Please describe your proposed solution.

A tournament style pitch competition for DAOs with industry judges, providing exposure, feedback, and funding opportunities to advance their projects.

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

Success for this challenge states “There are no better ways to manage your DAO than to use Cardano DAOs.” Our solution addresses the challenge by empowering Cardano-based DAOs to share projects, gain funding, and increase visibility. This benefits the Cardano ecosystem by increasing collaboration, ADA transaction fees, adoption of Cardano as a governance/management chain, and available DAO toolsets.

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

We have defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of our project, the Clarity DAO pitch competition. These KPIs are essential in evaluating the impact and effectiveness of the competition.

1. Number of Participating DAOs: One measure of success is the number of DAOs that actively participate in the competition. A higher participation rate indicates a strong interest and engagement from the DAO community, showcasing the relevance and appeal of the competition.
2. Funding Raised by DAOs: The amount of funding raised by participating DAOs is a crucial indicator of success. By tracking the funds secured through the competition, we can assess the effectiveness of the platform in connecting DAOs with potential investors and attracting financial support for their projects.
3. Partnerships Formed: The formation of partnerships between participating DAOs and external organizations is another important metric. Successful collaborations indicate that the competition has facilitated valuable connections and networking opportunities for DAOs, leading to potential synergies and growth opportunities.
4. Market Visibility Gained: Increased market visibility for participating DAOs is a key success factor. We will measure the visibility gained through metrics such as social media engagement, press coverage, website traffic, and mentions within the blockchain and cryptocurrency community. Greater visibility helps DAOs attract attention, build their reputation, and broaden their network of supporters.
5. Amount of Votes Casted: The number of votes casted during the competition is an important metric to assess community engagement and interest. It reflects the level of involvement and support from the DAO community in selecting projects and determining winners, indicating the democratic nature of the competition.
6. Subsequent Growth and Impact: Tracking the growth and impact of participating DAOs following the competition is crucial. We will assess factors such as project milestones achieved, user adoption, community engagement, and measurable impact in the target industry or sector. This data will provide insights into the long-term value and effectiveness of the competition in driving tangible results.

By regularly monitoring and analyzing these KPIs, we can evaluate the success of the DAO pitch competition, identify areas for improvement, and refine our approach to better support the growth and impact of DAOs within the Cardano ecosystem.

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

We have a comprehensive plan to share the outputs and results of our project, ensuring transparency and widespread dissemination of information. Our approach includes the following strategies:

1. Public Announcement: We will publicly announce the participants ,winners, finalists of the DAO pitch competition through various channels, including our website, social media platforms, and press releases. This will provide immediate visibility to the successful projects and recognition for their achievements.
2. Documentation and Reports: We will create detailed documentation and reports that summarize the competition process, key findings, and notable projects. These documents and videos will be made available online and can be accessed by the DAO community, participants, potential investors, and interested stakeholders.
3. Community Engagement: We recognize the importance of engaging the DAO community throughout the project. We will actively communicate updates, progress, and outcomes of the competition through community forums, newsletters, and dedicated communication channels. This will foster ongoing dialogue, encourage feedback, and maintain transparency with stakeholders.
4. Partnerships and Collaborations: We will explore opportunities to collaborate with industry organizations, media outlets, and blockchain-focused platforms to amplify the reach and impact of our project. By partnering with established entities, we can leverage their networks and resources to share the outputs and results of the competition with a broader audience.
5. Event Presentations and Panels: We plan to participate in relevant industry events, conferences, and meetups to present the outcomes and lessons learned from the DAO pitch competition. Through presentations, panel discussions, and workshops, we can share our experiences, showcase successful projects, and inspire further collaboration and innovation within the Cardano ecosystem.
6. Success Stories: We will develop success stories highlighting the impact and growth of the winning DAO projects. These materials will provide in-depth insights into their journey, outcomes, and lessons learned, serving as valuable resources for the wider blockchain community.

By implementing these strategies, we aim to effectively share the outputs and results of our project, maximizing visibility, knowledge dissemination, and engagement within the Cardano ecosystem and beyond.

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

Our team has a proven track record of delivering on proposals within the Cardano ecosystem, as demonstrated by our past participation and successful outcomes in Cardano Project Catalyst. We understand the significance of trust and accountability in executing projects, especially when it involves sensitive aspects such as DAO treasuries and staking.

Specifically, we have run a DAO pitch competition for DAOs on Cardano in the past that was a success. In this pitch competition we had 25 projects apply, a total of 2994 votes were casted, and over 100 individuals tuned in to hear the pitch competitions live.

