Cardano Hub at Konma Xperience Center: Empowering Innovation and Community

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Advitha Ashok

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

Entity (Incorporated)

[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)

We will create a Cardano Hub at Konma Xperience in Chennai, offering continuous learning, hackathons and events to engage young talent and drive ongoing involvement in the 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 the educational materials will be open to public.

[METADATA] Horizons

Community

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

How we perceive the problem: Chennai has a highly engaged Web3 community but lacks a consistent space for them to actively learn, collaborate and engage with the Cardano ecosystem. Current opportunities are limited to occasional events, leaving little room for sustained involvement. This gap hampers the growth of a dedicated local community that can contribute to Cardano's global footprint.

Our Approach: We will establish a Cardano Hub at the Konma Xperience Center, providing continuous learning and development opportunities. Over a period of 5 months, we will conduct one workshop every month, focusing on educating the community about Cardano, blockchain fundamentals, decentralized finance (DeFi), NFTs and smart contract development. In addition, we will organize two hackathons during this period, aimed at engaging developers and innovators to build real-world solutions using Cardano.

Our workshops will not only focus on theory but will include practical, hands-on sessions that equip participants with the skills to actively engage with Cardano’s ecosystem. These hackathons will be structured to encourage the development of Cardano-based dApps, NFTs and blockchain solutions for local industries like food, art and lifestyle. Each hackathon will have mentorship support, ensuring that participants receive technical guidance to successfully implement their ideas.

Who we engage: We will reach out to students, developers and entrepreneurs from sectors such as food, art and lifestyle, creating a bridge between the technical and non-technical communities. By offering a dedicated space for continuous engagement, we will attract young talent looking to immerse themselves in the Web3 world, as well as local businesses interested in blockchain's real-world applications.

Demonstrating Impact: We will measure the impact through:

• Workshop participation: Tracking attendance and participation at the monthly workshops.
• Hackathon projects: Counting the number of projects submitted and their alignment with Cardano’s ecosystem.
• Community growth: Monitoring the growth of the local Cardano community, including partnerships formed and increased developer engagement.
• Feedback & partnerships: Gathering feedback from participants and forging partnerships with local educational institutions and businesses.

What makes us unique: The Konma Xperience Center is already a hub for innovation in industries such as food, art and lifestyle. This gives us a unique advantage in showcasing the practical use of Cardano in real-world scenarios. By leveraging our diverse community and infrastructure, we will not only educate developers but also demonstrate blockchain’s tangible benefits in everyday industries. We are also startegically located in the Tech corridor of Chennai city with various Tech companies and Colleges surrounding our space. This makes it the perfect location to attract our target audience group.

Why this is important to Cardano: By creating a dedicated Cardano Hub in one of India’s major tech cities, we are laying the foundation for long-term ecosystem growth. Chennai, with its vibrant developer community and innovative industries, offers tremendous potential for grassroots adoption of Cardano. Our initiative will create a continuous stream of developers, businesses and creators who actively contribute to Cardano’s mission of decentralization and global adoption.

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

Our project will provide a consistent, long-term platform to engage the Web3 community in Chennai, facilitating Cardano’s growth through education, developer outreach and real-world blockchain applications. By creating a dedicated space for workshops and hackathons, we aim to:

• Increase awareness and understanding of Cardano’s potential in various industries.
• Support the creation of innovative dApps and NFTs on Cardano, further enriching the ecosystem.
• Onboard new users and developers to actively participate in the Cardano network, contributing to its global expansion.

Measuring Impact:

We will measure impact through:

• Quantitative metrics: Number of workshops, hackathons, participants and projects developed using Cardano.
• Qualitative metrics: Participant feedback, new partnerships formed with local educational institutions and businesses and the success stories of projects developed at hackathons.

Sharing Outputs:

We will share our progress and outcomes with the wider Cardano community through:

• Workboard on Notion where all educational materials and hackathon details will be updated.
• Website with real time updates on Hackathon Projects and Workshops.
• Regular updates on social media and Cardano forums.
• Collaborations with the Cardano Foundation to promote these initiatives and encourage other cities to adopt similar models.

[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?

Existing Capabilities: We have a proven track record of successfully executing Cardano-related projects. In Fund 7, we were funded to build a Haskell developer pool, which we delivered through effective training sessions. This shows our ability to educate and onboard developers into the ecosystem. Our team includes skilled trainers and Haskell developers who can conduct workshops and hackathons with expertise.

Additionally, we have community leads experienced in hosting in-person Konma events and virtual events like Konma Pitchground on Konmaverse, which supported Project Catalyst proposals. These events have helped build a strong, engaged community.

Validating Feasibility: We’ve already established effective processes for event management, community engagement and developer training. Our team has successfully planned, organized and delivered multiple IRL and virtual events, demonstrating that our approach is not only feasible but scalable.

Steps to Ensure Accountability:

• Transparent Fund Management: We will provide regular financial updates and reports to the Cardano community through our open Notion Board to ensure full transparency on fund utilization.
• Regular Progress Updates: We’ll share milestones, project updates, images and videos of the event via our website with the community, detailing each phase of implementation and outcomes.
• Measurable Outcomes: Our approach will be validated through clear metrics such as participant numbers, projects developed and community feedback from workshops and hackathons.

Our past success, combined with a skilled team and a strong community foundation, positions us to deliver this project with high levels of trust and accountability.

View All our Past Education and Community Building sessions and Meetups Here

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nHzehSiYt9aWyjkQkG3q2Sqa6dAblPTQ/view?usp=sharing

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

Educational Content Development & Hackathon Structuring

Duration : 1 month (Week 1-4)

• Milestone Outputs
• Complete educational content for hybrid workshops.
• Structure hackathon formats, engagement platform design and Learning Management System (LMS) integration.
• Acceptance Criteria
• Finalized educational modules and hackathon framework.
• Fully functional LMS for workshop delivery.
• Development of hackathon engagement platform with real-time updates.
• Evidence of Milestone Completion
• Content and hackathon structure documentation.
• LMS live with workshop materials.
• Prototype/demo of hackathon platform.

