drep.space – MVP Validation of Governance Matching Tool

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

drep.space – MVP Validation of Governance Matching Tool

[Proposal Summary] Budget Information

Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA

47500

[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?

Most ADA holders struggle to choose DReps due to lack of clarity, accessible tools, and value alignment data. Active ADA participation remains low, and DRep voting power concentration is raising

[Proposal Summary] Supporting Documentation

Supporting links

• https://drep.space/
,
• https://www.getaiplayers.com/

[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

All codebase and validation reports outputs will be publicly shared and open-sourced

[Theme Selection] Theme

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

Governance

[Campaign Category] Category Questions

Describe what makes your idea innovative compared to what has been previously funded (whether by you or others).

drep.space is the first governance onboarding tool designed to match ADA holders with DReps based on values and alignment, not just visibility or reputation. Unlike generic directories or static lists, the MVP uses an interactive Cardano Vision Quiz, a side-by-side DRep comparison view, and transparent behavioral metrics. This approach gamifies governance, decentralizes attention away from a few “popular” DReps, and introduces reusable open-source matching logic that can power future Cardano governance apps.

Describe what your prototype or MVP will demonstrate, and where it can be accessed.

The MVP will demonstrate a live governance matching experience:

• A quiz-driven onboarding flow that generates personalized DRep matches.
• Comparison view showing similarities and differences between top DReps.
• DRep directory with profiles, search, and filtering features.
• Public dashboard tracking usage and feedback metrics.

It will be accessible via https://drep.space (open web app. current website is a PoC), with all code and validation reports available on a public GitHub repository.

Describe realistic measures of success, ideally with on-chain metrics.

Primary measures of success:

• Engagement metrics: 300–600 quiz completions during the open pilot, 30%+ feedback response rate.
• Ecosystem coverage: 100+ verified DRep profiles indexed.
• Adoption signals: measurable click-throughs to official DRep registration or delegation portals.
• Transparency: live dashboard showing funnels, completions, and comparison usage.

While delegation itself happens on-chain outside the MVP, success can be partly measured by tracking referrals to delegation endpoints and, in future iterations, direct integration with delegation smart contracts.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

Many ADA holders want to participate in governance but do not know which DRep to choose. Information is fragmented, value alignment is unclear, and visibility tends to concentrate on a few well known DReps. The net effect is low confidence, lower participation, and a rising risk of DRep power concentration.

drep.space is a values based governance onboarding tool that helps ADA holders discover and compare DReps in minutes. The MVP delivers a short Cardano Vision Quiz, a transparent matching engine, a side by side DRep comparison in the results, and an open directory of DRep profiles with search and filters. The goal is to reduce choice friction, surface alignment rather than popularity, and give delegators a clear path to act.

Design principles

1. Alignment first. Match on values and priorities rather than brand recognition.
2. Neutral and explainable. Show why a match was suggested, and rotate visibility so long tail DReps are discoverable.
3. Open and reusable. Publish code, data models, and methods so wallets and other apps can integrate.
4. Lean and testable. Ship a small end to end flow, measure behavior, publish findings, and iterate.
5. Privacy minimalism. Collect the minimum data required and give users clarity on what is stored.

User journey

1. Entry. A delegator lands on drep.space and starts a 5-10 minute Cardano Vision Quiz.
2. Quiz. Questions capture preferences on topics such as decentralization vs throughput trade offs, treasury risk appetite, funding priorities, constitution interpretation, ecosystem growth vs security, and many other topics where DRep and user may have oposing thoughts.
3. Results. The app generates a short list of matched DReps and presents a comparison view where top matches are shown side by side. Each tile includes an alignment score, key stance summaries, recent vote highlights, and links out to official registry pages and delegation endpoints.
4. Explore. Users can open each profile, use directory search and filters, and save or share a match page.
5. Act. Clear calls to action route users toward delegation portals or official DRep registration resources. For the MVP we track click outs and feedback, not on chain execution.

What the MVP contains

1. Quiz engine v1 with initial question quiz, scoring weights, and explainability notes per question.
2. Matching logic v1 that maps quiz to DRep profile (and possible DRep vote vectors), producing a transparent alignment score.
3. Comparison view in results that shows two or three top DReps side by side, with shared values, divergences, and recent governance signals or DRep-generated profile info.
4. DRep directory with profiles, search, and filters. Profiles may include bio, policy stances, vote history links, media links, and contact or AMA info when available. In future iterations, we would consider including direct AMA/Q&A features.
5. Feedback capture and a public metrics dashboard with funnels, completions, and click paths.
6. Validation Report v1 that documents what worked, what did not, and recommended next steps.

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

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

drep.space will directly strengthen Cardano’s governance by lowering the barriers for ADA holders to delegate meaningfully. The platform increases voter participation by providing a simple, values-based onboarding flow, reducing reliance on popularity or brand recognition. By offering a transparent quiz, comparison view, and open DRep directory, it decentralizes visibility and gives emerging representatives a fairer chance to attract delegations.

