Token Gating Real World Assets with NFTs/DIDs - Short Term Asset Rental Booking & Property Management Platform

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Daniel Mallett

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

Entity (Not Incorporated)

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

12

[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)

DIDs can verify renters' intent & qualifications for accessing certain assets, amenities or privileges by considering local regulations, rental history, certifications, attended workshops etc.

[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

Appropriate licenses will be determined as the project develops.

[METADATA] Horizons

Identity & Verification

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

As an active asset host & traveler/renter on Airbnb, VRBO, Turo, Hipcamp, Harvest Hosts & Outdoorsy for the past 8 years I’ve identified many areas/features that could be improved if integrated with web3 tools. 

More specifically though, my unique goals & visions for a network of community-driven art, wellness & sustainable lifestyle-focused retreat properties have met logistical challenges that the current business models & systems just can’t tackle. By integrating blockchain technologies, we can solve problems like certifying a guest is qualified to use sensitive, expensive or potentially dangerous equipment or assets. We can certify that a practitioner that’s rented a location to host a retreat is actually experienced or qualified to work with that modality or that a hosts assets have been properly maintained, are safe to use & so much more!

I'll share a couple examples from just one of the many spaces we're creating. One of our Southern California locations is outfitted with a glass art studio, hypnagogic light therapy machine & much more but I'll just use those two examples.

Glass Blowing - The equipment involved with both experiences can be very dangerous, the list for glass art is long from the gases that are used to create the 1200 degree flame from the torch to the fumes created from the molten glass, the hot kiln or necessary eye protection from the glow of the flame or molten/shattering glass. The liability is huge, the risk outweighs the reward. But what if you could be a certified glassblower on our platform? You could travel & rent a fully outfitted home studio for your art or with our "Guide" certification even offer a workshop our or your online following & earn a living on the go :-). Workshop attendees would receive an NFT that would be their evolving DID certifying their growing rental & workshop history, maybe someday they'll be qualified to trustlessly book a private home glass studio on their own at any location on our network.

Hypnagocic Light Therapy - This is a very powerful tool for meditation, healing, creativity, rest, psychedelic visuals & so much more. That said, it can be dangerous to do unattended for the first time. It can trigger seizures in approximately 1 in 3000 people with a sensitivity to strobing light. It's also an expensive & delicate piece of equipment. What if a supervised session certifying it's safe to use on your own, made it available to you for unlimited sessions during your stay at any location in our network or as a certified "Guide" you could host & monetize a retreat offering that modality?

Using smart contracts, DID's & other tools we can protect hosts, renters/guests & even neighbors, from injury, and asset damage/loss while creating a marketplace that currently doesn't exist, allowing us to offer unique assets, services & experiences.

Our project will engage anyone interested in offering & or learning new skills or methods to heal, grow, create, work, connect & thrive in life.

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

• Onboard new contributing members while guiding their deep dive into all the Cardano ecosystem has to offer.
• Educate with an equitable and free online curriculum for exponential Cardano onboarding 
• Partner with Cardano’s community through cross promotion & utilization of tools, services & Cardano assets offered by projects & individuals currently contributing to the Cardano ecosystem.
• Track guest & co-host experience, work, milestones & analytics as we share them through "socials" & spreadsheet report with the Cardano Community.
• Expand our outreach by offering unique benefits features & reciprocity benefits to onboarded host locations & their guests.
• Incentivize all of our personal past & future guests since 2016, along with the past guests of all hosts onboarded from other existing platforms, to interact with Cardano in order to access the benefits of our reward program, upgrade their Cardano NFT passport & much more.

[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?

Phase 1: Research and Feasibility Study

Understanding Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs)

• Research the technical architecture of DIDs: Explore standards such as W3C specifications and understand how DIDs are created, managed, and used.
• Investigate DID authentication mechanisms and how they can be securely stored and accessed.
• Examine current blockchain platforms that support DIDs (e.g., Sovrin, Hyperledger Indy, Ethereum).

Identify Target Users and Use Cases

• Define the types of assets or amenities for which renter certification is necessary (e.g., vacation rentals, co-working spaces, vehicles, event spaces).
• Segment users into categories: renters, asset owners, service providers, and administrators.
• Outline user personas, identifying their needs for a secure, verified rental process.

Credential Verification Process

• Research methods to validate rental history (e.g., blockchain-based registries, partnerships with rental platforms like Airbnb or VRBO).
• Investigate how DIDs can be linked to verified credentials such as licenses, certifications, or educational achievements from workshops or institutions.
• Explore existing credential-issuing systems (e.g., Verifiable Credentials) and how to integrate them into DIDs.

Privacy and Security

• Conduct research into the legal and regulatory frameworks for decentralized identifiers, privacy, and data protection (GDPR, CCPA).
• Investigate encryption and privacy-preserving mechanisms to ensure secure credential storage and protection of sensitive user data.

