Cardano Innovation Hub: Build Developers, Launch Ventures

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

Cardano Innovation Hub: Build Developers, Launch Ventures

[Proposal Summary] Budget Information

Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA

60000

[Proposal Summary] Time

Please specify how many months you expect your project to last

10

[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?

Cardano's growth is bottlenecked by a shortage of skilled developers and new projects. Without a systematic talent pipeline, we risk losing the innovation race to competing ecosystems.

[Proposal Summary] Supporting Documentation

Supporting links

• https://www.bpsclub.com
,
• https://forum.cardano.org/t/cardano-blockchain-hackathon-vietnam-2024-22-9-2024-recap/136286
,
• https://forum.cardano.org/t/cardano-blockchain-hackathon-vietnam-2025/147650
,
• https://www.facebook.com/bpsclub.utc

[Proposal Summary] Project Dependencies

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

Yes

Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'

Our project has two main dependencies: University of Transport and Communications (UTC): We rely on our faculty at UTC for physical facilities (classrooms, labs) and communication channels for student recruitment. This dependency is well-managed, as we have an established collaborative relationship from our prior Cardano-related research activities at the university, which is evidenced by our published papers. Projects within the Cardano ecosystem: For our "bounty" and mentorship programs to be successful, we require the participation of other projects within the ecosystem. To mitigate this risk, we will proactively reach out to potential partners starting from Milestone 1. In the event of a shortage of external partners, we will create our own internal challenges based on real-world Cardano problems to ensure students still gain valuable hands-on experience.

[Proposal Summary] Project Open Source

Will your project's outputs be fully open source?

Yes

License and Additional Information

All project deliverables will be open-source to maximize their value to the Cardano community: Curriculum & teaching materials: All slides, lecture notes, and assignments will be publicly published on GitHub, allowing anyone to use, adapt, and improve upon them. Tools & libraries: Any auxiliary tools or libraries created during the project will also be released as open-source.

[Theme Selection] Theme

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

Education

[Campaign Category] Category Questions

Who you’re targeting, how you’ll reach them, and why this matters for Cardano.

Our primary target audience is the brightest and most ambitious students from the faculties of Technology, Engineering, and Economics at our univerisy, a top-tier university in Vietnam.

Our strategy for reaching this target audience is direct and highly effective, leveraging our established partnership:

• Direct university partnership: Our core channel is our formal collaboration with UTC.
• Multi-channel marketing campaign

This initiative directly addresses one of the most critical strategic challenges facing the Cardano ecosystem: the talent bottleneck.

Provide a list of key activities of your project?

• Formalizing the Hub's operational structure with the university.
• Developing the detailed curriculum, teaching materials, and student admission criteria.
• Delivering specialized technical training on core concepts like Aiken and dApp architecture..
• Facilitating weekly, intensive 1-on-1 mentorship sessions with technical and business experts.
• Organizing a "Grand Demo Day" to showcase the student projects to investors, recruiters, and the wider Cardano community.
• Supporting teams in their next steps, whether it's applying for Catalyst funding or connecting with job opportunities.

What are your success metrics?

• Partnerships: Secure at least 3 signed partnerships (MoU) with established Cardano projects or organizations by the end of Milestone 1.
• Recruitment: Successfully recruit a cohort of 20-30 high-caliber students.
• Retention: Achieve a student completion rate of over 85% for the program.
• MVPs developed: At least 5-7 student teams successfully develop.
• Open source contributions: At least 2 useful open-source tools or libraries released to the community.
• Ecosystem integration: At least 3 graduating teams submit a follow-on proposal to Project Catalyst or enter discussions with VCs.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

The growth of any technology ecosystem is ultimately constrained by one single factor: talent. Cardano is currently facing a strategic challenge on this front:

• Skilled talent shortage: The demand for skilled Cardano developers and solution architects is far outpacing the available supply, creating a critical bottleneck that slows down innovation and ecosystem expansion.
• The academia-to-industry gap: There is an abundance of bright minds in top universities, yet a lack of a clear pathway for them to translate theoretical knowledge into valuable products and startups on the Cardano blockchain.
• Competitive risk: Rival ecosystems are investing heavily in talent acquisition and development. Without decisive action, Cardano risks falling behind.

