Please describe your proposed solution.

Please take a look at the uniFires presentation to view the same in more visual format.

Summary

Engaging the technologically advanced yet sometimes misunderstood Web3 communities to compare notes, to share best practices and to co-create solutions to common issues.

• A proposal to explore and address Web3 adoption, open governance and interoperability issues.

• Driven by Polkadot and Cardano Ambassadors, calling themselves the uniFires.

• Firing up members of both communities, equipping them with tools and understanding for lasting collaboration.

What is Polkadot?

Unlike traditional blockchains, Polkadot is a protocol and a network that consists of multiple blockchains. It is designed for a future where all blockchains can operate seamlessly together. It is built on a framework called Substrate that also Cardano Partner Chains are going to utilize. Polkadot features a unique governance system known as OpenGov, which operates fully on-chain. It also supports native cross-chain communication. While there are many aspects to Polkadot, its core is the interconnected network of blockchains.

Together towards multichain

Many agree that “future is multichain” but we don’t have many who are equipped to build solutions that extend beyond their own bubble. Both Polkadot and Cardano are seen as leading third generation blockchains by their own communities but questioned by others. To do that, and to build the multichain future, we need to initiate cross-chain conversations, learn from one another and utilize the best practices from each chain. Going beyond the chain-specific echo chambers in Web3, this will foster a culture of open and transparent knowledge sharing culture—preserving, celebrating and developing the uniqueness of both Polkadot and Cardano.

Laying the foundation

Inspired by the Project Based Learning framework, our team of Polkadot and Cardano ambassadors will onboard a cross-chain group of participants to build their background knowledge, to be able to specialize and dig deeper in the topics of mutual interest. We facilitate the formation of cross-chain working groups who discuss, research, experiment, and gather learning points and conclusions in their respective topics. Real-world adoption and impact, decentralized governance and cross-chain interoperability are common themes for all communities in the Web3 space, and these topics are generic enough to allow for self-organization around the participants’ know-how and interest. These self-organized groups consist of community participants from both Polkadot and Cardano ecosystems.

The working groups’ findings, learnings and best practices are captured and synthesized in a concise report that is disseminated to both ecosystems. The participants will then educate the Cardano and Polkadot communities by hosting discussions and sharing the results with selected content creators. This all should lead to helpful camaraderie between the chains and function as a steady basis for further collaboration.

Adoption Working Group (Coordinators: Linda & Peter)

The adoption working group aims to find ways to increase real-world adoption and impact of each chain. It focuses on finding ways to bring developers, entrepreneurs and users into the Web3 space, to increase the size of the pie for everyone involved. We share the existing success stories and explore new ideas to co-create, save and transfer value on blockchain.

Governance Working Group (Coordinators: Viktor & Felix)

The governance working group sheds light on different ways that the chains have taken to address the challenge of decentralized decision making, treasury management and funding. Practices varying from conviction voting to sub-treasuries can be discussed and unforeseen solutions arrived at together.

Interoperability Working Group (Coordinators: Frank & Mark)

The interoperability working group allows for improved understanding of each other’s tech stacks, emergence of new technological solutions and a possibility for bridges to be built, both metaphorically and literally. The group engages in an iterative process to build common ground, explore common issues and see if there is a possibility to build common solutions that benefit both. Underlying philosophy is to start small and grow from there. The end result is an open communication channel for people who are able to think multichain.

Sharing solutions and best practices

Both Polkadot and Cardano have a set of industry-shaping, highly unique features, tools and facets that the other community can learn from. This should guide each of the working groups. They are all about sharing best practices and finding out ways to utilize them in new ways.

<u>Examples of Web3 Adoption Best Practices</u>

Decreasing time to market: There are solutions being built such as Apillon and Tanssi Network that remove some of the developer burden and make things fast.

Future economy: Decentralized Knowledge Graph by OriginTrail, access to machine learning models by Bittensor, DePin solutions by peaq, IoT from Robonomics, decentralized computing from Phala and storage by Crust form the basis for an impressive array of future-proof services.

