Last updated a month ago
No evidence shows which traceability features actually build trust in luxury craft products. Brands risk scaling costly systems without knowing what consumers truly value.
Feasibility study + light MVP to test blockchain provenance in artisanal luxury, using raffia as case study. Prototype + customer feedback will guide scaling.
Please provide your proposal title
M4W: Blockchain Traceability for Artisanal Luxury Products
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
98000
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
9
Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated
No
Original Language
en
What is the problem you want to solve?
No evidence shows which traceability features actually build trust in luxury craft products. Brands risk scaling costly systems without knowing what consumers truly value.
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
The project will be partially open sourced. The project’s methodology, metadata schema, and integration steps for the data collection tool will be documented and published for adaptation by other organisations. Any custom code developed that can be shared without violating partner licensing will be released under the MIT License. Sensitive operational data and third-party components will remain proprietary.
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal.
Sustainability
Describe what makes your idea innovative compared to what has been previously funded (whether by you or others).
First blockchain-anchored, offline-first MVP for raffia supply chain data capture, built as a feasibility study for low-connectivity environments. Combines GPS/photo evidence, multilingual UI, and wallet-based authentication in a single lightweight app. Designed for rapid testing and replication by other Cardano projects, reducing cost and complexity for traceability solutions in agriculture, artisan crafts, and environmental monitoring.
Describe what your prototype or MVP will demonstrate, and where it can be accessed.
A light MVP proving offline capture, GPS/photo evidence, wallet authentication, and Cardano anchoring can work in rural Madagascar for raffia cultivation and artisan production tracking. Accessible via a mobile-responsive web app, with sample on-chain records viewable in a hosted gallery. Designed to validate workflow and usability before a production build, with documentation for replication by other Cardano projects.
Describe realistic measures of success, ideally with on-chain metrics.
Successful on-chain recording of raffia cultivation and artisan production data with verifiable GPS, photo, and timestamp metadata; trained users able to operate the tool independently; multiple communities engaged in field tests; open-source methodology published; and clear stakeholder interest in adapting the approach for other supply chains or impact-verification needs.
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
Traceability in luxury and artisanal supply chains is often treated as an unquestioned good, with systems like Aura or digital product passports assuming that putting supply chain data on a blockchain automatically creates trust. Yet there is no clear evidence of which aspects of provenance actually matter to customers. Because brands risk scaling costly systems that fail to connect with their audience, our project proposes a feasibility study and light MVP that directly tests how blockchain-anchored provenance influences consumer trust.
By focusing on raffia products from Made For A Woman (M4W) as a case study, we can isolate which provenance features matter — artisan identity, sustainability,
geographic origin, or simply blockchain verification. This is stronger than
compliance-driven systems because it produces evidence, not assumptions, guiding brands to scale features that consumers truly value.
Step-by-step workflow
which provenance features drove trust and value.
Who is engaged:
The project will involve Malagasy artisans from M4W and a curated group of
conscious consumers, ensuring both makers and buyers validate usability and trust.
Why it’s unique:
At Made For A Woman, we are building a new paradigm for luxury — one where the consumer is no longer a distant spectator but an active co-creator in the story of each piece. Traditionally, artisanal supply chains are fragmented by intermediaries, disconnecting consumers from the human and environmental realities behind products. Our innovation removes these barriers by creating a direct, blockchain-anchored bridge between artisans in Madagascar and conscious consumers worldwide.
In the future, through a digital product passport and interactive software layer,
customers will be able to participate at every stage of creation:
purchases to initiatives such as school funding or women’s empowerment.
opportunities for collaborative input.
This transforms consumption into participation, co-creation, and stewardship.
Instead of buying an anonymous luxury object, consumers acquire a story, a
relationship, and a legacy. By merging artisanal excellence, social empowerment, and blockchain innovation, this model redefines luxury as not only exclusivity, but inclusion, transparency, and shared creation.
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
This project will position Cardano as the blockchain of choice for consumer‑facing provenance in artisanal luxury. Most systems focus on compliance; here, Cardano is tested as the trust layer that directly influences consumer perception. The feasibility study will provide data on what provenance features customers actually value, offering the Cardano community a replicable framework for other small‑scale, impact‑driven supply chains.
Ecosystem benefits:
Social benefits:
recognition through verified records.
brands, broadening Cardano’s real‑world adoption.
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?
Made For A Woman (M4W):
Made For A Woman (M4W), a Madagascar-based for-profit social enterprise founded in 2019, is redefining the paradigms of the global fashion industry by championing radical transparency, sustainability, and authentic storytelling. Built on a 360-degree model that integrates traceability, social impact, and craftsmanship, M4W demonstrates that fashion can simultaneously embody beauty, responsibility, and empowerment.
