Bringing Cardano to Cambridge

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

How you perceive the problem you are solving

Cardano is lacking a major opportunity to be embedded as a core player with the academic and business communities in and around Cambridge.  As one of the world’s top universities, Cambridge and its science based and technology-based cluster has some of the world’s highest achieving students, academics and science startups, all of whom will be watching the rise of blockchain technologies with interest. The Cambridge cluster – or ‘Silicon Fen’ as it is known already operates as a ‘super incubator’. The problem until now is that the awareness of Cardano within the cluster has not been consistently promoted as much as it could have been.

Your reasons for approaching it in the way that you have

By funding a community hub in the Cambridge region, Cardano and Catalyst will provide a platform from which to elevate the attractiveness of the Cardano ecosystem over and above other blockchain technologies – such as Tezos which already has a recognised connection to the University.

We propose raising the awareness of the Cardano blockchain within the Cambridge cluster by taking membership in associations such as the Cambridge Network and funding students and events through the main mathematical and science societies in the university as a community of interest.

Who your project will engage, or who its stakeholders are

Our project will have multiple stakeholders:

• The University of Cambridge students and academics
• Businesses in the Cambridge region
• Cardano and Catalyst
• IOHK

How your project will be implemented

The project will be implemented in phases:

1. Membership and activity within the Silicon Fen Venture Capitalist (VC) and business clusters
2. Develop and deploy a word-of-mouth campaign with funded students and VC and Business organisations
3. A series of virtual and real-world events showcasing the Cardano blockchain and ecosystem
4. Establishment of community advisors

What you will produce 

Our output will be a Cardano community with the broader Cambridge cluster.

What will happen as a result of your work

As a result of this project, we will see an increase in the number of Catalyst members from the Cambridge student and engineering communities.

Over time, an increase in proposals coming from the students in the Cambridge region.

Explain what's unique about your solution, and what value it brings to the Cardano ecosystem.

The Edify team has experience coaching and mentoring senior leaders and Fellows in both the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London academic senior leadership.

Explain who will benefit. 

Part of the of the budget for this project will go to university students as project participants.

The beneficiaries of the project will be:

• The University of Cambridge students and academics – who become more aware of the capability of the Cardano blockchain ecosystem, and who create value from the applications that they design and launch.
• Businesses in the Cambridge region – who will equally benefit from the value created from the increased awareness of Cardano's capability 
• Cardano and Catalyst – will benefit from the rising awareness of Cardano in the academic and business communities centred around The University of Cambridge

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

Our solution will grow the awareness of Cardano across the different elements of the thriving ‘Silicon Fen’: the Cambridge cluster which provides employment for 50,000 jobs in global technology and biotech firms.  It has the largest biomedical campus in western Europe, a global top ten university and established angel and venture capital sectors. 

Our solution will enable students and engineers to become informed of the ethos and benefits of the Cardano network long term. This consistent focus on promoting Cardano and the growth of a community hub will increase the engagement of top quality students and engineers into Catalyst Innovation Hub.

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

Risk – identifying key influencers amongst the Cambridge technical and academic community

• Mitigation – We will use our existing networks in The University of Cambridge, Cambridge Network and VC network to bring together a team of early adopters for the project.

Risk - undertaking this community build requires both time and money and focus over the long term to ensure its success.

• Mitigation - we will commit to a reasonable schedule of activity and run both face-to-face and virtual meetups - using meetup! We will engage and leverage our existing network of partners and associates - such as HSBC, and Barclays bank: EagleLabs innovation incubator network to support our events and meetups where possible.

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

A project plan can be found on the project Miro board here:

https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVOpKPoKM=/

The key milestones will be:

Terms of reference established

Early adopters recruited

Community up and running

We are presenting multiple proposals in this fund as well as in previous funds here is an explanation of the workload management.

we are part of a catalyst entity called EdifyColabs. This is formed of other catalyst members where appropriate. And it. is backed by our off-chain business Edify Business Ltd - website link enclosed. As such we have a direct team of 5 staff - all of which are working to deliver our Catalyst proposals as appropriate. we currently have 5 funded proposals running across F7 and F8 all of which are weekly programmes in our core delivery space of consultancy coaching and use case design and delivery.

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown.

Real world event costs

Hiring venues estimated at $150 per event for 5 = $750

Food and drinks per event, $200 * 5 = $1000

Event management, $20/hour*30 hours = $700

Programme Management, $20/hour*20 hours = $400

Membership of relevant networks within the cluster $ 500

Total $3100

Online activities

Marketing and promotional collaterals, e.g. blog writing, branding, banners. $20/hr * 25hrs = $500

Design infographics, $20/hour*15 hours= $300

Community management $20/hour*50 hours= $1000

Total $1800

Total project cost $4900

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

Harry Hellyer

https://www.linkedin.com/in/harryhellyer/

NED, and chairman, executive and business coach specialising in full value-based impact innovation programmes for enterprises and organisations.

Founding partner of 50th Generation – one of the UK's first Social Business Generational Accelerators – 2014-2018

Credited for supporting the development of the NHS's first Sustainable Development Vision and Strategy programme.

Coached Fellows on the University of Cambridge, Programme for Sustainable Development,

Coached Fellows and Lectured for the University of Cambridge, Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning - Social Enterprise

Previously VP and director of strategy, marketing strategy and business development for several global IT, media and telecoms companies.

We are presenting multiple proposals in this fund as well as in previous funds here is an explanation of the workload management.

we are part of a catalyst entity called EdifyColabs. This is formed of other catalyst members where appropriate. And it. is backed by our off-chain business Edify Business Ltd - website link enclosed. As such we have a direct team of 5 staff - all of which are working to deliver our Catalyst proposals as appropriate. we currently have 5 funded proposals running across F7 and F8 all of which are weekly programmes in our core delivery space of consultancy coaching and use case design and delivery.

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

No, this is a standalone project

[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 will use milestones in the project plan (found here) to track the project.

Public Update Channel: we will use our Twitter channel: @edifycolabs for updates on project progress

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

Success for this project is a vibrant and growing community of interest, centred around the opportunities that Cardano presents to connect Cambridge students with the channels for project funding in the engineering, Tech and biotech community in the region.

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

No, this is a new proposal

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Rating

SDG goals:

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

SDG subgoals:

Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors

Key Performance Indicator (KPI):

Universal Human Rights Index (UHRI):

#proposertoolsdg