[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

<u>Overview</u>

Although the current marketplace is already up and running, there are still many services that we would like to offer to empower our community and SPOs. Also, the current version of the marketplace is on the Testnet network and we want to make it available on the Mainnet. We want to expand the possibilities of the marketplace and enrich the services offered, from the minting process to browsing and exploring the NFTs, going through the purchase mechanisms and social interactions to improve the user experience. In addition, the current site lacks comprehensive data analysis and statistics on site usage and the history of each NFT.

<u>How do we empower SPOs?</u>

ALDEA NFT is a community project. We count with 30 SPOs aligned with our vision and mission and the idea of this Marketplace is to make the SPOs benefit from it, as the fees that we gather go to the DAO Treasury, which we have in a multisig that SPOs themselves operate. In the future, we may use these funds to bootstrap SPO based projects as well.

<u>Features</u>

This is why we propose the following features for our V2:

• Categories and collections of NFTs: NFTs from the user's wallet and in the marketplace can be viewed, grouped by categories, facilitating navigation and selection. Statistical information will be provided about each category, such as number of minted NFTs, holders, average price, price history, etc.

• Actions in categories and bundles of NFTs: You will be able to interact with sets of NFTs from each category, such as putting up for sale, minting or buying entire categories.

• Collection minting: The loading of information for each NFT of a collection will be automated.

• Scheduled minting: A program may be established for the gradual publication of minted NFTs for sale, generating expectation in the market.

• NFT History: You will be able to access the full transaction history of each NFT, including the number of wallets it has gone through and the purchase price history.

• Minting and selling directly: The process of mining and selling NFTs will be simplified, allowing both actions to be carried out in a single transaction.

• NFTs or Featured Collections: Users may establish an additional fee to feature their publications on the portal.

• Wallet profile: Each wallet will have a profile on the website where its activity and the collections and NFTs it owns will be displayed.

• Messaging between users: It will be possible to send chat messages between users using the Mercury Chat integration.

• Offer messages: Users will be able to make offers to the owners of the NFTs and they will be able to accept or reject the offers.

• Auctions: A smart contract will be implemented to manage NFT auctions, where users can bid to win the auction.

• Content moderation: A content moderation will be carried out to flag inappropriate NFTs and prevent them from appearing on the site.

• REST API and Integration: To enhance accessibility and interoperability, we will provide a complete set of REST API endpoints that allow users to access all marketplace data. Our official portal will also utilize the same API. Furthermore, our API will be callable from any platform, enabling other platforms to display our listings. Additionally, transactions can be created using our API from any web platform with a wallet connector, providing flexibility and integration opportunities.

• FAQs, user guides and documentation: Guides and documentation will be updated and expanded to provide clear resources for users.

• Internal improvements: Improvements such as IPFS garbage collection, image embedding in metadata instead of uploading it to IPFS, NFT image in email notifications, stake pool delegation button, among others, will be implemented.

• Fee Minimums: It is proposed that fee minimums be editable and allow amounts less than 1 ADA.

<u>Detailed Explanation of Each Feature</u>

NFT Categories and Collections

Being able to view the NFTs in the user's wallet so that they can select which ones they want to publish for sale, as well as view the NFTs available in the marketplace grouped by category, especially the category of the collection to which they belong, can facilitate and streamline the navigation and selection. In addition, we want to provide information, statistics and data about each of the categories based on the NFTs they group together. This will include the number of minted NFTs (and max supply), number of holders, average price, price history, etc.

Some of the categories will be: collection (minting policy), creator, artist, seller, top100, etc.

Actions on NFT categories and bundles

By working with these different categories, we will also be able to interact with them together and perform operations with the set of NFTs in each category at one time. We are going to offer the possibility of selling, minting or buying entire categories.

Collections Minting

The idea is to automate the information upload process for each NFT, doing it once for the entire collection. However, there are elements that must be uploaded individually, such as the image or other details.

The user sets keywords that will then be used across all minted NFTs from this collection. A base name is established, for example: "Las Ranas", and then each NFT takes that name and adds an index, for example: "Las Ranas 1", "Las Ranas 2"…

Scheduled Mints

We will also offer the possibility of establishing a program through which the portal will publish the minted NFTs for sale over time. The user will mine and submit the NFTs to the protocol, which will be able to automate the publishing schedule chosen by the user.

