Last updated 5 months ago
Cardano‑related content scattered 30–40 YouTube channels.Developers, researchers,community struggle to find relevant insights There is no centralized tool to search across transcripts by topic,keyword
Develop a web‑based semantic search engine that scans Cardano YouTube channels, converts audio to text, indexes transcripts, and enables keyword, date, channel, or sentiment/topic search.
Please provide your proposal title
CardanoTube: Semantic Search Engine for Community Media
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
60000
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
4
Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated
No
Original Language
en
What is the problem you want to solve?
Cardano‑related content scattered 30–40 YouTube channels.Developers, researchers,community struggle to find relevant insights There is no centralized tool to search across transcripts by topic,keyword
Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?
No
Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'
YouTube API access Reliable speech‑to‑text service (Whisper/Deepgram) Vector database hosting (Weaviate/Pinecone) Cloud infrastructure for compute and storage
Will your project's outputs be fully open source?
Yes
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.
Licensed under Apache 2.0 Transparent GitHub repository Community feedback loops via Discord and Town Halls
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal
Developer Tools
Describe what makes your idea innovative compared to what has been previously launched in the market (whether by you or others).
Our project introduces a semantic search engine for Cardano YouTube content, which has not been funded or deployed before. Existing funded work focuses on wallets, explorers, and analytics dashboards, but none provide AI‑driven semantic indexing of community media. This fills a clear gap in discoverability and knowledge transparency
Describe what your prototype or MVP will demonstrate, and where it can be accessed.
Innovation & Unique Approach
AI Speech‑to‑Text + Semantic Indexing: Converts video/audio into searchable transcripts, enabling keyword, sentiment, and topic clustering.
Community Knowledge Layer: Builds a structured knowledge base from Cardano media, making ecosystem updates accessible beyond Discord/Twitter noise.
User‑Friendly Web Interface: Allows search by keyword, channel, date, or sentiment — a unique UX not present in current Cardano tools.
Scalable Architecture: Designed to extend beyond YouTube into podcasts, town halls, and community AMAs
Prototype / MVP Deployment
MVP Goal: A working on‑chain prototype by project end.
Deployment:
Smart contract integration for logging search queries and indexing events.
On‑chain testable module to validate semantic search calls.
Public demo accessible via Catalyst community channels.
Describe realistic measures of success, ideally with on-chain metrics.
Expected Usage Metrics
Users: 500–1,000 active users in the first 6 months (community members, developers, educators).
Transactions: ~10,000 semantic search queries logged on‑chain during MVP phase.
Smart Contract Calls: 5,000–7,500 calls for indexing and query validation.
Growth Potential: Scales to 5,000+ users and 50,000+ queries annually as Cardano content expands.
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
The problem we address is the lack of structured, accessible knowledge across Cardano’s growing video ecosystem. Valuable insights from 30–40 YouTube channels are scattered, hard to search, and often lost in long recordings. Our semantic search engine solves this by converting audio to text, indexing transcripts, and enabling keyword, topic, and sentiment filters. This empowers the community to quickly discover relevant content, improve transparency, and enhance ecosystem learning. Semantic search engine indexing Cardano YouTube channels with keyword, topic, and sentiment filters.
We approach this project by combining AI semantic search with Cardano community media because current knowledge is fragmented across long YouTube recordings and social channels. Our method ensures scalability, transparency, and accessibility, while aligning with Catalyst’s mission to make Cardano knowledge open and usable.
Who the Project Will Engage
Community Members & Voters: Easier access to town halls, AMAs, and project updates.
Developers & Builders: Quick discovery of technical discussions and ecosystem insights.
Educators & Researchers: Structured transcripts for teaching and analysis.
Content Creators: Greater visibility through indexed and searchable material.
How We Will Demonstrate Impact
Usage Metrics: Track unique users, search queries, and indexed channels.
On‑Chain Logging: Record semantic search queries and indexing events via smart contracts.
Community Feedback: Surveys and engagement reports to measure usefulness.
Growth Indicators: Expansion from 30–40 channels to broader Cardano media sources.
What is Unique About Our Solution
Semantic AI Layer: Goes beyond keyword search by enabling topic clustering and sentiment analysis.
Knowledge Accessibility: Converts unstructured video into structured, searchable data.
Scalable Design: Built to extend beyond YouTube into podcasts, town halls, and governance calls.
Community‑First UX: Simple web interface tailored for non‑technical users.
Who Will Benefit & Why It Matters to Cardano
Cardano Community: Gains transparency and easier access to ecosystem knowledge.
New Entrants: Lower barrier to entry by making complex discussions searchable.
Governance & Proposers: Better informed decision‑making through accessible content.
Cardano Ecosystem: Strengthened visibility, education, and participation.
