[Proposal setup] Proposal title
Please provide your proposal title
On‑Chain Task and Contributor Verification
[Proposal Summary] Budget Information
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
100000
[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 collaboration tools are off-chain, hiding verifiable proof of work, while on-chain ools are too technical and lack proven, DAO-friendly collaboration models.
[Proposal Summary] Supporting Documentation
Supporting links
[Proposal Summary] Project Dependencies
Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?
Yes
Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'
Our project will integrate Mesh SDK’s sponsored transactions feature to streamline the user experience for Web2‑native participants on the pre‑production testnet. This dependency is limited to the use of Mesh’s open, well‑documented JavaScript library, which is actively maintained by a reputable team in the Cardano ecosystem. Should Mesh’s sponsored transactions feature become unavailable, the system can fall back to standard wallet‑signed transactions without impacting the overall proof‑of‑concept scope or delivery timeline.
[Proposal Summary] Project Open Source
Will your project's outputs be fully open source?
No
License and Additional Information
Not fully open source: the Nestr platform, smart contracts, indexer, and API are proprietary. The SDK will be MIT licensed with full public documentation and integration guides. The API offers a free tier for testing, enabling developers to prototype without cost. This ensures the Cardano community can adopt and adapt the on-chain work verification model even without direct access to proprietary components.
[Theme Selection] Theme
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal.
Business Services
[Campaign Category] Category Questions
Describe what makes your idea innovative compared to what has been previously funded (whether by you or others).
This project uniquely combines proven collaboration methods with Cardano’s on-chain verification, enabling DAOs to track work transparently without requiring technical skills. By using sponsored transactions, we remove wallet friction, opening Cardano adoption to whole new segments of contributors. The result is a repeatable, scalable pattern for verifiable work that can power governance, payments, and reputation systems across the ecosystem.
Describe what your prototype or MVP will demonstrate, and where it can be accessed.
Our MVP will show how a modern collaboration platform can record tasks and contributor activity on Cardano, creating immutable proof-of-work linked to verifiable credentials. It will demonstrate task creation, completion, and audit trails powered by an indexer, with sponsored transactions enabling non-technical users to participate without wallet signing. The prototype will be deployed on the Cardano pre-production testnet and accessible via a dedicated Nestr-Andamio integration link.
Describe realistic measures of success, ideally with on-chain metrics.
Success will be measured by verifiable on-chain activity during the testnet pilot: number of tasks created, completed, and linked to contributor credentials; number of contributors using sponsored transactions; and accuracy of indexed data matching blockchain records. Additional metrics include percentage of non-technical users completing tasks without support, API queries to the contribution history, and positive user feedback on transparency and ease of use.
[Your Project and Solution] Solution
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
Our proposal delivers a proof-of-concept (POC) integration between a modern collaboration platform and the Cardano blockchain to solve a well-defined problem: the absence of a secure, verifiable, and decentralized way to record and audit contributor activity. The integration will enable contributors' work to be captured as immutable on-chain records providing durable, auditable proof of work.
The POC focuses on three core capabilities:
- Task mapping and project state validation: Each task created in the collaboration platform will be mapped to an on-chain task entry using a project state validator.
- On-chain Proof of Work: When a contributor completes a task, the completion event will be submitted to the Cardano blockchain, including a link to the contributor's credential creating a time-stamped, tamper-proof record that is publicly verifiable. Proof of work stored on-chain enables future applications like reputation systems, decentralized hiring platforms, or grant compliance tracking to use these verified records without trusting an intermediary.
- Indexing and transparent auditabiilty: All on-chain task events will be processed by an indexing service that produces a clear, queryable history of contributions. This data will be accessible through a simple API, allowing stakeholders to view task status, contributor history, and associated transaction hashes. This provides a source of truth of what was delivered by whom and when.
How this Solution Addresses the Problem Statement
Most collaborative work is unverifiable. Task completion is stored in proprietary systems with centralized control. This can create barriers to trust for outside stakeholders, limits interoperability and prevents contributors from bulding portable, blockchain-verified reputations.