This post scheduling strategy aims to generate buzz and excitement in the marketplace. Instead of minting and posting all NFTs at once, you can choose to release them at different times, thus creating a sense of anticipation. The user will have the option to carry out this programming manually, but they can also use our platform to schedule these publications automatically.

NFT History

In our marketplace and on the web, you will be able to access the complete transaction history of each NFT, including the number of wallets it has gone through and the purchase price history. You will have all the necessary information to follow the path of each NFT and know its valuation history.

Mint and Sell Directly

Our goal is to simplify and streamline the process of mining an NFT and its subsequent sale. To that end, we want to offer users the ability to perform both actions in one step, within the same transaction. This means that you will be able to mint your NFTs and put them up for sale immediately, without having to take any additional steps.

NFTs or Featured Collections

Users will have the option of establishing an additional fee to the fee per sale established by the protocol, with the aim of highlighting their publication compared to others on the portal. The amount of this additional fee will determine the visibility priority of the publication.

Wallet Profile

Each wallet will have a profile on our website where their activity with our contracts will be seen. You can also see the collections and NFTs you own.

Additionally, users may upload an image and personal data, as long as they wish and respect their privacy.

This will allow us to expand the social functionalities of the portal to explore our users, analyze their nfts holdings, ect.

Users may choose to create a profile or not, to show their data or not, and to use their email or the internal chat system for portal messages and notifications.

Messages Between Users

Possibility of sending chat messages between users. Mercury chat integration.

Offer Messages

The site will show us the nfts in the wallets of the different users. A user can then make an offer to the owner and make available the value he offers to pay. The owner of the nft may accept or reject that offer and if he did, he could deliver the nft and automatically receive payment.

In addition, we will make an offer button available next to each published NFT. Unlike the buy button, here the user who wishes can make an offer to the seller different from the one he proposed.

When the seller enters the site, or if he has configured notifications in his email, he will receive a notification about this offer, so that he can decide whether to accept or reject it.

Auctions

A smart contract will be implemented to manage an auction system. In this system, a seller will set a base price and deadline for an auction, making an NFT available for sale. As time progresses, other users will be able to see this active auction and place bids to try to win it. The smart contract will be in charge of managing the bids and determining the winner at the end of the auction, taking into account the highest offer within the established period.

Content moderation

Listings of NFTs for sale are found both on the Cardano network under the administration of the marketplace contract and in our database, which reflects the information present on the network. By having this information in our database, we can carry out administration and control of which NFTs are displayed on our portal. Through content moderation, administrators can flag certain NFTs as inappropriate, which will prevent them from appearing on our site. Users who have made those posts will receive a notification and have the option to withdraw their NFT.

FAQS, User Guides and Documentation

We are looking to update and expand the guides and documentation on how to use our website, portal and contracts. We want to provide our users with up-to-date and clear resources that allow them to understand and effectively use all the functionalities of our platform.

Editable Fee Minimums

Fee minimums are currently 1 ADA and are hardcoded into the contract. If we want to change them to 2, 3 ADA or a lower value, we should create a new marketplace contract. It is proposed that this parameter be editable, similar to how commission fields for ALDEA can be edited and other aspects where these values are stored in the Protocol datum.

Fee Contract

Currently, the fees paid by users are directed in the same transaction to the destination wallets of the protocol and ALDEA. This places a limit on the minimum fee that can be charged, as that minimum must be greater than the minimum ADA that can be sent to an address (approximately 1 ADA today).

However, if the fees were directed to a contract instead of the mentioned wallets, the situation could be different. Each sale would generate commissions that would accrue on that contract and would not be subject to the ADA floor.

Instead of generating a new transaction with a commission output, as is currently done, an existing UTXO would be consumed in that contract that has an amount of ADA, for example, 4 ADA. Outputs would then be generated with an amount such as 4.00001 ADA, where 0.00001 ADA represents the new commission payment that accrues. This would make it possible to handle commissions of a value even much less than 1 ADA, overcoming the current limitation.