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
he success of our semantic search engine will make Cardano’s knowledge base more accessible, transparent, and actionable. By indexing 30–40 Cardano YouTube channels, community members, developers, and educators can quickly discover relevant content without wading through hours of video. This strengthens ecosystem learning, project visibility, and informed participation in governance. It also empowers new entrants to Cardano by lowering the barrier to understanding complex discussions.
User Adoption: Track number of unique users accessing the search engine (target: 500–1,000 in first 6 months).
Search Activity: Measure total queries performed (target: 10,000+ in MVP phase).
Content Coverage: Number of indexed channels and transcripts (target: 30–40 channels, expanding over time).
Engagement Quality: Monitor sentiment/topic clustering usage and feedback surveys to assess usefulness.
On‑Chain Metrics: Log semantic search queries and indexing events via smart contract calls (target: 5,000–7,500 calls in MVP).
Open Access Platform: All indexed transcripts and semantic search features will be publicly available through our web interface, ensuring the community can benefit without barriers.
Community Channels: Results will be shared via Catalyst town halls, Cardano forums, Telegram/Discord groups, and social media to maximize visibility.
Documentation & Reports: Publish technical documentation, user guides, and quarterly progress reports on GitHub and Catalyst platforms.
Partnerships: Collaborate with Cardano content creators and educators to highlight opportunities for improved discoverability.
Feedback Loops: Collect user feedback through surveys and usage analytics, then share insights with the community to guide future improvements.
Opportunities: Enable developers to build on our indexed dataset (e.g., dashboards, analytics tools), and invite community members to propose extensions such as podcast or town hall integration.
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?
Existing Capabilities
Technical Expertise: Our team includes blockchain developers (Cardano integration), AI/ML engineers (semantic search, speech‑to‑text), and UI/UX designers.
Domain Knowledge: Proven experience in public sector transformation, QA strategy, and modular AI workflow prototyping.
Infrastructure Readiness: Familiarity with AWS/Azure hosting, GPU compute, and integration with accounting/reporting tools.
Community Engagement: Active participation in Catalyst town halls, Cardano forums, and open‑source contributions.
Why We’re Best Suited
Track Record: Delivered prototypes and MVPs in AI automation and blockchain workflows.
Transparent Processes: Known for modular budgeting, milestone mapping, and reviewer‑centric documentation.
Risk Awareness: Protective of product value, filtering opportunistic middlemen, and ensuring technical accuracy.
Collaborative Structure: Iterative team role mapping and payout logic ensure accountability and fairness
Steps to Demonstrate Fund Management
Milestone‑Based Budgeting: Funds are mapped to clear deliverables (e.g., ingestion layer, AI semantics, UI workflow).
Transparent Reporting: Publish quarterly progress reports, technical documentation, and community updates.
QA & Validation: Dedicated testers validate outputs at each milestone before funds are released internally.
Governance Controls: Internal payout agreements and hybrid salary structures ensure funds are distributed responsibly.
Community Visibility: Outputs (search engine, indexed transcripts, reports) are shared openly, proving tangible delivery.
By combining technical capability, structured budgeting, and transparent reporting, we demonstrate feasibility and trustworthiness. Reviewers can be confident that funds will be managed responsibly, milestones delivered on time, and outputs shared openly with the Cardano community.
Our proposal is backed by evidence of prior research and a proof‑of‑concept, supported by a technically capable team with a strong portfolio of AI projects, demonstrating the experience required to deliver successfully.While some detailed evidence (e.g., prior research documentation, proof‑of‑concept outputs, and portfolio references) cannot be attached at the time of submission, we will provide these materials during the project phase and community reporting.
Milestone Title
MVP with 5 channels
Milestone Outputs
We are going to deliver a functional web‑based transcript search UI that allows users to access indexed Cardano YouTube content. The interface provides keyword, topic, and sentiment filters for fast discovery.
Acceptance Criteria
We align to fulfill users' ability to input keywords or topics into the transcript search UI and instantly retrieve relevant indexed results. The system must support filtering by channel, date, and sentiment clustering.
Evidence of Completion
We are going to provide proof of delivery through a public GitHub repository containing source code and documentation, plus a live demo deployment accessible to the Cardano community for testing and validation.
Delivery Month
2
Cost
10000
Progress
10 %
Milestone Title
Speech‑to‑text pipeline
Milestone Outputs
Deliver an automated transcription system that ingests Cardano YouTube audio, converts it into accurate text, and prepares transcripts for indexing, enabling semantic search and scalable multi‑channel deployment
Acceptance Criteria
System consistently achieves ≥85% transcription accuracy across diverse Cardano YouTube content, validated through benchmark datasets, QA testing, and error‑rate analysis, ensuring reliable results for community use.
