Unified Transport Payment Gateway

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

The Challenge:

With the global rise of various payment solutions, it has become a challenge to unify constantly developing landscape of payment and settlement in the transportation industry.

Our Solution:

• The goal is to build a unified payment gateway platform on top of the Cardano Blockchain that allows secured and fair transactions among all stakeholders regardless of fare media, payment system, or geographic location.

• Payments and settlements among parties will be automatically executed through immutable smart contracts based on equitable global standard agreements.

• Allows fast and seamless integration with any payment solution via APIs.

• The platform will encrypt/decrypt vehicle trip data from any Fleet Management System and process the information for payment/settlement fulfillment.

• Each party will have their own wallet within the platform.

• The Unified Transport Payment Gateway guarantees a level playing field for payment solution providers in terms opportunity and market share.

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

Several new technologies are currently available and are expected to see broad use in general payments in the next few years. Among these are:

• Chip-enabled (EMV) credit and debit cards.

• Smart phones with Near Field Communications (NFC)

• Reloadable Cards

• QR Code

• Digital Wallet

With the global rise of various payment solutions, we can convert these challenges to opportunities. These boils down to our specific objectives for a unified transport payment gateway which include:

• Increased mobility for all users by allowing use of all transportation services, readily available via payment means.

• Increased transit of users and revenue as a result of reduced barriers to use.

• There will be a single system available for all as users can pay their fares using what they already possessed.

• Allow different public transportation mode into a seamless transit network, cost-effectively expanding the number of services and destinations available to users.

The outcome of this project is to develop a decentralized Payment Gateway using DLT and dApp on Cardano Blockhain, allowing secured & fair transactions using smart contracts. With the Unified Transport Payment Gateway, we can eliminate the fare product selection card purchase and reloading and other fare collection services and replace them with a tap or display of payment media the traveler already possesses. 

In order for us to launch and complete this project successfully, aside from the scope of work detailed in the "FEASIBILITY", we are bound to keep our team on the same page, by living and focusing on Euodoo’s strategic approach:

1. Strategic Assessment - identifying the process or function that needs improvement.
2. GAP Analysis - course of matching specific needs and service level
3. Design, Build, and Implement - creation and development of application blueprint to service transition and implementation
4. Monitoring and Evaluation - maintenance and continuous service improvement efforts

How will the outcomes of your project be communicated or marketed once completed?

Our marketing objectives includes:

·       Creating Brand Awareness by implementing series of marketing activities to increase visibility

·       Focus on Target Market by scheduling promotional activities and roadshows. Basically our target market includes people from all walks of life.

·       Enhance Customer Relations by conducting activities for both drivers and passengers while gathering feedbacks

·       Customer Retention by providing promotional codes as part of loyalty rewards system

Marketing Plans:

·       Direct Marketing - we will be using direct marketing to promote the service through mobile application to the market to make sure of the best quality service. In furtherance, we will establish a relationship with the customers by having a direct point of contact through phones and emails, to better manage feedbacks and relationships.

·       Advertising Plan - we will be using various advertising means such as television commercials, newspapers, billboards, and posters in bus stops and train stations.

·       Social Media Marketing - the use of social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter to increase awareness through shared post and paid advertisements.

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

Building an interoperable unified transport payment system is more than a simple IT project, it is a large scale change project that will impact significantly across all aspects of the transport operations. Below are the number of challenges in implementing a unified transport payment gateway:

• Dealing with a vast network of public transport operators, stakeholders, technology suppliers, and legislative procedures, just to get a unified transport payment off the ground.

• The timeframes required to deliver technological products, particularly when a supplier have delays in the delivery, this will pull back the implementation.

• The funding sources to provide enough capital and human resources required to make the system a success

• Integration across different public transport modes or multiple public transport operators

It takes a high level of expertise and a special nose in transport industry, system analysis, system design and development to launch this dynamic gateway platform. To overcome these potential challenges, there should be a clear vision as to what the system will achieve. These vision emerges from these three sources:

• Experience – Our area of expertise revolves around dealing with a multiple network of public transport operators, suppliers, fintech, and government agencies specially in the transport industry. Over the years, we have honed our experiences in dealing with these significant groups in the transport industry.

• Knowledge – We are a System Integrator company offering wide-range IT solutions and services to vast industries. We are one of the leading suppliers for the modern jeep program and we are proud to say that we are the pioneer in developing a real-time distance-based automated fare computation in the Philippines.

• Inspiration – Combining our expertise in fleet management, automated fare collection system, and being a System Integrator in one, we are inspired to bring these altogether into the future. With the help of the DLT and DApps on Cardano, we are confident that we can pull this off.

