Last updated 3 months ago
Clinical trials for rare or early-stage therapies struggle with funding access. Traditional financing is centralized, slow, and often excludes smaller biotech innovators.
Build a Cardano-based MVP to fund biotech trials with milestone payments, staking-to-support, and NFT badges, enabling real-world clinical research via smart contracts.
This is the total amount allocated to AxellaCoin: MVP for Decentralized Biotech Trial Funding.
Please provide your proposal title
AxellaCoin: MVP for Decentralized Biotech Trial Funding
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
95000
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
6
Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated
No
Original Language
en
What is the problem you want to solve?
Clinical trials for rare or early-stage therapies struggle with funding access. Traditional financing is centralized, slow, and often excludes smaller biotech innovators.
Supporting links
Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?
Yes
Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'
This project depends on recruiting a Cardano-savvy CTO and deploying smart contracts using Aiken or Plutus Lite. No dependencies on external funding or enterprise partners.
Will your project's outputs be fully open source?
Yes
License and Additional Information
Key smart contracts (e.g., staking, NFT rewards) will be open-sourced under Apache 2.0 to support the Cardano developer community. Proprietary components—such as tokenomics logic, governance rules, and equity-on-chain integration—will remain closed-source to protect strategic innovation.
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal.
Healthcare
Describe what makes your idea innovative compared to what has been previously funded (whether by you or others).
AXC is the first Cardano-native MVP using smart contracts, NFTs, and staking to fund real-world clinical trials. Unlike typical DeFi or DAO projects, it targets vendor disbursements for milestone-based biotech research—bridging real-world clinical systems with blockchain infrastructure. No Catalyst-funded project to date directly serves this healthcare application space.
Describe what your prototype or MVP will demonstrate, and where it can be accessed.
The MVP will show milestone-based payment execution using ADA/AXC to verified trial vendors, staking dashboards for backers, and NFT generation for supporter rewards. It will be deployed to Cardano testnet, with open-source modules available via GitHub. Simulated vendor milestones and dashboards will be hosted on a branded web frontend.
Describe realistic measures of success, ideally with on-chain metrics.
One live transaction using a milestone contract
10+ wallets staking AXC via the dashboard
1 trial vendor or CRO onboarded to testnet pilot
25+ NFT supporter badges minted
All actions verifiable on-chain (Tx hashes, NFT IDs, stake events)
Progress will be tracked in a public GitHub repo and Airtable dashboard.
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
AxellaCoin enables milestone-based payments and trial support using Cardano. Our MVP solves the gap in early biotech funding by using smart contracts to release AXC/ADA to vendors only after clinical milestones are achieved. Researchers gain decentralized access to capital. Supporters can stake and earn NFT badges. This injects transparency, accountability, and patient-driven funding into clinical research—powered fully on-chain.
We propose to leverage crowdsourcing combined with tokenization of trial rights to democratize access to clinical trial investment opportunities. By breaking down funding needs into smaller, tokenized units, individual and institutional backers can participate directly in financing trials that align with their interests and values. Token holders would represent fractional rights or claims tied to the success or outcomes of a given trial, allowing for transparent tracking, secondary market trading, and a more liquid investment environment.
This approach aims to:
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
For Cardano
This project positions Cardano as a pioneer in real-world asset (RWA) tokenization for the biotech sector. By providing the infrastructure for transparent, decentralized funding of clinical trials, Cardano gains a compelling and highly visible use case in the global healthcare and life sciences markets. It demonstrates Cardano’s capability to handle complex, regulated asset classes, attracting attention from institutional investors,
biotech companies, and policymakers. Additionally, the project drives on-chain activity, increases ADA utility, and fosters collaborations between the Cardano ecosystem and high-impact scientific research communities. This can serve as a showcase for Cardano’s technology in other industries where trust, transparency, and secure ownership rights are critical.