Failure to address this root cause will undermine Cardano's long-term potential and competitive edge. We need a solution that is systemic, credible, and sustainable.

Our solution: The Cardano Vietnam Innovation & Talent Hub

We will establish the "Cardano Innovation & Talent Hub" , a dynamic, self-sustaining micro-ecosystem designed to create tangible impact.

A 3-Pillar operating model:

1. Elite education and training

Content: An intensive training program that blends foundational theory (cryptography, blockchain principles, Cardano architecture, Aiken) with practical, hands-on skills (dApp development, project management, navigating venture fundraising).

Target dudience: We will selectively recruit the brightest students from the faculties of Technology, Engineering, and Economics at top-tier universities in Vietnam.

2. Venture lab & applied R&D

Objective: To turn knowledge into real-world products. Students will work in project teams to solve actual challenges within the Cardano ecosystem.

Activities:

Bounty program: We will partner with established Cardano projects (DEXs, NFT platforms) to take on and solve their technical challenges.

Venture Studio: We will incubate promising, homegrown ideas, develop them into Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), and prepare them for fundraising (from Project Catalyst or other VCs).

3. Ecosystem integration & career placement

Objective: To ensure a high-quality, industry-ready talent pipeline.

Activities:

Mentorship network: We will invite founders and lead engineers from leading Cardano projects to serve as direct mentors for our student teams.

Demo days: We will host regular showcase events, connecting our students and their projects with recruiters and investors from across the ecosystem.

Career support: We will build a direct recruitment pipeline, giving ecosystem companies premier access to a pool of high-caliber, pre-vetted talent.

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

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

1, Measurement of Impact:

a. Quantitative:

• Number of projects: Track the number of funded projects, completed projects, and successfully implemented projects.
• Number of lecturers and students involved: Count the number of students participating in projects and the number of students completing related courses.
• Number of open-source codes: Count the number of open-source codes developed on platforms like GitHub, GitLab, etc.
• Number of users: Measure the product's applicability by the number of users.
• Number of projects participating in Project Catalyst: Track the number of students participating in project proposals on Project Catalyst and the number of funded projects.

b, Qualitative:

• Case studies & success stories: We will conduct in-depth interviews with outstanding student teams and individuals to produce compelling success stories. These narratives will be published to inspire the community and showcase the tangible impact of the program.
• Stakeholder feedback loop: We will establish a formal feedback loop by conducting regular surveys with students, mentors, and partner projects. This process will provide continuous insights for program refinement and quality improvement.
• Independent technical review: The MVP projects developed by students will be assessed by an independent technical advisory board to ensure they meet the highest quality standards and are viable for real-world application.

2, How we share the results

• Annual reports: Completing monthly reports on project progress, results, and impact.
• Organizing workshops, conferences: Organizing events to showcase project results, create opportunities for networking and collaboration among research groups, and connect with organizations and partners.
• Social media publication: Writing articles, papers, and blog posts on fan pages, scientific journals, technology forums, Cardano forums, etc.

3, Significant value to the Cardano ecosystem

• Human resource development: Training and developing a generation of Cardano developers with in-depth knowledge of Cardano.
• Promoting innovation: Encouraging creativity and innovation in building applications on the Cardano platform.
• Expanding the community: Attracting more people to join the Cardano community in Vietnam and internationally.
• Contributing to Cardano's development: Research projects will provide many useful solutions for Cardano, as well as diversify creative and useful products for the community.

[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?

Blockchain Pioneer Student Club fully understands the importance of trust and accountability when building on Cardano. As a pioneering blockchain student organization in Vietnam, we have built a strong track record through educational initiatives, public events, and successfully delivered Catalyst-funded projects with transparency, efficiency, and a community-first approach.

