ZapCoin x CalOne — Cardano-Powered Student Engagement Token

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

ZapCoin x CalOne — Cardano-Powered Student Engagement Token

[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

7

[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?

Attendance and event momentum are down; incentives are hard to track and easy to game. Students need a digital-native reward inside a tool they already use—CalOne.

[Proposal Summary] Supporting Documentation

Supporting links

• https://www.CalOne.com
,
• https://Events.CalOne.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?

No

License and Additional Information

N/A

[Theme Selection] Theme

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

Tokenization

[Campaign Category] Category Questions

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

ZapCoin is innovative because it ties real-world student participation directly to on-chain utility in a verifiable, fraud-resistant way. Unlike generic reward apps or past Catalyst-funded token pilots, ZapCoin integrates with NTNU’s existing CalOne system, adds geofenced/time-boxed QR check-ins, capped token minting, and a campus partner API—forming a circular economy where tokens can be earned, redeemed, and tracked transparently.

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

The 7-month MVP demonstrates end-to-end functionality: QR check-ins, capped ZapCoin minting, and redemptions for campus perks, with a later capped Zap→ADA swap. Organizers access real-time dashboards tracking unique attendees, retention, incremental attendance, and engagement. Students use it directly within the CalOne app, enabling seamless participation and measurable impact for campus events.

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

Successfully launch ZapCoin as a Cardano-native token with an in-app ZapCoin wallet module in CalOne, enabling students to earn and redeem it through campus activities, while partner venues and organizers also earn ZapCoin for hosting and rewarding engagement. The token demonstrates real-world utility, circulates within a campus economy, and supports optional swaps to ADA—balancing on-chain value with the preservation of campus perks. This creates a transparent, measurable, and replicable model for student and partner incentive programs on Cardano.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

ZapCoin is a Cardano-native token that rewards verified participation at campus events. Students earn tokens via time-boxed, geofenced QR check-ins that help prevent fraud and verify attendance. Tokens are redeemable for campus perks, creating immediate, tangible value and encouraging repeat engagement. Partner venues and organizers—student clubs and event hosts—also earn ZapCoin when they run events or provide perks, forming a circular campus economy where token flow mirrors real-world activity.

Core components

• QR check-ins: Time-boxed and geofenced to help prevent abuse and verify legitimate attendance

• Capped minting with multisig: Per-event and per-user caps (optional total cap) under multi-signature policy control to keep rewards predictable and sustainable

• Redemption UI: Spend ZapCoin on campus perks; real-time tracking for students and participating partners

• Partner API: Let organizers/venues accept ZapCoin, earn tokens for participation, and access engagement metrics

• Optional Zap→ADA swap (capped, gated): Prepared but feature-flagged OFF on mainnet until adoption gates are met; when enabled, it launches with an allowlisted pilot, per-user and global caps, a small fee to a community pot, and a circuit breaker. Swapping trades off future campus perks for immediate ADA

Implementation strategy

• Participation first: Delay the swap so users focus on attending multiple events and redeeming perks, boosting early adoption

• Build the campus economy: Circulate tokens among students, organizers, and partners to prove real utility before enabling cash-like features

• Control inflation risk: Caps and a delayed swap help keep incentives balanced and sustainable

• Stabilize the system: Validate QR, capped minting, the Partner API, and dashboards early—without financial pressure—to ensure a smooth rollout

Impact and measurable outcomes

• Dashboards for organizers/partners: Track unique attendees, retention, incremental attendance, and cost per engaged participant; use simple behavior rules (e.g., on-time arrival, full-session stay) to reward meaningful participation

• On-chain activity: Native-asset mints and transfers tied to verified events; optional capped swaps only after adoption gates are met (e.g., partner coverage, redemption utilization, active wallets)

• Value to the ecosystem: Demonstrates a practical native-asset use case that links real-world engagement to measurable on-chain outcomes for students, organizers, partner venues, and the broader Cardano community

In short

ZapCoin combines on-chain rewards, partner incentives, staged tokenomics, and data-driven dashboards to deliver a sustainable, measurable response to declining campus participation—while keeping the swap optional and responsibly gated until the model is clearly working.

