Please describe your proposed solution.

In our proposal, we aim to address the problem of the lack of a comprehensive ISPO aggregator, which makes it difficult for participants to make informed and financially-efficient decisions on where to stake or whether to stake their ADA with ISPO at all.

We have chosen to approach this problem by creating a dedicated platform that serves as an aggregator, offering reviews, analyzes of new ISPO projects.

Another part of the platform will be dedicated to new teams - both coming from Cardano and from other chains, wishing to explore opportunities given by our favourite blockchain via providing tech support, easy guides and marketing assistance in a later stage.

Our project will engage the Cardano community, particularly hodlers interested in participating in ISPOs and teams looking to launch their own crowdfundings. By providing a complete platform with comprehensive information, reviews, and support, we aim to empower participants to make informed decisions and enable new teams to run the ISPO successfully.

What makes our solution unique is the combination of a 'simple' aggregator platform with additional features such as reviews and deep analyzis, as well as comprehensive support for both stakers and ISPO providers. This comprehensive approach will benefit both participants and teams, ensuring a more transparent and efficient ISPO ecosystem on Cardano. We believe it will foster greater engagement, increase the quality of ISPO projects (as the discussable ones will be quickly 'marked'), and contribute to the overall growth and success of the Cardano ecosystem.

We will prove our impact by tracking the engagement and participation levels on our platform, gathering feedback from users, and monitoring the success rate of ISPOs facilitated through our platform. Through these measures, we aim to showcase the positive influence of our solution on the Cardano community and the successful launch of ISPO projects enriching the Cardano network globally.

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

Our proposal directly addresses the aspects outlined in the SPO challenge description. Our future project aligns with its objectives by providing essential support and resources specifically tailored for Initial Stake Pool Offerings participants (Cardano stakers) and teams (ISPO runners).

The proposal tackles the existing problem of a lack of comprehensive information and resources for individuals and teams interested in participating in ISPOs, either as stakers or as crowdfunders. Through the ISPO Center, we will offer valuable support in the form of experience sharing, public reviews (targeted for ADA stakers) as well as technical assistance, marketing guidance, and operational expertise (targeting startup teams), ensuring that ISPOs can be successfully launched and managed.

Firstly, our proposal should attract a wider range of participants to the ISPO model.

Secondly, the ISPO Center will foster transparency and trust within the ISPO ecosystem. By providing aggregated reviews and ratings, potential participants will be able to make informed decisions about which ISPOs to engage with, resulting in greater confidence and reduced risks for both investors and project teams.

In addition to the impact on ISPOs themselves, our proposal will bring value to the Cardano ecosystem by showcasing the platform's capabilities and attracting new users and developers. By providing a user-friendly and supportive environment for ISPOs, we will help in positioning Cardano as a leading blockchain platform for fundraising and project launches.

While it is challenging to quantify the exact impact, we believe that our solution will significantly increase participation in ISPOs by increasing safety and transparency, attract new teams to launch on Cardano and generate increased engagement and activity within the ecosystem.

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

To measure the success of our proposal, we will utilize a combination of quantitative and qualitative metrics on the project's benefits for the Cardano ecosystem.

This may include:

• Participation and engagement: We will measure the level of participation and engagement from project teams, ISPO stakers, and the wider community. We will closely measure the amount of comments and user reviews of ISPOs.
• Number of ISPOs launched: We will track the number of successful ISPOs launched with the support provided by the ISPO Center.
• Ecosystem growth and innovation: We will evaluate the impact of ISPOs facilitated by the ISPO Center on Cardano's productivity and growth.

We will collect feedback through surveys, interviews, and community interactions to gain insights into the perceived value and impact of the ISPO Center.

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

We have comprehensive plans to share the results of our project to ensure maximum visibility and utility within the Cardano community.

1. Communication Channels: We will leverage various channels such as social media platforms (Twitter, Telegram, Reddit), community forums (Cardano Forum), and our project website to share updates and progress, as well as new additions to the platform.
2. Community Engagement: We will actively engage with the Cardano community through AMA sessions with us and ISPO teams, and of course conduct lots of online discussions.
3. Partnerships and Integration: We will explore partnerships and integration opportunities with other projects and platforms within the Cardano ecosystem to bring together ultimate solutions expanding our ecosystem
4. Research and Documentation: We will document our project's methodologies and key findings in research articles, reports, mailing lists etc.

We plan to create a lasting impact that extends beyond the completion of the project, driving continuous improvement and innovation within the Cardano ecosystem. We see a lot of different ways our basic project can expand in the further future.

What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

Our capability to deliver the project with high levels of trust and accountability is backed by our proven track record and expertise in the Cardano ecosystem. As Cardano Ambassadors and experienced participants in previous Catalyst funds, we have demonstrated our commitment to delivering successful projects.

What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

The main goals for our proposal are:

1. Establish an ISPO Aggregator Platform
2. Provide reviews and ratings for ISPOs
3. Provide technical support for SPO newbies
4. Offer marketing support for ISPO projects
5. Foster community engagement and collaboration

As our project involves content creation, community engagement and to some extent software development, we will implement a feedback-driven approach. We will gather input from users, stakers, ISPO projects to continuously improve the platform's features, refine our review process, and tailor our technical and marketing support to meet the needs of all kinds of ISPO participants.

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.

