Last updated 8 months ago
Fair, broad access to rare and somewhat complicated collectibles like art, wine, cars. Challanges: storage, maintenance, liquidity, deep knowledge, connections, trust.
An association with experts' leadership that buys real assets, tokenizes them. Members' contributions are represented by NFTs. NFTs serve as access token to gatherings and services.
This is the total amount allocated to Democratizing Collecting: Association-Based Access Model.
Please provide your proposal title
Democratizing Collecting: Association-Based Access Model
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
87000
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
8
Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated
No
Original Language
en
What is the problem you want to solve?
Fair, broad access to rare and somewhat complicated collectibles like art, wine, cars. Challanges: storage, maintenance, liquidity, deep knowledge, connections, trust.
Supporting links
Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?
No
Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'
No dependencies
Will your project's outputs be fully open source?
No
License and Additional Information
Open Source Key Components: foundational elements like the NFT marketplace or certain smart contracts. Proprietary Elements Closed: we reserve the right to retain control over unique aspects, such as specific business logic or algorithms critical to the project to protect our competitive edge.
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal.
RWA
Describe what makes your idea innovative compared to what has been previously funded (whether by you or others).
Hybrid model: the association decides about purchases and sales of real assets. Members have a saying and are not left alone with their real assets decisions. We collectively take care of storing, maintaining, collectible management, and organize members-only events.
Previously assets got tokenized. But what does that mean for an owner? How does s/he know what's the right collectible? Is the asset in good shape, what's the owners record, etc. Nobody is gonna buy a real-asset-NFT from you on the open market (Trust issues)
Our NFTs are digital artworks AND optionally club access/member tokens.
Describe what your prototype or MVP will demonstrate, and where it can be accessed.
While tools like NMKR facilitate minting, our grant is for integration into an exclusive club marketplace—a new PoC for RWA clubs. While open NFT marketplaces like jpg.store exist, the association is closed, invitation-based for high-value collectibles.
Basic MVP, 1-2 tokenized classic cars, members trade and use NFTs for access.
In accordance with Swiss law!
A web application, access over specific domain. NFTs representing their contributions to classic cars. Tradable, contributions are used for the purchase and maintenance of these specific real assets.
Describe realistic measures of success, ideally with on-chain metrics.
The number of unique NFT holders, the total number of minted NFTs, the trading volume of the NFTs, the floor price, and the number of NFT transfers can be measured.
Indicates how many members the community has.
Shows how much contribution has been collected, which is important for funding the assets.
Indicates whether the NFTs are being traded, suggesting interest and liquidity.
The lowest sale price can reflect how valuable the NFTs are perceived to be.
Shows how actively members are interacting with the NFTs.
NFTs used to access IRL events, (need manual measurements, too).
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
While open NFT marketplaces like jpg.store or others exist, our club-model is not a generic marketplace, but a closed, invitation-based club for high-value collectibles. This creates exclusivity, reduces spam/bots, and promotes a closely connected community of enthusiasts (e.g., classic car collectors). The clubs' NFTs are already artwork worth collecting! Plus serve as member NFTs not only for trading but also as access to events and direct participation in asset maintenance – a hybrid model that goes beyond pure trading.
Why Grant? The grant serves the development of customized features such as invitation mechanisms, integrated event ticketing, and community governance, which build on existing tools but are not available out-of-the-box. This is not "just another marketplace," but a PoC for a decentralized, exclusive club ecosystem on Cardano.
We use proven services (like e.g. NMKR) for NFT minting and existing marketplaces for basic trading to minimize costs and focus on innovation. The custom marketplace is a narrow, specialized layer: invitation-based, with integrated RWA features (e.g., transparent asset maintenance tracking via blockchain) and community tools (e.g., event access via NFTs). This avoids duplication and maximizes efficiency.
Why Grant? PoC and prototyping, not complete development from scratch. The grant funds the integration, testing, and custom UI/UX that enable the club character – e.g., an MVP that shows how invitations and exclusive trading work.
You will see facilitated access to rare and complex collectibles such as art, wine, or classic cars. Tokenized members' contributions (NFTs) on the Cardano blockchain. Our model makes ownership more affordable, ensures the maintenance of the assets through member contributions, and creates liquidity through tradable NFTs. This model also fosters a community through events, which will increase the value of the NFTs, that are not only digital representations of member contributions but always also digital artworks by renowned artists.
How does it make access easier?
With members' contributions the association purchases rare collectibles like classic cars and converts them into NFTs with an artwork appeal. Users can acquire these NFTs and become members of the club, without having to buy the entire object. This makes everything more efficient, affordable and trustworthy for a broader environment: people used to crypto as well as real asset enthusiasts can increase their experience, knowledge and connections.