Evidence of Completion
Provide proof via detailed test results, accuracy benchmarks, and code execution logs in a public GitHub repository, plus demo transcripts and validation metrics accessible to the Cardano community for review.
Delivery Month
3
Cost
15000
Progress
20 %
Milestone Title
Semantic search engine
Milestone Outputs
Deliver a vector search engine with keyword and topic clustering that indexes Cardano transcripts, enabling semantic discovery. Supports fast retrieval, sentiment grouping, and scalable multi‑channel queries.
Acceptance Criteria
System consistently returns relevant search results within 2 seconds for keyword or topic queries. Accuracy validated through QA testing, ensuring semantic clustering delivers meaningful and user‑friendly results.
Evidence of Completion
Provide proof via detailed search logs, query performance benchmarks, and UI screenshots in a public GitHub repository. Include demo outputs and validation metrics accessible to the Cardano community for review.
Delivery Month
4
Cost
20000
Progress
30 %
Milestone Title
Full channel indexing
Milestone Outputs
Index 30–40 active Cardano YouTube channels, converting audio into searchable transcripts. Build a unified semantic database that supports keyword, topic, and sentiment clustering for community discovery
Note: Since funding is low , and we probably want to target 4 months work, other milestones 5, 6 can be done in a follow-up proposal
Acceptance Criteria
A complete transcript database is available covering 30–40 Cardano YouTube channels. All transcripts are searchable via the UI, validated for accuracy, and updated regularly to ensure comprehensive coverage.
Note: Since funding is low , and we probably want to target 4 months work, other milestones 5, 6 can be done in a follow-up proposal
Evidence of Completion
Provide proof through a published channel list, transcript database snapshot, and GitHub repository logs. Include demo screenshots of the indexed search interface accessible to the Cardano community for review
Note: Since funding is low , and we probably want to target 4 months work, other milestones 5, 6 can be done in a follow-up proposal
Delivery Month
5
Cost
15000
Progress
40 %
Milestone Title
UI/UX refinement
Milestone Outputs
Deliver a responsive, intuitive web interface that enables seamless transcript search and semantic filtering. Designed for accessibility, usability, and smooth navigation across devices for Cardano community users.
Note: Since funding is low , and we probably want to target 4 months work, other milestones 5, 6 can be done in a follow-up proposal
Acceptance Criteria
We believe at least 20 testers provide positive feedback confirming the interface is responsive, intuitive, and easy to use. Usability validated through structured QA sessions and community testing reports.
Note: Since funding is low , and we probably want to target 4 months work, other milestones 5, 6 can be done in a follow-up proposal
Evidence of Completion
Provide proof via design mockups, usability test reports, and feedback summaries. Include screenshots of the interface and documented tester responses accessible to the Cardano community for validation.
Note: Since funding is low , and we probably want to target 4 months work, other milestones 5, 6 can be done in a follow-up proposal
Delivery Month
5
Cost
15000
Progress
50 %
Milestone Title
Public launch & documentation
Milestone Outputs
Release the full project as open‑source with a comprehensive user guide. Provide accessible documentation, codebase, and deployment instructions to ensure transparency, community adoption, and future collaboration
Note: Since funding is low , and we probably want to target 4 months work, other milestones 5, 6 can be done in a follow-up proposal
Acceptance Criteria
A public GitHub repository is available with complete source code and user guide, and a live website is deployed. Both resources are accessible to the Cardano community for immediate use and validation.
Note: Since funding is low , and we probably want to target 4 months work, other milestones 5, 6 can be done in a follow-up proposal
Evidence of Completion
Provide proof through the GitHub repository link, live website deployment, and a community post announcing availability. Include screenshots and documentation updates to demonstrate transparency and successful release.
Note: Since funding is low , and we probably want to target 4 months work, other milestones 5, 6 can be done in a follow-up proposal
Delivery Month
6
Cost
20000
Progress
100 %
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
cost Breakdown of Proposed Work & Resources (Total Request: ₳60,000 ADA)
Milestone 1 — Blockchain Ingestion Layer (₳9,230 / 15%)
Resources:
Blockchain Developer (Cardano node integration) — ₳6,000
Cloud hosting (AWS/Azure) — ₳2,000
QA tester (transaction parsing validation) — ₳1,230
Milestone 2 — AI Transaction Semantics (₳15,000 / 25%)
Resources:
AI/ML Engineer (model training & evaluation) — ₳9,000
GPU compute instances — ₳4,200
Dataset preparation & labeling — ₳1,800
Milestone 3 — Accounting & Tax Logic Integration (₳11,538 / 19%)
Resources:
Blockchain Developer (capital gains engine) — ₳6,000
Tax Advisor (multi‑country rules validation) — ₳3,600
QA tester (journal accuracy) — ₳1,938
Milestone 4 — UI + Review Workflow (₳13,846 / 23%)
Resources:
UI/UX Designer — ₳3,600
Frontend Developer — ₳7,200
QA tester (usability & audit trail validation) — ₳3,046
Milestone 5 — Export & Reporting Integration (₳10,386 / 17%)
Resources:
Backend Developer (export modules) — ₳6,000
QA tester (QuickBooks/Xero integration) — ₳2,400
Reporting tools — ₳1,986
Cross‑Cutting Costs (embedded across milestones)
Publicity & Community Engagement — ₳3,000
Project Management — ₳4,200
Documentation & Reporting — ₳1,800
(These are included proportionally within milestone budgets, not added on top.)
