Please describe your proposed solution.

In fund 9 Smart Hubs had a proposal “Onboarded Companies Playbook”. For this proposal, we were trying to help some a problem for new funded projects.

Problem: New funded companies, face accounting and community communication challenges to be aligned with their normal operation. Catalyst does not have an available/ relevant source of information about it.

Solution: A playbook for funded companies that guide their various teams on how to best connect their operation with the Catalyst operation - payments, admin, communication

Team dedicated to Onboarding new members and business to Cardano

A big part of the team activities is related to onboarding impact companies to Catalyst & Cardano.

The team had several funded-related proposals that aim to onboard more companies to the ecosystem:

• Fund 7 - Business Development Hub Geneva - closing video & Closing report
• Fund 7 - Strategy Framework - miro board
• Fund 8 - Community lead generator
• Fund 8 - Cross-chain impact lead generator

Some companies we managed to onboard already:

• www.Seedstars.com
• www.Goodwall.io
• www.Digifarm.io
• <https://accelerate2030.net/>
• <https://thepondfoundation.org/>

From our past work we are going to be continuing to revamp and enhance our efforts around the Project Catalyst Funded Project Playbook. Currently when new projects are funded in the Catalyst ecosystem there is not a lot of guidance on how to pivot your business forward and its hard to sometimes find the proper steps to take for a successful funding experience.

The plan is to revamp the Project Catalyst Funded Project PlayBook created by SmartHubs. The Playbook will provide support to newly funded projects with technical and nontechnical parts of the business setup process and is to help community projects structure their plans to succeed.

We will also be creating marketing material to help with promoting the Playbook so it can be used by as many community members as possible. This marketing material will be used to promote the work on various community platforms and we plan to present the playbook and its value to the community by working with the global townhall and swarm community.

Sometimes its hard to just jump into a pond by yourself. We will also be providing working sessions and support sessions for community projects who are funded through Catalyst. This is so we can provide even greater support to Cardano community businesses who need help getting their feet off the ground or who may be stuck at a part of the onboarding process that may be challenging.

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

Our proposed solution addresses the challenge faced by newly funded companies in the Cardano ecosystem. These companies often encounter accounting and community communication difficulties while trying to align their operations with Catalyst. Currently, there is a lack of available and relevant information to guide them through this process.

To tackle this challenge, we aim to continue the develop and update SmartHubs comprehensive playbook specifically designed for funded companies in the Catalyst ecosystem. This playbook has served and guided companies, providing step-by-step instructions on how to effectively connect their operations with Catalyst. We plan to cover essential aspects such as payment processes, administrative requirements, and communication strategies.

We recognize the importance of onboarding new members and businesses to Cardano. As part of our proposal, we have a dedicated team that will focus on this task. Our dedications is seen by successfully onboarding several companies already, including Seedstars, Goodwall, Digifarm, Accelerate2030, and The Pond Foundation.

<u>What benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?</u>

The benefits of our proposed solution are:

• Enhanced Guidance: The Project Catalyst Funded Project Playbook will provide much-needed support to newly funded projects. It will offer guidance on both technical and non-technical aspects of the business setup process. This comprehensive resource will enable community projects to further structure their plans effectively, increasing their chances of success within the ecosystem.

• Improved Accessibility: By revamping and enhancing the existing playbook, we aim to make it easily accessible to as many community members as possible. This is an Opne Sourced project and we will create marketing materials to promote the playbook across various community platforms. Helping ensure widespread awareness and utilization of the PlayBook. This will empower a larger number of projects to navigate the funding process more efficiently.

• Collaborative Support: We understand that navigating the onboarding process can be challenging, and some projects may require additional assistance. We will organize working sessions and support sessions for community projects funded through Catalyst. These sessions will provide hands-on support, helping businesses overcome obstacles and ensuring a smooth onboarding experience. By fostering collaboration and providing personalized assistance, we can facilitate the growth of Cardano community businesses.