All outputs will be open source, enabling other governance tools to integrate the matching logic.

In the short term, this improves trust, clarity, and distribution of voting power.

In the long term, it lays the foundation for more advanced features such as notifications, delegation flows, and Q&A forums, positioning drep.space as a sustainable hub for DReps and delegators.

[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 capability & track record

AI Players combines governance-aware product thinking, UX design, and proven engineering. We’ve shipped production automations and user-facing products for organizations including Pulso.health, Bookster.ai (1.2M installs), N&N Lubricentro, and La Guardería, giving us the discipline to deliver auditable, privacy-respecting services. The MVP will be led by AI Players (getaiplayers.com) with a lean core team (product/UX + engineering) and a Cardano development partner (to be confirmed) for an external review of API/registry integrations and future Voltaire alignment.

How we ensure trust & accountability

Transparency by default: All code, quiz design, matching logic, weights, and test cases will be published in a public GitHub repo with an open license, CHANGELOG, and issue tracker. The Cardano Vision Quiz v1 and the matching algorithm spec will include rationale and example I/O so the community can reproduce results.

Fairness & neutrality: Matches are driven by values/stance signals—not popularity. The UI shows why a match was suggested (explainability notes), rotates visibility to reduce “rich-get-richer” effects, and provides a DRep appeal/update path.

Data minimization & privacy: The MVP does not require wallet connection. We collect only consented, minimal data; analytics are anonymized; retention is time-boxed; and users can request deletion.

Ecosystem alignment: We will index 100+ DRep profiles where available, invite DReps to verify/update stances, and publish a clear policy for profile sourcing, edits, and conflicts of interest.

Operational reliability: CI checks, automated tests for matching edge cases, and runbooks for incident response. Public uptime/health page during the open pilot.

Feasibility & validation plan

M1 – Quiz & Matching (Month 1): Ship quiz engine v1, matching logic v1, and public DRep submission form. Publish specs, weights, and tests in GitHub.

M2 – Closed Cohort (by Month 3): Run a structured test with governance contributors and delegators; collect surveys, triage issues by severity, and prioritize fixes.

M3 – Open Pilot & Awareness (by Month 4): Launch the public MVP at drep.space with quiz → results → comparison → directory. Target 300–600 quiz completions and 30%+ feedback response rate; reach 100+ verified DRep profiles.

M4 – Validation & Close-out (by Month 6): Publish Validation Report v1 (methods, behavior insights, limitations), a live metrics dashboard (visits, starts, completions, comparisons, outbound delegation clicks) plus an archived PDF snapshot, and a short YouTube summary video per Catalyst guidelines.

Key risks & mitigations

Low DRep participation: Proactive outreach + self-service submission/verification; clear profile policy; fallbacks from public statements when consented.

Popularity bias/gaming: Visibility rotation, capped exposure for top profiles, logged changes, and public matching rules.

Data drift/accuracy: Versioned profiles, dated stances, and a routine refresh cadence; community PRs with review.

Scope creep: Strict MVP: quiz, matching, comparison, directory, feedback, and reporting only; change control documented in the roadmap.

Bottom line: We will deliver a working, explainable values-based DRep matching MVP, with open code, public metrics, and a transparent validation report, so the community can inspect, reproduce, and iterate on the approach.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

Quiz Engine and Matching Logic

Milestone Outputs

• Initial drafting of the Cardano Vision Quiz with questions, answers, and rationale behind the questions.
• Matching algorithm v1 implemented and documented.
• Public DRep submission form live for profile intake.

Acceptance Criteria

• A document outlining the Cardano vision Quiz v1, which includes the amount of questions, the possible answers, and the rationale behind choosing such questions.
• The matching algorithm, weights, and test cases are published on GitHub under a permissive license with a readable README and example inputs and outputs for review.
• A public submission form URL to collect DRep data with basic validation and consent text; submissions persist to a data store with a documented schema and an export method described.

Evidence of Completion

• Link to a PDF with the Cardano Vision Quiz v1.
• GitHub repo link
• PDF or URL link to the submission form

Delivery Month

1

Cost

12500

Progress

20 %

Milestone Title

Closed Cohort Test and Feedback

Milestone Outputs

• Test plan and runbook for a closed cohort of governance contributors and delegators.
• Closed cohort test executed end-to-end on the MVP in staging.
• Feedback instruments live: structured survey and issue triage board.
• Pilot summary with prioritized fixes and recommendations.

Acceptance Criteria

• The runbook describes recruitment, consent, test tasks, success checks, and data handling; it is shared as a dated PDF and versioned so reviewers can see what was executed.
• A closed cohort session is conducted using the MVP; the execution log lists participants, session timing, and any incidents; no personal data is stored beyond explicit consent.
• A survey link is visible from the app and responses are exported; issues are captured with severity, component, and suggested fix notes mapped to the summary.