For Science
The project lowers the barrier to entry for funding innovative medical research, enabling a broader range of clinical trials to be initiated and completed. By tapping into decentralized funding, researchers—especially those from smaller institutions or in underfunded therapeutic areas—gain access to new capital sources. This can lead to faster discovery and validation of treatments, greater diversity in research topics, and more equitable distribution of medical innovation worldwide. The transparent milestone-based funding model ensures accountability, while tokenized rights allow stakeholders to directly share in the success of groundbreaking therapies. Ultimately, this could shorten the path from laboratory research to patient benefit.
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?
The project is led by Avi Kamelhar, founder of Axella Research, bringing over 20 years of experience in clinical operations, funding strategy, and early-stage biotech deal structuring. AxellaCoin (AXC) has already achieved key milestones, including the launch of a live Cardano-native token on Minswap, establishment of a grant vault using Airtable for transparent fund tracking, and execution of two pilot clinical trial support campaigns.
Axella Research has a proven track record of generating returns through its equity-based service model for early-stage biotech companies, demonstrating both commercial acumen and operational discipline. The team will expand by recruiting a Cardano-native CTO to lead technical development, supported by advisors with expertise across biotechnology, decentralized finance, and regulatory compliance.
With a clear and achievable roadmap, the MVP can be delivered within 6 months. Core smart contract functions—including staking, milestone-based disbursement, NFT issuance for trial backers, and treasury governance—can be implemented using established Cardano tools such as Aiken, Plutus, Eternl, and IPFS. The use of a multisig architecture will ensure secure fund management and decentralized oversight. This combination of domain expertise, prior execution, and mature blockchain tooling makes the proposal both technically and operationally feasible.
Milestone Title
CTO Onboarding and MVP Architecture Finalization
Milestone Outputs
Recruit and officially onboard a qualified CTO or co-founder with experience in blockchain and Cardano development. Finalize the technical scope and system architecture for the AXC MVP, covering smart contract modules, NFT logic, staking flow, and dashboard requirements. Produce a publicly shareable document outlining the architecture and internal roadmap to guide development across all workstreams.
Acceptance Criteria
The CTO is listed on the Catalyst proposal or a public AxellaCoin update with a verified professional background. A signed onboarding agreement or declaration of commitment is provided. A formal architecture and MVP roadmap document is completed and linked, showing all critical components, roles, and expected timelines for the upcoming milestones.
Evidence of Completion
A signed PDF or digital onboarding confirmation for the CTO.
A public link to the MVP system architecture and technical roadmap (Google Docs, GitHub, or Notion).
A project update shared through Catalyst or on the AxellaCoin site announcing this milestone's completion.
Delivery Month
1
Cost
9500
Progress
10 %
Milestone Title
Smart Contract Development (Testnet Deployment)
Milestone Outputs
Develop the AXC MVP smart contract modules using Aiken or Plutus Lite. Modules will include staking logic, NFT minting, and milestone-triggered disbursement contracts. Deploy all contracts to the Cardano testnet and perform successful test transactions with detailed documentation. Publish a version-controlled GitHub repository with contracts and developer notes for testing and future audit purposes.
Acceptance Criteria
All smart contracts are deployed and interactable on Cardano testnet, with a working staking simulation, NFT issuance, and milestone flow. Developer documentation is available and includes function structure, usage guides, and architecture rationale. Contract performance and logic must be verifiable via testnet explorers and logs.
Evidence of Completion
Delivery Month
2
Cost
19000
Progress
20 %
Milestone Title
Web Portal MVP + Wallet Connect Integration
Milestone Outputs
Launch the frontend MVP of the AXC portal with wallet integration (Eternl, Lace, or Nami). The portal must include a staking interface, NFT display logic, and admin tools for managing milestone confirmations. Set up a testnet vendor dashboard to simulate a real trial payment cycle and allow live interaction from multiple wallets to mimic real-world usage.
Acceptance Criteria
The MVP frontend is deployed on a public staging domain and fully connects to user wallets. Users can stake testnet AXC, trigger test events, and view reward NFTs. The admin dashboard supports milestone validation. Stakeholder access and feedback functionality are integrated into the system for QA.
Evidence of Completion
Public testnet link showing the working portal with wallet connection.
