Hydra Powered Gamified Badges for Blockchain Conferences

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

Hydra Powered Gamified Badges for Blockchain Conferences

[Proposal Summary] Budget Information

Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA

75000

[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?

Cardano lacks engaging, hands-on showcases at major conferences, limiting awareness of Hydra and reducing visibility compared to competing ecosystems.

[Proposal Summary] Supporting Documentation

Supporting links

• https://fourfold.co
,
• https://fourfold.co/blog/
,
• https://hydra.family/head-protocol/

[Proposal Summary] Project Dependencies

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

Yes

Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'

This project builds on existing work and collaborations, including: 1) Hardware contribution via iteration and customization from the Fourfold Team, who have developed gamified conference badge platforms, extensible to any ESP class embedded device. 2) The Cardano Hydra codebase, which provides the foundational Layer 2 scaling technology. 3) Prior work by DripDropz toward Hydra hardware integration.

[Proposal Summary] Project Open Source

Will your project's outputs be fully open source?

Yes

License and Additional Information

Yes. All project outputs will be released under open-source licenses such as GPL and CC BY-4.0, ensuring that both software and educational content can be freely used, adapted, and extended by the Cardano community and beyond.

[Theme Selection] Theme

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

IoT

[Campaign Category] Category Questions

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

This project is the first integration of Cardano’s Hydra scaling solution into premium, gamified conference badges, combining hardware culture with blockchain education. Unlike traditional conference swag or software-only demos, these badges serve simultaneously as collectible souvenirs and fully functional demo units that showcase Hydra’s real-world capabilities. By embedding interactive, gamified experiences into high-quality hardware, the project creates a unique and memorable way for conference participants to engage with Cardano.

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

The prototype will demonstrate Hydra-enabled, gamified transactions on custom-built conference badges at an upcoming University of Illinois Blockchain event. Attendees will use their badges to interact with a local Hydra state channel, updating their status in real time. The software and firmware will be made publicly accessible through open-source repositories so the demo can be reproduced, extended, or adapted for future conferences in the Cardano ecosystem. The released Firmware SDK can also support onboarding of Espressif ESP family devices to the Cardano ecosystem.

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

Success will be measured through both on-chain and event-based metrics, including:

• Number of Hydra transactions executed during conference events.
• Number of participants interacting with the badge system.
• Distribution and retention of badges as collectible hardware devices.
• Community adoption of the open-source codebase, evidenced by forks, integrations, or derivative projects.
• Showcase impact at the University of Illinois campus conference, measured through participant engagement, post-event survey feedback, and visibility within academic and blockchain research communities.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

Cardano can do more to showcase its most important scaling technology, Hydra, at major blockchain conferences and academic events. Other ecosystems highlight their strengths through interactive demos, gamified tools, and developer engagement activities, while Cardano’s visibility often relies on talks, panels, or booths. This creates a perception gap where Cardano appears passive and beholden to a slow peer-reviewed research model rather than innovative. With memorable, hands-on demonstrations, potential developers, students, and conference participants get opportunities to experience Cardano’s strengths firsthand, seeding adoption and integration of Hydra into real-world applications.

Conference badge culture provides a unique opportunity to merge hardware innovation with blockchain demonstrations. Premium badges serve as both souvenirs and demo units, making them powerful engagement tools. By embedding Hydra transactions into gamified experiences, we show Cardano’s scalability in action rather than through abstract explanations. Hydra’s low-latency, high-throughput features are ideally suited for event environments, where multiple participants can complete challenges, trade digital items, or engage in collaborative tasks in real time.

Together, this approach combines credibility, technical skill, and cultural relevance to deliver a first-of-its-kind showcase for Cardano.

The project will engage multiple audiences:

• Conference Attendees: Participants at blockchain, technology, and academic events will receive badges that provide hands-on Hydra experiences.
• Developers and Hackers: Badge culture invites technical exploration, hacking, and modification, creating a pathway for developers to learn Hydra integration by tinkering with the devices.
• Students and Academic Researchers: By showcasing at the University of Illinois blockchain and emerging technologies conference, we directly engage students, faculty, and researchers.
• The Global Cardano Community: Open-source release of firmware, guides, and documentation under GPL and CC BY-4.0 will allow reuse, adaptation, and replication at future events worldwide.

