Please describe your proposed solution.

Our proposed solution is the creation of a CRM sidechain on Cardano that offers GDPR-compliant, decentralized transactions with Salesforce integration. The core problem we're addressing is the current lack of scalable, privacy-enabled, business-specific transaction platforms on blockchain. Blockchain has vast potential for business transactions, but many companies are deterred due to concerns over privacy, regulatory compliance, and perceived technical challenges.

In response to this issue, we propose a unique solution that combines the advantages of Cardano's EVM sidechain capabilities, Salesforce's CRM platform, and blockchain's decentralized nature. By building a dedicated sidechain, we can provide businesses with the trust, privacy, and compliance they need, while benefiting from the scalability and security of the Cardano network.

The sidechain approach caters to the multichain future we envision, where different sidechains are used for specific purposes, increasing the overall efficiency and usability of the blockchain. The integration of Salesforce aligns with our vision of bringing enterprise-level solutions into the web3 world, reducing the technical barriers to blockchain adoption.

Our project will primarily engage developers, businesses, and enterprise dev managers looking for scalable and regulatory compliant solutions to conduct business transactions. By leveraging the strengths of Cardano and Salesforce, we aim to provide a seamless experience that's both user-friendly and robust.

The uniqueness of our solution lies in its specific focus on a CRM sidechain that addresses business and regulatory requirements, fills a gap in the current market, and contributes to the enrichment of the Cardano ecosystem.

The key beneficiaries of our project will be businesses, developers, and ultimately, the end-users who will enjoy more secure, efficient, and transparent transactions. This project is important for Cardano as it aligns with the strategic goals of accelerating dApp development and making Cardano a go-to choice for businesses looking to leverage blockchain technology.

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

Our proposed solution directly addresses the challenge by strengthening Cardano's developer ecosystem and infrastructure. Specifically, the CRM sidechain that we intend to create will not only contribute to the growth of Cardano based projects, but it will also encourage Salesforce developers and businesses to explore and engage with Cardano's capabilities, thereby attracting a new demographic of users to the ecosystem.

Here are the ways our project will significantly impact the Cardano ecosystem:

1. Enhanced Developer Productivity: By providing a ready-to-use, GDPR-compliant solution for businesses that need a secure, scalable, and efficient method of conducting transactions, we will lower the entry barrier for developers wanting to work with Cardano.
2. Attracting New Developers and Users: As Salesforce is a widely adopted platform, our project could potentially introduce a large pool of Salesforce developers and businesses to Cardano, strengthening the developer community and broadening the user base.
3. Ecosystem Strength: As more businesses adopt our solution, we anticipate an increase in the usage and transactions on Cardano, strengthening its network effect and boosting its overall value.
4. Solving Key Issue: Our project tackles the challenge of bringing enterprise-level solutions into the web3 world, offering a key solution for businesses hesitant about blockchain adoption due to regulatory compliance and privacy concerns.

In terms of quantifiable impact, while it's challenging to provide precise numbers at this early stage, we expect a notable increase in the number of developers engaging with Cardano within a year of project completion, given Salesforce's extensive developer community. Additionally, as businesses adopt our solution, we anticipate a steady growth in the volume of transactions on the CRM sidechain, reinforcing Cardano's position as a versatile and scalable blockchain platform.

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 team has extensive experience and robust capabilities to deliver this project with high levels of trust and accountability, demonstrated through our team composition, previous work, and approach to project management:

1. Qualified Team: The main proposer, Houssem, is a Certified Salesforce Consultant with five years of experience as a Sales Engineer. His expertise in optimizing CRM solutions provides a deep understanding of Salesforce, its functionalities, and its user requirements. The co-proposer, Oussama, is an active Cardano community member and a Plutus Pioneer, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the Cardano blockchain, its capabilities, and its community. Our technical lead's extensive background in Salesforce and CRM solutions, coupled with the leadership's rich experience in blockchain development and project management, uniquely positions us to deliver this project successfully.
2. Proven Track Record: Our team members have a demonstrated history of delivering high-quality projects within stipulated timelines. For instance, our co-proposer has extensive experience from Connected Car Projects and a role as a Plutus Pioneer, evidencing the capability to handle complex and technologically challenging projects.
3. Transparent Project Management: We follow industry-standard project management methodologies, including agile practices, to ensure a smooth project execution. This includes regular team meetings, maintaining a public project roadmap, tracking issues and progress on GitHub, and keeping the community updated about our progress through regular announcements and engagements.
4. Financial Accountability: We are committed to responsible and transparent fund management. We will provide a detailed breakdown of how the funds are allocated and used, and updates will be shared with the community on a regular basis. All expenditures will be justified and accounted for to ensure there's no misuse of funds.
5. Community Engagement: We believe in the power of community collaboration. We will share our progress, solicit feedback, and actively engage with the community through Cardano forums, Discord, Telegram, and our GitHub repository. We will also educate the community through blog posts, tutorials, and webinars.