Screenshots or video demo of a complete staking + NFT badge preview flow.
Internal admin screenshots showing simulated milestone payout action.
Delivery Month
3
Cost
19000
Progress
20 %
Milestone Title
Community Pilot: Stake-to-Support Campaign Launch
Milestone Outputs
Initiate a live AXC-powered Stake-to-Support campaign involving at least one test trial partner or mock clinical research use-case. Activate NFT badges for participating wallets. Display grant progress via a real-time Airtable or web-based dashboard. Begin community engagement through posts and onboarding material.
Acceptance Criteria
At least one Stake-to-Support campaign is visible to the public. Users can participate via testnet by staking AXC and triggering milestone tracking. NFT rewards are correctly assigned to eligible wallets. Live reporting tools are available and referenced in outreach content.
Evidence of Completion
Public campaign link and screenshots of staking participation.
NFT metadata or transaction hashes tied to supporter wallets.
Link to Airtable dashboard or embedded progress report showing live trial metrics.
Delivery Month
4
Cost
19000
Progress
20 %
Milestone Title
Closeout, Reporting, and Open-Source Release
Milestone Outputs
Complete the project with a Catalyst-compliant closeout video and final report. Publish the GitHub repo containing all open-source modules, including smart contracts and frontend components. Include licensing and contribution documentation. Create a written guide for future trial partners or sponsors to integrate AXC milestone logic into research funding pipelines.
Acceptance Criteria
All previous milestones are confirmed and approved. A closeout video is published showing the full end-to-end flow of the platform. The final report includes learnings, performance metrics, trial simulation insights, and next steps for the ecosystem. The GitHub repo must be fully documented and licensed.
Evidence of Completion
Video walkthrough showing project highlights and MVP in action (YouTube or Loom).
Final project report (PDF) submitted through Catalyst and linked publicly.
Open-source repository published with MIT/Apache license, README, and clear contribution guide.
Delivery Month
5
Cost
28500
Progress
30 %
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
The total requested budget is ₳95,000, allocated across six key phases of development and delivery.
₳25,000 will be used for CTO recruitment and MVP architecture planning, covering the onboarding of a Cardano-native technical co-founder and the design of the full system stack. This is followed by ₳30,000 dedicated to smart contract development, including Aiken/Plutus Lite contracts for staking, milestone-based payouts, and NFT minting, all to be deployed and tested on Cardano testnet.
₳15,000 is allocated for the frontend dashboard and NFT integration, which includes wallet connection (Eternl/Nami), staking interfaces, and supporter badge previews. The next ₳10,000 will support a simulated trial scenario and QA testing, ensuring the contracts function in real-world-like conditions with feedback from domain advisors.
Following successful testnet validation, ₳10,000 will be used for mainnet deployment, including executing the first live milestone payout and minting a mainnet NFT for supporter recognition. Finally, ₳5,000 is allocated for public demonstration, final reporting, and open-source publication, which includes creating a video walkthrough, sharing results with the Catalyst community, and publishing selected modules to GitHub under an open license.
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
This project brings a novel, high-impact real-world use case to Cardano: funding clinical research through decentralized milestone-based smart contracts. AXC leverages existing Cardano infrastructure to unlock a multibillion-dollar health vertical, while providing open-source tools (staking, NFT rewards, milestone payout contracts) that others can reuse. With transparent costs and a focused MVP, this proposal delivers measurable on-chain activity, ecosystem growth, and Cardano brand expansion into life sciences.
Terms and Conditions:
Yes
Avi Kamelhar – Founder of AxellaCoin and CEO of Axella Research, with 15+ years in clinical trial operations and biotech startup partnerships. Leads strategy, trial partner engagement, and oversight.
Dr. Judd Boczko – Scientific advisor specializing in data science and clinical analytics. Supports real-world use-case validation and research integration.
CTO (To Be Hired) – A Plutus/Aiken smart contract developer from the Cardano ecosystem will be recruited to build and launch the MVP.
Additional advisors include experts in tokenomics, regulatory affairs, and blockchain compliance.