This approach would provide more flexibility in handling commissions and allow for lower commission amounts to be charged instead of the current minimum of 1 ADA.

IPFS Garbage Collection

The current NFT mining system on the site uses IPFS to upload and store the images. The process involves uploading the image first to get the image link, then minting is done and adding the image link or URL in the metadata of the minting transaction. However, if the minting transaction fails, the image has already been uploaded to the IPFS server. Therefore, we need to implement a system that identifies all images that have been uploaded but are not present in any metadata of the NFTs we have mined. This internal improvement of the portal aims to reduce the associated costs.

<u>Other Internal Improvements</u>

• Embed image in metadata instead of uploading to IPFS

• Image of the NFT in notification emails of publications for sale and purchases

• Button to make the delegation to ALDEA Stake Pools

• Button accept conditions and disclaimer

  [IMPACT] How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?

ALDEA is a project that supports decentralization since day 1. This is why we count with a strong community and 30 Stake Pools from Latin America and Spain aligned with our goals, mission and vision.

ALDEA NFT is a 100% SPO based project; a tool for them to use and share with their delegators and, most importantly, it is open source.

We also address the Challenge because we align with these potential directions stated on its description:

• Developing SPO Tools ✓
• Supporting existing tool updates ✓
• Developing Platforms and Marketplaces ✓

<u>Impact for Cardano and Latin America</u>

ALDEA NFT is the first and only Marketplace in the Cardano ecosystem where fees produced from buying and selling within the platform go to the DAO Treasury. The more adoption our platform has, the more our Treasury goes and the more proposals from our community we can fund. Have a look at what we have achieved with a Project-Catalyst-like process called "Iteration 0", where we were able to fund two proposals from our DAO members that brought value to Latin America and helped to solve real world problems. We are looking forward to do this again, to bootstrap SPO based projects in Latin America.

[IMPACT] How do you intend to measure the success of your project?

Here are some key measures and the rationale behind them:

• User Engagement: We will track metrics such as the number of active users, time spent on the platform, and frequency of interactions. This will provide insights into the level of user engagement and the platform's appeal to NFT creators, collectors, and enthusiasts. Increasing user engagement indicates a positive response to the marketplace and its features.
• Transaction Volume: Monitoring the number and value of transactions within the marketplace will help gauge its adoption and usage. Higher transaction volumes indicate increased activity and economic value within the Cardano ecosystem.
• User Feedback: Collecting qualitative feedback from users regarding their experience, satisfaction, and suggestions for improvements will provide valuable insights. This feedback can help us identify areas for enhancement and iterate on the platform based on user needs and preferences.
• Number of Creators and Collectors: Tracking the growth in the number of NFT creators and collectors on the platform will reflect the marketplace's appeal and its ability to attract and retain users. A growing community of creators and collectors signifies a vibrant ecosystem.
• Ecosystem Expansion: We will measure the number of integrations and partnerships established with other platforms, services, or protocols. These collaborations will contribute to a more interconnected and seamless experience for users, enhancing the overall value proposition of the Cardano ecosystem.
• Developer Adoption: Monitoring the number of developers leveraging the platform's API and building applications on top of the marketplace will indicate the platform's developer adoption and the creation of a robust developer ecosystem.
• SPO Adoption: Monitoring the number of SPOs engaging with our Marketplace. We will track the number of collections published in our platform that are created by different SPOs from ALDEA and from Cardano in general.

The innovation brought by our project will have both short-term and long-term effects on Cardano's productivity and growth:

• Short-term: The introduction of a feature-rich NFT marketplace will attract NFT creators, collectors, and enthusiasts to the Cardano ecosystem, driving immediate engagement and transactional activity. This increased activity will contribute to the ecosystem's productivity and economic growth.
• Long-term: The marketplace's continued success and expansion will lead to a growing community of creators and collectors on Cardano, bolstering the ecosystem's long-term growth. The integration of the marketplace with other platforms and services will create a network effect, attracting more users and facilitating a wider range of use cases. This increased productivity and growth will position Cardano as a leading blockchain ecosystem in the NFT space.

