Last updated 2 months ago
Users blindly sign opaque transaction prompts, risking funds. Current tools show technical details, not human-readable intent, blocking mass adoption and creating big security risks for all users.
An open-source Semantic Engine translating DeFi activity into plain language. We provide an API to stop blind signing in wallets, and a Portfolio Dashboard to decode history and performance for users.
Please provide your proposal title
Exura: Semantic Transaction Engine (Stop Blind Signing!)
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
120000
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
7
Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated
No
Original Language
en
What is the problem you want to solve?
Users blindly sign opaque transaction prompts, risking funds. Current tools show technical details, not human-readable intent, blocking mass adoption and creating big security risks for all users.
Supporting links
Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?
Yes
Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'
Core Cardano infrastructure such as Ogmios and Kupo. Dolos, the data node from TxPipe and PyCardano
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.
Will be released under MIT license
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal
DeFi
Describe what makes your idea innovative compared to what has been previously launched in the market (whether by you or others).
Current Cardano analytics tools are aggregators that query rigid APIs for asset holdings and prices, not comprehensive DeFi context. They are also typically closed-source and siloed.
Exura innovates on two layers:
Describe what your prototype or MVP will demonstrate, and where it can be accessed.
More than proposing a concept, we are refining and scaling a working system. Our current Proof of Concept consists of 15,000+ lines of production-grade Python/Django code, fully typed and tested, covering diverse DeFi protocols on Cardano.
What it demonstrates:
Where to access:
Live Demo available at https://www.exura.org (Early Alpha).
Source code available at https://github.com/ExuraLabs demonstrating the Hecate/Exura backend stack.
Describe realistic measures of success, ideally with on-chain metrics.
Success is defined by the breadth and accuracy of our translation engine.
1 - Protocol Coverage:
2 - Accuracy and Reliability:
3 - Adoption and Usage:
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
Our solution is an open-source Semantic Engine that translates raw Cardano DeFi activity into plain, human-readable language at the transaction level. It directly addresses the complexity of interacting with DeFi through two main components:
1. Semantic Transaction Engine (API)
At its core, Exura uses a Predicate System, a declarative framework that evaluates transactions based on composable, configurable conditions. Instead of showing users cryptic UTXO inputs/outputs and hex-encoded data, the engine:
This API can be integrated into any wallet to replace opaque signing prompts with clear intent descriptions, stopping blind signing at the source.
2. Portfolio Dashboard
For users who want to understand their historical activity and performance, the dashboard provides:
Why This Works
Where users currently see opaque data on explorers/wallets, our Predicate System generates human-readable descriptions. Where technical details block adoption, our plain-language API provides something any wallet can integrate. Where there's no way to verify intent before signing, we offer clear "You are doing X" labels. Where past activity is unreadable, our Dashboard decodes complete history. And where performance tracking is confusing, we provide built-in cost basis, PnL, yield tracking and more.
The system will be fully open-source, built with modern tools and designed for reliability using enterprise grade standards and patterns.
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
Making Cardano DeFi Human-Readable
One of the biggest barriers to DeFi adoption isn't speed or fees, but the fact that people often don't know what's happening. Users stare at technical details, cross their fingers, and hope they're not getting scammed. Afterwards, they have no way to know if their positions are actually making money.
Exura fixes this by building a semantic translation layer for Cardano.
For Users: Safety and Clarity
We eliminate blind signing. Instead of trusting cryptic CBOR blobs, users see plain language: "You are swapping 100 ADA for MIN." This alone prevents countless costly mistakes.
But we don't stop at the transaction. Our Portfolio Dashboard explains what happened after the signature. There's a huge difference between "I have 1000 LP tokens" and "My LP position earned $50 this month", and that difference is what keeps users engaged. People who understand their positions stick around and invest more confidently.
For Developers: Avoid Reinventing the Wheel
Right now, every wallet, explorer, and tool would have to write their own custom parsers for Minswap, Liqwid, Indigo, and every other protocol. It's wasteful duplication across the ecosystem.
