Microlending Partnership Models

Please reference the attached slides for a detailed description of project objectives, approach, expectations, risks, and expenses.

-----------Overview---------------

• As Cardano matures to include smart contracts, DID, and other enhancements, there will be new opportunities to disrupt the existing microlending ecosystem.
• Today, microlenders exhibit a wide range of blockchain adoption maturity: anywhere from "non-existent" to "implementing our own protocol."
• As the innovators in the Cardano ecosystem begin to explore potential implementation strategies, it will be helpful for the community to have a baseline understanding of the microlending ecosystem from a Cardano perspective.
• The key question this proposal is looking to address: which microlending providers represent the best opportunities for future partnerships based on their objectives/capabilities/roadmaps and existing/planned adoption of blockchain technology?
• One output will be a living whitepaper, written in GitBook, that can be shared with the Cardano community and evolved as the landscape changes. This document can be used as a foundational artifact for future research relating to Cardano proposals.
• Additionally, a single (basic) technical integration with a specific microlender will demonstrate how Cardano can integrate and extend a microlending solution.  A likely option is building a test bridge to Kiva's Hyperledger Indy solution. 
• The ultimate objective is to work with a single microlender to establish a strategic and technical pathway to a broader partnership.

-----------Impact---------------

How does this proposal' problem statement fit the challenge? (slide 2)

• The objective of this proposal is to work directly with microlenders that have existing presences in Africa and identify new opportunities for Africans to benefit from DeFi innovations.

How will this proposal add value to the Cardano ecosystem? (slide 12-14)

• By identifying strategic and technical integration points between Cardano and microldenders, the Cardano community can implement new capabilities that extend functionality in the microlending space.
• While individual one-off efforts to work with microlenders is certainly possible, organizing discussions under the Cardano Catalyst initiative provides more clarity to our potential partners and allows us to define clear goals and objectives.

How will the proposal scale to address future challenges? (slide 16)

• After initial technical approaches have been identified, new opportunities will exist to build integrated solutions between Cardano and microlenders. Specifically, this can include linking two ledgers via DID solutions.

-----------Feasibility---------------

Team (slide 18)

• West Africa Decentralized Alliance (WADA): Skilled team of Cardano practitioners and entrepreneurs, located in hubs across West Africa and the diaspora.
• Jon Saginaw: 20+ years experience in Technology Consulting, working with some of the world's most well-known companies. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonsaginaw/
• Core team includes: Blockchain Developer (1), Technical Writer (1), Partnership Development Lead (1 Part Time)

Budget (slide 17-18)

• Slide 17 shows key activities and outcomes, while slide 18 shows the resources and timelines required to deliver this project.
• The budget will support activities and outcomes of the core team across 6-8 weeks. 

Plan (slides 17-18)

• In an initial 6 week initiative, communications with microlenders will identify the most beneficial partnerships, and assess strategic and technical partnership models.
• Additionally, a demo will be created to link an existing solution (likely Kiva's Hyperledger platform) to Cardano to demonstrate functionality and identify potential implementation challenges.  
• Key activities will include: providing a Cardano-centric assessment of the existing microlending ecosystem, identifying potential partnership opportunities, discussing Cardano with potential partners to gauge interest, defining potential implementation options, and creating an initial (basic) integration with a leading microlender.

Risks

• A key risk is identifying a partnership model while IOG is defining its own microlending capabilities in parallel.  As this is a large space with many providers, there should be room to explore multiple strategic opportunities. 

-----------Auditability---------------

What Success Looks Like (slide 19)

• Positive communications with 3 microlenders, with identification of a strategic and technical path forward with 1 microlender.
• While this could take many shapes, an ideal solution will be to demonstrate a technical integration solution with 1 microlender, showing how it can connect to the Cardano ecosystem (and why this solution provides value for both the microlender and the Cardano community). 
• Additionally, this initiative will likely serve as the initial introduction to Cardano for many microlenders. The Cardano community can use this opportunity to establish initial relationships and communications channels.

Metrics & KPIs (slide 19)

• This initiative will target conversations with 3 potential microlenders partners to provide a general introduction to Cardano, review their blockchain objectives, and determine high-level potential for a broader partnership on future solutions.
• The goal is to define and implement 1 basic technical integration with a leading microlender

--Related Proposals--

Cardano Interop NOW: https://cardano.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Cardano-Interop-NOW/369451-48088

• The intention of this proposal is to build 1) a DID/VC Issuer & Verifier platform, and 2) an open-source digital wallet that, together, allows for cross-ledger DID interoperability. Specifically: interoperability across the dominant Hyperledger Indy ledger and the Cardano ledger.
• As there will be many DID solutions (like there are many blockchains), interop across these solutions will be critical.
• While the Cardano Interop Now proposal builds the necessary connection points between Hyperledger Indy and Cardano ledgers, the Microlender Partnership Models proposal looks specifically at the technical feasibility of implementing Kiva's Hyperledger Indy/Aries solution with Cardano.
• Where appropriate, there is expected to be collaboration across these two proposals given the strategic alignment of objectives, and alignment of technology solutions.