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

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

ZapCoin creates measurable on-chain activity by linking student engagement, partner participation, and event attendance to a Cardano-native token. Students hold tokens in the in-app ZapCoin wallet and redeem them at events and partner venues; when enabled, the wallet also supports on-chain transfers. This drives wallet usage, token circulation, and smart-contract interactions on Cardano.

The optional Zap→ADA swap is a monetization path for students and partners, but it remains feature-flagged OFF until adoption gates are met. When eventually enabled, it launches with an allowlisted pilot, per-user and global caps, a small fee to a community pot, and a circuit breaker. This staged approach prioritizes campus utility first, stabilizes circulation, mitigates early inflation, and demonstrates behavior-linked tokenomics.

Impact will be measured with on-chain metrics (active wallets, native-asset mints, transfers between students/organizers/venues, and—if enabled—capped ADA swaps) and program metrics (event participation, repeat rate/retention, redemption utilization, and partner coverage). Together, these provide a transparent, data-driven view of adoption, circulation, and Cardano network activity attributable to ZapCoin.

ZapCoin also builds Cardano literacy: students, organizers, and partner venues gain hands-on experience with wallets, native assets, and (when gated targets are met) optional swaps. Lessons learned and usage insights will be shared with the Catalyst community via impact reports and presentations; we will publish metrics snapshots and implementation playbooks while keeping code proprietary.

By connecting real-world engagement to on-chain outcomes, ZapCoin delivers measurable usage, traffic, and adoption for the Cardano ecosystem—and offers a replicable, incentive-driven model for native-asset programs in practical campus settings.

[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?

The ZapCoin team combines expertise in blockchain, product development, operations, and campus engagement, ensuring strong trust and accountability. Each member brings proven experience and clear responsibilities to deliver the project successfully:

• Lars Føleide (Applicant / Product Lead): Co-creator of CalOne and NTNU ecosystem lead, responsible for product strategy, integration with campus systems, and coordinating student and partner adoption.
• Rami Hanania (Blockchain Enthusiast & Cardano Ambassador): Leads Cardano-native token design, capped minting, and optional ADA swap mechanics; manages reporting and serves as the primary Cardano contact for the project.
• Lukas Krondorf (COO): Co-creator of CalOne and operations lead, managing partner onboarding, pilot programs, QA, SLAs, and budget tracking to ensure smooth execution and accountability.
• Svein Jøran Johnsen (Marketing & Outreach): Co-creator of CalOne, handling go-to-market strategy, student union and club engagement, campaigns, and on-campus activations to drive adoption and awareness.

Feasibility Validation:

• Pilot Programs: Test QR check-ins, token minting, and partner API workflows at initial events and venues.
• Staged Tokenomics: Gradual rollout of capped minting and optional ADA swaps to monitor adoption, circulation, and system stability.
• Dashboard Metrics: Track real-time attendance, token distribution, and partner engagement to validate performance.
• Risk Mitigation: Anti-fraud measures including geofencing, time-boxed check-ins, device verification, and per-user caps.

Trust & Accountability:

The project follows milestone-based fund allocation, structured reporting, and internal controls. Each phase produces verifiable evidence—including mint logs, partner activity, and dashboard analytics—ensuring transparent tracking of progress and fund usage.

With experienced team members, clear roles, structured processes, and measurable validation, ZapCoin demonstrates strong capability to deliver successfully while maintaining trust, accountability, and measurable impact.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

M1 — Foundation & Testnet Alpha (Months 1–2)

Milestone Outputs

• QR check-in built into CalOne (time-limited and location-locked)

• Testnet token minting with per-event and per-user limits (policy ID in place)

• Basic organizer dashboard with unique attendees and check-in metrics (using test data)

• Pilot playbook covering setup, operations, and troubleshooting for easy repeat rollouts

Acceptance Criteria

• ≥95% successful check-ins across pilot events and <1% duplicate scans

• Testnet policy ID established and verified; caps demonstrably enforced

• Functional basic dashboard live with accurate metrics for organizers

Evidence of Completion

• Published testnet policy ID

• Screenshots (or short screencast) of the dashboard with sample pilot data

• Pilot playbook detailing setup, execution, and lessons learned

Delivery Month

2

Cost

25000

Progress

20 %

Milestone Title

M2 — Mainnet MVP & Swap Path (Months 3–4)

