University Network: Aiken Development Program for LatAm

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

University Network: Aiken Development Program for LatAm

[Proposal Summary] Budget Information

Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA

58000

[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

Yes

Original Language

es

[Proposal Summary] Problem Statement

What is the problem you want to solve?

Lack of Cardano devs in LatAm due to limited Spanish-language technical education, economic barriers, and weak communities. Aiken simplifies development, but universities lack structured training.

[Proposal Summary] Supporting Documentation

Supporting links

• https://github.com/orgs/democracyonchain/repositories
,
• https://blockboardgame.com/en/

[Proposal Summary] Project Dependencies

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

Yes

Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'

Initial discussions with 4 universities (Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru) for hosting courses. Technical support from Input Output Global (IOG) for Aiken resources.

[Proposal Summary] Project Open Source

Will your project's outputs be fully open source?

Yes

License and Additional Information

All materials (slides, guides, exercises, Aiken code) and student projects will be publicly available on a GitHub repository. The project website will include open registration and results.

[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.

Target: Engineering and computer science students (18-25 years) in universities in Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru, prioritizing diversity.

How to Reach Them:

• Partnerships with university faculties for venues and student access.
• Local promotion via social media (X, WhatsApp) and introductory blockchain talks.
• Spanish-language materials tailored to regional needs (e.g., agricultural tokenization, remittances).

Why It Matters for Cardano: Trains Aiken-skilled developers, fostering local Cardano hubs and dApps in underrepresented regions

Provide a list of key activities of your project?

• **Planning (3 months): **Develop Spanish-language content (slides, guides, exercises), finalize university discussions, contract Aiken expert.
• Execution (2 months): Conduct 4 courses (20 hours each, 30-50 students/university), with practical Aiken/projects and NFT certificates.
• Closure (1 month): Publish impact report, launch regional Cardano alumni community (Discord/Telegram).

What are your success metrics?

Education & Awareness:

85%+ retention in courses (attendance-based).

70%+ improvement in technical tests (pre/post surveys).

20+ dApps/tokens created and published on GitHub.

50+ NFT certificates issued.

Community Engagement:

• 4 active local groups (Discord/Telegram) with 500+ total members.
• 50%+ participants create ADA wallets.
• 80% satisfaction in feedback surveys.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

Deliver 4 technical courses (20 hours each) in universities, building on sustained engagement through prior talks in Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru, teaching blockchain fundamentals, Aiken, and MeshJS, with projects like agricultural tokenization or remittances.

Universities issue NFT certificates, ensuring verifiability.

Launch a regional Cardano alumni community (Discord/Telegram).

Why This Solution: Spanish-language hands-on courses increase retention by 30-50%. NFTs incentivize participation, and the alumni community advances a long-term vision for Cardano development in the region.

Who Benefits: 200 students, universities (tech prestige), Cardano (more devs, adoption).

Impact Demonstration: Metrics (students, wallets, projects), GitHub .

Structured over 5 days:

Day 1 (3h) - Cardano Fundamentals (PoS, Ouroboros, EUTxO vs. account-based; Wallets, transactions, testnet); **Day 2 (3h) **- Languages and Tools (Introduction to Plutus + Marlowe; Cardano CLI, MeshJS, Aiken basics);

Day 3 (3h) - Languages and Tools (Deep dive into Plutus, Marlowe, Aiken, MeshJS);

Day 4 (3h) - Project 1: Token + NFT (Create native token + NFT on testnet; Metadata, minting policies);

Day 5 (8h) - Project 2: Simple dApp (Attendance tracking dApp; Basic frontend + blockchain integration) + Use Cases and Future (LATAM projects like World Mobile, Empowa; Job opportunities, how to contribute).

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

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

Short-Term: 200 students trained, 20+ projects on GitHub, 50+ NFT certificates issued.

**Medium-Term: **Cardano hubs in Bolivia/Paraguay, attracting DeFi startups.

Long-Term: +40% Cardano projects in LatAm within 2 years.

Measurement:

• **Quantitative: **Number of students, ADA wallets, projects.
• Qualitative: Employability surveys, participant testimonials.

Output Sharing:

• Public GitHub with materials/projects.
• Compilation video.

[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?

Team Expertise: David Tacuri (20+ Cardano talks in LatAm, 800+ attendees), Aiken Develeper (to be hired, senior developer), logistical coordinator for university partnerships.

Pre-Agreements: Initial discussions with 4 universities (Ecuador: Engineering, Bolivia: Systems, Paraguay: Economics, Peru: Software).