We're open-sourcing our predicate system and composable modules that any developer can plug into. Integrate our API, get human-readable transaction data instantly, skip months of parsing work, and actually focus on their product.
For Cardano: A Genuine Advantage
With our project funded, Cardano becomes the blockchain where understandable transactions are the default, not a luxury. That's a real differentiator thanks to the deterministic UTxO model.
We're also establishing an open standard for describing transaction intents. As more protocols launch, having a shared vocabulary helps the entire ecosystem scale without fragmenting into incompatible silos.
The short version: we turn raw blockchain data into something people can actually use. Users get safety. Developers get efficiency. Cardano gets a level of UX polish that other ecosystems don't have.
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?
We are not asking for funds to explore an idea. We are asking for funds to productize a working engine that we have spent the last year building and validating with our own resources.
1. Proven Technical Capability - The "Hard Part" is Done
Our team has deep expertise in high-performance distributed systems and Cardano’s eUTxO model. We have already architected and built:
2. The Team
The team is fully assembled and working on the project already, shipping even with very limited resources, and are prepared to ensure our API and Dashboard meet the standards required for ecosystem integration.
3. Development Process
4. Continuity Strategy
We are fully committed to this vision. We are not sitting idle during the review process nor the voting period, we are actively polishing the frontend and tightening the backend infrastructure. By the time results are in, we will hit the ground running with a polished beta already available.
Milestone Title
Core Engine & Protocol Expansion
Milestone Outputs
ExuraLabs/exura with finished Predicate architecture.Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Delivery Month
2
Cost
42000
Progress
30 %
Milestone Title
Interpretation API & Data Pipeline
Milestone Outputs
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Delivery Month
4
Cost
36000
Progress
60 %
Milestone Title
Dashboard Showcase and Beta Launch
Milestone Outputs
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Delivery Month
6
Cost
30000
Progress
90 %
Milestone Title
Final Report, Video and Project Closeout
Milestone Outputs
Acceptance Criteria
Evidence of Completion
Delivery Month
7
Cost
12000
Progress
100 %
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
To ensure project delivery despite ADA price volatility, this budget is calculated at a conservative rate (approx. 0.40 USD). This ensures the development team can remain focused on shipping code without interruption, even if market conditions fluctuate during the development cycle.
Breakdown by Cost Category:
1. Core Engineering & Backend Development (~60% | 72000 ADA)
2. Frontend Development & UX (~20% | 24000 ADA)
3. Infrastructure & Operations (~15% | 18000 ADA)
4. Documentation & Community Support (~5% | 6000 ADA)
Resource Availability:
As mentioned, the full core team is already assembled and has been working together on this stack for months. No recruitment is necessary and we are ready to execute immediately upon funding.
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
This proposal offers an incredible ROI because the ecosystem is not paying for "Day 1" development. We have already self-funded 10+ months of engineering, building the Hecate data relay, the system architecture, and the Predicate Engine core.
The community would pay for the final mile of development and productization (API & Dashboard) but getting the value of a mature, enterprise-grade backend for free.
Additionally, if a wallet team like Lace or Vespr wanted to build this translation layer internally, it would cost them many times more. Instead, by funding Exura once as an open-source primitive, we save the ecosystem hundreds of thousands of dollars in duplicated engineering efforts. Every wallet can use our engine instead of building their own.
Not only that, but unlike speculative dApps that might get users, Exura builds infrastructure that makes all existing users safer and existing protocols more usable. And from a ROI perspective, if our interpretation before signing stops just 100 bad transactions or scams, the investment has paid for itself in user funds saved.
Lastly, we are delivering the Semantic Engine under an MIT license. Even in the worst-case scenario, Cardano gains a permanent, reusable library for parsing DeFi transactions that any future developer can use.
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
Javier Acosta - Project Lead & Architect
Paola Diaz - Full Stack Engineer
Pedro Boll - Backend & Data Engineer
Cristiam Vasquez - Frontend Engineer