Catalyst Virtual Start-up Bootcamp

Detailed Plan

Main Deliverable:

A 6-week bootcamp for future proposers on communicating their ideas effectively within Catalyst, obtaining the business skills needed, and finding the rights teams to implement.

–––––IMPACT———–

How does the proposal fit into this challenge?

Bootcamps are a common feature in the start-up world. By giving teams and individuals access to training, guidance and mentorship, we create an environment that can foster high-quality proposals by well-informed and competent teams.

How will this campaign add value to our ecosystem?

By drawing upon the wider start-up community, we can onboard talented entrepreneurs into the Catalyst ecosystem, as well as training those already familiar with Catalyst but lacking the skills needed to get their proposals successfully funded.

Outlook and future challenges?

An initial program of 20 individuals and 5 teams will be invited by application to participate. After a series of lectures, training sessions and demos, the 5 teams will be assigned a Catalyst mentor each and the 20 individuals will be put through a 6-week bootcamp aimed at taking them from 'Zero to Funded'. At this bootcamp, they will be pitching ideas, creating teams and at the end will be presenting to a panelist of experts and mentors. We will be following the Startupbootcamp (https://www.startupbootcamp.org/) model for this, applied to a virtual setting, with the help of WADA and their partners.

–––––FEASIBILITY———

Reference (Past Successes):

Having joined Startupbootcamp as a team leader on several of its programs and gone on to be an organizer for an enterprise accelerator, I have experience delivering such programs and am well-versed in curriculum development, session facilitation, and journey-mapping of the participants. In collaboration with WADA and its partners, we have at our disposal:

A membership platform in development for onboarding and virtual training sessions
A learning management system in development to track progress and usage of the materials created
Several networks of interested participants for future bootcamps as we scale
Mentors and experts willing to support both the goals of WADA and Cardano

Roadmap:

After voting takes place and funding is successfully secured:

Pre-bootcamp:

40 days - Curriculum development, mentor and expert outreach, platform development
20 days - Marketing campaign, applications open
7 days - Applicants are chosen, onboarding and pre-reading material is distributed

Program launch (Jan 15th):

6-week learning program of lectures, training sessions and demos
6-week bootcamp, taking the individuals and teams from 'Zero to Funded'

Post-Program:

Proposal submission to Catalyst (with workshops, https://bit.ly/F6Workshops))
Ongoing proposal and mentorship support (where applicable)
Program survey and report creation
CVSB Round 2 Proposal Submission (Scale-up)

Core Team & Roles:

Josh Fielding - Program Lead + Finance Lead @ WADA

Sidney Nicholas - Advisory Lead + Diaspora Lead @ WADA

Mercy - Community Organiser + Coordination Lead @ WADA

Megan - Events & Central Africa Regional Lead @WADA

+WADA team

Main Stakeholder: WADA (https://wadalliance.org)

Other Stakeholders:

Catalyst Swarm who are the foremost leaders in Catalyst collaboration and can assist us in team creation, brainstorming, dynamic virtual gatherings and conference-style presentations

Blockchain Education Network (BEN), who has a network of thousands of students that could be trained and onboarded as this program grows

PATF - Our long-term partners who have been delivering blockchain bootcamps and providing legal advice since early 2020

Budget breakdown:

Team fees $12000
Experts and Mentor fees $9000
Curriculum development and materials cost $5000
Platform costs $3000
Incentives $3000
Marketing $2000

———–AUDITABILITY————

What success looks like:

Over 50% of CVSB-approved proposals get funded. After a successful program, we will have created the curriculum, set up the online learning platform, have a pool of mentors and experts to draw on and resubmit for a second round.

3 months: Curriculum developed, experts confirmed, program launched
6 months: Program completed, DeFi teams submitted proposals, with the help of CVSB
12 months: Funded DeFi teams identified, second iteration of the bootcamp launched, with an established learning pathway and entrepreneur toolkit available

Key Metrics:

No. Submitted proposals
No. New Catalyst Proposers
No. Funded Proposals
% Proposals Funded
Total funding generated from the program
Approval rating from participants:
Would recommend 0-10
Value of the training 0-10

Risk Management:

Education Quality: Experienced teachers, educators and start-up coaches within the WADA network that can ensure a high standard of education and training is delivered throughout the program.

Proposal Quality: WADA and partners are long-time Catalyst members with several successfully funded proposals, as well as assisting others on their Catalyst journey.

Future sustainability: After the tipping-point of demand and value-creation is reached, we can then seek out sponsors, investors and partners for continued financial sustainability outside of Catalyst.

Affiliated Proposals:

DeFi For Cardano - Learning Portal:

<https://cardano.ideascale.com/a/dtd/DeFi-for-Cardano-Learning-Portal/366756-48088>

WADA Proposor Workshops:

<https://cardano.ideascale.com/a/dtd/WADA-Proposer-Workshops/366968-48088>

Africa/Diaspora Dev Tools & Events:

<https://cardano.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Africa-Diaspora-Dev-Tools-Events/366952-48088>

Scale up WADA's Outreach Program:

<https://cardano.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Scale-up-WADA-s-Outreach-Program/366982-48088>

Project brief:

<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1C6iU-YN8QORzkQsVw1hu9ODWcwrFsI8zyvWsFcKV83c/edit?usp=sharing>

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Interested in contributing or partnering? Get in touch by sending a private message

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