Please describe your proposed solution.

DAOGEN.ai perceives a significant opportunity at the intersection of decentralized identity (SSI), generative AI, role playing gaming, choose-your-own-adventure gaming, technology education, and blockchain technology. While each of these fields has seen individual advancements, we believe in the transformative potential of their convergence. Many projects focus on individual aspects, but few, if any, are tackling the unison of these domains.

The main problem we are addressing is the gap in the application of AI and blockchain technologies to provide enriched and immersive gaming experiences <u>that double as educational platforms</u>. Currently, developers may struggle with the complexities of integrating these technologies, while gamers and learners may not fully understand or utilize the potential of blockchain, decentralized identities, DAOs, and AI within gaming and education.

DAOGEN's unique approach lies in our mission to simplify and democratize these emerging technologies. We propose a platform that not only leverages these technologies to create a captivating gaming experience but also serves as an interactive learning environment to foster understanding of these technologies.

Our project is designed to engage multiple stakeholders, including game developers, AI enthusiasts, blockchain developers, and general gamers who are interested in emerging technologies. We aim to attract interest from individuals within and outside the Cardano community, encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Our impact will be demonstrated through several key metrics, including the number of developers utilizing our open-source AI tools, the growth of our player base, and the level of engagement within the DAOGEN game.

Furthermore, our solutions will be available for developers to integrate into their own projects, creating a ripple effect of influence and impact. The unique amalgamation of decentralized identity, generative AI, blockchain, gaming, and education within DAOGEN is intended to become a blueprint for future developments, stimulating innovation within the Cardano ecosystem and beyond.

The benefits of DAOGEN are multifold. For developers, it provides open-source tools and frameworks to simplify the integration of AI Agents in to their projects. For gamers and learners, it provides an immersive environment where they can interact with, learn about, and influence the utilization of AI, DAO's, and blockchain.

This project holds immense importance for Cardano as it aligns with the platform's ethos of fostering a decentralized, inclusive, and open-source community. By bridging the gap between complex technologies and user-friendly applications, DAOGEN aims to expand Cardano's user base and further establish its position as a leading blockchain platform.

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

DAOGEN.ai directly addresses the challenge's objectives by developing a comprehensive framework for building, training, testing, and integrating AI agents into projects, within an immersive choose-your-own-adventure gaming and educational environment.

• (Check out our proof-of-concept "Chapter 2: Music of the Cosmos" where we've put some of these ideas into production and gathered positive feedback from players. Don't forget to sign up for Chapter 3 while you are there :)

Firstly, our proposal aims to equip developers with robust tools and infrastructure within the Cardano ecosystem. Through our open-source AI agents:

• Falcon A. Quest (FAQ) / @falconaquest: New Player Onboarding, Customer & Technical Support, Payments
• Zoe Austeen / @zoeausteen: Storytelling, PR, and Media

We provide tutorials, code, and a platform for developers to learn, adapt, and create their own AI agents for integration into their projects. The open-source nature of these tools ensures that the broader Cardano ecosystem benefits, paving the way for more open-source projects within Cardano.

Secondly, DAOGEN’s unique positioning at the intersection of gaming, AI, DAO's, and blockchain technology has the potential to attract developers beyond the existing Cardano community. The excitement of creating games integrated with emerging technologies is a significant draw for developers from diverse backgrounds, and DAOGEN serves as an entry point into the Cardano ecosystem for these individuals.

The impact on the Cardano ecosystem goes beyond just funding our project team. DAOGEN can play a significant role in expanding Cardano's user base and attracting new talent. Given the wide appeal of role-playing and choose-your-own-adventure gaming and the increasing interest in AI and blockchain technologies, DAOGEN has the potential to bring a diverse range of individuals into the community.

Furthermore, by solving the key issue of simplifying the integration of complex technologies, DAOGEN strengthens the ecosystem and lays a solid foundation for future innovative projects. The increased developer activity and the creation of more open-source projects can potentially elevate Cardano to the position of the preferred platform for a wide range of application development.

In terms of quantifying impact, we anticipate attracting hundreds of developers to use our open-source AI tools within the first year. This should result in the creation of multiple new projects on the Cardano platform, stimulating activity and interest in the ecosystem. The number of users engaged in the DAOGEN game could be in the thousands, bringing many new members into the Cardano community. It's worth noting that these estimates are realistic projections based on our understanding of the target demographic and the project's appeal, but the actual figures may vary.

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

Measuring the success of the DAOGEN project involves both quantitative and qualitative metrics.

