Cardano Showcase Network

[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)

We will create a dynamic showcase platform for successful Cardano projects, featuring integrated ADA donations. This will boost visibility, enable ongoing funding, and foster collaboration.

[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

Licence: CC BY-NC

[METADATA] Horizons

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

Our proposed solution is a comprehensive web-based platform designed to showcase and support successful Cardano projects beyond their initial completion. This platform will address the critical issues of visibility, sustained funding, and ongoing collaboration within the Cardano ecosystem.

Key Features:

• Project Showcase:
• Curated display of successful Cardano projects, highlighting their achievements, impact, and potential for future development.
• Detailed project profiles, including goals, team information, and progress updates.
• Categorization system to organize projects by type (e.g., DeFi, NFTs, social impact) for easy navigation.
• Integrated ADA Donation System
• :Direct integration with the Cardano blockchain for seamless, secure ADA donations.
• Transparent transaction history and real-time funding status for each project.
• Smart contract implementation to ensure fair and efficient distribution of funds.
• Collaboration Hub:
• Forum for community discussions, idea sharing, and problem-solving.
• Feature for project creators to post updates, milestones, and future plans.
• Community Engagement Features
• Regular spotlight features on projects making significant impacts.

Project Selection Criteria:

• Projects must have successfully completed a Catalyst funding round and received rewards.
• Additional criteria may include:
• Demonstrable impact on the Cardano ecosystem
• Ongoing development and maintenance
• Community engagement and support

Maintaining Neutrality and Fairness:

• Implementation of a community-driven curation process
• Regular rotation of featured projects
• Transparent metrics for project showcase eligibility

Regulatory Compliance:

• All donations will be made in ADA to simplify regulatory compliance.
• Clear disclaimers that donations are in cryptocurrency and subject to market volatility.

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

Impact on the Wider Cardano Community

Our Cardano Project Showcase Platform will have a significant positive impact on the wider Cardano community by fostering continued innovation, collaboration, and growth within the ecosystem. Here's how we plan to create and measure this impact:

Value to the Cardano Community

1. Sustained Innovation: By providing ongoing visibility and funding opportunities for successful projects, we'll encourage continuous development and iteration of valuable ideas.
2. Knowledge Sharing: The platform will serve as a repository of successful projects, allowing the community to learn from past achievements and build upon existing solutions.
3. Increased Collaboration: By connecting project creators, supporters, and investors, we'll facilitate new partnerships and cross-pollination of ideas.
4. Attraction of New Talent: Showcasing successful projects will demonstrate the vibrancy of the Cardano ecosystem, potentially attracting new developers and innovators.
5. Enhanced Funding Efficiency: The integrated ADA donation system will create a direct link between innovative projects and potential backers, streamlining the funding process.

Measuring Impact

We will use a combination of quantitative and qualitative metrics to measure the impact of our platform:

• Quantitative Metrics:
• Number of showcased projects
• Total ADA donated through the platform
• User engagement statistics (daily active users, time spent on platform)
• Number of new collaborations formed
• Increase in project updates and milestones achieved post-showcase
• Qualitative Assessments:
• Success stories of projects that gained traction through the platform
• Testimonials from project creators, supporters, and investors
• Case studies on how showcased projects evolved and expanded
• Ecosystem Growth Indicators:
• Increase in cross-project collaborations
• New initiatives sparked by showcased projects
• Growth in the number of active developers in the Cardano ecosystem

Sharing Outputs and Opportunities

We are committed to transparency and will share our project's outputs and opportunities through various channels:

1. Monthly Impact Reports: We'll publish monthly reports on our website and through Cardano community channels, detailing key metrics, highlights, and success stories.
2. Open Data API: We'll provide an open API for researchers and analysts to access aggregated data from our platform, fostering further analysis and insights into the Cardano ecosystem.
3. Community Showcases: We'll host regular virtual events where successful projects can present their progress and achievements to the wider community.
4. Collaboration with Cardano Foundation: We'll work closely with the Cardano Foundation to integrate our insights and success stories into their broader community outreach and education efforts.
5. Academic Partnerships: We'll partner with academic institutions to produce research papers on the impact of sustained support for blockchain projects, using our platform as a case study.

