AI-Powered Blockchain Explorer & Analysis Tool

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

AI-Powered Blockchain Explorer & Analysis Tool

[Proposal Summary] Budget Information

Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA

200000

[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 people can’t interpret raw blockchain data. Cardano lacks an easy, human-friendly way to understand activity, limiting mainstream adoption and access for regular users and non-Cardano developers.

[Proposal Summary] Supporting Documentation

Supporting links

• https://cexplorer.io/
,
• https://cexplorer.io/developers
,
• https://github.com/vellum-labs

[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

Please provide details on the intellectual property (IP) status of your project outputs, including whether they will be released as open source or retained under another licence.

Some parts of the project may be released openly, such as example API usage, endpoint mappings, and documentation to support developers. Core AI orchestration and internal logic may remain closed to ensure stability, prevent misuse, and allow future extensibility. This approach keeps the tool accessible while giving us flexibility on what can be safely open-sourced.

[Theme Selection] Theme

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

Analytics

[Campaign Category] Category Questions

Describe what makes your idea innovative compared to what has been previously launched in the market (whether by you or others).

The Cexplorer AI Companion introduces a completely new way to explore Cardano: natural-language search backed by real on-chain data. Instead of navigating complex explorer pages or learning API calls, users simply ask questions in plain English and the system automatically converts them into the correct Cexplorer API requests.

This combines three elements that have never been delivered together in Cardano:

• A conversational interface that explains on-chain data in simple human terms.
• Automatic API mapping that removes technical friction for both users and developers.
• Built-in Cardano knowledge that can interpret fees, rewards, transactions, governance actions, and staking behavior.

While explorers show raw data, the AI Companion provides understanding. This lowers the barrier for mainstream users, enables non-Cardano developers to work with blockchain data instantly, and positions Cardano as one of the first ecosystems with an AI-powered, human-friendly blockchain search experience.

For foundational work on this proposal, we prepared a detailed research and design brief, available here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1g-0dTa9iYkRURMvUx4v3X9E9kIU5rGjybqGloLDNdc4/edit?usp=sharing

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

The MVP will demonstrate a working conversational explorer that answers real questions using live Cexplorer API data. Users will be able to:

• Connect their wallet and generate an API key.
• Ask questions like “show this transaction,” “summarize this address,” or “how were fees calculated in block X,”
• See the AI automatically select the correct API endpoints,
• Receive structured, human-friendly explanations and analytics.

By the MVP stage, the system will support transactions, blocks, addresses, token activity, and basic summaries. It will include a simple chat-style web interface and a visible history of previous queries.

The prototype will be publicly accessible on a dedicated page under Cexplorer.io with a free usage tier funded through the project budget so the entire community can try it without restrictions.

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

Success will be measured by real, verifiable usage and clear improvements in accessibility. Key metrics include:

• Number of unique wallet-connected users querying the system.
• Number of queries processed via the Cexplorer API using the new AI interface (on-chain data indirectly reflected through API usage).
• Variety of endpoint categories used (blocks, txs, addresses, pools, tokens).
• Reduction in manual explorer navigation is measured by API logs showing multi-step queries processed automatically.
• Number of developers using generated API examples or instructions to build their own integrations.
• Engagement during the free-tier launch on Cexplorer.io (repeat usage, multi-query sessions).

A successful prototype demonstrates that people prefer a conversational interface over traditional explorer navigation and that AI-driven interpretation materially lowers the barrier to understanding Cardano.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

The solution is an AI-powered companion for Cexplorer that lets anyone explore Cardano using simple natural-language questions instead of complex explorer navigation or API knowledge. The system interprets the user’s query, identifies the correct Cexplorer API endpoints, executes the calls, and returns clear, human-friendly explanations or analytics.

The product includes a chat-style web interface, wallet connection with API key generation, and a credit-funded usage model during the prototype stage. It will support basic and advanced queries, such as viewing transactions, understanding fees, summarizing address activity, comparing stake pools, and exploring tokens or metadata. The AI layer will also provide developer-oriented outputs such as example API calls, endpoint explanations, and structured responses that can be used in integrations.

This solution directly addresses the current complexity of interacting with blockchain data by making Cardano understandable to regular users, newcomers, and developers from outside the ecosystem. It creates a “human version of blockchain search” that lowers the barrier to adoption and offers a practical, accessible way to interact with on-chain data.