Milestone 1: Company formation and basic website development (~2-3 months)

Activities:

1. Register the company and establish legal and financial structures. (4-8 weeks)
2. Develop a professional website for the ISPO Center, including necessary basic functionalities and features. (4-8 weeks)

Milestone 2: Minimum Viable Product (MVP) development (~2-3 months)

Activities:

1. Define the core features and functionalities of the ISPO Aggregator Platform.
2. Develop the MVP, including the ability to list and browse ISPOs, provide basic project information, and allow user interaction. (8 weeks)
3. Conduct internal testing and collect user feedback to refine and enhance the MVP. (2-4 weeks)

Milestone 3: Content creation and reviews (continously ongoing, ~2 months for collecting proper content base)

Activities:

1. Develop a content strategy for the ISPO Center, including guidelines for creating informative and engaging content.
2. Start creating in-depth reviews of ISPO projects, focusing on key aspects and evaluation criteria. (Ongoing)
3. Publish reviews on the ISPO Center website and engage with the community to gather feedback and improve the review process. (Ongoing)
4. Implement community reviews process.

Milestone 4: Marketing initiatives and community engagement (continously ongoing, ~2 months to establish partnerships and help first projects release their ISPOs)

Activities:

1. Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy tailored for ISPO teams, stakers and the broader Cardano community.
2. Execute targeted marketing campaigns, including social media promotions, partnerships with relevant influencers, and participation in blockchain events. (Ongoing)
3. Foster community engagement through regular communication, forum discussions, and collaboration opportunities. (Ongoing)

Those milestones roughly sum up to 12 months, giving us a year to develop fully functional platform supporting both users and project developers.

Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

Milestone 1 success criteria:

• Completed company registration and legal establishment.
• Functional and visually appealing website for the ISPO Center.

Milestone 2 success criteria:

• Fully functional MVP with core features implemented.
• Positive feedback from internal testing and user feedback sessions.

Milestone 3 success criteria:

• Regular publication of high-quality reviews for a substantial number of ISPO projects.
• Positive community feedback and engagement with the reviews.

Milestone 4 success criteria:

• Increased awareness and participation in ISPOs on Cardano.
• Growth in the number of active users and community engagement metrics.

Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

Milestone 1: Company formation and website development

• Legal and administrative fees, accounting for the first year: $2,000
• Web design and development: $3,000
• Domain registration and hosting: $300
• Content creation and graphics: $1,000

Milestone 2: Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Development

• Development team: $10,000
• Testing and quality assurance (community feedback rewards, bounties etc.): $1,000

Milestone 3: Content creation (12 months)

• Copywriting and content production: $3,000 (average article of at least 1000 words, ~$100 per original article, 30 articles in a year - that is a minimum)
• Graphic design and illustrations, videos, voiceovers: $2,000

Milestone 4: Marketing and Promotion

• Social media advertising: $10,000
• Influencer collaborations: $5,000
• Community engagement initiatives: $2,000

Other costs:

• Project management tools and software: $1,000
• Communication and collaboration platforms: $500
• Reporting and analytics tools: $500
• Contingency fund: $3,000

Total Budget: $44,300; counting 1 ADA = 0,3 USD ~ 147667 ADA

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

Kornel Gajewski - idea creator; Cardano Stake Pool operator running CCPL stake pool; 5 years of experience as blockchain translator, writer and editor in top Polish crypto media outlet BeInCrypto (focused mainly on "Learn" educational series)(https://pl.beincrypto.com/author/kornel/), Cardano Ambassador since 2018 (https://forum.cardano.org/u/cornl) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kornel-gajewski-93508b165/

Interested in web development since high school :-)

Nikodem Zegzda - supporter; successful investor, podcaster, owner of Wieczorową Porą brand, entrepreneur, founder of Lideruj.pl, company focused on organizing online and offline trainings and workshops - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikodemzegzda/; Cardano Ambassador

We are after initial talks with various contacts we gathered throughout our "online careers". We have confirmed the ability to gather appropriate team of coders to make our initiative live in the following year.

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

In our opinion the cost of the project represents good value for money for the Cardano ecosystem:

• The costs associated with the project have been carefully determined to provide a comprehensive solution for ISPOs - both stakers and ISPO teams. The budget accounts for essential components such as company formation, website development, MVP creation, content creation, and tailored marketing initiatives. The costs are aligned with industry standards and market rates, ensuring that they are reasonable.
• Supporting market cap growth: The proposal's focus on ISPOs aligns with the growing trend of initial stake pool offerings as a method of "painless" fundraising. By providing an ISPO Center and offering support to emerging ISPO projects, the project contributes to the expansion of the Cardano ecosystem. What's more, marketing initiatives can drive awareness, adoption, and attract new participants to the Cardano community.
• Future potential: The project's vision extends beyond the initial phase, with potential plans for interchain ISPO DAO and support for emerging projects transitioning from other chains.
• The project recognizes the significance of marketing funding and its potential impact. By allocating resources to marketing initiatives, the project aims to maximize exposure, reach, and engagement, proving Cardano funding and governance ecosystem to be superior in comparison to other popular blockchains.

In summary, the project's cost represents value for money by delivering a comprehensive solution for ISPOs, aligned with industry standards, and supporting the general growth of the Cardano ecosystem. The team's plans for future expansion and commitment to marketing initiatives to further enhance the project's potential impact and value.