We work with over 750 artisans, primarily women from vulnerable communities, and directly impact the lives of more than 3,000 people through stable employment, holistic support, and community development initiatives. By prioritizing ethical production and environmental responsibility, we not only preserve traditional know-how but also create pathways to autonomy, dignity, and long-term resilience for our artisans.
Our unique approach has positioned us as a trusted partner for some of the world’s leading luxury houses, including brands from the LVMH, Kering, and Richemont groups such as Chloé and Fendi. Each handcrafted piece we produce is more than a fashion accessory—it is a story of empowerment, heritage, and the possibility of a fashion system rooted in equity and sustainability.
Modus Create:
Modus Create has been tackling tough engineering challenges
since 2013 and contributing to the Cardano ecosystem since 2018, leading work in security audits, protocol design, consensus evolution, and core ledger systems. The company’s team has delivered foundational improvements to the network while maintaining a focus on open collaboration, technical rigor, and solutions that serve the broader community. This hands-on experience in one of the world’s most innovative blockchain ecosystems has shaped Modus Create’s approach to solving complex problems and delivering sustainable, production-grade results. A global product engineering and consulting firm partnered with Atlassian, AWS, and GitHub, Modus Create combines high-level strategy with deep technical execution. Its expertise spans blockchain integration, NFT platforms, tokenization frameworks, wallet solutions, and smart contract-enabled applications for both enterprise and public networks. Beyond blockchain, the company has developed advanced geospatial mapping tools that integrate GIS data into accessible, interactive applications, and delivered solutions across finance, environmental conservation, and digital commerce. Whether modernizing legacy systems, launching Web3 products, or designing mission-critical infrastructure, Modus Create helps organizations and ecosystems like Cardano reach their full potential.
Milestone Title
Discovery, Scoping, and UX Alignment (Months 1–3)
Milestone Outputs
This milestone defines the project’s foundation, ensuring that the MVP is designed to meet both technical requirements and brand objectives. Workshops with M4W,
Modus Create, and artisan leaders will map which production events to log, how the QR/public story page should look, and the rules for branding and governance. In addition to design scoping, this phase will document the specific consumer‑facing hypotheses to be tested in later milestones. Wireframes for the admin dashboard and public page will be created, governance and brand guidelines established, and a roadmap and backlog signed. The goal is to create a validated, shared understanding of the MVP scope, reduce ambiguity, and prepare a practical baseline for development.
Outputs:
Annotated wireframes for admin dashboard and story page.
Governance and brand alignment brief.
Signed roadmap and backlog.
Acceptance Criteria
workflows.
language accuracy checks.
documented.
Evidence of Completion
Link to a PDF.
Link to a PDF.
Link to a PDF.
Notes: Documents and links will be hosted on a public Notion page. We may additionally consider providing the evidence in other mediums to facilitate milestone reviewer access, but this shall not be the basis of a milestone rejection unless the reviewer is unable to access the page.
Delivery Month
3
Cost
17000
Progress
30 %
Milestone Title
MVP Development & Testnet Validation (Months 3–6)
Milestone Outputs
This milestone builds the MVP: backend event logging, QR code generation,
blockchain anchoring, and a public story page. It will be deployed on testnet for full workflow validation, followed by one proof entry on mainnet. Usability testing will be conducted with internal M4W staff to confirm reliability. Detailed test protocols will capture each step and record evidence to strengthen the feasibility report. This milestone ensures the core system functions as designed before involving external testers. It will also establish baseline user guidelines and internal checklists for logging events, generating QRs, and validating blockchain anchors. Testing will confirm data integrity, system resilience in low connectivity, and readability of public story pages. The emphasis will be on validating the light MVP’s architecture, preparing for external demonstrations in the next milestone, and ensuring any technical issues are caught early. In this way, Milestone #2 covers software delivery while embedding operational learning within M4W, ensuring feasibility conclusions are supported by both technical and organizational evidence.
Outputs:
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Link to a private YouTube video.
Link to a PDF.
Link to a PDF.
Notes: Documents and links will be hosted on a public Notion page. We may additionally consider providing the evidence in other mediums to facilitate milestone reviewer access, but this shall not be the basis of a milestone rejection unless the reviewer is unable to access the page.
Delivery Month
6
Cost
49500
Progress
70 %
Milestone Title
Controlled Demonstration & Feedback (Month 7-8)
Milestone Outputs
This milestone tests the MVP with a small curated group of about 10 customers and artisan leaders. Each participant will scan a QR, explore the story page, and complete a short feedback form. The focus is not a broad rollout but capturing authentic consumer reactions in a controlled, low‑risk environment. Insights will cover usability, clarity of blockchain verification, and which provenance elements (artisan identity, sustainability, or origin) drive trust. Surveys and short interviews will be compiled into a feedback dataset, with internal M4W discussions adding context. The demonstration will inform feasibility conclusions and provide a reference dataset of customer attitudes toward blockchain provenance in artisanal supply chains. These insights will guide the design of a scalable system.
