Onboarding to Web3: Modular Applications for Web2 Builders

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

Onboarding to Web3: Modular Applications for Web2 Builders

[Proposal Summary] Budget Information

Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA

100000

[Proposal Summary] Time

Please specify how many months you expect your project to last

6

[Proposal Summary] Translation Information

Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated

No

Original Language

en

[Proposal Summary] Problem Statement

What is the problem you want to solve?

The learning curve for Web2 developers & businesses cause delays in adoption and ecosystem growth.

[Proposal Summary] Supporting Documentation

Supporting links

• https://vakaconsulting.io
,
• https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/projects/1100122
,
• https://github.com/Vaka-Consulting/ecosystem-marketplace-app
,
• https://github.com/Vaka-Consulting/vaka-web3

[Proposal Summary] Project Dependencies

Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'

No dependencies

[Proposal Summary] Project Open Source

Will your project's outputs be fully open source?

Yes

License and Additional Information

MIT License

[Theme Selection] Theme

Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal

Developer Tools

[Campaign Category] Category Questions

Mention your open source license and describe your open source license rationale.

The project will be released under the MIT License, a widely used, OSI-approved license that allows broad reuse, modification, and distribution while ensuring attribution. This aligns with our goal to enable developers to freely adapt modules for their specific needs, foster community contributions, and encourage commercial adoption. MIT’s simplicity and permissive nature reduce barriers for Web2 teams adopting Web3 technologies on Cardano.

How do you make sure your source code is accessible to the public from project start, and people are informed?

A public GitHub repository will be created at project start, containing initial boilerplate code and a roadmap. All development will use version control with clear commit messages and tagged releases. Progress updates will be posted in the repository README and shared through regular Cardano community channels. Issues and discussions will be open for feedback, ensuring transparency, community engagement, and traceable evolution of the codebase from day one.

How will you provide high quality documentation?

Comprehensive user and developer documentation will be maintained in the public repo, including a README, setup guides, module integration instructions, and API references. Docs will follow a clear structure with visuals, examples, and use cases. We will use documentation following the standard format in GitHub public repositories. There would be an architectural diagram for some of the modules and parts on how they work. Updates will accompany each release to ensure accuracy, enabling developers to implement the modules quickly and effectively.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

We will make it easy for Web2 developers to build on Cardano by giving them an open-source, production-ready Web3 application template that works out-of-the-box.

With Catalyst funding, Vaka Consulting will develop a fully open-source modular Web3 application template that enables Web2 developers to quickly integrate blockchain features into their projects without having to build foundational components from scratch.

The template will be structured as a collection of independent, interchangeable modules, allowing projects to select only the Web3 capabilities they need:

• Web3 Authentication – Email-based login that auto-generates a wallet for non-Web3 users, wallet-based login, or token-gated access (integrated from the existing vaka-web3 library).
• Token Minting – Configurable module for minting fungible or non-fungible tokens.
• Fractional NFTs – Smart contract minting where an NFT is locked in a contract and can be redeemed only when all associated fractional tokens are burned.
• Proof of Authenticity – CIP-99 compliant token issuance triggered by scanning a QR code on a physical device.
• NFT Marketplace – Trading platform module based on open-source code from a prior Catalyst-funded project.
• Token Staking – Allows users to stake fungible tokens and track rewards per parameters set in the application.

Each module will include:

• On-chain code – Smart contracts.
• Off-chain backend – APIs, database, monitoring, and processing logic.
• Frontend code – UI components that can be styled to match the project’s brand.

The template will be deployable as a fully functional application out-of-the-box, requiring only branding and token specification updates. By reducing complexity and offering production-ready Web3 features, it accelerates onboarding for Web2 developers and promotes Cardano ecosystem adoption.

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

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

This project will lower the barrier for Web2 developers to become productive in the Cardano ecosystem, expanding the pool of builders and accelerating dApp delivery. By providing a ready-to-use, modular template with on-chain, backend, and frontend components, developers can focus on innovation rather than boilerplate code.

For the wider Cardano community, this delivers:

• Faster onboarding – Web2 developers can deploy functional Web3 apps within days, not months.
• Reusable open-source modules – Future projects can adopt individual modules (e.g., NFT marketplace, staking) without needing the entire template.
• Ecosystem growth – More applications launching on Cardano increases user adoption, on-chain activity, and community engagement.
• Developer empowerment – Teams retain full control to adapt, extend, and integrate modules into proprietary or open projects under the MIT license.
• Demonstrated best practices – The template’s architecture, documentation, and code quality can serve as a reference model for new Catalyst projects.

By bridging the Web2–Web3 gap, this initiative not only creates a high-value tool for developers but also positions Cardano as a practical, accessible platform for diverse use cases.

[Your Project and Solution] Capabilities & 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?

Vaka Consulting has a proven track record of delivering high-impact, production-ready Web3 solutions on Cardano. We were the lead developer for the Empowa platform, a long-running Cardano-based project that enables tokenised affordable housing and impact financing. This complex, multi-year initiative required designing and implementing secure smart contracts, scalable backend infrastructure, and user-friendly interfaces—experience directly relevant to building robust, modular Web3 applications.

