id,Title,GovTool Username,Budget Category,Ownership Type,Company Name,Company Domain Name,Company of Incorporation,Group Name,Type of Group,Key Info to Identify Group,Social Handles,Problem Statement,Explain how the Proposal Supports the Product Roadmap,Proposal Benefit,Alignment to the Product Roadmap,Alignment to an Intersect Committee,Evidence of Wider Community Endorsement,Proposal Description,Key Dependencies (if any),Maintainenace and Support,Key Deliverables and Definition of Done,Resourcing & Duration Estimates,Experience,Contracting,Ada Amount,USD to Ada Conversion Rate,Preferred Currency,Amount in Preferred Currency,Cost Breakdown,Supporting Links,Would you like Intersect to be your Administrator?,Number of Comments,First Version Created At 299,2025 Input Output Engineering Core Development Proposal,inputoutput,Core,Company,Input Output Engineering Pte. Ltd.,iohk.io,Singapore,,,,X: @InputOutputHK,"This proposal addresses several critical challenges and opportunities within the Cardano ecosystem necessary for its continued growth, competitiveness, and decentralization. Key problems include: * **Scalability Limitations:** The current L1 infrastructure faces throughput constraints during high demand, hindering user experience and application potential. There's a need for significant scaling solutions at both Layer 1 (consensus) and Layer 2. * **Node Architecture & Performance:** The existing node design presents limitations in terms of modularity, extensibility, performance (especially RAM usage), and ease of contribution from diverse development teams. * **Smart Contract Assurance & Developer Experience:** Developers require enhanced tools for ensuring the security, correctness, and efficiency of smart contracts to build trust and reduce risks. Improving the Plinth/Aiken/Plutarch ecosystem and providing robust testing/verification tools is essential. * **SPO Viability & Security:** Ensuring the operational security of Stake Pool Operators (SPOs) and investigating the fairness and sustainability of the incentive mechanism is vital for network health and decentralization. * **User Experience & Adoption Barriers:** Friction points like mandatory ADA fee payments and unpredictable transaction inclusion during congestion need addressing to improve usability and attract broader adoption. * **Ecosystem Competitiveness:** Cardano needs to integrate emerging blockchain paradigms like Actively Validated Services (AVS) to remain competitive and offer diverse functionalities. * **Core Maintenance & Knowledge Transfer:** The foundational codebase requires ongoing maintenance, modernization, technical debt reduction, and structured knowledge sharing to ensure stability and enable broader community participation in core development. ","Aligns to many of the Product Roadmap items and their goals: Developer / User Experience, Scaling the L1 Engine, Architectural Excellence, Leios, L2 Expansion, SPO Incentive Improvements, Multiple Node Implementations, Incoming Liquidity","In this proposal, IOE and its collaborators outline key core Cardano platform developments aimed at substantially improving network scalability, security, performance, and usability, while enhancing developer support. Implementation of these initiatives offers substantial benefits across the Cardano community, which collectively, enhance Cardano's technical foundations, enabling it to support a larger, more complex, and more active ecosystem: * **For the Ecosystem:** Delivers massive L1 throughput increase (Leios), robust L2 scaling (Hydra, Mithril), and positions Cardano competitively in new areas like AVS (Minotaur). Enhances overall network security, resilience, and decentralization. Fosters supplier diversity through knowledge sharing and modular architecture (Acropolis). The ROI stems from increased network capacity, utility, and attractiveness, driving adoption and value. * **For End Users:** Experience significantly reduced network congestion and faster transaction processing (Leios), near-instant finality for specific applications (Hydra), the convenience of paying fees with native tokens (Nested Transactions/Babel Fees), and potentially more predictable transaction inclusion (Tiered Pricing). Enhanced security measures build user trust. * **For Developers & dApp Builders:** Gain access to advanced tools for building more secure and efficient smart contracts (Plutus High Assurance suite, Plutus Core enhancements). Benefit from a more extensible and accessible node architecture (Acropolis), easier integration with L2s and light clients (Hydra, Mithril), and improved transaction capabilities (Nested Transactions). This lowers development barriers and enables more sophisticated applications. * **For Stake Pool Operators (SPOs):** Benefit from significantly reduced node operational costs (lower RAM requirements via Ledger-HD, LSM/UTXO-HD), enhanced operational security (KES Agent), improved network performance, potential new revenue streams (Minotaur AVS), and a potentially fairer incentive structure (Revised Scheme investigation). Mithril improvements speed up node synchronization.",It supports the product roadmap,Technical Steering Committee,,"Thank you for your review and consideration. Please see the full proposal in the attached for additional information. * **Automatic Formal Verification (Plutus High Assurance):** Develop automated formal verification tool for Plinth/Cardano DApps. (**$1,859,000**) * **Property Based Testing Tool (Plutus High Assurance):** Develop Plinth PBT Tool to automatically generate diverse inputs/actions. (**$2,366,000**) * **Static Analyzer (Plutus High Assurance):** Develop ""one-click"" static analysis tool for Plinth contracts. (**$777,140**) * **Ouroboros Leios Implementation:** Begin core implementation of Leios L1 consensus protocol. (**$7,098,000**) * **Cardano Node Architecture Refresh (Acropolis):** Re-architect the Cardano node into a modular model (Acropolis). (**$2,028,000**) * **Hydra Development:** Complete Hydra v1.0 mainnet and full audit, Cardano's L2 state channel solution. (**$1,859,000**) * **Minotaur AVS:** Launch Minotaur, Actively Validated Service (AVS) leverage Cardano L1 security. (**$1,900,000**) * **Mithril Development:** Enhance Mithril protocol for secure, efficient access. Speeds up sync, enables light clients. (**$1,859,000**) * **KES Agent:** Implement security enhancement for SPO KES key storage and management. (**$676,000**) * **Ledger-HD:** Move ledger state tables from memory to disk (LSM tech) to reduce RAM. (**$1,352,000**) * **Log-Structured Merge (LSM) including UTXO-HD:** Integrate bespoke Well-Typed LSM-tree backend for managing on-disk state. (**$1,352,000**) * **Revised Stake Pool Incentive Scheme:** Investigate potential adjustments to SPO incentive scheme. (**$1,352,000**) * **Nested Transactions (Babel Fees):** Implement Nested Transactions ledger feature enabling tx batching. Facilitates Babel Fees. (**$1,352,000**) * **Plutus Core Roadmap:** Execute roadmap for Plutus Core delivering key new primitives. (**$2,704,000**) * **Tiered Pricing Models (Plutus High Assurance):** Introduce transaction prioritization mechanism to improve predictability during congestion. (**$1,352,000**) * **Transaction Monitoring System (Plutus High Assurance):** Develop system to monitor transactions, detect potential fraud/anomalies. (**$1,690,000**) * **Maintenance and Support:** Maintenance of existing code base, ongoing support. Includes cost of running Test & Tracing setup. (**$14,682,000**) * **Audit & Security Assurance:** Engage independent audits and security assurance. Consolidated item. (**$2,150,400**) **GRAND TOTAL: $48,408,540** ","While individual initiatives will have specific inbound and outbound dependencies managed during execution, several prominent dependencies significantly impact timelines and delivery capabilities across the portfolio: * **Ouroboros Leios Implementation:** Critically depends on the successful integration of the Log-Structured Merge (LSM) backend (replacing LMDB), completion of Ledger-HD (moving remaining state to disk), and interactions with Network, Crypto, and Voting layers. It also requires analysis of its impact on Ouroboros Peras. * **Cardano Node Architecture Refresh (Acropolis):** Relies on the Cardano Blueprint “Eidos” documentation initiative, the Pallas Rust libraries, and the Caryatid microservice framework. * **Mithril Development:** Dependent on Cardano’s network layer and the development of specific mini-protocols for Mithril communication involving TxPipe and Cardano Node teams. * **Nested Transactions (Babel Fees):** Implementation is contingent on prior successful hard forks and the finalization of features included in the target hard fork combinator event. * **Ledger-HD & UTXO-HD:** Both depend on the successful integration of the LSM tree backend. * **Automatic Formal Verification (PHA):** Leverages the Lean4 proof assistant and the Z3 SMT solver as backend components. * **Blueprint “Eidos” Documentation:** Has outbound dependencies on the progress of Acropolis and Amaru (Rust Node).","Following development, formal verification, validation, and mainnet deployment, initiatives delivered under this proposal will transition into the ongoing Cardano Maintenance and Support scope. This scope includes essential activities like maintenance of the existing and new codebase, code modernization, addressing technical debt, bug fixes, disaster recovery, full node wallet maintenance/enhancements, and node performance improvements. A key aspect is preserving and sharing the vital knowledge embedded within the teams. While initially led by IOE, the intention is for these maintenance responsibilities to transition over time to a diverse range of capable ecosystem collaborators, supported by dedicated knowledge sharing and technical education efforts facilitated in collaboration with Intersect.","The tangible outcomes vary per initiative but collectively aim to significantly enhance Cardano's core infrastructure. Deliverables include: * **Core Protocol Enhancements:** Mainnet integration of major upgrades like Ouroboros Leios (dramatically increasing L1 throughput) and Nested Transactions (enabling Babel Fees) via Hard Fork events. * **Architectural Improvements:** A Proof-of-Concept and subsequent releases for the modular Acropolis node architecture, enabling greater extensibility and node diversity. Integration of the LSM backend improving on-disk state management (UTXO-HD, Ledger-HD) to significantly reduce node RAM requirements. * **L2 & Scaling Solutions:** Audited release of Hydra Head v1.0, deployment of a live Minotaur AVS network, and enhanced Mithril protocol releases providing decentralized signature diffusion, node integration, and succinct proofs for faster syncing and light client support. * **Tooling & Developer Experience:** Release of Plutus High Assurance tools (Automatic Formal Verification, Property Based Testing CLI/VSCode integration, Static Analyzer), delivery of new Plutus Core primitives (MSM, ModExp), compiler/library enhancements, and performance tooling (benchmarks, dashboards). * **Security & Operational Improvements:** Implementation of the KES Agent for SPOs, delivery of a Transaction Monitoring System (Alpha backend/frontend), and research reports/potential implementation for the Revised SPO Incentive Scheme. * **Ongoing Maintenance:** Continuous delivery of node releases, bug fixes, performance improvements, and knowledge transfer artifacts. Specific milestones, Software Readiness Level (SRL) targets, and detailed ""Definition of Done"" criteria will be defined for each initiative during contracting and execution phases.","The estimated total development and audit resources required across these initiatives is 140-160 FTEs over the proposed 12-month development period (though specific initiative durations may vary). This largely consists of experienced IOE resources, supplemented by significant contributions from longstanding supporting collaborators, including but not limited to: Anastasia Labs, BCryptic, Galois, Globant, Greenwave, Lerna Labs, MLabs, Modus Create, Obsidian Systems, PaloIT, PNSol, Quviq, SAIB, Serokell, Sundae Labs, TxPipe, Vacuumlabs, and Well-Typed. IOE intends to work closely with Intersect to ensure knowledge sharing, technical education, and to foster a diverse supplier pool for Cardano's future.","Input Output (IO) realized Cardano's vision for a secure, scalable, decentralized platform through a research-driven, phased delivery (Byron to Voltaire). Leveraging formal methods, functional programming, and rigorous engineering, IO produced key achievements including Proof-of-Stake, Ouroboros consensus, Plutus smart contracts, native tokens, and scaling solutions like Hydra and Mithril. IOE and its partners' involvement spans the entire existence of Cardano, and is demonstrated daily by its active development, support, and maintenance. Key personnel essential to this long-standing contribution are retained to continue this effort through 2025 and into 2026. IO remains committed to furthering Cardano’s technical development, research and community engagement.",Time and Materials,96817080,2,United States Dollar,48408540,"**NOTE:** Requested funding in this proposal are shown as USD ($) estimates only. Payment for services rendered will be requested in ADA. Provided this proposal is accepted, the USD-to-ADA rates will be determined during contracting process with Intersect. A placeholder price of $0.50 USD per ADA was used for calculation purposes, resulting in a placeholder USD-to-ADA conversion rate of 2.00 (1 USD = 2 ADA).","[{""id"":867,""prop_link"":""https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b23_alcljY13fqAaQfmVeiumxZcfKH7J/view?usp=drive_link"",""prop_link_text"":""Input Output Engineering 2025 Core Development Proposal.v1.1.pdf""},{""id"":868,""prop_link"":"""",""prop_link_text"":null}]",TRUE,45,2025-04-07T16:25:53.141Z 232,Catalyst 2025 Proposal by Input Output: Advancing Decentralised Community Innovation Funding & Infrastructure,inputoutput,Marketing & Innovation,Company,Input Output,iohk.io,United States,,,,X: @InputOutputHK @Catalyst\_onX @krissbaird,"Project Catalyst has become a cornerstone for decentralized innovation and ecosystem growth within Cardano. As participation increases and the demands of funding and governance become more complex, this proposal aims to address five key challenges necessary for Cardano’s continued growth, competitiveness, and decentralization: 1. **Operational inefficiencies:** Catalyst currently depends on substantial manual oversight and coordination across its funding cycles. Without targeted investment in tooling and automation, operational overhead will remain high. Streamlining systems now lays the groundwork for a leaner, more cost-effective operation once this development roadmap concludes in 2026. 2. **Low voter engagement:** While Catalyst sees higher voter engagement than most blockchain ecosystems, participation remains disproportionately low relative to the total ADA in circulation. This imbalance raises questions about how representative funding decisions truly are of the broader Cardano community. 3. **Software limitations:** Fragmented tools and inconsistent user workflows create friction across the entire Catalyst journey - from proposal to review to vote to ongoing project-funding administration and transparent outcomes. This complexity deters newcomers and reduces the system’s inclusivity and scalability. 4. **Voting power concentration:** A small number of high-stake wallets have the potential to dominate decision-making, leading to concerns around fairness and influence. Planned reforms like Quadratic Voting and DRep delegation are essential steps toward more equitable governance. 5. **Catalyst’s early-stage focus:** While Catalyst excels at incubating early-stage ideas and pilot programs, its role is sometimes mistaken for a long-term funding source. Clarifying Catalyst as a launchpad for experimentation and industry adoption, while encouraging mature projects not focused on partnerships to seek alternative treasury channels—will help align expectations and optimize resource allocation","This proposal directly supports the goals outlined in the Cardano 2025 Roadmap, particularly in the following areas: * **“L2 Expansion”** The Hermes engine advances the roadmap’s scalability and decentralization objectives by replacing the current federated side-chain infrastructure with a fully distributed, immutable ledger and peer-to-peer architecture built on IPFS, LibP2P, and WASM. Designed to decentralize DApps and off-chain business logic, Hermes enables Catalyst to post vote archives as rollups to Cardano L1, and will extend on-chain utility with additional artifacts such as role registrations (e.g., reviewers, moderators, milestone verifiers), proofs of achievement, and other Catalyst-related data. * **""""Building Governance & Community Tools""""** By expanding Catalyst’s decentralized governance capabilities through Hermes and delivering a unified, accessible user experience for governance participation, this proposal strengthens the foundation for inclusive, community-led decision-making. * **""""Enhancing On-chain Utility""""** The majority of resources (61m) will be distributed to the Cardano community in order to build applications and kickstart adoption initiatives, driving onchain transactions and Cardano based use-cases. Catalyst infrastructure will publish vote records and governance-related metadata—such as role registrations (reviewers, moderators, milestone verifiers), proofs of achievement, and other Catalyst data as rollups to Cardano L1, thereby expanding on-chain utility and ensuring transparent, verifiable participation. The integration of Cardano Native Token (CNT) support and the enablement of diversified funding streams foster real-world use cases and create new opportunities for builders across the ecosystem, driving further transactions and utility.","This proposal addresses the need for reliable ecosystem funding to support hundreds of Cardano builders and startups, alongside upgrading the core structural and operational limitations facing Catalyst, laying the foundation for its long-term sustainability and decentralization. Through these three interlinked workstreams: Catalyst Interface Development, Hermes Decentralized Infrastructure, and the execution of three Funding Rounds the return on investment for this proposal is measured in tangible, ecosystem-wide outcomes, including: 1. **For the Ecosystem:** Significant reduction in operational costs, with potential savings of up to 50% in future Catalyst cycles from 2026 onward and broader and more meaningful community participation by strengthening Cardano’s decentralized innovation funding infrastructure with expanded governance functionality and funding flexibility, with support for multiple voting mechanics and the ability to participate using Cardano Native Tokens beyond ADA. 2. **For Cardano Developers, Entrepreneurs, and Community Builders:** Continued assurance of community-led funding, giving hundreds of community builders the confidence to plan and scale their projects, supported by a trusted, experienced, and committed Catalyst operations team. ₳61 million to be deployed across three funding rounds, including the launch of a Retroactive Public Goods Funding (RetroPGF) initiative, designed to reward high-impact contributions that have already been delivered - even if not initially funded through a Catalyst vote. The results are increased support for early stage R&D, open-source, regional, and community-led initiatives, guided by more equitable and representative voting mechanisms. 3. **For End Users :** Seamless, scalable, and accessible Catalyst infrastructure delivered through unified, device-agnostic interfaces lowering barriers to participation, particularly in mobile-first regions, enabled by enhanced user interfaces and experience and production-grade decentralized infrastructure powered by Hermes, replacing legacy federated systems with peer-to-peer architecture. The sum of these parts aligns directly with Cardano’s broader goals of decentralization, transparency, and system resilience. Plus the introduction of optionality between delegated and direct voting that improves governance legitimacy, with greater transparency, auditability, and resilience across funding and decision-making processes due to investment in interfaces and infrastructure.",It supports the product roadmap,Membership & Community Committee,,"Project Catalyst has emerged as a cornerstone of decentralized innovation and funding within the Cardano ecosystem. As a pioneering governance mechanism, Catalyst has enabled over three million on-chain decisions and the allocation of over ₳290 million to more than 2,000 projects in 114 countries. However, with growth comes complexity. As community participation, funding demand, and governance sophistication increase, so too does the need to address critical structural and operational challenges. This proposal lays out a coordinated plan to provide reliable ecosystem funding and to future-proof Catalyst through a set of transformative upgrades that supports the Cardano 2025 Roadmap and community-validated priorities across three core workstreams: 1. **Catalyst Interface Design and Development for Diversified Funding Streams** * **Objective:** Reduce operating costs by up to 50% and increase both voting power and wallet participation by 30-50% minimum by improving accessibility across all devices and completing the unification of all the remaining components of the Catalyst user experience: combining ideation, proposal submission, community contributor roles (reviewing, moderating), voting, and project administration. For Catalyst, this means further design, development, and automation of user journeys and work flows for each type of Catalyst user experience. * **Outcome:** Unlock the full end-to-end Catalyst experience for community members using any device to reduce barriers to entry and boost adoption (especially in emerging markets with high rates of smartphone ownership vs desktop). * **Output:** This will deliver unified Catalyst interfaces covering complex Fund Operations and funding administration components. Leveraging existing UX design system for Catalyst App and Flutter for its cross-platform portability to move from desktop to device-agnostic optimization: * User-centric admin interfaces and dashboards. All proposals, reviewer data, evidence of milestone achievements, and impact reporting data is transparently and intuitively available so community members can track the development and progress of project proposals and teams they interact with. * User contribution and participation is tracked for reputation-score and incentives attributions * Diversified funding and decision-making beyond ADA with Cardano Native Tokens. Administration interfaces allow token issuers and co-funders to create additional funding opportunities such as match-funding and donations. CNT back-end development is already complete meaning Catalyst can index Cardano blockchain to take voting power attribution from any Cardano Native Token. Only interface design unleashes all this potential. * Streamlined milestone management: Proposal data seamlessly transfers into the statement of milestones via deep hooks to milestone module * Funding and contribution dashboards give users clear communications, receipts, and reputation surfaces * Automated assignments and forfeitures ensure reviewers are complying, timely, and accountable to service level agreements * Integrated impact data reporting and evaluation using standardized impact measurements * Design foundations for the integration of funding and resolution smart contracts * **Features:** * Discover, Subscribe, and Interact w/ Funders and Projects: allow users to find and participate in many programs * Advanced user preferences * Research: Assisted search, AI, regionality, language, insights * Legacy Integrations & Deployments: upgrade legacy tools and integrations to deep hook into concurrent programs * Mobile Wallet Connect Research: understand existing solutions and challenges to enable mobile wallet connections * Advanced Design Research: test and validate approaches to translating desktop UX to mobile and deep hooks * Cardano Native Token Support: index Cardano holdings and make them available to Catalyst tools and interfaces * Self-Service Campaign Portal: Provide scalable tools for campaign configuration, deployment, and management * Device agnostic development: address other platform-specific requirements to ensure seamless mobile platform integration. * Deployment Pipeline: enable seamless CI/CD app deployment, without reliance on other teams * Account Restoration: allow a user to easily restore an existing account to a new device 2. **Production-Grade Decentralised Catalyst Infrastructure via Hermes** * **Objective:** Advance the decentralisation, scalability, and auditability of Project Catalyst by delivering a rigorously stress tested implementation of Hermes to replace federated infrastructure with a fully distributed, peer-to-peer system. This includes enabling parallel voting events, secure Cardano-based vote casting, and public auditability of historic voting data that eliminates reliance on Web2 infrastructure services, empowering open innovation and ecosystem governance. * **Outcome:** maturing the state of the art of the Project Catalyst technology stack beyond the existing proof of concept and delivering production-ready Catalyst infrastructure using a fully distributed database and immutable ledger, configurable administration interfaces, eliminating reliance on a federated side-chain and small number of nodes while maintaining many artefacts are published to Cardano mainchain. * **Output:** Enhanced scalability and flexibility of Catalyst governance: multiple funding rounds using multiple tokens can run concurrently or overlap, dramatically increasing the system's utility and responsiveness. Stronger security and voter confidence through direct blockchain-based verification and vote casting, reducing trust assumptions. Full decentralisation of Catalyst infrastructure : no dependency on federated servers or Web2 storage, reducing censorship risks and increasing resilience. Greater transparency and auditability : historic voting data is verifiable, immutable, and accessible through distributed networks Developer empowerment : Builders can deploy secure, complex, and custom applications like governance mechanisms on Hermes with minimal barriers via IPFS and WebAssembly. * **Features:** * Upgrade WASM Engine to latest Wasm Component Model required for Hermes Application Logic. * Enhance WASM module Linker to support partial linking for modules which do not contain all events, or use all functions provided by the Hermes runtime. * Add events for WASM driven validation of data published over IPFS Pub/Sub or the DHT. * Make Hermes engine execute multiple WASM modules in parallel for performance and scalability testing * Implement a generalised solution to uniformly manage system resources. * Hermes package can read data directly from IPFS, not from a local copy downloaded from IPFS. * Enable execution of Hermes applications from an IPFS link, not only a locally present application. * Implement cryptography for 2024’s applied research into Quadratic Voting and Time-Weighted Stake models 3. **F14-F16 Catalyst Funding Rounds, Retroactive Public Goods Funding (RetroPGF), Fund Operations** * **Objective:** Allocate ₳61M across three consecutive funding rounds (Fund 14, 15, and 16) during a 12 month period from when the funds are first disbursed. * **Outcome:** This substantial investment aims to yield tangible results of 500-700 new Cardano projects. Dates provided below are for illustrative purposes only. * **Outputs:** * Fund14 Target launch May , initial disbursements of funds in July/August 2025 * Fund15 Target launch in August , initial disbursement of funds in Dec 2025/ Jan 2026 * Fund16 Target launch in October , initial disbursement of funds in Feb-Mar 2026 * 30-40% of allocated funds (₳24-₳30M) are projected to result in real-world adoption or industrial use-case partnerships. * ₳60m in funding will be strategically distributed across four key areas: early-stage R&D, later-stage product development, grassroots ecosystem initiatives, and open-source software development: * Cardano Concepts: supporting early stage use-case application development and demonstration from proof of concept (POC) to minimum viable product (MVP) * Cardano Partners & Products: supporting later stage market-ready products and use-case implementation for single applicants or in collaboration with industry leading partners to deliver real world pilot-trials * Cardano Open Developers: Focused on supporting Cardano’s open source developer ecosystem efforts. Intended for the scope of this category to be set in consultation with the Open Source Committee. * Cardano Open Ecosystem: Focused on non-technical proposals for grassroots Cardano regional growth and community-building projects. Intended for the scope of this category to be set in consultation with the Membership and Community Committee and relevant working group participants * ₳1m allocated for Retroactive Public Goods Funding (RetroPGF) program **Total Requested Budget for three workstreams:** ₳69,459,000 (or $34,729,500)","* Approval of the proposed budget by the Cardano community through the on-chain treasury governance process; * Ongoing collaboration with the Intersect Product, Open Source, and Membership & Community Committees to ensure alignment with broader innovation priorities to inform the scope and shape of the proposed future Catalyst innovation funding rounds and subsequent innovation funding categories; * Continuous feedback and participation from the Cardano community to refine and optimize user experience, voting mechanisms, and governance procedures; * Continued technical contributions from strategic partners such as TXPipe, Globant, and others providing specialized support.","Post-implementation, and following development, the Catalyst platform will be maintained and governed by the appointed administrator (IOG) in partnership with community contributors and strategic technical providers. Governance will transition towards increased community inclusion and decentralization, in line with the evolution of the Cardano governance framework. To ensure the long-term integrity and sustainability of the Catalyst platform, the deliverables—including the unified interfaces, Hermes decentralized infrastructure, and associated tools—will be developed with a structured framework that governs their use and distribution. This approach safeguards the ecosystem’s investment while enabling broad access for community builders, developers, and end users to leverage these advancements in alignment with Cardano’s vision of decentralized innovation. Detailed terms of engagement for these outputs will be established post-funding, reflecting a commitment to both accessibility and responsible stewardship of the platform’s future. Platform updates, infrastructure maintenance, and fund operations will be funded via future treasury proposals, with declining operational costs expected after 2025 due to system efficiencies.","There are four key milestones to be delivered, each of which includes a set of deliverables: * Access to a fully unified, device-agnostic Catalyst platform supporting end-to-end fund operations, including proposal submission, reviewing, voting, delegation representation, milestone reporting, and reputation systems interfaces, capable of supporting and being extensible to accommodate multiple voting mechanics and availability of voting power and funding options in ADA and other Cardano Native Asset tokens. * Access to the production-grade Hermes Engine as a decentralized infrastructure with IPFS/LibP2P support, enabling secure, auditable, parallel voting rounds and eliminating reliance on federated servers. * Security & Operational Improvements: Implementation of Quadratic Voting requires certain guarantees that wallet splitting is not possible, over the 12 month contract a suitable solution will be implemented, while optimizations to Fund Operations and overall program administration will also be prioritized. * Launch of three community-led funding rounds in 2025 (Fund14, Fund15, Fund16), disbursing ₳60 million to community-voted projects. * Launch of a pilot RetroPGF initiative allocating ₳1 million to completed public goods contributions. * Maintenance: Regular delivery of software releases, bug fixes, performance improvements, and knowledge transfer artifacts. Definition of """"Done"""" will be the successful completion and public delivery of these milestones, validated by community feedback, verifiable proof of achievements based on acceptance criteria and evidence submitted via the Catalyst milestone interface, technical audits, and the availability of all respective operational, technical, and governance documentation.","The estimated total number of resources required across these initiatives for a period of 12 months from the start of funding disbursement will be a team size of 35-45 FTE core and various supporting contributors across the following roles: * General Manager and Delivery Leads * Architecture & Engineering Leads * Rust & Flutter Engineers * Full-Stack Developers * Product Managers * UX Product Designers * QA Engineers & Testers * Site Reliability Engineers * Fund Operations Team (Fund Admin, Community Managers, Communications, Incubation Support) Subcontractors such as TXPipe, Globant, and others are intended to work closely with the Catalyst core team to ensure faster delivery times, knowledge sharing, technical education, and to foster a diverse understanding of the Catalyst innovation infrastructure among the Cardano technical community.","The Catalyst Team brings over four years of experience delivering the Catalyst program. Since 2021, the Catalyst Team has processed over 3 million governance decisions, allocated ₳290 million to 2091 projects from 114 countries in 6 continents, and operated 13 successful funding rounds with a well-established governance, compliance, technology, transparency and accountability framework. Catalyst’s Fund Operations team has facilitated more than 12,000 individual payments to grantees, totaling ₳180,274,235 in addition to tens of thousands more payments for incentivised community roles demonstrating its commitment to operational and financial compliance integrity. The Catalyst technical team has pioneered decentralized voting solutions, including privacy-preserving voting, quadratic voting, and the development of a prototype Hermes engine in Cardano. The team remains committed to engaging the community to enhance the program’s capabilities and to furthering Cardano’s ecosystem growth and development.",Other,69459000,2,United States Dollar,34729500,"NOTE: Funding for this proposal is requested only in ADA. The submission form mandated choosing a 'preferred currency' from country / central bank currency options; therefore, any mention of USD is purely a result of this requirement and not a request for USD funding. A $0.50 ADA to USD price was used as a placeholder. * A) Catalyst Interface Design and Development for Diversified Funding Stream: ₳2,479,000 dedicated to product design, engineering, and testing of technical outputs * B) Production-Grade Decentralised Catalyst Infrastructure via Hermes: ₳2,680,000 dedicated to product design, engineering, and testing of technical outputs * C) Three Funding Rounds, Retroactive Public Goods Funding (RetroPGF), Fund Operations: * 3 Funds of ₳20,000,000 each to allocate funding to community approved projects voted by Cardano community * ₳1,000,000 for Retroactive public goods funding experiments launched in 2025 * ₳3,300,000 for 3 funding rounds Fund Operations * **Total Requested Budget ₳69,459,000**","[{""id"":568,""prop_link"":""https://drive.google.com/file/d/12u0avN3iTsFaQesaFUxVeZGdeJsw1IPG/view?usp=drive_link"",""prop_link_text"":""Input Output Catalyst Innovation 2025 Budget Proposal.v1.pdf""},{""id"":569,""prop_link"":"""",""prop_link_text"":null}]",TRUE,18,2025-04-10T02:27:54.859Z 464,Input Output Research (IOR): Cardano Vision - Work Program 2025,inputoutput,Research,Company,"Input Output Global, Inc.",iohk.io,United States,,,,@InputOutputHK,"The Input Output Research (IOR) proposal aims to support research initiatives that deliver value over 3-5 years for the continued growth of the Cardano ecosystem. Building on Cardano’s robust foundation—including a proven record of 100% uptime—the proposal is guided by a Strategic Research Agenda rooted in an Evidence-Based Methodology. With a focus on scalability, sustainability, and interoperability, this approach ensures a rigorous, market readiness methodology. It covers conceptual design through to implementation, resulting in a consistent pipeline of high-quality, validated innovations that provide enduring benefit to the Cardano platform. Cardano Vision is an ambitious five-year research initiative spanning nine thematic focus areas, organized into structured annual work programs. Its purpose is to solidify Cardano’s position as a leader in blockchain innovation. Achieving this vision requires breakthroughs in critical technologies, including next-generation consensus protocols like Ouroboros Omega, zero-knowledge proofs, quantum-resistant cryptography, and advanced smart contract capabilities. These advancements will equip Cardano to address global challenges while upholding the highest standards of security, efficiency, and innovation. This strategic approach delivers broad impact—strengthening Cardano’s global research leadership and producing tangible outputs such as academic papers, technical recommendations, and validated prototypes. Commercializing deep technologies like Web3 cannot rely solely on market demand; it depends on sustained scientific and technical excellence. Without proactive investment, valuable opportunities may be lost. Critical infrastructure must also undergo rigorous research and validation, as flaws can compromise network security or endanger user assets. By focusing on high-potential R&D areas, this initiative builds a strong foundation for innovation, accelerates time to market, and drives meaningful economic and societal outcomes.","Proposal supports the following areas of the Product Roadmap: Developer / User Experience, Scaling the L1 Engine, Architectural Excellence, Leios, L2 Expansion, SPO Incentive Improvements, Multiple Node Implementations, Incoming Liquidity, Programmable Assets","Input Output Research (IOR) aims to deliver a pipeline of 20+ high-impact research initiatives annually, each supported by peer-reviewed papers and artefacts. From this pipeline, 6 initiatives will be selected for technical validation through a rigorous, multidisciplinary process involving community, customer, and IO’s R&D team. Research is committed to academic excellence, with each research paper typically requiring two years due to the complexity and peer-review process. We will maintain an annual output of at least 20 peer-reviewed publications and artefacts that contribute meaningfully to both the Cardano ecosystem and the broader research community. To maximize impact, we are enhancing visibility through targeted dissemination to boost citations, foster collaboration, and solidify Cardano’s reputation in blockchain R&D. Technology validation (previously called Innovation) streams translate research into practice, delivering six validated outputs annually—including technical reports, formal specifications, prototypes, simulations, Cardano Problem Statements (CPSs), and Cardano Improvement Proposals (CIPs). Prototypes and technical documentation will provide in-depth analysis and serve as critical foundations for product development within the Cardano ecosystem. CIPs, in particular, promote transparency and community-driven evolution, addressing key challenges and helping guide Cardano’s strategic advancement. To date, Input Output Research has played a catalytic role in growing Cardano into a multi-billion-dollar blockchain. The multi-year, funnel-based approach outlined is designed to strengthen the foundation for Cardano’s continued growth and leadership, ensuring a steady pipeline of high-impact, globally relevant opportunities that address the most significant challenges in blockchain.",It supports the product roadmap,Product Committee,"The Cardano Vision and 2025 Work Program proposals are the outcome of 18 months dedicated research and planning. Over the past six months, these proposals have been collaboratively shaped and approved by the Intersect Product Committee. This process included regular stakeholder engagement through committee meetings, X Spaces and broader socialization efforts. Notably, in a recent Governance Info Action for the Cardano Vision roadmap, 64.5% of participating DReps voted in favor of supporting the vision (248 Yes, 9 No, and 25 Abstain), demonstrating strong community alignment and support for the product direction of the Cardano ecosystem.","The IOR proposal for Work Program 2025 consists of 20 research streams and 6 technology validation streams from Cardano Vision, a five-year program consisting of 34 research streams across 9 thematic focus areas. Over a five-year period, this funnel approach is expected to generate over 100 high-quality research outputs and provide the foundation for 30 or more technology validation streams, to be implemented into Cardano’s Testnet and Mainnet by engineers and developers from the Cardano community. For the full Cardano Vision proposal and supporting presentation, along with Fundamental Research and Technology Validation workstream plans prioritised for Work Program 2025, please see the Supporting Links in the Further Information section below. **Fundamental Research** * **World’s Operating System** * **State-Machine Contract Environment (WOS-2):** This stream simplifies the formal description of smart contracts for Cardano through a formal state-machine framework (EasySM) that abstracts the complexities of the EUTxO model and facilitates verification. * **Location-Based Services and Smart Contracts (WOS-6):** This stream explores how geolocation can enhance smart contracts and node infrastructure, focusing on geographic diversity metrics and incentives for global decentralization. * **Ouroboros Omega** * **Ouroboros Peras – Vision (OO-1V):** A first version of Peras has been delivered, showing promising improvements in settlement times, with ongoing research focused on enhancing robustness and avoiding cooldown phases for greater efficiency. * **Ouroboros Leios (OO-2):** Leios introduces vertical scalability to Cardano’s consensus by aligning throughput with node resources, overcoming current limitations in block size and timing. * **Fair Transaction Processing (OO-3):** Develops protocol-level solutions to reduce front-running issues and ensure fair transaction ordering, reducing MEV without compromising decentralization or performance. * **Multi-Resource Consensus – Minotaur (OO-5):** Minotaur explores hybrid consensus mechanisms that combine PoW and PoS (including restake from different PoS networks) to improve security, resilience, and inclusivity—features that further help bootstrapping low-liquidity or early-stage blockchains that rely on Cardano for security. * **Proofs of Useful Work (OO-6):** This stream advances consensus models that replace wasteful PoW with verifiable, valuable computation (including SAT solving, zk-SNARK generation, ML computation, etc.), building on Ofelimos to enhance sustainability and network utility. * **Congestion Control (OO-7):** This research reimagines blockchain fee models by introducing resource- and urgency-based pricing to ensure fair, predictable, and efficient transaction processing under network load. * **Tokenomicon** * **Tokenomics Design (TO-1):** This stream develops mathematical models to guide Cardano’s long-term macroeconomic policies, optimizing token circulation and ensuring system stability through evidence-based parameter choices. * **Rewards Sharing and Transaction Fees (TO-2):** Focused on fair and effective incentive design, this stream seeks to improve reward distribution and fee mechanisms to support decentralization, user fairness, and platform competitiveness. * **Global identity** * **Decentralized Identity and Reputation (GI-1):** This stream designs a formal, flexible identity framework enabling users to control and share digital credentials securely across platforms, supporting cross-application interoperability and the effective use of identities in protocols. * **Democracy 4.0** * **Next-Level Governance Protocols (D4-1):** This workstream develops scalable, decentralized governance systems with secure, low-footprint voting mechanisms suited for future growth and aligned with Cardano’s constitutional principles. * **Governance Incentives (D4-2):** Focused on DReps and beyond, this stream designs incentive schemes that balance effective decision-making with decentralization, transparency, and fairness in Cardano’s evolving governance landscape. * **Internet Hydra-ted** * **Hydra Tail (IHT-1):** Hydra Tail enhances Cardano’s layer 2 scaling with zk-rollups, enabling off-chain transaction batching and secure on-chain settlement through succinct zero-knowledge proofs. * **Inter-Head (IHT-2):** This stream extends Hydra to support scalable, multi-party state channels that enable fast, composable layer 2 interactions with minimal on-chain footprint. * **Optimization Tools (IHT-3):** Focused on Hydra network efficiency, this stream develops tools for fund rebalancing, message routing, and synchronization to maximize throughput and resource use. * **Auditing Tools (IHT-4):** This stream introduces optional auditing features for Hydra to balance privacy with accountability, enabling limited, compliant access to off-chain transaction history for institutional clients. * **Interchains** * **Light Client Infrastructure (IC-3):** This stream develops secure, efficient, and incentivized light clients to support scalable applications like zk-bridges, addressing device limitations and data asymmetry. * **DApps Tokenomics (IC-4.1):** This research explores tokenomics principles for launching new dApps or partnerchains, focusing on early-stage design for economic stability and adoption. * **Consensus Innovation (IC-4.2):** This stream investigates next-generation consensus protocols—blending Nakamoto and BFT models—to enhance Cardano’s scalability, decentralization, and fault tolerance under dynamic network conditions. **Technology Validation** * **Leios:** This stream advances Ouroboros Leios toward implementation by formalizing specifications, modeling performance, analyzing security, and preparing a CIP for high-throughput, real-world deployment on Cardano. * **Anti-Grinding:** Focused on reducing settlement times, this stream strengthens anti-grinding protections in Praos and related protocols to increase adversarial costs and improve security. * **Jolteon Liveness (formerly fastBFT):** A new high-performance BFT consensus protocol for Partnerchains, delivering formal safety guarantees and competitive finality. * **RSnarks:** Enables scalable, privacy-preserving zk-bridges via recursive SNARKs by adapting Halo2 proofs for Cardano verification, enhancing interoperability with other blockchains with foreign pairing check and building Plutus-compatible tooling. * **Proof of Restake:** This stream supports secure blockchain launches using hybrid consensus, enabling validators to re-stake from other chains and transition to native stake as adoption grows. * **Light Clients Infrastructure:** Aims to enable efficient, low-resource wallet and smart contract interaction, with ongoing research focused on a novel blind signature-based protocol to support decentralized, DApp-friendly infrastructure.","Some minor dependencies exist as outlined below. * **Fundamental Research:** * Optimization tools (IHT-3): dependent on Task 1 (T1) and Task 2 (T2) in Inter-head (IHT-2) * **Technology Validation:** * Leios, Anti-grinding and Mithril may all be interdependent * RSnarks: Halo 2 state aggregator Please see the Further Information - Supporting Links section below for individual work stream plans.","IOR recognises the importance of expanding and deepening its communication and dissemination approach. It is collaborating more closely with Intersect to improve engagement with key ecosystem participants, including SPOs, DApp developers, DReps, and Delegates. IOR is also trialing additional tools to enhance the accessibility of its research outputs, ensuring that its contributions to blockchain innovation are both widely recognised and more seamlessly integrated into the broader Cardano ecosystem. Please contact us via [https://iohk.io/research](https://iohk.io/research) to explore further opportunities.","Since 2017, IOR has published over 200 research papers, demonstrating its commitment to advancing blockchain science for the benefit of Cardano. Each year, IOR aims to generate a pipeline of at least 20 high-impact research initiatives for the Cardano ecosystem at SRL2*, supported by peer-reviewed research papers and technical reports. From this funnel, 6 of these initiatives will be validated and prioritized for implementation at SRL4/5*, reinforcing Cardano’s leadership in blockchain R&D. * **Fundamental Research** Research outputs vary in complexity and significance, with the average paper taking at least two years to complete due to the rigorous academic peer-review process. As research conferences grow increasingly competitive, underscoring the need for excellence and relevance, we remain committed to delivering at least 20 high-quality publications and technical artefacts each year. To maximize visibility and impact, we are strengthening dissemination efforts across academic and Cardano-specific channels to boost citations, engagement, and impact. * **Technology Validation** Technology Validation will validate 6 research initiatives annually, including technical reports, formal specifications, prototypes, simulations, Cardano Problem Statements (CPSs), and Cardano Improvement Proposals (CIPs). Prototypes and technical documentation. Please note, workstreams starting in the second half of the year will be delivered the following year. Technical reports provide in-depth analysis and implementation guidance, while prototypes demonstrate real-world application for product teams within the Cardano ecosystem. CPSs and CIPs play a key role in driving transparency, collaboration, and community-driven enhancements. \* Software Readiness Levels (SRLs) outline the lifecycle of a technology, from basic principles to commercial readiness, using an internationally accepted scale of 1-9.","* **Fundamental Research** The research department operates with a budget of approximately $5.895M, supporting 27.5 FTEs—averaging $295k per workstream annually with 1.3 FTEs per stream. Workstream FTEs are broad initially due to early-stage uncertainty and narrow as the research direction matures. Each of the 20 research workstreams typically spans over two years to produce a publishable research paper and draws on a multidisciplinary team with expertise in distributed systems, consensus, security, applied cryptography, game theory, and formal verification. Team sizes range from 2–6 members and may include subcontracted partners and academic collaborators. Roles include Chief Scientist (strategic oversight), Professors (subject matter experts), Senior Research Fellows and Fellows (research leadership and execution), Research Associates/PhDs (project support), and Engineers (formal methods, research, or software). * **Technology Validation** The innovation department’s budget is $7.525M for 28.6 FTEs, averaging $1.25M per innovation workstream over 6-12 months. Each of the six workstreams requires 4.6–6 FTEs, depending on project needs. Team composition is tailored to each stream’s specific development and implementation needs, typically including a Product Manager (discovery and market fit), Technical Architect (environment and design), Prototyping Engineer, Applied Cryptographer, Researcher Liaison (connecting to academic work), and Formal Methods Engineer (models and performance testing).","IOR is the leading blockchain academic group in the worldwide research community. Currently, the Input Output Research library contains over 200 peer-reviewed, published papers, involving more than 150 academics. Around 50 of these papers are core to Cardano’s five development phases, providing the foundational research and innovation