Please describe your proposed solution

Problem:

Despite the burgeoning Cardano community in Ethiopia, there's a notable absence of dedicated spaces for collaboration and education tailored to support the Cardano blockchain ecosystem. This gap impedes the realization of Cardano's full potential and restricts opportunities for collaboration, development, and adoption within the Ethiopian crypto community.

Solution:

Establishing a Cardano Hub in Addis Ababa seeks to tackle the above-mentioned challenge by providing a dedicated workspace for the Cardano blockchain ecosystem. Serving as a central hub for individuals, businesses, developers, and investors interested in Cardano, the hub aims to cultivate a collaborative and dynamic environment. It will provide:

Technical Support and Education: Offering technical support and educational resources to assist developers and entrepreneurs in understanding and leveraging the Cardano blockchain effectively.

Investment and Funding Opportunities: Connecting entrepreneurs and startups with potential investors and funding sources to facilitate the growth of projects built on the Cardano blockchain.

Community Building: Actively promoting community engagement by organizing meetups, conferences, and forums focused on Cardano and its applications.

Partnerships and Collaboration: Actively seeking partnerships with local government entities, academic institutions, and industry leaders in Ethiopia to integrate Cardano into existing industries and sectors, driving innovation and economic growth in the region.

Overall, the establishment of a Cardano Hub in Addis Ababa will offer a comprehensive solution to the lack of resources for the Cardano ecosystem in Africa. It will nurture a supportive environment, foster collaboration, and expedite the adoption and development of Cardano projects in Ethiopia, positioning Addis Ababa as a global leader in the blockchain space.

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

Driving Cardano Adoption: The launch of the Cardano Addis Ababa Hub in a rapidly expanding, crypto-friendly region will accelerate the adoption of Cardano's technology, not only within Ethiopia but also across East and Central Africa.

Cultivating Innovation and Collaboration: The hub will cultivate an environment that fosters innovation and collaboration among entrepreneurs, developers, and industry experts, stimulating the creation of new solutions and attracting top talent to the region.

Empowering Local Entrepreneurs and Startups: Through the provision of technical resources, mentorship, and investment opportunities, the hub will empower local entrepreneurs and startups, promoting the development of innovative applications and businesses on the Cardano blockchain.

Attracting new talent to the Cardano Ecosystem: Addis Ababa's Cardano Hub will act as a talent pool for Cardano entrepreneurs, connecting them with local talents and startups seeking new talent for Cardano projects.

Demonstrating Practical Applications: The hub will concentrate on forging partnerships and collaborations with local industries, showcasing practical applications of Cardano's technology and encouraging broader adoption.

Establishing Addis Ababa as a Blockchain Hub: The presence of the Cardano Addis Ababa Hub is well aligned with the position of the city as a diplomatic hub of Africa. This will create the perfect fostering environment to drive adoption, attract global attention, foster international partnerships, and contribute to Cardano's overall market position and reputation.

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?

Our project is being managed by the Endubis Wallet team, a well-established brand with the Cardano ecosystem and LelaTech Inc, an experienced software development company working in Rwanda and Ethiopia. The progress of the Cardano Hub - Addis Ababa will be documented and publicly available for the community.

Our team has been previously funded in Catalyst funding rounds, and we continue to find new solutions to existing problems. Our efforts to build on Cardano demonstrate a strong desire to continue pushing the ecosystem forward.

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

Milestone 1: Milestone 1: Host a Cardano Meetup at our co-working space in Addis Ababa (Month 1)

Acceptance Criteria: A clean and accessible facility will be available to all Cardano community members in our event space. Attendees can present their projects and take questions from attendees.

Budget: 20,000 ADA

Milestone 2: Milestone 2: Projects onboarding at our co-working space in, Addis Ababa (Month 2)

Acceptance Criteria:

Projects that are built in the Cardano community can present their progress to an in-person audience. The presentations will be recorded and available for playback on social media networks.

Budget: 20,000 ADA

Milestone 3: Milestone 3: Networking and Content Creation (Month 3)

Acceptance Criteria: Cardano community members within the country will be able to share their ideas and experiences related to the growth and adoption of the ecosystem. An in-person networking event will give attendees an opportunity to create content related to various projects building in the ecosystem.

Budget: 20,000 ADA

Final Milestone: Milestone 4:

International Project Attraction (Month 4)

Acceptance Criteria:

Develop marketing and outreach strategies to attract international Cardano projects to Addis Ababa. Participate in international blockchain events and conferences to showcase the Cardano Addis Ababa Hub. A project closeout report and video will be provided upon the successful implementation of this milestone.

Budget: 20,000 ADA

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

Nebyu sultan - Hub coordinator

Abiy Ayele Bekele - Talent recruitment and project management

Muna sultan - Business Development and Startup Advisor

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

The funding requested does not include the expenses we have already invested in the Hub. All the below-listed items are additional support we will need to upgrade the Hub to the standard.

Items already covered by our project include 6-month Rental Cost, Furnishing and computer/Camera equipment (partially covered by the team).

Proposed Budget:

Rent a Space in Addis Ababa - fully paid by the team.

Network Marketing - 25,000 ADA

Expenses:

Utilities - 20,000 ADA

Furnishing and computer/Camera equipment - 15,000 ADA (partially covered by the team)

Proposed Budget For Education and Marketing:

Curation of educational Videos - 5000 ADA

Marketing - 5000 ADA

Miscellaneous:

ADA Valuation Contingency (Savings) - 5,000 ADA

Fees and Costs - 5,000 ADA

Total Cost: 80,000 ADA

No dependencies.

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

The cost of this project represents value for money for the Cardano ecosystem due to our team's commitment to ecosystem growth and ability to deliver useful products that increase efficiency. The team already paid the rent for the duration of this project, which will be ensuring the project a success.

In order to create this platform, The budget has been determined considering the average wages for professionals in Ethiopia, reflecting the high level of expertise and quality assurance that we bring to this project.