Our credentials include:

• Successful Catalyst delivery – Developed the open-source NFT marketplace funded by Catalyst, now publicly available for reuse.
• Production-grade Web3 architecture – Experience from Empowa in integrating on-chain logic with reliable backend systems, handling sensitive user data, and ensuring performance at scale.
• Specialist in modular design – Proven ability to create independent, reusable modules that can be customised for diverse projects.
• End-to-end capability – Expertise across smart contracts, backend APIs, database management, monitoring, and responsive frontend design.
• Community engagement & open source – Established process for maintaining public repositories, documenting code, and collaborating with Cardano developers.

Feasibility is further strengthened by the fact that several modules for this project—such as Web3 authentication and the NFT marketplace—are already developed. This reduces technical risk and shortens delivery time. We will follow a milestone-based approach with public code releases and transparent updates from project start to completion.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

Project Setup & Architecture Design

Milestone Outputs

• Confirm functional scope for all modules.
• Finalise modular architecture and integration plan.
• Public GitHub repo created with boilerplate code and roadmap.
• Creation of basic locally deployable minimal stack of core modules.

Acceptance Criteria

• Scope and architecture approved by Vaka Consulting and community reviewers.
• Repo accessible with initial commits and documentation outline.

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Evidence of Completion

• Signed off on the scope document and architecture diagrams.
• Public repository link with initial commit history.

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Delivery Month

1

Cost

15000

Milestone Title

Core Modules Development & Integration

Milestone Outputs

• Development of UI Components.
• Integration of existing Web3 Authentication (vaka-web3) into template.
• Integration of NFT Marketplace from prior Catalyst project.
• Development of Token Minting module for fungible and non-fungible tokens.
• Development of Token Staking module with reward tracking.

Acceptance Criteria

• All modules are functional in local and testnet environments.
• Unit tests confirm module functionality.

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Evidence of Completion

• Testnet transaction IDs.
• Public repo commits showing code and test results.

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Delivery Month

3

Cost

35000

Milestone Title

Advanced Modules & Backend Infrastructure

Milestone Outputs

• Development of Fractional NFTs module with associated smart contracts.
• Development of Proof of Authenticity QR-based token issuance module.
• Backend APIs, database, and monitoring services deployed.
• Integration of all modules into a working template application.

Acceptance Criteria

• All modules functional in integrated environment.
• Backend performance tests passed.

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Evidence of Completion

• Testnet/mainnet transaction IDs.
• Public repo commits showing backend code, integration, and test results.

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Delivery Month

5

Cost

35000

Milestone Title

Documentation, Release & Community Demo

Milestone Outputs

• Comprehensive developer and user documentation.
• Architectural Diagram of overall modules
• Public release of template application on GitHub with MIT license.
• Community demonstration (video walkthrough + live Q&A).

Acceptance Criteria

• Documentation meets standards for clarity and completeness.
• Repo tagged with v1.0 release.

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Evidence of Completion

• Public link to final repo and docs site.
• Recording of community demo.

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Delivery Month

6

Cost

15000

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Milestone Allocation

Milestone Description Cost (ada)

1 Project Setup & Architecture Design 15,000

2 Core Modules Development & Integration 35,000

3 Advanced Modules & Backend Infrastructure 35,000

4 Documentation, Release & Community Demo 15,000

Total 100,000

Resource Allocation

Resource Role in Project Cost (ada)

Smart Contract Development. Fractional NFT contracts, staking logic, token minting. 30,000

Backend/API Engineering. Database setup, API development, monitoring services. 25,000

Frontend Development. UI components, template integration, responsive design. 20,000

DevOps & Deployment. Testnet/mainnet deployments, CI/CD setup 10,000

Project Management Planning, stakeholder coordination, milestone tracking 7,500

Documentation & Community Engagement Guides, demos, and developer resources 7,500

Total 100,000

[Final Pitch] Value for Money

How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?

This project represents strong value for Catalyst investment by delivering a high-quality, fully open-source modular Web3 application template that will accelerate Cardano adoption by Web2 developers.

Key value points:

• Leverages existing assets – Reusable and extensible – Each module will be independently u By integrating proven modules like vaka-web3 authentication and the Catalyst-funded NFT marketplace, we reduce development time and risk, ensuring more functionality for the same budget.
• Reusable and extensible – Each module will be independently usable in other projects, multiplying impact beyond the template itself.
• Accelerates developer onboarding – Web2 teams can launch production-ready Cardano dApps without building foundational infrastructure from scratch.
• Proven delivery capability – Vaka Consulting’s leadership on the Empowa platform and prior Catalyst successes demonstrates the ability to deliver complex, well-documented solutions.
• Scalable ecosystem benefit – The modular architecture can be expanded with new features over time, either by Vaka Consulting or community contributors, ensuring ongoing value to the Cardano developer ecosystem.

By combining pre-existing modules, robust technical expertise, and a commitment to open-source accessibility, this project will deliver lasting developer infrastructure at a cost that is efficient and transparent.

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

Terms and Conditions:

Yes