How is maintenance secured?
The contributions of members, represented as NFTs, are directly used for the acquisition, and trading fees are used for maintenance of the assets. This ensures that the objects are preserved, which is particularly important for complex assets. Either outsourced (custodians) or in-house with the help of specialists. (Security, insurance, climate control).
What happens with the NFTs?
The NFTs are tradable, meaning that members can sell or exchange their NFTs linked to specific items. This creates high liquidity, which is often lacking very much in traditional collectibles (up until now it's very time consuming to sell a classic car e.g. Club's NFTs serve as access tokens to unforgettable events, building a community sharing experiences, stories and a common ground around the assets.
What events?
Social gatherings with drinks, food, music and fun. Talks and presentations around rare collectibles and blockchain! Think: museums with fun, club events, talks, presentations, excursions, rallys (in the case of cars). Sharing, connecting capabilities, also on the digital platform.
Outlook?
VR experience/ gamification: think driving "your" classic car.
IRL merch
IRL museum
Why is this on Cardano?
Cardano offers transparency and security through the blockchain, which builds trust. It is known for sustainability, making it suitable for managing valuable assets.
The project offers an effective solution for accessing rare and complex collectibles by haveing a leadership of real asset specialists selecting appropriate objects, and tokenizing them through NFTs on the blockchain. This enables the collective in fractional ownership, ensures the maintenance of the assets through member contributions, creates liquidity through tradable NFTs, and fosters a community through events. The blockchain guarantees transparency, security, and sustainability, making the solution trustworthy and scalable.
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
It seems likely that the project has a positive impact on the community by facilitating access to rare collectibles such as classic cars and creating an engaged community. The project promotes inclusion, offers transparency through blockchain, and strengthens social connections through events. It also contributes to cultural preservation and education, with potential additional benefits such as creating an IRL museum, charitable activities.
Access and Inclusion
The project tokenizes expensive collectibles like classic cars into NFTs, allowing people with lower budgets to participate. This makes access more inclusive and encourages broader participation.
Community Building
Through tradable NFTs that are already a standalone artwork collection, and exclusive events, the project creates a community of collectors and enthusiasts who can connect over shared interests. This strengthens social bonds and engagement.
Transparency and Trust
Utilizing the blockchain ensures that all transactions are transparent, building trust among members and facilitating collaboration.
Cultural and Educational Impact
The project contributes to the preservation of cultural objects and provides educational opportunities by allowing members to learn more about the history of the assets and blockchain technology. We're combining two issues at once: talking about blockchain tech and rare assets. That's a great mix that fosters discussions.
Potential for Further Impact
If the project allocates parts of its activities for charitable purposes, it could have a broader positive impact on society, similar to other NFT projects that donate to social or environmental initiatives.
The project has a significant positive impact on the community through the democratization of access, the building of an engaged community, transparency, liquidity, cultural preservation, and education. The promotion of real-world interactions through events and the potential for social impact further enhance this effect. It is a broader community engagement strategy with regular events and potential partnerships with many established organizations to maximize the impact.
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 and NFT Expertise:
Our team member Roman has previously worked on the development of NFT-based platforms and understands the technical requirements for tokenizing real assets like classic cars.
Classic Car Market Expertise:
Our team member Çetin has vast experience on the classic car market, with excellent connections to dealers, collectors, clubs, associations, museum, car shows, auctions.
Maintenance:
Our team members Miftar and Dashmir - a highly skilled mechanic and a highly experienced body shop specialist - both with excellent classic car maintenance capabilities.
All of us are able to adapt and willing to learn quickly. Where necessarily we are open to collaborations.
Legal Knowledge:
We have extensively engaged with the legal frameworks for associations and tokenizing real assets, and regularly consult experts (lawyers) to ensure compliance.
Community Building:
Our team members have vast experience in either building communities the traditional way (IRL) or in the digital world. With social media engagement rates beyond expectation.
Marketlplace Development:
The dev has solid experience in developing platforms or marketplaces with similar functionalities to the planned marketplace.
Best Fit:
Our unique combination of technical expertise in blockchain, real asset knowledge, legal understanding, and community engagement makes us particularly suited to implement the project. We have a passion for what we are doing. We deeply understand the target audience.
Steps and Processes for Fund Management:
Concrete processes and mechanisms that ensure transparency, accountability, and compliance.
Transparent Budgeting: I will create a detailed budget covering all costs for legal assurance, marketing, platform development, and asset storage setup. Regular budget comparisons will ensure that there are no overruns. All financial plans will be published.
Regular Reporting: I will publish monthly financial reports detailing how the funds are used and make these reports available to the community.
