Please describe your proposed solution.
Background:
In fund 8 Smart Hubs had two proposals that were funded to perform and test a decentralised lead generation model:
Cross chain impact lead generation and Community lead generation
You can review the extensive work done with the process established and supporting presentations and documentation. The projects were a great success with 28 community members registered as lead generators, reaching over 40 leads and onboarding 10 companies to collaborate with the Cardano ecosystem.
However the process was manual which created some bottlenecks and required human administrative steps that were not efficient both for the lead generators as well as for the project team. While we piloted the model, we always considered how we could use Caradno technology to streamline the process and scale the service. This proposal is a summary of those next steps: to take the processes of the Lead Generator program and back it with a Cardano-powered platform using credentials, smart contracts, and on-chain governance.
This video includes an overview of the project as well as testimonials:
Overview of Decentralized Lead Generator
By using the technology infrastructure of Andamio, it will help us share and scale what we have learned.
Pgen Networks:
Pgen is short for Partnership Generation (and inline with Regen and Degen…). Pgen is also pronounced as Pigeon which fits well with our model of having Pigeons reaching out to companies with messages.
We are now incubating Pgen Networks on Catalyst and aim to grow it into a successful DAO
The opportunity:
We have spoken with numerous companies in the Cardano ecosystem including CF and Emurgo and they both were excited about the Partnership Generator service. "The Cardano ecosystem needs strong business development reach for investors and companies" was the common feedback.
While most companies in the ecosystem are technology driven, their success and growth depend on securing investment, clients and partners. Market Makers and companies invest significant amounts in business development teams, marketing activities and conferences. Introducing a community partnership generation solution could support the company's efforts and bring many additional business advocates to support the company needs.
The status quo is for every company to have its own biz dev team in house. With this proposal, we are demonstrating how this function can be shared across a distributed network of organisations, who can collaborate when it makes sense. (And PGen is a case where it really makes sense, as shown above!).
The Partnership Generation solution:
The partnership generation model aims to support companies in the Cardano ecosystem with creating a pipeline of leads to clients, partners and investors. The leads will be generated by a trusted network of community members who have a great network and/or are great connectors and networkers. Below are some key details regarding the process and solution.
Please review the ppt for further explanation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1kaHIlTk8Og6yD_Ui7wHRcP2wUry9Ij-X/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117943321947299927794&rtpof=true&sd=true
Slides 8-9 in the presentation includes the process scheme
Onboarding Pgens (partnership generator):
Community members that are great connectors/communicators or have great networks, will onboard via a Pgen Project-Based Learning (PBL) course to guide them through the key principles of the model.
Here is some initial feedback we got on the model:
"As a PGen, I can learn about the value proposition and needs of (company) and be confident I can find leads to bring to them."
Vetted Pgens will include veterans on Cardano, Cardano ambassadors and newly onboarded lead generators that have experience with and are passionate about business connections.
Partnership requirements registration:
Enable companies to list their needs for business or investor leads and provide details such as target countries, industry, type of partner, key position at org they wish to reach and period of time for the project.
A simple example will be a company active on Cardano looking for seed funding of 500,000 USD from investors interested in Web 3 Refi projects.
The company will prepare a PBL course for Pgens to go through and better understand the company, key messages and the business needs.
Match between companies needs and Pgens:
The offer will be sent to a list of relevant vetted Pgens (partnership generators) from the community that will share their interest to support the company and will learn through the company PBL course. The company will make final approval for the match and work starts.
Compensation to Pgens:
The company will also add the compensation scheme for generating the lead and it is typically including:
- Amount of ADA when a call is generated with an approved lead
- Amount of ADA when there is an initial agreement between the company and the lead
- Revenue share based on success.
* Note: the compensation does not need to be in ADA only but could be in any token or even a combination of tokens per compensation (Djed, Gimbels….)
This model will enable a decentralised network of trusted people to earn revenue by supporting the growth of the Cardao ecosystem.
Business model for Pgen Networks:
A fixed admin fee for the process and % of the payment will be paid to Pgen Networks to support the team work and continue further development of the platform - our goal is to become self-sustaining while growing the services and impact in the Cardano ecosystem.
Once successfully implemented, the Pgen network will provide great business results for companies while making their business development budget more efficient.
The Andamio platform (by Gimbalabs)
Pgen Networks is partnering with Andamio to provide the core technology required.