that has helped shape Cardano into its current form. Input Output Global has also contributed to more than 40 CIPs and 6 CPSs.",Service Level Agreement,26848000,2,United States Dollar,13420000,"Input Output Research’s proposal has a budget of $13.42M. The total budget proposed is to finance all activities across both research and innovation with a total of 56.1 FTEs. This equates to an average of circa $239k per FTE (or $1,030 per day based on 232 working days per year). This includes all costs such as equipment, software licenses, server costs, all sub-contracting (for example to academic partners or third-party engineers), administration, travel, events, and program and portfolio management. **NOTE:** Requested funding in this proposal is denominated in USD ($). A placeholder price of $0.50 USD per ADA was used for calculation purposes, resulting in a placeholder USD-to-ADA conversion rate of 2.00 (1 USD = 2 ADA).","[{""id"":1439,""prop_link"":""https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rNYWLwazh0vX3TMWMRfDqQc6ffLnFTAE/view?usp=drive_link"",""prop_link_text"":""Input Output Research (IOR): Cardano Vision - Work Program 2025 Proposal v1.0.pdf""},{""id"":1441,""prop_link"":""https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XtragK8dfzXbdVruo5X063ziBVd_R8Tz_05DapRt380/edit?gid=1979892956#gid=1979892956"",""prop_link_text"":""Input Output Research (IOR): Work Program 2025 - Proposed Fundamental Research Streams v1.0""},{""id"":1440,""prop_link"":""https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BRPJoJ0s2Q1C1uswIejYmvUNAPIcnPohrh8ITT97my0/edit?gid=0#gid=0"",""prop_link_text"":""Input Output Research (IOR): Work Program 2025 - Proposed Technology Validation Streams v1.0""},{""id"":1442,""prop_link"":""https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1B2MX1BlYJu5xa6KRix2vd_inTAAQLmoVINVrIb2oYzw/edit#slide=id.g314bec4086b_0_904"",""prop_link_text"":""25.04 Intersect - Product Committee - Research Working Group - Cardano Vision v1.06""}]",TRUE,25,2025-04-16T19:49:08.128Z 737,A member-based organization for the Cardano ecosystem: Intersect,intersect.team,Governance Support,Company,IntersectMBO,intersectmbo.org,United States,,,,info@intersectmbo.org,"Intersect 2025–2026 Treasury Proposal Problem Statement As Cardano enters the age of Voltaire, governance is transitioning from a small number of founding organizations to a decentralized global community. While the introduction of a constitution and on-chain voting forms the structural backbone, these mechanisms alone are not enough to sustain a functional decentralized system. What’s needed in parallel is community-aligned coordination - infrastructure that enables participation, promotes continuity, and supports informed decision-making across the network. At present, Intersect is the only named Administrator, a role outlined in Cardano’s Constitution and connected to over 100 live proposals in the current budget cycle. Given the nascent stages of Cardano’s governance journey, this makes Intersect a critical component of governance execution — providing oversight, legal and operational accountability, and administrative support for proposal disbursement and monitoring. Intersect is also responsible for the stewardship of Cardano’s core Haskell codebases, including the repositories that power the Cardano node. This role involves more than maintenance — it includes coordinating new releases, aligning contributors around engineering best practices, and ensuring that upgrades are ready for safe deployment. Intersect acts as a neutral facilitator in this process, helping translate new feature proposals from ecosystem vendors into stable, tested releases that can be confidently adopted across the network. Intersect has played a central role in coordinating ecosystem-wide upgrades, including the successful deployment of the Chang and Plomin hard forks. These upgrades required aligning infrastructure providers, SPOs, dApps, and exchanges globally — a process demanding deep technical coordination, ecosystem trust, and communications capacity. Beyond technical infrastructure, Intersect provides a collaborative space for governance to mature and grow, supporting over 30 working groups and eight elected committees made up of Cardano community members. These committees focus on key areas such as budgeting, product development, open source, membership, growth, and technical standards — offering non-binding recommendations and practical insight to on-chain actors like DReps and SPOs. Without effective coordination, upgrades can become slower to deploy, Treasury processes harder to navigate, and community participation more fragmented. Intersect was created to help reduce these friction points - not to control them, but to support a smoother decentralized experience through transparency, pragmatism, and member-led infrastructure. While we still have room to grow, our purpose remains clear: to serve the ecosystem as a reliable enabler of Cardano’s decentralized future. ","This proposal supports the 2025 product roadmap, and includes working towards a longer-term 2030 vision. Also aligns with governance support goals, including budgeting, technical coordination, and roadmap facilitation.","This proposal enables Intersect to continue providing essential infrastructure, coordination, and governance support for Cardano during a pivotal 12-month period from June 2025 to June 2026. Intersect exists to serve as a neutral, nonprofit coordination layer that bridges decentralized governance and decentralized infrastructure. Our mission is not to direct the network, but to enable it. By stewarding core systems, supporting community-led processes, and facilitating safe, transparent delivery. Specifically, this proposal will fund Intersect to: 1. Steward core infrastructure - Maintain and govern the open-source Cardano node repositories, including the Haskell codebases - Coordinate and release upgrades proposed by ecosystem contributors, ensuring safe deployment, roadmap alignment, and stakeholder readiness - Provide stability and continuity across key engineering practices and upgrade cycles 2. Execute the Administrator role - Continue fulfilling the responsibilities of the “Administrator” role defined in the Constitution. Intersect is currently listed as an Administrator on over 100 budget proposals currently - Provide contract and oversight support, including proposal vetting, operational execution, smart contract development, and compliance monitoring - Act as a reliable counterparty for Treasury-funded initiatives, offering arbitration routes while supporting increased transparency and decentralization 3. Support participation and coordination - Deliver stipends to elected committee members — beginning formal recognition of their time and expertise and - Facilitate an election process to confirm a new Constitutional Committee - Provide professional operational and coordination support to 8 committees and 30+ working groups - Provide through our members, onboarding, tools, and resources for DReps, SPOs, and the Constitutional Committee 4. Facilitate roadmap and budget processes - Via the Product Committee, facilitating product roadmap development and long-term ecosystem vision - Rebuilding a budget process for 2026 and coordinating the delivery and on-chain submission of a 2026 budget - Conceptualize and being to operationalize a scalable RFP process for committee-aligned budget proposals (example the Open Source Committee proposal) 5. Expand Ecosystem Capacity - Support the emergence of new MBOs, associations, and working groups - Recognize and reinforce the need for multiple Administrators in the future to support a plural and scalable governance model Intersect’s nonprofit status provides the right structure for these activities and we commit that any unused funds will be returned to the Treasury, and the requested ₳15.75m is a capped allocation, not a guaranteed disbursement. Funds will be released quarterly, pegged to live ADA/USD exchange rates, and tracked through transparent public reporting. This proposal reflects the direction Intersect is now committed to: clearer scope, radical accountability, and coordination that serves — not controls — Cardano’s governance and development.",It supports the product roadmap,Membership & Community Committee,"Intersect currently supports: - 1,900 members and 2,800 associates across 74 countries - 6 regional hubs (LATAM, Japan, Sri Lanka, Europe, Africa, USA) - 30+ working groups and 8 elected committees Intersect is also the listed administrator on over 100 community proposals submitted through the budget cycle.","Since its inception, Intersect has played a critical role in Cardano's decentralized transition, including: - Stewarding the Chang and Plomin upgrades Facilitating Cardano’s first Constitution - Managing the 2025 roadmap and budget cycle Supporting SPOs, DRePs, and CC participants - Organizing global workshops, hubs, and governance events - Maintaining the Cardano core Haskell codebases through its Open Source Office Intersect will now not seek retrospective funding for our 2025 work to date. This request covers June 2025 to June 2026. Request: ₳15.75m allocation ($7.875M USD equivalent) - Amount is an allocation, funding is based on USD and to be disbursed quarterly based on exchange rate - $500K earmarked for elected committee member stipends - Any surplus will be swept back into the Treasury ","- Continued participation by DRePs, SPOs, and members - Active collaboration with elected committees and hubs ","Intersect is committed to long-term sustainability beyond the initial funding period. As a very accessible member-based organization, we are deliberately structured to keep barriers to entry low welcoming contributors from across the Cardano ecosystem, regardless of their size or formal affiliation. This inclusive approach allows us to coordinate work across a wide network of individual contributors and community-driven initiatives, but it also means we cannot rely solely on high membership dues or private funding models, as some traditional open source foundations do. Given our coordinating role and public mandate, Treasury funding remains the most viable option currently available to support Intersect’s essential infrastructure, governance, and support services. However, we also recognize the importance of reducing long-term reliance on the Treasury where possible. Looking ahead, we aspire to diversify our revenue over time in ways that are consistent with our values - through partnerships, value-aligned services, and expanded membership contributions. While Treasury support may remain a key part of Intersect’s model, our aim is to strengthen sustainability and resilience so we can continue serving the Cardano community well into the future.","Always-on initiatives - Administrator role for community-approved budget items where Intersect is stated as Administrator. - Facilitate ecosystem readiness with core Cardano node releases and upgrades - Professional member support services, providing administrative support across our elected committees. In addition to our “business-as-usual” workstreams above, key milestones are identified below. We recognize that Cardano and the blockchain develops and innovates at a pace unlike other industries. As a result, we expect to add considerably to our outputs throughout the year. Q3 2025 - Start of the Paid Open Source Model - Launch Open Source Fellowship Program - Launch retrospective of budget process - Cardano Product Roadmap proposal for 2026 - CC elections facilitated, with a new CC confirmed on-chain - Intersect governance and finance report - Global governance and roadmap workshops, including participation at RareEvo Q4 2025 - Launch fresh budget process for 2026 - Finalize and submit 2026 Budget on-chain, including the submission of 2026 Net-Change-Limit - Intersect Committee and Board elections - 2025 Annual Member Meeting held - Participate in key ecosystem events such as the Cardano Summit (pending DRep approval) - End of year Intersect governance report Q1 2026 - Launch new 2026 roadmap delivery coordination - Intersect 2025 full financial report - Publish 2025 financial and operational retrospective Q2 2026 - Intersect governance and finance report - Member renewal and onboarding campaign ","Based on our 2024 financial report, our current headcount is distributed across the following functional areas. This distribution remains agile and will evolve in response to executive decisions and strategic priorities over the coming weeks: - Ecosystem and Governance: 15.9% - Open Source: 4.5% - Operational Services: 20.5% - Product Curation: 13.6% - Membership Services (including tooling and web): 31.9% - Technical Operations: 13.6% Intersect relies on a combination of member participation, elected committees, and dedicated staff. This proposal continues to provide professional support services to fund the operations of: Committees: - Product Committee (7 members, 15 SMEs) - Budget Committee (9 members) - Civics Committee (9 members) - Open Source Committee (9 members) - Technical Steering Committee (9 members) - Membership & Community Committee (10 members) - Growth & Marketing Committee (8 members) - Intersect Steering Committee (4 members + 8 committee chairs) ","The team at Intersect represents a broad mix of experience and domain expertise, spanning open source, governance, infrastructure, fintech, and decentralized systems. Many of our team members are long-standing contributors to Cardano and are deeply embedded in the ecosystem - both professionally and as community participants. Jack Briggs - Interim Executive Director As of April 25, 2025, Jack now leads Intersect as our Interim Executive Director and will be reaffirming Intersect’s mission and core purpose — bringing Intersect back to serve the community as a lean, accountable, and principled enabler of open collaboration, where decisions are transparent, power is distributed, and progress is driven by those who build and contribute. Jack brings over a decade of experience leading large teams for global organizations such as Vodafone and Three Mobile, as well as multiple technology startups, including those focused on open source. Outside of technology, he was twice elected Chairman of a large residents' association representing over 150 households, and in 2018, he stood as a candidate in the UK local elections for a national party. Passionate about blockchain, Jack started with Bitcoin in 2012, Ethereum in 2017, and Cardano in 2019. From 2021, he was one of the earliest contributors to Cardano's governance design, including collaborating on the first version of CIP-1694. Nick Cook - Interim Director of Operations Nick is an experienced, driven and energetic leader with a proven history of working in the Web3, blockchain, fintech and AI space. Nick has played a critical part in establishing community hubs for Intersect, linking the company with the wider Cardano community. His work has been invaluable for engaging members with our broader mission. The Board of Directors are now working on an open recruitment strategy with members at the forefront in confirming a permanent Executive Director. ",Milestone Based Fixed Price,15750000,0.5,United States Dollar,7875000,"ADA allocation: ₳15.75m - Fixed USD value: $7,875,000 - Intersect operations: $6,925,000 - Cardano Development Holdings: $950,000 - Disbursement schedule: Quarterly, pegged to live exchange rates Important note: This budget request is an allocation, not a guaranteed expenditure. More on strategic changes as of Apr 25, 2025: Under Intersect’s new direction, we are prioritizing lean operations and financial discipline. As a not-for-profit organization, Intersect is committed to using Treasury funds responsibly and efficiently. Resources will only be drawn down when necessary, and certain budgeted components such as legal costs related to contract arbitration may not be utilized at all. Our budget request will now not seek retrospective funding, providing a necessary clean slate. This proposal seeks funding from June 25’ to June 26’. In the short to mid-term, we are also implementing a full scale transition plan to reduce our reliance on external consultants by hiring experienced and talented contributors from within the Cardano community - reinforcing our commitment to member-led delivery and ecosystem sustainability. Our team costs in 2024 amounted to $5.33 million. Acknowledging the need for additional capacity in our Administrator role, and in light of the cost savings described above and detailed further down, we are working towards a leaner operation. Payments will be disbursed quarterly based on live ADA/USD exchange rates to reflect real-time value, likely resulting in less ada being distributed over the course of our 12-month funding ask. Any unspent funds at the end of the budget cycle will be returned to the Treasury. Breakdown Intersect Core – $6.925m $4.875m Personnel - People: \$4,500,000 at an average FTE $100,000, inclusive of related expenses, applicable taxes, and benefits - Board of Directors Compensation: \$175,000 at $35,000 per Director - Company expenses: $200,000 Other core costs - Software Licenses & Infrastructure: $500,000 - Legal & Compliance: $500,000 - Board Services: $250,000 - Membership & Marketing: $300,000 - Committee Stipends: $500,000 Cardano Development Holdings – $950,000 - Member Services including availability of Governance Action deposits: $250,000 - Legal & Insurance relating to Administrator role: $500,000 - Financial Custodianship: $100,000 - Analytics & Reporting Tools: $100,000 ","[{""id"":2529,""prop_link"":""https://files.gitbook.com/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fo50OuflyxfUMOt8hHPn2%2Fuploads%2FfreyfKVkUCxvowMswRPW%2FIntersect%202024%20Development%20Report.pdf?alt=media&token=5e38f81a-f962-4305-b483-f399b2ebdba6"",""prop_link_text"":""2024 development report""},{""id"":2531,""prop_link"":""https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eLfRhBsjpTm3W0m8iTZ96_CSURgNzbcS/view?usp=sharing"",""prop_link_text"":""2024 financial report""},{""id"":2530,""prop_link"":""https://docs.intersectmbo.org/"",""prop_link_text"":""Intersect knowledge base""},{""id"":2532,""prop_link"":""https://www.intersectmbo.org/"",""prop_link_text"":""Intersect website""},{""id"":2533,""prop_link"":""https://drive.google.com/file/d/15WtDySeIHQ2JRqtB4RYQVbwv5uwkVtCA/view?usp=sharing"",""prop_link_text"":""Intersect 2025 budget ""},{""id"":2534,""prop_link"":""https://technicalsteeringcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/"",""prop_link_text"":""Technical Steering Committee""},{""id"":2535,""prop_link"":""https://budgetcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/"",""prop_link_text"":""Cardano Budget Committee""},{""id"":2536,""prop_link"":""https://opensourcecommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/"",""prop_link_text"":""Open Source Committee""},{""id"":2537,""prop_link"":""https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/"",""prop_link_text"":""Cardano Product Committee""},{""id"":2538,""prop_link"":""https://civicscommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/"",""prop_link_text"":""Cardano Civics Committee""},{""id"":2539,""prop_link"":""https://membershipcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/"",""prop_link_text"":""Membership and Community Committee""},{""id"":2540,""prop_link"":""https://committees.docs.intersectmbo.org/intersect-growth-marketing-committee"",""prop_link_text"":""Growth and Marketing Committee""},{""id"":2541,""prop_link"":""https://steeringcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/"",""prop_link_text"":""Intersect Steering Committee""},{""id"":2542,""prop_link"":""https://board.docs.intersectmbo.org/"",""prop_link_text"":""Intersect Board space""},{""id"":2543,""prop_link"":""https://constitutionalcouncil.docs.intersectmbo.org/"",""prop_link_text"":""Intersect Constitutional Council""}]",TRUE,20,2025-04-19T11:50:01.647Z 729,Cardano Builder DAO,logan,Marketing & Innovation,Group,,,,Cardano Builder DAO,DAO,"This is a group of some of Cardano's largest and most used products/services. Including: NMKR, ADA Handle, Dex Hunter, Flux Point Studios, Tap Tools, Wanchain, Drip Dropz, NFTCDN.io, Tokeo, Clarity, Xerberus, Iagon",X: builder__dao,"This proposal seeks to address the lack of dedicated, sustainable financial support and strategic oversight for functioning dApps that drive real usage, transaction volume, and Total Value Locked (TVL) on the Cardano blockchain. While Cardano has mechanisms for new protocol development and early-stage funding, there is currently no infrastructure specifically designed to financially support application-layer projects that are already live on mainnet and which are driving Cardano’s current user activity. Without targeted support, these projects risk stagnation, limiting Cardano’s broader adoption and on-chain ecosystem growth. To reach mass adoption, Cardano needs to better support launched projects; this proposal aims to ensure that established builders with launched dApps can continue to build on Cardano.","This proposal directly supports Cardano’s Product Roadmap by ensuring that the network’s technical innovations, such as Leios, Hydra, Midgard, and programmable assets, are actually leveraged and integrated into user-facing applications. While the roadmap outlines the infrastructure and performance goals for Cardano’s core systems, CB DAO ensures that these innovations are translated into real-world utility through Cardano’s high-impact dApps. The vision of the roadmap states “By improving developer experience through enhanced APIs, robust tooling, and a focus on decentralization, Cardano aims to empower developers to build innovative and impactful applications.” The Cardano builder DAO members are the projects and services are the developers building these impactful applications. CB DAO complements the roadmap in the following ways: Drives Ecosystem Growth and Adoption: By funding projects that increase on-chain activity, TVL, and active user metrics, CB DAO activates the foundational improvements in Cardano’s scalability (Leios), throughput (Hydra), and settlement speed (Peras). Accelerates Developer and User Experience Goals: CB DAO empowers developers already on Cardano with resources to scale their products and integrate cutting-edge features like programmable assets, partner chains, and decentralized stablecoins. Fosters Real-World Implementation of Layer 2 and Modular Innovations: As Hydra, Midgard, and other L2 solutions mature, the dApps funded by CB DAO will be positioned to be first in line to adopt these tools, serving as the deployment layer for innovations that otherwise risk being underutilized. Aligns With Community Goals: The community has prioritized usability, interoperability, and scalability. CB DAO helps deliver on those priorities by supporting applications that convert technical performance into tangible, user-accessible experiences. Enables Feedback Loops: Funded dApps generate critical data, including usage, system stress points, and adoption metrics, that inform future protocol improvements and roadmap decisions. Bridging Infrastructure to Impact: All CB DAO-funded projects are the interface between the protocol and its users. They are the builders turning Cardano’s research and engineering milestones into accessible tools, marketplaces, financial products, and services. Without this layer, innovations like Hydra, Leios, or programmable assets risk becoming unused capabilities rather than the backbone of a thriving decentralized economy. ","If implemented, this proposal will directly benefit Cardano dApp developers, the broader ecosystem of users, and ADA holders by creating a reliable funding structure focused on sustained adoption, utility, and on-chain economic activity. Demonstrated value to the Cardano Community includes: * **Increased On-Chain Activity**: Providing financial support to launched projects with real users and measurable transactions will grow Cardano's usage metrics, a key indicator of network health and success. * **Higher TVL and Ecosystem Stickiness**: By supporting projects that retain user assets on-chain, the DAO boosts Cardano’s DeFi footprint and TVL. * **More Reliable Infrastructure & Products**: Developers gain access to capital that enables consistent product development, user support, and innovation. * **Greater Visibility and Adoption**: Supporting high-impact applications increases Cardano's competitiveness in the broader Web3 landscape, attracting new users and developers. * **Transparent ROI Tracking**: Funded projects must report KPIs like transaction counts, active users, and commit activity, enabling the community to clearly measure the impact and return on funding decisions. * **Balance Ecosystem Funding Structure**: This purpose-built funding mechanism complements Project Catalyst by creating a clear delineation between the different development stages of projects, and where they should seek funding within the ecosystem. This enables Project Catalyst to be a more effective innovation engine as larger projects will not rely on Project Catalyst for funding.",It supports the product roadmap,Unsure,"This proposal is supported by 12 of Cardanos most used products and services including NMKR, ADA Handle, Dex Hunter, Flux Point Studios, Tap Tools, Wanchain, NFTCDN.io, Vespr, Tokeo, Xerberus, Iagon, and Clarity. Here is our twitter space where we socialized it with the broader community: https://x.com/i/spaces/1kvJpypPEboxE. 800 people tuned in. We will continue to do this. We have started a coordinated marketing effort to get more people to know about this proposal and have a twitter and website. This proposal has been socialized and will continue to be socialized throughout Intersect and the broader Cardano Ecosystem. * [Blog post announcement](https://medium.com/@Clarity_/introducing-cardano-builder-dao-3a8993a51854) * [Open twitter space with CDEC (771 tuned in)](https://x.com/CDEC_Cardano/status/1904211932371906606) * [YouTube Video with Open Source Office](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YwUDIxKt80&ab_channel=OpenSourceOfficeatIntersectMBO) * [Proposal Twitter](https://x.com/builder__dao) * [The Idea of Cardano Builder DAO](https://x.com/CDEC_Cardano/status/1904211924222443753) * [CB DAO - Mission, Goals, KPIs, Membership Reqs. & Governance Structure](https://x.com/clarity_dao/status/1902759625377673245) * [The Cardano Funding Funnel: A New Era of Decentralized Growth](https://medium.com/@Clarity_/the-cardano-funding-funnel-a-new-era-of-decentralized-growth-856d43343d31)","The Cardano Builder DAO (**CB DAO**) is a **smart contract-enforced**, **member-governed funding mechanism** created to **support the application-layer growth of the Cardano ecosystem**. Its core purpose is to **provide sustainable financial backing** and **strategic oversight to high-impact projects** that are directly responsible for existing user adoption, on-chain activity, Total Value Locked (TVL), and ecosystem engagement. While Cardano’s governance structure and funding mechanisms, such as Project Catalyst and core development committees, have been instrumental in bootstrapping protocol advancements and open-source tooling, **there remains a substantial gap in ongoing support for live, user-facing products/services. CB DAO fills that gap.** Through a **transparent governance framework**, **strict accountability mechanisms**, and a **metrics-first funding approach**, CB DAO ensures that builders with growing products on mainnet can scale sustainably, integrate cutting-edge Cardano infrastructure (e.g. Hydra, Leios, Midgard), and contribute to the ecosystem’s long-term growth.","* [Agora](https://github.com/Liqwid-Labs/agora) * [Clarity](https://www.clarity.vote/)","This proposal is intended to establish a long-term, builder-governed funding mechanism that can continue operating well beyond its initial setup. The ongoing maintenance and support of the Cardano Builder DAO (CB DAO) will be carried out through built-in governance processes and active participation from its verified member projects. Key elements that support long-term sustainability include: * **Ongoing DAO Governance**: Verified member projects participate directly in governance through voting, discussions, and proposal evaluations. This ensures that decision-making remains active and DAO-led. * **Elected Board Oversight**: A small group of elected representatives (both members and non-members) help manage compliance, membership approvals, and operational coordination. These roles are re-elected each year to reflect the evolving needs of the community. * **Structured Funding Cycles**: The DAO operates on a semi-annual schedule for proposal submission, status reporting, and treasury withdrawals. This creates predictable checkpoints for review and accountability. * **Performance-Based Renewals**: Projects must publicly report KPIs such as, but not limited to, transaction volume, user activity, and development contributions. Continued funding is dependent on demonstrable progress and alignment with previously set goals. * **Smart Contract-Controlled Treasury**: All treasury operations are governed through Agora, an open-source and audited smart contract library purpose-built for DAO governance. This ensures reliable, transparent, and tamper-proof execution of all funding decisions. * **Integrated Governance Stack**: CB DAO will leverage Clarity, a governance interface built for the Cardano ecosystem, to streamline the proposal and voting process. Clarity directly interacts with Agora smart contracts, creating a seamless, user-friendly governance experience for members. * **Return of Unused Funds**: At the end of each funding period, unallocated ADA is returned to the Cardano Treasury as the CB DAO begins to focus on applying for additional funds for a new cycle. This ensures that capital is not locked up unnecessarily and reinforces responsible governance. * **Legal Support Structure**: CB DAO is working toward establishing a legal entity (such as a Wyoming DUNA) to provide limited liability protections and ensure long-term operational stability. The overall intent of the CB DAO is to create a durable, well-structured funding mechanism that evolves alongside the Cardano ecosystem, with the flexibility to support its builders and adapt to future needs. * **Exploring Convertible Grants for Long-Term Ecosystem Value**: The Cardano Builder DAO is committed to exploring innovative funding mechanisms that align incentives and generate long-term value for the Cardano ecosystem. One such model we intend to explore is convertible grants — a hybrid funding instrument that begins as a non-dilutive grant but can convert into equity or tokens under predefined conditions. With convertible grants, the DAO provides upfront funding to promising builders and projects contributing to the Cardano ecosystem. If the project reaches a significant milestone — such as securing an institutional funding round or achieving mainnet launch — the grant automatically converts into an equity stake or token allocation. This structure allows the DAO to support early-stage innovation while ensuring it shares in the upside of successful ventures. By adopting this model, the DAO transforms passive grant-making into strategic, ecosystem-aligned investment, helping ensure that long-term value flows back into the Cardano community. It also establishes a precedent for sustainable, incentive-compatible funding — a critical feature for scaling decentralized development across the ecosystem. ","The Cardano Builder DAO (CB DAO) is designed to deliver ongoing ecosystem support for high-impact dApps. The community can expect a series of tangible milestones and ecosystem-wide benefits driven by active participation from DAO members. ### Tangible Milestones: 1. **Initial Member Onboarding**: KYB and technical review process for the first wave of dApp members Onboarding to governance platform 2. **Board Election**: Election of 3–7 board representatives from the Cardano ecosystem to oversee governance operations 3. **Legal Entity Formation**: Formation of a Wyoming DUNA (or similar DAO-centric legal structure) to support long-term stability and member protections 4. **DAO Launch**: Deployment of CB DAO smart contracts using Agora Creation of DAO owned treasury & initial deposit made 5. **First Funding Cycle Execution**: Launch of the initial proposal window Temperature checks on Clarity and treasury withdrawals for selected projects 6. **First Funding Cycle KPI Impact Reports/Second Round Funding Cycle Execution**: After the first 6 months, projects will submit a KPI report explaining the changes in their KPIs over the first funding cycle. This allows all DReps and Cardano holders to see the impact of the funding provided to these projects. Use the measured impact to determine which projects should continue receiving funding. 7. **Second Funding Cycle KPI Impact Reports**: After the first 6 months, projects will submit a KPI report explaining the changes in their KPIs over the first funding cycle. This allows all DReps and Cardano holders to see the impact of the funding provided to these projects. ### Ongoing Outcomes for the Ecosystem: * **Sustained Support for Cardano Builders**: CB DAO provides structured, recurring funding to dApps already live on mainnet. This enables them to grow and maintain operations. * **On-Chain Transparency & Accountability**: Funding decisions and treasury activity are fully governed by smart contracts and tracked through public voting and KPI reporting. This ensures that the impact of resources allocated are measured transparently. * **Increased Network Usage**: By prioritizing projects that generate transactions, TVL, and user activity, CB DAO directly contributes to the growth and stickiness of the Cardano ecosystem. * **Community Benefit Through Project Continuity**: The Cardano community benefits from the continued operation of critical products and services, including many they rely on for DeFi, identity, NFTs, tooling, and more. CB DAO creates a path for the community’s favorite products to receive structured support and remain active. * **Repeatable Funding Mechanism**: CB DAO establishes a replicable framework for funding that could be expanded to other verticals within the Cardano ecosystem. This framework can be scaled and repurposed for different funding subsets. ### What the Community Ultimately Receives: * A sustainable and transparent funding mechanism that supports the growth of Cardano’s application layer * Operational continuity for trusted, community-used products and services * An ecosystem where measurable value creation is rewarded and aligned with long-term network health * A governance system that ensures DAO member projects are accountable and performance-driven, creating higher-quality dApps for end users","Because the Cardano Builder DAO (CB DAO) is built on already available infrastructure, including Agora smart contracts and the Clarity governance interface, no additional protocol or UI development is required to launch. The focus instead shifts to operational execution, governance setup, legal structuring, and project coordination. There are currently 12 projects in the Cardano Builder DAO, we expect to be able to support around 20 projects for 12 months with this proposal. ### Membership Requirements: * **Voting Member**: Any individual or company with a Catalyst Proposal Approved. * **Requesting Member**: Any company that has successfully closed out a Catalyst Proposal and has a working product with relevant KPIs that improve Cardano. ### Estimated Timeline: * **Initial Membership Onboarding & Board Election**: Weeks 1 to 6 * **Legal entity Creation**: Weeks 1 to 4 * **DAO Deposit**: Upon Approval * **First Proposal Window and Temperature Checks**: Weeks 6 to 12 * **Initial Treasury Withdrawals**: Week 12 ### Estimated Team Structure and Roles: > Note: CB DAO operates as a lean governance framework with most execution handled through elected board members, DAO Members, and service providers. * **Board Members (3–7 elected individuals)**: Elected by DAO members to oversee legally required KYC, manage compliance, membership approvals, and treasury proposals. Board members will be compensated from the operational overhead budget. * **Governance & Treasury Management (DAO Members)**: All DAO members support proposal reviews and Agora treasury interaction. * **Legal & Compliance (1 retained legal advisor or firm)**: Supports DUNA formation, KYB policy alignment, and liability protection for DAO members. * **Community & Outreach (DAO Members)**: All DAO members promote DAO funding rounds, shares progress updates, and supports transparency. * **Technical Maintenance and Support**: The Clarity team will provide needed support for DAO operations and ensure critical functionality is maintained throughout the DAO’s life.","Our team is responsible for building and maintaining Clarity, a governance platform purpose-built for the Cardano ecosystem. Clarity serves as the user-facing interface for interacting with Agora, an open-source, audited library of smart contracts designed for decentralized governance and treasury management. We have already deployed this infrastructure in production and actively maintain it. Our smart contracts have governed over $10 million in Total Value Locked (TVL) and are used by four DAOs, each managing six-figure treasuries on-chain. These DAOs use the same tooling and processes that CB DAO will leverage, including member-based voting, proposal submission, temperature checks, and treasury execution fully enforced by smart contracts. In addition to our technical capabilities, we work directly with Cardano ecosystem founders and project teams on a regular basis. Many of these projects are already live on mainnet, and several have expressed intent to participate in CB DAO as members during the initial cohort. This gives us a direct line of communication with the builder community and allows us to ensure early DAO membership includes high-quality, committed teams aligned with CB DAO’s mission and KPIs. Our team's combination of hands-on DAO implementation, infrastructure development, and builder community engagement positions us uniquely to lead the operational launch and ongoing management of the Cardano Builder DAO.",Other,12000000,0.5,United States Dollar,6000000,"* ADA price Assumption $0.50 ### Project Funding Allocation: $6.21M (12.42M ADA) * $6,000,000 USD (equivalent to 12,000,000 ADA) will go directly into the CB DAO treasury to be allocated to projects approved by DAO members. * Currently, projects that intend to join the CB DAO — including NMKR, ADA Handle, Clarity, Dex Hunter, Flux Point Studios, Wanchain, NFTCDN.io, Vespr, Tokeo, Xerberus, Iagon and TapTools — would be supported by ~64% of this budget. Since this proposal was submitted, more builders and voitng members have joined! * Throughout this governance process, CB DAO will be onboarding new members to make effective use of these funds. * Reminder: all unused funds will be deposited back into the Cardano DAO treasury at the end of the funding period. The Initial Cardano Builder DAO coalition represents a powerhouse of ecosystem growth, collectively serving over 1 billion API requests, facilitating over 2 million swaps, powering ~3 million NFT mints, equipping hundreds of Cardano projects with key infrastructure to build on top of, bringing in over $30 million in bridged assets and engaging users from 166 countries through platforms with millions of transactions. Each project will receive grants intended to cover technical and business contributors and infrastructure costs such as hosting or API services. Projects must be live on mainnet and report KPIs like transaction volume, active users, and TVL to remain eligible for future funding rounds. ### DAO Operational Overhead $210,000 USD (~420k ADA) Allocated for one year of operational costs required to run the DAO effectively and maintain transparency, compliance, and engagement. Expenses that accomplish this goal include (estimations): * $50,000 (100,000 ADA) for board member compensation Covers part-time stipends for 3–7 elected board members who oversee membership approvals, compliance, and governance coordination. * $60,000 (120,000 ADA) for legal and compliance support Anticipated support needs include: DUNA entity formation and maintenance; contracts and relationship paperwork for Board members, service providers and Members; ongoing legal consultation; and oversight of Know Your Business (KYB) processes for involved entities. * $50,000 (100,000 ADA) for service contracts Used to compensate contributors under formal service-level contracts, such as technical consultants, accountants, or critical infrastructure, to ensure consistent DAO operations and reliable funding decisions. * $80,000 (160,000 ADA) for infrastructure and tooling Covers hosting, data storage, analytics, proposal dashboards, and technical infrastructure necessary for day-to-day DAO coordination. * $20,000 (40,000 ADA) contingency reserve Held for unexpected operational needs or critical services that may arise over the course of the year. ### Final Allocation Summary: * $6M (12,000,000 ADA) — to direct project funding. 8.4M ADA to be allocated to 2025 spending for the DAO, 3.6M ADA to be allocated to 2026 spending for the DAO * $210K (420,000 ADA) — to DAO operational overhead * Total: $6.21M USD (10,420,000 ADA)","[{""id"":2471,""prop_link"":""https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ADZZYmdwoO6vCI5rP5hzuMExkkD2S3iFyV9ZLBPoknY/edit?usp=sharing"",""prop_link_text"":""Cardano Builder DAO dRep Application""},{""id"":2472,""prop_link"":""https://buildingoncardano.io/"",""prop_link_text"":""Cardano Builder DAO Website""},{""id"":2473,""prop_link"":""https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-0_pdoJI9OdSbhqmnOyu4OOae_1K6ls5YVkk7mTS5Js/edit?usp=sharing"",""prop_link_text"":""Cardano Builder DAO Charter""},{""id"":2474,""prop_link"":""https://medium.com/@Clarity_/introducing-cardano-builder-dao-3a8993a51854"",""prop_link_text"":""Cardano Builder DAO Blog Post""},{""id"":2475,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/Liqwid-Labs/agora"",""prop_link_text"":""DAO Smart Contracts Repository""},{""id"":2476,""prop_link"":""https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1OJa0V54YKl9Ny9HioMCaKVdDLBxkQjhvkpxsR-KaGM8/edit?usp=sharing"",""prop_link_text"":""Cardano Builder DAO Overview Deck""},{""id"":2477,""prop_link"":""https://www.clarity.vote/"",""prop_link_text"":""Cardano Builder DAO Governance Portal""}]",TRUE,18,2025-04-09T17:46:40.474Z 205,TWEAG’s Proposals for multiple core budget projects for Cardano 2025,kris_kowalsky,Core,Company,Tweag | by Modus Create,https://www.tweag.io/,France,,,,"https://x.com/KrisKowalsky , https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriskowalsky/","This document outlines Tweag by Modus Create’s proposals for a suite of core infrastructure projects aimed at advancing the technical foundations of the Cardano blockchain. These initiatives focus on novel, high-impact developments across key areas of the Cardano stack. In the months ahead, Tweag intends to collaborate closely with qualified suppliers, DReps, and Intersect to further shape the structure and scope of these engagements. The proposals presented here represent Tweag’s intended contribution to Cardano’s continued evolution. We invite other ecosystem participants to submit complementary or competitive proposals, and we are open to exploring collaborative partnerships where aligned. We have consolidated these projects into a single proposal to provide a cohesive view of our core roadmap delivery. We plan to actively seek community input to evaluate whether any of the initiatives should be pursued independently and will adapt our structure accordingly based on that feedback.",Explained in the attached document,"Proposal Benefit If implemented, this proposal will deliver transformative technical value to the Cardano ecosystem, accelerating development across critical areas of the network stack. The proposed initiatives—ranging from ledger conformance testing and Plutus re-execution tooling, to Genesis synchronization optimization, history expiry, and the development of a Cardano node emulator—are strategically aligned with Cardano’s long-term goals of scalability, performance, and verifiability. Each project targets a specific technical challenge within the core infrastructure: Peras, Canonical Ledger State, and Canonical Block and Transaction Diffusion Codecs improve interoperability, clarity, and consistency across the ecosystem. Conformance Testing for Ledger and Consensus, alongside Black Box Ledger Testing, ensures protocol correctness and future-proofing through robust validation frameworks. Plutus Script Re-Executor and Block Cost Investigation provide practical tools for performance benchmarking and Plutus optimization, directly benefiting DApp developers and toolmakers. The Genesis Sync Accelerator and Hoarding Node address network-level performance bottlenecks, improving bootstrap times and reliability. The Cardano-node-emulator and History Expiry initiative contribute to better testing, debugging, and long-term node sustainability. Collectively, these projects support developers, researchers, node operators, DReps, and governance actors by reinforcing the reliability, performance, and maintainability of Cardano’s core systems. The return on investment to the Cardano community is clear: Faster network upgrades Reduced onboarding friction Improved protocol transparency Better tooling for smart contract teams More resilient and testable infrastructure Backed by Tweag by Modus Create and a consortium of trusted ecosystem contributors, this proposal combines deep technical experience with proven delivery capability. It not only addresses current pain points but lays the groundwork for Cardano’s continued success as a scalable, decentralized, and open blockchain platform.",It supports the product roadmap,Technical Steering Committee,"TSC, Community, draft TSC budget",Explained in the attached document,Explained in the attached document,Explained in the attached document,Explained in the attached document,"Estimates and project costs are noted in the attached document. The total proposal cost is: USD 7,307,520","At Tweag by Modus Create, we offer a unique combination of deep technical expertise and strategic consulting capabilities, with a long-standing commitment to open-source and decentralized systems. EURL Tweag has been in business for over a decade, having started in 2013, and has built a reputation for engineering excellence across critical infrastructure projects. Since January 2018, we have been continuously engaged with IOG (Input Output Global) on a variety of initiatives within the Cardano ecosystem, including conducting audits and core protocol development. Since May 2021, we have also provided formal audits for the Cardano ecosystem, helping to ensure the reliability and security of mission-critical code. Our team has played a leading role in the development of Cardano’s core infrastructure, including leading the consensus and ledger teams, implementing the Ouroboros Genesis protocol, and contributing to the design of Ouroboros Peras. We have been involved in nearly all aspects of the core Cardano node, giving us a comprehensive understanding of the system's architecture, roadmap, and strategic direction. Beyond Cardano, we bring deep, practical experience with Haskell, Rust, and a wide range of technologies used in polyglot projects, enabling us to engineer scalable, secure, and high-performance systems across domains. As part of Modus Create, a global digital transformation consulting firm, we are backed by a diverse team of strategists, designers, and technologists who help the world’s leading brands build digital advantage. Modus Create specializes in strategic consulting, full lifecycle product development, platform modernization, and digital operations and is an official partner of top-tier technology providers such as Atlassian, AWS, and GitHub. This global reach and cross-disciplinary strength provide our clients with unmatched capabilities throughout the full product development lifecycle. This proposal reflects our ongoing commitment to advancing Cardano’s mission through rigorous engineering, strategic alignment, and high-impact delivery.",Milestone Based Fixed Price,11070322.68,0.6601,United States Dollar,7307520,Please see the attached document.,"[{""id"":453,""prop_link"":""https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w66gUpCmlE2FyC1u1-J25R7qYT1DzLWf/view?usp=sharing"",""prop_link_text"":""Tweag-2025-Budget-Proposal""}]",TRUE,18,2025-04-09T13:42:50.773Z 683,Cardano Summit 2025 and regional tech events,cardanosummit,Marketing & Innovation,Company,Cardano Foundation,www.cardanofoundation.org,Switzerland,,,,https://x.com/Cardano_CF,"The Cardano Summit is not optional; it's the indispensable catalyst to empower developers, unify infrastructure efforts and implement governance, forge global connections, plus attract capital, talent and media, propelling Cardano to its rightful place as a leader in the decentralized future. Adoption Stagnation: Without a central platform showcasing real-world utility, enterprise and mainstream adoption remains critically low. Developer Isolation and Fake News: The narrative that ""building on Cardano is hard"" persists due to inadequate educational resources and targeted support, hindering developer onboarding, slowing application and infrastructure growth. Infrastructure Fragmentation: Scaling and interoperability challenges persist without a collaborative platform for unified solutions. Collaboration between developers, entrepreneurs, users, enterprises, regulatory bodies and other L1/L2 ecosystems need further strengthening to foster a cohesive and impactful ecosystem. Community Siloing: Missed networking and knowledge exchange opportunities between developers, entrepreneurs, users, enterprises, and regulatory bodies limit the creation of strategic global partnerships. Capital, Talent, and Media Acquisition Deficit: The challenge of effectively attracting and securing sufficient capital, top-tier talent, and widespread media attention hinders Cardano's growth and its ability to solidify its position as a leading Layer 1 blockchain platform.","Accelerates Adoption: The Summit directly drives user and developer uptake through targeted regional Cardano Dev Days events globally, including but not limited to practical demonstrations of new features (e.g. L2s, Programmable Assets). Fuels Roadmap Execution: It serves as a critical feedback loop, gathering community insights to refine and optimize development priorities (Scaling, Developer Experience). Amplifies Innovation: The Summit showcases cutting-edge advancements (e.g. Leios, Midgard), attracting investment, talent, and fostering strategic partnerships. Fosters Collaboration: It strengthens the community and its knowledge sharing, building the cohesive ecosystem necessary for Cardano's global impact. Drives Growth: The Summit will allow for the education, and collaboration for growth.","The Cardano Summit 2025 is a strategic initiative, spearheaded by the Cardano Foundation and fortified by regional ecosystem partners (EMURGO, Rare Evo, Wada, Catalyst Africa Town Hall, Ada Solar), to accelerate the global adoption of Cardano technology. Each partner will command the execution of a regionally focused Cardano Summit Event. While each maintains regional autonomy, all six entities will synergize in the events' development. The core ethos and driving benefits of the Cardano Summit are: Simplify developer onboarding through targeted Cardano Dev Days events globally. Drive adoption through targeted education for first-time and novice users, unlocking Cardano's potential for all. Showcase tangible impact of real-world use cases, capturing mainstream attention and demonstrating Cardano's value. Forge powerful collaborations between developers, entrepreneurs, users, enterprises and regulators. Strategize and solve scaling and interoperability challenges, securing future scalability. Attract capital, talent, and media, securing vital resources for the growth of Cardano as a leading L1. Ignite innovation & celebrate success: Rally the community, celebrate achievements, and build unstoppable momentum.",It supports the product roadmap,Marketing Committee,Community + Intersect + Growth and Marketing Committee,"The 2025 Cardano Summit strategy features a hybrid event model: a flagship event + four regional events. Each event will have a lead organizer, with collaborative support from all