Please describe your proposed solution

Our proposed solution aims to address the critical need for education and user onboarding in the intersection of decentralized finance (DeFi) and traditional finance (TradFi) within the Cardano ecosystem. Educational Resources are needed to bridge the concepts of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and Traditional Finance (TradFi) within the Cardano Ecosystem. The initiative will focus on user onboarding and education as a crucial bridge between the DeFi and TradFi sectors. Our project will engage and prove its impact within a wide audience, including Cardano enthusiasts, investors, developers, and financial professionals interested in expanding their knowledge of decentralized technologies and their integration with traditional finance.

Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

We see in Linkage Finance the potential to be a choice for people who have not entered the Cardano Space yet, still waiting on the sidelines in the TradFi field.

The initiative will inspire innovation by showcasing practical use cases of Linkage Finance and encouraging experimentation with DeFi concepts. By bridging DeFi and TradFi concepts, the initiative will promote the adoption of decentralized financial instruments within the broader financial landscape. Linkage Finance's role as a facilitator of cross-platform interactions will contribute to the expansion of Cardano's ecosystem, hoping to attract developers, investors, and users. Gathering feedback will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness and relevance of our educational resources.

What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

Decentralized Index Funds are a new use case of DeFi. It combines the use cases of said Funds in Traditional Finance with the benefits decentralization can bring to the table. We therefore are watching this space closely and are always in the process of gathering new information. As this is the space we operate in, the space we do research on, an additional platform for new information and education is what we strive for. As all this information is publicly available it will be easy for users and readers to see the progress done on this proposal. Feedback will make it easy to validate if the approach is effective and if the approach needs to be adjusted.

What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

Milestone 1: <u>A: Milestone Outputs</u>

• Identifying suitable platforms for publication.
• Research on exact content that should be covered through educational articles.

<u>B: Acceptance Criteria</u>

• Detailed analysis on which articles are most suitable for user onboarding and education.
• Identified platform for publishing education articles.

<u>C: Evidence of Milestone Completion</u>

• List of Articles and education initiatives.
• Configured platform for education content.

Milestone 2: <u>A: Milestone Outputs</u>

• Establishing partnerships with other Cardano Projects for the education initiative.
• First draft of education articles.

<u>B: Acceptance Criteria</u>

• Partnership agreements with other Cardano Projects.
• 3 article drafts for the education initiative.

<u>C: Evidence of Milestone Completion</u>

• Link to the article drafts.
• Partnership announcements with other Cardano Projects.

Final Milestone: <u>A: Milestone Outputs</u>

• Having a comprehensive set of articles of educational content accessible to all users.
• Announcements promoting the platform to new users.

<u>B: Acceptance Criteria</u>

• At least 5 educational articles including DeFi and TradFi concepts.

<u>C: Evidence of Milestone Completion</u>

• Articles posted on identified platform.
• Link to (Social Media) Announcements

Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Our project team consists of skilled individuals with expertise in blockchain development and project management. The team members and their respective roles in the proposal's work are as follows:

• Project Manager/Partnership Manager (Marius): Responsible for overseeing the entire project, coordinating team efforts, and ensuring timely completion of milestones. The project manager will also handle communication and manage project documentation. As well he will communicate with different projects to establish partnerships.

• Maintenance Specialist (Chris): Will handle the technical support and the maintenance of the platform(s) that are suitable for the publication of the educational content.

• Writer (will be hired): Will write the educational content.

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

The proposed budget for this project is 50,000 ADA and will be allocated as follows:

1. Preparation, Research, Potential Partners and Identification of suitable Platforms: 7000 ADA
2. Cooperation with partners, identifying content that can be published together and marketing: 13,000 ADA
3. Publishing content and maintaining the platform - having a sustainable hub for potential users and community members keen on learning more: 30,000 ADA

No dependencies.

How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

The cost of our project signifies a strategic investment in education and empowerment within the Cardano ecosystem. By developing educational resources bridging DeFi and TradFi, we aim to lower barriers to entry, increase user adoption, and foster long-term community engagement. The measurable impact will be demonstrated through increased participation and innovation, contributing to the ecosystem's growth and sustainability. Sharing outputs openly ensures broad community benefit and value for money.