Quantitative metrics will include:

1. Open-Source AI Tools Usage: Monitoring the number of downloads, forks, and contributions to the open-source AI tools repository. This is a clear and direct measure of the interest and active engagement of developers with our tools.
2. Growth in DAOGEN Game Users: Regularly monitoring the number of active users on DAOGEN Game and the number of transactions on the platform, which are an indicator of the project's appeal and its ability to attract and engage the wider public.

Qualitative measures will include:

1. Community Feedback: Soliciting user feedback and reviews to understand their experiences with the DAOGEN game and the AI tools. This will provide insights into areas for improvement and can also help gauge overall user satisfaction.
2. Developer Engagement: Monitoring the activity and interaction within the developer community forums. Looking at both the quantity and quality of discourse, this will help us assess the overall engagement and adoption of our tools and platform.

In terms of the innovation's impact on Cardano’s productivity and growth, we expect short-term effects to include increased developer activity and the creation of more open-source projects due to the availability of our open-source AI tools. This can lead to an influx of new developers and projects in the Cardano ecosystem, which would positively impact Cardano's growth.

In the long term, we anticipate DAOGEN's contribution to decentralized identity technology (via the social-graph abstraction layer) will cement Cardano's position as a leader in this area. By making Cardano a preferred choice for developers interested in decentralized social networking, this can lead to a sustained increase in the number of innovative dApps built on the Cardano platform.

We believe these measures are realistic given the unique position of DAOGEN at the intersection of gaming, AI, and blockchain, and the comprehensive set of tools and platforms we are providing to the Cardano ecosystem.

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

DAOGEN believes in the power of open collaboration and community engagement. Hence, our plans to share the outputs and results of our project are comprehensive and community-centric.

1. Open-Source Repositories: All software developed with Catalyst funding will be open-source and available on Dj Squircles GitHub. This will allow developers from all over the world to use, contribute to, and learn from our project.
2. Developer Tutorials and Guides: To help developers utilize our tools effectively, we will create comprehensive tutorials and guides. These will be shared on Dj Squircles SubStack.
3. Community Engagement: Regular updates on the project's progress and results will be shared through the DAOGEN website, slack, and other channels such as Dj Squircles Twitter, Twitter Spaces, and the Catalyst Weekly Town Hall. This will help maintain transparency and invite community feedback.
4. Hackathons and Developer Events: We plan to participate in hackathons and developer meetups to foster learning and collaboration around the tools and platforms we are building. This will also help us spread the project’s outputs to a wider audience and get real-time feedback.
5. Partnership with Educational Institutions: Through our relationship with StudentReader.io, we aim to partner with educational institutions and coding boot camps to introduce our tools into their curriculum. This would encourage the younger generation to learn and build on Cardano.

In terms of using the results generated from the project in further research and development activities, the insights gained from the adoption and usage of our tools will be invaluable. This information will guide our future development efforts and help us continually improve and expand our offerings.

Additionally, the user data and feedback collected from the DAOGEN game will play a vital role in our <u>ongoing research into the relationship between human Identity and AI Identity</u>, furthering our exploration and innovation in this fascinating space.

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

Tony Rose, the lead of the DAOGEN project, brings a wealth of experience, deep expertise, and an established reputation in emerging technology sectors, particularly in blockchain and digital identity. His career reflects a strong record of trust and accountability, as well as a proven ability to deliver high-value projects.

Over the past two decades, Tony has demonstrated an ability to drive product commercialization, deliver business value, guide startups through funding stages, and help public companies refine strategic objectives. His accomplishments range from leading the architecture and deployment of Apple Pay in the U.S while at Vantiv, serving millions of merchants, to leading product development at IOHK and creating Atala PRISM V2, a top-tier enterprise software that provides infrastructure for decentralized identity and verifiable credentials.

As Head of Product for Identity at Atala PRISM, Tony has been responsible for creating and executing the strategic vision of the project, and has successfully delivered solutions for key clients, reinforcing his reputation for excellence and client satisfaction. Moreover, he has recruited and built a world-class team that has contributed significantly to the growth and innovation of the company. His leadership in the Pioneer Program, which educated over 1,000 developers and deployed over $3 million in Catalyst funding to startups in the ecosystem, speaks volumes about his commitment to nurturing innovation and supporting community growth.

As the founder of Proof Market, Tony navigated the challenges of launching and leading a self-funded venture focused on creating applications and ecosystems for digital trust. Even though the ultimate goals weren't reached, he showed resilience and the ability to learn from valuable lessons, hard-won insights, and meaningful contributions.