partners. To ensure continuity and early planning for 2026, ticket sales will be used for the 2026 summit and its down payment. A 2-day Cardano Summit for over 800 people. Hosted by the Cardano Foundation in Berlin in Nov 2025 (dates tbc). A 2-day Cardano Tech ASIA (name tbd) targeting developers for 300+ people. Hosted by EMURGO in Bangalore in December 2025, coinciding with India Blockchain Week. A 2-day Cardano Tech AFRICA (name tbd) targeting community and developers for 500 people Hosted by Wada in Kenya in September 2025. A 2-day Cardano Tech USA (name tbd) targeting developers for 500 people Hosted by Rare Evo in Las Vegas on 7 August 2025. A 2-day Cardano Tech LATAM (name tbd) targeting developers for 500 people Hosted by ADA SOLAR in LATAM October 2025.","Resources: Events will be executed only if proposal will be approved by DReps timely (6 months needed) Secure World-Class Logistics: venues, organization, and expenses tracking must be flawlessly executed to protect the Cardano Summit brand quality. Safety and Visa: Locations scrutiny to ensure safe, quality and compliant events Community Participation: Active engagement is non-negotiable, both in terms of speakership and attendance. Showcase Cutting-Edge Technology: Demos and presentations must highlight Cardano's latest advancements.","Establish a Dedicated Steering Committee: Ensure ongoing governance of the Cardano Summit brand and strategic vision. Create Comprehensive Documentation & SOPs: Guarantee knowledge transfer and consistent execution. Implement Robust Feedback & Analysis: Drive continuous improvement and adaptation. Foster Community Ownership & Support: Ensure long-term engagement and sustainability. Embrace Technological Innovation: Maintain relevance and enhance the Summit experience.","1 x Flagship Cardano Summit: Europe (November 2025) 4 x Regional Cardano Tech Events Las Vegas, USA (August 2025) Africa (September 2025) LATAM (October 2025) Bangalore, India (December 2025) Cardano Summit Awards & Battle of the Builders Included within the Flagship Cardano Summit Dev Days/Hackathons Integrated into each of the four Regional Tech Events Specific KPIs Attendee targets (500-800 attendees per event) Speaker targets (20-100 speakers per event) Session targets (8-20 sessions per event).",Slide 7 of the deck,"The Cardano Summit 2025 will leverage the collective strength and deep regional expertise of its co-hosts, ensuring unparalleled impact and engagement across the globe. The Cardano Foundation's proven delivery of three consecutive, globally impactful Cardano Summits establishes their invaluable institutional and enterprise knowledge and a track record of high-quality, large-scale event execution. EMURGO's extensive experience in fostering blockchain adoption through strategic events, including TOKEN2049, positions them as a key driver of regional engagement and impact. Rare Evo demonstrated expertise in curating highly engaging and community-centric blockchain events, like Rare Evo, ensures a dynamic and impactful experience for attendees. WADA’s established presence and deep connections within the Cardano community in Africa, coupled with their successful track record of organizing CLEs, guarantees strong local engagement and relevance. ADA Solar's unique understanding of the regional landscape and their proven ability to activate local communities, exemplified by Cardano Constitutional Convention and Cardano Tech Week, will be instrumental in maximizing the summit's reach and impact in LATAM.",Milestone Based Fixed Price,6000000,,United States Dollar,3000000,See PDF,"[{""id"":2321,""prop_link"":""https://ucarecdn.com/f4055c0d-2123-49f1-8d6b-7db3ed1187a5/CardanoSummit2025IntersectProposal.pdf"",""prop_link_text"":""Cardano Summit 2025 Proposal""},{""id"":2322,""prop_link"":""https://ucarecdn.com/e7f65f99-41fb-4dc1-a71d-728b48917cc0/CardanoSummitRegionalKPIsandBudgetForGovTools.pdf"",""prop_link_text"":""Additional Details: Regional Events (See comments for full context)""},{""id"":2323,""prop_link"":""https://ucarecdn.com/14f47f51-10c8-43d8-b97a-19781dd6e86d/CardanoSummit2025RegionalsKPISSheet.pdf"",""prop_link_text"":""Cardano Summit Regional Events KPIs""}]",TRUE,10,2025-04-01T15:03:18.994Z 389,Unveiling the First Unified Global Events Marketing Strategy for Cardano,cardanosummit,Marketing & Innovation,Company,Cardano Foundation,www.cardanofoundation.org,Switzerland,,,,https://x.com/Cardano_CF,"The Cardano ecosystem currently faces challenges in establishing a consistent and impactful presence at global blockchain events. Catalyst-funded initiatives often operate under independent branding which rarely mentions ‘Cardano’ which dilutes the visibility of Cardano within the broader blockchain community. This fragmented approach makes it harder for Cardano to stand out amidst the competition. Competitors like Solana, Aptos, and Sui have established significant brand recognition by strategically aligning global events with developer-focused initiatives. Their series of hacker houses and hubs—typically held 3–4 times per year—have successfully fostered active developer communities and increased Total Value Locked (TVL) on their platforms. These events seamlessly blend ecosystems, attracting talent and partnerships across multiple chains while solidifying their reputation as innovative blockchain leaders. Without a similarly coordinated and impactful event strategy, Cardano risks being overshadowed in a competitive landscape. A fresh approach to event planning is essential to position Cardano alongside top players and attract developers, partners, and enthusiasts from across the blockchain ecosystem.","Connect, Grow, Discuss, and Promote Cardano Facilitate discussions around its launches, innovations and progress, ensuring its position as a key player in the blockchain space.","Unveiling the First Unified Global Events Marketing Strategyfor Cardano. We will deliver ‘Cardano’ branded sponsorships at global conferences in 2025 and 2026, managed and planned by the events management experts. Cardano as an L1 needs to be promoted as the brand at these events with no biased 3rd party business objectives hovering around it. We will run a 100% Cardano-focused events and marketing campaign globally at the most cost-efficient manner leveraging our wealth of event experience.",It supports the product roadmap,Marketing Committee,Intersect,"To revitalize Cardano's global presence and foster ecosystem growth, we aim to host and participate in a dynamic series of events in 2025 and 2026. These events will target diverse audiences, including developers, enterprises, blockchain enthusiasts, and policymakers, to drive engagement, innovation, and adoption.","This initiative is a collaboration with EMURGO, CF, RARE EVO, INTERSECT",This proposal contains funding for Q3 and Q4 2025 events and Q1 and Q2 2026 events. We will submit a new proposal for Q3 and Q4 2026 and 2027 to continue to series of industry and blockchain events.,List of events is in the pdf,List of dates events is in the pdf,See pdf,Milestone Based Fixed Price,6000000,,United States Dollar,3000000,See pdf,"[{""id"":1147,""prop_link"":""https://ucarecdn.com/0830cd4a-dec8-4595-8a27-2a680788e90d/Cardano2025EventProposalUpdatedMarch.pdf"",""prop_link_text"":""Unified Global Events Marketing Strategy for Cardano""},{""id"":1148,""prop_link"":""https://ucarecdn.com/601623d5-e9ef-45ec-9025-1e7cd40f824c/External2025EventsListCleanlist_14April.pdf"",""prop_link_text"":""List of Proposed Events & Budget""}]",TRUE,5,2025-04-01T15:03:19.119Z 152,OSC Budget Proposal - Paid Open Source Model for Sustainable Development,intersectosc,Core,Group,,,,Open Source Committee (OSC),Intersect Committee,"Pedro Lucas, Adam Dean, Sandip Pandey, Sebastian Pabon, Nicolas Henin, Moritz Angermann, Georg Link, Robin Boening, Johnny Kelly, Christian Taylor, Terence McCutcheon",open-source-committee@intersectmbo.org,"*The Challenge* Cardano’s open-source ecosystem is critical to the network’s long-term success, yet it lacks structured funding to support its growth. Unlike other blockchain ecosystems that provide clear financial backing for maintainers, contributors, and security efforts, Cardano’s open-source projects often rely on ad-hoc funding or volunteer efforts. This has led to several challenges: - Unmaintained Core Infrastructure: Key open-source repositories, including those used by dApp developers and the broader ecosystem, lack dedicated funding for long-term maintenance. - Loss of Contributors: Without clear incentives, experienced developers leave for other ecosystems, making it harder to sustain projects and onboard new talent. - Security Risks: A lack of structured funding for bug bounties and incident response leaves Cardano exposed to vulnerabilities that could otherwise be proactively addressed. - Slower Ecosystem Growth: The absence of stable funding for new tools, developer education, and strategic project support makes it difficult to keep pace with industry advancements. *Why This Matters* If Cardano wants to remain a competitive, developer-friendly blockchain, it must invest in the sustainability of its open-source infrastructure. Without structured funding, key projects will stagnate, developer engagement will decline, and security risks will increase. A well-supported open-source ecosystem ensures: - Reliable infrastructure for wallets, dApps, and developer tooling. - More engaged developers who have clear pathways to contribute and earn. - Stronger security with funding for bug bounties and incident response. - A faster-growing ecosystem where teams can build with confidence, knowing key tools and services are actively maintained.","*Governance Model* This budget proposal asks that the Open Source Committee (OSC) be granted delegated authority by DReps to manage the ₳5,885,000 allocation. This means the OSC will be responsible for: - Selecting and funding open-source projects that align with Cardano’s ecosystem needs. - Managing contracts with maintainers, vendors, and contributors. - Allocating funds efficiently across key initiatives, including maintenance, security, and developer growth. - Overseeing security programs such as bug bounties and incident monitoring. - Ensuring community engagement by keeping funding decisions transparent and performance-driven. By giving the OSC direct oversight, this approach avoids bottlenecks while keeping decision-making close to those who understand open-source development. *Scope of Work* The proposal covers a range of open-source funding needs that are critical to Cardano’s long-term success, including: - Maintainer Retainer Program – Funding 50+ open-source projects, split between Core Cardano and community-selected initiatives. - Security & Incident Response – Running a bug bounty program and 24/7 security monitoring to mitigate vulnerabilities. - Developer Growth & Engagement – Supporting developer advocates, mentorship programs, and bounties to expand the contributor pipeline. - Ecosystem Expansion – Backing early-stage open-source projects through incubation and accelerator programs to drive adoption. - Operational & Community Support – Funding project support services, infrastructure improvements, and legal or educational initiatives as needed.","*The Solution: The Paid Open Source Model* This budget proposal introduces a Paid Open Source Model to ensure that essential open-source projects receive structured funding. It includes: - A Maintainer Retainer Program to fund developers maintaining critical repositories. - Bug bounty and security initiatives to identify and fix vulnerabilities. - Developer advocacy and engagement programs to onboard and retain contributors. - An incubation framework to support promising open-source projects and help them scale. By implementing this model, Cardano will create a predictable, transparent, and sustainable funding mechanism that supports long-term open-source development, improves security, and accelerates ecosystem growth.",It supports the product roadmap,Open Source Committee,"Cardano Forum post: Cardano Core Budget Proposal - Governance / Budgets 2025 - Cardano Forum: https://forum.cardano.org/t/cardano-core-budget-proposal/143047 Open Source Office YouTube: youtube.com/@osointersectmbo/playlists Open Source Committee meetings have been recorded and are shared in a playlist. With open meetings the community is and always has been welcome to provide feedback. ","The Open Source Committee in conjunction with the Open Source Office (OSO) seeks to enact a Paid Open Source Model for Sustainable Development in Cardano. A budget proposal of ₳5,885,000 (approx. $2.94M USD), designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of open-source development within the Cardano ecosystem. This initiative will be managed by the Open Source Committee (OSC) pending approval by the DReps, and seeks to address the critical funding gaps that hinder the maintenance, security, and growth of essential open-source projects. *Key Objectives & Strategic Impact* - Sustainable Open-Source Development: Funding for 50+ key projects via the Maintainer Retainer Program ensures continuous innovation and maintenance of mission-critical repositories. - Developer Onboarding & Retention: Programs like Cardano Summer of Code, Code For Us, and Developer Advocates provide clear pathways for new and experienced contributors to engage in Cardano development. - Security & Infrastructure Reliability: Investments in Bug Bounties, Incident Monitoring, and Tooling Sustainability safeguard the network and strengthen ecosystem resilience. - Commercialization & Ecosystem Growth: The Accelerator Research Program and Expanded Project Support Services transition promising projects from incubation to sustainable businesses. - Community Engagement & Governance: The OSC ensures transparent fund allocation, performance monitoring, and open participation for contributors across Cardano.","DRep Approval for OSC to fully oversee and administer this budget. Open Source Committee: staffed at 80+% (minimum 8/10 members) Community Involvement While the OSC will oversee funding, the broader Cardano community will play an active role in shaping open-source growth. The proposal ensures: ✅ Open participation – Developers, maintainers, and contributors can engage through funded programs, bounties, and mentorship. ✅ Transparency & accountability – The OSC will report on funding allocation, project milestones, and impact. ✅ Performance-based funding – Projects will be held to clear milestones and deliverables. This approach keeps funding structured while maintaining an open, collaborative process where the community has a say in how Cardano’s open-source development evolves.","Governance & Delegated Authority This proposal requests that the OSC in conjunction with the OSO be granted delegated authority to manage the entire allocation, ensuring: ✅ Project Selection & Funding Oversight – Strategic deployment of resources to maximize ecosystem impact. ✅ Contract & Vendor Management – Efficient execution of agreements to support development and security initiatives. ✅ Facilitation of Broad Community Participation – Open collaboration channels for developers, maintainers, and ecosystem stakeholders.","*Key Objectives & Strategic Impact* - Sustainable Open-Source Development: Funding for 50+ key projects via the Maintainer Retainer Program ensures continuous innovation and maintenance of mission-critical repositories. - Developer Onboarding & Retention: Programs like Cardano Summer of Code, Code For Us, and Developer Advocates provide clear pathways for new and experienced contributors to engage in Cardano development. - Security & Infrastructure Reliability: Investments in Bug Bounties, Incident Monitoring, and Tooling Sustainability safeguard the network and strengthen ecosystem resilience. - Commercialization & Ecosystem Growth: The Accelerator Research Program and Expanded Project Support Services transition promising projects from incubation to sustainable businesses. - Community Engagement & Governance: The OSC ensures transparent fund allocation, performance monitoring, and open participation for contributors across Cardano.","Maintainer Retainer: 100+ Community developers (6 months) Incident Response: 1 experienced developer Bug Bounty: 10-50 Community developers (per task stipend) Code for Us: 10-50 Community developers (per task stipend) Open Source Committee: 8-10 Seated/Voting Members Developer Advocate Program: 4 Community Developers (new cohort) Tooling Working Group: 6+ experienced and active working group members Accelerator: 7-12 SME Facilitators for scheduled growth/advice sessions","committees.docs.intersectmbo.org/intersect-open-source-committee Fully recorded meetings with regular community contribution. Supportive Open Source Office staff. Policies, frameworks, programs consistently reviewed and regularly released. https://493748844-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FLBdnzp0eZpGri9sVpseI%2Fuploads%2FvuisqFT8uCyKSDgpNmyW%2FPaid%20Open%20Source%20Model-%20LIVE.pdf?alt=media&token=577c8bd1-c9df-43a0-8b57-e883ddb1254a",Intersect Procurement Process,5885000,0.5,United States Dollar,2940000,"Initiative Funding (ADA) Funding (USD) Paid in Maintainer Retainer Program ₳1.8M $900K ADA Tooling Sustainability Program ₳2M $1M ADA Bug Bounty Program ₳600K $300K ADA Developer Advocacy ₳160K $80K ADA Incident Monitoring & Security ₳175K $87.5K USD Cardano Summer of Code ₳400K $200K USD Code For Us Community Bounties. ₳250K $125K ADA Events, Travel, and Conferences ₳250K $125K USD Accelerator Research Program ₳100K $50K ADA Total Allocation ₳5.885M. $2.94M ","[{""id"":302,""prop_link"":""https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XNcaZmjfz5Q6ZNwNSLBNaZtrZf58tD7bun2Tz7-GSK4/edit?gid=458351289#gid=458351289"",""prop_link_text"":""2025 Draft Bucket Budget - details sheet (work-in-progress) - Google Sheets""},{""id"":303,""prop_link"":""https://forum.cardano.org/t/cardano-core-budget-proposal/143047"",""prop_link_text"":""Cardano Core Budget Proposal - Governance / Budgets 2025 - Cardano Forum""},{""id"":304,""prop_link"":""https://493748844-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FLBdnzp0eZpGri9sVpseI%2Fuploads%2FbRQRq2UcvnNIuEzVDFiw%2FOSC%20Budget%20Submission%20Proposal.pdf?alt=media&token=9fcce220-1580-4b73-a611-576c533cb517"",""prop_link_text"":""OSC Budget Proposal - Paid Open Source Model for Sustainable Development""},{""id"":305,""prop_link"":""https://493748844-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FLBdnzp0eZpGri9sVpseI%2Fuploads%2FvuisqFT8uCyKSDgpNmyW%2FPaid%20Open%20Source%20Model-%20LIVE.pdf?alt=media&token=577c8bd1-c9df-43a0-8b57-e883ddb1254a"",""prop_link_text"":"" POSM Whitepaper PDF""},{""id"":306,""prop_link"":""https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4PgqaPWNT4&list=PLRiBopPuugERP0EzNVZNwK6fes4i5NRs4&index=3"",""prop_link_text"":""The Paid Open-Source Model Concept""},{""id"":307,""prop_link"":""https://committees.docs.intersectmbo.org/intersect-open-source-committee/about/readme/committee-members"",""prop_link_text"":"" Contribution Ladder""},{""id"":308,""prop_link"":""https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4nFtBmW0ns&list=PLRiBopPuugERP0EzNVZNwK6fes4i5NRs4&index=9"",""prop_link_text"":""Enhancing Cardano's Ecosystem with a Contribution Ladder""},{""id"":309,""prop_link"":""https://committees.docs.intersectmbo.org/intersect-open-source-committee/policies/project-incubation-lifecycle-framework"",""prop_link_text"":"" Incubation Program""},{""id"":310,""prop_link"":""https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eThpFGRFq0I&list=PLRiBopPuugERP0EzNVZNwK6fes4i5NRs4&index=10"",""prop_link_text"":""Project Framework and Incubation""},{""id"":311,""prop_link"":""https://committees.docs.intersectmbo.org/intersect-open-source-committee/about/open-source-office-oso/developer-advocate-program"",""prop_link_text"":"" Developer Advocate Program ""},{""id"":312,""prop_link"":""https://committees.docs.intersectmbo.org/intersect-open-source-committee/about/open-source-office-oso/project-support-services"",""prop_link_text"":"" Project Support Services""},{""id"":313,""prop_link"":""https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1TOC6GYBplVCEahuHAXiZ2A3RY6MsEE9tqvXgNX571Mc/edit#slide=id.g2811245194b_0_220"",""prop_link_text"":""OSO Service Catalog""},{""id"":314,""prop_link"":""https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pi0jROJSMY&list=PLRiBopPuugERP0EzNVZNwK6fes4i5NRs4&index=11"",""prop_link_text"":""Project Support Services and Open Source Office""},{""id"":315,""prop_link"":""https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OgtBNPRjeould-nEqudW790iMyVZrvl1oJN0Ymi2lPQ/edit?tab=t.0"",""prop_link_text"":""Tooling WG Proposal""},{""id"":316,""prop_link"":""https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_DtklZ7HsRw-0XMKrlYK0G934Hhm6nTu-1lDrsVEmEk/edit?tab=t.0"",""prop_link_text"":""Accelerator Proposal""}]",TRUE,9,2025-04-07T21:57:41.063Z 600,Expanding Stablecoin / Cardano Native Asset Support / Fiat Ramps,anzens,Marketing & Innovation,Company,Anzens Inc.,www.anzens.com,United States,,,,shantnoo@anzens.com / TG @shantnoo6,"1. Lack of Wallet & Custodian Support for Cardano Native Assets: Major institutional custodians (e.g BitGo, Fireblocks) do not natively support Cardano native assets, including USDA. This creates a bottleneck for exchanges, OTC desks and institutions who rely on these custodians for secure asset storage. Without custodian integration: -Exchanges cannot list Cardano-native assets, limiting liquidity and trading opportunities -Institutional investors face custody risks, reducing their willingness to engage with Cardano Ecosystem -Cardano projects struggle to attract capital, as investors prefer assets with established custody solutions Impact:The absence of institutional-grade custody solutions stifles liquidity, restricts market access and slows Cardano’s growth. 2. Limited Availability of Cardano Native Assets on Exchanges & OTC Desks: Despite Cardano’s $700M+ DeFi ecosystem, its native assets—including stablecoins—are severely underrepresented on centralized exchanges (CEXs) and OTC desks. -Few trading pairs for Cardano assets (eg. ADA/USDA, USDA/USDT) -No derivatives markets (futures, options) for Cardano stablecoins, limiting trading volumes -OTC desks avoid Cardano-native assets due to limited institutional LPs Impact: Without deep exchange liquidity, traders and institutions cannot efficiently enter or exit positions 3. Lack of Real-World Stablecoin Utility Beyond Crypto Trading: Stablecoins mainly serve crypto trading, with USDC gaining enterprise use—while Cardano’s stablecoins remain underutilized across real-world sectors: -Cross-border B2B payments ($31.6 trillion market) -Remittances ($850 billion market and where low fees matter) -Payroll & merchant settlements Cardano’s low fee structure makes it ideal for payments, but the lack of integration with traditional finance, prevents adoption. Impact: Without real-world use cases, Cardano’s stablecoins are limited to DeFi 4. Restricted Fiat On/Off-Ramp, Especially in Frontier Markets: Users in emerging markets (Africa, LATAM, Asia) struggle to convert ADA and Cardano-native assets into local fiat due to: -High fees (5-7% for card-based ramps vs. ~1% for local bank transfers -Limited payout network & banking access Impact: Limited DeFi participation and slow retail adoption due to costly on/off ramps. Ethereum & Ripple are expanding stablecoin adoption. Without custody solutions, Cardano misses institutional demand. Stablecoins will reshape global finance, and frontier markets need blockchain.",,"a. Wallet Support for Cardano Native Assets: USDA is pursuing strategic partnerships with firms like Zoida Markets, and in talks with BitGo, Zodia Custody, CipherBC, etc. Our goal is to enhance Cardano Native Assets by improving reach, reliability, and pricing through collaboration with key custodians, and wallet infrastructure providers—ultimately boosting distribution, liquidity and user adoption. b. Availability of USDA / Native Assets on Exchanges, OTC Desks and NEO Banks: Anzens is focused on bringing USDA to CEXs, NEO banks, OTC desks, and other key distributors to expand its reach. By enabling USDA pairs for Cardano tokens on exchanges, we aim to boost usability, drive adoption through spot listings, and support broader participation via derivatives trading. Enabling USDA with NEO banks would offer USDA <> Fiat pairs in exotic currencies c. Drive USDA adoption to unlock real-world utility: Anzens would be initiating cross integration with real estate developers, remittance companies and other payment companies to bring USDA as part of their backend settlement network, helping Cardano gain adoption beyond the crypto space. d. Access to Fiat on and off-ramps: Encryptus has piloted ADA-to-fiat off-ramps for Yoroi Wallet users, enabling users to convert ADA to local currencies across 70+ countries—including India, China, Philippines, Nigeria etc—via bank transfers, without relying on SWIFT or card networks. Encryptus aims to build stronger on-ramps with local payment rails. The funds from this proposal would be utilized to: 1. Develop Onramp Capabilities: Current ADA onramps via cards are costly and don’t support Cardano Native Assets. Encryptus aims to solve this by offering low-cost onramps through local bank transfers and mobile wallets—cutting costs by up to 60%. This will ease access to ADA and native assets. Ideal for Cardano DeFi and wider eco-system. Phase 1 of the services would include countries in LATAM, Africa and parts of Asia with a Phase 2 expansion to developed economies. 2. Cardano’s deterministic fee structure makes it well-suited for payment use cases. However, integration with traditional payment systems has been a challenge. Encryptus is addressing this by developing alternative payment solutions—such as global bill payments, school fees, and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) products—on the Cardano blockchain. These initiatives showcase Cardano’s practical value to Web2 users, helping to broaden its adoption and real-world relevance. ",Incoming Liquidity,Product Committee,"1. https://x.com/AnzensOfficial 2. https://x.com/AnzensOfficial/status/1902359886307930367 3. https://x.com/AnzensOfficial/status/1881356956436484556 4. Reddit: a. https://www.reddit.com/r/cardano/comments/1i5yxv0/anzens_usda_is_officially_on_chain_fully_reserved b. https://www.reddit.com/r/cardano/search/?q=anzens&cId=8b7c4bd4-9d30-47d9-8ffa-c48 c. https://www.reddit.com/r/cardano/comments/1hitao4/check_out_anzens_onboarding_platform_real_demo ","The Cardano blockchain has emerged as a leading smart contract platform, offering scalability, security, and sustainability. However, despite its technological advantages, Cardano faces critical challenges in mainstream adoption, particularly in the areas of stablecoin liquidity, wallet support for native assets, exchange availability, and fiat on/off-ramps. These limitations hinder Cardano’s ability to compete with other major blockchains in real-world financial applications. This proposal seeks funding to address these challenges by: 1. Expanding wallet and custodian support for Cardano native assets (including USDA, a Cardano-native stablecoin). 2. Increasing the availability of Cardano stablecoins and native assets on exchanges and OTC desks. 3. Driving real-world utility for USDA in cross-border payments, remittances, and enterprise settlements. 4. Building cost-effective fiat on/off-ramps for ADA and Cardano native assets in frontier markets. By addressing these challenges, we aim to boost liquidity, accessibility, and adoption of Cardano’s DeFi and real-world use cases, bridging traditional finance with our open source blockchain-based payments Problem Statements & Proposed Solutions 1. Custody & Wallet Gaps: Cardano native assets lack support from institutional custodians like BitGo and Fireblocks, limiting exchange listings and adoption. Solution: Partner with custodians to integrate USDA and other assets, enable institutional-grade custody, and expand wallet compatibility. Impact: Boosted liquidity, institutional access, and DeFi growth. 2. Exchange & OTC Access: Cardano assets remain underrepresented on CEXs and OTC desks, restricting liquidity and accessibility. Solution: Secure Exchange USDA listings (spot and derivatives), form OTC partnerships, and integrate with Neo Banks. Impact: Better price discovery, increased trading pairs, enhanced fiat liquidity, and wider market participation. 3. Real-World Utility: Stablecoin use is mostly limited to crypto trading, despite Cardano’s efficient fee model. Solution: Enable B2B payments, remittances, payroll, and bill payments using USDA. Impact: Broader adoption beyond DeFi and stronger traditional finance integration. 4. Fiat On/Off-Ramps: Users face high-cost (Fiat to ADA), limited access to convert ADA/native assets into fiat. Solution: Deploy low-cost onramps via bank transfers/mobile wallets; expand offramps (piloted via Yoroi). Impact: Reduced friction, deeper liquidity, and increased financial inclusion.",Our one key dependency is securing the capital to build out our on-ramps and secure additional regulatory approvals.,"Encryptus and Anzens remain committed to investing capital and resources to support the growth of USDA and the development of robust on/off-ramp infrastructure for the Cardano ecosystem. As each phase of deployment progresses, the Cardano community will be encouraged to engage with the services and provide feedback, enabling continuous improvement and greater user adoption","A. Stablecoin TM: Build out Stablecoin issuance platform on Cardano Community: Ability to US individuals and corporations to mint and burn USDA with Fiat TM: USDA Stablecoin Listed on Minswap with 10 million in seed liquidity Community: Added liquidity and stablecoin pairs TM:Direct mint / burn capabilities for USDA for 80+ countries in Fiat Community: Added liquidity and stablecoin pairs TM:Deployment of USDA on Crypto Exchanges Community: Access to Cardano native assets traded against USDA on Spot and Derivatives Exchange. Plus This will increase traction for builders to build on Cardano TM:Partnership with OTC Desks and NEO Banks: Community: Access to USDA in additional exotic currencies like INR (India), EUR (Europe), TRY (Turkey), ZAR (South Africa) and many others TM: Onboarding of Non-crypto institutions as clients with Anzens to utilise USDA Community: Cardano as an ecosystem would benefit with use case in sectors like remittance and telecom for cross border settlements. Cardano adoption and visibility would also be helpful for the community. B. Payments TM: On-ramps of USDA , ADA and other Cardano native assets with local payment methods (non-cards) Community: They get benefitted from lower transaction costs and fair price on Cardano native assets in the frontier markets. TM: Use cases for Cardano Defi project. Community: More developers can build technology around Defi because on and off-ramps would give access to a larger set of population to get in and get out of the ecosystem by consuming our tech and infrastructure. TM:Off-ramps for USDA by utilising the Encryptus tech would assist the Cardano community with real time settlement. Community: Benefits from near instant to local bank and alternate payment settlements, Off-ramps in the form of payment methods like Bill Payments, e-sims would bring a better and more reliable use case to the Cardano community. *TM: Tangible Milestone Overall Objectives of combining USDA and Payments : Our proposal is focused on driving greater transaction volume on the Cardano network and deliver use case for RWAs— a move we believe will directly contribute to strengthening the treasury over time. In appreciation for the support, we can consider committing to reinvesting net earnings from our stablecoin business (after operating costs) back into Cardano (e.g., new liquidity, incentives for Cardano projects to build on USDA).","Current Team Size: 15 Expand Team Size to 25-30 people Additional Team Members: 14 to 17 ( 5 engineers + 3 Business Development + 2 Compliance + 2 Operations + 1 Marketing + 2 Finance + Additional Support as required in Tech and Ops) Duration Estimates: TM: Build out Stablecoin issuance platform on Cardano - Completed TM: USDA Stablecoin Listed on Minswap with 10 million in seed liquidity - 1 month TM:Direct mint / burn capabilities for USDA for 80+ countries - 3 to 4 Months TM:Deployment of USDA on Exchanges - 3 months TM:Partnership with OTC Desks and NEO Banks - 6 to 12 Months (Initiated) TM: Onboarding of Non-crypto institutions as clients with Anzens to utilise USDA - within 12 months Payments: TM: On-ramps of USDA , ADA and other Cardano native assets with local payment methods (non-cards) - 8 to 10 months TM: Use cases for Cardano Defi project. - 4 months TM:Off-ramps for USDA by utilising the Encryputus tech would assist the Cardano community with real time settlement. - 4 months (Pilot running on Yori already) ","Our team brings together seasoned professionals with deep expertise in payments, stablecoins, and cryptocurrency infrastructure, backed by 50 years of combined experience at leading firms such as Paxos, Huobi (HTX), OKX, Western Union, Citi Bank, and BitPesa (AZA Finance). We have played pivotal roles in advancing fintech innovation, blockchain payments, and digital asset ecosystems, equipping us with unmatched insights into global payment networks, compliance, and scalable financial solutions. Multidisciplinary Leadership Our team includes former CEOs, legal counsels, product leads, and senior strategists with expertise across technology, compliance, and business development. Key strengths include: - Crypto & Stablecoins: Hands-on experience in liquidity management, institutional adoption, and blockchain-based payments. - Building global remittance networks that facilitate seamless cross-border transactions in the frontier and emerging markets - Technology & Product: Proven track record in building secure, compliant financial infrastructure for payments and digital assets. - Scaling crypto exchanges and developing liquidity solutions to support institutional and retail trading. - Regulatory & Compliance: Direct experience navigating global financial regulations for stablecoins and cross-border transactions. - Business Growth: Successfully expanded operations and partnerships across North America, Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. ",Milestone Based Fixed Price,4000000,0.5,United States Dollar,2000000,"Engineering Employees $300,000 Business Employees $120,000 Finance and Operations Employees $135,000 Marketing / BD $200,000 Technical Infrastructure $400,000 Legal / Licenses $345,000 Exchange Listing and Liquidity $400,000 Financial Expenses (Fiat Liquidity) $100,000 TOTAL $2,000,000 Amounts in ADA Engineering Employees 600,000 Business Employees 240,000 Finance and Operations Employees 270,000 Marketing / BD 400,000 Technical Infrastructure 800,000 Legal / Licenses 690,000 Exchange Listing and Liquidity 800,000 Financial Expenses (Fiat Liquidity) 200,000 TOTAL ADA 4,000,000 ","[{""id"":1963,""prop_link"":""https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1AdccSYBtmDmQu-HUEAEfcGwiJlTizjhQ?usp=sharing"",""prop_link_text"":""The above Google Drive link exhibits: a. Off-ramping (ADA to Fiat) live withdrawal on Yoroi wallet, b. the payment network and methods by country. c. In addition the file also shows Minting and d. Burning of USDA/ ""},{""id"":1964,""prop_link"":""https://docs.google.com/document/d/1guiI0OmHylqTLo16p4mL1-PhYMiu3-6B4dNEX0gZe-Y/edit?usp=sharing"",""prop_link_text"":""The above document is the response to Comment 1. Answering 6 Questions with additional feedback""}]",TRUE,11,2025-04-05T23:58:42.739Z 638,Ecosystem Exchange Listing and Market Making service pool,flowdesk_governance,Marketing & Innovation,Company,Flowdesk,https://www.flowdesk.co/,France,,,,https://x.com/flowdesk_co,"Proposal Overview This proposal aims to address two core issues within the Cardano ecosystem: - Problem 1: No Cardano project currently has a top-tier market maker, with the exception of Snek and Iagon. - Problem 2: No Cardano Native Token (CNT) is listed on top-tier exchanges such as Binance, Bybit, Okex, Kraken and Coinbase. Objective We, at Flowdesk, are committed to solving these problems. Our goal is to act as a trustworthy partner in assisting Cardano Web 3.0 projects by providing essential services such as Market Making as-a-Service (MMAAS) and helping with exchange listings. Through these efforts, we aim to enhance the overall liquidity and market presence of Cardano projects. ",,"Beneficiaries would be the: - Issuer of CNTs, Cardano Web 3.0 projects helping with the growth of their token (from TGE to DEX liquidity seeding to CEX listings) - Retail Cardano traders and investors benefiting from institution-grade liquidity when transacting on DEX and CEX Example of success: - Snek market making started on November 10th with SNEK/USDT price at 0.0017. Flowdesk managed to successfully provide liquidity in ultra-volatile conditions with the token surging by more than 5x and ensuring that CEX liquidity is at minimum $20k within +/- 2% and ensuring that DeFi protocols pools are arbitrage-free. ",Incoming Liquidity,Marketing Committee,"Community interaction: - October 31st 2024: Attendance to Cardano Summit event in Dubai https://x.com/KevinSoobratty/status/1854730149197144487 - Feb 19th 2025: Flowdesk attendance to Cardano Consensus HK events https://x.com/KevinSoobratty/status/1892131444446613885 Milestones achieved and community endorsing (@cardano_whale, …): - Mar 20th 2025 10mADA on DexHunter traded milestone: https://x.com/KevinSoobratty/status/1902540800501944411","Flowdesk acts as a reference party that helps with engineering liquidity provision and listing of CNTs, assisting in: 1- Exchange Listing Fee Pool: Eligible exchanges are Kraken, Bybit, Okex and Binance (only top tier exchanges that are requiring new technical integration of CNT) Budget: Up to 1,500,000 USD (3m ADA at a reference price of 0.5 USD / ADA). Notes: - Top-tier exchanges might ask a listing fee > 500,000 USD. An indicative quote from one top-tier exchange would be around 1m USD of token allocation. - Not more than 500k USD (1m ADA) will be allocated for 1 CNT / Exchange. - Flowdesk acts as an actor of good faith to validate the budget allocated to a Cardano project for a listing. - Flowdesk does NOT receive any funds from the Intersect budget during this process (including no transaction fee, commission fee, etc.). - Flow for a Cardano project to request funds to get listed on an exchange: => 1 Cardano project with a CNT => Project agrees with the exchange on a listing offer => Flowdesk Exchange Listing Criteria Assessment => Decision => If successful, exchange directly receives funding from Intersect for listing the CNT => CNT is listed on the exchange. 2- Market Making Fee Pool: Eligible tokens are: -Non stable coins: SNEK, IAG, MIN and HOSKY -Stable coins: USDM, USDA, iUSD, DJED, KINKA (gold backed) Budget: 63,000 USD (126,000 ADA at a reference price of 0.5 USD / ADA). Notes: - Intersect > Cardano Project > pays Flowdesk monthly retainer for MMAAS business. - Flowdesk does NOT receive any funds from the Intersect budget during this process (including no transaction fee, commission, etc.). - Flow for a Cardano project to request funds for MMAAS with Flowdesk: => Cardano projects => Project agrees with Flowdesk on a MMAAS offering => Cardano project receives funding from Intersect => Flowdesk launches the MMAAS service. ","Dependency 1 - Organic Demand on CNTs (MMAAS): For market-making purposes, at least one of the following three conditions must be satisfied for a token to benefit from liquidity provision via Flowdesk MMAAS: - Condition 1: A minimum of $50k/day organic trading volume on each CEX. - Condition 2: The token is a stablecoin with a price peg to a target level (e.g., $1). - Condition 3: If the token is not yet listed on a CEX: 1. Minimum trading volume of 100k ADA/day for the past 2 months. 2. On-chain liquidity of at least 7m ADA. 3. Additionally, there must be an agreement with a CEX for the listing. Since Flowdesk requires sourcing liquidity from the DEX to provide MMAAS, sufficient on-chain liquidity is necessary to enable CEX/DEX MMAAS services. Objective: Help CNT tokens achieving top tier exchanges listings and experiencing deep liquidity. - For Cardano to grow and attract external liquidity, stablecoin tokens must first be listed on leading centralized exchanges (CEXs). - Top Cardano projects already listed should expand to major exchanges to enhance liquidity. - Smaller projects should have fair opportunities for liquidity and support for tokens not yet listed on CEXs. Dependency 2 - Centralized Exchanges (Listings): - CEXs act as the ultimate gatekeepers of token listings. While Flowdesk can assist in the listing process, its mandate does not include lobbying exchanges for listings. - Flowdesk’s role in the listing process is to ensure that the budget is allocated fairly, based on the following criteria: Top-tier Exchange Integration: - Opportunities for top-tier exchanges to integrate Cardano CNT tokens (e.g., targeting Binance, Bybit, OKX, and/or Coinbase, which do not yet support CNTs). - Cardano Foundation will assist with native asset support if the exchange requires technical integration. Impact Assessment: - Evaluate the potential effect of the exchange listing. - Ensure it significantly increases CNT liquidity, based on historical data. ",No technical maintenance.,"MMAAS: - 3 CNT’s experiencing deeper liquidity on CEX (minimum 5k$ +/- 2%) and arbitrage free swaps on DEX - Sign 3 Cardano projects with a template of 7k$/month retainer for MM service Listing: - Extra CNT listing on top tier exchanges (see in section below how this cost can be broken down)","Flowdesk: - 1 BD / 1 Director / 1 Trader - Duration: until Dec 31st 2025","Partnerships already signed with major partners in the Cardano ecosystem: - Nov 14th 2024 Snek MMAAS: https://x.com/CardanoFeed/status/1857081807109243353 - Dec 9th 2024 Iagon MMAAS: https://x.com/IagonOfficial/status/1866147717564539258 - Dec 14th 2024 DexHunter partnership: https://x.com/DexHunterIO/status/1867923226468233595",Milestone Based Fixed Price,3126000,0.5,United States Dollar,1563000,"MMAAS costs: - 7,000 USD per month for a project (14kADA) - 3 months / 3 projects = 7k$ * 3 * 3 = 63k$ (126kADA) 3 Exchange Listings: - Example of how this is broken down: - First example: A. 2 project on a tier 1 exchange - 500,000 USD * 2 = 1m USD (2m ADA) B. 2 projects on a tier 2 exchange - 250,000USD * 2 = 500,000 USD (1m ADA) - Second example: Listing on Bybit of 1 CNT = 500k$ (1mADA) Listing on Okex of 1 CNT = 500k$ (1mADA) Listing on Binance of 1 CNT = 500k$ (1mADA)","[{""id"":2100,""prop_link"":""https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1nr-eyp_E-aPL_zNrDeJChJXoQPeX9ICEDywW7wU_E-E/edit?usp=sharing"",""prop_link_text"":""""}]",TRUE,16,2025-04-01T15:03:15.286Z 620,High-yield RWA Asset for Cardano : Tokenized Real Estate,hausrakesh,Marketing & Innovation,Company,Haus Tech Inc.,www.haus.com,United States,,,,rakesh@haus.com; x.com/haus,"Many homeowners are asset-rich but cash-poor, lacking access to liquidity tied up in their homes. At the same time, investors struggle to find stable, appreciating, asset-backed alternatives to traditional stablecoins or volatile crypto assets.. ",,"# Benefits of HausCoin Implementation and Its Impact on the Community HausCoin introduces a blockchain-based real estate liquidity solution, benefiting homeowners, investors, institutions, and the Cardano ecosystem. ## 1. Cardano Community – Ecosystem Growth, Open-Source Value & ROI **Open-Source for All** HausCoin will be fully open source—everything we build on Cardano will be available to the community. **Giving Back to the Treasury** Once profitable, we’ll donate a share of revenues to the Cardano treasury to support future development. **New Asset, New Utility** Haus’s tokenized home equity instantly adds over $20M to Cardano’s TVL at launch, with a clear path to scaling into the billions in the coming years—driving sustained network activity through the use of a native Cardano stablecoin. **Staking & Yield for ADA Holders** HausCoin can plug into ADA staking pools, offering yield and expanding DeFi use cases. **TradFi Adoption** Backed by real U.S. real estate ($43T market), HausCoin brings institutional-grade products to Cardano. ## 2. Homeowners (Home-Rich, Cash-Poor Individuals) **Liquidity Without Debt** Unlock home equity without selling or borrowing. **Financial Flexibility** Use funds for emergencies, investing, or retirement. ## 3. Investors (Retail & Institutional) **New Asset Class** Access real estate equity without managing property. **High Yields** Returns of up to 21% IRR over 5 years. **Blockchain Transparency** Secure, traceable, asset-backed investments. ## 4. Financial Institutions & Capital Markets **Market Efficiency** Tokenization cuts capital needs by 30x. **Diversification** Decentralized access to structured real estate assets. **Securitization on Blockchain** Reduces costs by 90% and speeds up settlement. --- ## Conclusion HausCoin unlocks real estate equity for all while boosting Cardano’s on-chain utility, adoption, and long-term value—bridging TradFi and DeFi through open, inclusive innovation. ",Incoming Liquidity,Product Committee,"https://x.com/StakeWithPride/status/1903655343491879381 https://x.com/haus/status/1904916657572835411 ","Haus is building an open-source Tokenized Home Equity Liquidity Protocol to unlock the $16 trillion in illiquid home equity sitting in U.S. residential real estate. By leveraging blockchain technology, our platform enables homeowners to sell fractional ownership of their home equity, instantly accessing liquidity while allowing investors to gain exposure to real estate appreciation. We have already prototyped and deployed this model on a private Ethereum blockchain, securing $20 million in Total Value Locked (TVL). With this proposal, we aim to transition HausCoin and the liquidity protocol to Cardano, leveraging its secure, scalable, and cost-effective infrastructure to power a decentralized marketplace for home equity trading. ## Proposal Scope & Objectives ### Tokenizing Home Equity on Cardano: - Haus will move its existing liquidity protocol onto Cardano’s mainnet, allowing homeowners to tokenize and sell portions of their home equity directly to investors. - This will create an efficient and scalable real estate-backed asset class, providing homeowners with cash liquidity and investors with a share in home appreciation. ### Launching HausCoin on Cardano: - Haus will issue HausCoin, a real estate-backed token enabling home equity trading at scale. - Investors will be able to buy, sell, and trade tokenized real estate assets, unlocking new DeFi use cases for real-world assets (RWAs). ### Leveraging an Existing 30,000-User Waitlist ($4.1B in TVL): - Haus already has a 30,000-person waitlist representing $4.1 billion in Total Home Equity Value (TVL). - A fraction of this TVL will be onboarded to Cardano, driving real-world adoption of the protocol. ### Building a Legal Framework for Compliance: - Haus will develop a regulatory-compliant framework for issuing and trading tokenized real estate in the U.S., EU and international markets. - Legal and financial structuring will ensure seamless integration with traditional real estate markets. ### Deploying Liquidity Pools & Market Infrastructure: - Haus will establish liquidity pools to facilitate instant trading and lending of home equity tokens. - This will support DeFi integration, enabling real estate-backed lending, yield farming, and staking mechanisms. ### Product Completion & Market Expansion: - Funding will be used to finalize product development, enhance the user experience, and integrate with key blockchain ecosystems. - Haus will drive market adoption through strategic partnerships, marketing, and investor outreach. ## Why Cardano? Cardano’s blockchain infrastructure offers a secure, scalable, and cost-effective environment for tokenized assets. By migrating our home equity liquidity protocol and HausCoin to Cardano, we unlock: - Low-cost transactions for seamless trading and fractional ownership. - Smart contract security for compliant real estate tokenization. - DeFi compatibility, enabling home equity-backed lending and staking. ## Impact & Vision Haus is pioneering the future of real estate tokenization, transforming home equity into a liquid, tradeable asset class. By launching on Cardano, we aim to bring institutional-grade real estate investing to blockchain, opening new opportunities for homeowners, investors, and the broader DeFi ecosystem. ","Haus has already developed 80–85% of the open-source protocol and has conducted proof of operations and product-market fit validation over the last few years on a private Ethereum blockchain. With 36 home transactions completed and $20M in TVL, our core infrastructure is largely built, reducing overall dependencies. However, a few key dependencies remain for fully completing the Haus Tokenized Liquidity Protocol on Cardano: - **DeFi Exchange Partnerships** – While we’ve had promising initial conversations with platforms like MinSwap, we may need to secure additional DeFi partners for liquidity provisioning and token trading. - **Cardano Developer Talent** – We require skilled Cardano blockchain developers to port our existing code from the private blockchain to the Cardano ecosystem. - **Funding & Grants** – To finalize deployment and legal structuring, we must secure funding through grant proposals or alternative investment sources. Given our strong foundation and proven market validation, the remaining dependencies are minimal compared to most early-stage blockchain projects. ","Haus is already an operational company with $25M+ AUM, $20M in TVL, and $150K in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) from fractional real estate-backed transactions. With a validated business model and strong market demand, we anticipate breaking even quickly and operating profitably, ensuring long-term sustainability without reliance on continuous external funding. The proposed transition to Cardano will further expand participation and liquidity in the ecosystem. Our long-term maintenance and support strategy include: ### Ongoing Development & Upgrades - Haus has a dedicated engineering team responsible for maintaining, optimizing, and upgrading the protocol. - Regular smart contract audits and compliance updates will ensure security, efficiency, and regulatory adherence. - Future improvements will include enhanced liquidity mechanisms, AI-driven valuation models, and broader DeFi integrations. ### Liquidity & Ecosystem Growth - This proposal will attract more participants to the ecosystem, increasing liquidity and adoption of HausCoin. - We will establish long-term partnerships with DeFi exchanges (e.g., MinSwap) and liquidity providers to support real estate-backed token trading. - Launching liquidity pools and staking mechanisms will incentivize continuous user engagement. ### Sustainable Funding & Revenue Model - Haus already has $150K ARR from revenue-generating customers, demonstrating early traction and financial viability. - The protocol will continue to generate income through transaction fees, staking rewards, and tokenized real estate services. - With its proven monetization model, Haus expects to achieve profitability quickly, enabling self-sustained operations without long-term dependence on grants. - Additional funding will be secured through strategic partnerships, institutional adoption, and ecosystem incentives. ### User Adoption & Support - Haus will provide comprehensive documentation, developer tools, and onboarding support for homeowners, investors, and developers. - A dedicated customer support team will ensure seamless platform usage and engagement. - Educational initiatives and targeted marketing campaigns will drive further adoption and awareness of real estate tokenization. With a proven track record of managing tokenized real estate assets, existing ARR, and a growing user base, Haus is well-positioned to scale on Cardano, achieve profitability, and sustain operations independently, ensuring the long-term success of the Tokenized Liquidity Protocol. ","## Tangible Milestones & Community Outcomes ### Tangible Milestones to Be Delivered: **Porting the Haus Platform to Cardano** Migration of Haus's home equity liquidity protocol from a private Ethereum blockchain to Cardano’s mainnet for improved scalability, security, and lower costs. **Legal Offering Memorandum for