QSTN: AI-Powered Survey Platform with Token Rewards for Cardano

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Orrin Campbell

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

Entity (Incorporated)

[GENERAL] Requested funds in ada

100000

[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)

QSTN enables businesses to fund surveys using tokens and NFTs on Cardano, rewarding participants while ensuring user privacy and data security with smart contracts and AI-generated surveys.

[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?

No

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

QSTN will open source its smart contracts. These contracts will be freely available, ensuring transparency and accessibility for businesses and developers to validate, replicate and fund surveys on Cardano.

[METADATA] Horizons

Learn to Earn

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

QSTN is a self-service AI-powered survey marketplace that allows businesses to fund surveys using tokens and NFTs, rewarding participants while ensuring user privacy through data wallet-driven profiles. By integrating with Cardano, we leverage smart contracts to automate reward distribution, ensuring transparency and user consent.

The problem we are solving is twofold: low user engagement in surveys due to a lack of meaningful incentives, and the issue of data privacy where users lack control over their personal data. We also address a significant onboarding challenge for Web3 products by allowing users to sign up using their email addresses, removing friction in the onboarding process. After survey completion, users are prompted to connect or create a Cardano wallet, allowing them to claim rewards and creating a Web2.5 bridge to ease users into Web3.

Our approach makes it easier for businesses to collect high-quality insights from engaged participants by utilizing AI-generated surveys and credibility scoring. This ensures both the efficiency and the integrity of data collection. The integration of Cardano smart contracts ensures that survey rewards are automatically dispensed once conditions are met.

This solution benefits businesses that need reliable data for decision-making and users who are rewarded for their time and data while having full control over it. It increases on-chain activity for Cardano, creating a seamless tool for incentivizing participation and expanding use cases within the ecosystem. By removing friction in onboarding and positioning QSTN as a Web2.5 platform, we set a new standard for data collection and user engagement in the Web3 space.

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

QSTN will significantly impact the Cardano community by centralizing marketing efforts through its streamlined, self-service survey platform. This allows dApps and projects to iterate faster by collecting user feedback directly, rewarding the community with native Cardano tokens. The integration of QSTN introduces a new use case for data on-chain, where businesses can fund surveys, and users are rewarded for contributing feedback and insights. It sets a new ethical standard for data collection by ensuring users maintain privacy and receive compensation for sharing their data.

By allowing users to sign up using email and prompting them to connect or create a wallet after completing surveys, QSTN acts as a Web2.5 bridge that reduces onboarding friction, encouraging more users to engage with the Cardano ecosystem. Each business funding a survey and each user claiming rewards creates on-chain activity, driving increased transaction volume and token usage.

We will measure our impact by tracking several key metrics, including the number of survey smart contracts deployed, the volume of rewards claimed, user growth, survey engagement rates, and token volume on-chain. Additionally, success will be determined by the partnerships formed with ecosystem projects and businesses leveraging QSTN for market research and user engagement.

Our outputs and insights will be shared through detailed case studies, community reports, and public demonstrations, encouraging further adoption within the Cardano ecosystem.

[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?

With over 3,000 active users across NEAR and Solana, we have demonstrated our capability to develop, deploy, and scale decentralized applications. We have successfully completed grants with both NEAR and Solana, leading to mainnet integration, which further solidifies our relationship with these ecosystems. This is evident as both NEAR and Solana amplify our initiatives, including retweeting our updates and offering marketing support.

In addition to these successes, we closed our pre-seed round with Outlier Ventures, underscoring the industry's confidence in our long-term vision. Outlier Ventures' investment in QSTN highlights their belief in our product and team, positioning us as a key player in the Web3 space.

In addition to our mainnet integrations and strong partnerships, we placed 3rd in the Amber Group BUIDL_QUESTS in 2024 and secured 2nd place in the Filecoin NFT Hackathon in 2022.

