Promote PRISM in Switzerland

[IMPACT]

Background:

Several countries are already heavily investigating the potential of SSI to revolutionize national or regional identity systems. For example, this link provides the policy paper for the UK’s digital identity and attributes trust framework: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-digital-identity-and-attributes-trust-framework/the-uk-digital-identity-and-attributes-trust-framework, and this link outlines the pan-Canadian trust framework: https://diacc.ca/2016/08/11/pctf-overview/.

Meanwhile, Switzerland's Crypto Valley, located near Zürich in the town of Zug, serves as one of the most prominent global powerhouses for blockchain activity.

As of December 2021, the top 50 companies in the Valley have a combined value of $611.8 billion, employ over 1,000 employees, and include 14 Unicorns (one of which is the Cardano Foundation). The total number of firms in the Crypto Valley is 1,128, and those companies employ over 6,000 people. (https://www.cvvc.com/insights)

According to the CVVC, “the attractive nature of Crypto Valley’s regulatory framework and the expanse of crypto and blockchain experts, service providers, and academic institutions continue to drive the flourishing activity within the region.” (https://www.cvvc.com/insights)

Working alongside the CVVC, “the Crypto Valley Association is an independent, government-supported association established to take full advantage of Switzerland’s strengths to build the world’s leading blockchain and cryptographic technologies ecosystem.” (https://cryptovalley.swiss/about-the-association/)

Unsurprisingly, given the country’s historical emphasis on decentralized governance and the convergence of blockchain activity, Switzerland is also focusing on the potential for a digital ID. The non-profit group Digital Identity and Data Sovereignty Association (DIDAS) is leading the initiative to educate Swiss policy makers and the public about the potential for self-sovereign identification technologies to underpin the national standard. (https://www.didas.swiss/2021/10/13/didas-provides-extensive-commentary-to-the-target-vision-for-e-id-in-switzerland/)

The Crypto Valley provides a very receptive audience interested in learning about the ways in which Cardano’s Atala PRISM solution can offer SSI implementations for a wide variety of different use-cases.

Solution:

Allison would introduce and promote Atala PRISM to a range of organizations, companies, and individuals, serving as exactly the target audience most likely to be interested in partnering with Cardano and adopting the technology.

Allison would accomplish this objective by joining relevant organizations, participating in working groups, giving talks about SSI in general, and promoting the advantages and benefits of Cardano and the Atala PRISM technology.

The challenge brief states: ”This challenge is looking for projects that help position Cardano as one of the leaders in the SSI space.”

As indicated above, Zug, Zürich and the Crypto Valley contain a critical mass of blockchain professionals who provide the perfect target audience for information about Atala PRISM. Through networking, membership in key organizations, participation in working groups, and public speaking, Allison will take concrete and meaningful actions to position Cardano as one of the leaders in the SSI space.

Risk: It is difficult to get space on agendas or find opportunities for public speaking

Mitigant: Allison is already well-connected and well-networked in Switzerland. She is a member of the Crypto Valley Association, is a Co-Chair of the AML Working Group, and has close connections with the Association's Board. She is also connected to the TrustSquare Blockchain Community, and the CV Labs team. She has made initial connections to the DIDAS organization.

Risk: SSI is a complex and technically involved topic, which can be difficult to explain

Mitigant: Allison is an accomplished public speaker with significant experience in explaining complicated blockchain concepts to a general audience. A presentation Allison created to explain the basics of staking is attached for reference. She will create a similar presentation to explain SSI and PRISM. The links below provide a representative sample of Allison’s public speaking and educational abilities:

Allison explains the basics of Bitcoin and Blockchain to the Zug International Women’s Group:

Allison explains Atala PRISM, SSI and the Catalyst Circle to JCrypto:

[FEASIBILITY]

Early May: Funding (hopefully!)

May/June:

Apply and join DIDAS, CVVC, and potentially the nascent TrustSquare Blockchain Community

Contact organizers about providing talks or participating in working groups

Prepare standard presentation about SSI and Atala PRISM

June/July:

Deliver at least three live presentations

Participate in one working group initiative

Time spent researching organizations, identifying key contacts, and organizing introductions - $750

Time spent creating standard SSI presentation - $1,500

Time spent participating in meetings and working group activities - $2,000

Time spent tailoring standard presentation for specific events and delivering presentation - $2,000

Miscellaneous expenses such as travel, printing, graphic design, video creation, etc. - $750

Total Budget: $7,000

Allison Fromm left a 20+ year career in finance, banking, and business development to launch Crypto Alley in 2021. She has been involved in the cryptocurrency industry since 2012. Upon discovering Cardano in early 2020, she has focused primarily on projects in that ecosystem.

Allison first participated in Project Catalyst during Fund0, she attended the inaugural Atala Prism Pioneers program, she was elected to the Catalyst Circle v2 in November 2021, and she is now a member of the Community Governance Oversight Group. Allison has served as a CA in multiple funds and as a funded Challenge Team member. She previously received funding for two Fund7 proposals.

Outside of Cardano, she serves as a Co-Chair of the AML Working Group of Switzerland’s Crypto Valley Association. Allison now lives in Switzerland but had spent most of her prior working career in the US.

More details about Allison: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonfromm/

More about Crypto Alley: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crypto-alley/?viewAsMember=true

and www.cryptoalley.ch (coming soon, hopefully prior to the voting phase)

[AUDITABILITY]

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) include:

Delivery of three presentations

Participation in one working group

Allison will submit the general presentation on SSI and PRISM

Allison will provide dates, details, and, if possible, links to the live presentations as they are scheduled

Allison will provide recordings of the live presentations, if possible

Allison will provide links to working group materials, if possible

The Swiss blockchain community and the Swiss SSI community become familiar with Atala PRISM and explore using Cardano’s technology for their use cases.

This is an entirely new project. However, Allison received funding in Fund7 to document the process of creating a Swiss legal entity operating in the blockchain industry (project is well underway and will be delivered in due course).

https://cardano.ideascale.com/c/idea/382258

SDG Rating

Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure - developing SSI concepts provides an innovative approach to fostering innovation.