**Transparency: **Monthly GitHub reports, open invoices, external audit.

Feasibility: Pre-existing university contacts, curriculum based on Cardano resources.

Fund Management: Public invoices on GitHub, milestone-based payments.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

Planning and Content Development

Milestone Outputs

• Spanish-language materials (slides, guides, Spanish-Development of course materials (slides, guides, and exercises).
• Formalization of agreements with participating universities.
• Engagement of an Aiken expert.
• Selection of a tool to generate NFTs for course certificates.

Acceptance Criteria

• Complete GitHub repository with all course materials (slides, guides, exercises).
• Formalized collaboration agreements signed with participating universities.
• Engagement and onboarding of a qualified Aiken expert.
• Selection and implementation of a suitable tool to generate NFTs for course certificates.

Evidence of Completion

• Repository link containing all finalized course materials.
• Anonymized copies of formal university agreements.
• LinkedIn profile or equivalent professional reference of the engaged Aiken expert.
• Documentation detailing the selection process and final choice of the NFT tool for certificates.

Delivery Month

3

Cost

20000

Progress

30 %

Milestone Title

Course Execution

Milestone Outputs

Delivery of four complete courses (20 hours each) across four universities in LATAM, reaching a total of at least 200 students. Each participant will complete practical exercises and will receive an NFT-based certificate to validate their knowledge and skills acquired during the program.

Acceptance Criteria

All four courses must be successfully delivered according to the planned schedule, with student attendance tracked and final evaluations completed.

A complete, verifiable list of students certified through NFTs must be generated and published for transparency.

Evidence of Completion

Photos and videos documenting live sessions, official attendance records signed by participating universities, anonymized lists of certified students, and a complete registry of NFTs issued for each certificate stored on-chain.

Delivery Month

5

Cost

30000

Progress

90 %

Milestone Title

Closure and Consolidation

Milestone Outputs

• Publication of more than 20 functional student projects on GitHub, covering areas such as token creation, NFTs, and dApps with Aiken.
• Delivery of a comprehensive impact report summarizing outcomes, learning results, and metrics.
• Launch of a regional alumni community on Discord/Telegram to ensure continuity and knowledge exchange.

Acceptance Criteria

• The final impact report must be written, reviewed, and published openly on GitHub.
• Projects created by students must be properly documented, uploaded, and made accessible for peer review.
• The closing video must document the four events in detail. It should clearly showcase the activities carried out, the participants, and the outcomes achieved. Additionally, a concise summary of the events must be included in English.

Evidence of Completion

GitHub Repository

• Public repository containing the final impact report, published openly and accessible to the Cardano community.
• Clear structure for peer review, allowing other developers to test, fork, or provide feedback on the projects.

Student Projects

• At least 20 projects created during the course, published in GitHub with documentation in English/Spanish.
• Evidence of functionality (screenshots, test results, or demo videos).
• Anonymized student contributor lists to respect privacy but prove participation.

Closing Video

• Video must include interviews/testimonials from students and faculty.
• A concise English summary at the end of the video.

Delivery Month

6

Cost

10000

Progress

100 %

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Content Development: 15,000 ADA

Spanish technical materials (Aiken, MeshJS), slides, guides, exercises.

Logistics/Travel: 20,000 ADA

Flights, lodging, and per diems across 4 countries (5,000 ADA each).

Certificates/Materials: 5,000 ADA

NFTs for certificates + printed materials for universities.

Platform/Dissemination: 5,000 ADA

Website, hosting, promotion, GitHub repository maintenance.

Merchandising & Awards: 6,000 ADA

Production of branded merchandising (t-shirts, notebooks, badges) for students and universities. Awards for best student projects (hardware wallets, gift cards, or blockchain-related tools).

Management/Reporting: 5,000 ADA

Coordination, monthly reporting on GitHub, independent audit.

Administrative Contingency: 2,000 ADA

Reserved for unforeseen administrative expenses such as additional printing, university fees, legal documentation, or unexpected coordination costs.

TOTAL: 58,000 ADA

[Final Pitch] Value for Money

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

Justification: Cost per student (300 ADA, ~$120) is competitive vs. bootcamps ($500-$1,000). Impact: 200 Aiken-ready developers, 20+ projects, 4 local hubs. Long-term: attracts DeFi startups and investment to LatAm. Aligned with Ecuadorian salaries (USD 1,670/developer). Comparable to Catalyst educational initiatives.

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

Terms and Conditions:

Yes