By regularly assessing these metrics and gathering user feedback, we can evaluate the project's impact on user adoption, engagement, and ecosystem growth and this allows us to continuously refine and improve the marketplace, ensuring its long-term sustainability and value for the Cardano ecosystem.

[IMPACT] Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?

We will prepare detailed documentation and reports that provide comprehensive insights into the project's objectives, methodologies, findings, and outcomes. These materials will be made available through our project website, community forums, and Cardano/ALDEA-related communication channels. By sharing this information, we aim to disseminate knowledge and create awareness about the project's achievements.

In addition to documentation, we will actively engage with the Cardano community through public presentations and webinars. These sessions will serve as platforms to showcase the project's outputs, share our experiences, and foster interactive discussions. By encouraging participation and addressing questions, we can ensure that the community benefits from the project's outcomes.

Collaboration with ALDEA DAO will be instrumental in sharing project outputs. As the project is presented on behalf of ALDEA DAO, we will work closely with the DAO to disseminate the project's progress, outcomes, and potential opportunities. Regular updates, discussions, and active involvement in the DAO's communication channels will help keep the community informed and engaged.

To reach a wider audience, we will utilize social media platforms such as Twitter and Discord. Through these channels, we will share project updates, highlight its impact, and raise awareness about the opportunities that arise from the completed project. This will enable us to engage with the broader Cardano community and create interest in the project.

In addition, we will explore opportunities for partnerships and collaborations with other projects and organizations within the Cardano ecosystem. By sharing our project's outputs and results with these partners, we can collectively explore new avenues for collaboration and further advancements. This will enhance the value of our project and contribute to the growth of the Cardano ecosystem.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

Our team has demonstrated in the past that can be trusted and that is capable of managing funds properly, as we have successfully delivered 3 proposals from Fund5 and Fund7:

• Fund5 / Project ID 500003: ALDEA Catalyst
• Fund5 / Project ID 500004: ALDEA WIKI
• Fund7 / Project ID 700019: ALDEA NFT - Community Marketplace

To say more, one of the projects we have successfully delivered is the first phase of ALDEA NFT - Community Marketplace. This makes us the best suited to deliver this project, as we perfectly understand the source code of the DApp and we know where we have to implement the necessary changes or updates to it.

If you want to check the progress and outcomes produced for the first phase of this project you can check:

• Deployed Working Platform
• Open Source GitHub Repo - Frontend
• Open Source GitHub Repo - Smart Contracts

In addition to this, our team counts with Full Stack Engineers and Plutus Devs, something very important to note because:

• Our smart contracts will be deployed in Cardano using Plutus
• Our frontend will be built using Next.js and integrated with the blockchain using lucid-cardano library

We have demonstrated experience in all these technologies (please check personal websites and portfolio in the "Project Team" section).

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

This project has 3 main goals:

1. Enhance User Experience and Expand Services: The primary objective is to enrich the user experience on the marketplace platform by introducing new features and functionalities. This includes providing comprehensive data analysis and statistics, introducing categories and collections of NFTs for easier navigation and selection, enabling actions on NFT categories and bundles, implementing messaging between users, offering auctions and content moderation, and improving various internal processes. By expanding the services offered, the platform aims to attract more users and provide them with a seamless and engaging experience.
2. Increase Accessibility and Integration with other projects: The second objective is to enhance accessibility and interoperability of the marketplace by providing a REST API and integration options. The REST API endpoints will allow users to access marketplace data, and the API can be utilized by other platforms to display the marketplace listings. Additionally, transactions can be created using the API from any web platform with a wallet connector, enabling flexibility and integration opportunities. This objective aims to make the marketplace widely accessible and facilitate integration with external systems.
3. Empower SPOs, NFT Creators and Sellers: Another objective is to empower SPOs, NFT creators and sellers by introducing features such as scheduled minting, simplified minting and selling processes, featured collections with additional fees, wallet profiles for showcasing activity and owned NFTs, offer messages for negotiating prices, and detailed NFT transaction history. These features aim to provide users with more control and visibility over their NFTs, streamline their operations, and facilitate interactions with potential buyers. The objective is to support the growth and success of the Cardano and ALDEA community within the marketplace ecosystem.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed breakdown of your project’s milestones and each of the main tasks or activities to reach the milestone plus the expected timeline for the delivery.