Our solution addreses this gap by:
- Eliminating central trust dependencies - Cardano serves as the shared, decentralized trust layer
- Enabling transparent accountability - Through immutable, timestamped contribution history
- Facilitate cross-ecosystem adoption - By indexing contributions and exposing them via API, other platforms can consume and build upon the verified work data.
Technical Approach
The integration will be modular to support future expansion and reuse:
- Protocol layer: Local state project validators handle task creation, completion and credential linking.
- SDK & API Layer: Enables the collaboration platform as well as future adopters to interact with the on-chain protocol.
- Sponsored Transactions: Mesh SDK will be integrated to enable sponsored (pre-funded) transactions for key actions such as task creation, completion, and credential linking. This allows contributors—especially those new to Web3—to participate without holding ADA for transaction fees, significantly lowering onboarding friction.
- Indexer Service: A dedicated indexing module to process blockchain events and maintain an accessible record of contributions.
- Minimal Front-End Modifications: We will embed blockchain interactions into the existing task worfklows with minimal UI disruption, reducing cost and complexity.
Expected Outcomes (POC Stage)
Outputs at the end of the 6-month POC:
- A working prototype of a native Web2 modern collaboration platform capable of creating on-chain records of work.
- An indexer service providing an accessible record of contributions faciliting future expansion and adoption through use of on-chain data.
- Demonstrated on-chain activity from real test users, including the number of tasks created and completed on-chain
Long-Term Potential (Beyond POC)
This POC will focus on minimal integrations necessary to validate the concept, but the architecture can support later extensions such as:
- Treasury and Payment Modules: On-chain escrow and automated payout triggers by verified task completion.
- Contributor Dashboards: Unified profiles showing verified work history across multiple projects and organizations.
- Governance Modules: Community-driven decision making for project scope, funding allocation, and contributor onboarding.
[Your Project and Solution] Impact
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
This project expands Cardano's utility beyond financial transactions by introducing a repeatable pattern for verifiable, on-chain human work. By integrating task tracking, proof of work, and contributor credentials into a live collaboration environment, we demonstrate how Cardano can serve as the trust layer for decentralized collaboration. This is a use case that has broad relevance across open-source development, governance, research and community projects.
Key impacts:
- New Adoption Pathways: Shows non-technical teams how Cardano can be embedded into their day-to-day workflows without requiring deep blockchain knowledge.
- Increased On-Chain Activity: Generates real, measurable transactions from task creation, completion, and credential verification.
- Reputation and Accountability Layer: Enables contributors across ecosystems to build portable, blockchain-verified work histories.
- Extensibility: Lays the groundwork for integrating with treasury systems, payment flows, and governance modules.
[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?
Capability to Deliver
This collaboration combines blockchain protocol expertise with experience in production-grade, user-centric collaboration tools. This ensures a technically robust, secure, intuitively usable, and practical solution.
- Blockchain & Protocol Development: Andamio leads Cardano innovation, pioneering a Cardano-native infrastructure for decentralized access control, verifiable credential issuance, contributor onboarding, and treasury management. A functional reference implementation is at app.andamio.io. Successful funding and delivery of proposals, from Self-Sovereign On-chain Identities research to open-source SDKs leveraging UTxO-RPC protocol, underscore our expertise. This deep engagement ensures foundational understanding of Cardano protocol.
- Collaboration Platform Integration: Nestr, our integration partner, offers extensive experience in building, deploying, and maintaining active collaboration environments utilized globally. Nestr’s modular platform architecture facilitates seamless blockchain functionality addition without major disruptions or re-engineering.
- Project Management & Delivery Discipline: Our team adheres to agile delivery practices: iterative development, continuous feedback, and adaptive planning. Milestone-based progress tracking ensures clear, verifiable advancements, minimizing risk and maximizing efficiency.
- Governance & Accountability: Project milestones will be defined with clear success criteria. Where feasible, these criteria will include on-chain verification mechanisms, providing an immutable record of progress.