QSTN wins 3rd in Amber Group BUIDL_QUESTS

https://decrypt.co/283174/amber-group-announces-winners-of-buidl_quests-web3-innovation-challenge-and-unveils-new-incubated-project-acorn-network

QSTN graduates Outlier Ventures’ NEAR Base Camp - 

https://outlierventures.io/article/near-foundation-and-outlier-ventures-announce-the-first-near-base-camp-accelerator-cohort/ 

QSTN presents at Mintbase Demo Day - 

https://blog.mintbase.xyz/wrapping-up-mintbases-demo-day-f13fd192c8fc 

QSTN founder and CEO, Orrin, is featured on CoinDesk -

https://www.coindesk.com/video/crypto-outlook-2023-regulation-web3-daos-stablecoins-and-jobs/ 

QSTN wins the PARSIQ unicornization contest - 

https://hub.parsiq.net/unicornization 

QSTN graduates Octopus Network accelerator and receives their Star Prize - 

https://medium.com/oct-network/spring-2022-octopus-accelerator-star-prize-winners-d884456ce248 

QSTN graduates Filecoin x Encode Club incubator program - 

https://medium.com/encode-club/filecoin-accelerator-summary-94e30a571563 

QSTN places 2nd and 4th in NFT Hackathon hosted by Filecoin - 

https://medium.com/encode-club/nft-hack-finale-prizewinners-and-summary-a68be99f6c66 

QSTN graduates from the 1871 x BLK Tech Verizon Accelerator program - 

https://blog.1871.com/1871-launches-new-black-founder-accelerator

QSTN is featured on the NEAR Protocol Medium - 

https://medium.com/nearprotocol/qstn-is-launching-on-near-protocol-introducing-the-future-of-data-privacy-4c7567085666

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

Milestone 1: Initial Deployment and Survey Smart Contract Integration ($10,000)

Objectives:

• Develop and deploy smart contracts on the Cardano testnet, allowing businesses to fund surveys using Cardano tokens and NFTs.
• Integrate wallet functionality to allow users to claim rewards upon completion of surveys.
• Improve user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) for Cardano-specific functionalities and user interactions.
• Conduct initial testing of survey participation and reward distribution via smart contracts.

Outputs:

• A fully functional smart contract on Cardano testnet that businesses can use to fund surveys.
• A seamless user experience for survey participation and reward claiming.
• Integrated wallet for Cardano token transactions.

Acceptance Criteria:

• Completion of smart contract integration and successful testnet deployment.
• User interface adjustments for wallet integration and survey interaction.
• Successful execution of at least one survey contract on the testnet, demonstrating survey creation, user participation, and reward distribution.

Evidence of Milestone Completion:

• Testnet deployment logs and smart contract transaction data.
• Screenshots and documentation of the UI/UX improvements.
• Publicly verifiable records of smart contract functionality via Cardano testnet explorer.

Milestone 2: AI Survey Generation and Privacy Enhancements ($10,000)

Objectives:

• Integrate AI tools to help businesses draft optimized survey questions based on specific user input.
• Develop privacy-preserving user profiles so users can participate anonymously
• Update legal documentation (terms and conditions, privacy policy, and user agreements) in alignment with data privacy standards.
• Introduce gamification elements like leaderboards to encourage active user participation and engagement.

Outputs:

• AI-powered survey generation tools that businesses can use to create surveys more effectively.
• Privacy-preserving profiles that allow users to control how their data is shared and utilized.
• Legal documentation to ensure compliance with data protection and Cardano ecosystem standards.
• Implementation of leaderboard and gamification features to drive user engagement.

Acceptance Criteria:

• AI tools fully functional and able to generate surveys based on business inputs.
• Privacy-preserving profiles integrated, allowing users to manage and share data.
• Updated legal documentation ready for public use, aligned with regulatory guidelines.
• Active leaderboard and gamification features integrated into the platform.
• 
  

Evidence of Milestone Completion:

• Functioning AI survey generation demo with test results.
• Documentation demonstrating how privacy-preserving profiles work and how data permissions are managed.
• Completed legal documentation published on the platform.
• Leaderboard participation data and user engagement metrics.