During his time at Vantiv (now Worldpay), he spearheaded the launch of Apple Pay, Android Pay, Samsung Pay, AMEX Express Checkout, and PayPal across multiple platforms, introducing innovative payment options to millions of merchants both online and in-store. This showcases his capability to manage high-stake partnerships with tech giants like Apple, Google, Samsung, PayPal, and American Express, and deliver large-scale projects with maximum efficiency and impact.

The trust and accountability demonstrated by Tony throughout his career reflect his capability to deliver the DAOGEN project with the highest levels of professionalism and excellence. He possesses an impressive track record of managing funds properly, seen in his successful execution of numerous multi-million dollar projects. This, coupled with his in-depth knowledge of the Cardano ecosystem, makes him exceptionally suited to lead the DAOGEN project.

Tony graduated from UC Berkeley in Computer Science, further underscoring his deep technological understanding and ability to manage complex tech projects. His commitment to innovation, collaborative growth, and value creation make him uniquely qualified to steer the DAOGEN project towards success.

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

The main objectives of the DAOGEN project are to create a multifaceted ecosystem combining digital identity, in-game tokens and NFTs, generative AI, AI Agents, DAO tools, and interactive storytelling. The project seeks to spur innovation, foster community engagement, and create unique user experiences in the Cardano ecosystem.

The following goals have been set to achieve this:

1. Digital Identity Implementation: Develop and implement a robust digital identity system "self-sovereign social-graph" (SSSG) for users based on Atala PRISM technology. This goal will be validated by the successful development and deployment of the digital identity solution and user feedback on its effectiveness.
2. AI Agent Integration: Integrate AI Agent tools that will create engaging, AI-driven support and content. We'll measure the success of this goal by the functional deployment of the AI tools and engagement metrics from the generated content.
3. Interactive Storytelling: Develop an interactive storytelling platform where users can engage in unique, AI-driven narratives. The success of this goal will be validated by user engagement statistics and feedback on the narrative experience.
4. DAO Tools Integration: Integration of DAO tools, such as Summon Platform - already in-use for "Chapter 2: The Music of the Cosmos", that enable democratic decision-making within the community. This goal will be validated by the successful deployment of the DAO tools and user feedback on its usability and effectiveness.
5. Community Growth and Engagement: Grow a vibrant, engaged community around DAOGEN. The measure of success will be the number of active users, level of community participation, and qualitative feedback from community members.

In terms of technical implementation, the DAOGEN project will leverage the expertise of Tony Rose and his team. The project will use a robust software development life cycle, starting with requirement gathering, system design, coding, testing, deployment, and maintenance. For highly experimental elements, like generative AI, the team will employ an iterative approach, with multiple testing and improvement cycles to ensure the features work as intended.

All these factors contribute to making the DAOGEN project highly feasible. Given Tony's deep experience in the tech industry and his past successes in managing both startups and large public companies, as well as his demonstrated expertise in blockchain technology, we're confident that he can guide this project to successful completion. Furthermore, his leadership role at IOHK and contributions to Cardano's growth and development add to the credibility and feasibility of this project.

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.

The DAOGEN project will be implemented in multiple phases.

<u>For this Catalyst Proposal, we are focused on the delivery of the AI Agent infrastructure. </u>

Each phase contains specific milestones that contribute to the completion of the project. We will employ an agile project management approach, which ensures flexibility and rapid iteration to respond to any changes or obstacles that may occur. The detailed project timeline, milestones, and tasks are outlined below:

Phase 1: Proof-of-Concept (2 months) (ALREADY DONE!)

Milestone: Project initiation and design blueprint

Tasks:

• Requirement gathering
• Feasibility study
• Designing system architecture
• Implement proof-of-concept
• Chapter 2 Music of the Cosmos, with 18 human players
• Integrate AI Agent into slack channel
• Architecture for Production System
• Architecture for AI Agent systems short and long term memory, knowledge graphs
• Establish Dj Squircles online presence via twitter, linked in, github, and substack

Phase 2: Production Deployment of Falcon A. Quest and Zoe Austeen AI Agents (6 months) - $50,000 USD / 178,380 ADA

Milestone: Agent Framework, AI Agents for Customer Support and Media & PR

Tasks:

