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Simon Sällström gravatar Simon Sällström DirectEd Claimed
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Bio

Recently graduated with an MPhil in Economics from the University of Oxford. Founder of the Cardano Oxford student hub. Founder and current CEO of DirectEd Development Foundation.

Simon Sällström own proposals

Community Reviews across funding rounds

562
Total reviews
Addresses Challenge
4.6 Star
Feasibility
4.18 Star
Auditability
4.47 Star
Value for money
3.96 Star
Impact / Alignment
4.28 Star
Impact Alignment
4.2 Star

Proposals Across Funding Rounds

6
Completed
7
Approved
16
Proposed
₳1.7M
$205.3K
Requested
₳40K
$107.3K
Awarded
₳0
$107.3K
Received

Funding data last updated

Simon Sällström Proposals (19)

Employment Contract Dapp

$600 Received
$600 Requested

<p>Lack of formal contracts in developing countries may leave both employers and employees up for exploitation.</p>

Fund: Fund 6 Challenge: F6: Grow Africa, Grow Cardano
completed Awarded 0.24% of the fund.
3 (9)

Direct Donation for Education

$9,280 Received
$9,280 Requested

<p>Current donation services lack efficiency, transparency and security. ADA microlending may be difficult due to legal barriers and trust.</p>

Fund: Fund 6 Challenge: F6: DeFi and Microlending for Africa
completed Awarded 10.311% of the fund.
4.96 (24)

Research dApp

$480 Received
$480 Requested

<p>Crypto is seen as merely a speculative vehicle, and its potential for research purposes and policy impact assessment has not been showcased.</p>

Fund: Fund 6 Challenge: F6: Partnerships for Global Adoption
completed Awarded 1.6% of the fund.
2.5 (12)

Oxford student hub

$7,590 Received
$7,590 Requested

Solution: Start a student hub based at the University of Oxford to attract young programmers to choose to learn Haskell and Plutus.

Fund: Fund 7 Challenge: F7: Scale-UP Cardano's Community Hubs
completed Awarded 2.169% of the fund.
4.62 (21)

Challenge: DApps and Integrations

$2,500,000 Budget

What applications will provide the most value for end users in 2022?

Proposed in Fund: Fund 7
Approved Approved 19.531% of the fund.
4.33 (9)

DirectEd - Donations dApp

$59,040 Received
$59,040 Requested

Solution: Scholarship/donation platform based on Atala PRISM enabling secure, low-cost, conditional peer-to-peer donations to students.

Fund: Fund 8 Challenge: F8: DApps and Integrations
completed Awarded 2.362% of the fund.
4.77 (30)

Oxford Student Hub

$4,150 Received
$4,150 Requested

Solution: Created a student hub based at Oxford to further increase Oxford students’ exposure to Cardano through physical and online events.

Fund: Fund 8 Challenge: F8: Scale-UP Cardano's Community Hubs
completed Awarded 0.83% of the fund.
4.57 (30)

DirectEd-Student Scholarship Portal

$30,300 Received
$30,300 Requested

Solution: Scholarship/donation platform based on Atala PRISM enabling secure, low-cost, conditional peer-to-peer donations to students.

Fund: Fund 8 Challenge: Self-Sovereign Identity
completed Awarded 7.575% of the fund.
4.88 (24)

Oxford crypto valley: Cardano house

$98,000 Requested

Solution: Establish a Cardano hacker house in the HomeDAO Oxford Crypto Valley alongside other major protocol and VC houses. Talented entrepreneur student tenants contribute to the ecosystem 25% of their time.

Fund: Fund 9 Challenge: Dapps, Products & Integrations
over budget Requested 1.248% of the fund.
4.53 (15)

Cardano RealFi Consortium - Coordinator Role: Streamlining Synergies for Real World Blockchain Solutions

₳50,000 Requested

Solution: Establish a dedicated Coordinator to conduct business outreach, manage day-to-day operations, marketing of RealFi projects, foster synergies, and facilitate collaboration within the CRFC.