Corporate partnership: Astar’s partnerships with NTT Docomo, Toyota and Sony, adoption of EnergyWeb solutions and the KILT-Deloitte collaboration are just some examples of enterprise level interest.

RealFi: Cardano native assets like World Mobile Token (internet connectivity) and Empowa (affordable housing) are making waves in the area of real world impact.

Other use cases: Cardano has contributed to Web3 adoption in e.g. credential verification for academic certificates, anti-counterfeiting initiatives, supply chain tracking and identity verification. It has notable projects such as Book.io (Books), Cornucopias (Metaverse) and NMKR (NFTs), Clarity (DAO tooling), Muesliswap (DeFi) and Indigo (stablecoins).

<u>Examples of Open Governance Best Practices</u>

OpenGov: An automated on-chain mechanism for the community to discuss, propose and vote on proposals that suggest changes in the way the blockchain operates or outline use cases to receive funding from the treasury. Used via interfaces like Polkassembly and Nova Wallet.

Technical Fellowship: An on-chain collective of skilled individuals who can focus their efforts on developing Polkadot due to salary they receive from the chain.

Project Catalyst: Balanced innovation funding via Categories and Community Review before proposals are put to vote.

Liquid Democracy: A proposed model to organize decentralized governance to be run by the Constitutional Committee, Delegated Representatives and Stakepool Operators.

<u>Examples of Cross-Chain Interoperability Best Practices</u>

XCM: A format that allows seamless cross-consensus messaging.

Polkadot SDK: Substrate is a flexible, modular and customizable framework that Polkadot is built on and that is used by upcoming Cardano Partner Chains as well. Substrate-native chains can use bridge pallets to connect two chains.

Ouroboros: The PoS consensus protocol adopted by both Cardano and Polkadot.

eUTXO: Cardano’s extended unspent transaction output model combines the best of account-based and UTXO models.

Cardano Bridges: Wanchain released a solution to bridge Cardano to Bitcoin, Ethereum, Arbitrum, Astar, Avalanche, BNB Chain, Optimism, Polygon, Tron, and other prominent public networks.

Working Group Structure

In the working group structure, each group:

• is led by a pair of Workgroup Leads consisting of two people with the right skills and expertise to ensure a high quality performance of each working group and to take the lead in operating their working group.
• acts as a self-organized and independent body, deciding themself on how best to operate while maintaining a high level of coordination, alignment and collaboration with other WGs (holocratically-oriented setup).
• consists of participants and contributors from both Cardano and Polkadot to ensure that any performed operations benefit from insights and perspectives from both ecosystems.

Working Group Processes

What is common for each working group is that:

• Working group processes provide an open space to collectively and collaboratively ideate and brainstorm, yet any performance focuses on “getting stuff done” rather than getting lost in endless discussions and useless debates.
• Working groups operate and maintain a publicly accessible project management via Kanban project boards to ensure an easy community access and transparent insights on ongoing operations.
• Results of the working groups are presented and documented in an easily accessible, transparent and consumable manner, so that everyone can easily follow the progress and outcomes.
• Working groups conduct recurring checks in meetings to catch up on previous, current and future operations. This is to ensure that working groups do not only perform properly but also improve their operation over time.
• Working groups nurture the emergence and maintenance of strong human relations between the participants who come from different ecosystems and have different traits and know-how.
• The working groups are well coordinated and aligned, ensuring that we don't duplicate efforts and that each working group benefits from achievements and learning points of the others.

Dissemination of results

Outcomes of the collaboration are communicated in a timely manner to the Cardano and Polkadot communities, ensuring that both sides benefit from the gained knowledge and insights. Trusted podcast hosts, content creators and influencers with large audiences, reaching beyond the two ecosystems, will help disseminate the results of this unprecedented voyage of shared discovery.

Cherry on top

Throughout the process we generate content that can be utilized afterwards by anyone who wishes to initiate collaboration between the two ecosystems. We explore our options to create an open-source learning management system (LMS) to onboard more people more efficiently and allow them to learn in a structured way, as they build their cross-chain solutions. As a tangible outcome of this proposal, we will create a Proof of Concept for this Project Based Learning environment.