Feasibility Validation
To validate the proposed approach as realistic and achievable within the proof-of-concept scope, we will systematically execute the following steps:
Technical Design Review:
- Align integration strategy: Review and harmonize the integration strategy between Nestr's platform and Andamio's Cardano protocol components for efficiency and leverage.
- Validate data flows: Analyze and validate the efficiency and feasibility of expressing critical data flows (task creation, completion credential linking) directly on the Cardano blockchain, ensuring optimal on-chain resource utilization.
Incremental Prototyping:
- Connect SDK/API in staged builds: Implement integration in stages, beginning with read-only data mapping, then progressively introducing on-chain submission flows, ensuring stability.
Testnet Deployment & Validation:
- Deploy full flow to Cardano testnet: Deploy the complete integrated solution to the Cardano testnet for comprehensive testing.
- Run test scenarios: Engage real contributors to measure performance, transaction cost, and usability.
- Collect participating feedback: Systematically collect and analyze qualitative data from test participants to identify improvements and validate alignment with user expectations.
On-Chain Metrics Tracking:
- Measure blockchain usage: Implement mechanisms to track specific blockchain usage patterns from test participants.
- Number of tasks created and completed on-chain: Indicate volume of task-related activities recorded on the blockchain.
- Number of contributor credentials linked to completed work: Quantify verifiable linking of contributor achievements to on-chain credentials.
Review and Publish Findings:
- Publish findings and address issues: Publish a comprehensive report detailing findings. Address identified issues, bottlenecks, or concerns before mainnet deployment.
Why This Approach is Low-Risk and High-Trust
Our strategy minimizes risk and builds trust through key factors:
- Proven Components: Leveraging Nestr's mature, production-ready components (task management, UIs, contributor onboarding flows) significantly reduces development risk, accelerates time-to-market, and focuses on innovative blockchain integration.
- Focused Scope: The PoC phase is constrained to essential functionalities: efficient task mapping to on-chain representations, verifiable proof-of-work submissions, and reliable indexing of blockchain data. This narrow focus manages complexity within the 6-month timeline, prevents scope creep, optimizes resource allocation, and maximizes delivery probability.
[Milestones] Project Milestones
Milestone Title
Architecture & Integration Plan
Milestone Outputs
- Comprehensive technical architecture for protocol, SDK/API, and indexer.
- Finalized data mapping schema for tasks and contributor credentials.
- Documented success metrics and test scenarios for POC validation.
Acceptance Criteria
- The protocol's architecture reviewed and approved by platform and protocol teams.
- Data mapping verified compatible with Cardano transaction models.
- Success metrics and scenarios documented and agreed upon.
Evidence of Completion
- Public architecture/integration plan in project repository.
- Meeting notes or sign‑off from technical leads confirming feasibility.
Delivery Month
1
Cost
10000
Progress
10 %
Milestone Title
Protocol & SDK Development
Milestone Outputs
- Local state project validators for on‑chain task creation, completion, and credential linking.
- SDK/API enabling platform interaction with contracts.
- Unit tests validating all core contract and SDK functions.
Acceptance Criteria
- The local project state validators compile and deploy to Cardano testnet successfully.
- The SDK/API methods operate correctly in simulated task flows.
- All tests pass in a continuous integration environment.
Evidence of Completion
- Testnet transaction hashes proving contract execution.
- Automated test logs showing all features pass.
Delivery Month
2
Cost
25000
Progress
20 %
Milestone Title
On‑Chain Proof of Work Submission
Milestone Outputs
- The workflows to submit completed tasks to Cardano with linked credentials.
- Protocol integration into platform UI with minimal disruption.
- Sponsored transaction capability so contributors can record work without manually signing blockchain transactions during the testnet pilot.
- An initial pilot testing with real contributors has started.
Acceptance Criteria
- The completed tasks generate valid, timestamped on‑chain records.
- The credential linkage is verifiable via blockchain explorer.
- The sponsored transaction process works without requiring manual signing, while maintaining correct transaction creation and submission.
- The pilot testers confirm functionality and acceptable performance.
Evidence of Completion
- Testnet transaction hashes showing proof‑of‑work entries.