Impact will be demonstrated through both quantitative and qualitative measures:

• On-chain metrics: Number of Hydra transactions executed during events.
• Participation metrics: Number of badges distributed, unique participants engaged, and percentage of badges actively used during events.
• Academic showcase: Engagement at the University of Illinois campus conference, measured through attendance, surveys, and feedback.
• Community adoption: Forks, integrations, or derivative projects based on the released open-source code.
• Qualitative data: Testimonials from participants, developers, and organizers on how the showcase improved perceptions of Cardano.

This is the first project to merge Hydra scaling technology with premium hardware conference badges, creating a dual-purpose tool:

• A demo unit that allows live Hydra transactions in a gamified format.
• A souvenir that participants will retain long after the event, reinforcing their connection to Cardano.

Unlike marketing spend that disappears once the event ends, these badges persist as lasting assets. The project leverages the prestige of badge culture, the credibility of academic institutions, and the visibility of live Hydra demos to position Cardano as innovative, technically advanced, and culturally relevant.

This will bring benefit to:

• Cardano Ecosystem: Gains global visibility through high-impact, interactive showcases that differentiate Hydra from scaling solutions in other blockchains.
• Developers: Gain direct, practical experience with Hydra in a gamified environment.
• Students and Researchers: Gain exposure to Cardano’s technology at academic events, fostering interest and potential future contributions.
• Cardano Community: Benefits from reusable, open-source resources that can extend Hydra showcases to future conferences without additional Catalyst funding.

This project is important to Cardano because it solves a persistent visibility and engagement gap. By moving from passive presence to interactive demonstration, Cardano will better capture developer attention, build credibility at academic institutions, and strengthen its position as a blockchain that prioritizes innovation, education, and community adoption.

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

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

This project directly strengthens Cardano’s visibility and reputation by moving beyond passive conference participation and delivering memorable, interactive showcases of Hydra in action. Attendees will experience Hydra’s scalability firsthand through premium gamified badges, making Cardano stand out from other ecosystems. By anchoring the first deployment at the University of Illinois blockchain and emerging technologies conference, the project also builds new bridges with academia, fostering engagement with students, researchers, and faculty. Longer term, the open-source nature of the project ensures that other community members can replicate the model, extending its impact to conferences and events worldwide.

Impact will be measured through a combination of on-chain and event-based metrics:

• Number of Hydra transactions executed during live events.
• Percentage of distributed badges actively used by participants.
• Engagement levels at the University of Illinois conference, measured through surveys and participant feedback.
• Qualitative testimonials from attendees and organizers regarding Cardano’s visibility and technical demonstration.
• Community adoption metrics, such as forks, downloads, or derivative projects from the open-source codebase.

All outputs will be openly shared with the Cardano community:

• Firmware, schematics, and documentation released under GPL and CC BY-4.0 licenses, hosted in public repositories.
• A final project report including transaction data, event metrics, and lessons learned.
• Public presentations and posts summarizing results on Cardano community forums, Catalyst channels, and social media.
• Opportunities for other Catalyst-funded projects, developer groups, and event organizers to adapt or extend the model for their own showcases.

By combining premium hardware with open-source resources and academic engagement, this project delivers both immediate visibility and long-term value for Cardano.

[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?

This project is supported by a team with a proven record of delivering blockchain education, governance initiatives, and hardware-integrated demonstrations within the Cardano ecosystem. The administering entity has successfully completed multiple funded projects under Catalyst and Intersect, demonstrating the ability to manage funds responsibly, deliver on milestones, and provide transparent reporting.

The project combines three key areas of expertise:

• Academic and Research Capacity: Ensuring rigorous project oversight, accountability, and integration with educational institutions.
• Hardware Design and Production Experience: A team with extensive experience producing professional-grade gamified badges for high-profile technology conferences, capable of delivering reliable, engaging devices at scale.
• Hydra Engineering and Integration Skills: Developers who have already demonstrated Hydra in action through interactive showcases, bringing the technical expertise necessary to embed Hydra transactions into conference hardware.