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

We plan to recommend a three-phase approach to reduce risk and better manage the implementation:

1. Phase 1 - Building a Unified Payment Gateway Platform on top of Cardano Blockchain

Activities:

·   Planning and System Requirements – 1 week

·   System Design and Architecture – 1 week

·   Development and Software Coding – 2 months

·   Testing – 2 weeks

2. Phase 2 - Integration of APIs to Cardano Blockchain and implement an open payment to compute and process fares across transportation services that uses EMV, Cryptocurrencies, digital wallets, QR Codes and among others. API integration including roll-out steps will run for a month.

Activities:

·   Development and Software Coding – 2 weeks

·   Testing – 2 weeks

3. Phase 3 – Once we implement the platform and it is ready for launch, we will cooperate with the public transport group to plan the incorporation of the public transport mode's vehicle trip data to complete the whole environment. This includes the Fleet Management System and GPS services of each public transport mode. We will successfully incorporate everything in this phase for a period of two (2) months.

Activities:

·   Development and Software Coding – 6 weeks

·   Testing – 2 weeks

Our timeline for all these phases moving from building, integration, and incorporation will be at a maximum of six (6) months.

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown.

Our proposal cost and budget details breakdown:

Phase 1 - Building a unified payment gateway platform on top of the Cardano Blockchain - USD 25,000

Phase 2 - Integration of APIs to Cardano Blockchain - USD 8,000

Phase 3 - Incorporation of the public transport mode's vehicle trip data - USD 7,000

Estimated monthly budget of manpower in USD:

(1) Project Manager - $2,500

(1) System Analyst - $2,000

(2) Senior Developer - $1,500/resource

(2) SEO and SMO Specialist - $1,000/resource

(2) Quality Assurance Specialist - $1,000/resource

(2) Sales and Marketing Specialist - $1,000/resource

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

Below is the list of team that will oversee and will be responsible for the whole project.

• Julius Evan P. Zapata : President and CEO, Euodoo Technologies, Inc.

·       Has more than 20 years of extensive experience within the Information Technology Solutions and Service Industry.

·       He has made significant contributions in delivering exceptional IT solutions spanning across multiple industries.

·       Over the years, he has been a Consultant on the following organizations:

·       US Agency for International Development (USAID)

·       Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR)

·       Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)

·       Philippine National Oil Company Exploration Corporation (PNOC-EC) 

·       National Housing Authority (NHA)

·       Bank of Florida, a Rural Bank

·       Rang-ay Bank

·       The Straits Network

·       He holds an Undergraduate degree in Computer Engineering and Master’s Degree in Public Administration specializing in the Spatial Information Management from the University of the Philippines and ITC Netherlands.

• Alejandro P. Zapata : Head - Admin and Operations, Euodoo Technologies, Inc.

·       Has more than 20 years of experience and responsible for the administrative, operational, and responsible in marketing, building, and maintaining relationships with the operators, cooperatives and government agencies.

·       He graduated with a BS Business Administration degree at the Far Eastern University.

• Giselle P. Bantug - Business Development, Euodoo Technologies, Inc.

·       Has more than 20 years of experience in research, planning, providing administrative support, and developing significant portions of project deliverables.

·       She holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and received her MBA at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business in 2006.

Additional manpower like Senior Developer, System Analyst, SEO and SMO Specialist, Quality Assurance Specialist, and Sales and Marketing Specialist from our pool of resources will also be involved.

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

To be updated.

[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?

Unified Transport Payment Gateway can make a significant contribution in transportation industry.

1.  Users/travelers - whether you are resident or a visitor that uses a mode of transportation, it will be easier for you to commute because of the readily available payment mean
2. Payment solution providers - since there is a reduce barriers of transportation options, an increase in the number of ridership means an increase in revenue
3. Government/Transportation policies - unifying payment creates fair benefits by allowing access to lower fares and better payment method

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

Our success criteria for this platform will be as follows:

In 1 month: Visibility via social media apps, commercials, billboards, posters and other advertising means is achieved.

In 2 months: There are at least 1million users of the platform or service.

In 6 months: At least 50% of commuter’s population is using the platform or service

In 12 months: There is at least 90% of commuter’s who are using the platform or service

KPIs

·       Number of users using the platform or service.

·       Number of transportation group including private transport groups are using the platform or service.

·       Serves the main objective of providing connectivity among networks.

·       Achieved interoperability among transportation services and key players of payment solution providers.

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

No

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Rating

SDG goals:

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

Reduce inequality within and among countries

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

SDG subgoals:

Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all

Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries

Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets

By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities

Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States

Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities

Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020

Key Performance Indicator (KPI):

Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology

Proportion of medium and high-tech industry value added in total value added

Total official international support (official development assistance plus other official flows) to infrastructure

Universal Human Rights Index (UHRI):

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