Fund: Fund 10 Challenge: Developer Ecosystem - The Evolution
not approved Requested 0.792% of the fund.
3.76 (17)

Alternative Assessment Process R&D and Experimental Implementation

₳710,000 Requested

Solution: R&amp;D and experimental implementation of several alternative assessment/QA models for Catalyst funds distribution, one of them being the 2-stage proposal assessment process,

Fund: Fund 10 Challenge: Catalyst Systems improvements
withdrawn Requested 19.888% of the fund.
3.86 (21)

DirectEd- Coding Schools and Employers Governance Framework in Africa Quick Pitch

₳250,000 Requested

Solution: Our project seeks to establish a governance framework and trust registry that will ensure the quality of education, maintain standards, and build trust among students, employers and other stakeholders

Fund: Fund 10 Challenge: Atala PRISM: Launch Ecosystem
over budget Requested 7.915% of the fund.
4.56 (9)

DirectEd- Decentralized Tutor’s Marketplace (Uber for Tutoring) Quick Pitch

₳136,800 Requested

Solution: Decentralized Tutor's Marketplace: Uber for Tutorials. This will empower students to choose tutors, reduce monitoring costs, and ensure fund transparency through blockchain.

Fund: Fund 10 Challenge: Products & Integrations
not approved Requested 1.507% of the fund.
4.14 (22)

DirectEd- Crowdfunding & Milestone-Based Smart Contract Primitive and Audit Quick Pitch

₳255,000 Requested

Solution: Open source and audit a smart contract primitive that enables multi-party milestones-based distribution of funds to projects or individuals.

Fund: Fund 10 Challenge: OSDE: Open Source Dev Ecosystem
not approved Requested 8.074% of the fund.
4.55 (31)

Oxford University student hub ‘CardanOx’ events and student onboarding

₳39,480 Requested

Solution: We will run Cardano events for University of Oxford students and researchers (including postdocs).

We have been operating successfully as a Cardano student hub for over a year now.

Fund: Fund 10 Challenge: Startups & Onboarding for Students
funded Awarded 10% of the fund.
4.14 (51)

Uber for Tutoring - Decentralised Tutor’s Marketplace (DirectEd) Quick Pitch

₳35,000 Requested

Solution: Decentralized Tutor's Marketplace: Uber for Tutorials. This will empower students to choose tutors, reduce monitoring costs, and ensure fund transparency through blockchain.

Fund: Fund 11 Challenge: F11: Cardano Use Cases: Concept
not approved Requested 0.467% of the fund.
0 (0)

Anti Research Fraud dApp: Qualtrics-Cardano Integration

₳40,000 Requested

Solution: A Qualtrics extension that hashes and uploads primary survey respondent data to the Cardano blockchain so that any accusation of data tampering of the raw data can be provably refuted.

Fund: Fund 11 Challenge: F11: Cardano Use Cases: Concept
funded Awarded 0.533% of the fund.
0 (0)

General Purpose Crowdfunding and Milestones-based Distribution Smart Contract Framework Quick Pitch

₳155,000 Requested

Solution: Open source and audit a smart contract primitive that enables multi-party milestones-based distribution of funds to projects or individuals.

Fund: Fund 11 Challenge: F11: Cardano Use Cases: Solution
not approved Requested 2.067% of the fund.
0 (0)

Monthly Reports

Technical side

  • dApp has been successfully deployed
  • NFT gated content on the website completed.
  • delays in a smart contract but a token-based MVP is ready for open-sourcing and community feedback

Operations

  • MOU signed with Kotebe University of Education
  • First meetings with YALI East Africa, Kenyatta University, Derja, Power Learn Project, IO MOE team
  • Recruitment of tutors started
  • Visits to Kagumo High school and Bishop Gatimu Ngandu Girl's High
  • Digital art collection completed
Disbursed to Date
$59,040
Status
Launched
Completion Target
1. In the next month
Comments 0

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Technical side

  • dApp has been successfully deployed
  • NFT gated content on the website completed.
  • delays in a smart contract but a token-based MVP is ready for open-sourcing and community feedback (this means that we have deprioritised the scholarship platform)

Operations

  • MOU signed with Kotebe University of Education
  • First meetings with YALI East Africa, Kenyatta University, Derja, Power Learn Project, IO MOE team
  • Recruitment of tutors started
  • Visits to Kagumo High school and Bishop Gatimu Ngandu Girl's High
  • Digital art collection completed"

We will also submit a request to change the scope of our proposal. See separate document.

Disbursed to Date
$30,300
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
2. In the next 3 months
Comments 0

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We have completed our initial phase of the project. We are now moving on to the next phase which was funded in Fund 8.

Disbursed to Date
$7,590
Status
Complete
Completion Target
1. In the next month
Comments 0

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Hand-on Cardano, focus on onboarding members by direct hand-on activities like create wallet and mint NFT.

