Please describe your proposed solution.
<u>How you perceive the problem you are solving</u>
Cardano is <u>lacking a major opportunity</u> to be embedded as a core player with the academic and business communities in and around Cambridge. As one of the world’s top universities, Cambridge and its science based and technology-based cluster has some of the world’s highest achieving students, academics and science startups, all of whom will be watching the rise of blockchain technologies with interest. The Cambridge cluster – or ‘Silicon Fen’ as it is known already operates as a ‘super incubator’. The problem until now is that the awareness of Cardano within the cluster has not been consistently promoted as much as it could have been.
<u>Your reasons for approaching it in the way that you have</u>
By funding a community hub in the Cambridge region, Cardano and Catalyst will provide a platform from which to elevate the attractiveness of the Cardano ecosystem over and above other blockchain technologies – such as Tezos which already has a recognised connection to the University.
We propose raising the awareness of the Cardano blockchain within the Cambridge cluster by taking membership in associations such as the Cambridge Network and funding students and events through the main mathematical and science societies in the university as a community of interest.
<u>Who your project will engage, or who its stakeholders are</u>
Our project will have multiple stakeholders:
- The University of Cambridge students and academics
- Businesses in the Cambridge region
- Cardano and Catalyst
- IOHK
<u>How your project will be implemented</u>
The project will be implemented in phases:
- Membership and activity within the Silicon Fen Venture Capitalist (VC) and business clusters
- Develop and deploy a word-of-mouth campaign with funded students and VC and Business organisations
- A series of virtual and real-world events showcasing the Cardano blockchain and ecosystem
- Establishment of community advisors
<u>What you will produce</u>
Our output will be a Cardano community with the broader Cambridge cluster.
<u>What will happen as a result of your work</u>
As a result of this project, we will see an increase in the number of Catalyst members from the Cambridge student and engineering communities.
Over time, an increase in proposals coming from the students in the Cambridge region.
<u>Explain what's unique about your solution, and what value it brings to the Cardano ecosystem.</u>
The Edify team has experience coaching and mentoring senior leaders and Fellows in both the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London academic senior leadership.
<u>Explain who will benefit. </u>
Part of the of the budget for this project will go to university students as project participants.
The beneficiaries of the project will be:
- The University of Cambridge students and academics – who become more aware of the capability of the Cardano blockchain ecosystem, and who create value from the applications that they design and launch.
- Businesses in the Cambridge region – who will equally benefit from the value created from the increased awareness of Cardano's capability
- Cardano and Catalyst – will benefit from the rising awareness of Cardano in the academic and business communities centred around The University of Cambridge
Please describe how your proposed solution will address the Challenge that you have submitted it in.
Our solution will grow the awareness of Cardano across the different elements of the thriving ‘Silicon Fen’: the Cambridge cluster which provides employment for 50,000 jobs in global technology and biotech firms. It has the largest biomedical campus in western Europe, a global top ten university and established angel and venture capital sectors.
Our solution will enable students and engineers to become informed of the ethos and benefits of the Cardano network long term. This consistent focus on promoting Cardano and the growth of a community hub will increase the engagement of top quality students and engineers into Catalyst Innovation Hub.
What are the main risks that could prevent you from delivering the project successfully and please explain how you will mitigate each risk?
Risk – identifying key influencers amongst the Cambridge technical and academic community
- Mitigation – We will use our existing networks in The University of Cambridge, Cambridge Network and VC network to bring together a team of early adopters for the project.
Risk - undertaking this community build requires both time and money and focus over the long term to ensure its success.
- Mitigation - we will commit to a reasonable schedule of activity and run both face-to-face and virtual meetups - using meetup! We will engage and leverage our existing network of partners and associates - such as HSBC, and Barclays bank: EagleLabs innovation incubator network to support our events and meetups where possible.