Lab, based in Hong Kong, specializes in Cardano development and provides technical solutions and open-source tools for the community. During the event, SIDAN Lab will organize workshops and deep-dive sessions, sharing knowledge and technical insights. The team will also leverage its local network connections to ensure the smooth execution of the project.

*See more information in the link below.

https://www.sidan.io/

https://x.com/sidan_lab

3.Blockchain Advisor: Tim O’Brien

Tim O’Brien is an Ex-Googler who came to Vietnam in 2018 after raising venture capital to build a product for blockchain. After exiting, Tim stayed in Vietnam and built a strong team in Southern Vietnam. Tim’s roots in Cardano are deep, he helped start Eastern Town Hall and was the very first moderator of the Vietnamese Town Hall as well as being a host and organizer of the first Cardano Summit held in Vietnam. Tim and his team have been awarded 5 Catalyst grants which they used to build several award winning products that used Cardano blockchain. Recently their product for international trade, funded from a catalyst proposal, was one of only 3 products to be selected by the United Nations to be demonstrated to world Customs leaders.

*See more information in the link below.

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

4.Socious: Community Development and Project Coordination

Founder and CEO: Seira Yun

Role and Contribution:

Socious will oversee the event coordination, logistics management, and partnership building efforts. With expertise in community development, Socious will lead efforts to recruit speakers, promote the event, and engage stakeholders. Drawing from its experience managing multiple Catalyst-funded projects, Socious will ensure the event is well-planned, executed, and evaluated to achieve maximum impact.

*See more information in the link below.

https://x.com/SociousDAO 

https://socious.io/

5.Cardano Vietnam: Community Engagement and Event Organization

Cardano Ambassador and Event Organizer: Ha Nguyen

Role and Contribution:

Cardano Vietnam will handle local logistics and community outreach. With over 50,000 members and experience organizing major events—including Cardano Summit, Cardano Meetup, Intersect Meetup, and the Cardano Constitution Workshop—the team will play a key role in ensuring strong community participation. They will also collaborate with local developers to run mentorship programs, ensuring the event meets the needs of the community.

*See more information in the link below.

https://x.com/VietnamCardano

https://linktr.ee/CardanoVietnamCommunity 

https://x.com/Hahero7

https://forum.cardano.org/u/hakochan/activity

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

Total budget: 30,850 USD, equivalent to 99,516 ADA (Exchange Rate: 1 ADA = 0.31 USD).

This already taken to account the risk management of ADA/USD fluctuation rates. (15% versus the current ADA/USD at the time of the proposal is written *0.36.

Budget File: The CRs please have a look at our detail budget built in the file.

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

1/ Value for money - Cost benchmarking

The project, with a budget of 30,850 USD (99,516 ADA), is optimized to deliver high value to the ecosystem. Personnel are compensated fairly based on regional market rates, and event activities are organized with cost-effective measures.

Detailed comparison table

Risk management also well-captured with the market fluctuation.

2/ Value for money - Value for the Cardano Ecosystem

The Value for money considers optimized savings compared to the level of seniority and experience of the team benchmarking at the local level.

• Mesh JS
• SIDAN Lab
• Socious
• Cardano Vietnam

This proposal was originated from hours of team discussions and commitments to build a dedicated platform for builders to connect and thrive in a sustainable manner. The experience of the players in the core team speaks themselves.

In short, We build for last, a thriving Cardano Builder community.