Disbursed to Date
$7,590
Status
Complete
Completion Target
1. In the next month
Comments 0

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"A beta version of our dApp With working wallet connect on vercel

  • new UI design
  • 10+ user interviews
  • curriculum draft design completed
  • 8 student interviews/mock exams conducted in Ethiopia
  • Analysis of 90 student questionnaires
  • CTO Rohan participated in panel at London summit + interview
  • CEO Simon at Lausanne summit, presentation on Monday 21st “impact as an opportunity for Cardano”
  • Kotebe University of Education MOU to be signed week of December 12th
  • soft commit of COTI sponsorship
Disbursed to Date
$30,300
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
1. In the next month
Comments 0

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A beta version of our dApp With working wallet connect on vercel

  • new UI design
  • 10+ user interviews
  • curriculum draft design completed
  • 8 student interviews/mock exams conducted in Ethiopia
  • Analysis of 90 student questionnaires
  • CTO Rohan participated in panel at London summit + interview
  • CEO Simon at Lausanne summit, presentation on Monday 21st “impact as an opportunity for Cardano”
  • Kotebe University of Education MOU to be signed week of December 12th
  • soft commit of COTI sponsorship
Disbursed to Date
$59,040
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
1. In the next month
Comments 0

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We have completed our scholarship programme. The scholars of the programme engaged in learning Plutus and created project based outcomes. We weren't able to fulfil all the goals we set to ourself. The general community engagement wasn't high, but we were able to find a few passionate individual who will continue their Cardano journey beyond the scholarship programme.

Disbursed to Date
$7,590
Status
Complete
Completion Target
1. In the next month
Comments 0

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Recent updates: DirectEd animated project video - we now have our animated video finished on our website that describes our mission and the problems we solve - check it out! DirectEd Development Foundation

New team members - Welcome Edmund and Kidus to the team! Edmund will be our website and dApp frontend developer, and Kidus will be working on our programme curriculum design

We have signed a MOU with Kagumo High School

Lido nation x DirectEd meeting in Nairobi!

Collaboration with Microverse, leading online course provider is proceeding to MOU

Initial collaboration discussions with OrcFax and Charli3

Studentreader-Prism-ADAO-Proofspace Ethiopia collaboration proceeding

Disbursed to Date
$30,300
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
2. In the next 3 months
Comments 0

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Recent updates: DirectEd animated project video - we now have our animated video finished on our website that describes our mission and the problems we solve - check it out! DirectEd Development Foundation

New team members - Welcome Edmund and Kidus to the team! Edmund will be our website and dApp frontend developer, and Kidus will be working on our programme curriculum design

We have signed a MOU with Kagumo High School

Collaboration with Microverse, leading online course provider is proceeding to MOU

Initial collaboration discussions with OrcFax and Charli3

Studentreader-Prism-ADAO-Proofspace Ethiopia collaboration proceeding

Disbursed to Date
$59,040
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
2. In the next 3 months
Comments 0

Login or Register to leave a comment!

General

  • Mailing list - monthly newsletter

  • Q3 OKRs

    • Updated OKRs and KPIs for 2022 Q3 are now listed on Notion under progress updates
  • Team upskilling

    • A few of our team members gathered in Morocco for a two-week work retreat with some team bonding, personal development and strategising. We might realse some vlogs in September!

Operations team

  • User interviews
    • Holding regular user focus interviews with Cardano users to hear what’s important for them and general feedback
  • Collaborator meetings
    • Proofspace
    • Datacamp
    • Springboard
    • Catalyst After Town hall discussion with SSI alliance
    • Poko
    • Charli3
    • Atala PRISM
    • SALT.dev
    • Kotebe University of Education
    • Lido nation
    • Gerowallet
    • 180 degrees consulting
  • Video presentation and pitch completed
  • Website migration and emailing
  • Salary framework
  • Risk mitigation policy

Tech team

Disbursed to Date
$59,040
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
2. In the next 3 months
Attachment(s)
Comments 0

Login or Register to leave a comment!

General

  • Mailing list - monthly newsletter

  • Q3 OKRs

    • Updated OKRs and KPIs for 2022 Q3 are now listed on Notion under progress updates
  • Team upskilling

    • A few of our team members gathered in Morocco for a two-week work retreat with some team bonding, personal development and strategising. We might realse some vlogs in September!