By leveraging these strengths and strategies, we are confident that we can deliver our project with the highest level of trust and accountability.

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

Milestone 1: Requirement Gathering and System Design (Month 1)

• Activities: Conduct meetings with stakeholders, define system requirements, create system design, and develop a project roadmap.
• Success Criteria: Completion of system requirements and design documents, approval from stakeholders.

>Milestone 2: Development of CRM Sidechain (Month 2-5)

• Activities: Coding the CRM sidechain, creating the necessary smart contracts, integration with Salesforce, and initial testing.
• Success Criteria: Successful execution of smart contracts, seamless integration with Salesforce, passing of initial tests.

>Milestone 3: System Testing and Optimization (Month 6-7)

• Activities: Conduct extensive testing to ensure system quality, identify and rectify bugs, optimize system performance.
• Success Criteria: System working as expected without major bugs, meeting performance benchmarks.

>Milestone 4: Compliance Checks and Final Adjustments (Month 8-9)

• Activities: Ensure compliance with GDPR and other regulations, make final adjustments based on testing feedback.
• Success Criteria: Full regulatory compliance, readiness for launch after incorporating all necessary adjustments.

>Milestone 5: Deployment and Post-deployment Support (Month 10)

• Activities: Deploy the system, provide ongoing support, gather user feedback, and make necessary updates.
• Success Criteria: Successful system deployment, positive user feedback, and resolution of post-deployment issues.

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

Houssem BENMAHMOUD: Certified Salesforce Consultant - He will serve as the Project Manager and Salesforce Technical Lead. He brings 5 years of experience as a Sales Engineer and CRM key User within different international companies, optimizing CRM solutions, and a unique fusion of sales, engineering, and technology. He has a solid understanding of Salesforce's platform, and the capability to leverage this knowledge to ensure seamless integration with Cardano.

LinkedIn: <https://www.linkedin.com/in/houssem-benmahmoud>

Oussama BENMAHMOUD: CEO and Co-Founder of PeakSoft GmbH, Oussama is a Certified PMP, ITIL, Professional Scrum Master, Product Owner, and holds an ISTQB Advanced Level Certification. His key roles include Software Quality Assurance and Blockchain Development. His extensive experience from Connected Car Projects and his role as a Plutus Pioneer make him a valuable asset to the team.

LinkedIn: <https://www.linkedin.com/in/oussama-benmahmoud-43693926>

Twitter: @Oussbenma

Should there be a necessity, our company, PeaklSoft GmbH, is prepared to allocate more team members to the project.

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

Development Resources - 40,000 ADA

This covers the cost of the development team, which includes blockchain developers, Salesforce developers, and UI/UX designers. It also includes the purchase of development tools, testing tools, and server costs.

Compliance and Security Audits - 20,000 ADA

This budget will cater for compliance checks with GDPR and other regulatory frameworks. Additionally, it will cover the cost of independent security audits to ensure the integrity and security of the CRM sidechain and its transactions.

Project Management - 20,000 ADA

This allocation is for project management costs, including project management tools, meetings, and other administrative tasks.

Documentation - 10,000 ADA

This covers the cost of creating and maintaining detailed project documentation, including system requirements, design documents, user manuals, and other necessary technical documentation.

Marketing and Community Engagement - 10,000 ADA

This budget will cover publicity, marketing, community engagement, and promotional activities to build awareness and encourage adoption. This may include social media campaigns, developer forums, and other marketing efforts.

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

Our project is estimated to cost 100,000 ADA, which we believe provides excellent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem for several reasons.

1. Expertise and Skillset: Our team comprises experienced professionals who possess the necessary skills to execute this project. We have priced our services in line with industry standards for professionals with our experience level and expertise. Houssem's expertise in Salesforce and Oussama's knowledge of blockchain development, along with additional team members to be recruited, ensure that the project is in safe hands.
2. Leverage Existing Infrastructure: Salesforce is a widely used CRM system across industries globally. By integrating Cardano with Salesforce, we leverage an existing, robust infrastructure, providing value at a fraction of the cost compared to building a similar infrastructure from scratch.
3. Reach and Impact: Given Salesforce's widespread adoption, our solution can potentially reach millions of users, bringing significant new user engagement and transactions into the Cardano ecosystem. The cost of acquisition of each new user or business coming into Cardano through this project will be extremely cost-efficient.
4. Future Proofing and Scalability: The project focuses on a scalable solution that can grow with the Cardano ecosystem. This means that the initial investment will continue to provide value as the system expands and evolves.
5. Cost-effectiveness: Our project's costs are mainly composed of human resources. Our budget is primarily devoted to development, testing, marketing, and community engagement, ensuring the project's success and widespread adoption.

In conclusion, when considering the potential reach of this project, the strategic importance of bridging the gap between Cardano and Salesforce, and the quality of the team assembled, we firmly believe that our budget proposal offers excellent value for the Cardano ecosystem.