HausCoin** Establishing a compliant legal framework to ensure regulatory approval for tokenized real estate investments in the U.S., EU and global markets. **Deployment of Home Equity on Cardano** Tokenizing home equity from 27+ homes, onboarding up to $20 million in Total Value Locked (TVL) on Cardano’s blockchain. **Integration with Cardano DeFi Ecosystem** Partnering with DeFi exchanges (e.g., MinSwap, Liqwid Finance and other top exchanges and lending protocols on Cardano) and liquidity providers to enable trading, staking, and lending of tokenized home equity assets. **Launch of a Real Estate-Backed coin & Investment Assets** Introducing a new asset class on Cardano by establishing home equity-backed stablecoins and fractionalized real estate investment tokens. --- ### What the Community Will Receive: ✅ **Open-Source for All** HausCoin will be fully open source—everything we build on Cardano will be made publicly available. This empowers developers, startups, and DAOs to build freely on top of the infrastructure we create. ✅ **Giving Back to the Treasury** Once profitable, Haus will donate a share of its revenues to the Cardano treasury—supporting ongoing ecosystem development and innovation. ✅ **~20 Million in tokenized real estate TVL at completion of integration**, with the strong potential to scale to billions in Real-World Asset Liquidity – A new financial market on Cardano, bringing tokenized real estate liquidity to DeFi. ✅ **Global Access to U.S. Real Estate** – Investors worldwide can buy and trade fractionalized home equity-backed tokens. ✅ **Mainstream Adoption of Cardano for RWAs** – Strengthening Cardano’s position as the go-to blockchain for real estate tokenization. ✅ **New DeFi Use Cases** – Unlocking staking, lending, and yield farming opportunities with tokenized real estate. ✅ **Sustainable Ecosystem Growth** – Haus is already operational with $150K ARR, ensuring self-sustainability and long-term adoption. This initiative will digitize billions in illiquid real estate, enabling global investment access, increasing Cardano adoption, and establishing real estate as a DeFi-native asset class. We see a massive opportunity to revolutionize real-world asset (RWA) tokenization by implementing the Haus Liquidity Tokenization Protocol on Cardano. The global real estate market is valued at $250T, with $40T in U.S. residential real estate and $17T in untapped home equity. Each year $3T in single-family homes change hands—of which $500B is investment real estate. By launching Haus on Cardano, we will: - Unlock billions in idle home equity, making it investable. - Bring real estate tokenization to Cardano, increasing liquidity and adoption. - Enable global investors to access U.S. dollar-denominated, real estate-backed assets. - Facilitate cross-border investments, opening new financial opportunities. - Provide investors with high ROI potential (historically up to 25%). - Establish home equity-backed tokens as a new asset class. - Digitize billions in illiquid real estate, benefiting the broader economy. - Create low-cost securitization solutions, reducing financial inefficiencies. - Enable new financial products, such as home equity-backed credit cards with low interest rates, HELOCS, Mortgages and Auto Loans. This initiative will drive mainstream adoption of Cardano as the premier platform for tokenized home equity and real estate investments. ","## Estimated Team Size & Duration for Key Proposal Deliverables ### Estimated Team Size: To successfully execute this proposal, we anticipate a core team of 8–12 members, with expertise spanning blockchain development, legal compliance, and real estate finance: - **Blockchain & Smart Contract Developers (3–4)** Responsible for porting the Haus platform from Ethereum to Cardano, integrating smart contracts, and optimizing blockchain efficiency. - **Legal & Compliance Experts (2–3)** Focused on structuring the legal offering memorandum for HausCoin and ensuring regulatory compliance for tokenized real estate transactions. - **DeFi & Liquidity Specialists (2)** Establish partnerships with DeFi exchanges (e.g., MinSwap) and ensure liquidity for tokenized home equity assets. - **Product & Real Estate Analysts (2)** Managing property tokenization, onboarding homeowners, and ensuring accurate home equity valuation. - **Marketing & Community Engagement (1–2)** Driving community adoption, investor awareness, and ecosystem growth within the Cardano and real estate finance communities. --- ### Estimated Timeline & Duration: | **Milestone** | **Estimated Duration** | |---------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------| | Port Haus platform to Cardano | 4–6 months | | Finalize Legal Offering Memorandum | 3–4 months | | Deploy home equity from 27+ homes ($20M TVL) on Cardano | 3–6 months | | Establish DeFi Partnerships (e.g., MinSwap) | Ongoing, with initial in 3–6mo | | Launch Real Estate-Backed Investment Assets | 6–9 months | **Total Estimated Duration**: 6–9 months The core platform migration and legal framework will be completed within 6 months. Full-scale tokenization of real estate assets and DeFi integrations will be rolled out within 6–9 months. This structured approach ensures that Haus will quickly integrate into the Cardano ecosystem, bringing real-world real estate assets into DeFi while maintaining regulatory compliance and liquidity. --- ## Deliverables and Payment Schedule ### 1. Port Haus Platform to Cardano – $500,000 USD **Deliverable:** A fully functional deployment of the Haus platform on the Cardano blockchain, enabling seamless core operations such as property onboarding, token minting, and investor participation. **Scope of Work:** - Rewrite all existing smart contracts in Plutus or Aiken to support Cardano’s native infrastructure - Integrate Cardano-compatible wallets (e.g., Eternl, Vespr, Lace, Yoroi) for investor access and interactions - Port key features from the existing platform, including: - Token minting logic - Equity assignment engine - Investor dashboards and account management - Conduct end-to-end quality assurance, including testing, third-party security audits, and final mainnet deployment --- ### 2. Finalize Legal Offering Memorandum – $400,000 USD **Deliverable:** A completed legal and regulatory framework enabling compliant real estate-backed digital asset offerings in both the United States and Europe. **Scope of Work:** - Finalize the Offering Memorandum, detailing: - Token structure and economic model - Redemption logic and investor rights - Risk disclosures and asset-level transparency - Establish investor limitations and disclosure requirements to comply with U.S. regulations (SEC/KYC/KYB/AML) - Align framework with MiCA standards to enable EU investor access and passporting capabilities - Coordinate with legal counsel across jurisdictions to ensure enforceability of tokenized real estate assets --- ### 3. Deploy Home Equity from 27+ Homes (~$20M TVL) on Cardano – $300,000 USD **Deliverable:** Migration of the existing nearly $20M TVL real estate portfolio to the Cardano blockchain, including on-chain representation of all assets and equity claims. **Scope of Work:** - Mint Cardano-native tokens representing fractional equity in SPVs - Automate minting/burning of tokens based on changes to underlying equity - Integrate trusted third-party AVMs for property valuation and ongoing pricing - Build a real-time investor portal displaying: - Token value and historical performance - Composition of regional asset pools - Total Value Locked and asset-level metrics --- ### 4. Establish DeFi & Oracle Integrations – $50,000 USD **Deliverable:** Infrastructure to enable future liquidity, DeFi applications, and ecosystem integrations through reliable valuation and pricing data. **Scope of Work:** - Integrate third-party AVMs to generate monthly valuations for tokenized homes - Publish AVM data to Cardano using decentralized oracle providers (e.g., Charli3, Orcfax) - Develop SDKs and technical documentation for developers building applications around HausCoin data - Enable transparency and composability for future lending, liquidity, and yield-based use cases --- ### 5. Launch Real Estate-Backed Investment Assets – $250,000 USD **Deliverable:** Issuance of tradable, fully compliant real estate-backed digital assets (e.g., HausCoin) on Cardano, supported by on-chain equity and structured yield mechanisms. **Scope of Work:** - Launch HausCoin on Cardano, backed by verified home equity holdings - Implement gated access (KYC/KYB) for accredited investors to participate and monitor their portfolios - Enable lifecycle events (minting, burning, redemption) based on property-level changes and AVM inputs - Deploy investor dashboard for: - Wallet integration and portfolio visibility - Performance tracking and yield generation - Regional asset pool insights - Define and publish a compliance framework to support long-term token utility and secondary liquidity ","## Relevant Experience & Track Record Haus is led by a seasoned team of experts in blockchain, fintech, real estate, and technology, with a proven track record of scaling businesses, executing blockchain projects, and driving financial innovation. ### 1. Leadership Team with Deep Industry Expertise **Siddarth (CEO)** – A product and tech executive with $1B+ P&L and 20+ years as a real estate investor. - Turned around a $2B public company leading to a $6.4B private equity exit through product and engineering innovation. - Built a $500M revenue AI platform at Amazon. - Scaled (NYSE: PL) from $2M to $140M revenue, leading strategic acquisitions including Google’s Terra Bella in a $2.8B exit. - Launched Microsoft Surface 3 ($0 to $475M revenue) and developed the first Android phone at Google. **Rakesh Pullabhatla (COO)** – A financial and operations expert, blockchain specialist, and fintech/proptech strategist. - COO/CFO Consultant at multiple Layer 1 blockchain projects (Nodle, Astar, Oasis, Metallicus) and several DeFi and NFT ventures. - Director at Planet Labs (NYSE: PL) – Led company expansion from 30 to 650 employees, growing revenue from $0 to $150M ARR, leading to a $2.8B IPO - Director at Boku (AIM: BOKU) – Helped build a global mobile payments platform in 120+ countries, leading to a $500M IPO - Former Economics Consultant at Cornerstone Research and held product & operational roles at Apple, Textron, and Fortune 150 companies. --- ### 2. Proven Execution & Market Validation - Developed and tested the Haus Liquidity Protocol, completing 36 tokenized home transactions with $20M in TVL. - Strong Product-Market Fit, validated by a 30,000-user waitlist with $4.1B in tokenizable home equity. - Early DeFi Partnerships, including promising conversations with MinSwap and other liquidity providers. --- ### 3. Real Estate, Blockchain, and Legal Readiness - Haus is already operational, with $25M+ AUM, $20M TVL, and $150K ARR, proving its financial viability. - Regulatory compliance focus, with an ongoing legal framework for HausCoin (SEC reg D approved) and tokenized real estate investing. - Institutional & Investor Network, ensuring liquidity, adoption, and long-term sustainability. --- With a track record of scaling multi-billion-dollar businesses, building blockchain protocols, and executing real estate tokenization, the Haus team is well-positioned to deliver this project successfully on Cardano. ",Milestone Based Fixed Price,3000000,0.5,United States Dollar,1500000,"## Cost Breakdown | **Category** | **Cost (USD)** | **Cost (ADA) (Based on Market Price at Funding)** | |-------------------------------------------------------|----------------|--------------------------------------------------| | Blockchain Development & Migration | $500,000 | 1,000,000 | | Legal & Compliance (Offering Memorandum, Regulatory Approvals, Licensing) | $400,000 | 800,000 | | DeFi & Liquidity Pool Integration | $50,000 | 100,000 | | Smart Contract Audits & Security | $150,000 | 300,000 | | Marketing, Community Growth & Adoption | $300,000 | 600,000 | | Real Estate Tokenization & Asset Onboarding | $100,000 | 200,000 | | Operational Costs & Team Expansion | $100,000 | 200,000 | | Reserve & Contingency | $50,000 | 100,000 | | **Total** | **$1,500,000** | **3,000,000** | ","[{""id"":2016,""prop_link"":""https://hauscoin.com/ledger"",""prop_link_text"":""HausCoin - Private Ethereum Ledger (To be moved to Cardano) ""},{""id"":2017,""prop_link"":""https://haus.com/testimonials"",""prop_link_text"":""Customer Testimonials ""},{""id"":2018,""prop_link"":""https://docsend.com/view/fp5xjfasirpciwpv"",""prop_link_text"":""Why Cardano for Haus""},{""id"":2019,""prop_link"":""https://docsend.com/view/fvx4c39gyzfk3vpt"",""prop_link_text"":""Haus Deck""}]",TRUE,11,2025-04-11T03:43:35.963Z 81,Midgard - Optimistic Rollups,govtooladmin,Core,Company,Anastasia Labs,https://www.anastasialabs.com/,United States,,,,X: @phil_uplc Github: colll78,"We have Hydra as our native state of the art state channel solution, we have partnerchains as our native evolution of sidechains, Midgard aims to be our native evolution of rollups. The UTxO system is a match made in heaven for rollups. It allows us to build true L2 rollups that inherit maximal security from Cardano. This cannot be replicated in account based systems. It’s not a coincidence that Fuel, the first general purpose L2 to receive a decentralization rating of stage 2 (highest possible) is UTxO based. Fraud proofs for global state systems like Arbitrum and Optimism are extremely difficult to implement and very expensive and complicated to conduct onchain (and require multiple parties);this is why to this date despite spending millions in R&D neither of those protocols has working fraud proofs, and they all rely on centralized permissioned sequencers and operators. On the other-hand, fraud proofs on Cardano are extremely straightforward and require only a single party (no challenge-response proofs) due to the local state properties of the ledger. Not a single blockchain has managed to achieve true permissionless general purpose rollups. At the end of the day, the top “L2s”in the blockchain space right now are all custodial multisigs. The Midgard framework is a first of its kind, in its capabilities to deploy completely permissionless rollups that inherit the full security of Cardano. No centralized sequencer No challenge response “proofs” No custodial multisig Permissionless fraud proofs (open to anyone) Permissionless operator set Deposits and withdrawals cannot be censored (inherits the full censorship resistance of Cardano) This is all made possible by Cardano’s unique local state EUTxO architecture. UTxO contention, small block size, local state, transaction determinism, all of these “problems” may have led you to question why these design choices were made. Midgard aims to show you that these are actually not problems at all. In-fact quite the opposite, they are extremely powerful properties that, together, provide unique value that simply does not exist in any other ecosystem. These are, in actuality, the core pillars that make Midgard even possible in the first place. You cannot build Midgard on Ethereum, Solana or Sui. It is a protocol that is only possible on Cardano.",,"Midgard has a tokenless design. All transaction fees on Midgard are paid in Ada, and every Midgard block is published to the Cardano L1. Where Hydra moves transactions offchain (and thus does not contribute consistently in fee revenue to the Cardano L1) Midgard keeps transactions onchain but in a more compact form (ie. rolls up transactions offchain into a compact representation that is published onchain, thus the name rollups). This means that increased economic activity on Midgard directly translated to increased economic activity on Cardano, this represents a significant source of fee revenue for the Cardano L1. Midgard does not have independent consensus or economic security, instead it inherits economic security and consensus from Cardano.",L2 Expansion,Technical Steering Committee,Midgard likely has the single highest community endorsement out of any proposed roadmap item.,"Midgard is a modular framework for deploying optimistic rollup Layer 2s on the Cardano blockchain, designed to enhance transaction throughput, reduce costs, and enable advanced decentralized applications.","There are no strict dependencies, Midgard is on schedule to deliver by end-of-year. However, Midgard could be greatly improved via the implementation of the following CIP: https://github.com/cardano-foundation/CIPs/pull/964","Many teams will depend on the framework to launch their own L2s and fund the framework's continued development and maintenance accordingly. Furthermore, Midgard rollups are designed to be economically self-sustainable through fee revenue.","The framework achieves mainnet readiness and can be used to deploy L2s to the live network. The fraud proof system is complete and comprehensive. The onchain smart contracts for managing and ensuring the correctness of the rollup state and the offchain code required to construct the transactions to interact with them are complete. The permissionless operator system is complete such that anyone can become a L2 operator by submitting the required bond. The tangible deliverables are: 1. Midgard L2 smart contracts - complete onchain code for mainnet readiness 2. Midgard Node - mainnet readiness 3. Midgard Mithril DA / Midgard DAC - mainnet readiness 4. Midgard Tx Builder 5. Midgard Preview Deployment - a Midgard rollup is deployed to preview (and thus can also be deployed to mainnet)","Onchain - 4 FTEs Offchain - 2 FTEs Mithril DA / Midgard DAC - 1 FTE Midgard Node - 3 FTE Midgard Tx Builder - 2 FTE","Anastasia Labs is at the forefront of research & development on Cardano for over two years now. We have been involved in the development of nearly every large dApp on Cardano. We have made contributions to many of the core repos, and we actively maintain over 50 different open-source libraries, tools, and public infrastructure for Cardano. You can read more about our work here: https://www.anastasialabs.com/ Furthermore, Midgard is already in active development, and we have already made significant progress towards our goal of EOY mainnet readiness.",Milestone Based Fixed Price,2162096,1.44,United States Dollar,1505000,"Onchain: $215,000 Offchain: $215,000 Mithril DA / DAC: $215,000 Midgard Node: $645,000 Midgard Tx Builder: $215,000","[{""id"":138,""prop_link"":""https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OCOM1gzRjveOCKQ6_q_IAg8zk8yUrBvR/view?usp=sharing"",""prop_link_text"":""https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OCOM1gzRjveOCKQ6_q_IAg8zk8yUrBvR/view?usp=sharing""}]",TRUE,9,2025-04-01T15:03:22.178Z 645,Complement Catalyst: Extended Quadratic Funding—Zero Operational Costs,socious_fund,Marketing & Innovation,Company,Socious Global Inc.,https://socious.io,British Virgin Islands,,,,x.com/SociousDAO,"## Executive Summary We propose an innovative funding mechanism to complement Project Catalyst by addressing five critical challenges in blockchain ecosystem innovation funding: concentrated voter power, treasury fund limitations, inadequate impact reporting, uncertain ROI, and inefficient milestone management. Our solution has zero operational costs—100% of funds go directly to Cardano projects. By combining quadratic funding with a reputation-based system, we create a more democratic, transparent, and effective allocation process while maximizing treasury fund impact. ## Problem Statement: Why We Need a new Funding Mechanism Funding innovation within blockchain ecosystems presents significant challenges, yet some initiatives shine brightly. Project Catalyst stands out as a prime example, having fueled over 2,100 projects with more than $150 million, a clear testament to Cardano’s dedication to decentralized innovation. Still, persistent hurdles across all ecosystems underscore the need for continued refinement in funding approaches. ### 1. Concentrated Voting Power **Current Problem:** Concentrated voting power is a widespread issue across blockchain ecosystems. In Project Catalyst, recent research by Nelson et al. (2024) shows that just 1.5% of wallets can determine funding outcomes in 97.5% of voting scenarios. Fund 13 starkly demonstrated this when a single entity effectively controlled most allocation decisions. To address this issue, Project Catalyst plans to implement a generalized quadratic voting mechanism in Fund 14. **Impact:** When funding decisions reflect the interests of a few large stakeholders rather than the broader community, we risk: - Creating an innovation monoculture - Discouraging grassroots participation - Undermining the ecosystem's decentralization principles ### 2. Limited Treasury Resources **Current Problem:** Blockchain ecosystem treasury, including Cardano’s, cannot indefinitely sustain the growing demand for funding as the ecosystem expands. **Impact:** Without supplementary funding sources, fewer worthy projects receive support, slowing ecosystem growth and adoption. ### 3. Challenges in reporting impact **Current Problem:** Measuring funded projects' contributions to ecosystem growth remains a significant challenge across all blockchain ecosystems. **Impact:** The lack of rigorous impact assessment makes it impossible to optimize funding allocation or demonstrate value to stakeholders. ### 4. Uncertain Return on Investment **Current Problem:** The treasury currently functions as a one-way funding stream without mechanisms to capture value generated by successful projects. **Impact:** The ecosystem misses opportunities to create a sustainable funding cycle where successful projects contribute to future innovation. ### 5. Challenges in Milestone Management **Current Problem:** For all ecosystems, it's challenging to balance rigorous milestone management with swift decision-making. There's also uncertainty around who should review milestones and resolve disputes. **Impact:** Emphasizing rigorous milestone management can lead to bureaucracy and delayed achievements, while prioritizing speed may compromise ecosystem impact. ## Our Solution: Extended Quadratic Funding We propose a complementary funding mechanism that addresses these challenges through a combination of innovative approaches: ### 1. Democratizing Decision-Making Our extended quadratic funding model calculates voting power using two factors: 1. **Square root of donation amount** (e.g., $9 donation = 3 votes) 2. **Logarithmic reputation score** (Impact Score) ranging from 300-850 This approach balances financial contribution with proven community impact, preventing wealth concentration from dominating decisions while maintaining skin-in-the-game principles. To protect this system's integrity, we implement: - **Sybil resistance:** Zero-knowledge proof KYC via Hyperledger Identus (formerly Atala PRISM) ensures one-human-one-account without compromising privacy - **Anti-collusion measures:** - Reputation incentives that make system integrity valuable to high-impact participants - Penalties including reputation loss or platform bans for collusion attempts - Economic disincentives through fee structures that make vote-splitting unprofitable - Use [Connection-Oriented Cluster Matching](https://www.gitcoin.co/blog/leveling-the-field-how-connection-oriented-cluster-matching-strengthens-quadratic-funding) For more information on formal proofs of quadratic voting and literature reviews, see [Kovalchuk et al. 2024](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hq_P_BEvXDhJcph6zmA0_CQHTcO0lyAZ/view?usp=sharing), [Ostrom 2010](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ej30QuyfcyCjNABd6O6S3MEk5Dy14WyL/view?usp=sharing), [Lalley and Weyl 2015](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EjZoN4Gcxjwb0Va0OuRgEgBYRVcgDiWI/view?usp=drive_link), and [Poster and Weyl 2019](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E_tXBhMIO6WLeVVpv3J_AsicTiSKAUze/view?usp=drive_link). ### 2. Multiplying Treasury Impact Our model transforms the treasury from sole funder to catalyst: - Individual donors contribute alongside treasury funds, potentially increasing available capital by 50%+ - U.S. donors benefit from 501(c)(3) tax deductions, creating unique incentives outside the crypto ecosystem - Donations increase projects' chances of receiving matching funds, aligning individual and ecosystem interests **Example:** A $1M treasury allocation could attract $500K in individual donations, yielding $1.5M total funding while building broader community investment. Please see more details in the “Why this amount” section below. ### 3. Standardized Impact Reporting All funded projects must: - Contract with designated impact accountants (funded from project allocation) - Report standardized metrics including: - On-chain transactions generated - New wallets created - Active users acquired - Other ecosystem growth indicators This creates the first comprehensive dataset of innovation ROI within the Cardano ecosystem. ### 4. Sustainable Value Capture We establish a voluntary contribution system where funded projects share value with the ecosystem through: - Equity stakes - Token allocations - Revenue sharing agreements - Carbon credits or other generated assets Our target is a 5% annual return within 10 years—an ambitious but achievable goal based on startup ecosystem standards. The most reliable measure of VC fund returns comes from the Cambridge Associates US Venture Capital Index, which shows an 8.5% annual return over 10 years as of December 31, 2023. While this net return to limited partners reflects the overall pooled performance, typical median returns are lower, around 4-5%, due to the skewed distribution of returns. Sources: - [Cambridge Associates US PE/VC Benchmark Commentary Calendar Year 2023](https://www.cambridgeassociates.com/insight/us-pe-vc-benchmark-commentary-calendar-year-2023/) - [Seraf-Investor.com Dividing the Pie: How Venture Fund Economics Work Part II](https://seraf-investor.com/compass/article/dividing-pie-how-venture-fund-economics-work-part-ii) - [Emmanuel Maggiori Venture Capital Returns: True Lies?](https://emaggiori.com/venture-capital-returns/) - [Founder Equity Fund The New Reality of Venture Capital](https://founderequity.com/the-new-reality-of-venture-capital/) - [British Business Bank UK Venture Capital Financial Returns 2024](https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/about/research-and-publications/uk-venture-capital-financial-returns-2024) - [EY Q2 2023 Venture Capital Investment Trends](https://www.ey.com/en_us/insights/growth/q2-2023-venture-capital-investment-trends) - [Jumpstart Magazine How Long Until a VC Makes Returns?](https://www.jumpstartmag.com/how-long-until-a-vc-makes-returns/) - [Cambridge Associates WEB-2020-Q2-USVC-Benchmark-Book](https://www.cambridgeassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/WEB-2020-Q2-USVC-Benchmark-Book.pdf) ### 5. Efficient Milestone Management Our streamlined process features: - Token incentives for prompt reviewer decisions - Financial penalties for reviewers whose decisions are overturned - Decentralized dispute resolution mechanism (detailed at: https://socious.gitbook.io/whitepaper/decentralized-dispute-resolution) This creates a self-balancing system encouraging both speed and accuracy. This is particularly beneficial for teams seeking small amounts of funding, who often struggle with Catalyst's lengthy milestone approval process. ## Conclusion The Extended Quadratic Funding model doesn't replace Project Catalyst but complements it, bringing additional funding, greater participation, and enhanced accountability to Cardano's innovation ecosystem. We want to emphasize Project Catalyst's remarkable achievements. The Catalyst team carefully listens to community feedback and improves with each round. For example, they removed the downvote feature in response to community input. In Fund 14, Catalyst plans to implement a generalized quadratic voting system. The impact Catalyst has had on the Cardano community cannot be overstated. The challenges mentioned above are common across the industry rather than specific to Catalyst. As noted earlier, the Extended Quadratic Funding model is designed to complement—not replace—Project Catalyst. By addressing the aforementioned challenges, we can accelerate Cardano's development while embodying its core principles of decentralization, sustainability, and community governance. 日本語版 Executive Summary はこちらから：https://shinid.notion.site/1de3d106030b80638e57f69cc0a5721b?pvs=4","As an alternative funding mechanism to Project Catalyst, this initiative enables projects aligned with the Product Roadmap to receive funding and contribute to its development.","If implemented, our Extended Quadratic Funding mechanism will deliver substantial benefits across the Cardano community, from developers to ADA holders to end users. Each benefit addresses a specific need while supporting Cardano's core principles of decentralization, sustainability, and community governance. ### 1. Truly Democratic Decision-Making **Benefit:** Funding decisions will reflect community wisdom rather than wallet size. **For the community:** - New developers and smaller teams gain equal opportunity to receive funding based on merit - Projects addressing niche but important community needs receive support even without wealthy backers - Diversity of funded solutions increases, driving innovation across multiple domains ### 2. Amplified Treasury Impact **Benefit:** Every ADA from the treasury leverages additional external funding. **For the community:** - More projects receive adequate funding without depleting treasury reserves - External donors bring fresh perspectives and additional vetting to project selection - Tax-deductible status for U.S. donors creates a unique competitive advantage for Cardano's funding ecosystem ### 3. Evidence-Based Impact Assessment **Benefit:** Standardized metrics create the first comprehensive dataset on funded innovation outcomes. **For the community:** - Clear visibility into how funds translate to ecosystem growth - Ability to identify and replicate successful funding patterns - Data-driven optimization of future funding allocations Every funded project will report standardized metrics including transactions generated, wallets created, and active users acquired—creating an unprecedented transparency dashboard accessible to all community members. ### 4. Sustainable Value Recycling **Benefit:** Successful projects contribute back to the ecosystem, creating a virtuous funding cycle. **For the community:** - Treasury becomes regenerative rather than depleting over time - ADA holders benefit from ecosystem growth that contributes to treasury value - Long-term funding sustainability ensures continued innovation Through our voluntary contribution system, our target of 5% annual ROI over 10 years means that every 100 ADA invested should yield 105 ADA in value every year through either direct returns or ecosystem growth metrics. ### 5. Accelerated Development Velocity **Benefit:** Streamlined milestone management dramatically reduces payment delays and project abandonment. **For the community:** - Faster time-to-market for crucial ecosystem components - Reduced resource waste from abandoned projects - More reliable delivery of promised functionality ### 6. Sybil-Resistant, Privacy-Preserving Integrity **Benefit:** A robust system that resists manipulation while maintaining user privacy. **For the community:** - Confidence that voting outcomes reflect genuine community preferences - Protection against coordinated attacks or vote-buying schemes - Preservation of personal privacy through zero-knowledge proof verification - Our multi-layered defense can detect and prevent collusion attempts. ### 7. Governance Innovation Laboratory **Benefit:** Real-world testing of advanced voting mechanisms with immediate practical application. **For the community:** - Evidence-based insights for potential future governance improvements - Practical experience with quadratic voting that could inform broader Cardano governance - Testing ground for governance innovations that could be applied to Voltaire and beyond This implementation will generate data and insights that provide concrete evidence about how well quadratic funding works, helping to shape future Cardano governance decisions. ### 8. Protect Voter Anonymity While Maintaining Vote Integrity Using Hyperledger Identus, we ensure complete voter privacy while storing votes in a database and recording vote tallies as a Merkle Tree root on the Cardano blockchain. This system enables anonymous voting while guaranteeing the integrity of election results through blockchain verification. ### Return on Investment for the Cardano Community This proposal doesn't just benefit specific segments—it strengthens the entire ecosystem by: 1. **Enhancing decentralization:** Distributing decision-making power more equitably 2. **Accelerating adoption:** Funding more diverse applications that attract various user groups 3. **Improving sustainability:** Creating mechanisms for value to flow back into the ecosystem 4. **Building legitimacy:** Demonstrating Cardano's commitment to fair and transparent governance By addressing the current limitations of Project Catalyst without replacing it, we provide the community with complementary options that collectively strengthen Cardano's position as the most thoughtfully designed blockchain ecosystem for sustainable innovation.",It supports the product roadmap,Membership & Community Committee,"This proposal has been extensively discussed by the Cardano community members on Cardano Forum: https://forum.cardano.org/t/cardano-innovation-budget-proposal/143046/61 We've also hosted two Ask-Me-Anything (AMA) sessions https://app.apollo.io/#/conversation-shares/67e51a1771de8f00115e1e68-67e6011e6f7ed7001debe945 https://app.apollo.io/#/conversation-shares/67e4a3abda7144001d474c3a-67e601796f7ed7001debe975","### Introduction The Cardano ecosystem stands at a crucial point in its evolution. Having allocated over $150 million through Project Catalyst to fund 2,161 projects, we have witnessed both the remarkable potential and inherent challenges of our current funding mechanisms—challenges common across all blockchain ecosystems. As Cardano matures, so too must our approach to fostering innovation and allocating resources within the ecosystem. This proposal introduces Extended Quadratic Funding (EQF) as a complementary funding mechanism to Project Catalyst—designed not to replace but to enhance Cardano's innovation landscape by addressing five critical limitations in the current system: centralized voting power, limited treasury resources, inadequate impact reporting, unclear return on investment, and inefficient milestone management. Extended Quadratic Funding combines the mathematical elegance of quadratic voting with reputation-based mechanisms and decentralized governance to create a more equitable, efficient, and sustainable funding ecosystem. Our approach draws inspiration from successful quadratic funding implementations in other blockchain ecosystems while incorporating unique elements tailored to Cardano's specific needs and values. ### The Current Landscape: Achievements and Limitations of Project Catalyst Project Catalyst represents one of the largest decentralized innovation funds in the blockchain space, demonstrating Cardano's commitment to community-driven development. Through multiple funding rounds, it has supported a diverse array of projects spanning DeFi protocols, educational initiatives, infrastructure improvements, and real-world applications. However, as the ecosystem has grown, several structural limitations have become increasingly apparent which are common in all blockchain ecosystems: ### 1. Centralized Voting Power Recent research by Nelson et al. (2024) has quantified what many community members have observed anecdotally: voting power in Project Catalyst is highly concentrated. Their analysis revealed that in 97.5% of voting coalition scenarios, just 1.5% of wallets could determine the final outcome. This concentration reached its apex in Fund 13, where a single entity effectively controlled most funding decisions. This concentration creates several problems: - **Narrowed Innovation Focus**: When funding decisions reflect the interests of a few large stakeholders, we risk prioritizing certain types of projects while neglecting others that might better serve the broader ecosystem. - **Diminished Participation Incentives**: Small token holders have little motivation to participate in governance when their votes rarely influence outcomes. - **Vulnerability to Capture**: Concentrated decision-making power creates potential vulnerabilities to special interests that may not align with the ecosystem's long-term health. - **Inconsistency with Cardano's Philosophy**: The current voting mechanism contradicts Cardano's foundational commitment to decentralization and broad-based governance. ### 2. Limited Treasury Resources Every blockchain ecosystem has a finite treasury. As ecosystems grow and funding demands increase, treasuries face mounting pressure. The current model's exclusive reliance on treasury funds—without additional capital sources—limits both the number and scope of projects that can receive support. Furthermore, the all-or-nothing approach to project funding creates inefficiencies: projects either receive their requested amount or nothing at all, lacking mechanisms for partial funding based on broader community support. ### 3. Inadequate Impact Reporting Like all innovation funding systems, Project Catalyst faces challenges in establishing standardized mechanisms to track and report the impact of funded projects. This creates several challenges: - **Difficulty Measuring ROI**: Without consistent metrics, it's nearly impossible to evaluate the return on investment for ecosystem funds. - **Limited Learning Opportunities**: The absence of standardized impact data prevents the community from identifying successful funding patterns that could inform future allocations. - **Reduced Accountability**: Without transparent reporting requirements, funded teams have limited incentives to maximize their projects' ecosystem impact. - **Undermined Community Trust**: The lack of clear impact evidence can erode stakeholder confidence in the funding process over time. ### 4. Unclear Return on Investment The current funding model operates as a one-way flow of resources: treasury funds are allocated to projects without mechanisms for value to flow back to the ecosystem. While this grant-based approach is appropriate for many public goods, it fails to capture potential value from successful commercial projects that achieve significant traction or profitability. This limitation: - Reduces the treasury's long-term sustainability - Fails to maximize the ecosystem's return on successful projects - Creates a potential misalignment of incentives between funded teams and the broader community ### 5. Inefficient Milestone Management Milestone review processes across the industry, including Project Catalyst have become a significant challenge, with funded teams often waiting months for payments during review periods. These centralized, opaque processes create: - **Cash Flow Challenges**: Extended payment delays force teams to self-fund development, advantaging well-capitalized teams over bootstrapped innovators. - **Project Abandonment**: Payment delays have contributed to numerous teams abandoning funded projects, wasting both treasury resources and development efforts. - **Dispute Resolution Inefficiencies**: The current system requires the Catalyst team to mediate all disputes between reviewers and funded proposers, creating a significant administrative burden. - **Scaling Limitations**: As the number of funded projects grows, the centralized review process becomes increasingly untenable. ### Extended Quadratic Funding: A New Paradigm Extended Quadratic Funding addresses these limitations through five interconnected innovations: ### 1. Democratizing Decision-Making At the core of our proposal is a novel voting mechanism that balances financial contribution with demonstrated community impact. The EQF voting power calculation multiplies: 1. **The square root of the donation amount in USD** - Example: A $9 donation yields 3 votes (√9 = 3) - Example: A $100 donation yields 10 votes (√100 = 10) - Example: A $10,000 donation yields 100 votes (√10,000 = 100) 2. **Impact Score—a logarithmic representation of reputation** - Ranges from 300 to 850 (similar to credit score systems) - Increases more slowly as score rises (logarithmic scaling) This dual mechanism ensures that while financial contribution remains important, its influence is both: - **Mathematically constrained** through the square root function (quadratic scaling) - **Balanced by reputation** through the Impact Score multiplier For example: - A new community member donating $100 with a baseline Impact Score of 300 would have 10 × 300 = 3,000 voting power - An established contributor donating $100 with an Impact Score of 700 would have 10 × 700 = 7,000 voting power - A whale donating $10,000 with a baseline Impact Score would have 100 × 300 = 30,000 voting power This system significantly reduces the plutocratic effect of the current one-coin-one-vote system while maintaining ""skin in the game"" principles through financial contribution requirements. ### Sybil Resistance To protect the integrity of this system, we implement robust Sybil resistance through Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) verification powered by Hyperledger Identus (formerly Atala PRISM). This system: - Conducts zero-knowledge proof KYC checks to ensure each account represents a unique human - Preserves privacy by never storing personal identification information on-chain - Creates a one-human-one-account ecosystem without compromising user anonymity ### Anti-Collusion Mechanisms We employ four complementary strategies to prevent collusion: 1. **Reputation-Based Incentives**: High Impact Score individuals have strong incentives to maintain system integrity, as their accumulated reputation gives them advantages within the ecosystem. 2. **Graduated Penalties**: Those caught engaging in coordinated voting face escalating consequences: - First offense: Impact Score reduction - Severe or repeated offenses: Permanent platform ban - Since KYC verification is required, banned participants cannot simply create new identities 3. **Economic Disincentives**: Our fee structure makes vote-splitting unprofitable: - Platform fees decrease with donation size - This makes it more expensive to split funds across multiple accounts 4. Implement [Connection-Oriented Cluster Matching](https://www.gitcoin.co/blog/leveling-the-field-how-connection-oriented-cluster-matching-strengthens-quadratic-funding) 1. **Cluster Detection**: Groups users based on donation patterns and assigns weighted connection values 2. **Similarity Scoring**: Analyzes connections between donors to identify related groups 3. **Smart Fund Distribution**: Rewards projects with diverse donor bases while limiting funding for closely connected groups Together, these mechanisms make collusion economically irrational while preserving legitimate voting influence. ### 2. Multiplying Treasury Impact The Extended Quadratic Funding model transforms the treasury from the sole funding source to a catalytic multiplier of community resources. Here's how it works: 1. The Cardano treasury allocates a predetermined amount to the matching pool (e.g., $1M) 2. During the funding round, community members make direct donations to projects they support 3. These donations serve two purposes: - They provide direct funding to projects (projects keep 100% of direct donations) - They determine each project's share of the matching pool 4. The matching formula allocates treasury funds based on both donation amount and distribution: - Projects with many small donations receive proportionally more matching funds than those with a few large donations - This incentivizes projects to build broad community support rather than courting a few wealthy backers For example, consider two projects: - Project A receives 100 donations of $10 each (total: $1,000) - Project B receives 1 donation of $1,000 (total: $1,000) Though both raised the same amount, Project A would receive significantly more from the matching pool due to its broader support base—potentially 10× more. This mechanism creates powerful incentives: - **For donors**: Even small donations significantly boost a project's matching allocation - **For projects**: Building community support becomes as important as securing large contributions - **For the treasury**: Each allocated ADA potentially mobilizes additional external capital U.S. donors gain an additional benefit through our 501(c)(3) structure, making donations tax-deductible—creating unique incentives even outside the cryptocurrency ecosystem. ### 3. Standardized Impact Reporting All projects funded through the Extended Quadratic Funding mechanism must participate in standardized impact reporting. This includes: 1. **Mandatory Impact Accounting**: Each funded project must allocate a small portion of their funding to contract with a designated impact accountant from an approved pool. 2. **Standardized Metrics**: All projects report a core set of ecosystem impact metrics: - On-chain transactions generated - New wallets created - Active users acquired - Project-specific KPIs aligned with proposal goals 3. **Regular Reporting Cadence**: Metrics are reported on a standardized schedule: - Quarterly reports for one year after project completion - Annual reports for commercial projects with revenue-sharing agreements 4. **Public Dashboard**: All impact metrics are published on a public dashboard, creating unprecedented transparency into the outcomes of funded innovation. This comprehensive reporting system enables: - **Data-Driven Decisions**: Future funding rounds can be informed by concrete impact data - **Pattern Recognition**: The community can identify which types of projects deliver the highest ROI - **Accountability**: Funded teams have clear incentives to demonstrate meaningful ecosystem impact - **Learning Opportunities**: Unsuccessful projects provide valuable insights alongside successes ### 4. Sustainable Value Capture To ensure long-term treasury sustainability, we implement a voluntary contribution system where funded projects that achieve commercial success share value with the ecosystem. This operates through several mechanisms: 1. **Equity Agreements**: Commercial startups can offer a small equity stake (typically 1-3%) 2. **Token Allocations**: Projects launching tokens can allocate a portion to the ecosystem (typically 2-5%) 3. **Revenue Sharing**: Commercial applications can contribute a percentage of revenue (typically 1-3%) 4. **Alternative Value**: Some projects may contribute other assets like carbon credits or data access These contributions flow into a dedicated treasury separate from the main Cardano treasury but governed by the same community. This creates a virtuous cycle where successful projects help fund future innovation. Our target is to achieve an annual 5% ROI within 10 years across the entire portfolio. While ambitious, this benchmark is actually conservative compared to traditional venture capital expectations, reflecting our balanced approach to funding both public goods and commercial applications.","Since the 501(c)(3) status application process takes approximately 18 months, we are seeking a fiscal sponsor until approval.","### 5. Efficient Milestone Management Our milestone management system addresses the payment delays and dispute resolution challenges of the current system through a decentralized approach with built-in incentives: 1. **Streamlined Review Process**: - Milestone submissions trigger automatic reviewer assignment - Reviewers have 5 business days to complete reviews - Payment processing begins immediately upon approval 2. **Reviewer Incentives**: - Reviewers receive token incentives for prompt, thorough reviews - These incentives increase with review quality - Reviewers whose decisions are overturned forfeit their incentives 3. **Decentralized Dispute Resolution**: - Disputes trigger an escalation to a randomly selected panel of 3 judges - The panel's majority decision is final and executes automatically - Judges on panels receive additional incentives for participation - Full dispute resolution details: https://socious.gitbook.io/whitepaper/decentralized-dispute-resolution This system creates a self-balancing mechanism that rewards speed and accuracy while providing clear escalation paths when needed. Based on pilot implementation data, we project an average payment processing time of less than 7 days—a dramatic improvement over the current months-long delays. ### Funding Rounds Overview Our implementation will be executed through a carefully staged approach, designed to progressively test, validate, and scale the Extended Quadratic Funding (EQF) mechanism: ### Pilot Round: Proof of Concept - **Funding Amount**: $10,000 - **Timeline**: April to June - **Funding Source**: Socious initial contribution - **Objectives**: 1. Validate core technical infrastructure 2. Test initial identity verification processes 3. Demonstrate initial community engagement mechanisms 4. Validate Smart Contract functionality 5. Preliminary impact tracking system deployment ### Round 1: Mechanism Validation - **Funding Amount**: $500,000 - **Timeline**: July to September - **Key Deliverables**: 1. Full implementation of Extended Quadratic Funding voting mechanism 2. Funding 5-10 innovative Cardano projects 3. Develop and deploy initial impact tracking dashboard 4. Establish baseline metrics for future rounds - **Success Metrics**: - Minimum 25% community donation matching - Zero identified security vulnerabilities - Successful funding of diverse project types - Comprehensive impact reporting for all funded projects ### Round 2: Full-Scale Implementation - **Funding Amount**: $1,000,000 - **Timeline**: October to December - **Key Deliverables**: 1. Full deployment of Extended Quadratic Funding ecosystem 2. Funding 10-20 high-potential Cardano projects 3. Comprehensive impact tracking and ROI measurement system 4. Public transparency dashboard - **Success Metrics**: - 50% community donation matching rate - Demonstrable ecosystem impact across funded projects - Sophisticated impact measurement framework - Successful dispute resolution for any raised concerns ### Total Funding Breakdown **Total Funding Request**: $1.5 Million **Funding Allocation Principles**: - 100% direct distribution to Cardano projects - Zero operational costs from this funding request - Socious contributes $10,000 for the pilot round - Transparent milestone tracking for each project - Comprehensive impact and ROI tracking Extended Quadratic Funding is not intended to replace Project Catalyst but to complement it—creating a more diverse innovation funding ecosystem within Cardano. Just as the introduction of a Rust node alongside the Haskell implementation strengthens Cardano's technical infrastructure through diversity, multiple funding mechanisms create a more resilient innovation landscape. By addressing the five key limitations of the current system—centralized voting power, limited treasury resources, inadequate impact reporting, unclear return on investment, and inefficient milestone management—Extended Quadratic Funding will unlock new potential within the Cardano ecosystem. The insights gained through this implementation will not only directly benefit funded projects but also provide valuable data and experience that could inform future improvements to Project Catalyst itself and potentially broader Cardano governance mechanisms like Voltaire. In an ecosystem built on scientific rigor and evidence-based improvement, Extended Quadratic Funding represents the logical next step in Cardano's funding evolution—maintaining our commitment to decentralization while enhancing effectiveness, transparency, and sustainability. The Extended Quadratic Funding mechanism is designed as a self-sustaining system that will continue to deliver value to the Cardano ecosystem long after its initial development. Our comprehensive maintenance strategy encompasses multiple funding sources, operational sustainability measures, technical maintenance protocols, and governance evolution. ### Multi-source Funding Model We will establish a diversified funding approach to ensure financial sustainability beyond the initial treasury allocation: ### 1. External Capital Sources In addition to treasury funding, we will secure financial support from: - **High-net-worth individuals**: We have already received