We have successfully organized previous cardano hackathons:

Cardano Blockchain Hackathon Vietnam 2024: https://forum.cardano.org/t/cardano-blockchain-hackathon-vietnam-2024-22-9-2024-recap/136286

Cardano Blockchain Hackathon 2025: https://forum.cardano.org/t/cardano-blockchain-hackathon-vietnam-2025/147650

In addition, we have organized seminars to connect speakers and founders of prominent projects on Cardano such as: Minswap, C2VN, VTechCom…

Workshop 1: Blockchain & Cardano: Unlocking Opportunities (https://www.facebook.com/bpsclub.utc/posts/pfbid0a9i6ZJ14jwgrxyXjyZnZaKERjnw8xdhYL4F2NHaesSeJKfwgvR6NP6n1T6B3kNgNl))

Workshop 2: Building on Cardano: Ecosystem & Innovation (https://www.facebook.com/bpsclub.utc/posts/pfbid07ZZ5Qf2f5NqCGG5ZU1p1EutrenxuHn42SDEPyg9HpUh3B5zWZeJJnrWrUcMm72Ykl))

Workshop 3: How to win Hackathon on Cardano (https://www.facebook.com/bpsclub.utc/posts/pfbid0aTjEijXsvTirygUm79iG6dcYXyVqHtMrcQhPw9wVLk6KzPpTcLXGnZV2bFH12T3Ul))))

Our team consists of experienced developers and blockchain educators with a strong background in Cardano and decentralized technologies. We will validate feasibility through hands-on workshops, participant feedback, and collaboration with industry professionals. Transparent reporting and open-source contributions will ensure trust and accountability throughout the project.

As proof of knowledge and research skills, some of our current proposals funded are attached:

The project has been funded by fund 10:

• Proposal funded 1: 🇻🇳 Vietnam Cardano Catalyst - NFT Exchange testing and development environment helps young people approach with the Web3.0 platform
• Proposal funded 2: Study guide for Marlow

The project has been funded by fund 11:

• Proposal funded 1: Tamper-proof Certificate System
• Proposal funded 2: CareBlock: Empowering secure healthcare transactions by Cardano
• Proposal funded 3: Dualtarget for ADA-Holders (Staking and increasing assets) with a decentralized automated trading bot
• Proposal funded 4: 🇻🇳 The Complete Aiken Course Cardano: From Zero to Expert!

The project has been funded by fund 12:

• Proposal funded 1: Open source dynamic assets (Token/NFT) generator (CIP68)
• The project has been funded by fund 13:
• Proposal funded 1: [BUTC] Fueling Growth: Cardano Hackathons to Inspire Startup Success
• Proposal funded 2: [HTLABS] 5 Project templates combining blockchain and internet of things
• Proposal funded 3: 🇻🇳 Cardano App Development Course: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners - From basic Web development to use Cardano Libraries and interacting with Smart Contracts

Other activities

• Article 1: Students Scientific Research with Cardano Blockchain
• Article 2: Students Scientific Research with Cardano Blockchain part 2
• Article 3: Scientific research results of students of the University of Transport and Communications 2024
• Article 4: Cardano Blockchain Hackathon Vietnam 2024
• Article 5: Cardano Blockchain Hackathon 2025
• Article 6: Workshop 1: Blockchain & Cardano: Unlocking Opportunities
• Article 7: Workshop 2: Building on Cardano: Ecosystem & Innovation
• Article 8: Workshop 3: How to win Hackathon on Cardano

Validation of Feasibility

To ensure effective financial management, we will adopt the following strategies:

Budget Planning: We will meticulously allocate funds for development, operations, and marketing activities.

Transparent Cost Tracking: Maintaining clear records of all expenses will promote accountability and visibility.

Regular Reporting: Regular reports will help us evaluate financial performance and guide our decisions.

To validate the viability of our approach, we will use both quantitative and qualitative measures:

Quantitative Validation:

• Track the number of modules upgraded and added via GitHub.
• Track the number of tasks exported from Jira
• Track user engagement through the number of active users on the platform.

Identity Validation:

• Conduct user satisfaction surveys to gather insights.
• Measure the level of excitement in project presentations to gauge interest.

