Cardano Community Meetups and Hackathons

[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 host local and virtual meetups and hackathons to boost collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and innovation in the Cardano community, connecting developers, educators, and enthusiasts for growth.

[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

all project outputs, including educational materials and hackathon project code, will be open-source, allowing for modification and distribution under a permissive license such as the MIT License.

[METADATA] Horizons

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

•Monthly Meetups: Hosting 12 meetups, both virtual and local, to foster community interaction, share ongoing projects, and provide education on Cardanos technology.

•Hackathons: Organizing three hackathons (one every four months) to drive innovation and build open-source projects. These hackathons will reward participants for their most impactful projects in terms of ecosystem contribution and scalability.

•Workshops & Training: Specialized training sessions targeting university students, educators, and new developers to increase participation in Cardano development and equip them with essential blockchain skills.

•Online Community Platform: Establishing a digital community hub (e.g., on Discord or Telegram) to maintain engagement post-events, share resources, and create spaces for collaboration.

•Mentorship Program:

A structured mentorship program to pair experienced Cardano developers with newcomers, ensuring that valuable expertise is shared and absorbed, helping accelerate growth and reduce entry barriers.

•Open-source Output: All outputs, including educational materials, hackathon project code, and documentation, will be open-source. We will use a permissive license (MIT) to allow free use, modification, and distribution of all materials, promoting global accessibility and contribution to Cardano's ecosystem.

Target Audience:

•Developers with an interest in blockchain technology.

University students and educators.

•Blockchain professionals and enthusiasts.

•Entrepreneurs interested in building on Cardano.

This project directly aligns with Cardanos mission to create an open, decentralized, and scalable blockchain. Our focus on education and innovation will ensure long-term contributions to the Cardano ecosystem.

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

•Global Footprint Expansion: By organizing meetups across diverse regions, we aim to significantly increase the presence of Cardano worldwide, especially in underrepresented regions.

•Open-source Contributions: The hackathons will generate impactful, open-source projects that will serve as a foundation for future Cardano-based applications.

•Community Growth: This project will create long-lasting networks of developers, educators, and enthusiasts, ensuring ongoing contributions to Cardanos ecosystem beyond the projects duration.

•Developer Upskilling: The training sessions will equip new developers with the skills needed to build on Cardano, lowering barriers to entry and broadening the pool of contributors.

•Scalability: The events will be designed to grow in scale, with the potential to expand regionally after the initial 12 months. By creating reusable frameworks and templates, future meetups and hackathons can be easily replicated by local Cardano communities worldwide.

Measuring Impact:

Quantitative Metrics:

•Number of attendees at meetups and hackathons (targeting 500 participants across all events).

•Number of open-source projects created (target: 15).

•Online community growth and engagement (target: 2,000 active users on Discord/Telegram).

Qualitative Metrics:

•Participant feedback and satisfaction surveys.

•Case studies of hackathon projects that led to further development.

•Testimonials from educational institutions adopting the training materials.

[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 is highly experienced in organizing events and fostering community engagement. The project team includes:

•Robel nigatu Project Lead: Over five years of experience in organizing blockchain events, with a strong network within the Cardano community.

•Technical Lead: An experienced Cardano developer and educator, responsible for overseeing hackathon projects and ensuring the quality of the open-source outputs.

•Event Coordinator: Skilled in event management, with a background in organizing tech meetups and hackathons.

The teams deep knowledge and previous successful initiatives in Cardano-related events ensure the feasibility of this project.

•Risk Management: Potential risks include low event attendance or under-engagement in virtual events. To mitigate this, we will leverage established Cardano community leaders and channels for promotion, and provide incentives such as exclusive access to expert-led workshops.

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

(Months 1-3):

•Organize the first series of local and virtual meetups.

•Hold the first hackathon (with at least 50 participants).

•Set up the online community platform and begin engagement.

(Months 4-6):

•Continue monthly meetups.

•Organize workshops for developers and educators.

•Start preparing for the second hackathon.

(Months 7-9):

•Hold the second hackathon (targeting at least 75 participants).

•Share open-source projects developed during the first hackathon with the community.

•Strengthen the online community by hosting monthly discussions and coding challenges.

(Months 10-12):

•Organize the final hackathon (targeting at least 100 participants).

•Publish a detailed project report and video summary of the events.

•Plan the long-term sustainability of the community beyond the project duration.

Resources:

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

Project Lead: robel nigatu, experienced in organizing blockchain events and community management. LinkedIn

Technical Lead: blockchain developer and educator. LinkedIn

Event Coordinator: event management specialist with experience in tech communities. LinkedIn

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

Meetups: ₳15,000 (venue, refreshments, marketing, speaker fees for 12 meetups).

Hackathons: ₳30,000 (prizes, logistics, platform fees for three hackathons).

Workshops and Training: ₳10,000 (materials, speaker fees, and platform setup).

Marketing and Community Building: ₳10,000 (social media, promotional materials, and online management).

Miscellaneous/Contingency: ₳10,000 (unforeseen costs).

Auditability:

•We will provide transparent and detailed reports for each event, including attendance, feedback, and project outcomes. These will be published on a public GitHub repository alongside open-source code, making it easy for the community to track progress. Additionally, our online community platform will provide real-time updates on ongoing activities, enabling Cardano stakeholders to audit the success of this initiative.

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

•The requested ₳75,000 will deliver high-value outputs, such as open-source projects and community growth, which directly support Cardano’s long-term adoption and innovation. The project is designed to maximize community engagement, ensuring that the outcomes will benefit the broader ecosystem both immediately and in the future.