Milestone Outputs

Finalized mainnet minting policy with per-event and per-user caps enforced

Capped Zap→ADA swap dApp (prepared, gated): deployed to pre-production with fee routing to a community pot; mainnet build deployed but disabled via a feature flag

Security reviews: internal security audit completed; independent review summary (threat model, key management, custody) delivered

Privacy compliance finalized: Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA), data-minimization map, and retention policy

Acceptance Criteria

• Successful mints on mainnet under the new policy with caps demonstrably enforced

• Swap executes successfully on pre-production; on mainnet the swap endpoint is deployed but disabled (feature flag = off), with circuit breaker and rate-limits configured

• DPIA signed off; privacy/security checklist passed

• Documented go-live gates for enabling mainnet swap after adoption targets (e.g., ≥8 partners live, redemption utilization baseline, wallet/activity thresholds) are met in M3

Evidence of Completion

• Mainnet policy ID published, plus example transactions showing caps are enforced

• Pre-production swap link and transaction IDs; mainnet settings showing the swap feature flag/allowlist is OFF

• Security review package (internal + independent) with all fixes completed

• Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) and other compliance documents, signed and approved

• Operations playbook for key management and deployments

Delivery Month

4

Cost

35000

Progress

60 %

Milestone Title

M3 — Partner Rollout & Analytics (Months 5–6)

Milestone Outputs

• Partner API (production-ready): stable endpoints, API keys and role permissions, webhook callbacks, and sandbox credentials

• Onboarding kit: step-by-step playbook, configuration templates, testing checklist, and defined support service levels and response times

• Partner activation: at least eight partner venues/organizers live (events and redemptions) with configuration records

• Analytics v1 dashboards: unique attendees, repeat rate (retention), share of first-time attendees, redemption utilization, and cost per engaged participant

• Organizer controls: event boosts, capped engagement budgets, and engagement rules — e.g., reward only if attendee checks in within the first 15 minutes (on-time arrival) or stays until the end of the session (full-session stay)

• Service operations: lightweight baseline on reliability (expected uptime targets and support response times), a simple playbook for handling incidents, and a template for periodic partner updates

• Adoption gates for the optional Zap→ADA swap: go/no-go criteria defined; swap remains disabled unless targets are met

Acceptance Criteria

• At least eight partner venues/organizers onboarded and active, with a minimum of 40 rewarded events completed during the milestone period

• Analytics v1 live with real partner data, allowing organizers to track unique attendees, retention, and cost per engaged participant

• Organizer controls (event boosts and engagement budgets) available in production, with their effects clearly visible in dashboards

• Organizer satisfaction score averages at least 4.0 out of 5 during the milestone period, based on a minimum of 10 responses

• Baseline reliability and support expectations (uptime and response times) defined and shared with partners

• Adoption gate reviewed and documented; the Zap→ADA swap remains disabled unless engagement, redemption, and partner coverage targets are met

Evidence of Completion

• Signed partner agreements and setup records, with API keys issued and access logs available

• Partner API documentation and onboarding playbook published

• Live analytics dashboards demonstrated with screenshots and sample exports of event and redemption data

• Organizer satisfaction survey results compiled, including average score (1–5), response count, and summarized feedback

• Baseline reliability notes and simple incident response playbook documented, plus a template for regular partner updates

• Adoption gate decision memo prepared for the optional Zap→ADA swap

Delivery Month

6

Cost

30000

Progress

90 %

Milestone Title

M4 — Impact Report & Phase-2 Scale Plan (Month 7)

Milestone Outputs

• Campus-wide impact snapshot covering attendance, engagement, redemption utilization, token distribution, and partner coverage

• Audit of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): targets, methods, and results mapped to Month-7 goals

• Lessons-learned report (technical, operational, adoption, and anti-fraud outcomes)

• Phase-2 scale plan: requirements, staffing, budget, timeline, and risk/dependency register for expansion to additional campuses/partners

• Adoption gate review for the optional Zap→ADA swap with a documented decision (enabled only if gates are met)

Acceptance Criteria

• Publish a public impact report with anonymized datasets, charts, dashboard screenshots, and a clear methodology explaining what was measured, how it was measured, and known limitations

• Complete a Phase-2 scale plan covering targets, staffing, budget, timeline, and risks

• Complete the adoption-gate review and record the decision; keep the Zap→ADA swap disabled unless the predefined go/no-go targets are met