Outputs:
Acceptance Criteria
scans resolving to functional public pages, and verification links accessible.
actionable insights clearly documented and categorized by theme (usability,
trust, clarity).
Evidence of Completion
Link to a PDF.
Link to a PDF.
Link to a PDF.
Notes: Documents and links will be hosted on a public Notion page. We may additionally consider providing the evidence in other mediums to facilitate milestone reviewer access, but this shall not be the basis of a milestone rejection unless the reviewer is unable to access the page.
Delivery Month
8
Cost
19000
Progress
90 %
Milestone Title
Open-Source Package & Final Close-Out (Month 9)
Milestone Outputs
This milestone focuses on transparency, replication, and formal closure of the
feasibility study. An open-source (or partially open) package will be produced,
including:
A Final Close-Out Report will document delivery against all milestones, results from
internal testing (and/or limited demonstration if done), and key recommendations
for a production-ready rollout. A public demo video will visually present the
workflow from event logging to QR scan and public verification.
Outputs:
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Link to PDF.
Link to PDF.
Link to a public YouTube video.
Notes: Documents and links will be hosted on a public Notion page. We may additionally consider providing the evidence in other mediums to facilitate milestone reviewer access, but this shall not be the basis of a milestone rejection unless the reviewer is unable to access the page.
Delivery Month
8
Cost
19000
Progress
90 %
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
This feasibility study and light MVP requires both strong technical delivery and
intensive local coordination. Made For A Woman (M4W) will handle significant
project management, hiring a dedicated project manager to oversee workshops, field tests, community engagement, training, and stakeholder reporting. Given the depth of this coordination and the cultural integration required for success, the budget is split to ensure the technical build is matched with on-the-ground capacity to manage and validate the solution in real-world conditions.
Milestone 1 (Months 1–2): ₳17,000
Milestone 2 (Months 3–4): ₳49,500
Milestone 3 (Month 5): ₳19,000
Milestone 4 (Month 6): ₳12,500
Rates align with industry norms: $80–$120/hr for general development, $150–$200/hr for Cardano-specific blockchain work, and competitive professional rates for local project management and field coordination in Madagascar.
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
For ₳98,000, Cardano gains:
integration.
Madagascar.
Terms and Conditions:
Yes
This project’s team combines deep local engagement with global technical
expertise, ensuring both community ownership in Madagascar and world-class
blockchain delivery.
Eileen Akbaraly – Founder & CEO, Made For A Woman
https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileenakbaraly/
Eileen Akbaraly is an Italian-Indian-French-Malagasy entrepreneur redefining
fashion as a tool for transformation. At just 30, she leads Made For A Woman,
Madagascar’s first woman-led social enterprise in responsible fashion,
employing over 750 artisans — 91% women, many from marginalized
communities including survivors of gender-based violence, single mothers,
and people with disabilities.
Founded in 2019, M4W has become a model of climate-conscious,
human-centered enterprise, combining artisan empowerment with
sustainable innovation. Under Eileen’s leadership, M4W has partnered with
global fashion houses including Chloé, Fendi, and luxury groups such as LVMH
and Richemont, not merely as a supplier but as a thought partner influencing
procurement ethics and design innovation.
Her work has earned recognition from the French African Foundation (Young
Leaders 2025), Fast Company (World Changing Ideas 2024), and CNMI
Sustainable Fashion Awards, among others. Through this project, she
contributes strategic oversight, stakeholder engagement, and cultural
alignment in Madagascar — ensuring that blockchain innovation is rooted in
local realities while carrying global relevance.
Kristijan Kowalsky – Client Partner, Modus Create
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristijankowalsky/
Kristijan oversees strategic client partnerships at Modus Create, a global
product engineering firm that has contributed to Cardano since 2018. He will
serve as the primary Modus representative for these projects, ensuring
dedicated engineering resources are assigned and coordinated effectively.
Modus brings extensive expertise in blockchain protocol design, system
architecture, and Cardano-specific integrations, supported by a team of
engineers experienced in security audits, consensus evolution, and
production-grade delivery.
Dedicated Project Manager (to be recruited) – Local Coordination & Delivery
Oversight
This project will recruit a dedicated Project Manager based in Madagascar to
coordinate day-to-day activities, manage reporting, and ensure timely
communication between field teams, M4W leadership, and Modus technical
staff. This role is critical to bridge cultural, logistical, and technical workflows,
and recruitment will prioritize candidates with strong experience in project
coordination, reporting, and NGO or social enterprise contexts.
Collaborative Strengths:
Together, this team balances:
execution, accountability, and smooth collaboration.