Transparency and communication are fundamental to us. We prioritize open dialogue with all stakeholders, provide regular updates, and foster a collaborative atmosphere so that everyone is involved in the project’s progress.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

Foundation and partnership building

Milestone Outputs

• Formalized Vietnam Cardano Innovation Hub structure: A fully formalized operational framework for the Vietnam Cardano Innovation Hub will be established.
• Completed curriculum and admission criteria development: We will deliver a comprehensive and finalized curriculum covering all essential Cardano topics.
• Signed partnerships with reputable projects or organizations: This includes at least three signed partnership agreements, such as MoU.
• Launch of official communication channels: A suite of active and professionally managed communication channels will be launched.

Acceptance Criteria

• Necessary administrative procedures with UTC are finalized. Specific roles and responsibilities are assigned to the core team.
• The detailed curriculum, academic schedule, and student selection criteria are finalized.
• Contact is established and agreements are signed with at least 3 reputable projects or organizations within the Cardano ecosystem.
• The official Hub website and its social media channels (X/LinkedIn) have been built and launched.

Evidence of Completion

• Official documentation confirming the Hub's establishment at the university.
• Publicly available documentation of the curriculum and admission criteria.
• Copies of at least 3 signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs).
• Links to the live website and active social media channels.

Delivery Month

2

Cost

8500

Progress

20 %

Milestone Title

Recruitment and program launch

Milestone Outputs

Recruitment campaign deployment: A documented, multi-channel marketing and recruitment campaign will be deployed, utilizing both online and offline materials.

Evaluation and selection process: A well-defined and rigorously executed evaluation process will be completed, culminating in the final selection.

Kickoff event and orientation week: We will produce and execute a high-impact kickoff event and a structured orientation week.

Delivery of initial course modules: This output consists of the successful delivery of the first set of foundational course modules.

Acceptance Criteria

• A multi-channel marketing campaign (online/offline at UTC) is executed to attract high-caliber applicants.
• An application, interview, and evaluation process is conducted to select the top 20-30 students for the inaugural cohort.
• An official kickoff event is held, featuring talks from the core team and ecosystem mentors.
• The first classes commence, focusing on foundational knowledge of Blockchain, Cardano, and an introduction to the primary programming languages.

Evidence of Completion

• Recruitment campaign report (number of applications, outreach channels).
• An anonymized list of the 20-30 selected students.
• Video summary or photos from the kickoff event.
• Materials for the foundational learning modules that have been delivered.

Delivery Month

2

Cost

11400

Progress

40 %

Milestone Title

Intensive training and ideation

Milestone Outputs

• Completion of core technical modules: This includes the successful delivery of all core technical training modules.
• Team formation and ideation workshops: The facilitation of structured workshops will result in the creation of well-defined student project teams.
• Launch of the "bounty" program: An active and operational bounty program will be launched.
• Finalization of project topics and scopes: Each team will deliver a finalized and formally approved project proposal.

Acceptance Criteria

• In-depth instruction on Aiken is delivered, and students complete all practical exercises.
• Structured workshops are held to help students find suitable teammates and brainstorm initial concepts.
• Bounties from ecosystem partners are introduced to the student teams.
• Teams finalize and present their project proposals, clearly defining the problem, solution, and the scope of the MVP they will build.

Evidence of Completion

• Links to the GitHub repositories for the Aiken project exercises.
• A list of project teams and summaries of their ideas.
• Report on the implementation and progress of the bounty program.
• Copies of the approved project proposals.

Delivery Month

2

Cost

11000

Progress

60 %

Milestone Title

MVP development and intensive mentorship

Milestone Outputs

• Project build-out and development sprints: The output will be the active and version-controlled code repositories for each team's MVP.
• Weekly mentorship sessions: A structured program of weekly, one-on-one mentorship sessions will be executed.
• Open source code release: This includes the public release of at least one valuable.

Acceptance Criteria

• Teams are actively working on their projects and reporting progress.
• Each team is paired with dedicated technical and business mentors from our partner network for regular feedback and guidance.
• At least one team successfully releases a useful open-source component for the Cardano community.