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

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

The project makes Cardano significantly more accessible. Today, understanding on-chain data requires navigating technical explorers or writing API queries. By enabling natural-language interaction, the AI Companion removes this friction and allows everyday users to understand blocks, transactions, staking, governance, and tokens without prior technical knowledge.

For developers, it provides a fast way to explore the network, test ideas, and obtain ready-to-use API examples. This shortens onboarding time for new builders and makes Cardano more competitive with ecosystems that already offer modern developer tooling.

For governance, it enables clearer explanations of DRep actions, fee structures, voting results, and treasury movements, helping users make more informed decisions.

For SPOs, it provides simpler insights into performance, rewards, and delegation behavior.

For the ecosystem overall, it is a step toward mainstream adoption: a conversational assistant that explains a complex blockchain in a way anyone can understand. This increases transparency, reduces friction, and helps Cardano stand out as one of the first blockchains to offer AI-powered, human-friendly data exploration.

[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?

Cexplorer has a long-proven track record of delivering complex infrastructure projects for Cardano. With past Catalyst funding we rebuilt the entire explorer from scratch, open-sourced the frontend, delivered advanced governance dashboards, upgraded staking and SPO insights, and deployed new analytics features used widely across the community. These results are live and verifiable through our repositories and production site.

Our team already operates the Cexplorer API, backend infrastructure, and frontend systems required for this project. We have deep experience building blockchain explorers, developer tools, and data pipelines, which makes the AI Companion technically feasible and low-risk.

Feasibility is validated through:

• our existing working API and data infrastructure,

• early prototypes of AI-based API mapping already tested internally,

• a staged milestone plan that produces a working MVP early in development,

• public testing on a dedicated beta.cexplorer.io deployment.

We have repeatedly delivered high-quality Cardano tools with reliability and transparency. This proposal builds on infrastructure we already maintain, making it realistic to deliver within the funding cycle.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

System Analysis, Documentation & Architecture Design

Milestone Outputs

• Complete written system analysis describing how users interact with the AI Companion
• User stories and categorized query types (blocks, tx, addresses, staking, governance, tokens)
• High-level architecture diagram showing the AI layer, Cexplorer API interactions, and frontend flow
• Draft definitions for expected output formats (summaries, tables, explanations, raw data sections)

Acceptance Criteria

• Documentation clearly explains how the system will function end-to-end
• Architecture diagram outlines core components and how data flows through them
• Output format drafts provide a readable example of how responses will be structured

Evidence of Completion

Public GitHub folder containing:

• System analysis document
• Architecture diagram
• User stories
• Output format draft

Delivery Month

1

Cost

15000

Progress

10 %

Milestone Title

UX/UI Design in Figma

Milestone Outputs

Clear design to demonstrate the final product:

• Full Figma design for all key screens in light theme (chat, results, API key, history, errors)
• Example of one page in Dark mode
• Visual examples of how structured outputs will look (summaries, tables, lists)

Acceptance Criteria

• Reviewer can open a Figma link and click through all major screens
• Designs cover every feature identified in Milestone #1
• Includes consistent layouts, components, and interaction states
• Prototype demonstrates the full user journey from input → response

Evidence of Completion

Public Figma link with:

• Full design file
• Exported PNG/PDF overview in GitHub
• Description of each screen

Delivery Month

2

Cost

25000

Progress

20 %

Milestone Title

Frontend Skeleton (Dummy App)

Milestone Outputs

• Basic frontend scaffold (navigation, layout, routing)
• Static chat input field
• Static results panel showing placeholder data
• Wallet connect button (UI only, no function yet)
• Public staging deployment

Acceptance Criteria

• Reviewer can visit staging URL and interact with a functioning UI skeleton
• Pages exist and are navigable
• Placeholder responses display correctly
• Github Repo contains initial frontend structure with clear separation of components

Evidence of Completion

• Live staging URL for the dummy frontend
• GitHub repository containing all scaffold code
• Short demonstration confirming that the UI structure is functional.