In order to facilitate the pitch competition we used the lightweight snapshot voting app we built. You can view it here: <https://web3.crystal.vote/dao/clarity/9>

Here's how our team ensures high levels of trust and accountability in project delivery:

1. Experience and Expertise:

• Our team members possess extensive experience and expertise in their respective domains, including decentralized governance, smart contract development, UI/UX design, and Cardano ecosystem integration.
• We have a deep understanding of the underlying technology and best practices, enabling us to make informed decisions and deliver reliable solutions.

1. Transparent Communication:

• We prioritize transparent and open communication with all stakeholders, including the Cardano community, DAO organizations, and project funders.
• We provide regular updates, progress reports, and hold interactive sessions to address questions, gather feedback, and ensure alignment with project goals.

1. Commitment to Documentation:

• We recognize the importance of thorough documentation to maintain transparency and accountability.
• Our team produces comprehensive documentation, including technical specifications, user guides, and project reports, which are made available to stakeholders to review and verify the project's progress.

1. Community Engagement:

• We actively engage with the Cardano community to foster trust and accountability.
• Through community meetups, forums, and social media channels, we encourage open dialogue, gather feedback, and incorporate community perspectives into our decision-making processes.

1. Adherence to Best Practices and Standards:

• We follow industry best practices, adhere to established standards, and conduct thorough testing and security audits to ensure the reliability and robustness of our solutions.
• We prioritize the security of DAO treasuries and stake pool operations, implementing safeguards and risk mitigation strategies to protect funds and maintain trust.

1. Past Success and References:

• Our successful track record in delivering on previous proposals in Cardano Project Catalyst serves as a testament to our ability to fulfill our commitments and achieve desired outcomes.
• We have run a successful DAO pitch competition in the past using a similar format
• We can provide references and testimonials from previous collaborators, stakeholders, and community members to vouch for our trustworthiness and accountability.

By combining our experience, transparent communication, documentation practices, community engagement, adherence to standards, and past successes, we are confident in our capability to deliver the proposed project with high levels of trust and accountability.

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

The main goals for our project are as follows:

1. Increase Funding and Visibility for DAOs: We aim to provide a platform that enables DAOs to showcase their projects, attract investment, and gain market visibility. Our goal is to address the funding and visibility challenges faced by DAOs, fostering their growth and impact within the Cardano ecosystem.
2. Foster Collaboration and Innovation: By bringing together DAOs, investors, and industry experts through the pitch competition, we aim to foster collaboration and innovation within the Cardano community. Our goal is to facilitate partnerships, knowledge sharing, and the exchange of ideas that drive the development of impactful projects.

To validate the feasibility of our approach, we will undertake the following steps:

1. Market Research and Analysis: We will conduct thorough market research to assess the demand and potential impact of a DAO pitch competition within the Cardano ecosystem. This analysis will help us understand the needs of DAOs, investors, and the community, ensuring that our approach aligns with their expectations and requirements.
2. Engage Stakeholders: We will actively engage with stakeholders, including DAOs, investors, industry experts, and the Cardano community, to gather feedback and validate the feasibility of our project. By seeking input from these key players, we can assess the level of interest, support, and participation, ensuring that our approach is viable and resonates with their needs.
3. Proof of Concept: Before launching the full-scale competition, we may conduct a proof of concept phase to validate the technical feasibility and operational viability of the project. This could involve running a smaller-scale pilot competition, testing the submission process, judging mechanisms, and overall functionality of the platform.
4. Expert Consultation: We will seek advice and guidance from experts in the blockchain and DAO space to validate the feasibility of our approach. Their insights and expertise will help us refine our strategies, identify potential challenges, and ensure that our project aligns with best practices and industry standards.

By combining market research, stakeholder engagement, proof of concept, and expert consultation, we can validate the feasibility of our approach and make necessary adjustments to ensure its success. The feedback and insights gathered during this process will help us refine our project, enhance its value proposition, and increase the likelihood of achieving our main goals.

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: Announcements, information sharing, and getting the word out

Tasks:

• Market the pitch competition through various channels.
• Ensure the necessary infrastructure is in place to support the pitch competition.

Expected Timeline: 3 weeks

Milestone: Application and Qualification Round

Tasks:

• Open applications for DAO projects to participate in the competition.
• Promote the application process and encourage DAOs to apply.
• Set up the Crystal voting platform for the qualification round.
• Evaluate applications and select the top 16 teams based on community votes.

Expected Timeline: 3 weeks

Milestone: Group Seeding and Virtual Pitch Events

Tasks:

• Allocate seeding funds from the project proposal to the "Clarity Pitch Competition DAO treasury."
• Divide the qualified DAOs into four groups of four teams each.
• Provide seed funding to each group for further development and preparation.
• Host virtual pitch events for each group, where DAOs will present their projects and hear feedback from industry experts.