Evidence of Completion

• PDF of the runbook and schedule.
• Spreadsheet export of anonymized survey responses.
• Link to a PDF with the pilot summary.

Delivery Month

3

Cost

12500

Milestone Title

Open Pilot Launch and Awareness Campaign

Milestone Outputs

• Open pilot enabled at a public URL.
• Awareness campaign executed across social media like X, Discord, and other community channels.
• Community artifacts published: a concise FAQ and X explainer thread.

Acceptance Criteria

• The app is reachable at a public URL with the quiz, results, comparison view, and directory access.
• Public announcements are posted across at least three channels with links and timestamps; posts clearly state the pilot purpose, data practices, and how to submit DRep profiles.
• An FAQ page and an X thread are published and linked from the site; each artifact explains the pilot scope, known limits, and how to provide feedback.

Evidence of Completion

• Link to the public URL live.
• A link to a PDF with screenshot of evidence of the awareness campaign efforts on social comm channels.
• A link to a PDF with the FAQ link or info, and the X thread.

Delivery Month

4

Cost

12500

Progress

70 %

Milestone Title

Working MVP Launch, Valdiation Conclusion Report, and Close-Out

Milestone Outputs

• MVP is functional and accesible to the public via an URL.
• Validation Report v1 summarizing methods, behavior insights, and user feedback.
• Public dashboard with anonymized metrics and an archived PDF snapshot.
• Project close-out report per Catalyst guidance and a 2–3 minute summary video.

Acceptance Criteria

• A publicly accessible PDF report includes executive summary, methodology, key findings, limitations, and next-step recommendations, with links to evidence used in the analysis.
• A metrics dashboard shows visits, quiz starts, completions, comparison views, and outbound clicks; an archived snapshot is exported to PDF and linked for reviewer access.
• A close-out report follows Catalyst format, listing outputs, evidence links, lessons learned, and reuse guidance; a short video is published on YouTube with a public link and captions.

Evidence of Completion

• Link to Validation Report v1 PDF.
• Link to a PDF with the metrics snapshot, and a URL link to the live dashboard.
• Link to the close-out report PDF and a public URL YouTube video.

Delivery Month

6

Cost

10000

Progress

100 %

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

We request 47,500 ADA for the delivery of the drep.space MVP launch. The budget is distributed across the main workstreams required to design, build, validate, and report on the project.

Product & UX Design – 7,000 ADA

• Drafting of Cardano Vision Quiz questions, rationale, and scoring logic.
• UX wireframes for quiz flow, results page, and comparison view.
• Design of DRep submission form and feedback survey instruments.

Engineering & Development – 12,000 ADA

• Implementation of quiz logic and scoring.
• Development of matching algorithm with documented weights and test cases.
• Frontend build: interface, results display, comparison view, and FAQ page.
• Backend setup: submission form handling, database schema, and data validation.
• Public GitHub repo setup with README, licensing, and open-source code.

Cardano-Specific Integration – 9,000 ADA

• Subcontracting a Cardano development partner for wallet connection and delegation flow preparation (future-ready, optional in MVP).
• API integration with DRep registry and governance data endpoints.
• Assurance review for compatibility with CIP-1694 and governance tools.

Infrastructure & Tools – 4,500 ADA

• Hosting (app + backend + database).
• Analytics dashboard and metrics tracking setup.
• Secure storage and consent-based handling of submitted DRep data.

Testing & Validation – 4,000 ADA

• Recruitment and incentives for closed pilot cohort (20–30 users).
• Execution of structured surveys, interviews, and analysis.
• Documentation of prioritized usability improvements.

Community Engagement & Awareness – 4,000 ADA

• Awareness campaign on X, Discord, and other channels.
• Content creation: FAQ, explainer thread, and outreach posts.
• Light marketing push to boost visibility within Cardano governance channels.

Reporting & Close-Out – 2,000 ADA

• Validation Report v1 (with behavioral data and insights).
• Catalyst close-out report (per Fund guidelines).
• Public metrics dashboard and archived PDF snapshot.
• Video summary hosted on YouTube with captions.

Buffer & Contingency - 5,000 ADA

Total: 47,500 ADA

[Final Pitch] Value for Money

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

This proposal delivers a fully functional MVP, public validation data, and open-source governance tooling at a lean cost of 47,500 ADA. The budget directly funds tangible outputs: quiz engine, matching algorithm, submission form, Cardano integration, closed and open testing cohorts, infrastructure, awareness campaign, and final reporting.

Compared to typical Catalyst-funded dApps or governance platforms, this budget is modest. It avoids overhead and focuses on high-leverage activities: enabling ADA holders to delegate based on values, giving visibility to smaller DReps, and producing reusable components that other DApps can adopt.

If funded, this proposal will deliver a working MVP for an innovative new solution to improve DRep voting power distribution, reduce power concentration, and ultimately strengthen Cardano's governance decentralization.

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

Terms and Conditions:

Yes