<u>Milestone 1: Project Planning and Refinement</u>

Duration: 3 weeks

Key Activities:

• Review and refine existing project plans.
• Define project scope and objectives.
• Assign roles and responsibilities to the team.

Success Criteria: Completion of a detailed project plan.

Projected Cost: USD 6,000

<u>Milestone 2: Smart Contract Architecture and Design</u>

Duration: 4 weeks

Key Activities:

• Design smart contract architecture.
• Define datums schema and validation rules.
• Develop smart contracts.

Success Criteria: Completed smart contract on-chain code.

Projected Cost: USD 10,000

<u>Milestone 3: Offchain Code and PAB Simulation</u>

Duration: 4 weeks

Key Activities:

• Implement offchain code endpoints.
• Implement PAB (Plutus Application Backend) simulation and testing suite.

Success Criteria: Offchain code and PAB simulation tested and validated.

Projected Cost: USD 10,000

<u>Milestone 4: User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design</u>

Duration: 4 weeks

Key Activities:

• Design user interfaces.
• Develop UX prototypes.
• Conduct preliminary user feedback.

Success Criteria: Finalized UI/UX design prototypes.

Projected Cost: USD 10,000

<u>Milestone 5: Development of API and Website</u>

Duration: 5 weeks

Key Activities:

• Develop the API for interaction with marketplace's database.
• Construct the website integrating UI/UX designs.
• Test API and website functionalities.

Success Criteria: Fully functional API and website.

Projected Cost: USD 10,000

<u>Milestone 6: Smart Contract Deployment and User Testing</u>

Duration: 6 weeks

Key Activities:

• Deploy smart contracts on the testnet.
• Develop the API for interaction with smart contracts
• Integrate smart contracts use in website
• Distribute airdrops to incentivize user testing.
• Collect user feedback.
• Address issues and implement improvements.

Success Criteria: Positive user feedback and necessary adjustments made based on feedback.

Projected Cost: USD 8,000

<u>Milestone 7: Launch and Marketing</u>

Duration: 4 weeks

Key Activities:

• Deploy smart contracts, API, and website to mainnet.
• Execute pre-launch and post-launch marketing strategies.
• Monitor performance and address immediate issues.

Success Criteria: Successful launch of the platform on mainnet with initial user adoption.

Projected Cost: USD 6,000 USD

<u>Total Projected Cost</u>: $60,000 USD | ADA = 0.2843 | 211,044 ADA

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

<u>Milestone 1: Project Planning and Refinement</u>

Deliverables:

• A detailed project plan outlining the tasks, timeline, and resources required for the project.
• Refined project plans based on the review process.
• Defined project scope and objectives document.
• Roles and responsibilities assigned to team members.

Intended Outcome:

• Completion of a comprehensive project plan that serves as a roadmap for the project's execution.

Measurement of Progress:

• Successful completion of the project plan document.
• Approval and acceptance of the project plan.

<u>Milestone 2: Smart Contract Architecture and Design</u>

Deliverables:

• Smart contract architecture design document.
• Datums schema and validation rules document.
• Completed on-chain code for the smart contracts.

Intended Outcome:

• A well-designed smart contract architecture that meets the project requirements.
• Validated and tested on-chain code for the smart contracts.

Measurement of Progress:

• Approval and acceptance of the smart contract architecture design document.
• Successful completion of the on-chain code development.

<u>Milestone 3: Offchain Code and PAB Simulation</u>

Deliverables:

• Implemented offchain code endpoints.
• PAB simulation and testing suite.
• Validated and tested offchain code and PAB simulation.

Intended Outcome:

• Functional offchain code endpoints for interacting with the smart contracts.
• A validated PAB simulation and testing suite.

Measurement of Progress:

• Successful implementation and testing of offchain code endpoints.
• Validation and acceptance of the PAB simulation by the development team.

<u>Milestone 4: User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design</u>

Deliverables:

• User interface design prototypes.
• UX prototypes for the platform.
• Preliminary user feedback report.

Intended Outcome:

• Finalized UI/UX design prototypes that meet user requirements.
• Improved user experience based on preliminary user feedback.