Delivery Month

3

Cost

30000

Progress

40 %

Milestone Title

AI Instruction Set & Basic Queries

Milestone Outputs

• Internal instruction file mapping natural-language patterns → API endpoints
• Working AI for block queries (block hash → formatted result)
• Working AI for transaction queries (tx hash → formatted result)
• Basic explanation text for blocks + txs

Acceptance Criteria

• Reviewer can query a real block hash and get structured output
• Reviewer can query a tx hash and get structured output
• Instruction mapping visible in GitHub documentation (no sensitive prompts)
• Staging environment shows correct data returned via AI layer

Evidence of Completion

• Staging URL demonstrating block/tx queries
• GitHub documentation folder containing instruction mapping
• Demo video or screenshots

Delivery Month

4

Cost

40000

Progress

60 %

Milestone Title

Address Queries & Composed Outputs

Milestone Outputs

• Full address lookup support
• Basic address summaries (balance, token list, activity overview)
• Multi-step composed queries (e.g., “summarize last 30 days”)
• Improved result formatting + intermediate reasoning layer

Acceptance Criteria

• Reviewer can input an address and receive structured output
• Token balances + activity summary visible
• At least one composed query works (multi-endpoint logic)
• Documentation updated with examples

Evidence of Completion

• Staging URL with address functionality enabled
• GitHub updates showing composed query logic
• Public announcement with demo

Delivery Month

5

Cost

45000

Progress

80 %

Milestone Title

Final Analytics, Knowledge Base & Public Beta Launch

Milestone Outputs

• Cardano knowledge base integrated (fees, staking, governance, rewards)
• Developer Mode: display used API calls + example code snippets
• Enhanced analytics (token flows, temporal summaries, simplified visual insights)
• Public beta launch on cexplorer.io or beta.cexplorer.io
• Documentation + onboarding guide

Acceptance Criteria

• Tool publicly usable without reviewer access barriers
• Reviewer can run several different queries end-to-end
• Developer mode functional with at least one endpoint example
• Knowledge base returns correct Cardano explanations
• Documentation complete and accessible

Evidence of Completion

• Live cexplorer.io / beta.cexplorer.io deployment
• GitHub documentation folder
• Public launch post on X

Delivery Month

6

Cost

45000

Progress

100 %

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

The total project budget is 200,000 ADA divided across six milestones. Costs reflect time from the project manager, tech lead, developer, and UX designer, as well as infrastructure, testing, and documentation. Early milestones cover analysis, design, and the frontend skeleton. Later milestones cover development of the AI logic, advanced analytics, and the public beta launch. This distribution ensures the budget follows Catalyst guidance by matching costs to complexity, avoiding front-loading, and keeping risk low in the first stages while reserving more resources for the delivery of working features.

[Final Pitch] Value for Money

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

This project delivers strong value by turning complex blockchain data into simple natural-language answers, making Cardano more accessible to everyday users and developers. The funding results in a functional AI companion built on existing Cexplorer infrastructure, reducing cost and risk. All work advances ecosystem usability, lowers onboarding friction, and expands developer capability. The final product will be publicly accessible with documentation and tools that remain useful far beyond the grant period, ensuring long-term value for the Cardano community and high return on the funding provided.

[Self-Assessment] Self-Assessment Checklist

I confirm that evidence of prior research, whitepaper, design, or proof-of-concept is provided.

Yes

I confirm that the proposal includes ecosystem research and uses the findings to either (a) justify its uniqueness over existing solutions or (b) demonstrate the value of its novel approach.

Yes

I confirm that the proposal demonstrates technical capability via verifiable in-house talent or a confirmed development partner (GitHub, LinkedIn, portfolio, etc.)

Yes

I confirm that the proposer and all team members are in good standing with prior Catalyst projects.

Yes

I confirm that the proposal clearly defines the problem and the value of the on-chain utility.

Yes

I confirm that the primary goal of the proposal is a working prototype deployed on at least a Cardano testnet.

Yes

I confirm that the proposal outlines a credible and clear technical plan and architecture.

Yes

I confirm that the budget and timeline (≤ 12 months) are realistic for the proposed work.

Yes

I confirm that the proposal includes a community engagement and feedback plan to amplify prototype adoption with the Cardano ecosystem.

Yes

I confirm that the budget is for future development only; excludes retroactive funding, incentives, giveaways, re-granting, or sub-treasuries.

Yes

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

I Agree

Yes