Milestone 3: Mainnet Deployment, Ecosystem Collaboration, and User Onboarding ($15,000)

Objectives:

• Deploy the QSTN platform on the Cardano mainnet, allowing businesses to fund surveys using Cardano tokens and NFTs.
• Implement a user onboarding campaign to bring 1,000 survey completions across 1,000 unique users into the Cardano ecosystem through survey participation.
• Measure and report on the total number of surveys completed, Cardano tokens distributed, and user growth within the ecosystem.
• Publish a case study to highlight platform performance, collaboration results, and user insights within the Cardano community.

Outputs:

• Full deployment of the QSTN platform on the Cardano mainnet, complete with smart contract capabilities.
• Achieve 1,000 survey completions, boosting user engagement and ecosystem activity.
• Partnerships with ecosystem projects to fund surveys and distribute rewards.
• A comprehensive case study demonstrating QSTN’s performance and impact on the Cardano ecosystem.

Acceptance Criteria:

• Successful deployment of the QSTN platform on the Cardano mainnet.
• Execution of at least one survey funded by one ecosystem project.
• 1,000 users successfully onboarded, completing surveys, and receiving rewards in Cardano tokens.
• Case study published and shared publicly, demonstrating measurable platform success and user engagement.

Evidence of Milestone Completion:

• Verifiable smart contract transactions on the Cardano mainnet.
• On-chain records showing 1,000 users completing surveys and receiving token rewards.
• Publicly available case study report detailing survey outcomes, user growth, and business engagement.

Milestone 3: Mainnet Deployment, Ecosystem Collaboration, and User Onboarding ($15,000)

Objectives:

• Deploy the QSTN platform on the Cardano mainnet, allowing businesses to fund surveys using Cardano tokens and NFTs.
• Implement a user onboarding campaign to bring 1,000 survey completions across 1,000 unique users into the Cardano ecosystem through survey participation.
• Measure and report on the total number of surveys completed, Cardano tokens distributed, and user growth within the ecosystem.
• Publish a case study to highlight platform performance, collaboration results, and user insights within the Cardano community.

Outputs:

• Full deployment of the QSTN platform on the Cardano mainnet, complete with smart contract capabilities.
• Achieve 1,000 survey completions, boosting user engagement and ecosystem activity.
• Partnerships with ecosystem projects to fund surveys and distribute rewards.
• A comprehensive case study demonstrating QSTN’s performance and impact on the Cardano ecosystem.

Acceptance Criteria:

• Successful deployment of the QSTN platform on the Cardano mainnet.
• Execution of at least one survey funded by one ecosystem project.
• 1,000 users successfully onboarded, completing surveys, and receiving rewards in Cardano tokens.
• Case study published and shared publicly, demonstrating measurable platform success and user engagement.

Evidence of Milestone Completion:

• Verifiable smart contract transactions on the Cardano mainnet.
• On-chain records showing 1,000 users completing surveys and receiving token rewards.
• Publicly available case study report detailing survey outcomes, user growth, and business engagement.

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

Orrin Campbell, CEO: A marketing graduate from NYU, Orrin is an influential figure in the entertainment industry with millions of streams and followers. His media presence has been showcased on platforms like Dr. Phil, and his degree in marketing adds valuable insights to QSTN's growth strategy.

Twitter - https://twitter.com/realorrin

Instagram - https://instagram.com/realorrin

Linkedin - https://linkedin.com/in/realorrin

GitHub - https://github.com/qstnus

Artem Zaitsev, CTO: Artem Zaitsev is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of QSTN and the founder of Idealogic, a leading development agency. With over a decade of experience and expertise in more than 15 blockchain platforms, Artem has been a significant figure in the blockchain space since 2014.

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/artem-zaitsev-b65825137 

GitHub - https://www.linkedin.com/in/artem-zaitsev-b65825137?originalSubdomain=pl

Anibal Suriel, Chief Legal Officer: An NYU alum with a remarkable legal career, Anibal has worked for prestigious firms like KARM and R3. He possesses extensive legal expertise and is admitted to the bar in three states: New York, Florida, and Washington DC.