Measurement of Progress:

• Approval and acceptance of the UI/UX design prototypes.
• Incorporation of user feedback into the design improvements.

<u>Milestone 5: Development of API and Website</u>

Deliverables:

• Developed API for interaction with the smart contracts and marketplace database.
• Constructed website integrating UI/UX designs.
• Functional API and website.

Intended Outcome:

• An API that allows seamless interaction with the marketplace database.
• A fully functional website that provides a user-friendly interface for users.

Measurement of Progress:

• Successful development and integration of the API.
• Functional website with tested and validated functionalities.

<u>Milestone 6: Smart Contract Deployment and User Testing</u>

Deliverables:

• Deployed smart contracts on the testnet.
• Developed API for interaction with smart contracts and integration into the website.
• Airdrops distributed to incentivize user testing.
• Collected user feedback report.

Intended Outcome:

• Smart contracts deployed and functioning on the testnet.
• User feedback collected and used to address any issues and make necessary improvements.

Measurement of Progress:

• Successful deployment and functioning of smart contracts on the testnet.
• Positive user feedback and documented adjustments made based on the feedback.

<u>Milestone 7: Launch and Marketing</u>

Deliverables:

• Deployed smart contracts, API, and website on the mainnet.
• Executed pre-launch and post-launch marketing strategies.
• Performance monitoring report.
• Immediate issues addressed and resolved.

Intended Outcome:

• Successful launch of the platform on the mainnet with initial user adoption.
• Effective marketing strategies implemented for platform visibility and user acquisition.

Measurement of Progress:

• Platform deployment and availability on the mainnet.
• Evaluation of marketing strategies and their impact on user adoption.
• Resolution of immediate issues reported during the launch phase.

To track the project's progress, the following measurements can be used:

• Completion and acceptance of each milestone's deliverables.

• Project Catalyst feedback and satisfaction with the project outputs.

• Timeliness of milestone completion based on the projected timeline.

• User feedback and adoption metrics for the launched platform.

• Performance metrics of the website and API functionality.

• Regular project status updates and progress reports.

  [RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

<u>Milestone 1: Project Planning and Refinement</u>

Duration: 3 weeks

Key Activities:

• Review and refine existing project plans: USD 1,000
• Define project scope and objectives: USD 2,000
• Assign roles and responsibilities to the team: USD 1,000
• Project Management: USD 2000

Success Criteria: Completion of a detailed project plan.

Projected Cost: USD 6,000

<u>Milestone 2: Smart Contract Architecture and Design</u>

Duration: 4 weeks

Key Activities:

• Design smart contract architecture: USD 1,000
• Define datums schema and validation rules: USD 700
• Develop smart contracts: USD 5,000
• Project Management: USD 3,300

Success Criteria: Completed smart contract on-chain code.

Projected Cost: USD 10,000

<u>Milestone 3: Offchain Code and PAB Simulation</u>

Duration: 4 weeks

Key Activities:

• Implement offchain code endpoints: USD 4,700
• Implement PAB (Plutus Application Backend) simulation and testing suite: USD 2,000
• Project Management: USD 3,300

Success Criteria: Offchain code and PAB simulation tested and validated.

Projected Cost: USD 10,000

<u>Milestone 4: User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design</u>

Duration: 4 weeks

Key Activities:

• Design user interfaces: USD 2,000
• Develop UX prototypes: USD 4,000
• Conduct preliminary user feedback: USD 700
• Project Management: USD 3,300

Success Criteria: Finalized UI/UX design prototypes.

Projected Cost: USD 10,000

<u>Milestone 5: Development of API and Website</u>

Duration: 5 weeks

Key Activities:

• Develop the API for interaction with marketplace's database: USD 2,000
• Construct the website integrating UI/UX designs: USD 4,000
• Test API and website functionalities: USD 700
• Project Management: USD 3,300

Success Criteria: Fully functional API and website.

Projected Cost: USD 10,000

<u>Milestone 6: Smart Contract Deployment and User Testing</u>

Duration: 6 weeks

Key Activities:

• Deploy smart contracts on the testnet: USD 500
• Develop the API for interaction with smart contracts: USD 1,860
• Integrate smart contracts use in website: USD 1,500
• Distribute airdrops to incentivize user testing: USD 500
• Collect user feedback: USD 500
• Address issues and implement improvements: USD 500
• Project Management: USD 2,640

Success Criteria: Positive user feedback and necessary adjustments made based on feedback.