By implementing these measures, we aim to create a virtuous cycle of innovation, support, and growth that will significantly contribute to Cardano's long-term success and impact in the blockchain space. Our platform will not only showcase the best of Cardano but also provide tangible evidence of the ecosystem's ability to nurture and grow innovative projects over time.

[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?

Capability and Feasibility

Team Capability

Our team brings together a diverse set of skills and experiences crucial for the successful delivery of the Cardano Showcase Platform:

1. Web Development Expertise: Our team includes experienced full-stack developers proficient in modern web technologies such as Node.js, React, Svelte, Next.js, and TypeScript. This ensures we can build a robust, scalable, and user-friendly platform.
2. Backend Development and System Architecture: We have software engineers specialized in backend development, focusing on building scalable server-side applications, designing efficient APIs, and optimizing databases. This expertise is crucial for creating a reliable and performant platform.
3. UI/UX Design: Our team includes members with a strong focus on creating intuitive and engaging user interfaces, ensuring that the platform will be accessible and enjoyable for all users.
4. Technical Writing and Documentation: We have a dedicated technical writer with a unique blend of legal expertise and development skills. This ensures clear, precise documentation and helps bridge the gap between complex technical systems and compliance requirements.
5. Machine Learning and AI: Our team includes ML developers and AI enthusiasts, which will be valuable for implementing advanced features such as project recommendation systems or data analysis tools in future iterations of the platform.
6. Project Management: We have experienced project managers who will ensure the timely delivery of milestones and effective coordination among team members.

Trust and Accountability

To deliver our project with high levels of trust and accountability, we will:

1. Implement transparent project management practices, including regular updates to the Cardano community.
2. Use version control systems (e.g., Git) to track all code changes and contributions.
3. Conduct thorough code reviews and maintain high coding standards.
4. Engage in open communication with stakeholders, addressing concerns promptly and transparently.
5. Adhere to best practices in data protection and user privacy.

Feasibility Validation

To validate the feasibility of our approach, we will:

1. Prototype Development: Create a minimum viable product (MVP) early in the development process to validate core concepts and gather user feedback.
2. User Testing: Conduct extensive user testing at each stage of development, incorporating feedback to improve the platform's usability and features.
3. Technical Audits: Regularly perform technical audits to ensure the scalability, security, and efficiency of our solution.
4. Community Engagement: Actively engage with the Cardano community to gather insights, validate ideas, and ensure our platform meets real needs.
5. Milestone-based Development: Our phased implementation plan allows for regular assessment and adjustment of our approach based on progress and feedback.
6. Performance Metrics: Establish clear, measurable performance indicators (e.g., user engagement, project onboarding rate, donation volume) to objectively assess the platform's success and feasibility.
7. Iterative Development: Adopt an agile development methodology, allowing us to quickly adapt to challenges and opportunities as they arise.
8. Partnerships and Collaborations: Seek partnerships with established Cardano projects and community leaders to validate our approach and gain valuable insights.

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

Milestone 1: Platform Design and Core Development (Month 1-2)

Budget: 30% - 27,000 ADA

A. Milestone Outputs:

• Detailed project requirements document
• UI/UX design mockups for all key platform features
• Technical architecture document

B. Acceptance Criteria:

• Project requirements and UI/UX designs
• Technical architecture reviewed and approved by senior developer
• Project showcase feature allows adding, editing, and viewing project profiles

C. Evidence of Milestone Completion:

• Project requirements and technical architecture documents (PDF)
• UI/UX design files (Figma or similar)
• GitHub repository with documented code

Milestone 2: Core Development (Month 3-4)

Budget: 30% - 27,000 ADA

A. Milestone Outputs:

• Functional project showcase feature
• Integrated ADA donation system (backend)
• Basic user authentication system
• Implemented forum for community discussions
• Feature for project updates and milestones
• Project categorization system