Linkedin - https://linkedin.com/in/anibal-suriel-esq

Brigitte Pinewiski, Chief Partnership Officer & Web3 Physician: An author of "Wealthcare: Demystifying Web3 and the Rise of Personal Data Economies," Brigitte is also a Healthcare Advisor, Nex Cubed member, and TiE Board and Charter Member. Her expertise in Web3 and AI adds a unique perspective to the team, aligning with QSTN's focus on innovation in the healthcare realm. 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brigittepiniewski/ 

Raafi Fauzi, Creative Director: A graphic designer with over 5 years of experience, previously working at a local design agency in Indonesia he now handles all QSTN style and design.

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raafig/ 

Daniel Fadely, Financial Analyst: An NYU alum with a strong finance and investment background, Daniel's involvement in opening and running the investment club at NYU, along with experience in managing various portfolios, enhances the financial planning and analysis for QSTN.

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-f-436377203/ 

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

Budget & Costs:

• Smart Contract Development (10%)

This will involve developing and deploying smart contracts specific to survey logic on Cardano, ensuring proper interaction for survey completions, user claims, and business funding. The focus is on integrating the contracts into the workflow of businesses funding surveys and users claiming rewards.

• AI Development - Building Credibility Scores (15%)

This includes creating AI algorithms that assign credibility scores to survey responses, ensuring data quality for businesses using the platform. This component is critical for enhancing the trust and value businesses can extract from user data.

• AI Development - Building Privacy-Preserving Profiles (15%)

Developing privacy-preserving profiles that allow users to retain control over their data while still providing businesses with relevant insights. This aspect enhances the user experience and promotes trust within the Cardano ecosystem.

• Legal Updates (5%)

Updating terms and conditions, privacy policies, and user agreements to reflect Cardano's standards and the platform's enhanced privacy and security features. These updates are vital to ensure legal compliance and trust among businesses and users.

• Integrating Cardano Wallet (5%)

This involves integrating the Cardano wallet to facilitate secure transactions for both businesses funding surveys and users claiming their rewards. This is crucial for seamless interaction with the Cardano blockchain, though it's not the most resource-intensive part of the project.

• Survey Logic Integration (20%)

This is one of the most resource-heavy aspects, involving integrating survey logic into the workflow, enabling businesses to deploy surveys efficiently and users to complete them. It also includes developing mechanisms for the survey response workflow to sync with smart contracts for automatic rewards.

• Testing, Deployment, and Debugging (20%)

This involves rigorous testing on testnet, identifying bugs, debugging the system, and final deployment on the Cardano mainnet. This phase ensures the stability of the platform and the successful interaction of all components.

• Mainnet Costs - Smart Contract Deployment (10%)

Covering the ongoing costs of deploying each smart contract as more businesses join the platform and more surveys are issued. This also includes costs related to facilitating on-chain transactions for rewarding users with native tokens or NFTs.

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

QSTN delivers a self-service marketing platform that allows businesses (D'Apps) to centralize their marketing efforts and reward users on-chain for their participation. This will significantly increase on-chain activity, as businesses will fund surveys and users will claim rewards in Cardano’s native tokens. This creates a feedback loop, enhancing the utility of native tokens and driving broader ecosystem engagement.

The project also addresses a key pain point in onboarding Web2 users into the Web3 ecosystem, by allowing users to sign up with just an email. This eliminates the initial friction often associated with blockchain platforms and paves the way for smoother, more efficient onboarding processes. Once users complete surveys, they can connect a wallet to claim their rewards, thus motivating them to adopt blockchain technology.

By providing a platform that incentivizes participation and rewards users in native assets on-chain, QSTN establishes a new standard for consumer dApps, encouraging more use cases where businesses directly engage with consumers.

QSTN - US Patent 1:

https://patentcenter.uspto.gov/applications/17574566

QSTN - US Patent 2:

https://patentcenter.uspto.gov/applications/18211378