• Development / Training of Falcon A. Quest (FAQ) / @falconaquest
• Simple quest assignment and verification (ie: set up your slack profile)
• Reward payment using in-game currency for quest completion
• General customer support
• Development / Training of Zoe Austeen / @zoeausteen
• Storytelling, setting the scene for players
• Generating Media and PR assets out of the game play (ie: tweets and blog posts)
• Beta testing and feedback gathering
• Iterative improvements based on feedback
• Beta Release of Agent Framework

Phase 3: Agent Testing & Community Development (3 months) - $15,000 USD / 53,514 ADA

Milestone: Growing DAOGEN Community

Tasks:

• Overseeing the performance of Falcon A. Quest
• Overseeing the performance of Zoe Austeen
• Serving as Human Assistant to Falcon A. Quest & Zoe
• Community outreach and engagement
• Collecting and implementing user feedback
• Regular updates to the community

Upon reaching each milestone, we will submit a progress report that includes the completed tasks, successes, and potential hurdles encountered. This will be paired with evidence of meeting the goals set for that milestone.

Please note that the figures indicated above are estimates and may be subject to slight changes based on the exact resources required at each phase. The majority of the funds will go towards development resources and talent acquisition to ensure high-quality results.

The final Beta release will be considered successful when it is seamlessly integrated into the existing Cardano ecosystem, passes all tests, and is positively received by the user community.

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

Below is a detailed breakdown of the outputs, intended outcomes, and measures of progress for each project milestone:

Phase 1: Proof-of-Concept (2 months) (ALREADY DONE!)

Deliverables:

• Proof-of-concept with 18 human players "Chapter 2: Music of the Cosmos"
• System Architecture Design - Agent Memory
• System Architecture Design - Kubernetes &lt;> Slack Integration
• Establishment of Dj Squircle, Falcon A. Quest, and Zoe Austeen online presence

Outcomes:

• Confidence in AI technology readiness to meet the Beta requirements.
• Clear understanding of the system requirements and architecture.
• Positive user-feedback and engagement in Chapter 2: Music of the Cosmos

Phase 2: Production Deployment of Agent Framework, Falcon A. Quest and Zoe Austeen AI Agents (6 months)

Deliverables:

• Beta version of Agent Framework
• Beta version of Customer Support Agent, Falcon A. Quest
• Beta version of PR and Media Agent, Zoe Austeen
• Developer Tutorials

Intended Outcomes:

• Further enhancement of the DAOGEN platform with Customer Support and PR and Media Agents
• Agent Framework reducing time and cost in developing new types of AI Agents
• A Customer Support Agent that can be trained for other projects
• A PR and Media Agent that can be trained for other projects
• Gathering of additional user feedback for iterative improvement.

Measures of Progress:

• Successful deployment of the Agent Framework with Falcon A. Quest and Zoe Austeen as examples
• Collection of user feedback and test results.

Phase 3: Agent Testing & Community Development (3 months)

Deliverables:

• Facilitating the testing and training of Falcon A. Quest and Zoe Austeen
• Community Outreach and Engagement Reports

Intended Outcomes:

• Growth of the DAOGEN user community.
• Increased awareness and user engagement with the DAOGEN platform.

Measures of Progress:

• Tracking of key marketing metrics such as user acquisition, community engagement, and user feedback.
• Regular updates to the community and Cardano ecosystem.

In all phases, we will be tracking progress through regular meetings and reporting, using project management tools to ensure that each task is being completed according to schedule and is aligned with the goals of each milestone.

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

The budget breakdown for the DAOGEN project is detailed below. Each element is aligned with the corresponding phases in our project timeline.

Proof-of-Concept: (ALREADY DONE!)

Production Deployment of Agent Framework, Falcon A. Quest, and Zoe Austeen AI Agents: $50,000 USD / 178,380 ADA

• Software Development: $25,000
• Production Infrastructure: $20,000
• Project Management: $5,000

Agent Testing & Community Development (3 months) - $15,000 USD / 53,514 ADA

• Marketing and Promotional Activities: $5,000
• Human Assistants to AI Agents and Community Managers: $10,000

Total: $65,000 USD / 231,894 ADA

This budget is comprehensive and covers all major activities, from planning and development to marketing and community development. The majority of the budget is allocated to the technical development, as this is the primary focus of our project. Marketing and community development is also a significant portion of the budget, reflecting our commitment to user engagement and growing the DAOGEN user community.

We will not be utilizing any third-party products or services other than standard developer tools and cloud services, the costs of which are included in the software development line items.