Together, these capacities ensure that the project can be executed effectively, transparently, and with measurable impact.

Feasibility will be validated through an iterative and transparent process:

• Prototype Development: Initial hardware schematics and Hydra-enabled firmware will be completed early in the project, with open-source releases for community review.
• Testing and Refinement: Closed testing sessions will validate stability, transaction throughput, and participant experience, with feedback incorporated into refinements.
• Conference Deployment: The first live showcase at a blockchain and emerging technologies conference will serve as proof of concept, demonstrating Hydra transactions in a real-world, high-participation environment.
• Reporting and Open-Source Sharing: All deliverables, including firmware, documentation, and project reports, will be released publicly, ensuring both transparency and community validation of the project’s success.

Funds will be managed by an established entity with institutional accountability and prior success in Cardano-funded projects. The budget is milestone-based, ensuring resources are released only as deliverables are completed. Deliverables will be visible to the community through open-source repositories and progress updates. A final report will include detailed accounting, transaction data, and lessons learned, ensuring full transparency.

With institutional backing, established processes for accountability, and a track record of delivering open-source outputs, this project demonstrates both feasibility and trustworthiness in execution.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

Plan Project

Milestone Outputs

A comprehensive project plan will be developed that clearly defines scope, objectives, and responsibilities across all contributors. Communication channels and collaboration tools will be established. An open-source repository will be created with initial placeholder documentation to ensure community visibility and transparency from the beginning.

Acceptance Criteria

AC1: Project charter and scope document published in repository for community access.

AC2: Detailed milestone timeline finalized and confirmed by the delivery team.

AC3: Repository established with placeholder files, README, and contribution guidelines prepared for later updates.

Evidence of Completion

A public link to the repository containing the charter, timeline, and initial documentation will be shared with the Catalyst community.

Delivery Month

1

Cost

10000

Progress

10 %

Milestone Title

Design Device

Milestone Outputs

Hardware schematics for the premium conference badge will be drafted and refined. Hydra-enabled firmware prototypes will be developed to demonstrate transaction execution. The team will document design choices, challenges, and trade-offs to support future replication. Early prototypes will undergo iterative testing to validate stability and participant experience.

Acceptance Criteria

AC1: Badge schematics reviewed and validated for manufacturability and accuracy.

AC2: Hydra transactions successfully executed on firmware prototype.

AC3: Documentation of design process and technical specifications released publicly in the repository.

Evidence of Completion

Open-source schematics, firmware prototypes, and design documentation published in the project repository with a public access link.

Delivery Month

3

Cost

20000

Progress

30 %

Milestone Title

Manufacture Device

Milestone Outputs

A production run of between 100 and 150 premium Hydra-enabled conference badges will be completed. Devices will be subjected to quality assurance checks, ensuring durability and reliable Hydra performance. Packaging and logistics for distribution will be finalized in preparation for the conference showcase. This milestone ensures the hardware assets are physically ready for deployment.

Acceptance Criteria

AC1: Manufacturing partner delivers all units to required quality standards and in working order.

AC2: Quality assurance testing confirms Hydra transaction capability across a minimum of 90% of devices.

AC3: Logistics plan for distribution at conference finalized and documented.

Evidence of Completion

Documented photos, delivery receipts, and a QA report will be uploaded to the repository, confirming successful manufacturing and testing of devices.

Delivery Month

5

Cost

30000

Progress

60 %

Milestone Title

Deploy Device at Conference

Milestone Outputs

Devices will be distributed to participants at the University of Illinois blockchain and emerging technologies conference. Attendees will engage with the badges in a real-world setting, completing Hydra-powered activities and recording transaction data. Participant surveys will be conducted to measure qualitative impact, while on-chain logs will capture Hydra transaction performance.

Acceptance Criteria

AC1: At least 100 badges distributed and confirmed as received by participants.

AC2: A minimum of 75% of distributed badges used successfully during live events.