DID Integration and Interoperability

• Explore the technical feasibility of integrating DIDs into existing rental platforms or creating a standalone system.
• Research interoperability standards for DIDs, ensuring that credentials from different issuers (rental platforms, workshops) can be easily verified.

Phase 2: Concept Development and System Architecture

Define Functional Requirements

• Specify the exact data points that need to be captured (rental history, verified credentials, workshop attendance).
• Determine the role of each participant in the platform: Who will issue DIDs? Who verifies them? Who consumes this data to make decisions about asset access?

Develop the DID Certification Process

• Design the workflow for issuing, verifying, and validating DIDs for renters.
• Determine how DIDs will be updated with new credentials (e.g., after a renter attends a workshop).
• Define how asset owners or service providers will access renter data based on DIDs.

Design Access Control Mechanisms

• Develop the logic that governs access to assets and amenities based on DID information (e.g., rental history score, workshops attended).
• Explore smart contracts to automate the approval or denial of access based on predefined rules.

Platform Architecture Design

• Draft the system architecture, outlining how DIDs will be created, stored, and accessed.
• Plan how decentralized storage solutions (e.g., IPFS) or permissioned ledgers will be integrated into the platform to store relevant data.

User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX)

• Design user flows for both renters and asset owners, focusing on simplicity and clarity when verifying and utilizing DIDs.
• Create wireframes or prototypes for the renter certification dashboard, where users can view their credentials and submit them for verification.

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

DID Research and Technical Feasibility (22,000 ADA)

• Objective: Complete an in-depth study of DIDs, including how they can be used for rental certification, and evaluate blockchain platforms to implement DIDs.
• Tasks: Technical research on DID standards, target platform evaluation, blockchain selection.
• Budget Allocation:
• Research & Technical Study of DIDs: 12,000 ADA
• Interoperability Research & Technical Feasibility: 7,000 ADA
• Legal Compliance & Credential Verification Research (Initial phase): 3,000 ADA

Market Analysis and User Research (13,000 ADA)

• Objective: Conduct detailed market research to understand renter and asset owner needs, and define user personas for the platform.
• Tasks: Interviews, surveys, and focus groups to explore potential use cases, needs, and pain points.
• Budget Allocation:
• Target User Research & Market Analysis: 8,000 ADA
• Legal Compliance & Credential Verification Research (Continued phase): 5,000 ADA

DID Certification and Credential Verification Plan (20,000 ADA)

• Objective: Define the DID certification process, including how credentials will be verified, issued, and updated.
• Tasks: Design the certification and credential verification workflow, including integration with existing systems and platforms.
• Budget Allocation:
• DID Certification Workflow Design: 10,000 ADA
• Define Functional Requirements: 5,000 ADA
• Legal Compliance & Credential Verification Research (Final phase): 5,000 ADA

Platform Architecture and Access Control Design (28,000 ADA)

• Objective: Design the technical architecture and access control mechanisms to support the platform's functionality.
• Tasks: Design system architecture, develop access control logic, and ensure platform security and scalability.
• Budget Allocation:
• Platform Architecture and Access Control Design: 15,000 ADA
• Privacy and Security Design (Initial phase): 13,000 ADA

UI/UX Design and Prototyping (12,000 ADA)

• Objective: Create a user-friendly interface for renters, asset owners, and administrators.
• Tasks: UI/UX design for the renter certification dashboard, prototyping, and initial user testing.
• Budget Allocation:
• UI/UX Design and Prototyping: 12,000 ADA

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

Daniel Mallett (Project Lead, Sharing Economy Entrepeneur, Traveling Educator)

• Twitter handle @ChivalrousOne / @FlowerDenNFT
• Attended CNFT 2022, NFTxLV 2023, Rare Bloom 2024 events & Float Conference 2018-2024
• Sharing economy entrepreneur with multiple short term rental locations and towable trailers to support Cardano IRL events
• 8 years short term rental property design, management & maintenance.
• 10 years of sales, marketing & project management experience within the construction industry.
• Successfully hosted multiple artistic wellness retreats
• Offering Artist incubator program at Flower Den Retreats 
• Currently outfitting Flower Den Retreats locations with tools for wellbeing & human optimization: Float tanks, cold plunge, sauna, hypnagogic light therapy & more. 
• Outreach efforts have successfully brought many Web 2.0 connections to Cardano
• Goal to grow existing Short Term Rental network into a global platform integrated with Cardano, guided by a DAO structure, token gating with NFTs & crypto payments for real estate rentals worldwide 

Angie Weeks (Traveling Realtor/Broker, Educator, & Artist)