preliminary commitments from three blockchain investors interested in supporting innovative funding mechanisms. These individuals will contribute both financial resources and strategic guidance. - **Corporate partners**: We will establish partnerships with corporations interested in blockchain innovation, particularly those seeking to build applications on Cardano. Partners will contribute annual support in exchange for visibility and early access to promising projects. - **Philanthropic foundations**: Given our 501(c)(3) structure, we will pursue grants from foundations focused on decentralized governance, financial inclusion, and blockchain innovation. We have identified several foundations with aligned missions and will submit proposals. - **Development organizations**: International development institutions increasingly recognize blockchain's potential for achieving sustainable development goals. We will pursue partnerships with organizations like USAID, the World Bank, and various UN agencies that have expressed interest in blockchain governance innovations. ### 2. Value Capture from Funded Projects As outlined in our core proposal, the voluntary contribution mechanism will generate sustainable revenue through: - **Equity positions** in successful commercial ventures (typically 1-3%) - **Token allocations** from projects launching new assets (typically 2-5%) - **Revenue sharing agreements** with profitable applications (typically 1-3%) - **Other value-generating assets** created by funded projects ### 3. Platform Fee Structure We will implement a minimal and transparent fee structure: **Donation processing fees**: A sliding scale from 12% (small donations) to 2% (large donations) These fees are designed to be sustainable rather than profit-maximizing, covering operational costs while remaining significantly lower than traditional venture capital or crowdfunding platforms. ### Operational Sustainability ### 1. Core Team Structure We will maintain a lean core operation with three primary teams: - **Project Lead:** 1 FTE project lead overseeing all operations - **Platform Development:** 4 FTE engineers handling technical maintenance and enhancement - **Community Engagement:** 1 FTE community manager coordinating with participants and projects - **Fundraiser:** 1 FTE fundraiser securing external funding This streamlined team will be supplemented by: - A network of contracted specialists for specific enhancements - Community volunteers serving on governance committees - Project-specific impact accountants (funded through project allocations) ### 2. Knowledge Management and Continuity To ensure operational continuity: - All processes will be thoroughly documented in public repositories - Regular knowledge transfer sessions will prevent single points of failure - A succession planning framework will identify and develop future leadership - Community members will be systematically trained to assume increasing responsibility ### 3. Continuous Improvement Framework We will implement a formalized process for platform evolution: - Quarterly review cycles to identify improvement opportunities - Community-driven enhancement proposals - Annual strategic reassessment to align with ecosystem developments - Regular security audits and penetration testing ### Technical Maintenance ### 1. Smart Contract Management Our smart contract infrastructure will follow industry best practices: - Multi-signature control for critical contract functions - Time-lock delays for parameter changes - Comprehensive test coverage (>95%) - Regular security audits - Bug bounty program to incentivize vulnerability disclosure ### 2. Infrastructure Resilience To ensure continuous operation: - All critical components will be deployed with redundancy - Regular disaster recovery testing - Distributed hosting across multiple geographic regions - Progressive decentralization of infrastructure components ### Governance Evolution The governance of the platform itself will progressively decentralize: ### 1. Phase-based Transition - **Years 1-2**: Professional management with community input - **Years 3-4**: Hybrid governance with increasing community control - **Years 5+**: Fully decentralized community governance ### 2. Socious DAO By Year 3, we will transition maintenance decisions to Socious DAO: - Voting rights determined by contribution and reputation - Transparent treasury management - On-chain decision making for key parameters - Professional execution of community decisions ### Measuring Maintenance Success We will track the effectiveness of our maintenance strategy through: - System uptime and performance metrics - User satisfaction surveys - Cost per transaction analysis - Funding diversity ratios - Community participation rates - Governance participation metrics Regular public reporting on these metrics will ensure transparency regarding maintenance effectiveness and resource utilization. ### Conclusion The Extended Quadratic Funding model doesn't replace Project Catalyst but complements it, bringing additional funding, greater participation, and enhanced accountability to Cardano's innovation ecosystem. We want to emphasize Project Catalyst's remarkable achievements. The Catalyst team carefully listens to community feedback and improves with each round. For example, they removed the downvote feature in response to community input. In Fund 14, Catalyst plans to implement a generalized quadratic voting system. The impact Catalyst has had on the Cardano community cannot be overstated. The challenges mentioned above are common across the industry rather than specific to Catalyst. As noted earlier, the Extended Quadratic Funding model is designed to complement—not replace—Project Catalyst. The Extended Quadratic Funding mechanism is designed not just as a project but as a sustainable institution that can serve the Cardano ecosystem for many years. By combining treasury support with diverse external funding, value capture from successful projects, and efficient operations, we will ensure this innovation continues to benefit the community while progressively transitioning to community governance and ownership. ","## Comprehensive Funding and Innovation Deployment Strategy ### Funding Rounds Overview Our implementation will be executed through a carefully staged approach, designed to progressively test, validate, and scale the Extended Quadratic Funding (EQF) mechanism: ### Pilot Round: Proof of Concept - **Funding Amount**: $10,000 - **Timeline**: April to June - **Funding Source**: Socious initial contribution - **Objectives**: 1. Validate core technical infrastructure 2. Test initial identity verification processes 3. Demonstrate initial community engagement mechanisms 4. Validate Smart Contract functionality 5. Preliminary impact tracking system deployment ### Round 1: Mechanism Validation - **Funding Amount**: $500,000 - **Timeline**: July to September - **Key Deliverables**: 1. Full implementation of Extended Quadratic Funding voting mechanism 2. Funding 5-10 innovative Cardano projects 3. Develop and deploy initial impact tracking dashboard 4. Establish baseline metrics for future rounds - **Success Metrics**: - Minimum 25% community donation matching - Zero identified security vulnerabilities - Successful funding of diverse project types - Comprehensive impact reporting for all funded projects ### Round 2: Full-Scale Implementation - **Funding Amount**: $1,000,000 - **Timeline**: October to December - **Key Deliverables**: 1. Full deployment of Extended Quadratic Funding ecosystem 2. Funding 10-20 high-potential Cardano projects 3. Comprehensive impact tracking and ROI measurement system 4. Public transparency dashboard - **Success Metrics**: - 50% community donation matching rate - Demonstrable ecosystem impact across funded projects - Sophisticated impact measurement framework - Successful dispute resolution for any raised concerns ### Total Funding Breakdown **Total Funding Request**: $1.5 Million **Funding Allocation Principles**: - 100% direct distribution to Cardano projects - Zero operational costs from this funding request - Transparent milestone tracking for each project - Comprehensive impact and ROI tracking ## Tangible Deliverables ### Technical Infrastructure **Impact Tracking Platform** - Real-time project impact dashboard - Standardized metrics collection system - Comprehensive reporting infrastructure ### Community Deliverables 1. **Public Transparency Dashboard** - Real-time funding allocation tracking - Project progress monitoring - Impact measurement visualization 2. **Community Engagement Toolkit** - Guides for project submission - Voting participation instructions - Impact reporting templates ## Definition of Done: Comprehensive Success Criteria ### Technical Success - Successful deployment of quadratic funding platform - Zero critical security vulnerabilities - 99.9% system uptime during funding rounds - Scalable infrastructure supporting 100+ concurrent projects ### Funding Success - Minimum 25% external donation matching in Round 1 - Minimum 50% external donation matching in Round 2 - Funding of minimum 15-30 diverse Cardano ecosystem projects - Demonstrable ecosystem value creation ### Impact Measurement Success - Comprehensive impact reports for 100% of funded projects - Standardized ROI tracking across all funded initiatives - Public dashboard showing ecosystem-wide impact metrics ### Governance Success - Transparent decision-making processes - Successful community engagement in governance ### Long-term Ecosystem Success - Establishment of sustainable funding mechanism - Proof of concept for decentralized innovation funding - Potential template for future blockchain ecosystem funding models ## Post-Implementation Commitment Beyond the initial funding rounds, we commit to: - Continuous system improvement - Ongoing community engagement - Transparent reporting of findings - Open-source sharing of implementation learnings ### Knowledge Contribution We will produce and publicly share: - Comprehensive implementation report - Technical infrastructure documentation - Impact measurement methodology - Lessons learned and recommendations for future funding mechanisms The Extended Quadratic Funding proposal represents more than a funding mechanism—it's a comprehensive ecosystem innovation tool designed to democratize and optimize Cardano's innovation potential. By delivering these tangible outputs, we aim to create a replicable, transparent, and community-driven funding model that can serve as a blueprint for decentralized innovation support.","To be clear, we are not requesting any operational costs from this funding—100% of the funds will go directly to supporting Cardano projects. Notwithstanding, please find our answers below: ## Team Composition and Roles ### Core Team (Full-Time) ### 1. Project Lead (1 FTE) **Responsibilities:** - Overall strategic direction - Stakeholder management - Governance coordination - Ecosystem relationship building - Risk management - Long-term vision implementation **Required Skills:** - Blockchain ecosystem experience - Project management expertise - Strong communication skills - Understanding of quadratic funding mechanisms - Network within Cardano and broader blockchain community ### 2. Technical Development Team (4 FTE) **Team Composition:** - Lead Blockchain Engineer (1 FTE) - Smart Contract Specialist (1 FTE) - Full-Stack Developer (1 FTE) - DevOps/Infrastructure Engineer (1 FTE) **Responsibilities:** - Smart contract development and auditing - Identity verification system implementation - Voting mechanism infrastructure - Impact tracking platform development - Security and performance optimization - Continuous integration and deployment - Technical documentation **Required Skills:** - Advanced blockchain development - Smart contract expertise (Plutus/Cardano) - Full-stack development - Security best practices - DevOps and cloud infrastructure - Experience with zero-knowledge proof systems ### 3. Community Manager (1 FTE) **Responsibilities:** - Community engagement strategy - Communication across Cardano ecosystem - Participant onboarding and support - Community feedback collection - Educational content creation - Social media and public relations - Event coordination **Required Skills:** - Community building expertise - Strong communication skills - Understanding of blockchain ecosystems - Content creation capabilities - Social media management ### 4. Fundraiser (1 FTE) **Responsibilities:** - Grant application development - Corporate and philanthropic partnership cultivation - Investor relations - Funding strategy development - Financial proposal preparation - ROI and impact reporting for potential supporters **Required Skills:** - Fundraising experience in tech/blockchain - Strong writing and presentation skills - Network in venture capital and philanthropic circles - Understanding of blockchain funding mechanisms ### Part-Time Advisory Team (2 FTE) ### Financial/Legal/Impact Advisors **Composition:** - Financial/Economic Advisor (0.5 FTE) - Legal Compliance Specialist (0.5 FTE) - Impact Measurement Expert (1 FTE) **Responsibilities:** - Regulatory compliance guidance - Financial modeling - Risk assessment - Legal structure optimization - Impact measurement framework development - ROI calculation methodologies - Reporting standards development **Required Skills:** - Blockchain regulatory expertise - Financial modeling - Impact measurement techniques - Legal understanding of decentralized systems ## Project Timeline and Resource Allocation ### Preparation Phase (Months 1-2) **Focus Areas:** - Technical infrastructure design - Governance framework development - Initial smart contract prototyping - Legal structure establishment **Resource Allocation:** - Technical Team: 100% - Project Lead: 75% - Community Manager: 25% - Fundraiser: 50% - Advisors: 50% ### Pilot Round Implementation (Months 3-4) **Focus Areas:** - Identity verification system - Initial smart contract deployment - Community engagement strategy - First funding round preparation **Resource Allocation:** - Technical Team: 100% - Project Lead: 100% - Community Manager: 75% - Fundraiser: 50% - Advisors: 75% ### First Full Funding Round (Months 5-7) **Focus Areas:** - Comprehensive system testing - Full deployment of quadratic funding mechanism - Initial project funding - Impact tracking system launch **Resource Allocation:** - Technical Team: 100% - Project Lead: 100% - Community Manager: 100% - Fundraiser: 75% - Advisors: 100% ### Second Full Funding Round (Months 8-10) **Focus Areas:** - System optimization - Scaling infrastructure - Advanced impact measurement - Governance decentralization preparation **Resource Allocation:** - Technical Team: 100% - Project Lead: 100% - Community Manager: 100% - Fundraiser: 100% - Advisors: 100% ### Sustainability and Transition Phase (Months 11-12) **Focus Areas:** - Comprehensive reporting - Lessons learned documentation - Preparation for community-led governance - Long-term sustainability planning **Resource Allocation:** - Technical Team: 75% - Project Lead: 100% - Community Manager: 75% - Fundraiser: 50% - Advisors: 75% ## Total Resource Requirements ### Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Breakdown - Total Core Team FTEs: 7 - Total Part-Time Advisory FTEs: 2 - Total Project FTEs: 9 ### Estimated Effort Distribution - Development: 40% - Community Engagement: 20% - Governance and Strategy: 20% - Fundraising and Partnerships: 10% - Reporting and Impact Measurement: 10% ## Additional Resource Considerations ### External Support - Legal Consultation: Ongoing, part-time - Blockchain Ecosystem Advisors: Strategic, periodic engagement ### Contingency Planning - Cross-training team members for role flexibility - Established backup and knowledge transfer protocols ## Cost Efficiency Strategies - Leverage open-source tools and community resources - Utilize decentralized collaboration platforms - Implement efficient project management methodologies - Continuous skills development and internal knowledge sharing The proposed resource allocation provides a comprehensive, flexible approach to implementing the Extended Quadratic Funding mechanism. By carefully staged involvement of our multidisciplinary team, we can efficiently develop, deploy, and optimize this innovative funding solution for the Cardano ecosystem.","Our team is uniquely qualified to deliver this project successfully. We have the expertise and capabilities to execute with the highest standards of trust and accountability. Our extensive experience spans Project Catalyst, Singularity Net Community's Deep Funding, and GitCoin. Working with these innovation funding platforms has given us valuable insights into improving funding mechanisms. We bring deep expertise in Hyperledger Identus, having developed an enterprise-grade self-sovereign identity system currently used by 13 universities. We are also active contributors to the Hyperledger Identus open-source repository. Socious is a fast-growing impact startup backed by 500Global, Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. Our team brings together experts in impact measurement, legal, finance, data science, design, and blockchain development. We have 12 full-time members and 20+ part-time contributors. Our team members include: [](https://cardano.ideascale.com/a/community-id/163/attachments/embedded-files/embedded-idea-custom-field-image-efcdbd/jpeg) **Seira Yun** Title: Founder and CEO Role: Product Ownership, Project Management, Research Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seirayun/ Bio: Seira Yun is a Cardano Ambassador and an ICC member. He is a serial impact entrepreneur and an impact angel investor with years of experience in the impact sector, leading teams within the ICRC, UNHCR, and social ventures. As a full-stack developer with a Master's degree in Social Innovation from the University of Cambridge, Seira enjoys blending technology with purpose. Upon exiting his first social venture in 2021, he founded Socious, a decentralized talent marketplace that uses blockchain for verified certificates and AI for matching individuals to meaningful jobs, eliminating background checks and fostering social and environmental change. He is also a board member at TELL, a suicide prevention non-profit. When not working, you can find Seira shooting hoops, running, reading, and spending quality time with his kids. [](https://cardano.ideascale.com/a/community-id/163/attachments/embedded-files/embedded-idea-custom-field-image-f11976/jpeg) **Chrisanne Yee** Title: Chief of Staff Role: Project Management Assistant, Admin and Finance. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisanneyee/ Bio: Chrisanne is trilingual in English, Chinese and Japanese. She has experience with marketing and business development. Chrisanne is an active Cardano community member and serves as an alternate to the Constitutional Convention in Argentina. [](https://cardano.ideascale.com/a/community-id/163/attachments/embedded-files/embedded-idea-custom-field-image-4e5413/jpg) **Taichi Yokoyama** Title: Head of Events Role: Event management LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mryokoyama/ Bio: Taichi is an entrepreneur and a Cardano Stake Pool Operator (AIRX). Taichi is an active Cardano community member and serves as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in Argentina. [](https://cardano.ideascale.com/a/community-id/163/attachments/embedded-files/embedded-idea-custom-field-image-1bcfeb/png) **Ehsan Mahmoudi** Title: Lead Developer Role: Backend/Blockchain/AI Engineering LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ehsan-mahmoudi-611123b8/ Bio: More than 8 years of experience in Python and Machine Learning as well as extensive experience in blockchain development. Ehsan has worked for global startups including Rechat, AEC, and Navaak. Ehsan is a Cardano community member for the past 3 years. [](https://cardano.ideascale.com/a/community-id/163/attachments/embedded-files/embedded-idea-custom-field-image-17ee38/png) **Sanaz Mahmoudi** Title: Senior Frontend Developer Role: Frontend Development LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanaz-mahmoudi/ Bio: An experienced frontend developer with 7+ years of experience. Sanaz is a Cardano community member for the past 2 years. **Mohammad Balkhani** Title: Software Engineer Role: Backend and DevOps Engineering Commitment: Full-time LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammad-hosein-balkhani/ Bio: An experienced software engineer with 7+ years of experience. Mohammad is a Cardano community member for the past year. To supplement our core team, we maintain a reserve of skilled freelancers, ready to contribute at short notice. Our talent marketplace, Socious, is a hub for over 12,000 individuals, many of whom could potentially assist in this project, if required. The trustworthiness in our fund management processes is grounded in our serious adherence to legal and financial compliance. Each transaction conducted is meticulously documented with tangible evidence and audited internally for accuracy. To bolster our commitment to financial transparency, we have established collaborations with external accounting firms that assure compliance. We work with [Tatsumi Accounting Firm](https://kessan-online.jp/company) and [BBCIncorp](https://bbcincorp.com/offshore/accounting-and-auditing). Additionally, we liaise with an external law firm, [Enlighten Law Group](https://www.enlightenlaw.com/), to ensure full legal compliance. This meticulous, multilayered approach to fund management reflects our dedication to maintaining high levels of trust and accountability.",Milestone Based Fixed Price,1500000,1,United States Dollar,1500000,"Round 1 Funding: ADA 500,000 Round 2 Funding: ADA 1,000,000 Total: ADA 1,500,000 - 100% of funds directly distributed to Cardano projects - Zero operational costs from this funding request - Socious contributes $10,000 for the pilot round ## Why this amount? This $1.5M funding request, split into two rounds ($500K and $1M), is informed by Gitcoin ecosystem research. Data shows that, on average, every $1.00 from matching fund donors generates an additional $0.75 in community contributions (source: [Open Source Observer](https://docs.opensource.observer/blog/gitcoin-grants-impact/)). However, effectiveness depends on pool size. Smaller pools (under $250K) typically yield just $0.30 per dollar, while larger pools drive higher participation (source: [Gitcoin Blog](https://www.gitcoin.co/blog/how-to-design-grants-rounds-for-success)). For example, Gitcoin Round 12—their largest to date—raised $6.1M, with $3M from the matching pool and $3.1M from the community (source: [Gitcoin GR12 Results](https://www.gitcoin.co/blog/gr12-results)). Our strategy is to optimize matching pool efficiency by targeting rounds exceeding $3M, where each dollar in the pool generates at least $1.00 in community funds. For our initial $1M matching pool round, we project $0.50 in community contributions per dollar, setting a strong foundation for growth. This specific funding request of $1.5M, divided into two rounds ($500k and $1M), is based on research from the Gitcoin ecosystem. On average, every $1.00 contributed by matching fund donors generates an additional $0.75 from the community. # FAQ ## How do we prevent low voter turnout? Each round will have a minimum voter turnout threshold—rounds supported by the Cardano treasury will only proceed after receiving at least 3,000 votes.","[{""id"":2111,""prop_link"":""https://shinid.notion.site/A-Catalyst-Alternative-Extended-Quadratic-Funding-Zero-Operational-Costs-1c03d106030b80ac8f00c891a16b3141?pvs=4"",""prop_link_text"":""For additional information, documentation, and videos, please see: ""},{""id"":2112,""prop_link"":""https://socious.org/"",""prop_link_text"":""Website""},{""id"":2114,""prop_link"":""https://socious.gitbook.io/fund"",""prop_link_text"":""Documentation""},{""id"":2113,""prop_link"":""https://shinid.notion.site/1de3d106030b80638e57f69cc0a5721b?pvs=4"",""prop_link_text"":""日本語版 Executive Summary""},{""id"":2115,""prop_link"":""https://shinid.notion.site/Videos-Complement-Catalyst-1df3d106030b80e58d24c0ca89f8691c?pvs=4"",""prop_link_text"":""Videos: https://shinid.notion.site/Videos-Complement-Catalyst-1df3d106030b80e58d24c0ca89f8691c?pvs=4""}]",TRUE,17,2025-04-01T15:03:18.101Z 685,Blockfrost Platform community budget proposal,blockfrost.iog,Core,Company,IOG Singapore Pte Ltd,blockfrost.io,Singapore,,,,marek.mahut@iohk.io,Please see section Introduction of the proposal.,,Please see section Decentralizing Blockfrost of the proposal.,SPO Incentive Improvements,None,Please see section Community Engagement of the proposal.,"# Introduction Blockfrost is a powerful API platform that gives anyone access to the Cardano Blockchain and functionality without the need to run your own Node. Our API is designed with developers in mind, and offers tools that remove the complexity of direct node interactions, so anyone can start building on Cardano and launch projects on an afforable, stable and user-friendly framework. Blockfrost was originally developed by Five Binaries and is now maintained under the IOG Umbrella. ## Decentralizing Blockfrost The demand for a reliable infrastructure and tools that support development is what lead to the creating of Blockfrost. If you have interacted witht he Cardano Blockchain, there is a good chance you were interacting with Blockfrost in the background. But this level of adoption has come with some trade-offs. At it's peak, Blockfrost was handling over 50% of all on-chain transactions on Cardano. We recognize this concentration is in contrast to the decentralized nature of the blockchain, and have actively been working to decentralize Blockfrost for the benefit of the Cardano community. Together with Stake Pool Operators (SPOs) and node operators, we have started the initial phase of what we call the Icebreakers era, an incentivized program designed to decentralize Cardano data access and reward the incredible node operator community. ### The Icebreakers The Icebreakers is decentralized network of endpoints that allow developers to access Cardano data through a set of reliable node operators, instead of relying on a single centralized source. By joining the Icebreaker program, SPOs and other Cardano node operators can monetize their existing infrastructure by processing API requests as part of the Blockfrost network. ## Deliverables To ensure transparency and to prevent vendor lock-in, we are open-sourcing all components of the deliverables. This includes the infrastructure, libraries and documentation. Our primary focus on two key projects: The Blockfrost Platform and the Blockfrost Gateway. Both are designed to expand the capabilities of the Icebreaker network. ### Blockfrost Platform The Blockfrost platform is a next-generation backend designed to run on existing SPO relays, utilizing existing resources and rewarding operators with a share of Blockfrost's current revenue by serving our existing customers. ### Blockfrost Gateway The Blockfrost gateway is the entry point for individual SPOs running the Blockfrost platform. Through the gateway, SPOs can receive requests from Blockfrost users. In return for processing these requests, they earn a share of the revenue. With the Blockfrost Gateway, anyone can run their own Blockfrost instance with their own platform. We plan to use Hydra to open micro-payment channels between parties, enabling them to exchange ADA or other tokens for their services. We are also developing the Solitary mode, which is designed for teams that require full ownership of their enviroment. Developers and enterprise customers can deploy a customized and independent Blockfrost instance with complete control of the infrastructure, uptime and security. ## KPIs Our proposal follows the milestones outlined in the roadmap below. In addition, we commit to the following KPIs: * At least 100 active Icebreakers by end of year, 2025 * 100% of transactions submitted through Blockfrost will be handled by the Icebreakers by end of year, 2025 * Quarterly updates provided on the SPO call * Monthly community development call ## Roadmap & Timelines The Blockfrost [Roadmap](https://github.com/orgs/blockfrost/projects/17/views/1) ([roadmap view](https://github.com/orgs/blockfrost/projects/17/views/2)) is publically available on our Github and has been structured into distinct eras. You can also watch the [walkthrough video on our roadmap](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RedwIYmAgc). All milestones are clearly documented and tracked on our Github roadmap to promote accountability and transparancy. #### Icebreakers era * [Icebreakers: Blockfrost platform initial release](https://github.com/blockfrost/blockfrost-platform/issues/305) * [Icebreakers: Transaction submission endpoint](https://github.com/blockfrost/blockfrost-platform/issues/274) * [Icebreakers: Platform gateway](https://github.com/blockfrost/blockfrost-platform/issues/276) * [Icebreakers: Onboarding](https://github.com/blockfrost/blockfrost-platform/issues/284) * [Icebreakers: Live ledger endpoints](https://github.com/blockfrost/blockfrost-platform/issues/275) * [Icebreakers: Infrastructure deployment](https://github.com/blockfrost/blockfrost-platform/issues/281) * [Icebreakers: Data nodes support](https://github.com/blockfrost/blockfrost-platform/issues/279) * [Icebreakers: Conformance testing](https://github.com/blockfrost/blockfrost-platform/issues/304) * [Icebreakers: Caching and invalidation](https://github.com/blockfrost/blockfrost-platform/issues/280) #### Hopper era * [Hopper: Research into payments channels between the platform and the consumer](https://github.com/blockfrost/blockfrost-platform/issues/287) * [Hopper: Hydra payment channels between platform and gateway](https://github.com/blockfrost/blockfrost-platform/issues/277) * [Hopper: Hydra payment channel between gateway and consumer](https://github.com/blockfrost/blockfrost-platform/issues/278) ## Position with the Cardano Vision and Roadmap for 2025 In March, the majority of DReps voted to adopt the strategic document [Cardano Vision and Roadmap for 2025](https://adastat.net/governances/56f39054758f1a3cedc1de9225d66bf270b62dfdbfbc5399f1d6d43aceffc63600). Our proposal directly addresses the document's item: ""Decentralize data API services to reduce reliance on centralized providers and empower SPOs."" We are decentralizing the Blockfrost API and increasing the SPO incentives, at the same time. ## Proposed budget The majority of our budget is allocated to developer salaries. We are requesting an annual budget of $120,000 to support one full-time employee (FTE). Our total funding request from the treasury is $650,000, which is equivalent to approximately 1,300,000 ADA based on the current rate of 0.50 USD per ADA. ### Team The team that is working on the deliverble is as follows: * [Marek](https://github.com/mmahut): Primary project lead (part-time) * [Beatrice](https://github.com/opacular): Community engagement lead and onboarding (part-time) * [Vladimir](https://github.com/vladimirvolek): Gateway lead * [Michal](https://github.com/michalrus): Platform lead * [Sefa](https://github.com/ginnun): Caching lead * [Bart](https://github.com/bslabiak): Conformance testing lead This amounts to total of 5 FTEs. ### Audit Following the completion of the Icebreaker and Hopper eras, we plan to conduct a security audit of the developed code by a trusted third party. We estimate the cost of this audit to be $50,000. ## Community Engagement As part of the budget process, we plan to host several recorded community calls for DReps and other community members to discuss this proposal. Records of these calls will be posted in [the Github rendered version of this proposal](https://mmahut-2025budget.blockfrost-platform.pages.dev/budget). If you have questions that is not addressed in our FAQ or covered in this document, feel free to reach out to the team through our support channels: * Discord: [IOG's technical Discord](https://discord.gg/3dHCe6X88f) * E-mail: support@blockfrost.io * Twitter/X: [@Blockfrost_io](https://x.com/Blockfrost_io) ## FAQ - Can I also contribute to these efforts? - Definitely! All the deliverables are open-source and we welcome everyone who want to contribute to open an issue on our Github. - Didn't IOG already post their budget? Why you are not including there? - IOE (Input Output Engineering) is a different entity than Blockfrost, therefore we are proposing our own budget. - Is there any dependency or overlap between this proposal and past Catalyst proposals? - There is no dependency or overlap of this proposal with any other Blockfrost proposal. However, there are dependencies that we're using that has been funded by project Catalyst in the future. Pallas is a Rust library that I know have received funding before. We are also going to use Cardano Data nodes such as Dolos that I also know have received funding before too. We are building on shoulders of giants and none of this would be possible without these mature tools. - Following completion of this proposal, will there be any additional requests to Treasury or Catalyst submissions related to the maintenance of this proposal deliverables, or will this service be self-sustaining once work on this proposal is complete? - At this moment, we do not know. As with all software in use, the Blockfrost Platform will also require resources for maintenance. That said, we're in the early stages and are exploring potential other sources of funding. As we are slowly handing over revenue to SPOs, we were thinking perhaps a DAO model, where a portion of the fees goes to the ""Blockfrost treasury,"" could fund this in the future. Full disclosure, we have also discussed a potential token launch that might be used to secure this DAO. However, this is still early and needs discussion with the community too. - Can you show in some way that 1.3 million ada is a reasonable cost? For example, can you get recommendations from other community developers that this is roughly what it should be, or provide an estimate of the amount of work required? - This is an excellent question, and I like the idea of gathering insights from other builderrs in the community. I'm not certain if this is the optimal approach, but we have posted a call for opinions on our Twitter, and I hope we will receive valuable feedback on this topic. The discussion is happening at [this thread](https://x.com/blockfrost_io/status/1913567785659023740). - Will anyone be able to run an Icebreaker, or does this needs approval from Blockfrost? Will there be a limit on the number of Icebreakers? - At the moment, this is limited by a NFT license (that we provide for free, we just want to have contact information of which SPO is running which node, all one need is just to fill up a form to get one), given we're just in beta testing phase. When the beta testing is over, anyone will be able to join the clusters - not only SPOs but also full wallet users. Additionally, I think an important note is that anyone would be able to run their entire Blockfrost gateway cluster and ""their own"" Icebreakers. I envision that groups of SPOs might get together and start their own clusters with their own pricing, SLAs, endpoints etc and start to compete. We are also researching how we could have a decentralized P2P marketplace for Icebreakers to offer their services (imagine just setting the price per request on your Icebreaker, starting it and it will just connect to a cluster without you having to choose one) - but this is out of scope for this year as much more research needs to be done. - How will the revenue sharing model for Icebreakers be structured? Specifically, could you elaborate on how the share of Blockfrost revenue will be calculated and distributed to participating node operators? - The pricing will be per request. When you look at our website, the price customer pays for 1M requests is around ~4 ADA. At the moment, we are rewarding Icebreakers with a minimum of 20 USD in ADA monthly, as the traffic to them is still small (under 20 USD), but as soon that traffic increases, they will be paid what they have served. In the future, when the full traffic is going to be handled fully in decentralized way, we will introduce a tax parameter, that will take a cut of all revenue and allocate it to the Blockfrost gateway to fund the infrastructure and administrative fees for running it. I imagine people will compete in a way that will start new Gateways with lower taxes to attract the Icebreakers. We are also investigating a possible DAO for this, but this is still in research and out of scope for this 2025 proposal. We have collected questions from the community and we are adding [it to the budget community Github PR](https://github.com/blockfrost/blockfrost-platform/pull/310). The rendered version of this proposal can be found at [this link](https://mmahut-2025budget.blockfrost-platform.pages.dev/budget). ",See section Deliverables of the proposal.,See section Roadmap & Timelines of the proposal.,See section Deliverables of the proposal.,See section Proposed budget of the proposal.,We are the founding team of Blockfrost.io.,Milestone Based Fixed Price,1300000,0.5,United States Dollar,650000,Please see section Proposed budget of the proposal.,"[{""id"":2331,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/blockfrost/blockfrost-platform/pull/310"",""prop_link_text"":""Github budget proposal link request""},{""id"":2332,""prop_link"":""https://mmahut-2025budget.blockfrost-platform.pages.dev/budget"",""prop_link_text"":""Github budget proposal rendered version""},{""id"":2333,""prop_link"":""https://blockfrost.io/"",""prop_link_text"":""Blockfrost.io""},{""id"":2334,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/blockfrost/blockfrost-platform"",""prop_link_text"":""Blockfrost platform Github repository""},{""id"":2335,""prop_link"":""https://icebreakers.blockfrost.io/"",""prop_link_text"":""Icebreakers' public Grafana dashboard""},{""id"":2336,""prop_link"":""https://x.com/blockfrost_io"",""prop_link_text"":""Blockfrost.io X account""}]",TRUE,23,2025-04-18T13:29:49.685Z 558,zkFold ZK Rollup,zkfold,Core,Company,zkFold SA,zkfold.io,Switzerland,,,,https://x.com/zkFold,"Scalability is a challenge for Cardano. As it grows, more dApps and users join, the demand for processing capacity increases, leading to congestion, slower transaction times, and higher fees.",,"zkFold will develop and implement ZK rollups on Cardano to scale it efficiently, promoting broader adoption and supporting an ecosystem of decentralized applications and services. Overall, our proposal will have the following positive impact on the Cardano ecosystem: - Improved Scalability: ZK rollups enable Cardano to process significantly more transactions per second (TPS) by bundling and verifying transactions off-chain. This reduces congestion, benefiting users by ensuring faster and more efficient dApp interactions. - Lower Transaction Costs: By reducing the number of transactions directly processed on-chain, ZK rollups lower the transaction fees, making Cardano more accessible and affordable, especially for smaller transactions or micro-payments. - Enhanced User Experience: Lower fees create a smoother experience for users interacting with dApps, decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms, and NFT marketplaces. - Increased Adoption: ZK rollups can make the Cardano ecosystem more attractive for developers and users, promoting the growth of dApps, DeFi, and other blockchain applications by offering higher performance and scalability. - Maintained Security: ZK rollups allow for scalability improvements without compromising the security and decentralization of the Cardano base layer, as Cardano still plays the role of the settlement layer for the rollup transactions.",L2 Expansion,Technical Steering Committee,We are already developing the ZK Rollup on Cardano with our own funding and our goal is to release a testnet asap.,"ZK rollups address the scalability problem. Hundreds of transactions can be submitted as a single batch, reducing the load on the L1. Cardano can achieve higher throughput and lower transaction costs. zkFold offers to build a general-purpose zero knowledge rollup solution for Cardano. A zero knowledge rollup is a technological layer (Layer 2) on top of a blockchain that increases the blockchain’s scalability potential by compressing many transactions into transaction batches. As batches offer a greater degree of information compression, it is reasonable to expect that hundreds of rollup smart contract transactions might fit into a single Cardano mainnet transaction. Zero knowledge proofs technology places a limit on the cost of on-chain verification of the validity of transaction batches. Specifically, the batch verification fits well within the Execution Unit limits set at the protocol level, as demonstrated by the prototype created by the zkFold team",None,We have included maintenance costs into the projects´s budget,"Milestones: - Rollup documentation - Transaction aggregation server - Wallet API - Indexer API - Rollup validation logic implementation - Toolkit for DApp integration","Budget for 12 months: - Complete MVP: 180k $ - Integration with wallets: 100k $ - Integration with Cardano indexers: 100k $ - Aggregation server optimization: 120k $ - Client-side proving optimization: 120k $ - Tools for DApp integration: 240k $","zkFold team has successfully moving towards the TestNet of our ZK Rollup. The zkFold team consists of expert Haskell, Rust, and ZKP developers and Cryptographers.",Milestone Based Fixed Price,1161000,1.35,United States Dollar,860000,"Complete MVP: 180k $ Integration with wallets: 100k $ Integration with Cardano indexers: 100k $ Aggregation server optimization: 120k $ Client-side proving optimization: 120k $ Tools for DApp integration: 240k $",[],TRUE,23,2025-04-01T15:04:49.194Z 157,Cardano Ecosystem Pavilions at Exhibitions,invalideutxo,Marketing & Innovation,Company,Supplyoneers FZ-LLC,discovercardano.com,United Arab Emirates,,,,@discovercardano,"There is a genuine need to get more of a Cardano presence at Exhibitions around the world, but the costs are prohibitive for many projects currently. Although everyone knows of ""Cardano"", they know very little, if anything about what has and is being built here or how to build here. We also need to attract more people to the ecosystem, whether its investors, developers or users. Exhibitions are often a key part of all of these audiences decision making when choosing where to base themselves. ",,The funds will provide a partial subsidy to projects so they can afford to be present at exhibitions that will benefit them. Part of the funding will enable us to be able to provide support to the projects to ensure they get the most out of the event.,It doesn't align,Marketing Committee,"Over the last 6 weeks, I have been socialising and refining the proposal based on community feedback in Discord and twitter spaces. Here is a link to a tweet where I have asked for the community to record their endorsement: https://x.com/invalid_eutxo/status/1908166826095194154 ","We propose to host Ecosystem Pavilions at numerous Exhibitions around the world. The funding will ensure that projects are able to have access to much more affordable prices to have a presence at the event. Non of the spots or travel budgets will be 100% funded. We will also be ensuring that projects that sign up understand the importance of pre event work, during the event work and follow up work to achieve the best possible ROI. The aim is that it will give projects a more affordable entry and education into how to truly make the most of exhibitions and marketing. Please visit out website for a more thorough breakdown and explanation:","This proposal has no other funding dependancies. Discover Cardano staff that would be involved in these events are already in place and is self funded and working on other aspects right now. If this proposal gets funded, It will likely drive the priority/order of what content is created and when to fit in with the timelines for each event. ","After the events have taken place, one of the things we will be doing is asking projects to provide feedback on the effectiveness and we will provide support to them all to ensure follow ups are done etc.. Again, the staff that would do this are employed by Discover Cardano already. Regarding the Dispersal of subsidies, we will require projects that sign up to initially provide the funds for their pod spot, then they provide us with the booking payment confirmations for flights and hotel and they receive the amount they are entitled to by the end of the month (as long as they submit before the 20th of each month, otherwise it will be paid the end of the following month.) ","The Pavilions need to be paid for as far in advance as possible to ensure the best price and position is achieved. So the majority of the funds will need to be released upon successful application confirmation. But from a milestone POV, we will be providing plenty of proof that the event took place, along with Follow up calls etc and KPI gathering. In terms of Monetary ROI/KPIs: $839k ask is for partial subsidy for projects to fund Travel and prvide much more accessible exhibition options. The value of which is $839k. We believe we can achieve a CAC of $140 per user which is well below industry average of $239. this is based on 6k new users onboarded directly from the events using Proof of onboarding tokens We expect 10,000 QR code scans to follow projects on Cardano. a reversal of downard trend of Ada ownership in Surveys from 12% to 17% an increased trend of 9% intent to buy ADA to 15% in surveys 100 developers signed up to Cardano academy 25 Vc firms contact details handed over to Cardano foundation positive feedback from project indicating they would be willing to Exhibit again as they se the benefits 10 Projects exhibiting without funding at all in the future. All information and more details can be found on the website linked in the proposal. ","There will be 4 Discover Cardano staff working on this in part, throughout the year. We are applying for funding for Pavilions that will hold 10 Project stands at 10 exhibitions. plus 2 booths. The Staff are already employed with work outside of this proposal. We will Divert Resource accordingly to support this if funded. We would like to see that there are at least 50 Projects that will be able to utilise this project and that after the end of the year, they can attest in person to the benefits of exhibiting at the right events for their platform. On top of that, at least 2 of our staff will be walking the events and doing short surveys with visitors, designed to gauge peoples knowledge of Cardano ecosystem. As the year progresses, we aim to see an uptick in peoples knowledge of the opportunity that Cardano represents. (Beyond just knowing ADA is a top 10 Crypto)","Personally I have 15 years experience at over 75 exhibitions and conferences around the world in various industries. I have also in the past benefited from Industry and Government Grant subsidy schemes for such activities. So I am employing the best fit here into my proposal for where we currently are as a young and developing ecosystem with very little marketing support to date. We have previously had a largely self funded booth at a crypto event in 2023 as well as a satellite event at DIFC to the Cardano Summit where we gave 14 projects the opportunity to present themselves on stage in front of TradFi innvoation teams like HSBC/Standard chartered and others. ",Milestone Based Fixed Price,1119333,0.75,United States Dollar,839500,"8 x Pavilions to hold minimum 10 projects each @ $75,000 each ($600k) (800k ADA) 2 x Ecosystem Booths @ $50,000 each ($100k) (133,333ADA) 100 x Partial Travel Subsidies ($139,500) (186,000ADA) This Breakdown is as granular as can be as when I get the invoice from the Exhibition organisers, it is typically (as an example) $75,000 for a fully built 36SQM Pavilion including Prints and furniture etc... The Travel Subsidies part is impossible to know for sure as we have no idea how much people will need to claim back for travel. The Figure is a max figure.","[{""id"":327,""prop_link"":""https://discovercardano.com/marketing-budget-proposal"",""prop_link_text"":""Marketing Budget Proposal ""},{""id"":328,""prop_link"":""https://x.com/invalid_eutxo/status/1908166826095194154"",""prop_link_text"":""The Community Reaction to my proposal""}]",TRUE,4,2025-04-04T14:34:50.681Z 484,Cardano Product Committee: Community-driven 2030 Cardano Vision and 2026 roadmap insights collection via workshops and structured product research,intersectcpc,Research,Group,,,,Cardano Product Committee of Intersect,Intersect Committee,"Samuel Leathers, Kyle Solomon, Naushad Fouze, Juan Sierra, Zachary Soesbee, Alexandre Maaza, James Meidinger, (Secretary: Lorenzo Bruno)",product-committee@intersectmbo.org," The original Cardano roadmap, set by Cardano’s founders, ended with the age of Voltaire. Now it’s time to define an open, shared, and transparent process for the Cardano community to define a long-term vision and a roadmap. -- Creating a long-term vision in a small group is not easy, and it gets more complex as more stakeholders participate. One of Cardano’s strengths is its community-shared mind, so the challenge is to define a reusable process to leverage Cardano’s shared mind to create a long-term vision for Cardano and make it operational. -- Furthermore, as Cardano advances toward a maturing ecosystem, its future hinges on informed decision-making. However, the ecosystem currently lacks a dedicated, rigorous, and consolidated product research function to guide these decisions across themes such as user adoption, developer onboarding, governance participation, competitive positioning, and broader awareness. This absence limits our ability to reliably measure barriers, understand emerging needs, and identify product-market fit opportunities. -- Cardano overall, and builders across the ecosystem, operate without a shared, research-backed understanding of what users actually need or how to prioritize strategic direction. Existing insights are scattered or outdated, and there is no ecosystem-wide standard for how assumptions are challenged or validated. This creates the risk of fragmentation as well as solutions that don’t address real user pain points or market gaps.","The proposal supports the effort to create the first community-driven 2030 vision and 2026 roadmap, as well as creating a reusable framework to keep user and market insights updated. -- These effort to collect qualitative and quantitative insights, draft and ratify a 2030 vision and a 2026 roadmap is supported by: - The initial [product research questions](https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2025-proposed-research-budget#proposed-items-1), which are aligned with all [five goals](https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2025-cardanos-roadmap/2025-proposed-cardano-goals) defined by the Cardano community during the first consultation period, including but not limited to the following: - Get more usage: Research will identify successful and failed use cases, reasons behind adoption and churn, and which transaction types drive sustained engagement. - Make Cardano easier to build on and use: Interviews and usability tests will reveal friction in current tooling and onboarding flows for both L1 and L2. - Make Cardano competitive: Market and competitor analysis will highlight where Cardano leads or lags in developer and enterprise adoption. - Clear funding mechanisms: Ecosystem-wide mapping of current funding models, barriers to access, and comparative models from other chains will offer clarity. - Increase recognition: Behavioral studies and surveys will assess awareness of Cardano among users and enterprises. - The open process for a shared community-driven vision, which enables: - Creation and facilitation of a repeatable process for community engagement and ratification - Enabling collaborative creation of long-term objectives and implementation eras - Structuring the translation of research insights into strategic deliverables - Providing documentation, rationale, and a framework that ensures transparency and reuse -- Furthermore, it aligns deeply with the Roadmap’s focus on community participation, decentralization, and ecosystem alignment.","The outcome of this proposal is a 2030 community-driven vision for Cardano, a 2026 proposed roadmap, and the first consolidated product research effort in Cardano. This will be achieved by providing clear paths for the broader Cardano community to participate in the 2030 vision creation process—both