Decentralize Impact

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

In the context of the ongoing incubation program “Decentralize Impact”, we aim to allocate its goals into the goals of Cardano’s project Catalyst as to dedicate resources and energy to promote Cardano throughout the phases unfolding. More specifically, the program aims to create a new mindset, to set the foundation for a new perception of governance and entrepreneurship based on decentralization and to empower the existing ecosystem, currently operating in Tunisia, while building the tools and infrastructure to replicate it in North Africa.

This is a pioneer decentralized experience in North Africa for all stakeholders of the program (students, developers, entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, fund-seekers,…) by which we aim to initiate the DNA of an autonomous fully-decentralized ecosystem supported by a community that is constantly aware of decentralization and its effect on every project and business process.

By the end of the program, we aim to guide at least 3 teams of participants to put their business ideas into a realizable and scalable business model and guide them to find the proper investment through decentralized funding guiding them to the new model of the digital economy, and thus to numerous opportunities for business and technical development.

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

The program constitutes a stepping stone for the emergence of a decentralized ecosystem in the region. It aims to have an impact by giving big attention to the community-growth side, empowering it with keys and tools to be fairly governed and autonomous in the future. With such a foundation, the local ecosystem could evolve in a sustainable way.

To concretize the desired outcome, the methodology by which the program unfolds:

Sourcing phase:

This phase will be focused on creating interest around the project and marketing it to the local blockchain community. This will be achieved through various tools such as teaser videos, educational videos and events aiming to create community growth.

During the sourcing phase, the community will be incentivized to contribute to the program success and get rewarded through a tokenization process. By the end of the sourcing phase, one or more hackathons will be organized by Dar Blockchain in which the winning teams will qualify for the catalyst program.

Catalyst phase:

In this phase, we mainly focus on building the infrastructure of decentralized governance entities for the community in the form of a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). Then, hosting teams with blockchain related ideas.

We will provide the teams with a nest to mature their ideas from a business point of view as well as technical feasibility and involve the community in the selection phase using a voting system. Community involvement is rewarded by the token.

Incubation phase:

In this phase, we will incubate 6 to 8 projects that have been voted on via the DAO. Incubation is a training and mentoring program that aims to help participants create advanced proof of concept, strengthen their community, gain access to industry experts, and confirm utility as a product market fit solution. Experts and mentors are evaluated by the teams, and rewarded by the community token.

Funding phase:

Incubated teams set a soft cap and hard cap for their funding needs. The program delegates the decision making of fund allocation to the community. Based on the following token distribution percentage, the community stakes their tokens to their chosen projects: 50% to the engaged community rewards, 20% to the experts and mentors, and 30% to the program partners.

The projects that reach their Soft cap, are funded.

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

• Risks:

Regulatory framework in certain blockchain use case

Lack of understanding of technology reduces confidence among participants

Ability to bring together a community on the DAO

Scalability of supported projects

Conversion toward decentralized decision making methods

Maturity of early Dapp users

Summer and holidays impact on project adoption

• Mitigation Measures:

Integrate legal support

Educational videos and trainings

Community growth and management

Expert support

DAO implementation and testing

Partnerships with international blockchains

Adapting the calendar

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

15 Aug 2022: Community sourcing and marketing

15 Sept 2022: Ideation > Application on platform [ON] | Launching event

10 Oct 2022: Deadline and Application closure [OFF]

11 Oct 2022: Vote [ON].

30 Oct 2022: Vote [OFF].

31 Oct 2022: Winners announcement.

1 Nov 2022: Catalyst [ON]

4-6 Nov 2022: Catalyst bootcamp

9 Nov 2022 : Vote [ON]

16 Nov 2022 : Vote [OFF]

17 Nov 2022 : Winners announcement.

18 Nov 2022 : Incubation [ON].

27 Jan 2023: Incubation [OFF]> Vote [ON]

3 Feb 2023 : Vote [OFF]> Closing ceremony | Demo Day | Winners announcement

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown.

The following budget breakdown refers to the contribution brought to Gow Africa, Grow Cardano, comprising the sourcing activity to grow the Cardano community and educate them around its technology:

Educational videos: 9,600 USD

Set up key messages: 100 USD

Content research & schedule: 1,800 USD

Develop scripts: 3,400 USD

Shooting: 700 USD

Post-production: 3,500 USD

Deployment V1, V2, V3: 100 USD

Event organization, Digital Communication & PR: 15,640 USD

Event organization: 8,550 USD

Social media marketing: 2,600 USD

Public relations and sponsoring: 4,490 USD

Total: 25,000 USD

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

• Mohamed Mnif:

Graduated as a Certified Chartered Accountant, Mohamed has 9 years experience around consulting and entrepreneurship. He worked for 4 years in auditing and financial services with EY in Tunis and EY Paris. In 2017, he dedicated his full attention to the role that plays technology and innovation in favor of decentralization.

He co-founded Lightency in Paris, a Startup that tokenises renewable energy with a focus on the African market, and Dar Blockchain, a technology hub in Tunisia that supports organizations in their digital transformation and helps startups in their strategy of growth.

• Jaafar Saied:

Jaafar is a Blockchain entrepreneur since 2017, CEO of Lightency.io, a crypto cleantech startup and co-founder at DarBlockchain. Previously, he co-founded Decentral Magazine, a crypto web magazine, where he worked as a crypto journalist.

He provided several consulting services for Blockchain and crypto related projects, in the field of Supplychain, Energy, Security tokens, Nfts & DFI. Before his entrepreneurship experience he worked in technical and business positions at Paris based startups; Ecovadis and TheBubbles company.

• Zeineb Kadhkadhi:

Graduated with a BBA in Business Administration from Tunis Business School with a major in Marketing, Zeineb had 4 years of experience working for NGOs and startups with a focus on strategic marketing and project management. With an optimal balance between big picture and detail orientation, her experience in planning, budgeting, evaluation, and monitoring experience continue to enrich the Dar Blockchain projects.

• Salmen Slimi:

Global citizen and young graduate in Economics and Financial studies. Despite starting his career in late 2018, in Corporate Finance, Salmen has been a Financial Markets enthusiast for over 6 years. He later developed a deeper passion and focus in the Blockchain & Crypto Market. 2019 is when he first started investing both his time and money into various innovative and revolutionary projects in the industry.

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

Yes. This incubation program isn't a one-off event. We're currently on our first edition of the program and there will be many more.

[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?

The following metrics relate to the contribution relative to the Grow Africa, Grow Cardano F9 challenge, not to the actual KPIs of the incubation program:

2 Educational Videos

1 Conference

1 Webinar

1 Workshop

1 Virtual Hackathon

200-400 persons educated through (Workshops /Webinars/ Hackathon)

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

Our goal is to create a new mindset, to set the foundation for a new perception of governance and entrepreneurship based on decentralization and to empower the existing ecosystem in the region.

By the end of the program, we seek to guide at least 3 teams of participants to put their business ideas on the ground and into the market, and find and attract investors.

[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 not a previously funded project in Catalyst but we've applied to Fund7 and 8.

IdeaScale link for the proposal in Fund7 :

https://cardano.ideascale.com/c/idea/383823

IdeaScale link for the proposal in Fund8 :

https://cardano.ideascale.com/c/idea/399849

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Rating

SDG 4 - Quality Education

SDG 8 - Decent work and economic growth