By addressing the challenges faced by newly funded companies and providing them with comprehensive guidance, support, and resources, our proposal aims to strengthen the Cardano ecosystem. This initiative will contribute to the success of funded projects, foster community engagement, and promote the long-term growth and sustainability of Cardano as a leading blockchain platform.

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

We will be looking to measure the following KPIs:

• #Companies we onboard
• # of Git Book updates
• # of Marketing materials

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

The Impact of our outcomes will be seen in various forms.

Deliverables:

• 25 hours of people/meeting with companies
• Revamp of the playbook for first-time funded companies
• Providing more details and questions to our QA section
• Add details to our Cardano technology for the business document/ppt which is especially helpful to create further engagement with the companies in the Cardano ecosystem
• Add any new metrics and information for Treasury Guild accounting processes for business (Ex. stable coins, accounting in different countries)

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

We consider fund 8 & 9 results as a great success. We have already developed the first “Project Catalyst Funded Projects PlayBook”. With the success of this Fund 9 proposal and the work the team has done pre-funding is a great metric to measure when considering the capability of the team.

The team has been very active in the community for over 3 years, and has worked closely together on multiple projects and successful community initiatives. With the teams dedication and experience in onboarding new companies and businesses to Cardano they will be able to execute the proposal in a successful manner and will continue to add great value to the Cardano Project Catalyst community.

More members of the team can be found in the Team section.

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

The main goal of the revamp of the playbook, PlayBook marketing, and company support sessions will allow for us to provide a great service for the companies operating in the ecosystem as well as showcase some important steps in the post funding process.

This project is also a great example of collaboration between various initiatives in the ecosystem, and the power of working together to help solve these hurdles in the Catalyst process.

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.

In the last year, we have been developing a community and ecosystem called Smart Hubs. SmartHubs is a group of individuals from across the globe who have local community hubs in their pockets of the world.

During Fund 9 we created an Onboarding Companies Playbook. The Goals for the Onboarding Companies Playbook was to

We have already developed the guidebook to onboard companies, which could be viewed in this link. The challenge we solved is that once the companies are onboarded the next step is to figure out some key areas:

• Receive and manage funds: wallets, accounting, FIAT
• Admin around catalyst
• Communication and connection to the community
• How they can use Caradno technology for their operation and projects

We got questions and comments from the community. These questions and requests for support on a regular basis and would like to dedicate time and efforts to provide a more systematic solution.

Post-funding

Playbook Revamp

• Analyze Project Catalyst ecosystem updates for fund 10. Find things the Playbook is missing.
• Update PlayBook with new content and provide this as a resource on ProjectCatalayst.io

Marketing the Playbook

• Create marketing and promotional material for the PlayBook.
• Partner with community projects and town halls to present and share the playbook
• Create a marketing plan and find best platforms to host our content

Company Support Sessions:

• Provide company onboarding for funded projects in the past and support fund 10 funded projects.
• Walking companies through the playbook, and supporting with blockchain onboarding

Milestones for this proposal:

• Deliverables Milestone 1

• Develop marketing material and make a schedule to support teams

• Promote the marketing and support sessions to all Fund 10 funded proposals (in collaboration with Catalyst team and as part of the funded proposal onboarding sessions)

• Milestone 2, month 3-4 - this phase will focus on…

• Updating the PlayBook

• Providing workshops to funded proposers

• Deliverables Milestone 2

• Make updates to the playbook

• Provide workshops and working sessions for community projects

• Milestone 3, month 5-6 - this phase will focus on…

• Launch the new playbook and provide some of our last sessions for funded projects in fund 10

• Create the closing report and add community project testimonies to

• Deliverables Milestone 3

• Launch closing report

• Create a list of testimonies on how this helps teams in the community

• Launch community updates page for community members to provide further support to this documentation

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

This can be all found in the previous section of the proposal.

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

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

The team is already working together on various projects in the last six months. We have a complimentary experience as well as located in different timezones & cultures to be able to best fit the needs of companies. We are all aligned on values and dedicated full time to Cardano and Catalyst. We all have previous funded proposals as well as multiple proposals in fund 9. This specific proposal is focusing on mainstream activities we have already done in the last 6 months and will compensate for our time dedicated to the community in addition to the need to prepare the suggested documentation. As mentioned above this proposal is connected and part of a smart business hub model we are working on for Catalyst & Cardano.