by contributing insights as key stakeholders and by enabling the collection of additional input through structured user and customer interviews, along with targeted product research initiatives. -- Key Outcomes and value this proposal will deliver: - Broad community participation in the first community-driven Cardano vision creation process - Documented insights from the community shared brain - Documented insights from key groups (such as SPOs, builders, and businesses in and outside of Cardano and Blockchain) - Participation in creating and critiquing the first draft proposal for a 2030 Cardano vision - Creation of the first framework and consolidated data set of insights coming from product research guiding Cardano (and builders on Cardano) on what are the most prominent user needs and the key market opportunities - Opportunities to access funding to run product research initiatives - Identify promising focus areas for Cardano to achieve product-market-fit, which can be coordinated with the Technical Steering Committee of Intersect to ultimately identify mission-critical Cardano feature sets",It supports the product roadmap,Product Committee,"The proposal is based on 7 months of consultation run by the Cardano Product Committee of Intersect. It aligns with the broader goals defined by the community in the initial consultation ([here](https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2025-cardanos-roadmap/2025-proposed-cardano-goals)), and it aligns with the original Cardano budget submitted on [Cardano Forum](https://forum.cardano.org/t/cardano-research-budget-proposal/143044/10) (which had prior community support via open consultation) -- Furthermore, this process has already started, and the community has been actively participating via workshops, focus group calls, and surveys (initial documentation [here](https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2030-long-term-cardano-vision))."," #### Overview One of the key community goals in 2025 is to create a shared long-term vision, transitioning from the roadmap created by Cardano’s founders to a community-led dynamic vision and yearly roadmap. -- To create the first community driven 2030 Cardano vision, and a following 2026 roadmap, the Cardano Product Committee of Intersect, via consultation, has drafted a strategy (which is already operational) which includes both broad consultation via workshops (remote and in-person) and focused insights collection via focus group calls, with key ecosystem stakeholders (like SPOs) and businesses (both in Cardano and outside Cardano), and incentivized structured user and market research with an initial set of broad questions divided by the broad Cardano [goals](https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2025-cardanos-roadmap/2025-proposed-cardano-goals). #### About 2030 vision process and in-depth product research ##### 2030 vision process To draft a community-driven proposed 2030 vision, the Committee has defined a 4-step phases (currently in progress): 1. Insight Collection - Community workshops (up to 100 globally, online and in-person) - Collection of qualitative insights on user pain points, ecosystem opportunities, and desired 2030 outcomes - Documentation and analysis of insights gathered 2. Drafting the Vision Proposal - Synthesis of insights into key objectives for 2030 - Structuring of broad eras to achieve those objectives - Incorporation of existing research, SWOT analysis, academic reports, and ecosystem data 3. Community Review & Iteration - Public virtual workshops to critique the draft vision - Naming of eras, prioritization of deliverables - Final refinements based on feedback 4. On-chain Submission - Ratification via community info action - Public release of the final vision document and supporting research archive -- The process above will provide qualitative insights from consultations, which will also be available to the whole community for reference and to act as guidance. To facilitate more and more of these discussions the committee is providing support to run remote workshops, however, knowing how important in-person discussions are when brainstorming a vision, and to collect regional insights, the committee has identified a need to incentivize small gatherings, possibly in existing events, which will generate extremely valuable insights during the first step and great critiques during the third step. -- In particular, we aim to provide support to local discussions via small rewards up to ADA 500 to anyone who meets in their own region and documents the insights gathered. The local element will emphasise the regional insights and help the committee (and the broader community) to find use cases and opportunities in different regions and markets. We also aim to give support via small rewards of up to ADA 1000 to anyone who will run structured workshops with more than 10 attendees. -- Basic acceptance criteria to access these funds will include: - Anyone running a small ad-hoc gathering or a structured workshop will need to create a Luma event and add it to the Luma [Product committee calendar](https://lu.ma/intersectProductCommittee) - Send the 2030 Vision consultation [survey](https://forms.gle/nF8YwWBTomvT5scj6) - Hosts of small ad-hoc gatherings need to take notes and compile a report with key insights - Hosts of structured workshops need to ensure participants have access to the provided Miro template, and during the session, they should collect notes as well as compile a report with key insights -- Since the end of 2024, the Cardano Product Committee of Intersect has already started to work through this by: - Creating a first version of a repeatable process (documented [here](https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2030-long-term-cardano-vision)) - Opening a wide consultation via survey ([here](https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2030-long-term-cardano-vision)) - Running open remote, and in-person workshops ([here](https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2030-long-term-cardano-vision/insights-collection-workshops)) - Running focus groups with SPOs and builders/businesses ([here](https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2030-long-term-cardano-vision/focus-group-calls)) ##### In-depth Product Research To answer more detailed questions in relation to user needs and market opportunities the committee has collected, via open consultation, an initial set of broad questions which aims to expand and answer by incentivizing and funding the first consolidated user and market research effort in Cardano, creating a framework and opening the way to continuous product insights collection (bringing that to the same quality and standards of Cardano’s academic research). -- For year 1, 2025, the research conducted aims to provide insights into the direction and refinement of the proposed goals for 2025 and support builders (as well as other committees in Intersect) with information on user needs. In addition to this initial need, the insights from this first year will directly inform the Cardano strategy for 2025 and 2026 and help create a longer-term vision. The outcome of this research will also lead to clear problem statements, which will be documented as Cardano Problem Statements (CPSs). -- The initiative aims to produce validated Cardano Problem Statements (CPSs), evidence-based recommendations, and qualitative and quantitative user and market insights to reach and get closer to five strategic goals (documented [here](https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2025-cardanos-roadmap/2025-proposed-cardano-goals) in more detail): 1. Get more usage 2. Make Cardano easier to build on and use 3. Make Cardano a competitive option 4. Create clear funding mechanisms 5. Make Cardano more recognizable -- It will also support the underlying vision of creating a shared, community-driven path for Cardano’s growth through 2030. The results will be published in public repository to ensure reusability and transparency. The research will: - Identify bottlenecks in tooling, onboarding, and documentation - Validate which use cases Cardano is best suited for (and which it's not) - Map personas and journeys for dApp teams, enterprises, and community members - Clarify gaps in governance awareness and participation - Offer comparative insights from other ecosystems to identify opportunities -- The Product Committee has analysed and documented in detail, also building on the successful workshop methodologies implemented in Paris, Florida International University, and Japan : - [High-level Skillset and expertise](https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2025-proposed-research-budget#high-level-skillset-and-expertise-required-1) required to run this research - [Broad acceptance criteria](https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2025-proposed-research-budget#broad-acceptance-criteria-1) for the overall Product research effort, which include: - Expert-led, rigorous research - Transparent and timely dissemination - Validated and ecosystem-aligned - [An initial set of questions](https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2025-proposed-research-budget#proposed-items-1) for each of the five broad goals that, once answered, will help determine the most effective direction to take in order to achieve them -- A comprehensive [survey](https://forms.gle/3smQdwTC1sJh65bs7) and [workshop template](https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVIRNXbrI=/?share_link_id=427321460527) optimized for gathering broader insights with a strong focus on regional nuances, as demonstrated by the success in the initial workshops","No direct dependencies, the Product Committee of Intersect is already running this process and we’ll continue to do so even before any supporting funding is approved.","This is not a development proposal, nevertheless, the aim is to define an initial strong framework for insights collection and documentation, which will allow further community expansion, as well as an initial framework to keep the long-term vision updated and to generate from that an annual roadmap. -- All data collected via this process will be hosted in a public repository. This initial framework will then be repeated and refined year after year to keep the vision updated.","Concerning community consultation for the 2030 Vision creation process, this proposal aims to deliver rich and diverse documented input and insights from the broader Cardano community to support the drafting of the first community-driven long-term vision for Cardano, as well as through critique and feedback for the future draft proposal for the 2030 Cardano vision. -- Expected deliverables: - Up to 100 workshops supported - Documented insights - Documented feedback and critiques of the 2030 vision proposal which will be based on the insights - Overall community engagement and support for the future 5-year vision -- Concerning the first consolidated product research effort for Cardano, this proposal aims to deliver an initial simple process, a strategy to answer and expand the questions documented above, and a set of structured research initiatives opportunities to be allocated with funding to product researchers in Cardano. These will deliver: - Research initiatives based on the initial research questions outlined to be allocated via an open and transparent tender process - A scalable and open framework to consolidate the Insights collected documenting them in a public repo for broader community consumption - Key insights socialised and used to inform the 2030 Cardano Vision draft proposal and 2026 roadmap proposal","This is not a development proposal. Research initiatives will be assigned to either people or teams who apply to run them. The product committee is already running workshops and focus groups, alongside initial outcomes from this. First results are expected in Q3 2025, and the overall key insights are expected to be collected and analyzed by Q4 2025. -- In relation to the vision creation process, the Cardano Product Committee members are already running this process. They aim to support with these funding up to 100 small workshops over the course Q2, Q3, and Q4 of 2025.","The Cardano Product Committee of Intersect is made of members’ elected product experts with knowledge in business, market research, and user research. The committee is also supported by academic researchers and it will consult Subject Matter Experts to define research initiatives and allocate fund in an open and transparent process to expert providers, as well as to properly document and share all the collected insights.",Milestone Based Fixed Price,750000,0.5,United States Dollar,375000," ### 2030 vision process In relation to the first consolidated Cardano Product research question the Cardano Product Committee requests a budget of $200k to get insights related to the research questions (described in the full proposal here), plus any other questions that will be brought to the committee from other committees in 2025, as well as to cover costs for managing the process and making the outcome easily accessible to the community, with a commitment to return any unused remaining funds to the treasury. -- The budget will be roughly allocated as follows: - $5000 will be allocated to an individual or a team to expand the initial research questions and structure a full product research strategy, dividing the research effort into defined initiatives with a recommended strategy for each - $12000 x 15 research initiatives to cover answering questions related to the 5 goals, with a focus on identifying user pain points and needs as well as market opportunities (particularly on a regional level, for example, on emerging markets in Africa and Latin America or other underexposed regions) - $5000 to document and analyse all the insights gathered and make them available in the pre-defined framework, and open a potential new Cardano Problem Statement - 5% ($10000) committee contingent overhead to manage the process -- ### In-depth Product Research In relation to the 2030 vision creation insight collection and consultation, the Cardano Product Committee is budgeting for up to 100 ad-hoc gatherings and workshops (in-person and remote), coming to a total of $175k with a commitment to return the remaining funds to the treasury, at the end of the vision creation process, if the funds are not fully spent. We don’t see a need for professional services as we’re going to be developing this in an open-source volunteer fashion. These gatherings and local workshops will also give a stronger focus on collecting regional insights, both about broader Cardano evolution depending on the regional perspective and about regional use cases and opportunities for Cardano. The budget will be roughly allocated as follows: - $50k towards retroactive reimbursement of anyone who wants to run an in-person local ad-hoc gathering or structured vision creation workshops - up to 100 sessions - $25k towards retroactive reimbursement of structured discovery business/development sessions to gather insights - up to 10 sessions - $100k to support the overall facilitation of local structured in-person larger workshops with Product experts' attendance, aiming to group workshops in series of 3 by location - up to 20 workshops. Target focus area for potential options: - Africa (Nigeria, Kenya, Cameroon, Uganda - Latam (Equador, Chile, Argentina, Colombia- Medellin, Uruguay, Paraguay) - North America (Quebec, Wyoming, Florida, Colorado, Pennsylvania) - Europe (Germany, Norway, Ireland, Switzerland) - Australia (Sidney, Perth, Melbourne) - Asia (Hong-Kong, Vietnam, Japan, Philippines, Sri-Lanka, Singapore) -- Example of budget breakdown for a series of workshops over 4 days in one location might include: - $4000 for 2x product experts' travel costs - $3000 for 2x Product experts’ lodging costs and expenses - $4500 for 3x venue for 3 separate workshops - $3000 for 3x workshops for food and refreshments - $3000 for 2x fixed stipend Equal to AVG of $5800 per workshop","[{""id"":1485,""prop_link"":""https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2025-proposed-research-budget#product-research-sub-bucket"",""prop_link_text"":""2025 Research budget - Product research Proposal""},{""id"":1486,""prop_link"":""https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2025-proposed-research-budget#vision-creation-sub-bucket"",""prop_link_text"":""2025 Research budget - vision creation""},{""id"":1487,""prop_link"":""https://forum.cardano.org/t/cardano-research-budget-proposal/"",""prop_link_text"":""Cardano Forum submission and comments""},{""id"":1488,""prop_link"":""https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2025-cardanos-roadmap/2025-proposed-cardano-goals"",""prop_link_text"":""2025 broad goals""},{""id"":1489,""prop_link"":""https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2025-cardanos-roadmap/2025-proposed-cardano-roadmap"",""prop_link_text"":""2025 product roadmap""},{""id"":1490,""prop_link"":""https://gov.tools/outcomes/governance_actions/56f39054758f1a3cedc1de9225d66bf270b62dfdbfbc5399f1d6d43aceffc636#0"",""prop_link_text"":""2025 product roadmap info action""},{""id"":1491,""prop_link"":""https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/committee-outcomes/2030-long-term-cardano-vision"",""prop_link_text"":""2030 Long-Term Cardano Vision process""},{""id"":1492,""prop_link"":""https://productcommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/"",""prop_link_text"":""Cardano Product Committee details""}]",TRUE,7,2025-04-17T12:25:37.289Z 637,ZK Bridge,eryxracoon,Core,Company,Eryx Cooperativa,eryx.co,Argentina,,,,crypto-racoons@eryxsoluciones.com.ar,"Cross-chain interoperability remains one of the most critical yet unresolved challenges for Cardano. While the ecosystem is advancing in scalability through projects like Hydra and optimistic roll ups such as Midgard it still lacks a secure, trustless, and modular zk-based bridges infrastructure. Current bridges rely on centralized validators or multi-signature schemes, introducing major security risks—as demonstrated by numerous high-profile exploits in other ecosystems. Without a native zero-knowledge bridge, Cardano is unable to safely connect with external chains, severely limiting access to external liquidity, composability with other ecosystems, and the ability to scale horizontally. Furthermore, the Cardano ecosystem lacks a unified open-source toolkit for: On-chain verification of zero-knowledge proofs Secure and efficient cross-chain messaging Asset wrapping and unwrapping under Cardano’s native token model And trust-minimized interoperability with existing ZK-rollups. This absence puts Cardano at a competitive disadvantage compared to platforms like Ethereum, which already benefit from multiple zk-based Layer 2 solutions and zk-enabled bridges. A modular zkBridge is not only critical to unlock interoperability—it also lays the groundwork for a future Cardano-native zkRollup framework, by enabling the testing and deployment of foundational components such as provers, verifiers, and state synchronization mechanisms.",,"Building a zero-knowledge bridge provides several key benefits to the Cardano ecosystem. A bridge between Cardano and other blockchains would make it much easier for value to flow in from external ecosystems, increasing the liquidity available within Cardano. A zero-knowledge bridge, specifically, offers important advantages over alternative architectures such as optimistic bridges. In a ZK bridge, a single user action accompanied by a succinct proof of deposit is sufficient to release tokens on the destination blockchain. This eliminates the need for community-wide monitoring or challenge periods, significantly reducing latency and trust assumptions. Additionally, by building a ZK bridge, Cardano positions itself as a more interoperable platform, capable of engaging with the broader ecosystem of zero-knowledge technologies. This lays the groundwork for future innovations in identity, privacy-preserving applications, and cross-chain collaboration.",L2 Expansion,Technical Steering Committee,The need for ZK solutions in Cardano has been increasingly voiced by the community across multiple forums. There is strong interest in the Cardano ecosystem to support a ZkBridge framework.,"Our proposal is building a ZK bridge for Cardano, which we will deploy on the Cardano testnet. As part of this initiative, we will define a communication protocol for the bridge, provide the full source code of the smart contracts on the Cardano side, and produce comprehensive technical documentation detailing the protocol between Cardano and any other isomorphic blockchain. We will provide a circuit that enables a relayer to generate the ZK proof that a locking transaction was successfully added to the chain, which can then be verified on the receiving blockchain. This way, any blockchain will be able to implement a ZK bridge with Cardano, leveraging its newly added capability to generate such proofs. This allows for a variety of uses, such as moving assets outside Cardano just by providing the proof that they’ve locked an equivalent amount in the Cardano Smart Contract. The resulting bridge can serve as a generic framework for interoperability between Cardano and any other blockchain willing to implement the corresponding counterpart contracts. Furthermore, we will implement contracts in Aiken to mint assets on a Cardano-like (isomorphic) blockchain and deploy them on the Cardano testnet, providing a fully functional proof of concept. These building blocks will enable developers to create bridges between Cardano and other chains with minimal additional effort. ",no dependencies," All code and documentation will be available on a Github repository. Additionally, the team will seek further support from Catalyst, Intersect technical funding streams, and other grant/funding models to continue iterative development.","1. Documentation of the communication protocol 2. Bridge smart contracts in Aiken for locking funds in the Cardano side 3. Bridge smart contracts in Aiken for minting wrapped assets, mocking the ZK proof verification 4. ZK proof that a block containing a locking transaction was added to Cardano 5. Bridge smart contract in Aiken for verifying the ZK proof","Estimated Timeline: 8 months Team Composition: 2 Full-Time ZK Engineers: Circuit design, prover integration, and off-chain infrastructure. 2 Full Stack Engineer: CLI, user interface, dev tooling. 1 Project Managers / Coordinators: Delivery, documentation, community engagement, and Intersect liaison.","Eryx is a worker-owned labor cooperative with almost 15 years of experience solving complex problems involving mathematics and software. We are a group of nerdy PhDs with a solid background in math and computer science. Our team has extensive experience in blockchain development, cryptography, and privacy-focused protocols, which gives us the expertise required to successfully deliver the project. Among other things, we’ve been core contributors to the Lambdaworks library and implemented the CircleSTARKS protocol in GPU alongside with Nethermind. This involved implementing several ZK cryptographic primitives (field operations, polynomial commitment schemes, FRI protocols, FFTs), in different platforms and languages. Furthermore, we implemented a proving system based on the Plonk protocol. During this project we wrote a simple interface to design circuits. It included basic operations and conditionals that made the building blocks for more complex cryptographic primitives. We also developed a Plonky2 backend for Aztec's Noir, funded by the Ethereum Foundation. In relation to this proposal, we have extensive experience in Aiken smart contract development, including previously funded proposals under Project Catalyst focused on educational and technical infrastructure for Cardano. We also wrote zk circuits for cryptographic primitives such as hash functions and elliptic curve operations. We are active contributors to the ENCOINS protocol, currently deployed on the Cardano mainnet with privacy-preserving features. Currently, we are researching the integration of ZK systems with the EUTxO model.",Milestone Based Fixed Price,700000,0.5,United States Dollar,350000,"ZK Engineers (2 FTE x 8 months) $180,000 (₳ 360,000) Full Stack Engineer (2 FTE x 8 months) $130,000 (₳ 260,000) Project Management / Community Manager, etc (2 PMs x 8 months) $40,000 (₳ 80,000) Total $350,000 (₳ 700,000) Documentation and workshops cover onboarding materials, GitBook guides, community events, and developer engagement during and after project delivery. This budget allows us to deliver a working ZK bridge while ensuring public availability and testnet deployment.","[{""id"":2088,""prop_link"":""https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XWulM_SdF9domCYZ-cdjsAF9ishR3pVH/view?usp=sharing"",""prop_link_text"":""ZkBridge Cardano Proposal""},{""id"":2089,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/eryxcoop/acvm-backend-plonky2"",""prop_link_text"":""Plonky2 backend for Noir""},{""id"":2090,""prop_link"":""https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rX6LcL3R7qe5Nhqh8p07z70oyi8plWpH/view?usp=drive_link"",""prop_link_text"":""Eryx Coop one-pager""},{""id"":2091,""prop_link"":""https://www.zkcity.xyz"",""prop_link_text"":""ZKCity Educational Bootcamp where we were main lecturers""},{""id"":2092,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/eryxcoop/zk-adventures"",""prop_link_text"":""ZKCity material and excercises""},{""id"":2093,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/starkware-libs/stwo/commits/dev/?author=carlogf"",""prop_link_text"":""Contributions to open source Zk projects [1]""},{""id"":2094,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/starkware-libs/stwo/commits/dev/?author=jarnesino"",""prop_link_text"":""Contributions to open source Zk projects [2]""},{""id"":2095,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/starkware-libs/stwo-cairo/commits/main/?author=ajgara"",""prop_link_text"":""Contributions to open source Zk projects [3]""},{""id"":2096,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/starkware-libs/stwo-cairo/commits/main/?author=atgrosso"",""prop_link_text"":""Contributions to open source Zk projects [4]""},{""id"":2097,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/starkware-libs/stwo-cairo/commits/main/?author=schouhy"",""prop_link_text"":""Contributions to open source Zk projects [5]""},{""id"":2098,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/0xPolygonZero/plonky2/pull/1645"",""prop_link_text"":""Contributions to open source Zk projects [6]""},{""id"":2099,""prop_link"":""https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EOjrYnrE8g"",""prop_link_text"":""Circle STARK GPU Acceleration talk by our partner Julian""}]",TRUE,28,2025-04-11T18:53:45.936Z 502,Scalus - DApps Development Platform,okhodakivskyi,Core,Company,Lantr,lantr.io,France,,,,X: @atlanter Github: nau,"Building DApps on Cardano remains harder than it should be. New developers need to invest a substantial amount of time to become productive. It makes Cardano less attractive to build on, and limits the ability to innovate and produce value to end users. New developers face multiple obstacles: 1. Steep technical learning curve 2. Fragmented technology stack (on-chain/off-chain, front-end/back-end) 3. Limited development tooling and standard libraries 4. Scattered educational resources In anticipation of the wider adoption of Cardano technology by traditional organisations (e.g., in finance and fintech, where Java and Scala are dominant), it should be simpler for their web2 developers to start building on Cardano. Companies need a smooth path for their existing teams — without the need to learn new programming languages or hire specialists just to get started.",,"(1) Benefits for professionals Scalus meets developers where they are. It bridges Web2 engineers from traditional firms with progressive onboarding and built-in safety, while giving seasoned Cardano builders advanced control and optimisations. Web 2 developers: - Familiar dev experience & tooling using Scala - Elegant syntax with gentle learning curve of blockchain specifics - Built-in safety controls to reduce common mistakes and risks Cardano builders / R&D Labs: - Low-level optimisations (memory, cost, advanced patterns) - Expressiveness beyond limited DSL - Advanced features (macros, meta-programming) - Rich Scala ecosystem for complex protocols and mission-critical solutions (2) Benefits for businesses Scalus, paired with Scala 3, helps businesses build on Cardano without the usual headaches. It’s a practical way to deliver value quickly and reliably. Benefits: - Productivity boost at scale with Scala 3 - Reduced time-to-market - from prototyping to production in less time - Deep pool of Scala/Java/Kotlin talent available on the market - Code quality and safety are first-class citizens - Reduced training investments to transition Scala/Java/Kotlin teams to blockchain",Developer / User Experience,Technical Steering Committee,"Scalus is currently in the early adoption phase, emphasising close collaboration with the selected partners (individuals & businesses). It allows our team to: - fine-tune the syntax & standard-library - learn the preferences of the target groups - iteratively grow the solution to answer those needs Solutions in development with Scalus: - Hydrozoa L2 - an evolution of the Hydra Head protocol (full stack development, node, networking, L2 ledger rules, transaction building) - Innovative L2 protocol - block producing node MVP and related components - Lucid Evolution - an alternative Scalus native JS implementation of serialisation/deserialization functions - Script evaluation and cost calculation libraries used by the Cardano Foundation - Cardano Client Lib (Java TxBuilder library) integration with the Scalus Smart Contracts evaluator Two businesses participated in the early adoption program: - Guild1 - expressed the interest in using the platform for future projects - Proof Space Trusted Identity - implemented one of their components using Scalus","Developing DApps on Cardano shouldn't require juggling multiple languages, libraries and frameworks. Scalus changes this by bringing the power of Scala 3 to the Cardano ecosystem, letting you write smart contracts, build transactions, and application layers — all with the same language and familiar tools. It supports the complete development flow - setup, development, testing, debugging and deployment, backed by an industry-grade toolset and professional development experience. Key benefits that make Scalus + Scala 3 stand out: - Productivity boost at scale with Scala 3 - Reduced time-to-market - from prototyping to production in less time - Deep pool of Scala/Java/Kotlin talent available on the market Scalus is a Cardano DApps development platform made for professionals and businesses who want to get things done. More details in the attached presentation.",There are no strict dependencies.,"Once the MVP version of the product is developed, the yearly maintenance plan (excluding new features beyond MVP) will result in 1,5-2 FTE (Senior Scala Engineer).","We will bring the MVP of Scalus - DApps Development Platform by the end of 2025. Our product development methodology, based on Professional Scrum, allows us to deliver features progressively and improve from the customers feedback. We are targeting the delivery of the MVP scope to Q3 and Q4 of 2025: (1) Onboarding - Q3 2025 - Documentation & Onboarding tutorials - Q4 2025 - Smart Contracts Catalogue - Design Patterns / Rosetta - Q3 2025 - Automated setup - Q4 2025 - DApp templates for various cases (2) Smart Contracts - Q3 2025 - Smart Contract - Syntax tuning - Q4 2025 - Standard library - Enrichment - Q3 2025 - Blueprint integration / CIP-0057 (3) Advanced UPLC - Q4 2025 - Typed UPLC expression builder - Enrichment - Q3 2025 - Advanced script optimisation & control paths - Q4 2025 - Optimised pattern matching - Q4 2025 - Scala macros for advanced contracts (4) Off-chain multi-platform libraries - Q3 2025 - Serialisation / deserialisation - Q4 2025 - Transaction builder - Enrichment - Q3 2025 - Evaluation & cost function - Q4 2025 - Domain objects & ledger rules - Q4 2025 - Bindings for JS/TS/Native - Tuning (5) Testing capabilities - Q3 2025 - Scalus Test library - Enrichment - Q4 2025 - Property-based testing - ScalaCheck helpers for Cardano development (6) Integration / Deployment - Q3 2025 - Local Cardano network/node infrastructure - Q4 2025 - Comprehensive CLI - Q4 2025 - Working with test data - Q4 2025 - Toolkit for effective deployment of Smart Contracts","(1) Estimated resources required for 6 months period: - Senior Scala engineers: 5 FTE - Senior Product manager: 0,5 FTE (2) Resources and funding already secured: - Senior Scala engineers: 1 FTE (3) Additional effort required - Our final ask: - Senior Scala engineers: 4 FTE - Senior Product manager: 0,5 FTE","Oleksandr Nemish is a seasoned software engineer with a specialised focus on functional programming, type theory, meta-programming, compilers, and blockchains. His expertise is underscored by his proficiency in languages such as Scala, Haskell and Rust. Oleksandr has a robust professional background, having worked for prominent financial organisations like Deutsche Bank and UBS. Oleksandr Nemish is a former engineer at IOG, the engineering company behind the Cardano blockchain. He worked on the design and implementation of Marlowe – a new financial smart contracts programming language for Cardano. ",Milestone Based Fixed Price,657692,0.65,United States Dollar,427500,"1. ONB - Onboarding (Automated dev env setup, Documentation, Smart Contracts Catalogue) = 0,25 FTE = $23 750 = ₳36 538,46 2. SC - Smart Contracts (Simple syntax, standard library, blueprint implementation) = 0,75 FTE = $71 250 = ₳109 615,38 3. ADV - Advanced UPLC (Advanced optimisations, Expression builder, pattern matching, macros) = 0,75 FTE = $71 250 = ₳109 615,38 4. MPL - Off-chain libraries (Exportable multi-platform library - JVM/JS/TS/Native) = 0,25 FTE = $23 750 = ₳36 538,46 5. TEST - Testing capabilities (Scalus Test library, Property-based testing enablers) = 0,5 FTE = $47 500 = ₳73 076,92 6. INT - Integration / Deployment (Local network/node for testing, deployment to mainnet) = 0,5 FTE = $47 500 = ₳73 076,92 7. MAN - Maintenance (Maintenance, bug-fixing and support) = 1 FTE = $95 000 = ₳146 153,85 8. PM - Product management (Management of the product life cycle) = 0,5 FTE = $47 500 = ₳73 076,92 We are projecting 6 months of development and maintenance (starting from June 2025 to the end of the year). All the scopes are estimated in FTE (Full Time Employee). For the sake of evaluating the budget, we took the assumption that one Senior Scala Engineer / Senior Product Manager with expertise in DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) is valued at $190k (recruitment, on-boarding and extra costs related to working – i.e paid vacations, sick leave – are considered included in the $190k figure). ","[{""id"":1551,""prop_link"":""https://drive.google.com/file/d/1emTsOuiM414mScMrmh1X3ulCGuScSXIy/view?usp=sharing"",""prop_link_text"":""Scalus - Presentation slides (v.1.1)""},{""id"":1553,""prop_link"":""https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NaLBTa1oOoXBGEs091hQbdqD9bmjCIzs/view?usp=sharing"",""prop_link_text"":""Scalus - Budget breakdown + Milestones""},{""id"":1552,""prop_link"":""https://scalus.org/"",""prop_link_text"":""Scalus - Website""}]",TRUE,14,2025-04-06T00:18:30.746Z 536,A free Native Asset CDN for Cardano Developers,nftcdn,None of these,Company,NFTCDN LTD,nftcdn.io,United Kingdom,,,,[NFTCDN Twitter](https://x.com/nftcdn_io) | [NFTCDN Discord](https://discord.nftcdn.io) | [Email Us](mailto:contact@nftcdn.io),"# Background - Native Assets - Native assets (NFTs & FTs) are widely used on Cardano across diverse use cases - Often used to store multimedia content - images, music, videos, documents, etc - Media is stored on decentralised systems - IPFS, Arweave, and on-chain embeds - Centralised storage options also used - HTTP, FTP & commercial cloud providers - File locations are referenced as links within the native asset’s metadata # Pain Point - Technical Complexity - Accessing native asset media requires querying the blockchain (Cardano node + DB-Sync) - And fetching content via middleware (e.g. IPFS gateway/node) - Apps must handle this process programmatically, at scale, with robust exception handling - Developers face challenges from: - Human error (e.g. typos in metadata links) - Evolving standards (e.g. NFT v0.01, CIP-25, CIP-68) - Protocol updates (e.g. Chang HF impacting Node & DB-Sync) - Performance, efficiency, and reliability must be maintained across all layers - Apps must build and maintain complex, resilient backend infrastructure to support native asset display as both a capability & feature # Solution – NFTCDN - NFTCDN is a managed Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) provider - Provides high-availability native asset media & metadata delivery via globally distributed, high-speed Content Delivery Network - Developers access content using only the native asset fingerprint ID - no complex setup needed - Eliminates the need to design, build, test, & maintain complex end-to-end infra - Enables focus on innovation of their product - not backend ops # Problem Statement - Cost to Build/Access - Building native asset delivery infra in-house costs ~$100,000 and 9+ months (internal benchmarks) - NFTCDN solves upfront CAPEX/OPEX needs - But we are a paid service (pay-per-API-call) - limiting adoption - Only well-funded teams have been able to integrate NFTCDN to date - Many projects cannot afford the cost, leading to delays, increased risk, or total shutdown - Market headwinds further impacted adoption, with some customers forced to shut down due to reduced user base # Proposal – The Ask - Fund NFTCDN to make it free for all Cardano builders for 18 months under an SLA contract - Cover operational & infra scale-up costs to deliver enterprise-grade Native Asset CDN - Enables us to provide our solution to the Cardano community for free - Removes cost barriers, fuelling innovation, faster development, and wider adoption",,"> $5.5m cost avoidance opportunity & ~39,000 dev. hours savings for products seeking to integrate native asset display – removing barriers to entry, faster new product launches, improved end-user exp. & increased innovation prospects. # Tangible Benefits ($5.5m cost savings | 39,000 dev. hours savings | >17x ROI) * Eliminate up-front infrastructure costs (~$100,000 per product) for native asset display * Accelerate product development by 9+ months by removing the need to build and maintain complex, scalable infrastructure * Immediate cost avoidance opportunity of **~$1.5m** and **~23,400 developer hours** across 15+ existing NFTCDN customers * Additional cost avoidance opportunity of **~$1m** and **~15,600 developer hours** during proposal funding cycle by onboarding at least 10 additional products * Maintenance & operational cost avoidance of **$3m** for 25 NFTCDN users during proposal funding cycle * Proposal cost of ~$320k with a **ROI of 17.20x** # ROI Calculations Breakdown - **Typical development cost of infrastructure to support native asset display:** - ~9 months / 1,560 dev hours - ~$100k (developer, PM, infra) per product - **Typical annual running & maintenance cost:** - ~$100,000 in salaries for labour (back- & front-end, networking, storage, cyber security, admin) - ~$20,000 infra cost (servers, hosting, licenses) - **Tasks avoided by using NFTCDN:** - Cardano node + DB-Sync + Other Cardano software setup & upgrades - Middleware for native Asset metadata parsing (CIP-25, CIP-68, v0.01) - Middleware for metadata error and edge case handling - Integration with IPFS, Arweave, HTTP, on-chain storage systems/protocols - Middleware for multimedia content optimisation - Security handling (e.g., malware in native assets) - Real-time monitoring pipeline of native asset minting & updates - End-to-end routing pipeline, including maintenance and updating - Regulatory compliance review & management process overhead - Performance, reliability, and redundancy infrastructure - **Savings for Current NFTCDN Users (15 active projects)** - Dev Hours Savings = 23,400 (1,560 hrs x 15 current projects) - Labour & Infra Savings = $1.5M in cost avoidance ($100k x 15 current projects) - **Savings from +10 new projects onboarded during proposal period (conservative est.)** - Adds 15,600 dev. hours and $1M in additional savings for newly onboarded projects into NFTCDN for duration of proposal (18 months) - **Savings for on-going maint. & ops cost (25 projects)** - Adds $3m in additional savings ($100k + $20k x 25 total projects using NFTCDN) - **Total value returned:** - ~39,000 dev hours saved for initial development - ~$5.5M total ecosystem cost avoidance - **Proposal cost:** ~$320k - **Estimated ROI:** ~17.2x - Equivalent of ~19 years of cumulative dev time saved # Intangible Benefits * **Removes Adoption Barriers** - Eliminates financial (OPEX/CAPEX) & technical (dev. complexity) barriers to entry * **Accelerates Time-to-Market** - Enables fast and easy integration of native asset features/capabilities * **Frees Up Product Teams** - Reduces backend overhead, letting teams focus on core feature dev, growth & adoption * **Boosts Developer Adoption** - Makes accessible for early-stage, under/unfunded and community (free-product) builders * **Enables Broader Innovation** - Enables exploration of new native asset use cases (RWA, identity, media, education) * **Future-Proof Native Asset Delivery** - Adapts to evolving standards; all users benefit from shared upgrades and fixes * **Eliminates Redundancy** - Shared infrastructure avoids every project building redundant, costly systems * **Improves End-User Experience** - A high-speed, enterprise-grade, globally distributed CDN for multimedia content substantially improves loading speeds * **Drives Ecosystem Growth** – Native asset adoption across more apps creates compounding utility and user adoption * **Aligns with Cardano's Goals & Roadmap** – Directly supports Cardano's 2025 roadmaps goals around simplifying developer experience, increasing real-world utility and improving end-user experience # Aligns w/ Proposed Cardano 2025 Goals & Roadmap * ""Get More Usage"" Category * Goal: Attract DApps and users - product market fit * Goal: Easier to build on and to use Cardano * Goal: Cardano competitive option * Goal: Clear funding mechanisms * ""Developer/User Experience"" Category",Developer / User Experience,None,"# User Feedback > ""CSWAP DEX has been using NFTCDN for over a year on our NFT & RWA marketplace, (www.cswap.market). It’s been a rock-solid, high-performance piece of infrastructure—absolutely critical not just for the Cardano NFT space, but also for the emerging Cardano RWA sector. NFTCDN makes it dramatically easier for builders to deliver smooth, reliable user experiences. We strongly support this proposal to make NFTCDN free for users—it’s a foundational layer the ecosystem relies on."" - **CSWAP** > ""NFTCDN has been a game-changer for us. The integration was truly plug-and-play—we set it up once and haven’t had to touch it since. Performance has been consistently excellent, and the quality of service is top-notch. We’ve never experienced any issues or downtime, and their support team is responsive and helpful whenever we’ve had questions. It’s rare to find a solution that just works—but NFTCDN does exactly that."" — **Trading Tent** > ""NFTCDN allows NEWM to quickly and easily display and hear our Arweave images and music clips on the NEWM marketplace and NEWM studio. Users experience seamless skip-free audio and it was a breeze to integrate the service."" - **Andrew Westberg (CTO - NEWM)** > ""NFTCDN works so flawlessly I did not have to think about it for the last year. NFTCDN is the most efficient way to offer all kinds of ecosystem images and media to our user base. Kudos to the team for providing a great and reliable service."" - **Marcel Baumberg (CEO - Eternl Wallet)** # Products Currently Using NFTCDN * Pool.pm * Eternl Wallet * VESPR Wallet * Tokeo Wallet * CSWAP DEX * NEWM * Cur8 * Trading Tent * Icebeglabs * KWIC * Levvy Finance * Poki * HazelNet * Buffy Bot * NMKR # NFTCDN Integration Opportunities - **Blockchain Explorers**: eutxo.org, Cardano Scan, AdaStar, PoolTool, Cexplorer.io - **Wallets**: Lace, Typhon, Yoroi, Atomic, Begin, GameChanger, Gero, Medusa, NuFi, - **DEXs**: MuesliSwap, SundaeSwap, TapTools, Danogo, DripDropz, DexHunter, Miniswap - **Marketplaces**: JPG Store, JAMONBREAD, ADANFT, CardaHub - **Bespoke Projects**: Book.io, cardano-tools.io, CNFTLab Party, flipr.io, cnft.tools _NB. List does not contain new innovative products looking to build on Cardano_","Building reliable infrastructure to display Cardano native assets (NFTs &FTs) efficiently, at scale, can cost upwards of $100,000 and take 9+ months of development effort. **We propose to deliver a free Native Asset Content Delivery Network (CDN) for Cardano, by making our existing NFTCDN services free to use for anyone building on Cardano**. NFTCDN has been operating since 2022 and provides fast, reliable and resilient multimedia and metadata delivery through a globally distributed CDN, enabling projects to display native assets effortlessly. By removing technical and financial barriers, NFTCDN allows developers to focus on product innovation and growth, accelerate time-to-market, and promotes wider adoption and implementation of native assets within apps across the Cardano ecosystem.","# External Dependencies * On-time proposal payment aligned to an agreed payment schedule # Internal Dependencies * Change of subscription model architecture to remove any charges to developers for using NFTCDN (est. ~30 days / 1 month to complete)","# Post-Proposal Completion - What happens next? * The proposal (2025 budget cycle) seeks to fund infra & ops scale-up costs to make NFTCDN free to use for 18 months * We will actively monitor and report on the impact delivered throughout the funding period * Ahead of the next budget cycle (2026), we intend to submit an SLA renewal proposal, evidencing value delivered to Cardano * We will maintain proactive communication with our users to ensure transparency around any changes, including a potential return to a paid subscription model # Non-Renewal of SLA * In the event of non-renewal, NFTCDN will revert to a paid subscription model * To mitigate risk of delays in the 2026 Cardano budget process, a 18 (+1) month SLA has been proposed * This provides NFTCDN & projects sufficient time to transition * NFTCDN's `/metadata` endpoint will remain free with a licensing charge (as it is today), to enable projects to still acquire native asset metadata * Using [NFTCDN's Open Source JS Media Library Tool](https://github.com/nftcdn/media-player), projects will be able to pivot from using NFTCDN as a source of native asset display to the native protocols/system embedded within the asset's metadata * This of course means they will not be able to enjoy the benefits of reliability, performance and simplicity provided by NFTCDN","# Proposal Objectives * Make NFTCDN free to use for all for a period of 18 months * Onboard new and existing products/projects * Report on realised benefits & utilisation metrics # SLA Deliverables **1. Free Access to NFTCDN for 18 months** * Access to existing NFTCDN endpoints (`/image`, `/preview`, `/file`, `/metadata`) * Mainnet & Testnet (pre-prod and preview) coverage * Implementation of abuse protection measures to ensure fair-use and sustain service performance & stability as per NFTCDN AUP * Services will be provisioned under NFTCDN T&Cs **2. Community Usage Reporting of KPIs** * Provision of monthly usage metrics to demonstrate value delivered: * (i) Number of projects actively using NFTCDN * (ii) Number of new projects onboarded since last reporting period * (ii) Volume of requests served across endpoints * (iii) Realised savings (cost-avoidance & dev. hours) achieved & ROI delivered to-date **3. Personalised On-boarding, Technical Support & Maintenance** * 1:1 on-boarding support via direct communication channels (NFTCDN Discord) * Technical support throughout the 18-month period * Performance monitoring & maintenance to ensure service provision # Definition of Done * NFTCDN is made fully free to use within 30 days of initial funding * The free service remains operational for a full 18-month period, post initial dev. work(s) to make the service free for users * Community facing reports provided monthly to show growth in users, service utilisation volumes and cost-benefits realised","# Team * [Smaug](https://x.com/SmaugPool) (NFTCDN Founder & CTO) * [Rocky](https://x.com/RockyBCAW) (NFTCDN Founder & COO) # Duration * 12 months, plus initial setup time (est. <30 days) * Team is available as needed, with priority support for incident response and on-going performance optimisation","# About NFTCDN * Established in 2022 * Testnet (Preview & Pre-Prod) and Mainnet coverage of all native assets * Service(s) offered on pay-per-API-use tiered pricing model * Existing customers include Verspr, Eternl, Tokeo, NEWM, NMKR, Pool.pm * Have served 800+ million API requests as of April-2025 * Currently running with 100% uptime since launch # How is NFTCDN different from a basic CDN (e.g. Cloudflare, Vercel, etc) - **NFTCDN is purpose-built for Cardano**: NFTCDN is more than a CDN. Direct API access to `/metadata`, `/image`, `/file` native assets using only their fingerprint ID. Cloudflare offers no blockchain/NFT support; this would have to be custom built by devs. - **Multi-protocol/system support**: NFTCDN auto-handles multimedia storage fetching from IPFS, Arweave, HTTP, on-chain. Cloudflare requires devs to build fetch/parsing logic manually on their own infra setup. - **Standards-aware infra**: NFTCDN supports CIP-25, 68, v0.01 and adapts as they evolve. Cloudflare has no protocol awareness - devs must implement parsing module compliance manually and cater for human error and edge cases. - **No infra required**: NFTCDN handles full resolution flow (parsing, error fall-back, and format support) out of the box. Cloudflare needs origin setup and content pre-hosted on their proprietary solutions. - **Real-time chain indexing**: Native assets state updated live (minting & updating) from chain. Cloudflare requires manual indexing, pointer mgmt, and cache invalidation. - **Cloudflare TOS risk**: Large or non-web file caching (image, audio, video, 3D files) is restricted; in-production use will violate TOS unless using proprietary paid products (Stream/Images/R2, c. ~$5k+/yr). - **Global cross-app caching**: NFTCDN caches assets at the asset level, so cache `HITS` benefit all products (websites & dApps). Cloudflare caches per domain/site - no sharing resulting in low CDN performance resulting in higher cache `MISS` states. - **Built-in content safety**: NFTCDN provides CSP headers + dev. controls over rendering. Cloudflare lacks native asset-specific safeguards, increasing risk of suspension due to embedded malicious multimedia content.",Service Level Agreement,605000,0.5,British Pound Sterling,242000,"# Cost Breakdown - 1+18 months duration * Labour costs @ £195.2k * Infra costs @ £46.8k * NB. costs-split may vary depending on infra scaling requirements (e.g. provision of adequate compute to balance demand) # Payment Terms & Schedule * Proposing quarterly payment for service provision * 5 cycles - 20% of funds per cycle * Initial funds provided upon proposal acceptance (1st cycle)","[{""id"":1758,""prop_link"":""https://nftcdn.io/"",""prop_link_text"":""NFTCDN Website""},{""id"":1760,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/nftcdn/support.nftcdn.io"",""prop_link_text"":""NFTCDN Documentation""},{""id"":1759,""prop_link"":""https://discord.nftcdn.io"",""prop_link_text"":""NFTCDN Discord""}]",TRUE,13,2025-04-01T15:03:19.741Z 745,Complete Web3 developer stack to make Cardano the smart contract layer for Bitcoin,gomaestro,Core,Company,Maestro,https://www.gomaestro.org/,United States,,,,https://x.com/GoMaestroOrg,"Maestro will help make Cardano the smart contract layer for Bitcoin. Currently, Bitcoin faces inherent limitations in supporting DeFi and advanced smart contracts due to its minimal scripting capabilities and simpler UTXO model. Meanwhile, Cardano, despite being a highly capable smart contract platform leveraging an extended UTXO (EUTXO) model, struggles with attracting Bitcoin's substantial liquidity and integrating directly with Bitcoin’s massive economic ecosystem. Without seamless interoperability, both blockchains remain limited: Bitcoin as a largely static asset store and Cardano without access to Bitcoin’s immense capital pool and user base. Maestro seeks to address this by bridging the two ecosystems—leveraging Cardano’s superior smart contract capabilities to unleash Bitcoin’s latent liquidity, thus creating a robust decentralized financial layer powered by Bitcoin’s underlying asset security.",,"Integrating Maestro’s infrastructure to enable Cardano as the smart contract layer for Bitcoin would generate substantial benefits across several layers of the Cardano developer ecosystem: 1. Cardano DeFi Developers: Developers of DeFi applications (such as lending protocols like Fluidtokens) will gain immediate access to Bitcoin’s immense liquidity pool, significantly expanding their potential user base andTVL. Maestro’s integration enables developers to tap directly into Bitcoin’s economic activity, dramatically increasing capital efficiency and profitability. Demonstrated value includes: - Significant growth in TVL, user engagement, and protocol revenues. - Easier user onboarding from Bitcoin-native communities. 