- Video demonstration of the process in platform UI.
- Video demonstration showing the no‑signing sponsored transaction process.
- Summary of pilot feedback and success rate.
Delivery Month
3
Cost
20000
Progress
20 %
Milestone Title
Indexing & Auditability
Milestone Outputs
- The indexer service is successfully deployed to track all on‑chain task events.
- The API endpoints are available for querying contribution history.
- The platform's UI updates to display accurate audit trails.
Acceptance Criteria
- The indexed records match blockchain data entries exactly.
- The API returns complete and correct responses to test queries.
- The platform's UI displays accurate contribution history without errors.
Evidence of Completion
- API documentation with example queries and outputs.
- Live and accessible recordings of the UI showing correct audit data.
- Verification of indexed data against blockchain explorer.
Delivery Month
4
Cost
20000
Progress
20 %
Milestone Title
Testnet Validation & Final Report
Milestone Outputs
- Full‑system testnet trials involving multiple contributors and projects to simulate realistic collaboration workflows.
- Collection of detailed usage metrics including number of tasks created on‑chain, tasks completed, and credentials linked.
- Findings on whether sponsored transactions improve adoption and reduce friction for non‑Web3‑native users.
- Summary of findings focused on blockchain performance, transaction cost, and usability insights for the integrated system.
Acceptance Criteria
- Testnet activity meets or exceeds projected blockchain usage metrics, demonstrating feasibility of the approach.
- No unresolved high‑severity bugs remain that block system operation or compromise data integrity.
- Sponsored transaction process validated as secure and user‑friendly in a testnet environment.
- All metrics are verifiable through the indexer, API logs, and blockchain explorer queries.
Evidence of Completion
- Usage metrics report sourced from indexer and blockchain explorer.
- Logs and data exports validating the recorded on‑chain activity.
- Internal validation checklist confirming system meets POC goals.
Delivery Month
5
Cost
15000
Progress
20 %
Milestone Title
Project Closeout
Milestone Outputs
- Final project report summarizing key findings, challenges, and lessons learned from the proof‑of‑concept.
- Closeout video summarizing the project’s impact, including demonstration of results.
- Documentation outlining recommended next steps and potential future enhancements or integrations for broader adoption.
Acceptance Criteria
- Final report reviewed, approved, and signed off by project leads, confirming completeness and accuracy of content.
- Closeout video published and shared through agreed community and stakeholder channels.
- Next steps and future action plan documented, reviewed, and agreed upon by the project team.
Evidence of Completion
- Link to live and accessible final report
- Link to published closeout video.
- Link to next steps/action plan document accessible to stakeholders.
Delivery Month
6
Cost
10000
Progress
10 %
[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
- Protocol Engineer (Andamio) – Smart contract design & development, Mesh sponsored transaction integration, testnet deployment – 20,000 ADA (20%)
- Indexer/API Developer (Andamio) – Build indexer service, API for contribution history, testnet data integration – 10,000 ADA (10%)
- Project Manager – Blockchain side (Andamio) – Coordinate protocol milestones, manage Cardano deliverables, track on-chain metrics – 5,000 ADA (5%)
- QA & Test Engineer – Blockchain (Andamio) – Testnet trials, blockchain-side bug tracking, contract/API testing – 5,000 ADA (5%)
- Platform Integration Engineer (Nestr) – Connect platform backend to SDK/API, implement proof-of-work submission & sponsored transaction flow – 15,000 ADA (15%)
- UX/UI Designer (Nestr) – Optimize user flows, audit trail UI integration, ensure Web2-friendly blockchain interactions – 5,000 ADA (5%)
- Project Manager – Platform side (Nestr) – Coordinate UI/UX and integration tasks, align releases with Andamio deliverables – 5,000 ADA (5%)
- QA & Test Engineer – Platform (Nestr) – Usability testing, platform bug tracking, sponsored transaction UX validation – 5,000 ADA (5%)
- Video & Reporting (Joint) – Produce closeout video, compile final report, publish metrics & next steps – 5,000 ADA (5%)
- Contingency (Joint) – Buffer for unforeseen integration or testnet issues – 10,000 ADA (10%)
[Final Pitch] Value for Money
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
How the Cost Represents Value for the Cardano Ecosystem
This proposal delivers a unique and high-value proof-of-concept for the Cardano ecosystem: integrating a modern, production-grade collaboration platform with Cardano’s blockchain to create verifiable, tamper-proof proof-of-work records for human contributions.