B. Acceptance Criteria:

• Project showcase feature fully functional with CRUD operations
• ADA donation system successfully processes test transactions on Cardano testnet
• Users can create accounts, log in, and log out
• Projects can be categorized and filtered by at least 5 main categories

C. Evidence of Milestone Completion:

• GitHub repository with documented code for all features
• Demo video showcasing core features
• Test transaction logs from Cardano testnet

Milestone 3: Testing, Security Audit, and Beta Launch (Month 5)

Budget: 25% - 22,500 ADA

A. Milestone Outputs:

• Beta version of the platform launched
• Initial onboarding of at least 3 showcase projects
• Basic analytics dashboard

B. Acceptance Criteria:

• All critical and high-priority bugs identified in testing are resolved
• Beta platform is live and accessible to invited users
• At least 3 projects are successfully showcased on the platform
• Analytics dashboard displays key metrics (e.g., project views, donation amounts)

C. Evidence of Milestone Completion:

• Link to beta platform
• List of onboarded projects with brief descriptions
• Screenshots of analytics dashboard

Milestone 4: Public Launch and Project Close-out (Month 6)

Budget: 15% - 13,500 ADA

A. Milestone Outputs:

• Publicly launched platform
• Project Close-out Report
• Project showcase video

B. Acceptance Criteria:

• Platform is fully functional and open to the public
• Close-out Report comprehensively documents project journey, challenges, and outcomes
• Project video effectively demonstrates platform features and benefits

C. Evidence of Milestone Completion:

• Link to live platform
• User registration statistics
• Project Close-out Report (PDF)
• Project showcase video (5-10 minutes, uploaded to YouTube or similar platform)
• Post-launch user feedback summary

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

1: Leul Mekonnen - Web Developer and Project Manager

• Fullstack developer | Node.js | React | svelte | Next.js | sveltekit | Postgress | Typescript | Docker
• LinkedIn Profile: LinkedIn account
• GitHub: github account
• Role: Responsible for web development, focusing on Web-development, UI/UX design and implementation. Leul brings expertise in creating an intuitive and engaging user interface.

2: Emrakeb Ermias - Technical writer and advisor

• LinkedIn Profile: LinkedIn account
• Role: Technical writer with a unique blend of legal expertise and development skills, specializing in creating clear, precise documentation for software and tech products. With a background in law and hands-on coding experience, I excel at bridging the gap between complex technical systems and compliance requirements. 

3: Bezawit Abebaw - Lead ML developer

• LinkedIn Profile: LinkedIn account
• Role: Responsible for advancing AI capabilities using PyTorch, with a focus on Large Language Models (LLMs), Multi-Modal AI, Generative Modeling, and Diffusion Models. I lead the development and optimization of cutting-edge machine learning systems, ensuring scalability and performance.

4: Bereket Legesse - ML and Web developer

• LinkedIn Profile: LinkedIn account
• GitHub: github account
• Role AI enthusiast and a Computer Science student specializing in the MERN stack. As the President of the CS Club, I lead initiatives that foster innovation and collaboration within the tech community.

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

Budget & Costs Breakdown

Total Budget: 90,000 ADA

1. Development Costs (65,000 ADA)

Personnel:

• Lead Developer (Full-time, 6 months): 30,000 ADA
• Frontend Developer (Full-time, 4 months): 16,000 ADA
• Smart Contract Developer (Part-time, 3 months): 9,000 ADA
• UX/UI Designer (Part-time, 2 months): 6,000 ADA
• QA Tester (Part-time, 2 months): 4,000 ADA

2. Third-Party Services and Software (10,000 ADA)

• Cloud Hosting (AWS or similar, 6 months): 3,000 ADA
• Security Audit (Third-party service): 5,000 ADA
• Software Licenses (Design tools, development environments): 2,000 ADA

3. Marketing and Community Engagement (7,000 ADA)

• Social Media Marketing: 2,000 ADA
• Content Creation (Blog posts, tutorials): 2,000 ADA
• Community Manager (Part-time, 2 months): 3,000 ADA

4. Project Management and Reporting (8,000 ADA)

• Project Manager (Part-time, 6 months): 7,000 ADA
• Reporting and Documentation Tools: 1,000 ADA