2. Wallet Developers (Tokeo, Begin, Lace, etc.): Wallet applications will benefit from vastly expanded user functionality. By supporting direct Bitcoin-to-Cardano interactions, wallets can offer their users advanced features like Bitcoin-backed lending, staking, governance, and seamless cross-chain payments. Demonstrated value includes: - Increased wallet adoption and user retention. - Expanded revenue streams through cross-chain transaction fees and premium DeFi services. 3. Layer 2 Solutions and Protocols (Midgard, Sundial, zkFold, BitcoinOS, Midnight): Cardano’s Layer 2 ecosystems will benefit by directly integrating with Bitcoin’s user base. L2 solutions gain additional utility and liquidity, allowing their technologies (privacy layers, zero-knowledge rollups, sidechains) to achieve broader adoption and market validation. Demonstrated value includes: - Accelerated adoption and developer traction for L2 solutions. - Enabling innovative financial products and privacy-oriented services previously unavailable to Bitcoin holders. 4. Cardano Ecosystem Overall: The direct Bitcoin integration positions Cardano uniquely in the broader blockchain landscape. It would transform Cardano into the default execution and innovation layer for Bitcoin DeFi, attracting both institutional and retail adoption. Demonstrated value includes: - Enhanced market positioning as the leading decentralized finance ecosystem linked to Bitcoin. - Substantial increase in ecosystem visibility, credibility, and investment inflows. 5. Open source: Maestro's core indexer multi-chain software stack will be open-sourced to the community. Ultimately, the proposed integration presents Cardano with an opportunity to become the primary hub for Bitcoin’s smart contract innovation and DeFi, unlocking extensive economic value, developer growth, and cross-chain collaboration.",Developer / User Experience,Product Committee,"Maestro is a member of - Cardano Development & Ecosystem Cooperative (CDEC) - Cardano Blockchain Infrastructure Alliance (CBIA) Maestro already supports Cardano project's expansion into Bitcoin. Some are already Maestro users (marked with ""U"") and will benefit further from this proposal. Others are going to be new beneficiaries as a result of this proposal (marked with ""F""): - Defi: Fluidtokens (U), Tokeo wallet (U), Begin wallet (U), Lace Wallet (U), Dexhunter (U) - L2: Midgard (F), Sundial (F), zkFold (F), Midngiht (F), BitcoinOS (F).","Maestro proposes a comprehensive infrastructure solution that positions Cardano as Bitcoin’s primary smart contract and DeFi execution layer. Leveraging Maestro’s enterprise-grade UTXO infrastructure platform, this integration will bridge Bitcoin's substantial liquidity and large user base directly into the Cardano ecosystem. Maestro’s solution will provide a complete suite of developer-friendly infrastructure services and tools, including: Blockchain Indexer: For real-time blockchain data querying and insights. - Mempool Monitoring: Enabling developers to detect transactions and on-chain events instantly, even before they are confirmed. - Event Notification System: Allowing instant webhook alerts for on-chain activities, significantly enhancing the responsiveness of dApps. - Wallet Manager: Facilitating secure, efficient wallet management, address derivation, and user transaction tracking. These tools significantly improve the developer experience, dramatically reducing complexity and integration overhead. By abstracting away blockchain complexities, Maestro empowers developers to quickly build and deploy advanced DeFi applications, wallets, and Layer-2 integrations, directly utilizing Bitcoin liquidity. Maestro already supports numerous Cardano projects expanding into Bitcoin (e.g., Fluidtokens lending protocol, Tokeo Wallet, Begin Wallet, Lace Wallet) and Cardano L2s like Midgard, Sundial, zkFold, and BitcoinOS. Recent support for Midnight further expands these possibilities, enabling private DeFi transactions anchored by Bitcoin’s economic security. This integration will act as a catalyst for ecosystem growth, positioning Cardano firmly as Bitcoin’s natural DeFi and smart contract execution environment.",No Dependencies,"All libraries, services and APIs will be maintained by Maestro indefinitely. Open source: Maestro's core indexer multi-chain software stack will be open-sourced to the community. ","Maestro’s proposal delivers a complete Web3 developer stack designed specifically to integrate Bitcoin's unparalleled liquidity into Cardano’s advanced smart contract framework. The suite includes blockchain indexing, mempool monitoring, event notification, and wallet management tools, significantly enhancing developer experience and reducing integration complexity. This initiative will unlock substantial economic opportunities and innovation across both ecosystems, firmly establishing Cardano as Bitcoin’s natural DeFi and smart contract execution environment. Milestones and Deliverables: -Milestone 1: Blockchain Indexer API Deliverable: Fully operational API for real-time and historical blockchain data queries, including comprehensive indexing of Bitcoin and Cardano UTXOs, transactions, blocks, and metadata. - Milestone 2: Mempool Monitoring API Deliverable: API providing real-time insight into pending transactions, enabling preemptive action and responsive dApp interactions. -Milestone 3: Event Notification API Deliverable: Webhook-based event notification system delivering instant alerts for on-chain activities, allowing dynamic dApp interactions and timely user notifications. -Milestone 4: Wallet API Deliverable: Comprehensive wallet management API enabling secure address generation, transaction tracking, UTXO handling, and seamless wallet integrations across both Bitcoin and Cardano ecosystems. -Milestone 5: Market Price API Deliverable: Real-time and historical cryptocurrency market price feed API, enabling accurate pricing data for DeFi protocols, wallets, and analytic platforms, thus supporting robust financial and trading applications. -Milestone 6: Open source - Indexer framework: Maestro's core indexer multi-chain framework will be open-sourced to the community. The indexer is compatible with Bitcoin and the indexer framework is optimized for self-hosting and with an extendable reducer data pipelines.","Team Size: - 4 Software Engineers - 1 DevOps - 1 Project Manager Duration: 6 months","Maestro has a proven track record of delivering high-performance infrastructure and developer tooling for UTXO-based blockchains, including extensive experience within the Cardano ecosystem. Maestro’s platform already supports various high-profile Cardano projects and integrations, successfully handling millions of transactions and servicing numerous applications across DeFi, wallets, analytics, and Layer-2 scaling solutions. The Maestro team comprises seasoned blockchain engineers and industry experts with deep technical expertise in indexing, transaction management, and API development, demonstrating a commitment to high reliability, security, and scalability in enterprise-grade blockchain solutions.",Service Level Agreement,600000,0.6,United States Dollar,360000,"Period: 6 mo Salaries for (4 Software Engineers, 1 DevOps,1 Project Manager) - $10k /mo x 6 people x 6 mo = $360,000 USD (600,000 ADA)","[{""id"":2587,""prop_link"":""https://www.gomaestro.org/"",""prop_link_text"":""Maestro Website""},{""id"":2588,""prop_link"":""https://docs.gomaestro.org/"",""prop_link_text"":""Maestro Documentation""}]",TRUE,13,2025-04-01T15:04:48.911Z 719,Beyond Minimum Viable Governance: Iteratively Improving on Cardano Voltaire,inputoutput,Governance Support,Company,"Input Output Global, Inc.",iohk.io,United States,,,,X: @inputoutputHK,"Cardano stands at the forefront of decentralized governance innovation. Yet, we face a critical challenge: the absence of transparent, data-backed frameworks to evaluate our governance's effectiveness, pinpoint obstacles, and drive impactful improvements. Without these structured processes, our governance discourse risks becoming reactive and fragmented. Potential risks may slip through the cracks, and decision-makers could lack the vital insights needed to refine our governance mechanisms. To truly evolve beyond Minimum Viable Governance (MVG) and unlock Cardano's full potential, we must establish a robust, data-driven foundation for continuous improvement.","This proposal supplements the Cardano product roadmap by focusing on enhancing the governance framework. While it does not directly introduce new features to the core blockchain technology, it aims to improve the processes and structures that guide the development and evolution of Cardano. By establishing a data-driven approach to governance assessment and improvement, the proposal ensures that the product roadmap is supported by a robust and adaptable decision-making system. This initiative will help identify and address potential governance bottlenecks, ensuring that future product roadmap implementations are aligned with community needs and effectively managed.","Imagine a Cardano where governance evolves continuously, driven by data and community insights. We will forge that future by moving beyond Minimum Viable Governance (MVG) to craft a dynamic, adaptable system with a clear, cost-effective process to pinpoint the real challenges faced by those who participate in governance. By putting this process into action, we will deliver transparent, insightful findings and expert analysis. Where needed, these insights will be translated into concrete proposals (CIPs or CPSs) reflecting community consensus. This initiative will kickstart ongoing governance optimization, empowering the community to actively monitor and address critical risks, ensuring Cardano remains a leader in decentralized decision-making.",It supports the product roadmap,Civics Committee," * Draft committee budget codes: CC-0031-25, CC-0033-25, CC-0034-25 * In creating CIP-1694 and the Cardano Constitution, many great ideas were surfaced, but could not be implemented in 2024. * CIP-1694 concludes with “Other ideas/ Open questions” * The Constitution drafting process documented Future Governance Workstreams which were presented during the Constitutional Convention * The Constitution Ratification governance action includes the intent to host future governance workshops","* This initiative will establish a robust framework for evaluating and enhancing Cardano's governance system. We will identify and benchmark key governance metrics to assess the health, performance, and overall impact of our decentralized decision-making processes. The resulting 'State of Governance' report will provide a structured evaluation of participation, track vital Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), map the evolving governance ecosystem, and pinpoint specific areas for improvement. * To ensure our findings are grounded in real-world experience, we will engage the Cardano community through various channels. These include virtual workshops, targeted surveys, and in-depth user interviews. By actively gathering and synthesizing community insights, we will gain a comprehensive understanding of the current state of governance. This will allow us to formulate actionable recommendations and pave the way for post-MVG (Minimum Viable Governance) evolution. Where appropriate, these recommendations will be developed into initial drafts of Cardano Problem Statements (CPSs) or Cardano Improvement Proposals (CIPs), directly reflecting the community's vision for a more robust and effective governance future.","This project relies on several key dependencies, both internal and external to the proposal coalition, to achieve its objectives: 1. **Comprehensive Governance Data Access (External):** - We require access to accurate and detailed on-chain and off-chain governance data. This includes: - Voting records, such as participation rates and outcomes of governance actions. - Delegate Representative (DRep) activity, including engagement levels, decision-making trends, and provided rationales. - Constitutional Committee (CC) decisions and their effects on governance processes. - We will coordinate with entities like Intersect as well as partnering with community data providers such as Lido, Governance Space, and Tempo.vote to ensure we obtain complete and reliable on-chain data. 2. **Active Community Participation (External):** - Successful execution depends on the active involvement of a diverse range of Cardano community members, DReps, Stake Pool Operators (SPOs), and Constitutional Committee (CC) members as well as governance tooling data providers. 3. **Internal Research and Analysis Support (Internal):** - We will utilize Input Output's internal team of analysts and researchers to process and interpret the collected governance data. - Collaboration with governance policy experts and data scientists will be essential for developing meaningful Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). - We will engage technical experts to assess the feasibility and viability of proposed solutions. 4. **Cardano Improvement Proposal (CIP) and Cardano Problem Statement (CPS) Processes:** - We will leverage the established CIP and CPS processes for formalizing and proposing governance improvements. 5. **Intersect Grant Administration (External):** - We will rely on Intersect to administer grants to workshop hosts, facilitating community engagement and data collection.","* The process outputs will be published including a state of governance report with measurement methods and workshop data with analysis * A playbook will be published with details about how to repeat the process and include lessons learned * Any CPS and CIPs will be authored by this team as a milestone of this funding, but the team will be open for other interested co-authors and collaborators * Further funding would be required to move a CPS to a CIP, or to implement a CIP * This could become a repeated process if the community finds value in funding these activities annually","**Milestone 1**: Establish a Foundation for Governance Measurement - Comprehensive Research: Conduct secondary research on best practices for measuring decentralized governance outcomes. - Governance Measurement Framework: Develop a clear framework specifically designed for measuring Cardano's governance effectiveness. - Defined Governance Metrics: Clearly define the specific metrics that will be used to measure governance health and performance. - Initial ""State of Governance"" Report Outline: Create a structured outline for the final ""State of Governance"" report, ensuring a clear roadmap for the project. **Milestone 2**: Collect and Aggregate Governance Insights - Targeted Survey and Interview Instruments: Develop specific survey questions and interview scripts tailored to each governing role (DReps, SPOs, CC members) and community projects. These will gather feedback on challenges, improvements, and concerns regarding the governance system. - Representative Community Data Collection: Gather responses from a representative sample, including at least 25 DReps, 10 SPOs, 5 CC members, 3 governance tooling & data providers, and 10 community projects. - Standardized Workshop Template: Create a reusable workshop template for community members to host and report their findings, ensuring consistent data collection. - Anecdotal Insights from Community Leaders: Conduct interviews with up to 5 community members who manage governance-related forums to gather valuable anecdotal insights. - On-Chain Data Correlation: Aggregate on-chain data to provide context and validate observed governance behaviors. - Community Review of Report Outline: Publish and solicit stakeholder feedback on the initial ""State of Governance"" report outline. **Milestone 3**: Analyze Data to Identify Top Governance Improvement Priorities - Metric Benchmarking: Establish baseline values for each governance metric to understand the current state of governance. - Tooling Recommendations: Provide recommendations for tools and dashboards that can support ongoing monitoring of governance metrics. - Quantitative and Qualitative Data Analysis: Analyze survey and interview data to rank and prioritize suggested governance improvements. - Transparent Data Sharing: Publish all raw survey data and other relevant information, except where confidentiality is necessary. - On-Chain Governance Pattern Analysis: Analyze on-chain data to identify trends and patterns in governance behavior. - Draft ""State of Governance"" Report: Draft an initial version of the ""State of Governance"" report, summarizing findings and analysis for key stakeholder feedback. **Milestone 4**: Develop Actionable Recommendations for Top Governance Improvements - Online Workshop Template for Solution Ideation: Create an online workshop template to facilitate community collaboration in identifying core problems, generating solutions, and prioritizing them based on feasibility and viability. - Facilitated Community Workshops: Conduct 10 workshops (2 per prioritized governance improvement) across multiple time zones to maximize participation. - Transparent Workshop Documentation: Publish unedited workshop minutes and findings, except where confidentiality is necessary. - Draft CPSs/CIPs Based on Workshop Themes: Document and publish themes from workshops as initial drafts of Cardano Problem Statements (CPSs) or Cardano Improvement Proposals (CIPs). - Final ""State of Governance"" Report: Publish the final, comprehensive ""State of Governance"" report. - Governance Process Playbook: Create and publish a detailed playbook outlining a repeatable process for community consultation and consensus-building.","This project is estimated to have a duration of six months, spanning from July 1, 2025, to January 31, 2026, excluding the month of December. The project will be executed by the entire Input Output Voltaire team, with team members contributing on a part-time basis. Additionally, members of the Cardano Constitutional Delegates group will provide support in roles such as analysts, coordinators, and workshop facilitators. We will also collaborate with partner organizations, including WADA.","This project will be driven by a robust coalition of experienced stakeholders dedicated to the advancement of Cardano's governance. Input Output's Voltaire team will provide core leadership, leveraging their unique role as the architects of Cardano's governance framework. As the team responsible for implementing key governance mechanisms—including the Cardano Constitution, the DRep liquid democracy model, and various on-chain and off-chain tools—we possess strong insight into their performance and optimization potential. -- **Key Contributions from Input Output's Voltaire Team**: - **CIP-1694 Workshops**: Designed and executed community workshops that were crucial in refining CIP-1694, which is now implemented on Cardano. - **Constitution Drafting**: Led the design and execution of the global constitution drafting workshops, which led to the 85% on-chain approval of the constitution. Michael Madoff served as the founding Chair of the Cardano Civics Committee, Danielle Stanko was the Secretary and led the Constitution Ratification Working Group, and Thomas Upfield managed the delivery of global workshop and convention polling tools during this process. - **CIP Authoring**: Demonstrated experience in creating and contributing to Cardano Improvement Proposals: Thomas Upfield is the author of CIP-119, and Danielle Stanko is the co-author of CIP-120. -- **Broader Coalition and Community Involvement**: This project will not solely rely on Input Output. We are building a broad coalition with active participation from: - **Constitutional Delegate Committee Members**: Ken-Erik Ølmheim, Max van Rossem, and Tevo Saks, all experienced Cardano contributors, have committed to supporting this project, bringing valuable expertise as Workshop Hosts. - **Partner Organizations**: We have secured commitments from key partner organizations, including WADA and the Intersect Constitution team, to contribute to the project's delivery. - **Active Cardano Community Members**: We will actively engage with and draw upon the diverse expertise within the broader Cardano community, ensuring a truly collaborative and inclusive approach. This collaborative model ensures a wide range of perspectives and expertise, enhancing the project's depth and impact on Cardano's governance evolution.",Milestone Based Fixed Price,592780,0.5,United States Dollar,296390,"Milestone 1: Establish a Foundation for Governance Measurement $36,000 Milestone 2: Collect and Aggregate Governance Insights $68,000 Milestone 3: Analyze Data to Identify Top Governance Improvement Priorities $56,000 Milestone 4: Develop Actionable Recommendations for Top Governance Improvements $117,000 Contingency (~7%) Buffer for unexpected costs $19,390 **Total $296,390**","[{""id"":2452,""prop_link"":""https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JJhe5gOzSoKiO6JolESOL9CupaCgF9gw/view?usp=drive_link"",""prop_link_text"":""Pitch deck""},{""id"":2453,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/cardano-foundation/CIPs/tree/master/CIP-1694#other-ideas--open-questions"",""prop_link_text"":""CIP-1694 concludes with “Other ideas/ Open questions”""},{""id"":2455,""prop_link"":""https://844111662-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fo50OuflyxfUMOt8hHPn2%2Fuploads%2F7vCOT0syLe3XBrKO7Vpk%2FSummary%20of%20Future%20Workstreams.pdf?alt=media&token=2ce1f6ab-43ee-4bdc-9399-f6ede403bd2a"",""prop_link_text"":""The Constitution drafting process documented Future Governance Workstreams""},{""id"":2454,""prop_link"":""https://gov.tools/outcomes/governance_actions/8c653ee5c9800e6d31e79b5a7f7d4400c81d44717ad4db633dc18d4c07e4a4fd#0"",""prop_link_text"":""The Constitution Ratification governance action includes the intent to host future governance workshops""}]",TRUE,6,2025-04-23T20:38:45.599Z 324,Eternl Maintenance,eternl.drep.committee,Core,Company,Tastenkunst GmbH,https://eternl.io,Germany,,,,https://x.com/eternlwallet,Reliable access to the Cardano blockchain requires trustworthy wallet solutions.,"Eternl serves as a preferred wallet for developers testing new Cardano features on testnets. We have consistently integrated new testnets upon their release and will continue this practice, supporting the roadmap's emphasis on developer experience and innovation.","Eternl addresses this need with a secure, feature-rich wallet available across multiple platforms. Eternl is a wallet for all ADA holders.",It supports the product roadmap,Unsure,Currently there is no wider endorsement. We hope to get DRep approval after posting this proposal.,"Eternl has been a reliable and community-driven Cardano wallet since its launch 2021 . It offers a secure, feature-rich experience across web, browser extension, iOS, and Android platforms, serving both everyday users and developers. Maintaining Eternl requires €30,000 per month. We seek funding from the Cardano budget to sustain these operational costs, ensuring Eternl continues to provide reliable access to the Cardano blockchain for the community.",There are no external dependencies.,The Eternl team is committed to providing reliable wallet services for the Cardano community in the years ahead.,Outcome: Eternl provide its services.,"Duration: 1 year Team: + 4 developers + 2 user support staff + 1 operations",Eternl has been providing reliable wallet services for approximately four years.,Other,583000,0.7,Euro,360000,"Preferred currency is in fact ADA, but the form field is missing that option. Cost breakdown, per month: + EUR 20,000 / USD 22,720 / ADA 32,460 for developer salaries​ + EUR 4,000 / USD 4,500 / ADA 6,430 for server infrastructure​ + EUR 1,000 / USD 1,135 / ADA 1,620 for services​, book keeping, software tools + EUR 2,000 / USD 2,270 / ADA 3,240 for user support​ + EUR 3,000 / USD 3,410 / ADA 4,860 for additional staff and operations​","[{""id"":991,""prop_link"":"""",""prop_link_text"":null},{""id"":992,""prop_link"":"""",""prop_link_text"":null}]",TRUE,32,2025-04-13T19:32:36.012Z 69,Gerolamo - cardano node in typescript,govtooladmin,Core,Company,Harmonic Laboratories LTD,harmoniclabs.tech,United Kingdom,,,,X: @MicheleHarmonic,"A Typescript node would benefit the ecosystem in many ways: - remove the ivory tower: make it easier for new developers to understand the protocol internals and contribute to the growth of Cardano - truly decentralized applications: every application that wants to interact with cardano needs access to a cardano node somewhere. without a local node (that requires technical expertise and is usually resource intensive) the only solution adopted is to have a centralized server hosting a node that clients access. a light node in the browser would allow everyone trustless access to the Cardano protocol in the most secure and decentralized way.",,"- users, turstless and more scalable applications - experienced developers, local nodes means less infrastructure and easier access to Cardano - new developers, a familiar source code means more resources to understand what Cardano does",Multiple Node Implementations,Technical Steering Committee,,A node that can run in the browser.,"The project is designed to have as less dependencies as possible, most of the software used is built and maintained by HLabs, and if it is not, it is easily replaceable or can be implemented in case of necessity.","The goal is to have well documented software and to build an excited community around that is willing to contribute independently to te maintenance, of course, we'll do our best too in the long term to support the node stability.",The goal is to have a fully functional light node that can run in the browser and can be integrated in dApps and wallets.,1 years with 3 full time senior software engineers,https://github.com/HarmonicLabs,Time and Materials,578571,0.7,Euro,372600,1 year salary for 3 senior software developers a 135k USD/year,"[{""id"":115,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/HarmonicLabs/gerolamo"",""prop_link_text"":""https://github.com/HarmonicLabs/gerolamo""}]",TRUE,4,2025-04-01T15:04:50.861Z 5,Hardware Wallets Maintenance,michal_petro,Core,Company,Vacuumlabs,vacuumlabs.com,Czech Republic,,,,https://x.com/PetroMichal,"Hardware wallets Ledger and Trezor and additional supporting tooling (cardano-hw-cli) need to be regularly updated in order to be able to support Cardano blockchain development. There are 2 aspects of this: - regular maintenance, bugfixing and developer support - implementation of new Cardano features and breaking changes HW wallets in scope: Ledger, Trezor, Keystone (from support perspective as Keystone firmware and tooling is developed by the Keystone team) Currently it is not known which features in Cardano Roadmap will affect hardware wallets integrations.",,"If implementation of new Cardano features and breaking changes is not completed then hardware wallets may become incompatible with Cardano, stopping users from accessing newer blockchain features or stop working altogether. If regular maintenance, bugfixing and developer support is not completed, wallets may lack functionalities and development of tooling that is using HW wallets may become impossible or much more difficult.",Developer / User Experience,Technical Steering Committee,"The critical maintenance, bugfixing and developer support is currently done by Vacuumlabs for free but this cant last too long. https://github.com/vacuumlabs/cardano-hw-cli/pull/190 https://github.com/vacuumlabs/cardano-hw-cli/pull/188 https://github.com/vacuumlabs/cardano-hw-cli/releases/tag/v1.18.0-rc.1 https://github.com/vacuumlabs/cardano-hw-cli/releases/tag/v1.18.1 We also covered support for developers mainly (mainly SPO tools, various email requests and requests on Cardano Wallets telegram channel)","Update Ledger and Trezor firmware and integration libraries with new relevant Cardano features or breaking changes. Update also if there are any breaking changes in Ledger and Trezor core firmware code, testing suites, etc. Update cardano-hw-cli to reflect firmware changes and to reflect user needs Support Keystone developers while doing the changes above Provide general cardano hw wallets maintenance, development support and bugfixing. Order and manage external code audits for Ledger firmware code (Ledger requirement, has to be done by one of 2 certified auditors)",We will be implementing only features that affect HW wallets and that were delivered to Cardano blockchain through Cardano Roadmap.,This should be ongoing activity. Cardano HW wallets development consisted of around ~20 small projects through years 2018-2025,"New feature implementation should be defined ad-hoc based on Cardano Roadmap projects completion. The maintenance part of this project should be executed continuously and the result should be working HW wallets integration and good developer experience for 3rd party developers.","New features implementation part - unknown but from past experience we suggest to allocate 0.6 FTE budget Maintenance & support part - from past experience we suggest to allocate 0.2 FTE budget Duration - 1 year (with regular 1 year extensions at the end of the term) External audits - depending on the size and number of new features implementation",Vacuumlabs has been developing the Cardano HW wallets integrations (Ledger and Trezor) since 2018.,Time and Materials,424800,0.67,United States Dollar,284600,"These are suggested caps for the development. Only work that is actually needed and delivered will be charged (time & material). The contract should be valid for 1 year. New features implementation - 0.6 FTE - 144 work-days - 187,200 USD Maintenance & support - 0.2 FTE - 48 work-days - 62,400 USD External audits - 35,000 USD","[{""id"":6,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/vacuumlabs/trezor-firmware"",""prop_link_text"":""https://github.com/vacuumlabs/trezor-firmware""},{""id"":8,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/trezor/trezor-firmware"",""prop_link_text"":""https://github.com/trezor/trezor-firmware""},{""id"":7,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/vacuumlabs/trezor-suite"",""prop_link_text"":""https://github.com/vacuumlabs/trezor-suite""},{""id"":10,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/trezor/trezor-suite"",""prop_link_text"":""https://github.com/trezor/trezor-suite""},{""id"":9,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/vacuumlabs/ledger-app-cardano-shelley"",""prop_link_text"":""https://github.com/vacuumlabs/ledger-app-cardano-shelley""},{""id"":11,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/LedgerHQ/app-cardano"",""prop_link_text"":""https://github.com/LedgerHQ/app-cardano""},{""id"":12,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/vacuumlabs/ledgerjs-cardano-shelley"",""prop_link_text"":""https://github.com/vacuumlabs/ledgerjs-cardano-shelley""},{""id"":13,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/vacuumlabs/cardano-hw-cli"",""prop_link_text"":""https://github.com/vacuumlabs/cardano-hw-cli""},{""id"":14,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/vacuumlabs/cardano-hw-interop-lib"",""prop_link_text"":""https://github.com/vacuumlabs/cardano-hw-interop-lib""}]",TRUE,7,2025-04-01T15:03:15.140Z 623,PyCardano,jerry,Research,Individual,,,,,,,X: @PyCardano email: jerrycgh@gmail.com,"The Cardano ecosystem primarily offers development tools and libraries in Haskell and JavaScript, creating a significant barrier for Python developers who wish to engage with the platform. This limitation hinders the growth and diversification of the developer community within the Cardano ecosystem. Furthermore, existing tools often depend on external serialization libraries, complicating the development process and potentially introducing additional points of failure. The absence of a native Python library that seamlessly integrates with Cardano's infrastructure restricts the ability of developers to build and deploy applications efficiently.",,"​PyCardano is a Python library designed to facilitate interaction with the Cardano blockchain by enabling users to create and sign transactions without relying on third-party serialization tools. This independence makes PyCardano lightweight and easy to set up across various environments. ​ Developing PyCardano addresses the challenges mentioned above by providing a native Python library tailored for the Cardano blockchain. This initiative aims to lower the entry barrier for Python developers, fostering a more inclusive and diverse developer community. By eliminating the need for third-party serialization tools, PyCardano simplifies the development workflow, enhancing both efficiency and reliability. This project not only broadens the accessibility of Cardano to a wider range of developers but also encourages innovation and the creation of new applications within the ecosystem.​",Developer / User Experience,Open Source Committee,"PyCardano has garnered notable recognition and endorsement within the Cardano community, underscoring its value and utility as a Python library for blockchain interactions.​ The library is featured in the ""A list of community-built developer tools on Cardano,"" highlighting its role in enabling users to create and sign transactions without relying on third-party serialization tools. https://www.essentialcardano.io/article/a-list-of-community-built-developer-tools-on-cardano PyCardano's integration with other projects further demonstrates its community support. For instance, the opshin programming language, used for developing smart contracts on Cardano, interacts closely with PyCardano, leveraging its data types for seamless on-chain and off-chain code integration. https://developers.cardano.org/docs/smart-contracts/opshin Educational initiatives have adopted PyCardano to facilitate learning and development. The PyCardano Starter Kit offers tutorials on using the library with Ogmios for tasks like generating addresses and submitting transactions, reflecting its practical applicability and community-driven support. https://demeter.run/starter-kits/pycardano-tutorial SteelSwap, a decentralized exchange aggregator, has built its platform on PyCardano, demonstrating the library's robustness and reliability in real-world applications. The project's announcement highlights PyCardano's contribution to SteelSwap's development. https://x.com/SteelSwap/status/1866299242962133236 Over 170 GitHub repositories list PyCardano as a dependency, reflecting its extensive adoption and the trust placed in it by the developer community for building diverse applications within the Cardano ecosystem. These instances collectively demonstrate the broad community support and validation of PyCardano as an essential tool for Python developers working with Cardano. https://github.com/Python-Cardano/pycardano/network/dependents ","PyCardano is a lightweight Python library that enables developers to interact seamlessly with the Cardano blockchain. It facilitates the creation and signing of transactions without reliance on external serialization tools, thereby simplifying the development process and broadening accessibility for Python developers. Given the dynamic nature of blockchain technology, particularly with Cardano's ongoing protocol upgrades and hard forks, it is imperative to maintain and update PyCardano to ensure continuous compatibility and functionality.​ This proposal aims to: Ensure Compatibility: Regularly update PyCardano to align with the latest Cardano ledger rules and protocol changes, including upcoming hard forks in 2025.​ Enhance Reliability: Promptly identify and resolve bugs within PyCardano to maintain a robust and dependable library for developers for 12 months since the proposal is funded.​ Foster Community Engagement: Collaborate with the Cardano developer community to gather feedback, address issues, and implement improvements effectively.",None,The initial development of PyCardano has been completed. This proposal of of regular maintenance and support.,"By implementing this proposal, we anticipate the following outcomes: Sustained Compatibility: PyCardano will remain compatible with the latest Cardano protocol versions, enabling developers to build and maintain applications without disruption.​ Although there isn't a clearly specified roadmap or hardfork for Cardano in the next 12 months, we know it is likely that there will be Leios and Midnight integration. These integration and changes will more or less require corresponding updates in PyCardano. https://iohk.io/en/research/library/papers/ouroboros-leios-design-goals-and-concepts/ https://midnight.network/ Improved Stability: Ongoing maintenance and prompt bug fixes will enhance the library's stability and reliability.​ Enhanced Developer Experience: Up-to-date documentation and community support will provide a more accessible and user-friendly experience for developers.​ Community Growth: Active engagement with the developer community will foster collaboration, innovation, and the broader adoption of PyCardano.",Team size: 1 full time engineer,"Jerry, the creator of PyCardano, will lead this project. His deep understanding of both the library and Cardano's ecosystem makes him uniquely qualified to oversee this upgrade. Jerry's experience as a blockchain developer ensures that the technical challenges of aligning with the Chang hardfork can be effectively addressed. Track Record: The success of PyCardano, with over 170 dependent projects on GitHub and 7,000+ monthly downloads, demonstrates our team's ability to create and maintain critical infrastructure for the Cardano ecosystem. The active Discord community (100+ members) shows our ongoing engagement with users and our ability to address their needs. Technical Expertise: Our team's familiarity with Cardano's protocol, combined with expertise in Python development, positions us to efficiently implement the necessary upgrades. We have a history of successfully adapting PyCardano to previous Cardano updates, showcasing our ability to respond to network changes.",Service Level Agreement,314800,1.574,United States Dollar,200000,"To ensure the ongoing maintenance and timely updates of PyCardano, we propose the engagement of a senior software engineer. The cost estimation is as follows:​ Hourly Rate: $100​ Weekly Commitment: 40 hours​ Annual Duration: 50 weeks This results in an estimated annual cost of $200,000.​ Equivalent in ADA: 302,000 ADA in an exchange rate of $0.662/ADA. ","[{""id"":2022,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/Python-Cardano/pycardano"",""prop_link_text"":""Project Github link""},{""id"":2023,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/Python-Cardano/pycardano/network/dependents"",""prop_link_text"":""170+ Github projects depending on PyCardano""},{""id"":2024,""prop_link"":""https://pypistats.org/packages/pycardano"",""prop_link_text"":""9k+ monthly download""}]",TRUE,10,2025-04-04T19:28:41.561Z 486,Ledger App Rewrite,michal_petro,Core,Company,Vacuumlabs,vacuumlabs.com,Czech Republic,,,,michal.petro@vacuumlabs.com,"In 2018 when Ledger Cardano App was developed, there was no standard for embedded app UI. Over the years this changed and now Cardano is the only Ledger application with non-standard UI such as requiring double-click several times during the confirmation process. This is causing confusion among users and problems with testing because the design is not compatible with the testing suite.",,Ledger wallet users will have better Cardano experience. Further app updates and releases will be faster and cheaper due to Ledger testing suite compatibility.,Developer / User Experience,Technical Steering Committee,"This was included in TSC projects shortlist https://committees.docs.intersectmbo.org/intersect-technical-steering-committee/technical-roadmap/potential-roadmap-projects#ledger-app-rewrite There is a request from Ledger to do this work, they even prepared a high level document outlining the scope of work https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AKwX7xoKL0w4ZX9rK5On1px1kGqC6FOabrlSV2SfrrA/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.v3zp7ejibdgb",Work with Ledger team to design new UI according to the expectations. Implement new UI into the Cardano Ledger App. Pass the external audit process (costs for this shall be included in proposal). Support the Ledger team by the release process.,Collaboration with Ledger team (this was already approved by them ~1 year ago),There is another proposal for maintenance of Cardano HW wallets.,"Ledger wallet users will have better Cardano experience. Further app updates and releases will be faster due to testing suite compatibility. Increased compatibility with new Ledger products",0.7 FTE for 10 months,Vacuumlabs was solely developing Cardano integrations for Trezor and Ledger since 2018.,Time and Materials,300000,0.6,Euro,170000,"UX/UI design - 20 workdays ($30,000 = 50,000 ADA) Design technical feasibility - 10 workdays ($15,000 = 25,000 ADA) Implementation & testing - 70 workdays ($105,000 = 175,000 ADA) Project management - 10 workdays ($15,000 = 25,000 ADA) External audit - 5 workdays - ($15,000 = 25,000 ADA) TOTAL - $180,000 = 300,000 ADA","[{""id"":1495,""prop_link"":""https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AKwX7xoKL0w4ZX9rK5On1px1kGqC6FOabrlSV2SfrrA/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.v3zp7ejibdgb"",""prop_link_text"":""Preliminary proposed changes by Ledger team""},{""id"":1497,""prop_link"":""https://drive.google.com/file/d/1K3EqEbhk-hWPGf7FzJ6xXU1TR0ZTxsSX/view"",""prop_link_text"":""Video explanation""},{""id"":1496,""prop_link"":""https://committees.docs.intersectmbo.org/intersect-technical-steering-committee/technical-roadmap/potential-roadmap-projects#ledger-app-rewrite"",""prop_link_text"":""Link to this item in TSC list""}]",TRUE,6,2025-04-17T13:55:27.395Z 71,Cexplorer.io – Developer-Focused Blockchain Explorer for Cardano,cexplorer,Core,Company,Cexplorer.io,https://cexplorer.io/,Czech Republic,,,,https://x.com/cexplorer_io,"The Cardano ecosystem lacks a powerful, developer-friendly explorer with advanced features, real-time insights, and flexible tools for building on-chain apps. Cexplorer.io aims to fill this gap by providing deep data access, improved UX, and ongoing enhancements to support the growing needs of users and developers.",,"Cexplorer.io serves over 50,000 monthly users and processes millions of data requests, providing real-time, in-depth insights into Cardano’s blockchain. It supports developers, SPOs, researchers, and everyday users with tools for exploring transactions, addresses, tokens, and stake pools. By improving transparency and accessibility, it reduces friction in dApp development, stake pool monitoring, and ecosystem analysis. The return on investment is a proven, high-traffic platform that continuously evolves to meet the growing demands of the Cardano community.",Developer / User Experience,Technical Steering Committee,,"Cexplorer.io is a high-performance, feature-rich blockchain explorer designed specifically for the Cardano ecosystem. It offers deep on-chain insights, real-time data access, and powerful tools for developers, stake pool operators, and users. With over 50,000 monthly users and millions of processed data requests, Cexplorer.io has become a trusted resource in the Cardano community. This proposal seeks funding to ensure the long-term sustainability of the platform through infrastructure maintenance and continuous improvement. It includes two key areas: BAU/Maintenance – Covering costs for server infrastructure, backend/frontend development, and bug fixes to ensure stability, uptime, and security. Enhancements & New Features – Expanding the team with additional developers and a UI designer to deliver a better user experience, improved performance, and new developer-oriented features. Our mission is to provide a scalable, developer-friendly explorer that empowers the Cardano community with transparent, accessible, and actionable data. By supporting this proposal, Intersect and the broader community invest in critical infrastructure that enhances transparency, encourages innovation, and reduces friction for anyone building on or interacting with Cardano.","This proposal has no major external dependencies and can begin immediately upon funding. However, the following ongoing inputs are essential for continued success: - Access to reliable Cardano node and DB-Sync services - Timely updates from the Cardano core and tooling ecosystem (e.g., new protocol versions, CIP implementations) - Stable API access to third-party services (e.g., market data for token pricing) All technical and operational dependencies are already managed internally by the Cexplorer.io team.","Cexplorer.io is already live and actively maintained by an experienced team of backend, frontend, and infrastructure developers. This proposal includes funding for ongoing maintenance, including server infrastructure, performance monitoring, bug fixes, and updates aligned with Cardano protocol changes. The platform will continue to be supported by the same team, with a focus on long-term sustainability. Future updates will be driven by community needs, ecosystem growth, and emerging standards (e.g., new CIPs). Usage metrics, user feedback, and ecosystem developments will guide our roadmap to ensure Cexplorer remains a reliable and evolving resource.","This proposal is focused on two parallel tracks: maintaining the stability of the current platform (BAU) and delivering meaningful enhancements. The deliverables and target outcomes for this tranche include: 1. BAU / Maintenance - Continuous uptime of core services (>99.9% availability) - Timely updates aligned with Cardano protocol changes (e.g., new eras, hard forks) - Bug fixes, security patches, and performance optimizations - Scalable infrastructure management (servers, DB, APIs) Definition of Done: Ongoing, stable operation of Cexplorer.io with no major service interruptions, tracked monthly. 2. Enhancements / New Features - Deployment of 2–3 major feature updates (e.g., improved address/token views, expanded smart contract data, UX/UI refinements) - Integration of a UI/UX designer to improve usability and visual clarity - API enhancements and better developer-facing tooling Definition of Done: Public release of new features on the live platform, with changelogs and announcements, within the funding period.","Team Size: - 2 Backend Developers (1st full time, 2nd full/part-time) - 1 Frontend Developer - 1 UI/UX Designer (part-time) - 1 DevOps / Infrastructure Support (part-time) - 1 Project Coordinator (part-time) Duration: 12 to 18 months – covering both ongoing maintenance and delivery of new features as outlined.","Cexplorer.io (formerly Adapools) has been live since 2020, serving over 50,000 monthly users and handling millions of data requests each month. - The team has strong experience in backend systems, frontend development, API design, and DevOps, specifically tailored to Cardano’s architecture (e.g., DB-Sync, Cardano Node, CIPs). - Proven ability to maintain high availability, fast performance, and implement continuous improvements based on real user feedback. - The team is fully equipped to ensure long-term support, stability, and delivery of new features in a rapidly evolving ecosystem.",Milestone Based Fixed Price,266667,1.33,Euro,185000,"Milestone 1 (Month 1–3): Platform maintenance, protocol update support, infrastructure stability improvements, and setup of usage reporting tools. Funding: $50,000 USD / 66,667 ADA Milestone 2 (Month 4–6): Implementation of advanced address and token views, performance optimizations, and first phase of API improvements. Funding: $50,000 USD / 66,667 ADA Milestone 3 (Month 7–12): Delivery of developer-focused tools, expanded stake pool and reward insights, and backend scalability upgrades. Funding: $50,000 USD / 66,667 ADA Milestone 4 (Month 13–18): Final rollout of new features, publication of changelogs and documentation, and setup for long-term maintenance. Funding: $50,000 USD / 66,666 ADA",[],TRUE,10,2025-04-01T15:04:51.128Z 53,MLabs Core Tool Maintenance & Enhancement: Plutarch,mlabsllc01,Core,Company,MLabs,mlabs.city,United Kingdom,,,,X/Twitter: @MLabs10,"As a core production-grade tool for Cardano smart contracts, Plutarch requires consistent upkeep and enhancements to align with network growth and upcoming hardforks. This proposal addresses the need for dedicated funding to maintain Plutarch's resilience, add features, and ensure ongoing compatibility, supporting developers and strengthening the ecosystem. Without dedicated funding, this essential tool risks becoming outdated, hindering developer productivity.",,"This proposal ensures Plutarch remains robust, up-to-date, and supported, benefiting Cardano developers and dApp projects who rely on it. The value is a more stable, efficient development environment, fostering innovation. The ROI includes increased developer productivity, enhanced dApp quality, and overall ecosystem health through maintained core infrastructure. Plutarch's wide adoption demonstrates its value.",Developer / User Experience,Open Source Committee,"Plutarch is widely adopted within the Cardano ecosystem, demonstrating significant community reliance and endorsement through use. Known adopters include: MLabs, Genius Yield, DCSpark, AADA Finance, Liqwid Finance, Agora, MuesliSwap, TxPipe, Clarity, Midgard, Axo Trade, DJED, Kwarxs, Lenfi, Pisa Fees, Optim Finance, Zamarad, Ikigai, SingularityNET.","This proposal seeks funding for the ongoing annual maintenance and feature enhancement of Plutarch, a production-grade eDSL in Haskell for creating Cardano smart contracts. As a core tool widely adopted within the ecosystem, Plutarch requires consistent upkeep. Funding covers maintenance (bug fixes, compatibility updates for hardforks) and new feature implementation based on community needs (e.g., via GitHub issues). This ensures Plutarch remains resilient, powerful, and up-to-date, supporting developers and the ecosystem.",None,"This proposal is for ongoing maintenance. If funded, MLabs LTD will provide continuous support including maintenance releases, bug fixes, and compatibility updates for Plutarch throughout the 12-month funding period. Future maintenance beyond this requires subsequent funding.",Quarterly maintenance releases addressing critical bugs;Confirmed compatibility with specified Cardano Node/Plutus versions upon their release;Updated user documentation. Definition of Done: Releases published on GitHub;Compatibility tests passed;Documentation updated.,"Duration Estimate: 12 months Resourcing Estimate: Estimated 1,400 hours total effort over 12 months. This will involve 2 or more core developers from MLabs LTD with expertise in Haskell, Plutus, and Cardano tooling.","MLabs LTD is the primary developer and maintainer of Plutarch since its inception. Our team possesses deep expertise in Haskell, Plutus, compilers, and Cardano development, evidenced by the successful delivery and maintenance of numerous core ecosystem tools and successful projects funded via Project Catalyst and other avenues.",Service Level Agreement,243478,0.69,United States Dollar,168000,"Total: $168,000 USD / 243,478 ADA. Note: The budget below assumes 800 hrs Maintenance ($96k) + 600 hrs Enhancements ($72k). Example Structure: Developer Effort (Maintenance - 800 hrs): [approx. $96k] Developer Effort (Enhancements - 600 hrs): [approx. $96k] Project Management / QA Overhead: 10% of grant or $16,800 or 24347 ADA","[{""id"":94,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/Plutonomicon/plutarch-plutus/"",""prop_link_text"":""https://github.com/Plutonomicon/plutarch-plutus/""},{""id"":95,""prop_link"":""https://plutonomicon.github.io/plutarch-plutus/"",""prop_link_text"":""https://plutonomicon.github.io/plutarch-plutus/""}]",FALSE,1,2025-04-01T15:04:48.106Z 39,Dolos: Sustaining a Lightweight Cardano Data Node,txpipe,Core,Company,TxPipe,txpipe.io,United States,,,,"x.com/txpipe_tools, github.com/txpipe","Dolos is a specialized Cardano data node designed to maintain an updated copy of the ledger and respond efficiently to queries. Optimized for data integrity and speed, it provides developers with reliable blockchain data access while requiring a fraction of the resources of a full node. Over the past year, Dolos has gained adoption within the Cardano ecosystem, with an active open-source community contributing to its growth. To continue improving its efficiency, maintaining compatibility with Cardano upgrades, and expanding its capabilities, ongoing development and maintenance are necessary. This proposal seeks funding to ensure Dolos remains actively supported, optimized, and available for the growing number of projects relying on it.",,"Securing funding for Dolos will ensure its continued maintenance, optimization, and feature expansion, directly benefiting projects that rely on fast and lightweight access to Cardano ledger data. Continued improvements will enhance performance, reduce infrastructure overhead, and support a broader range of use cases. By keeping Dolos actively maintained, the Cardano developer community gains a robust and efficient alternative to traditional node setups, lowering operational costs and improving blockchain data accessibility.",Developer / User Experience,Open Source Committee,"https://github.com/txpipe/dolos https://discord.gg/6gx6rYct","This request for support focuses on Dolos (https://dolos.txpipe.io/), a lightweight Cardano data node, designed as a backend for dApps. It is fine-tuned to solve a very narrow scope: keeping an updated copy of the ledger and replying to queries from trusted clients. Unlike a full Cardano node, Dolos is optimized for minimal resource usage while maintaining high data integrity and responsiveness. As an open-source project, Dolos has been steadily growing in adoption, with 366 commits, 367 pull requests, and contributions from 21 developers. It is becoming a key tool for projects seeking efficient blockchain data access without the overhead of full-node infrastructure. To ensure Dolos continues to evolve alongside Cardano’s ecosystem, we are requesting funding for the following roles: 0.5 FTE Blockchain Developer and 0.125 FTE Tech Lead.",None.,"Dolos will be actively maintained through regular updates to remain compatible with Cardano network changes, performance optimizations to improve query efficiency and reduce resource consumption, bug fixes, and stability improvements. Ongoing community engagement, documentation updates, and developer support to encourage adoption and contributions. Long-term sustainability will be pursued through grants, partnerships, and continued community-driven development efforts.","1. Ongoing Maintenance & Protocol Updates - Ensure Dolos remains compatible with the latest Cardano network upgrades. - Address reported bugs and performance optimizations. 