Operations team

  • User interviews
    • Holding regular user focus interviews with Cardano users to hear what’s important for them and general feedback
  • Collaborator meetings
    • Proofspace
    • Datacamp
    • Springboard
    • Catalyst After Town hall discussion with SSI alliance
    • Poko
    • Charli3
    • Atala PRISM
    • SALT.dev
    • Kotebe University of Education
    • Lido nation
    • Gerowallet
    • 180 degrees consulting
  • Video presentation and pitch completed
  • Website migration and emailing
  • Salary framework
  • Risk mitigation policy

Tech team

Disbursed to Date
$30,300
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
2. In the next 3 months
Comments 0

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Since the last report, we have kept in contact with the scholars of our scholarship programme, assisting their Plutus learning journey. We have also started to plan out the next steps we will take after this project is completed. Including seminars and social event that will increase the awareness of the Cardano blockchain.

Disbursed to Date
$7,590
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
1. In the next month
Comments 0

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As noted in the sister proposal, we were affected by the Nomad exploit. This should not stop the project from meeting its milestones but it does put us at an economic deficit nevertheless.

Disbursed to Date
$30,300
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
3. In the next 6 months
Comments 0

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As our project very much revolves around transparency, we wanted to maintain our funds on-chain. Unfortunately, only bridged USDC was available and so we kept a large portion of the funds we had thus far received in madUSDC. Hence, we were severely affected by the Nomad bridge exploit. This may affect our ability to complete the project on time but that remains to be seen.

Disbursed to Date
$59,040
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
3. In the next 6 months
Comments 0

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Scholars of our programme is engaging in plutus project based learning.

Disbursed to Date
$7,590
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
1. In the next month
Comments 0

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We have passed the 100 twitter followers mark! As we are now formally incorporating, we will soon be able to formally intitiate partnership talks with local organisations in Kenya and Ethiopia.

Disbursed to Date
$30,300
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
3. In the next 6 months
Attachment(s)
Comments 0

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Loom Demo video recorded. We have formally filed the application to incorporate as a UK charitable organisation. Rohan and Simon admitted to the Creative Destruction Lab blockchain stream bootcamp (top tier incubator for deep-tech ventures). DataCamp partnership proceeding

Disbursed to Date
$59,040
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
3. In the next 6 months
Attachment(s)
Comments 0

Login or Register to leave a comment!

Scholarship announced, applications reviews and scholars just started on their Plutus learning process.

Disbursed to Date
$7,590
Status
Launched
Completion Target
2. In the next 3 months
Attachment(s)
Comments 0

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We have been talking with RootsID and people working with Atala PRISM on how to implement our vision. We are also now finalising a basic sketch of how we want the design to look

Disbursed to Date
$30,300
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
12/31/2022
Attachment(s)
Comments 0

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We are 3 people who are commencing to work full time on this in July, so things will start to move much faster from now on!

Disbursed to Date
$59,040
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
12/31/2022
Attachment(s)
Comments 0

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Disbursed to Date
$7,590
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
9/30/2022
Comments 0

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We are looking to finalise our closeout report this weekend!:) There'll only be a brief presentation of our team members and simple demo of website and possibly the smart alpha smart contract

Disbursed to Date
$9,280
Status
Complete
Completion Target
5/31/2022
Comments 0

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No

Disbursed to Date
$30,300
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
12/31/2022
Comments 0

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We will be closing out our fund 6 project now

Disbursed to Date
$59,040
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
12/31/2022
Comments 0

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We have published video and article. https://youtu.be/WE621Tz_1pQ

Disbursed to Date
$7,590
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
9/30/2022
Comments 0

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We are now in active discussions with Kenyatta University and Kotebe University of Education. We also have recruited a person with experience working with higher education in developing nations and a person to do our graphic design for our website. I pushed the "completion" status to May so that we could include a demo of this first demo in our project completion report.

Disbursed to Date
$9,280
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
5/24/2022
Comments 0

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A lot of event coming up next month. Not much done in April as this is a university based project and we aren't able to do much during Easter break.

Disbursed to Date
$7,590
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
10/30/2022
Comments 0

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The photos are from Kagumo High School in Nairobi that our Kenya lead Moses Kahure visited to discuss the DirectEd cardano scholarship.

Our devs are still finishing up Plutus and working on getting a very simple testnet version of the basic smart contract that we seek to use for the scholarship and we hope to submit a closeout report once that is done and once we have presented at Ideafest (as we are now proposing in fund8)

Disbursed to Date
$9,280
Status
Still in progress
Completion Target
4/17/2022
Comments 0

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Organization of successful events including “Introduction to Cardano” where students were informed on Project Catalyst with detail on how to become a Community Advisor. Created many resources for the community. Expecting to reach target audiences through more events in the coming month.

Disbursed to Date
$7,590
Status
Launched
Completion Target
9/30/2022
Comments 0

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