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

Impact in a nutshell

• Cross-chain knowledge sharing will lead to:
• Peer-to-peer collaboration and co-creation across Web3 ecosystems and communities.
• Increased background knowledge and ability to find relevant information.
• Capacity to solve problems and to build effective tools and services.
• Cardano will be seen in a positive light in the Polkadot ecosystem and vice versa.

Polkadot and Cardano ambassadors create and facilitate a process to onboard a cross-chain group of participants, to enhance their knowledge and to dig deeper in mutual interest areas of Web3 adoption, decentralized governance and cross-chain interoperability.

1. Onboarding Participants: Polkadot and Cardano ambassadors onboard participants from both ecosystems.
2. Building Background Knowledge: Participants build background knowledge to specialize in topics of mutual interest.
3. Formation of Cross-Chain Working Groups: Participants form working groups to discuss and compare notes on Web3 adoption, decentralized governance, and cross-chain interoperability.
4. Self-Organization: Groups self-organize based on participants' know-how and interests to embark on knowledge sharing, experimentation and research.
5. Synthesis of Findings: Working groups capture and synthesize their findings and best practices.
6. Report Creation: A concise report is created to document the learnings and best practices.
7. Results Dissemination: The report is distributed to both ecosystems.
8. Ecosystems Engagement: Participants educate their communities regarding the findings.
9. Ensuring Wide Reach: Results are shared and discussed with Web3 information channels, influencers, content creators and podcasts.
10. Fostering Collaboration: The process leads to camaraderie and forms a basis for further collaboration between the chains. The way forward is mapped together.

Long Term Vision

Establish a center of gravity for effective and long-lasting cross chain collaboration that reaches beyond the initial two ecosystems.

• Build initial hands-on knowledge, experience and expertise on how to best initiate and maintain cross-ecosystem and community initiatives.
• Generate playbooks of best-practices and maintain a library of relevant tools and resources.
• Inspire and enable additional cross-community initiatives and help them get going.
• Become “the place to be” for people interested in meeting and connecting to other communities and ecosystems.
• Explore and implement solutions to maintain and sustain cross-community & ecosystem collaborations.
• Cultivate the emergence of cross-community experts and enthusiasts.
• Develop strong cross-community narratives, breaking silos with collaboration and countering tribalism with bringing people on the same side.
• Nurture an open and welcoming environment for people from different ecosystems to learn about each other both as Web3 representatives and as human beings.

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?

Feasibility in a nutshell

• Addressing shared challenges in the Web3 domain creates mutual interest.
• Timeline and budget are geared to create sense of urgency and immediate action.
• Fostering a culture of open knowledge sharing and innovation takes us beyond tribalism.
• Experienced members from both communities unite to create a novel learning entity.
• The initial small core team facilitates efficient groundwork and coordination.
• Independent, adaptable working groups tailor their methods to fit their specific themes and participants’ needs.
• Should this pilot prove successful, the initiative aims to transcend Project Catalyst and scale operations via Polkadot treasury and other funding sources.

The core team is kept somewhat small in the beginning to ensure efficient preparation and alignment between the working groups. The autonomous and self-organizing nature of each working group guarantees an approach that is both tailored to the select participants and methods that are a good fit for each working group's theme.

For instance, due to its technical nature, the interoperability working group might benefit from hands-on tinkering, building and sharing of code, whereas the open governance working group might rely more on qualitative research and the adoption working group might organize brainstorming sessions with actual businesses and entrepreneurs.

The financial sustainability of the initiative does solely rely on funding from Project Catalyst. If this initial experiment proves successful, we will develop the unifFires initiative further and actively work with other treasuries and fundings sources beyond the Cardano ecosystem. Polkadot OpenGov is the logical next step to scale the operations in 2024 and beyond.