2. Feature Enhancements & New Developments - Optimize existing features for better performance and lower resource consumption. - Expand functionality based on developer needs and community feedback. 3. Documentation & Developer Support - Maintain up-to-date documentation and implementation guides. - Engage with the developer community through GitHub and other channels. Definition of Done: - Dolos remains fully compatible with the latest Cardano releases. - Identified issues and bugs are addressed in a timely manner. - Performance and resource optimizations are implemented. - Documentation and community engagement are consistently maintained.",0.5 FTE blockchain developer and 0.125 FTE tech lead for a 12 month period.,"TxPipe is an active member of the Cardano ecosystem TxPipe has been developing open-source tools for the Cardano ecosystem for over 3 years and we're not going anywhere. Evidence of our commitment can be found by evaluating the continuous activity of our public code repositories. Experience developing in the Cardano ecosystem TxPipe has helped developed several dApps for the Cardano ecosystem. This experience allows us to evaluate the feasibility of the project and its potential benefit from a developer's perspective. We've also participated in development of chains using the released version of the IOG's Partnerchain SDK. Successful Catalyst proposals We have successfully completed several Catalyst proposals. This may serve as evidence that our team has the required capabilities to fulfill these type of projects. Development process will be public and open-source Both the output and the development process will be public and open-source. This approach provides an easy way for the Catalyst team and the Cardano community to evaluate the progress at each step of the process.",Time and Materials,220914,0.6,United States Dollar,132549,"0.5 FTE Blockchain Developer for 12 months: - Usd = (825 Usd/Day/FTE * 241 Working Days) * 0.5 = 99,412 - Ada = 99,412 / 0.6 = 165,686 0.125 FTE tech lead per month: - Usd = (1100 Usd/Day/FTE * 241 Working Days) * 0.125 = 33,137 - Ada = 33,137 / 0.6 = 55,228 Total for 12 months - Usd = 99,412 + 33,137 = 132,549 - Ada = 165,686 + 55,228 = 220,914","[{""id"":63,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/txpipe/dolos"",""prop_link_text"":""https://github.com/txpipe/dolos""}]",TRUE,1,2025-04-01T15:03:20.148Z 41,Pallas: Sustaining Critical Rust Tooling for Cardano,txpipe,Core,Company,TxPipe,txpipe.io,United States,,,,"x.com/txpipe_tools, github.com/txpipe","Pallas has become a critical Rust-native foundation for Cardano development, providing essential blockchain primitives such as cryptographic primitives and CBOR encoding. However, maintaining an open-source project of this scale requires continuous effort—bug fixes, updates to support protocol changes, performance optimizations, and new feature development. Without dedicated resources, Pallas risks stagnation, which could impact the many projects and developers who rely on it. This proposal seeks funding to ensure Pallas remains well-maintained, up-to-date, and capable of evolving alongside the broader Cardano ecosystem.",,"Securing ongoing funding for Pallas directly benefits the Cardano developer community by ensuring its continued reliability and performance as a key open-source resource for the Cardano ecosystem. Projects like Aiken, Lucid, Mithril, and Amaru already utilize Pallas to streamline development and reduce infrastructure complexity. By maintaining Pallas, we help developers focus on building applications rather than managing low-level blockchain details. This support strengthens the ecosystem’s developer tooling, makes it easier for new developers to contribute, and fosters innovation across various Cardano-based projects.",Developer / User Experience,Open Source Committee,"https://github.com/txpipe/pallas https://discord.gg/XmPc3zUw49","This request for support focuses on Pallas (github.com/txpipe/pallas), a collection of Rust-native building blocks for the Cardano blockchain ecosystem. Pallas provides reusable components, such as cryptographic primitives and CBOR encoding, to enable the development of higher-level use cases like explorers and wallets. The project remains open-source, and actively welcomes contributions from the broader Cardano developer community. With 591 commits, over 430 pull requests, and 39 contributors, it stands as a strong example of open-source collaboration in the ecosystem. Pallas is being used by key projects in the ecosystem such as Aiken, Lucid, Mithril, Amaru, and many others. To ensure its continued evolution and maximize its impact, Pallas requires ongoing maintenance, updates, and new functionalities. We are requesting funding to secure the following roles assigned to the project: 0.5 FTE blockchain developer and 0.125 FTE tech lead.",None.,"Pallas is maintained through continuous updates, bug fixes, documentation, and optimizations to keep pace with Cardano protocol changes. Dedicated resources ensure reliability, while an open-source model encourages community contributions. Clear documentation and developer support further strengthen adoption. Long-term sustainability will be pursued through grants, partnerships, and community-driven funding.","1. Ongoing Maintenance & Protocol Updates - Ensure compatibility with the latest Cardano network upgrades. - Address bugs and performance optimizations. 2. New Feature Development - Enhance existing modules based on community needs. - Expand functionality to support emerging use cases in the ecosystem. 3. Improved Documentation & Developer Support - Maintain clear, up-to-date documentation. - Engage with the developer community through channels like GitHub and Discord Definition of Done: - Pallas remains fully compatible with the latest Cardano releases. - Identified bugs and issues are resolved in a timely manner. - At least one major feature or optimization is implemented. - Documentation and community engagement are consistently maintained.",0.5 FTE blockchain developer and 0.125 FTE tech lead for a 12 month period.,"TxPipe is an active member of the Cardano ecosystem TxPipe has been developing open-source tools for the Cardano ecosystem for over 3 years and we're not going anywhere. Evidence of our commitment can be found by evaluating the continuous activity of our public code repositories. Experience developing in the Cardano ecosystem TxPipe has helped developed several dApps for the Cardano ecosystem. This experience allows us to evaluate the feasibility of the project and its potential benefit from a developer's perspective. We've also participated in development of chains using the released version of the IOG's Partnerchain SDK. Successful Catalyst proposals We have successfully completed several Catalyst proposals. This may serve as evidence that our team has the required capabilities to fulfill these type of projects. Development process will be public and open-source Both the output and the development process will be public and open-source. This approach provides an easy way for the Catalyst team and the Cardano community to evaluate the progress at each step of the process.",Time and Materials,220914,0.6,United States Dollar,132549,"0.5 FTE Blockchain Developer for 12 months: - Usd = (825 Usd/Day/FTE * 241 Working Days) * 0.5 = 99,412 - Ada = 99,412 / 0.6 = 165,686 0.125 FTE tech lead per month: - Usd = (1100 Usd/Day/FTE * 241 Working Days) * 0.125 = 33,137 - Ada = 33,137 / 0.6 = 55,228 Total for 12 months - Usd = 99,412 + 33,137 = 132,549 - Ada = 165,686 + 55,228 = 220,914","[{""id"":65,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/txpipe/pallas"",""prop_link_text"":""https://github.com/txpipe/pallas""}]",TRUE,2,2025-04-01T15:03:20.417Z 40,UTxO RPC: Sustaining Cardano Blockchain Integration,txpipe,Core,Company,TxPipe,txpipe.io,United States,,,,"x.com/txpipe_tools, github.com/txpipe","UTxO RPC simplifies interactions with UTxO-based blockchains by providing a standardized interface for blockchain integrations. It enhances interoperability, reusability, and performance for developers, and has already seen adoption by major Cardano projects like Lace, Mesh, and Amaru. To fully unlock its potential for the Cardano community, UTxO RPC requires ongoing maintenance and enhancements. This proposal seeks funding to keep it active, up-to-date, and aligned with the evolving needs of the ecosystem.",,"Securing funding for UTxO RPC ensures it remains actively maintained and continues to evolve with the Cardano ecosystem's needs. Ongoing updates, performance improvements, and new feature development will ensure the interface stays relevant and effective. This support will help simplify blockchain integrations, reduce complexity for developers, and improve overall performance, making it easier for new projects to adopt UTxO RPC. With continued maintenance, UTxO RPC can better serve the ecosystem and support long-term developer needs.",Developer / User Experience,Open Source Committee,"https://github.com/utxorpc https://discord.gg/HdyWu7S7","This request for support focuses on UTxO RPC (https://utxorpc.org), an interface specification designed to simplify interactions with UTxO-based blockchains. U5C defines standardized methods, data structures, and communication patterns. By providing a range of SDKs, and offering thorough documentation, U5C enhances reusability, interoperability, and performance in blockchain integrations. Currently in its early stages, UTxO RPC is already being adopted by key projects in the Cardano ecosystem, including Lace, Mesh, Amaru, and many others. As an open-source initiative, it welcomes contributions from the community, fostering a collaborative approach to improving blockchain infrastructure. To support its ongoing development, maintenance, and enhancements, we are requesting funding for the following roles: 0.5 FTE blockchain developer and 0.125 FTE tech lead.",None.,"UTxO RPC is maintained through regular updates, bug fixes, documentation, and optimizations to improve performance and ensure compatibility with evolving blockchain protocols. Dedicated resources guarantee the project's ongoing reliability and allow for continuous enhancements based on feedback from the Cardano community and other stakeholders. The open-source nature of UTxO RPC encourages contributions from the community, ensuring its continuous improvement. Long-term sustainability will be pursued through grants, partnerships, and community-driven funding.","1. Ongoing Maintenance & Protocol Updates - Ensure compatibility with the latest Cardano network upgrades. - Address bugs and performance optimizations. 2. Feature Enhancements & New Developments - Integrate new features that meet evolving community needs. - Release additional SDKs for new languages and blockchain use cases. 3. Documentation & Developer Support - Keep the documentation up-to-date. - Engage with the developer community through channels like GitHub and Discord Definition of Done: - UTxO RPC remains compatible with the latest Cardano releases - Identified bugs and issues are resolved in a timely manner. - At least one major new feature or SDK is added to the specification. - Documentation and community engagement are consistently maintained.",0.5 FTE blockchain developer and 0.125 FTE tech lead for a 12 month period.,"TxPipe is an active member of the Cardano ecosystem TxPipe has been developing open-source tools for the Cardano ecosystem for over 3 years and we're not going anywhere. Evidence of our commitment can be found by evaluating the continuous activity of our public code repositories. Experience developing in the Cardano ecosystem TxPipe has helped developed several dApps for the Cardano ecosystem. This experience allows us to evaluate the feasibility of the project and its potential benefit from a developer's perspective. We've also participated in development of chains using the released version of the IOG's Partnerchain SDK. Successful Catalyst proposals We have successfully completed several Catalyst proposals. This may serve as evidence that our team has the required capabilities to fulfill these type of projects. Development process will be public and open-source Both the output and the development process will be public and open-source. This approach provides an easy way for the Catalyst team and the Cardano community to evaluate the progress at each step of the process.",Time and Materials,220914,0.6,United States Dollar,132549,"0.5 FTE Blockchain Developer for 12 months: - Usd = (825 Usd/Day/FTE * 241 Working Days) * 0.5 = 99,412 - Ada = 99,412 / 0.6 = 165,686 0.125 FTE tech lead per month: - Usd = (1100 Usd/Day/FTE * 241 Working Days) * 0.125 = 33,137 - Ada = 33,137 / 0.6 = 55,228 Total for 12 months - Usd = 99,412 + 33,137 = 132,549 - Ada = 165,686 + 55,228 = 220,914","[{""id"":64,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/utxorpc"",""prop_link_text"":""https://github.com/utxorpc""}]",TRUE,1,2025-04-01T15:03:20.283Z 174,AdaStat.net Cardano blockchain explorer,adastat,Governance Support,Individual,,,,,,,https://x.com/ada_stat,"It’s still a challenge to provide Cardano blockchain data in a way that’s both decentralized and easy to use. Blockchain explorers are key tools in solving this issue, as they provide access to information about blocks, transactions, stake pools, governance activities, and other on-chain operations. However, each explorer is also potential point of centralization — it can fail, or show incorrect data. Because of this, it is important for ecosystem to have several independent, performant, and open-source explorers. AdaStat.net supports this goal by providing real-time, mobile-optimized, and feature-rich explorer for Cardano. Maintaining and improving AdaStat directly strengthens the ecosystem infrastructure, increase transparency of data, and offer valuable tool for SPOs, DReps, CC members, developers, and everyday users.",,"1. For SPOs: Real-time access to block production and stake pool performance, without delays from epoch boundaries or outdated data. 2. For DReps and CC members: Tools for tracking governance activities and accessing voting-related data in clear and transparent way. 3. For developers: Access to fully free REST API that provides Cardano data in easy-to-use JSON format — helpful for building tools, dashboards, or integrating blockchain data into other applications. 4. For general users: The site works smoothly on all devices, and we keep improving it based on user feedback. 5. For the Cardano ecosystem: AdaStat is a lightweight and open tool that helps Cardano stay decentralized and easy to understand - especially for new users. All of this helps Cardano grow: stronger infrastructure, clearer data, and better long-term adoption.",Developer / User Experience,Open Source Committee,"AdaStat is widely used and referenced within the Cardano ecosystem. While it does not have formal partnerships with particular projects, it is regularly mentioned by developers, SPOs, and other ecosystem participants as a stable and fast source of blockchain data. Many wallets and platforms set AdaStat as their default explorer or provide direct links to it for more detailed views. The website and its public API serve approximately 20,000 unique users per month — based solely on server-side logs, as AdaStat does not use tracking scripts, analytics services, or even cookies. This strong organic usage reflects a high level of trust and recognition from the community, achieved without any active promotion.","We propose to continue development and support of the AdaStat.net Cardano blockchain explorer for the next 24 months. Planned work includes performance optimizations, improvements to UX/UI, and new features related to Cardano’s evolving governance model and on-chain tooling. The frontend is developed using Vue.js and Tailwind CSS, which allows very small bundle size and fast loading time on different devices. The backend is built on Node.js and PostgreSQL, combining standard DB-Sync tables with custom-optimized indexes for high-speed data access. This dual approach enables advanced search and filtering across both on-chain and off-chain metadata — including DRep names, stake pool tickers, token labels, and more. Infrastructure is horizontally scalable. Multiple backend servers work behind load balancer and handle traffic based on real-time utilization. This gives high availability and stable performance, even during peak usage.",No dependencies,"After the initial 24-month funded period, we plan to continue maintaining and evolving AdaStat through: Efficient architecture and low overhead: The platform is optimized for performance and cost-efficiency, allowing us to sustain operations with minimal resources. Open-source contributions: By keeping the code simple and well-documented, we hope contributors from the Cardano community will join via GitHub. Collaborations within the ecosystem: We are open to lightweight integrations with other tools (wallets, governance tools, dapps, etc) that can help share maintenance effort and expand utility. Future grants: If needed, we may apply for other grants (including applying through other grant systems, such as Catalyst) Most importantly, AdaStat will remain free, neutral, and privacy-friendly - with no ads, no tracking, and no monetization. Our goal is simple: to keep AdaStat relevant and helpful as Cardano changes and grows.","Over the 24-month period the Cardano community will receive a stable, high-performance, and continuously improving AdaStat Cardano blockchain explorer. Key integrations include: 1. Ongoing infrastructure monitoring and uptime maintenance 2. Bugfixes and UI/UX improvements based on user feedback 3. Monitoring of upcoming Cardano HardForks and CIPs and prepare updates in advance 4. Collaborating (when appropriate) with other tools and services to stay compatible and relevant","Team: 1. Tetiana Stashenko - Product manager, Front-end developer 2. Dmytro Stashenko - Lead developer, founder of AdaStat.net 3. Mariya Turlak - UX/UI Designer 4. Olha Domornikova - QA Engineer Duration: - 24 months, which corresponds to 24 Milestones (1 Milestone = 1 Month)","AdaStat.net has been actively developed and maintained since Shelley Incentivized Testnet in 2019, with consistent uptime, feature updates, and strong organic community usage. The team has years of experience working with Cardano node, DB-Sync, performance tuning, database optimization, and community engagement. This shows that we’ve been consistently improving the project over the years, and we plan to keep doing so.",Milestone Based Fixed Price,212000,0.6,United States Dollar,127200,"Based on our experience, each team member contributes part-time (~1 hour per day), totaling ~100 hours/month. The proposal is structured as 24 monthly milestones (1 milestone = 1 month). Current salary rate in our country is $50/hour before all taxes, i.e. totaling $5,000/month. Additionally there are network Infrastructure costs ~$300/month. TOTAL MONTH COSTS: $5,000 + $300 = $5,300 TOTAL PROJECT COSTS: $5,300 * 24 months = $127,200 1 ADA = 0.6 USD (current rate) TOTAL: $127,200 = 212,000 ADA","[{""id"":372,""prop_link"":""https://adastat.net/"",""prop_link_text"":""https://adastat.net/""}]",TRUE,6,2025-04-01T15:04:51.743Z 137,OpShin - Python Smart Contracts for Cardano,nielstron,Research,Individual,,,,,,,Github/X: @nielstron,"Developing Smart Contracts on Cardano is difficut to get started with. Historically, the functional programming paradigm of Haskell and Plutus has scared away new developers. Aiken, Plu-ts and similar alternatives are also based on functional programming. Moreover all of these languages are rare, some specifically designed for Cardano Contracts. Thus, if developers want to start building for Cardano, they need to to learn a completely new language.",,"We propose OpShin, a Python-based smart contract language for Cardano. Python is one of the most popular programming languages known. On top of this we provide the security guarantees that are the reason for the Cardano community to embrace functional programming - thus offering an accessible and easy to start with alternative to current languages. OpShin is aimed at developers that want to build on Cardano. It drastically simplifies onboarding when experience in Python is given, and even without is easy to read and access. By making development of Smart Contracts more accessible, OpShin is a key catalyst for a growing ecosystem of DApps on Cardano. The benefit to community is immense.",Developer / User Experience,Open Source Committee,"OpShin and its related project have in the past received 6 Catalyst Grands over 4 Funds, showing continued support from the community. OpShin has also contributed to various CIP discussions about Smart Contract standards have been discussed.","This is OpShin: a toolchain that lets developers construct Cardano smart contracts in Python. The toolchain comprises several projects that aim to facilitate the development of Smart Contracts and dApps on Cardano. They are largely based on Python, or integrate well with it for maximal accessibility. On top of accessibility, OpShin ensures low transaction cost compared to PlutusTx. At the time of writing, Python is the second-most used language on GitHub, with 14.75% of the active userbase working with Python, and enjoys a 22.5% year-over-year increase in users; this is driven in part by its utility in data science and machine learning. Everyone who knows Python can leverage the toolstack available for Python development to build on Cardano; and that is a lot of people, with a lot of tools. OpShin enforces strict typing on the high-level programming: it implements a type system on top of Python type hints. However, all traces of typing are erased during compilation, for a maximum efficiency program. OpShin beats many programming languages when taken to the test for real use-cases. ",No dependencies.,"The project is currently maintained by a team of motivated open-source developers, who will be eager to continue development after an initial phase.","The project is under ongoing development. The language itself is already completed and production ready, but the Smart Contract Ecosystem is always evolving (i.e. new Plutus versions, standards, CIPs). This evolution requires continuous adaptations. The proposal is enough to fund further development for one year. There are no fixed deliverables as it is hard to predict the changes in the ecosystem.","1 core technical contributors is required part-time to maintain the OpShin project successfully for one year. Moreover, in the past, on-demand contracts have shown to be successful at increasing the contributing power in times of demand.","The main proposer, Niels, has already bootstrapped the main part of the project. In its current form the tool is able to be used and already being used. The proposer is completely doxed and well-known in the Community. He also has a strong network of competent and experienced developers interested and capable in supporting the project. He is supported on a per-demand basis by contributors to OpShin such as Julius Frost and S.C. Musson, who have redeemed themselves by contributing valuable improvements. The main goal of this proposal is to improve usability and developer experience with respect to Smart Contracts on Cardano. With the given funds, the continued development of the toolchain is secured as developers can be hired to tackle basic issues in the toolchain whereas the main proposer is able to allocate more time of the day towards developing OpShin himself.",Time and Materials,199910.89,1.54,United States Dollar,130000,"The main part-time developer has a yearly salary of USD 60000 for a normal, part-time contract at 20h / week. Additional contracts are estimated to cost around USD 30000 per contract, we expect 2 contracts per year based on historical involvements. Moreover we estimate additional administrative overhead, including servers and bookkeeping at USD 10000.","[{""id"":273,""prop_link"":""https://opshin.dev"",""prop_link_text"":""OpShin Homepage""},{""id"":274,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/OpShin/opshin"",""prop_link_text"":""OpShin GitHub Page""},{""id"":275,""prop_link"":""https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMTi1TS8jec"",""prop_link_text"":""OpShin Pioneer program introduction""},{""id"":276,""prop_link"":""https://book.opshin.dev/"",""prop_link_text"":""OpShin Book - Documentation for the Smart Contract Language""}]",TRUE,6,2025-04-01T15:04:50.037Z 68,Lucid Evolution Maintenance,govtooladmin,Core,Company,Anastasia Labs,https://www.anastasialabs.com/,United States,,,,"X: @AnastasiaLabs, GitHub: https://github.com/Anastasia-Labs","One of the most used offchain library called Lucid Evolution needs constant maintenance and upgrades. We would like to make sure this library stays up to date with all of the changes and upgrades of the Cardano network. This project is completely open source. https://github.com/Anastasia-Labs/lucid-evolution",,"This project significantly benefits the Cardano community by providing reliable tools for developers: Increased Efficiency, allowing developers to focus on building and optimizing their applications. Enhanced Quality: Reliable testing environments that lead to more robust and secure smart contracts, contributing to the network's overall health. Documentation: Comprehensive guides and tutorials helping onboard new developers to our ecosystem",Developer / User Experience,Open Source Committee,"https://x.com/WoodlandPools/status/1886848030562734280 https://x.com/ElRaulito_cnft/status/1879926786114683172 https://x.com/LegionOfBrad/status/1897286916758024654 https://x.com/RealJohnSanti/status/1883656311650615382 https://x.com/CSWAP_Destroy/status/1864956368391934423 https://x.com/AdamRusch/status/1834555539516244250 https://x.com/stakenuts/status/1893568339567399338","Lucid Evolution is an open-source library designed to simplify and enhance the development of off-chain smart contract interactions on Cardano. As the official maintainer of Lucid, Anastasia Labs is committed to evolving the library to align with the upcoming Chang Hard Fork, ensuring long-term support and usability for developers. This proposal seeks funding to support ongoing development, maintenance, and ecosystem adoption efforts, including compatibility updates, feature enhancements, and developer documentation. By securing funding, Lucid Evolution will continue to serve as a critical tool for DApp developers, improving accessibility and efficiency within the Cardano ecosystem.",-,These funds are for maintenance and support,"Cardano upgrades - Lucid Compatibility with all HFs - Ensure Lucid remains fully functional - Upgrading the library to support any breaking changes or new functionalities introduced. Enhanced Developer Tooling & Documentation - Improve and expand the documentation to help developers integrate Lucid Evolution even more efficiently. - Provide clear examples, guides, and API references for off-chain contract interactions. New Features & Optimizations - Implement requested features that improve developer experience - Optimize codebase for better efficiency and maintainability. Ecosystem Support & Adoption Engage with projects using Lucid Evplution to facilitate smooth transitions. Provide ongoing community support through discussions, Q&A sessions, and developer outreach. Open-Source Maintenance & Governance Alignment Maintain Lucid as a public good, ensuring transparent decision-making and alignment with Intersect’s governance model.",Team working on Lucid Evolution is three FTEs,Anastasia Labs has created Lucid Evolution library and we have been maintaining it for almost two years,Milestone Based Fixed Price,130903,1.31,United States Dollar,100000,Assuming 3 FTEs working on Lucid for a whole year we are estimating this cost to be compensation for all three developers working on Lucid Evolution maintancence and upgrades,"[{""id"":114,""prop_link"":""https://anastasia-labs.github.io/lucid-evolution/"",""prop_link_text"":""https://anastasia-labs.github.io/lucid-evolution/""}]",TRUE,4,2025-04-01T15:04:50.713Z 597,MLabs Research towards Tooling for Elliptical Curves - GrumpleStiltSkin,mlabsllc01,Research,Company,MLabs Ltd,mlabs.city,United Kingdom,,,,info@mlabs.city,"Cardano currently lacks reusable and composable on-chain cryptographic tooling for elliptic curves and finite fields. Developers building ZK or privacy-preserving applications must either hardcode specific cryptographic primitives (limiting generality) or implement complex curve logic themselves (introducing security risks and inefficiencies). There is no widely accepted, verifiable standard for parameterized zero-knowledge verification on Cardano",,"This proposal seeks to deliver a parameterized elliptic curve and finite field cryptography framework in Plutarch, enabling developers to build smart contracts that verify zero-knowledge proofs over arbitrary curves. This flexibility empowers privacy-focused dApps, improves composability, and advances Cardano's technical capabilities. It creates a foundation for a wide range of ZK-powered features while reducing duplication of effort across the ecosystem",Developer / User Experience,Product Committee,Endorsement coming soon!,"GrumpleStiltSkin will deliver an open-source, parameterized elliptic curve and Galois field framework implemented in Plutarch. The goal is to allow smart contracts on Cardano to verify cryptographic proofs over customizable curves and fields. This will include: Plutarch support for Galois field arithmetic Plutarch support for elliptic curve arithmetic A generic ZK verifier in Plutarch A validation test suite over BLS12-381 A composable YTxP-compatible Plutarch wrapper This tool empowers developers with on-chain cryptographic flexibility, expands Cardano’s ZK application capabilities, and sets the stage for future innovations in privacy and authentication. # Introduction Elliptic curves, specifically over Galois fields, have found multiple uses in blockchain applications. One particularly significant application is zero-knowledge proofs, which promise significant capability enhancements, ranging from better onchain performance to new operations. To this end, a whole constellation of different elliptic curves, based on a huge range of Galois fields, have been proposed and designed. These vary in their mathematical properties, intended use cases, and other features, while still being broadly similar in terms of their basic foundations. Such curves include, but aren't limited to: * The Pasta curves * The Grumpkin curve * BLS12-381 This list is not complete, and is likely to grow larger as time passes. In general, every blockchain, and its respective software ecosystem, tends to settle on a different choice of elliptic curve(s) and associated Galois fields. Plutus is no exception to this. Currently, there are no fewer than eight CIPs, in various stages of adoption, which either directly, or indirectly, justify their proposed extensions to Plutus by way of elliptic curves, finite field arithmetic, or both: * [CIP-0049] * [CIP-0058] * [CIP-0101] * [CIP-0121] * [CIP-0122] * [CIP-0123] * [CIP-0133] * [CIP-0381] These proposals are self-evidently useful, as shown by most of them being adopted into Plutus Core. However, for an application developer who wants to work over a specific elliptic curve, all of these proposed improvements suffer from one of two problems. The first of these problems, as typified by CIP-0058, is an excess of generality. You are given the pieces to (possibly) build the curve functionality you need, but no help beyond that. This means a lot of work, likely involving expertise (and concerns) far outside your domain of interest or knowledge. Furthermore, you now become responsible for security considerations around elliptic curve use. Lastly, if multiple application developers need logic around a specific curve, this may end up being re-implemented multiple times by different teams. None of these make the process _straightforward_, and in many cases might be a hard obstacle to a working product even if it's technically possible. The second problem, typified by CIP-0381, is an excess of specificity. If an application developer wants to work over a specifically-supported curve (such as BLS12-381 in this case), this is a blessing from the correctness, optimization and security point of view. However, if this isn't the curve they need, they are left out in the cold. While it is conceivable for an application developer to request the curve they need to have direct support in Plutus Core similar to BLS12-381, this is impractical at best, and creates all the issues discussed previously regarding incidental complexity and requiring expertise from other domains. Furthermore, there is an unspoken problem of having application developers being forced to own the underlying primitives for their curve implementations. If issues of performance or security are discovered, or even if some more operations or generality are needed, the application developers must provide the upgrade path. This can range from difficult to impossible, and must be engineered for ahead of time. This just compounds the difficulties involved, especially for developers who are not experts in either cryptographic security or onchain performance. # Our solution We will create a two-part proof-of-concept system, named Grumpelstilskin, designed to allow application developers to easily use any curve of their choice for zero-knowledge proof verification on-chain. The first part of Grumpelstilskin will be a 'working script' which, when given appropriate parameters via its datum, will verify a zero-knowledge proof over a user-specified curve. This script will be tested for correctness. The second part of Grumpelstiltskin will be a YTxP-based interface to the 'working script', implemented in Plutarch. This interface will be well-documented, easy to use, and flexible, with a focus of making life easy for application developers who want to use zero-knowledge proofs. Thanks to our use of YTxP, future performance, security and functionality improvements will not be the responsibility of application developers who use Grumpelstilskin. This second part will be distributed as an open-source project. We aim to build a minimum viable product, with the future goals of expanded functionality, improved performance, as well as a full audit of the 'working script'. Our choice of YTxP will make it minimally difficult to achieve this, and will impose minimal friction on any application developers using Grumpelstiltskin to build their products. ","Plutarch, YTxP, and Cardano serialization infrastructure Open-source cryptographic libraries (for comparison) Academic research on ZK protocols and pairing curves [ytxp]: https://www.mlabs.city/blog/an-introduction-to-the-concepts-behind-ytxp-architecture [elliptic-curves]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliptic_curve [galois-field]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finite_field [pasta-curves]: https://o1-labs.github.io/proof-systems/specs/pasta.html [grumpkin-curve]: https://aztecprotocol.github.io/aztec-connect/primitives.html#2-grumpkin---a-curve-on-top-of-bn-254-for-snark-efficient-group-operations [cip-49]: https://github.com/cardano-foundation/CIPs/tree/master/CIP-0049 [cip-58]: https://github.com/cardano-foundation/CIPs/tree/master/CIP-0058 [cip-101]: https://github.com/cardano-foundation/CIPs/tree/master/CIP-0101 [cip-121]: https://github.com/cardano-foundation/CIPs/tree/master/CIP-0121 [cip-122]: https://github.com/cardano-foundation/CIPs/tree/master/CIP-0122 [cip-123]: https://github.com/cardano-foundation/CIPs/tree/master/CIP-0123 [cip-133]: https://github.com/cardano-foundation/CIPs/tree/master/CIP-0133 [cip-381]: https://github.com/cardano-foundation/CIPs/tree/master/CIP-0381 ","Post-development, MLabs will maintain the tool under its open-source library suite. Enhancements to add aiken will be proposed via Catalyst and Intersect maintenance requests. Bug fixes and integration support will be provided for 6 months post-release.","We describe the structure of the proposed work below. ## Milestone 1: Key Galois field operations in Plutarch We will implement key operations over user-parameterized Galois fields in Plutarch. To achieve this generality, we will implement the following: 1. A representation of elements of a user-specified Galois field. 2. Field operations over the representation in 1. 3. Exponentiation operation over the representation in 1. We will also write tests for general correctness of these operations, without a specific field in mind. These tests will be done at the script level, rather than the transaction level. ## Milestone 2: Key elliptic curve operations in Plutarch We will implement key operations over user-parameterized elliptic curves. These will use the work in Milestone 1 for Galois fields. For elliptic curves, we will allow user-chosen curve constants, and well as user-chosen base and scalar fields. To achieve this generality, we will need to implement the following: 1. A representation of points on user-specified elliptic curves, using the Galois field representation from Milestone 1. 2. Elliptic curve operations over the representation in 1. These will include at least the following: * Checking if a given point is on the curve * Elliptic curve point addition and scalar multiplication We will also write tests for general correctness of these operations, without a specific curve in mind. These tests will be done at the script level, rather than the transaction level. ## Milestone 3: Plutarch core script for zero-knowledge proofs Using the operations from Milestones 1 and 2, we will implement a script in Plutarch. This script would verify a zero-knowledge proof over an arbitrary curve, over arbitrary Galois fields, both specified as part of the datum. This would mint a token if the proof holds. The goal of this script would be to serve as the working component of a YTxP design. ## Milestone 4: Correctness for BLS12-381 To verify that the script from Milestone 3 is correct, we will test proof verification against the BLS12-381 curve. This testing will be done against a reference implementation using the BLS12-381 primitives provided by Plutus Core. ## Milestone 5: Plutarch YTxP wrapper We will provide a YTxP-using wrapper, implemented in Plutarch. It will allow easy and convenient use of the core script implemented in Milestone 3. This wrapper will focus on convenience and ease of use, while also allowing improvements in functionality, bugfixes and security fixes with minimum user inconvenience. This wrapper will be published as an open-source project. ",Duration Estimate: 12 months,"MLabs has extensive experience in cryptography, Plutarch smart contracts, and zero-knowledge systems. Our past work includes Plutarch, the Cardano Transaction Library, and zkApp R&D. We are contributors to multiple community standards and tooling projects (e.g., CTL, Ply, Cardano.nix). Also we have done work towards bitwise operators previously in CIP-123 which is related to this work and can possibly be used towards its implementation.",Milestone Based Fixed Price,104347,0.69,United States Dollar,72000,"Total: $72,000 USD / 104347 ADA. Note: The budget below assumes 600hrs of research and implementation Developer Effort (Enhancements - 600 hrs): Project Management / QA Overhead:10% of grant or $7,200 or 10434 ADA ","[{""id"":1954,""prop_link"":""https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G7EbN9atd7MwvaesSEc7E7iXne_e49lTK90IRrgSSxw/edit?usp=sharing"",""prop_link_text"":""Elliptical Curves proposal""},{""id"":1955,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/mlabs-haskell/grumplestiltskin"",""prop_link_text"":""GitHub Repository""}]",FALSE,3,2025-04-23T16:29:48.721Z 454,BloxBean Java Tools Maintenance and Enhancement,bloxbean,Core,Company,BLOXBEAN PTE. LTD.,https://www.bloxbean.com/,Singapore,,,,"https://github.com/bloxbean , X: @BloxBean, X: @satran004","BloxBean has developed a suite of open-source Java tools essential for Cardano developers, including the Cardano Client Lib (CCL), Yaci, Yaci Store, and Yaci DevKit. These tools enable Java developers to interact seamlessly with the Cardano blockchain. Tools like Yaci DevKit are also used by non-Java teams to quickly set up a local Cardano devnet for testing purposes. As the Cardano ecosystem evolves, it is crucial to keep these tools up-to-date with the latest network changes, optimize their performance, and provide robust documentation and feature enhancements to ensure continued effectiveness. While BloxBean projects are supported by a small team of contributors, with the lead maintainer (Satya) being an employee of the Cardano Foundation, the growing demands for ongoing improvements require additional resources. This proposal seeks funding to hire one additional full-time developer through BloxBean to support the maintenance and enhancement efforts for the next 12 months. BloxBean Tools Overview ---------------------- **Cardano Client Lib (CCL):** A powerful off-chain Java SDK designed for Java/Scala/Kotlin developers to build and submit all types of transactions to the Cardano Blockchain. Used by many Java and Scala developers in the community. **Yaci:** A Java library implementing the Cardano mini-protocol. It allows any Java/Scala/Kotlin application to interact directly with the Cardano blockchain to retrieve real-time blockchain data. **Yaci Store:** A modular Java library designed for developers building custom indexing solutions. It also provides out-of-the-box indexers and includes a reward calculation component. It is used in key projects like the Rosetta Java exchange tool. **Yaci DevKit:** A comprehensive developer toolkit enabling faster iteration with a custom local Cardano network that can be easily created and destroyed. Used by both Java and non-Java projects.",,"- Long-Term Support: Ensure BloxBean tools remain compatible with future Cardano upgrades for a seamless developer experience. - Enhanced Developer Efficiency: Improve tools and documentation, making it easier for developers to build on Cardano using Java and other JVM languages. - Ecosystem Growth: Support the continued adoption and integration of BloxBean tools by Java developers, benefiting the overall Cardano ecosystem. - Open-Source: Maintain these tools as open-source projects, encouraging collaboration and contributions from the global developer community.",Developer / User Experience,Open Source Committee,"https://x.com/SebastienGllmt/status/1911586479605993518 https://x.com/shishirpai/status/1904683308971065726 https://x.com/matiwinnetou/status/1905566081663512878 https://x.com/CryptoJoe101/status/1877289062144327787 https://x.com/YetAnotherAiGuy/status/1868752956407033895 https://x.com/lley154/status/1859225478462050471 https://x.com/sevensSPO/status/1846226328116515156 ","BloxBean provides several essential Java libraries and tools for building applications on Cardano. These tools—CCL, Yaci, Yaci Store, and Yaci DevKit—require continuous maintenance and feature updates to meet the evolving needs of the Cardano ecosystem. To meet the growing demands of this project, we require an additional full-time developer for the next 12 months. The requested funds will support this additional developer, who will focus on the following areas: 1. Ongoing Maintenance: - Ensure compatibility with new Cardano network upgrades. - Address bug fixes, performance improvements, and security issues. 2. Feature Enhancements: - Implement new features based on community feedback. - Optimize the codebase to improve performance and scalability. 3. Documentation and Developer Tools: - Expand the documentation with detailed guides, tutorials, and example code to assist developers. 4. Community Engagement & Support: - Provide ongoing support via GitHub discussions, forums, and discord. - Engage with developers to understand their needs and ensure tools are optimized for real-world use. ",None,"These funds are for maintenance, support and future enhancements.","- Ensure compatibility with upcoming hard forks and handle breaking changes from Cardano updates. - Ensure clear and comprehensive documentation, including examples, guides, and tutorials for developers. - Implement community-requested features and future enhancements. - Provide ongoing support for developers, resolving inquiries and issues. - Promote tool adoption and engage with the Cardano developer community. ","Currently, BloxBean projects are maintained by a small team of contributors. The lead maintainer, Satya Ranjan, is an employee of Cardano Foundation, with his salary covered. This proposal requests funding for one additional full-time developer for the next 12 months. Duration: 12 months","The BloxBean team has extensive experience in developing and maintaining Cardano-related tools for Java developers. We have been maintaining these tools since 2021 and have been active in the Cardano ecosystem for several years, ensuring the tools remain up to date and functional for the community.",Service Level Agreement,99600,1.66,United States Dollar,60000,"- 1 Senior Developer ( 40 hours/week, 48 weeks )","[{""id"":1406,""prop_link"":""https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1_E9Bc-f_Y"",""prop_link_text"":""Java Tooling for Cardano dApps Development""},{""id"":1407,""prop_link"":""https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY7Ceuyc5qw"",""prop_link_text"":""Yaci DevKit Demo""},{""id"":1408,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/bloxbean"",""prop_link_text"":""Project GitHub""}]",TRUE,7,2025-04-16T15:39:24.999Z 42,MLabs Core Tool Maintenance & Enhancement: Cardano.nix,mlabsllc01,Core,Company,MLabs,mlabs.city,United Kingdom,,,,X/Twitter: @MLabs10,"Cardano.nix provides foundational toolsets for building and deploying Cardano infrastructure reproducibly using Nix. Maintaining reliable infrastructure tooling is essential for node operators, developers, and projects running Cardano components. This tooling requires regular maintenance to track updates in Nixpkgs, Cardano node versions, and related Haskell ecosystem components, as well as potential enhancements to improve usability or incorporate features from related toolsets (like flake-lang.nix). This proposal seeks funding for this necessary upkeep.",,"Funding this proposal ensures the Cardano community continues to have access to a maintained and reliable Cardano.nix toolset. This benefits anyone deploying Cardano infrastructure (nodes, wallets, explorers) using Nix, including SPOs, developers, and enterprises. The value lies in providing reproducible, robust deployment methods, reducing configuration errors and setup time. The ROI is improved infrastructure reliability, easier onboarding for Nix users into Cardano, and support for key ecosystem players like IOG and the Daedalus Wallet team.",Developer / User Experience,Open Source Committee,"Cardano.nix is utilized by key organizations within the Cardano ecosystem. Known adopters include: Input Output Global (IOG) Daedalus Wallet (IOHK) Kwarxs","This proposal seeks annual funding for the maintenance and enhancement of Cardano.nix, a foundational toolset for building and deploying Cardano infrastructure with Nix. Funding covers regular maintenance to ensure compatibility with Cardano node updates and the Nix ecosystem, bug fixes, and minor enhancements to improve the tooling based on community needs and developments in related areas like Nix Flakes.","Nixpkgs versions/channels, specific Cardano component versions it targets, potentially Haskell build tools if relevant","This proposal is for ongoing maintenance. If funded, MLabs LTD will provide continuous support including maintenance updates, bug fixes, and compatibility assurance for Cardano.nix throughout the 12-month funding period. Future maintenance beyond this requires subsequent funding.","Maintenance Deliverables: Regular updates ensuring compatibility with specified Cardano Node versions and stable Nixpkgs channels;Bug fixes for reported issues. DoD: Updates merged and tested;Compatibility confirmed via build checks/tests. Enhancement Deliverables: Implementation of minor enhancements based on community feedback or integration with related toolsets like flake-lang.nix (within the scope of 100 hours). DoD: Enhancement code merged, tested, documented, and included in the toolset.","Duration Estimate: 12 months Resourcing Estimate: Estimated 260 hours total effort over 12 months. This will involve 1 core developer(s) from MLabs LTD part-time, with expertise in Nix, DevOps, and Cardano infrastructure.","MLabs LTD is the primary developer and maintainer of Cardano.nix. Our team possesses deep expertise in Nix, Cardano infrastructure deployment, and maintaining complex build systems, evidenced by the successful delivery and maintenance of Cardano.nix and its use by key ecosystem entities.",Service Level Agreement,45217,0.69,United States Dollar,31200,"Total: $31,200 USD / 45,217 ADA. Example Structure based on 260 total hours: Developer Effort (Maintenance - 160 hrs ): approx. $19.2k Developer Effort (Enhancements - 100 hrs ): approx. $12k Project Management / QA Overhead (Estimate % or $): 10% or $3120 or 4521 ADA","[{""id"":66,""prop_link"":""https://github.com/mlabs-haskell/cardano.nix"",""prop_link_text"":""https://github.com/mlabs-haskell/cardano.nix""}]",FALSE,0,2025-04-01T15:03:20.561Z