Community Involvement: The community will be regularly informed about progress and can influence fund usage through governance mechanisms, promoting decentralization and transparency from day 0.
Risk Management: I have developed a risk management framework that addresses potential challenges such as market fluctuations or technical issues and includes contingency plans to protect the funds.
Compliance with Legal Requirements: I work closely with legal advisors to ensure that all aspects of the project, particularly tokenization and fund management, comply with Swiss laws.
This is a project that embodies the principles of decentralization and sustainability by creating access to rare assets and building a community around these assets.
Milestone Title
Take-off
Milestone Outputs
Planning and Legal Foundation
This stage includes the foundational planning of the project as well as the legal assurance necessary for the tokenization of memberships of an association in Switzerland.
Activities:
Research on the legal requirements for establishing and running an association, the tokenization of real assets (e.g., classic cars) in Switzerland.
Consultation with legal experts to ensure compliance.
Creation of a detailed business plan and project roadmap.
Definition of the project's goals, target audience, and value proposition.
Legal Consultation and Compliance: ~16,000 ADA (approximately $17,000).
Business Planning and Market Research: ~6,000 ADA (for consultants and research).
Acceptance Criteria
There must be a legal way to run an entity with members that acquires real assets, tokenizes them and links members' contributions to these specific assets.
We must have a clear vision of how this should be done, organized, and who has what rights and obligations, responsabilities.
A first overview of voting systems/ community engagement, involvement must be established.
Business plan and roadmap highlight a path to success.
Evidence of Completion
Articles of Association of the association with an overview of the supplementary documents.
Business plan and roadmap establisht. Light version acceptable because it's in the early stage where things can change and plans must be adaptable.
Delivery Month
2
Cost
22000
Progress
20 %
Milestone Title
Platform Development and Testing
Milestone Outputs
This stage involves the development of the core of the project – the NFT platform where NFTs representing membership access tokens of classic cars can be traded.
Activities:
Design and development of a basic NFT marketplace platform on the Cardano blockchain.
Integration of smart contracts for the creation and management of NFTs.
Conducting tests to ensure the functionality and security of the platform.
Pilot phase with a small group of users to gather feedback.
Platform Development: ~15,000 ADA (approximately $15,000, based on estimates for developing a simple NFT marketplace on Cardano.
Testing and Pilot Phase: ~8,000 ADA (for testers or testing environment, and technical adjustments).
The costs for platform development were derived from general estimates for NFT marketplaces, which can range from $10,000 to $infinite, with approximately $15,000 assumed for an MVP on Cardano.
For secure storage of the real assets (purchase seperately financed), we request part of the budget, e.g., for setting up a storage system: $20,000 (20,000 ADA).
Acceptance Criteria
A simple but clear landing page describing the vision and core functionalities of the association, with a basically functioning marketplace. Onboarded first users satisfied and wiling to deliver feedback.
Real assets securely stored.
Evidence of Completion
Website online. A small goup of users onboarded.
Marketplace (smart contracts) tested.
Feedback gathered.
Proof of secure storage with insurance and security system in place.
Delivery Month
5
Cost
43000
Progress
60 %
Milestone Title
Community Launch and Marketing
Milestone Outputs
This stage focuses on the launch of the platform and the building of the community, including marketing efforts and initial events.
Activities:
Marketing (Social Media, PR, Content Creation): ~13,000 ADA .
Organization of Initial Events: ~5,000 ADA (for a number of small events).
Acceptance Criteria
First car available to future members' support. With clear description of all necessary info.
Campaigns IRL and online (esp. social media). PR through media, partnerships.
Educational content describing the purpose and benefits of being a member.
Evidence of Completion
Car in posession of the association. NFTs minted and available.
Website and marketplace up to date.
At least one IRL gathering organized.
Measurable markting content gathered (interactions, clicks, feedback, DMs, etc.)
Delivery Month
7
Cost
18000
Progress
90 %
Milestone Title
Project Close-out Report and Video
Milestone Outputs
Final documentation, audits, and presentation to stakeholders and the community, includes reporting on project progress to ensure transparency.
Activities:
Creation of a final report and video documenting project progress, financial usage, and achieved goals.
Presentation of the report to stakeholders and the community.
Planning for future phases or iterations of the project. Parnerships?! Leverage.
Reporting and Video: ~2,000 ADA
Other Closing Costs (e.g., lawyer's comments, tools): ~2,000 ADA.
Acceptance Criteria
Clear video and report highlighting the milestones, achievments, challenges, and measurable key figures (users, transactions, adoption, etc.) that will be presented to the Catalyst audience.
Future outlook and potential next steps highlighting possibilities/ growth opportunities.
Evidence of Completion
The video and the report.
Presented to the Catalyst Community.