The Andamio Platform:
- Provides a Learning Management System (LMS) for onboarding new contributors to your project/organization
- Is built on Cardano with Plutus smart contracts and UI components for treasury management, skill accreditation, project contribution, and emergent reputation
The Andamio MVP was built and tested around the Plutus PBL - for more info check https://plutuspbl.io/
You can find an introductory overview of the Andamio platform here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12VLfrZVaqLqzRCv_4ME78t4JERxeCLN8/view?usp=sharing
Project based learning courses (PBL):
Pgen networks will use the andamio platform to develop the following courses:
- An onboarding course for partnership generators (Pgens)
- An onboarding course for companies
- Each company can create a Project-Based Learning (PBL) module to help Partnership Generators learn about the company and required business leads.
Andamio features to be used by Pgen:
- Proof of Completion
- Register skills and knowledge acquired by completing PBL course module
- Register contribution generated by each partnership generator (partnership generated)
- Treasury management
- Companies can fund treasuries for generating leads and partnerships
- Smart contracts to manage payments based on contributions
This partnership has benefits for the ecosystem:
- Demonstrate how organisations can collaborate to build and use open source tools that both solve problems and open new opportunities.
- Reduce time to market and cost of development for Cardano startups by supporting founders to focus on building and delivering value and outsourcing partnership generation to a decentralised network
- Promote both the collaboration for the ecosystem and growth of companies
- Building on Cardano and showcasing real-world application of blockchain technology
Relationship between Pgen and Andamio:
This will be a long term partnership where Andamio will provide key elements of the technology and Pgen Networks will provide the business and revenue. Through this proposal some funding will go to the Andamio team for their support and development. In the future Andamio will receive a revenue share from Pgen Networks revenue.
The focus of this proposal:
The main objective is to build an MVP (minimum viable product) that will include Dapp that can already be offered as a service to the community. Our goal is to launch the platform and validate value to the companies/clients and to Pgen.
Future plans
We will offer the solution across the Cardano ecosystem and become a new way to generate leads/agreements while benefiting companies and community members. The scope of Pgen Networks could go beyond the Cardano ecosystem as an offering to any company, while the product is being built on Cardano becoming a successful dApp
Some future product developments will include:
- Emergent identity solutions
- Auto match website
- Scale number of Pgens
- Sales and promotions to companies
- Tokenomics
- Leads approval process
- Level of Pgens / based on skills and contributions (scaling governance of Pgen network)
How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?
The challenge state:
"Cardano needs innovations and solutions that help the ecosystem reach its potential and help improve the systems we use across the world."
Pgen Networks solutions will be built on Cardano and is helping the ecosystem to flourish through supporting the companies that are active on Cardano by bringing them partners, collaborators, and customers; creating a new source of revenue for community members; and reaching out to collaborate with companies through the Pgen Networks offering.
This is a new business Dapp built on Cardano and will integrate available solutions (ie. Andamio), and work together with ecosystem key actors (some alraedy showed an initial interest) such as IO, Emurgo, and the Cardano Foundation and it’s ambassador’s program.
The key objective is to provide growth for the ecosystem through generating successful business partnerships with companies.
How do you intend to measure the success of your project?
Once successfully implemented, Pgen network will provide great business results for companies while making their business development budget more efficient.
A lot of value will be created for companies which will support the business model for Pgen networks.
We will be looking to measure the following KPIs
- Number of Pgens on boarded - trusted community members
- Number of companies using the service
- Growing treasury amount
- Number of leads & partnerships generated
- Revenue generated for companies
- Revenue generated by Pgens
In addition the partnership with Andamio has benefits for the ecosystem:
- combine forces with an open source mindset
- reduce time to market and cost of development
- promote collaboration on the ecosystem and growth of companies
- building on Cardano
Other metrics that will be measured:
- How many newcomers to the community will come as Pgen (several new members to the community came as lead generators)
- Number of onboarding information sessions (After townhall, Swarm, C4C, Gimbalabs) for the community
- Number of support sessions for Pgens
- Number of support sessions for companies
Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?
As already shown at our fund 8 reports and working process, all information is registered and the community can have access to it. As we go to commercial terms some privacy and commercial information will need to be approved by the companies and Pgens before sharing.
Pgen Networks will put forward any available information. We will also have multiple workshops and community meetings open to the community.