Jo Allum: Designer, Impact Entrepreneur, Ecosystem builder <https://www.linkedin.com/in/joallum/>

• Co-founder of a community-led coworking space, Entrepreneur Support Organisation (including incubation, acceleration programs) and a country-wide network of ESO's for Impact entrepreneurs. Contracted to support Angel Association New Zealand's Investor network and member of the committee of New Zealand's Open Source Society. CA F7, F6 Funded Proposer, Challenge Team member at Improve and Grow Auditability.

Cole Bartlett, Content Lead <https://www.linkedin.com/in/cole-bartlett>

• Bachelors in Economics and Sustainability | Blockchain/Sustainability Researcher | Social Entrepreneur | Co-Founder of Impact Web 3 & Sustainable ADA | Positive Blockchain Contributor | Impact Measurement Expertise | Donation Officer for Yagazie Foundation | Blockchain Learning Center Core Member | Co-Founder of Vermont Fishing | Decentralized Lead Generation | UNITE 2030 Youth Delegate

Nori Nishigaya, Tech lead <https://www.linkedin.com/in/nishigaya>

• Founder of the Salmon Nation Decentralized Alliance (SANADA), Bridge Builders, and SAMON pool. Member of the Catalyst Circle Admin Team, Cardano4Climate, and Rapid Funding Challenge Team. Cardano Ambassador, CA, and Funded proposer. Passionate about radical inclusivity and community, and devoted to making Cardano the best community on the planet. Nori brings over 30 years of experience in software development, agile methodologies, leadership and managing teams, and founding and running technology startups.

Yoram Ben-Zvi, partnership lead <https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoram-ben-zvi-446836>

• A social entrepreneur. In the last five years, Yoram is focusing on combining impact and business. A mentor with the international board, operations, and startup experience. Yoram is an active catalyst member, CA, and part of the Cardano4Climate community. In Addition, active in promoting the Catalyst and Cardano community to impact companies and networks to connect them to the ecosystem (i.e. seedstars.com)

Treasury Guild

Treasury Guild : offers a 1 to 1 accounting and treasury service to projects within the Catalyst ecosystem. Setting up and managing Project Wallets and the distribution of funds. Keeping track of all budget items and the exchange rate at which the funds were released to ensure that the budget is spent correctly. Including metadata in the transactions enabling future dapps to pull data and create dynamic tailor made dashboards & templates.

More information could be found at: https://treasuryguild.github.io/Gitbook/

Treasury

Treasury Guild will set up the wallet for {Proposal},

Arrange ADA payments to Project team members, maintain budget records and record transactions in GitHub and Gitbook,

Create Dework & Discord server & channel and gitHub action that sends transaction messages to channel

Miro

has 20 years of experience in managing finances and organising the business of NGOs and the University. He also worked as a Human Resources Manager (HRM). Joined the Catalyst Circle Admin team together with Andre as treasurer in Nov 2021. Currently he is recording, documenting and managing all transactions for CC Admin Team, Swarm, Cardano4Climate, Community Governance and Bridge Builders. LInkedin

Full-time on Catalyst and believe in providing value to the community and the growth of the ecosystem. We will probably return in the future funds. At the same time, we do hope to transfer the business hub model into a profitable unit center. We managed to do it already for a local hub in Geneva and the goal is now to do it in multiple locations.

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

We understand that the requested amount is significant, although less than 5% of the challenge budget) and we will make our best efforts to transform it to the next stages and have a successful and scalable PlayBook for all Cardano community members. The SmartHubs team is continuing to work on the project post closing report of Fund 9 and plans to utilize the funding to continue to develop the PlayBook. Including go a step forward and provide support sessions for funded projects. This shows the commitment and belief we have in the value the project could bring to the ecosystem. We look forward to helping support Cardano community projects and businesses with their post-funding activities.