• Twitter handle @AngieWeeks / YouTube @HomebuyingRegistry 
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieweeks/ 
• Founded Cal Coast Web Design, a successful Web 2.0 marketing & SEO company
• Networked and well connected for 20+ years in the real estate industry; including marketing, sales, and CA Broker’s license
• Created Vow2Save, a crowdfunding platform for Homeownership, with a goal to transition into Web 3.0 with DAO2Save
• Passionately educates on ways to become financially free through owning property, including a 12 year running annual event with Chapman University, National Association of Women in Real Estate Business (NAWRB), and Young Professionals Network (YPN) called Homeownership Day
• Homeownership Day is now a virtual event, and was a pioneer in offering free classes on safely buying property with cryptocurrency. HOD offers educational courses, tutorials, and guides to help empower anyone interested to buy property.
• Mints a commemorative NFT for every closed real estate transaction on Cardano blockchain to raise awareness
• Goal to eventually incorporate every real estate transaction on the blockchain
• Attended CNFT 2022 & NFTxLV 2023 events
• Regularly conducts and hosts video interviews, workshops, and IRL gatherings at her Short Term Rental spaces

Daniel Mallett

• Onboard Asset Owners & Platform Users
• Travel & work events
• Business Developement
• Partnership acquisition
• Sub-Contract negotiation
• Project management
• Content creation
• Branding & sales
• Web Design
• SEO

Angie Weeks

• Curriculum curation
• Travel & work events
• Marketing
• Web Design
• SEO

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

Summary of Milestones and Budget:

1. Milestone 1: DID Research and Technical Feasibility – 22,000 ADA
2. Milestone 2: Market Analysis and User Research – 13,000 ADA
3. Milestone 3: DID Certification and Credential Verification Plan – 20,000 ADA
4. Milestone 4: Platform Architecture and Access Control Design – 28,000 ADA
5. Milestone 5: UI/UX Design and Prototyping – 12,000 ADA

Budget Overview (95,000 ADA)

Phase 1: Research and Feasibility Study

Research & Technical Study of DIDs – 12,000 ADA

• Research DID standards, authentication mechanisms, and platforms that support decentralized identifiers (e.g., Sovrin, Hyperledger).
• Review blockchain technologies and DID integration into rental platforms.

Target User Research and Market Analysis – 8,000 ADA

• Define user personas: renters, asset owners, service providers, and administrators.
• Conduct surveys, interviews, and market research to understand user needs and validate use cases.

Credential Verification & Legal Compliance Research – 10,000 ADA

• Explore credential verification mechanisms (e.g., rental history registries, workshops) and their integration into DIDs.
• Research privacy, security, and data protection regulations (GDPR, CCPA), focusing on DID data management.

Interoperability Research & Technical Feasibility – 7,000 ADA

• Investigate interoperability standards for DIDs across platforms and how they can be implemented in the rental industry.
• Explore DID integration with existing rental platforms or standalone systems.

Phase 2: Concept Development and System Architecture

Define Functional Requirements – 5,000 ADA

• Specify the exact data points required (rental history, verified credentials, etc.).
• Outline the certification process and roles of platform participants.

DID Certification Workflow Design – 10,000 ADA

• Develop the DID certification workflow, ensuring that credentials can be validated and renters can be certified.
• Define how asset owners will access and verify DID information.

Platform Architecture and Access Control Design – 15,000 ADA

• Design the overall platform architecture, including decentralized storage options for credentials.
• Develop access control mechanisms and smart contract logic.

UI/UX Design and Prototyping – 15,000 ADA

• Create user interface designs and workflows for renters, asset owners, and administrators.
• Develop clickable prototypes to test user flows and gather feedback before full development.

Privacy and Security Design – 13,000 ADA

• Implement encryption and privacy-preserving features for managing sensitive user data.
• Conduct initial security testing, including threat modeling and vulnerability analysis.

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

Let alone the potential sphere of influence each individual we introduce to Cardano has, the average group size hosted at our locations are 4-10 guests with 8 being the average. Between our 4 active locations we average about 10 groups per month. We're prepared to onboard more locations from our database of verbally committed asset hosts currently using other platforms, some able to offer accommodations to dozens of guests at their large acreage campgrounds. All guests will be incentivized to at the very least set up a wallet to hold our NFT's in order to benefit from token-gated assets, discounts, amenities or experiences offered at our retreats/workshops.

We will drive the adoption of new users to the Cardano ecosystem while offering further utility to other projects/communities with Cardano native assets.

We ask for support in creating a minimum viable product to host our own listings & begin onboarded other asset hosts & users. At this point the platform will be sustainable & likely move towards creating a DAO structure, crowdfunding & or submitting future proposals in the Products category to help scale more quickly.

We're grateful to the community for your support to this point & your time while considering our proposal. We believe in Cardano tech, the community & are here to stay.