Projected Cost: USD 8,000

<u>Milestone 7: Launch and Marketing</u>

Duration: 4 weeks

Key Activities:

• Deploy smart contracts, API, and website to mainnet: USD 1,000
• Execute pre-launch and post-launch marketing strategies: USD 2,000
• Monitor performance and address immediate issues: USD 1,000
• Project Management: USD 2,000

Success Criteria: Successful launch of the platform on mainnet with initial user adoption.

Projected Cost: USD 6,000 USD

<u>Total Projected Cost</u>: $60,000 USD | ADA = 0.2843 | 211,044 ADA

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

The project team for the proposed work on building the ALDEA NFT Marketplace V2 in Cardano consists of Matias Falcone and Manuel Padilla. Matias will take care of project management and Manuel will undertake various aspects of the development, as his skills and experience perfectly align with the requirements of the project.

<u>Matias Falcone</u>

• Role: Project Lead, Full Stack Developer
• Experience: Matias Falcone has a strong background in software development and has been actively involved in the Cardano community. In addition to this, he is the Founder of ALDEA DAO and has taken part in the original proposal, the one that gave life to ALDEA Marketplace. He has experience working on blockchain projects and has founded his own Cardano Stake Pool (FALCO), which he also operates. Matias is also skilled in front-end and back-end development, as well as smart contract development in Ethereum and other blockchains.
• Links:
• LinkedIn
• Portfolio
• GitHub
• Cardano Stake Pool GitHub

<u>Manuel Padilla</u>

• Role: Full Stack Developer, Plutus Dev
• Experience: Manuel Padilla is a versatile and highly motivated software engineer with a Bachelor's degree in Technology from the National Technological University (Argentina). Having a plethora of programming languages under their belt, including but not limited to SQL, Basic, C, C++, VB, .NET, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, and Haskell, Manuel Padilla brings over 13 years of experience in web development and software engineering
• Links:
• LinkedIn
• GitHub
• DApps:
• <https://aldea-nft-marketplace.vercel.app>
• https://staking.ratsdao.io

If additional team members are recruited, specific skills such as front-end development, blockchain integration, documentation, and community management will be sought.

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

The cost of the project can represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem in several ways:

1. Enhancing the Cardano Ecosystem: By investing in the development and implementation of these features, the project aims to enhance the functionality and usability of the Cardano ecosystem. This includes providing a robust marketplace for NFTs, expanding the services offered, and improving user experience. These improvements contribute to the overall growth and development of the Cardano ecosystem, attracting more users, developers, and participants to the platform.
2. Supporting NFT Economy: The project's focus on NFTs and providing a comprehensive marketplace ecosystem aligns with the growing trend and demand for NFTs. By offering a user-friendly platform with advanced features such as auctions, collections, messaging, and detailed transaction history, the project aims to empower SPOs, NFT creators, sellers, and buyers. This support for the NFT economy can drive more NFT-related activities on the Cardano blockchain, attracting artists, collectors, and investors, and fostering a vibrant ecosystem around digital art and collectibles.
3. Enabling SPOs and Business Opportunities: The project's emphasis on accessibility and integration, including the provision of a REST API and integration options, opens up opportunities for businesses and developers to leverage the Cardano ecosystem. The availability of these features allows external platforms and services to integrate with the marketplace and utilize its listings and functionalities. This can lead to the development of new applications, services, and marketplaces that build upon Cardano's infrastructure, fostering innovation and creating a diverse ecosystem of interconnected platforms and services.

The proposed costs are based on industry standards in Melbourne, Australia (where our team is based). You can find the average salary of a Full Stack Developer in Melbourne, Australia here, which is AUD 120,000 a year, or USD 6,600 a month more or less. Even taking all this into consideration, we have decided to apply a monthly salary of USD 5,000 to our budget calculation for our developer (USD 1,600 deduction per month), so this can represent more value for money for the Cardano community.