• Deliver an anti-fraud evaluation (duplicate scans, geofence accuracy, device checks)

• Confirm that privacy and data-retention practices align with the completed Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)

Evidence of Completion

• Completed KPI audit; final impact report; downloadable anonymized datasets; dashboard screenshots

• Adoption gate memo (criteria, evidence, and the decision on the optional swap)

• Anti-fraud evaluation notes and planned mitigations; privacy/retention summary

Delivery Month

7

Cost

10000

Progress

100 %

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

• Total Budget Requested: ₳100,000
• Milestone-Based Allocation:
  • M1 — Foundation & Testnet Alpha (₳25,000)
    • Core backend & QR SDK: Event check-ins and capped, time-boxed, geofenced minting
    • Testnet minting & dashboard: Validate mint engine, basic organizer dashboard
    • Resources: Developer time, pre-production hosting, testing tools
    • Purpose: Prove reliable token creation and check-ins before mainnet
  • M2 — Mainnet MVP & Swap Path (₳35,000)
    • Mainnet policy & token launch: Cardano-native asset with per-event and per-user caps
    • Capped ADA swap dApp (prepared, gated): Pre-production live with fee to community pot; mainnet build shipped but disabled via feature flag/allowlist until adoption targets are met
    • Independent review & privacy compliance: Internal security audit, independent review summary, Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)
    • Resources: Blockchain developer hours, security review, privacy/compliance services
    • Purpose: Secure mainnet minting and swap readiness while preventing early inflation
  • M3 — Partner API & Engagement Rollout (₳30,000)
    • Partner onboarding & integrations: Production-ready Partner API for organizers and venues
    • Analytics v1 & dashboard enhancements: Track unique attendees, retention, redemption utilization, token flow, cost per engaged participant
    • Marketing & outreach: Go-to-market, organizer engagement, campaigns, on-campus activations
    • Resources: Developer time, hosting, marketing materials, event logistics, API docs
    • Purpose: Drive adoption and demonstrate real-world token utility with measurable data
  • M4 — Impact Reporting & Phase-2 Scale Plan (₳10,000)
    • Impact reporting & data publishing: Token circulation, adoption, engagement, anti-fraud results
    • Phase-2 scale plan: Targets, staffing, budget, timeline, risks; document adoption-gate decision for the optional Zap→ADA swap
    • Resources: Analyst hours and report production
    • Purpose: Provide transparency, share insights, and prepare practical scaling
• Third-Party Products/Services
  • Professional services: DPIA review, code audit/security review, independent compliance validation
  • Software & hosting: Hosting for dashboards/API, development tools/licenses
  • Marketing & community engagement: Promotional materials, campaigns, event logistics
• Funding Shortfall Contingency
  • Core scope covered within ₳100,000; any shortfall covered by partner venue support or CalOne in-kind contributions
• Management & Accountability
  • Milestone-based fund allocation tied to specific deliverables
  • Transparent reporting & evidence (mint logs, partner activity, dashboard analytics)
  • Regular review checkpoints for course correction and objective tracking

[Final Pitch] Value for Money

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

The ₳100,000 budget represents strong value for the Cardano ecosystem by directly enabling measurable on-chain activity and real-world token utility. Each allocation is tied to milestones delivering verifiable outputs: QR check-ins, capped token minting, partner API integration, real-time dashboards, and the optional Zap→ADA swap. Milestone-based funding ensures that each tranche produces concrete results, reducing financial risk while maximizing ecosystem impact.

Developer, marketing, and professional service costs reflect competitive rates in Norway for software development, audits, compliance, and outreach, ensuring efficient use of funds. Organizers benefit from measurable, capped-cost engagement, calculated as incremental attendance × margin minus redemptions, giving them clear insight into ROI and behavior-shaping effects.

Meanwhile, students, partner venues, and organizers generate repeated on-chain transactions and interactions, introducing real users to Cardano-native tokens in a controlled, measurable environment. The optional swap connects campus activity to the broader Cardano ecosystem, demonstrating practical use cases for native assets.

Overall, ZapCoin turns a modest investment into repeated engagement, transparent metrics, and a replicable model for other campuses, delivering high value for both participants and the Cardano network.

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

Terms and Conditions:

Yes