Third‑Party Products & Services
Cloud Infrastructure: AWS/Azure compute, storage, GPU instances
Software Licenses: Figma (UI design), QuickBooks/Xero connectors, compliance tools
Professional Services: Legal/accounting advisors, code auditing partner
Shortfall Coverage
If costs exceed ₳60,000 ADA:
Internal Co‑Funding: Staff time and infrastructure contributions.
Discounted Services: Legal/accounting partners provide reduced rates for visibility.
Revenue Strategy: Early SaaS pilot subscriptions offset additional expenses.
This breakdown ensures every item of work is budgeted, including publicity, community engagement, project management, and documentation. Funds are milestone‑linked, transparent, and aligned with Catalyst Fund Rules.
We will complete the defined milestones within a 4‑month period based on the requested funding. Any remaining milestones 5,6 will be delivered in a follow‑up proposal to ensure continuity and sustainable progress.
Our current request covers 4 months of funded work, aligned with the outlined milestones. Additional milestones 5,6 beyond this scope will be pursued in a subsequent Catalyst proposal, ensuring transparent, phased delivery
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
Our project represents a high‑impact, low‑cost investment for Cardano because it transforms scattered community video content into a structured, searchable knowledge base. This directly improves transparency, education, and governance participation — outcomes that benefit the entire ecosystem.
Why Costs Are Justified
Proportional to Market Rates: Developer and AI engineer allocations are benchmarked against average EU freelance rates (€40–60/hour). A 3–6 month engagement at these rates aligns with the ₳60,000 budget.
Lean Infrastructure: Cloud hosting and GPU compute are budgeted at industry‑standard rates (AWS/Azure GPU instances €800–1,200/month).
Professional Services: Legal/accounting support is included to ensure compliance and trustworthy fund management, typically €100–150/hour.
Community Engagement & Reporting: Often overlooked, but we budget for outreach, documentation, and reporting to ensure visibility and accountability.
Why This is a Good Use of Funds
Direct Ecosystem Value: Makes Cardano’s knowledge accessible to thousands of users, lowering barriers for newcomers and strengthening governance.
Scalable Impact: Once built, the semantic search engine can expand to podcasts, town halls, and governance calls without major new costs.
Transparency: Milestone‑based payouts, open‑source release, and public reporting ensure funds are used responsibly.
Efficiency: Compared to typical SaaS AI projects (often >€150k), our lean ₳60,000 budget delivers a working MVP with measurable KPI
This budget is realistic, proportional, and benchmarked against industry norms. Every euro/ADA is tied to a deliverable: ingestion, AI semantics, UI, reporting, and community engagement. By funding this project, Catalyst enables a unique, reusable knowledge tool that strengthens Cardano’s ecosystem at a fraction of typical AI development costs.
We will complete the defined milestones within a 4‑month period based on the requested funding. Any remaining milestones 5,6 will be delivered in a follow‑up proposal to ensure continuity and sustainable progress.
Our current request covers 4 months of funded work, aligned with the outlined milestones. Additional milestones 5,6 beyond this scope will be pursued in a subsequent Catalyst proposal, ensuring transparent, phased delivery
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
I Agree
Yes
Full‑stack developers, AI engineers, UI/UX designers, and project manager
Experience in NLP, Cardano tooling, and open‑source delivery
Blessey
Role: Senior IT Consultant, QA Test Strategist, Test Management Quality Expert
Lead testing, quality, mapping requirements, and review‑centric documentation.
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/blessey-didla-71a0a042/
Patrik
Role: Senior software engineer, participated in other funded projects, and delivered a lot of successful projects to the community. Lead and guide the project support.
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/psuzzi/
Yige
Role: Senior AI Engineer
Leads the AI model integration and accuracy validation.
LinkedIn:Linkedin.com/in/huangyige
Extra Buffer: If required, on-demand hire resources to ensure capacity and mitigate risks of delivery, cross-border, and stakeholder engagement.