In terms of additional funding, we are working on securing commitments from external investors to provide supplementary funding if required. This will ensure the continuity of the project regardless of the funding from this proposal.

Finally, we will establish rigorous financial management practices to ensure proper use of the funds. We commit to transparent reporting to the community about the allocation and expenditure of the funds.

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

The DAOGEN project team consists of industry veterans who have a wealth of experience both in their regular careers and within the Cardano ecosystem. The following individuals form the core team of the project:

Tony Rose (Project Lead)

Tony is the main driving force behind the DAOGEN project. As an experienced Head of Product & Business Development Executive and Blockchain Advocate, Tony has been involved in blockchain projects for years and has developed a strong understanding of the technical and business aspects of the field. His role in the project involves overseeing the overall project, defining the strategic direction, and ensuring that all tasks are executed in line with the project's objectives.

LinkedIn Profile

Tony Rose (interim Lead Developer)

Recognizing the criticality of the Lead Developer role, we have outlined the qualifications we are seeking. The ideal candidate should have an extensive background in blockchain technology, proven experience with the Cardano ecosystem, and a solid understanding of Atala PRISM, and an interest in learning about programing AI Agents. Moreover, we are looking for an individual who can lead teams, ensuring high productivity and quality standards. Although Tony Rose will be acting as interim Lead Developer, we are actively interviewing suitable candidates and are confident in our ability to fill this position with the right fit soon.

Hassan Michael (Community Director)

Our Community Director has extensive experience in promoting blockchain projects and has a deep understanding of the Cardano Ecosystem. He will be creating our marketing strategy, overseeing community engagement activities, and ensuring that DAOGEN reaches its target audience effectively.

Additional team members will be recruited as needed to fill specific roles such as additional developers, a community manager, and a quality assurance engineer. The recruitment process will prioritize candidates who have experience in the Cardano ecosystem and a solid understanding of blockchain technology.

We have already engaged with all team members mentioned above and confirmed their commitment and availability for the project. The team communicates regularly via Slack and holds weekly meetings to discuss progress and plan for the upcoming tasks.

We have also engaged with members of the Cardano community through our existing relationships with Summon Platform, NMKR, and Twitter, etc. We have found these platforms to be invaluable for getting input and feedback on our project, as well as for identifying potential collaborators and contributors.

To ensure transparency and accountability, we are committed to providing regular updates on our progress to the Cardano community. We are also willing to undergo any necessary 'proof of life' verifications required by the Catalyst funding program.

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

DAOGEN is committed to delivering substantial value to the Cardano ecosystem by delivering a robust AI Agent framework. We aim to empower developers and users by providing the tools to create, test, and deploy AI Agents into their projects.

We will deliver two production-ready and open-source example AI agents to illustrate the potential of our AI Agent framework and kick-start adoption - Falcon A. Quest, and Zoe Austeen. These AI Agents will not only provide concrete examples of how this technology can be utilized but, also serve as templates for developers to create their own customized agents.

Our vision is to attract more users and developers to Cardano, showcasing its capabilities for building innovative projects with AI Agents to facilitate education and engagement. We believe that DAOGEN will serve as a testament to Cardano's advanced infrastructure for developing decentralized applications, thereby strengthening its position as a leader in the blockchain space.

The budget allocated for the DAOGEN project is a reflection of the considerable work, skills, and expertise required to realize our objectives. We have carefully estimated these costs, taking into account market rates for the skills and services we require and the complexity and duration of the tasks involved.

Personnel Costs:

The DAOGEN team consists of experienced professionals who have deep domain knowledge in blockchain technology, product development, and marketing. Their rates are aligned with the market standards for such expertise. For instance, our lead developer's rate is in line with the average wage for senior blockchain developers in the US.

Development and Operational Costs:

Developing a blockchain-based platform like DAOGEN requires various resources including software licenses, cloud services, and security auditing. Our budget allocation for these costs is based on industry averages and previous experience with similar projects.

Marketing and Community Engagement:

In order to build a robust user base and engage effectively with the Cardano community, we have allocated a portion of our budget for marketing and community engagement activities. These costs are necessary for project visibility, user acquisition, and community support.

Given the innovative nature of DAOGEN, its alignment with Cardano's vision of a decentralized world, and the potential benefits it offers to the Cardano ecosystem, we believe that our project represents excellent value for money. The funding we're requesting is an investment that will pay dividends in the form of a more robust and diverse Cardano ecosystem, new business opportunities, and potentially a new standard for Self Sovereign Social Graphs in the blockchain space.