Budget Allocation by Milestone:

• Platform Design and Core Development (Month 1-2): 27,000 ADA
• Lead Developer: 10,000 ADA
• Frontend Developer: 8,000 ADA
• Smart Contract Developer: 3,000 ADA
• UX/UI Designer: 6,000 ADA
• Community Features and Frontend Development (Month 3-4): 27,000 ADA
• Lead Developer: 10,000 ADA
• Frontend Developer: 8,000 ADA
• Smart Contract Developer: 6,000 ADA
• Project Manager: 3,000 ADA
• Testing, Security Audit, and Beta Launch (Month 5): 22,500 ADA
• Lead Developer: 5,000 ADA
• QA Tester: 4,000 ADA
• Security Audit: 5,000 ADA
• Cloud Hosting: 1,500 ADA
• Project Manager: 2,000 ADA
• Community Manager: 1,500 ADA
• Marketing and Content Creation: 3,500 ADA
• Public Launch and Project Close-out (Month 6): 13,500 ADA
• Lead Developer: 5,000 ADA
• Cloud Hosting: 1,500 ADA
• Project Manager: 2,000 ADA
• Community Manager: 1,500 ADA
• Marketing and Content Creation: 2,500 ADA
• Final Report and Video Production: 1,000 ADA

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

The Cardano Project Showcase Platform, with a budget of 90,000 ADA, represents exceptional value for money for the Cardano ecosystem. Here's how:

• Amplifying Existing Investments:
• By showcasing and supporting successful projects, we multiply the impact of previous Cardano investments. Each showcased project represents a prior investment that will now continue to grow and contribute to the ecosystem.
• Estimated value: If we help just 10 projects extend their lifecycle and impact by 20%, on an average investment of 50,000 ADA each, that's an additional 100,000 ADA worth of value created.
• Attracting New Talent and Investment:
• The platform will serve as a portfolio of Cardano's capabilities, attracting new developers, entrepreneurs, and investors to the ecosystem.
• Conservative estimate: If we attract 5 new significant projects or investments averaging 100,000 ADA each, that's 500,000 ADA of new value entering the ecosystem.
• Fostering Innovation through Collaboration:
• By connecting project creators, supporters, and investors, we'll facilitate new partnerships and cross-pollination of ideas.
• Potential value: If 3 new collaborative projects emerge, each valued at 75,000 ADA, that's 225,000 ADA of innovation value.
• Enhancing Funding Efficiency:
• The integrated ADA donation system will create a direct link between innovative projects and potential backers, streamlining the funding process.
• If we improve funding efficiency by just 5% across 1,000,000 ADA of total project funding, that's 50,000 ADA of value in saved time and resources.
• Community Engagement and Education:
• The platform will serve as an educational resource, showcasing real-world applications of Cardano technology.
• While harder to quantify, increased community engagement typically leads to higher adoption rates and a stronger ecosystem.
• Long-term Ecosystem Growth:
• By providing ongoing visibility and support for projects, we're creating a sustainable model for long-term ecosystem growth.
• The platform itself is an asset that will continue to provide value well beyond the initial development period.
• Data and Insights:
• The analytics gathered from the platform will provide valuable insights into project success factors, community interests, and funding patterns.
• This data can inform future Cardano development and investment strategies, potentially saving millions in misdirected efforts.
• Reputational Value:
• A platform showcasing successful projects enhances Cardano's reputation as a blockchain that delivers real-world value.
• This reputational boost can lead to increased adoption, partnerships, and investment in the broader Cardano ecosystem.

Conservative Total Value Estimate:

• Direct quantifiable value: 875,000 ADA (sum of points 1, 2, 3, and 4)
• Indirect and long-term value: Potentially millions of ADA through ecosystem growth, increased adoption, and informed strategic decisions.

Return on Investment:

• With a cost of 90,000 ADA and a conservative direct value estimate of 875,000 ADA, the project represents a potential 872% return on investment for the Cardano ecosystem.
• This ROI doesn't account for the significant long-term and indirect value, which could multiply this figure many times over.