Due to the evolving and emergent nature of the cross-chain initiative and the autonomous operation of the working groups, we don't want to dictate numerical goals at this point. However, the KPIs that we measure include (but are not limited to):

• Number of participants in public events and discussions
• Number of participants in the working groups
• Participant net promoter score (% of promoters - % of detractors)
• Number of viewers for the created content
• Reach / distribution of the final report
• Number and quality of follow-up proposals in Polkadot OpenGov

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

March 2024

Project management setup, participant recruitment & team coordination.

Deliverables:

• Completed proposal onboarding.
• Fully operational project management setup and collaboration tools.
• Polkadot and Cardano communities introduced to one another in a public X Space.
• All participants ready and briefed.
• Recorded and published monthly progress report.

Budgeted: 35,000 ADA

>April 2024

Working Groups engage cross-chain participants in action.

Deliverables:

• Working groups formed for a) Web3 adoption, b) Open Governance, and c) Cross-chain interoperability.
• Each working group self-organizes around: 1) Planning and brainstorming, 2) Community engagement, 3) Sub-topics to be researched and discussed.
• Ideation completed to define how generated knowledge will be made available and useable to community members afterwards.
• Reporting and communication of monthly progress.

Budgeted: 35,000 ADA

>May 2024

Working Groups dig deep in peer-to-peer learning.

Deliverables:

• Sub-topic groups generate a mutual understanding of pain points and possible solutions in each blockchain, share good case practices and come up with ideas for further collaboration, innovation and co-creation.
• Preparation of the content creators.
• Defining best use cases for Learning Management System and required content creation needs to ensure the effective use of gained knowledge.
• Reporting and communication of monthly progress.

Budgeted: 35,000 ADA

>June-July 2024

Comprehensive report and related discussions with podcasts, influencers and content creators.

Deliverables:

• Consolidation of a concise report that outlines the learning points and suggests ideas for further collaboration, co-creation and innovation.
• Results will be disseminated to and discussed with both communities via well established channels with large audiences.
• Final cross-chain X space (or similar) to discuss the results, with participants from other blockchain communities.
• Proof of Concept for a Project Based Learning environment.

Budgeted: 35,000 ADA

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

The Core Team

To do all this, we have summoned a core team of highly experienced and well-networked individuals from the involved ecosystems who help educate and engage their respective communities. The core team will design, plan, guide and facilitate the process to reach mutually satisfying and beneficial outcomes. As the coordinators of the working groups, these dedicated ambassadors will create spaces for the participants to meet, connect, open up and collaborate.

Web3 Adoption

• Just_Luuuu: Polkadot Ambassador with extensive experience in organizing and leading successful Polkadot events, effectively enhancing community involvement and knowledge-sharing within the ecosystem.
• Peter Wolcott: Project Catalyst decentralized worker and journeyman scrum master. He currently works with a biotech startup operating IT help desks and has intimately followed Project Catalyst since Fund 5.

Open Governance

• Viktor Venczel: Polkadot Ambassador, an avid user of the Polkadot technology, an inspirational community organizer and seasoned OpenGov participant.
• Felix Weber: a Cardano Ambassador with a strong track record of doing stuff in the Cardano Ecosystem. Engages the community and sets the tone for fun and rewarding collaboration.

Cross-Chain Interoperability

• Frank Dierolf: Software Engineer, Polkadot Ambassador. He brings the necessary understanding of the Polkadot Tech Stack.
• Mark Petruska: Years of professional experience in both Cardano smart contract development and applied formal methods engineering.

Design, Planning & Coordination

• Tomi Astikainen, Polkadot Ambassador and Veteran Community Advisor in Project Catalyst. Helps design, plan and coordinate the process. He assembled the core team and drives the team towards results.

Onboarding & Engagement

• Dumpling, Educational influencer, has been educating and onboarding both Chinese and English speaking people to Cardano since 2021.
• Peter Bui, Cardano Ambassador and developer, Host of the Learn Cardano Podcast, a creator of Cardano Press plugin, and operator of the ADAOZ Stake Pool.
• Participant recruitment and onboarding supported by other Polkadot and Cardano Ambassadors, as required to guarantee diversity of participation.