The total budget of 100,000 ADA over 6 months covers protocol engineering, platform integration, UX/UI design, QA testing, and project management across two experienced teams — Andamio (Cardano-native protocol specialists) and Nestr (mature collaboration platform provider). While the Nestr platform, smart contracts, indexer, and API are proprietary, the SDK enabling integration with Cardano will be MIT licensed, and the integration process will be fully documented. Public architecture diagrams, API specifications, and integration guides will ensure other teams can replicate the model with their own platforms. The API will have a free tier, enabling developers to prototype and test without cost.
1. Reusable Integration Model
Even though Nestr itself is closed-source, the integration approach we develop can be adopted by any other platform. The SDK, API specifications, and architecture diagrams will be public, enabling:
- Other developers to plug Cardano verification into their task/project management tools
- Future integrations with open-source platforms
- Partnerships with other DAO tools, governance apps, or hiring marketplaces
- The ecosystem gains a tested blueprint for how to bridge Cardano with real-world collaboration tools.
2. Broader On-Chain Adoption
One of Cardano’s current adoption bottlenecks is onboarding non-technical contributors.
- Most blockchain-based collaboration tools require wallet setup and transaction signing — high friction for Web2-native teams.
- This project integrates Mesh SDK’s sponsored transactions, eliminating the need for manual signing during the pilot.
By proving that non-technical users can seamlessly interact with Cardano, we open new adoption pathways for:
- DAOs looking for inclusive contribution processes
- Nonprofit and research teams
- Enterprise pilot programs
3. Measurable, Visible On-Chain Activity
The proof-of-concept will generate real, verifiable blockchain transactions on the pre-production testnet, including:
- Task creation entries
- Task completion records with timestamps
- Credential linkages to contributors
All activity will be queryable via API and independently verifiable through blockchain explorers, producing:
- Transparent metrics for the Catalyst closeout report
- Public evidence of non-financial Cardano use cases
- A showcase for blockchain-backed accountability
4. Proven Collaboration Practices
Most on-chain task tools are built “from scratch” without leveraging proven governance models, resulting in limited usability. This project integrates Holacracy and Sociocracy-inspired workflows with Cardano verification, providing:
- Clear decision-making and accountability frameworks
- Familiar task/project structures for DAO and non-DAO teams
- A governance-friendly blueprint for other Cardano builders
5. Low-Risk, High-Impact Execution
We are not building a new platform from scratch — we are integrating Cardano into an existing, production-grade collaboration environment. This:
- Reduces risk of delivery failure
- Focuses the budget on the innovative blockchain layer
- Speeds up delivery while ensuring high technical quality
By using mature components from Nestr and Cardano-proven modules from Andamio, the ecosystem benefits from a working product rather than a purely experimental concept.
6. Strategic Foundation for Future Ecosystem Growth
Although this is a proof-of-concept, the architecture will support extensions that directly benefit the Cardano ecosystem, such as:
- On-chain escrow & automated payments triggered by verified task completion
- Contributor dashboards aggregating cross-project work histories
- Integration into governance systems for proposal delivery tracking
- Reputation systems for grant-funded projects
These extensions create direct incentives for recurring on-chain activity and strengthen Cardano’s position as a platform for transparent collaboration.
7. Return on Catalyst Investment
Catalyst funds will produce:
- An MIT-licensed SDK and public integration documentation.
- A functional, documented link between a live platform and Cardano.
- A tested UX pattern for non-technical users.
- A dataset of verifiable work records for future development.
Even with a closed-source front end, the integration pattern is open, replicable, and reusable, multiplying the return on investment across the Cardano ecosystem.
[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation
Terms and Conditions:
Yes