Evidence of Completion

• Links to the GitHub repositories of the MVP projects under development.
• Schedule and summaries/minutes of mentorship sessions.
• Video recording of the Mid-term demo.
• Link to the released open source products.

Delivery Month

2

Cost

12000

Progress

80 %

Milestone Title

Finalization, showcase, and reporting

Milestone Outputs

• MVP polishing and documentation: This output is a portfolio of polished.
• Pitching and business skills training: We will deliver a cohort of graduating students who are fully equipped with professional presentation and business communication skills.
• Grand Demo Day event organization: A professionally organized and executed "Grand Demo Day" event will be held.
• Transition and next steps support: We will provide documented support to all graduating teams.
• Publication of final project report: A comprehensive and fully transparent final project report will be publicly published.

Acceptance Criteria

• Teams focus on bug-fixing, optimization, and writing comprehensive technical documentation for their products.
• Training sessions are conducted on how to build a compelling pitch deck and present ideas effectively to investors.
• The Grand Demo Day is successfully organized, inviting the Cardano community, VCs, and ecosystem companies to watch the team presentations.
• Teams are supported in submitting proposals to Project Catalyst, and students are connected with employment opportunities.
• The final report detailing project outcomes, lessons learned, and the project closure report is completed and published.

Evidence of Completion

• Pitch decks and live MVP demo links from the graduating projects.
• A professional video production of the Grand Demo Day event.
• Report on successful job placements or fundraising connections made.
• A transparent and detailed final project report.

Delivery Month

2

Cost

17100

Progress

100 %

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

SUMMARY

Milestone 1: Foundation and partnership building

Estimated cost for this phase: 8500 ADA ⇔ 14.17%

Milestone 2: Recruitment and program launch

Estimated cost for this phase: 11400 ADA ⇔ 19%

Milestone 3: Intensive training and ideation

Estimated cost for this phase: 11000 ADA ⇔ 18.33%

Milestone 4: MVP development and intensive mentorship

Estimated cost for this phase: 12000 ADA ⇔20%

Milestone 5: Finalization, showcase, and reporting

Estimated cost for this phase: 17100 ADA ⇔ 28.5%

Total Costs: 60000 ADA

A comprehensive breakdown of the project's phases and deliverables can be found at:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SR-lohkNiAimu1HyuA3ygX-YWSE8qIl7a0KEJTafPGE/edit?gid=0#gid=0

[Final Pitch] Value for Money

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

Our budget is not an expense,it is a calculated investment designed to generate a return that far exceeds the initial outlay. Here is how we deliver exceptional value for every ADA spent:

1. Cost effectiveness through geographic advantage and academic partnership:

Personnel costs for this project are calculated based on the average cost in Vietnam and have been reviewed and approved by experts to ensure suitability for the project. This is a long-term investment as it helps to train and develop high-quality human resources for the Cardano ecosystem. These individuals will be researchers, developers, and contribute to the future development of Cardano.

Furthermore, through our partnership with the university, we gain access to invaluable infrastructure (lecture halls, labs, administrative support) at a significantly reduced or zero cost, which would otherwise represent a major expense.

1. Investing in assets, not just activities.

We are not merely running a course. We are creating valuable, compounding assets for the Cardano ecosystem:

Human capital assets: Each graduate represents a long-term human capital asset, capable of building, innovating, and contributing to the ecosystem for years to come. The cost to cultivate an elite, Cardano-native developer through our Hub is a fraction of what an ecosystem company would spend to recruit a single experienced developer from the competitive open market.

Intellectual property and open source assets: Every line of open-source code, every tool, and every MVP developed becomes an intellectual asset that the entire community can build upon, fork, and leverage freely, creating a powerful ripple effect of innovation.

1. De-risking future ecosystem investments:

By incubating and vetting projects internally, our Hub acts as a high-quality filter for Project Catalyst itself. Projects that graduate from our Demo Day and subsequently apply for Catalyst funding will be more mature, possess a working MVP, and be led by a battle-tested team. This fundamentally de-risks future investments for the entire community and increases the success rate of subsequent Catalyst funding rounds.

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

Terms and Conditions:

Yes