Expected Timeline: 2 weeks

Milestone: Community Voting and Advancement to the Final

Tasks:

• Enable community voting on the Crystal voting platform for each group's virtual pitch event.
• Facilitate the community voting process to determine the top team from each group.
• Announce the advancing teams based on community votes.

Expected Timeline: 2 weeks

Milestone: Final Pitch Event and Town Hall Breakout Room

Tasks:

• Coordinate a final pitch event, featuring the top team from each group.
• Schedule the final pitch event to take place during an after town hall breakout room to maximize attendance.
• Provide a platform for the final teams to present their projects to the community.
• Facilitate community voting to determine the overall winner.

Expected Timeline: 2 weeks

Milestone: Twitter Spaces and Increased Visibility

Tasks:

• Host individual Twitter Spaces sessions for each project, allowing them to present and discuss their projects in a live format.
• Promote the Twitter Spaces sessions to increase visibility and engagement.
• Encourage the community to participate, ask questions, and provide feedback.

Expected Timeline: Throughout the duration of the competition

The project will progress through the qualification round, group seeding and virtual pitch events, community voting, final pitch event, and Twitter Spaces sessions. The exact duration of each phase will depend on the number of participating DAOs and community engagement.

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

Milestone: Announcements, information sharing, and getting the word out

Deliverables:

• Marketing campaign for the Clarity DAO Pitch Competition

Outputs:

• The Clarity Pitch Competition being known by majority of the Cardano Community.

Intended Outcome:

• Setting the stage for many applications into the DAO pitch competition
• The formation of a judge panel full of industry expert judges
• Increased participation in the voting process

Milestone: Application and Qualification Round

Deliverables:

• Open application process for DAO projects to apply for the competition.
• Qualified pool of DAO projects for further evaluation.

Outputs:

• Established application mechanism and submission platform.
• Compiled list of DAO projects applying for the competition.

Intended Outcome:

• Encourage a diverse range of DAO projects to participate and showcase their innovative ideas.
• Identify the most promising DAO projects through community voting and qualify the top 16 teams for the next stage.

Milestone: Group Seeding and Virtual Pitch Events

Deliverables:

• Allocation of seeding funds to the "Clarity Pitch Competition DAO treasury."
• Division of qualified DAOs into four groups of four teams each.
• Seeding funds disbursed to each group.

Outputs:

• Seeded "Clarity Pitch Competition DAO treasury" with reserved funds for the winner.
• Four groups of DAOs equipped with seed funding to further develop their projects.
• Virtual pitch events organized for each group to present their projects.

Intended Outcome:

• Provide financial support to DAOs, fostering their project development and preparation for the competition.
• Facilitate virtual pitch events where DAOs can showcase their projects, receive feedback, and refine their presentations for the community voting stage.

Milestone: Community Voting and Advancement to the Final

Deliverables:

• Enable community voting on the Clarity voting platform for each group's virtual pitch event.
• Selection of the top team from each group based on community votes.

Outputs:

• Conducted community voting process, ensuring transparency and fairness.
• Identified the top team from each group based on community support and validation.

Intended Outcome:

• Engage the Cardano community in the decision-making process, allowing them to have a say in advancing the most promising DAO projects to the final stage.
• Facilitate the identification of the top teams based on community consensus, enhancing community involvement and enthusiasm.

Milestone: Final Pitch Event and Town Hall Breakout Room

Deliverables:

• Final pitch event featuring the top team from each group.
• Town hall breakout room scheduled to host the final pitch event.

Outputs:

• Organized final pitch event during a town hall breakout room session, providing an interactive platform for DAOs to present their projects to the community.

Intended Outcome:

• Showcasing the top teams and their projects to a broader audience, including Cardano community members and potential investors.
• Facilitating further engagement, feedback, and discussion around the final projects.

Milestone: Twitter Spaces and Increased Visibility

Deliverables:

• Individual Twitter Spaces sessions hosted for each project to present and discuss their projects.
• Promotion of Twitter Spaces sessions to increase visibility and engagement.

Outputs:

• Conducted Twitter Spaces sessions with each project, allowing them to interact with the community in a live format.
• Raised awareness and visibility for the projects through social media promotion.

Intended Outcome:

• Increase the exposure and reach of the participating DAO projects by leveraging the power of social media.
• Enable direct engagement and communication between the project teams and the Cardano community, fostering valuable connections and support.