Dissemination of results:

• Selected podcast hosts, influencers and content creators have already pledged their support to disseminate the results in June 2024. More will be added in the roster along the way.

Please note: Top notch participants are at least as important as funding. If you wish to stay informed and become part of the working groups in March 2024, join our Discord now!

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

The budget consists of the following line items, based on delivering the four milestones:

Onboarding (20,000 ADA)

• Onboarding of Polkadot participants: 10,000 ADA
• Onboarding of Cardano participants: 10,000 ADA

Planning, Facilitation, and Coordination (20,000 ADA)

• Initial Planning and Strategy Development: 5,000 ADA
• Ongoing Coordination and Facilitation: 10,000 ADA
• Report Writing and Documentation: 5,000 ADA

Working Group Incentives (30,000 ADA)

• Incentives for Adoption Working Group 1: 10,000 ADA
• Incentives for Governance Working Group 2: 10,000 ADA
• Incentives for Interoperability Working Group 3: 10,000 ADA

Dissemination of Results (20,000 ADA)

• Polkadot Ecosystem Engagement: 10,000 ADA
• Cardano Ecosystem Engagement: 10,000 ADA

Other costs (50,000 ADA)

• Software and collaboration tools: 5,000 ADA
• Content creation costs: 15,000 ADA
• Events preparation, management and hosting: 15,000 ADA
• External consulting and training provider fees: 15,000 ADA

Total: <u>140,000 ADA</u>

Please note: Naturally, we cannot predict the dollar value of ADA in March-July 2024. Therefore, the budget is our best estimate regarding how much is needed to incentivize participation, to produce quality results and to create long-lasting positive impact. The budget line items correspond with the team roles and the roles of potential external service providers.

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

Value for money in a nutshell

• Preparation phase (November 2023-February 2024) entirely bootstrapped.
• No fixed costs, overheads or hidden fees for anything.
• Main emphasis on incentivizing participation to ensure commitment and priority status.
• Potential follow-up proposals taken to OpenGov and funded by Polkadot Treasury.
• Every ADA spent aims to knit the fragmented Web3 world a bit closer, promising a ripple effect of benefits for Cardano and the larger Web3 ecosystem as a whole.
• It's an investment in unity, a foundation for future collaboration and co-creation of value.

We can pick up learning points and ideas from the participating chains, avoid pitfalls others have faced and help build innovations that cater to a larger cross-chain audience.

• Avoid duplications of efforts and misallocation of resources.
• Make Cardano appear in a positive light in the other blockchain communities.
• Boost Project Catalyst and invite participation from developers in other chains.
• Show grassroots action instead of top-down management.

This proposal ideally sparks and initiates a long-term initiative, dubbed uniFires, that helps build, maintain and grow a strong Polkadot-Cardano Hub. It can also extend to unforeseen areas of cross-chain collaboration.

Outcome #1: Recommendations

We produce a concise and easy-to-read paper where we outline the findings of each working group and share the best practices from both chains, including recommendations for future collaboration.

Outcome #2: Public Discussions

Based on the results, we host events, inform content creators and initiate a wider discourse on Polkadot-Cardano collaboration and the chosen unifying themes: Web3 Adoption, Open Governance and Cross-Chain Interoperability.

Outcome #3: Project Based Learning Environment (Proof of Concept)

Successfully developed Proof of Concept for a Project Based Learning Environment, laying the foundation for transforming the gathered knowledge into a publicly accessible, reusable learning framework. This enhances practical cross-chain education possibilities after the initiative.

Kickstarting the initiative: It is our humble wish that Project Catalyst voters step up and initiate this collaboration from Cardano side, showing both Cardano and Catalyst in a good light.

Maintaining the initiative: As our goal is to provide value to both ecosystems, should this initial collaboration prove successful, we hope to get support also from the Polkadot treasury to maintain and further develop the uniFires initiative.

Make sure you check the presentation.