Launch of Hackathon Engagement Platform, First Workshop, & Hackathon Onboarding

Duration: 1 month (Weeks 5-8)

• Milestone Outputs:
• Conduct the first hybrid workshop.
• Launch the hackathon engagement platform.
• Onboard participants for the first hackathon.
• Acceptance Criteria:
• Successful delivery of the first workshop.
• Hackathon platform live and functioning.
• Participants onboarded and projects ready for submission.
• Evidence of Milestone Completion:
• Workshop attendance records and feedback.
• Platform user metrics and project setups.
• Onboarding records and project confirmations.

First Hackathon Execution & Second Workshop

Duration: 2 months (Weeks 9-16)

• Milestone Outputs:
• Execute the first hackathon.
• Conduct the second hybrid workshop.
• Acceptance Criteria:
• Active participation and real-time project submissions.
• Workshop delivered with active engagement.
• Evidence of Milestone Completion:
• Hackathon project submissions and progress updates.
• Workshop materials and participant feedback.

Onboarding for Second Hackathon, & Third Workshop

Duration: 0.5 months (Weeks 17-20)

• Milestone Outputs:
• Conduct the third hybrid workshop.
• Reset and onboard participants for the second hackathon.
• Acceptance Criteria:
• Onboarding of new participants with projects ready for submission.
• Workshop delivered with engagement and feedback.
• Evidence of Milestone Completion:
• Onboarding data and project details for the second hackathon.
• Workshop report and feedback.

Second Hackathon Execution & Final Workshops

Duration: 2 months (Weeks 21-28)

• Milestone Outputs:
• Execute the second hackathon.
• Conduct the final two hybrid workshops.
• Acceptance Criteria:
• Active participation in the second hackathon.
• Final workshops delivered successfully.
• Evidence of Milestone Completion:
• Hackathon submissions and feedback.
• Workshop reports and participant engagement data.

Project Close-out: Final Report, Video, & Impact Assessment

Duration: 0.5 months (Weeks 29-30)

• Milestone Outputs:
• Produce a final report and project closeout video.
• Conduct an impact assessment.
• Acceptance Criteria:
• Completion of all project deliverables.
• Submission of final report and video to the community.
• Evidence of Milestone Completion:
• Final report and impact assessment metrics submitted.
• Closeout Video showcasing project results.

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

Advitha Ashok

A nutritionist and co-founder of Konma Org and founder of Diet and Beyond with expertise in both health tech and blockchain solutions. Currently leading Food and Lifestyle initiatives at Konma Xperience Center.

Vinay Devabhakthuni

A social entrepreneur and Founder of Konma Org with expertise in Socio-Technical System architecture. Currently leading the Usecases and Technology Development team at Konma Xperience Center.

Sathya Vijayan

Community Lead at Konma Xperience Center working on Talent engagement and Education initiatives.

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

Educational Content Development & Hackathon Structuring (23,000 ADA)

• Content Development (Educators & Experts): 7,000 ADA
• Hackathon Platform Development (Design & Software Integration): 10,000 ADA
• LMS Platform Subscription/Development Costs: 6,000 ADA

Workshops (5 Hybrid Workshops) (16,500 ADA)

• Venue & Equipment Costs (Per Workshop): 1,200 ADA x 5 = 6,000 ADA
• Instructor/Facilitator Fees: 1,500 ADA x 5 = 7,500 ADA
• Workshop Materials & Documentation: 600 ADA x 5 = 3,000 ADA

Hackathon Events (2 Hackathons) 23,500 ADA

• First Hackathon Prizes & Incentives: 7,000 ADA
• Second Hackathon Prizes & Incentives: 7,000 ADA
• Mentorship & Project Support (Both Hackathons): 5,000 ADA
• Platform Maintenance & Upgrades for Real-Time Updates: 4,500 ADA

Marketing, Community Engagement, & Promotion 9,500 ADA

• Social Media Campaigns & Outreach (Ads, Content Creation): 4,500 ADA
• Event Promotions (IRL & Virtual): 2,500 ADA
• Community Engagement (Platform Moderation, Ongoing Updates): 2,500 ADA

Project Management & Reporting 22,000 ADA

• Project Manager Fees (Over 6 months): 12,000 ADA
• Admin & Operational Support: 4,500 ADA
• Documentation & Final Report Preparation: 2,500 ADA
• Video Production for Final Report: 3,000 ADA

Miscellaneous 5,500 ADA

• Unexpected Costs & Contingency: 5,500 ADA

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

The costs outlined in this project are designed to deliver maximum value by focusing on both technical development and community engagement. We have carefully aligned our budget to industry standards, particularly for educational content development, mentorship and technical infrastructure like LMS and hackathon platforms.

The workshop and hackathon costs are proportionate to standard event fees in Chennai, a major metropolitan city in India. For example, educator and facilitator rates are competitive with the market average for skilled trainers. The project management fees are aligned with local wages, ensuring efficiency while maintaining a high standard of project delivery.

In return for these investments, the Cardano ecosystem will benefit from a dedicated hub in Chennai that fosters continuous engagement, real-world project development and long-term community growth. By building a sustained pipeline of developers, entrepreneurs and innovators, we will contribute to Cardano's global footprint in a key emerging market.

Additionally, the funds allocated for prizes, incentives and marketing will ensure high participation, not only locally but through hybrid virtual engagement, attracting developers across the country. This approach guarantees sustained involvement in Cardano's ecosystem while maximizing impact relative to costs.