By achieving these deliverables and outputs at each milestone, the intended outcomes include enhanced participation

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

Here is a detailed budget breakdown for the proposed work and resources:

Organizing and Coordination Expenses (10,000 ADA):

• Project management and coordination: 3,000 ADA
• Communication and marketing: 2,000 ADA
• Logistics and event planning: 2,000 ADA
• Administrative expenses: 3,000 ADA

Prize Allocation (190,000 ADA):

• First Place Winner (90,000 ADA)
• Second Place (50,000 ADA)
• Third Place (20,000 ADA)
• Reward for qualification (30,000 ADA) (1875 ADA to each qualified DAO)

Total Budget: 200,000 ADA

We actually plan to decide the prize pot allocations through a community vote. When running the competition previously this has been a good way to introduce people to the voting platform.

The budget breakdown above includes the necessary expenses to successfully organize and execute the DAO pitch competition. It covers the costs of project management, communication, logistics, administrative tasks, and compliance. Additionally, funds are allocated for prizes to incentivize participation and reward the top-performing DAOs.

The budget has been carefully planned to ensure efficient resource utilization and deliver a high-quality event that maximizes the benefits for the participating DAOs and the broader Cardano ecosystem.

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

The Clarity Protocol represents a collaboration between two esteemed entities, Clear Contracts and MLabs. Our team comprises talented individuals who possess a diverse range of expertise and a shared commitment to delivering on this proposal. Allow us to introduce the key members and outline their qualifications:

1. Logan Panchot: As a co-founder of Clear Contracts, Logan spearheads business development efforts. His deep-rooted belief in the significance of decentralized governance and finance fuels his dedication to creating transparent and resilient organizations operating on decentralized systems. Logan recently completed his studies at Stanford University, majoring in Science, Technology, and Society with a concentration in innovation and organization.
2. Justin Schreiner: Serving as a co-founder of Clear Contracts, Justin brings his extensive experience in UI/UX development to the team. With a full-stack development background, he possesses a solid track record of successfully delivering Cardano dApps over the past two years.
3. Matt Laux: Joining Clear Contracts as an Engineer, Matt assumes responsibility for smart contract and front-end integrations. His proficiency as a full-stack developer has been instrumental in various projects, including the creation of a lightweight snapshot voting app for Cardano Projects and the Clarity Protocol. Matt has been an invaluable addition to the team, contributing his expertise for the past eight months.
4. Tomasz Maciosowski: Leading the Plutus development efforts for the Clarity team, Tomasz boasts over a year of experience as the Plutus lead on the project. With a robust background in building on Cardano and two years of experience in the field, Tomasz plays a crucial role in ensuring the success and innovation of the Clarity Protocol.

Together, this skilled and dedicated team combines their expertise in business development, UI/UX development, smart contract integration, and Plutus development to drive the implementation and delivery of the proposed features. With their collective experience and passion for decentralized systems, the team is poised to bring the Clarity Protocol to fruition and advance the future of decentralized governance and finance.

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

The cost of the project represents value for money for the Cardano ecosystem in several ways:

1. Increased Visibility and Growth: By investing in the DAO pitch competition, the Cardano ecosystem will gain increased visibility as innovative DAO projects are showcased to a broader audience. This exposure attracts attention from investors, developers, and enthusiasts, fostering growth and engagement within the ecosystem.
2. Encouraging Innovation and Collaboration: The allocated funds provide substantial rewards to incentivize participation and excellence among DAOs. This incentivization encourages innovation, collaboration, and the development of high-quality projects on Cardano. The competition serves as a catalyst for DAOs to push boundaries, creating value-added solutions that contribute to the ecosystem's overall advancement.
3. Community Engagement and Empowerment: The competition involves the active participation of the Cardano community through voting and feedback processes. This engagement empowers community members by giving them a voice in determining the winners and shaping the future of the ecosystem. It fosters a sense of ownership and belonging, encouraging long-term community involvement and support.
4. Leveraging Network Effects: By hosting a high-profile pitch competition, Cardano attracts attention from both within and outside the ecosystem. The event serves as a networking platform, bringing together DAOs, investors, industry experts, and community members. This facilitates collaboration, knowledge sharing, and partnerships that drive further innovation and adoption of Cardano's technology.
5. Strengthening the Ecosystem's Reputation: A well-funded and well-executed pitch competition reflects positively on the Cardano ecosystem's reputation. It demonstrates a commitment to supporting and nurturing DAOs, fostering a vibrant and thriving ecosystem that attracts top talent and investment. This enhances Cardano's standing as a leading blockchain platform and increases its attractiveness to stakeholders.

The cost of the project represents value for money by boosting visibility, encouraging innovation, engaging the community, leveraging network effects, and strengthening the ecosystem's reputation. The investment made towards the DAO pitch competition yields long-term benefits by driving growth, collaboration, and the overall success of Cardano.