Written outlook with next steps for the coming 6 months.
Delivery Month
8
Cost
4000
Progress
100 %
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
To create a realistic budget, the costs for the specific needs have been estimated based on the current ADA price of approximately $0.96 per ADA (as of August 17, 2025, according to CoinMarketCap):
Legal Assurance:
Tokenizing assets like classic cars requires a solid legal foundation, especially in Switzerland. Estimated costs: $13,000 (13,000 ADA).
Given the complexity an amount of ~20,000 ADA is assumed to cover other legal aspects as well.
Marketing (Advertising, PR, Social Activities):
Marketing is essential for building the community and generating interest. Estimated costs: $27,000 (27,000 ADA).
This includes advertising campaigns, PR activities, and social media efforts to increase visibility.
Marketplace Development:
A basic marketplace for NFTs can be developed for an MVP, such as for buying and trading NFTs that represent membership contributions. Estimated costs: $20,000 (20,000 ADA).
This includes the development of a web or mobile application that is user-friendly and based on Cardano.
Classic Cars and Secure Storage:
Purchasing 1-2 classic cars is costly, e.g., $50,000 per car, which at a rate of $1.00 per ADA amounts to about 50,000 ADA per car. For two cars, that would be 100,000 ADA, which far exceeds the maximum of 100,000 ADA for 'Concept'. Therefore, it is assumed that the purchase of the cars will be funded separately. Which is feasible BTW, we have collectors willing to "donate" their cars.
For secure storage, we request part of the budget, e.g., for setting up a reliable storage system: $20,000 (20,000 ADA).
Total Costs (excluding cars):
$87,000 (87,000 ADA)
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
The grant is an investment in Cardano growth: the association creates a new use case for RWA tokenization in an exclusive club model that promotes adoption among non-crypto users (e.g., car collectors). It increases transaction volume through NFT trading/events, builds community, and demonstrates how Cardano decentralizes real assets – a gap in open marketplaces.
Why Grant? Without funding, the concept remains theoretical; the grant enables an MVP that creates measurable impact (e.g., 100+ members, increased ADA usage). This aligns with Catalyst's goals: innovation and impact, as emphasized in Fund 13/14.
This Swiss association project represents an innovative and practical use of funds by tokenizing membership contributions for the acquisition of real-world collectible assets such as classic cars on the blockchain. This initiative transforms high-value physical assets into fractionalized NFTs, allowing members to trade portions of these assets while using membership fees to fund and maintain them. This approach not only democratizes access to exclusive investments but also showcases Cardano’s capability to bridge the physical and digital worlds—a powerful use case beyond traditional digital collectibles.
The project creates substantial value for the Cardano ecosystem in several ways:
Real-World Application of NFTs: By tokenizing tangible assets, the association demonstrates Cardano’s versatility, potentially attracting new users—such as car enthusiasts or investors—interested in real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. This broadens Cardano’s appeal and drives adoption.
Increased Network Activity: The development of an NFT marketplace for trading these tokens will boost transaction volume on Cardano, generating more fees and enhancing the network’s economic sustainability.
Transparency and Trust: Leveraging Cardano’s immutable blockchain, the project ensures transparent tracking of how membership fees are used for asset upkeep. This aligns with Cardano’s strengths and sets a precedent for other transparent systems.
Community Building: Exclusive events for NFT holders foster engagement, strengthening the Cardano community. Engaged users are more likely to stake ADA, participate in governance, and contribute to ecosystem growth.
In essence, the project is a strategic investment that pioneers a novel application of Cardano’s technology, enhances network utility, and cultivates a vibrant community—all key drivers of Cardano’s long-term success.
Additional Context: No Asset Purchase Costs - The budget excludes funding for classic cars, focusing instead on infrastructure and community development. This aligns with Project Catalyst’s guidelines, which prioritize innovation over direct asset acquisition.
This is a compelling use of funds because it pioneers real world membership tokenization on Cardano, driving adoption, network activity, and community engagement. The 87,000 ADA budget is justified by its focus on legal compliance, platform quality, user acquisition, and transparency—all critical to success! By funding this project, Cardano gains a showcase of its potential, positioning it as a leader in practical blockchain applications.
Terms and Conditions:
Yes
Roman Lapenko, Product Design & Development. https://www.linkedin.com/in/roman-lapenko/
Çetin Köksal – Co-Founder & Asset Specialist. https://pass.international/meet-the-pass-team
Miftar Ademi – Classic Car Mechanic. https://mds-bex.ch/nos-services/
Dashmir Ademi – Automotive Bodywork Specialist. https://mds-bex.ch/carrosserie/
Erhan Köksal – CEO & Founder. https://www.linkedin.com/in/e-c-k/