NFTs go Mobile

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem.

We want to create native mobile applications (iOS and Android) for JPG Store with deep linking technologies to allow a smoother trading and minting experience for people using mobile devices.

[GENERAL] Summarize your relevant experience.

The team at JPG launched the marketplace in the second week of November 2021. Since then JPG has pushed to create a user driven marketplace servicing all NFTs on Cardano with a strong development team of 10+ engineers driven to create on Cardano.

[GENERAL] Requested funds in USD.

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

We intend to create native mobile applications for iOS and Android that would allow traders and creators of Cardano NFTs to interact with our marketplace via mobile.

Increasing Accessibility to Cardano

In our research of the space and conversations with players in competing NFT spaces we have found the usage and presence of mobile technologies is key for growing volumes and transactions on-chain.

While currently our store and other dApps are present as functions with the Eternl wallet we believe the following increases the barrier of entry to the Cardano Ecosystem. NFTs tend to have viral value to them and users hear about NFT Projects, then marketplaces and then wallets which makes the current route a whole tier lower in terms of new-comer access.

We have partnered with Moonpay to allow our store to not only be a hub for trading NFTs but also allow NFT enthusiasts to get access to ADA from within our ecosystem and this combined with native mobile applications would make onboarding to Cardano much easier.

Pushing Cardano to First

The NFT Ecosystem on Cardano has been playing catchup with Solana and Ethereum, this combined with the political and narrative based issues we’ve not seen mass adoption of our chain just yet.

If Cardano was to be the leader of such native mobile apps that not only allow browsing but help trade and create all from your favorite devices, it will help open up a whole different realm of marketing for the chain to bring in individuals curious about the space. Bringing new people to Cardano would be as simple as downloading one application from the native app store.

Growing the ecosystem

JPG Store has been a proponent of open sourcing its code for the growth of the space. Similar to our Smart contract we aim to open source the method and code we use to create deeplinked applications.

[IMPACT] Please describe how your proposed solution will address the Challenge that you have submitted it in.

Our core product would be a first of its kind application across blockchains and open the gates for mass adoption from enthusiasts and curious people alike. Furthermore open sourcing the code would allow the hundreds of creators on Cardano access to a codebase that helps them bring their versions of products for their specific niches to not only expand the usage of the chain but increase adoption across a wide range of utilities.

[IMPACT] What are the main risks that could prevent you from delivering the project successfully and please explain how you will mitigate each risk?

The biggest challenge for delivering this project is the creation of a standard in communication with the major wallets on Cardano to enable such integrations across the board for all wallets that currently exist and the ones that will enter the space going forward. 

Ensuring that the infrastructure laid down is robust enough to not only solve our requirements but also be able to serve the community at large once it is open source.

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed plan, including timeline and key milestones for delivering your proposal.

The project would be executed over a time period of 8 weeks. This time period is divided into further sections as follows:

1. Wireframing and Structure Development - 1.5 Weeks
2. Core Functionality Development - 4 Weeks
3. Design Implementation - 1.5 Weeks
4. Testing & QA - 1 Week

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown.

Our budgets are divided over two major categories, employee costs and overheads for the duration of execution. Our costs for both are as follows:

Employee Costs: $8000 USD/week

Overheads: $2000 USD/week

Overheads include hosting, unexpected delays, marketing costs, tutorial development and more.

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide details of the people who will work on the project.

To execute the proposal we will be using 3 core resources dedicatedly while other employees of JPG will assist wherever need be. The main 3 resources would be 2 Full Stack Engineers and 1 UX/UI Designer.

The exact team members working on the project are decided as we go through the 4 stages but you can learn more about all our team members and their expertise at https://www.jpg.store/team

[FEASIBILITY] If you are funded, will you return to Catalyst in a later round for further funding? Please explain why / why not.

The submission is a one time funding request to execute the proposal. We do not foresee us returning to Catalyst for further funding in regards to this proposal.

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or any member of your team working on any other proposals in this Fund9?

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or your team working on any other proposals from previous Funds?

[AUDITABILITY] Please describe what you will measure to track your project's progress, and how will you measure these?

We build our tools and features in a modular manner while testing each part as it is built and retesting as it starts to communicate with other modules. We will be tracking these milestones internally and inviting our beta testers to provide feedback on usability and functionality as soon as our project reaches a state of readiness.

We are also driven to run the project in a user-centered manner, listening to our users and various stakeholders throughout the process to ensure the end product is what the community at large desires.

[AUDITABILITY] What does success for this project look like?

We are aiming on looking at three main metrics for evaluating the success of the project:

1. The introduction of a standard to enable deep linking for applications on Cardano.
2. Creation and operations of fully working native mobile applications.
3. A shareable source code that allows other creators in the space to expand upon it.

[AUDITABILITY] Please provide information on whether this proposal is a continuation of a previously funded project in Catalyst or an entirely new one.

This is an entirely new proposal.