AC3: Hydra transaction data collected, logged, and included in post-event reporting.

AC4: Participant feedback surveys completed and documented in a final dataset.

Evidence of Completion

A conference summary report including photos, participant counts, survey results, and Hydra transaction metrics will be published in the project repository.

Delivery Month

6

Cost

10000

Progress

90 %

Milestone Title

Closeout Report

Milestone Outputs

A detailed final report will be written in accordance with Project Catalyst Closeout Report guidelines. It will summarize outcomes, expenses, engagement metrics, participant feedback, lessons learned, and recommendations for replication. All outputs will be consolidated into the public repository, including schematics, firmware, documentation, and event data. This ensures long-term value to the Cardano community beyond the funded project.

Acceptance Criteria

AC1: Closeout Report following Project Catalyst Guidelines.

AC2: Repository updated to include all complete schematics, firmware, documentation, and surveys.

AC3: Presentation or summary post shared with the wider Catalyst community to highlight outcomes.

Evidence of Completion

A public final report and repository link shared on Catalyst platforms and community forums, verified by community review and engagement.

Delivery Month

6

Cost

5000

Progress

100 %

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Conversion Rate: 1 ADA = $1 USD

Hardware Design and Manufacturing: 30,000 ADA

• This covers the design, fabrication, and assembly of premium gamified badges by the Fourfold team. It ensures the badges are both functional demo units for Hydra transactions and high-quality souvenirs that participants will value and retain. By investing in robust hardware, the project creates a long-term asset for showcasing Cardano.

Hydra Integration Development: 17,000 ADA

• This supports engineering work by the Fourfold team consulting with DripDropz to integrate Hydra into the badges. The prior success with Hydra Doom and the Hydra Vending Machine proves DripDropz capability to deliver engaging demonstrations. This budget ensures seamless, real-time Hydra transactions on the devices, making the technology accessible and interactive for first-time users.

Project Administration and Coordination: 10,000 ADA

• This covers administrative oversight provided by Immutable Research Institute, ensuring that milestones are tracked, deadlines are met, and communication flows smoothly across all contributors. Effective administration is critical to managing hardware production, firmware integration, and event preparation within the 6-month timeframe.

Conference Showcase and Distribution: 10,000 ADA

• This budget funds participation at the University of Illinois blockchain and emerging technologies conference in spring 2026, including travel, logistics, and badge distribution. It ensures that the project’s impact is maximized by reaching academic researchers, students, and industry professionals while also collecting feedback through engagement activities.

Open-Source Documentation and Community Resources: 5,000 ADA

• This ensures high-quality tutorials, firmware guides, and repositories are published for community use under GPL and CC BY-4.0 licenses. It extends the life of the project by making it possible for other Cardano teams or event organizers to replicate and adapt the model.

Contingency and Infrastructure: 3,000 ADA

• This provides a safety margin for unexpected costs such as hardware component price fluctuations, shipping delays, or server infrastructure needs. By allocating a modest contingency, the project safeguards successful delivery without risking underfunding critical activities.

Total: 75,000 ADA

[Final Pitch] Value for Money

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

This project represents exceptional value for the Cardano ecosystem by delivering premium, tangible demonstrations of Hydra at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing or sponsorships. Instead of paying for passive visibility, this initiative creates a lasting, reusable showcase tool that combines high-quality hardware, open-source software, and real-world event engagement.

The largest share of the budget is dedicated to hardware design and production, ensuring attendees receive a premium device that serves as both a souvenir and a live demo unit for Hydra. By anchoring the showcase at the University of Illinois blockchain and emerging technologies conference, the project maximizes visibility in both academic and blockchain research communities, while also being adaptable for future events worldwide.

The open-source release of firmware, documentation, and educational resources under GPL and CC BY-4.0 further extends the return on investment, enabling other Cardano community members to replicate or adapt the model for their own use cases. In sum, for 75,000 ADA, the project delivers long-term assets, immediate engagement impact, and global visibility, making it one of the most cost-effective strategies to showcase Cardano’s innovation at scale.

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

Terms and Conditions:

Yes