Please describe your proposed solution.

Our proposed solution is a blockchain-based ride-hailing platform utilizing the Cardano ecosystem, addressing the escalating market demand for efficient mobility solutions. Mobility, as a sector, is indeed one of the world's largest and fastest-growing markets, both in terms of size and user base.

The global market for ride-hailing services was valued at 58 billion USD in 2021 and is projected to reach 185 billion USD by 2026, according to Market and Markets. Moreover, the number of ride-hailing users is estimated to be more than half a billion in 2021, spread across over 85 countries. By building a ride-hailing solution on Cardano, we're targeting this substantial audience, which could lead to a significantly increased demand for Cardano wallets and transactions.

Despite its widespread popularity, the existing centralized ride-hailing model has certain drawbacks. However, our platform addresses these issues:

1. Privacy: In our platform, user data is hashed and secured, accessible only by authorized parties using private keys, unlike traditional platforms where sensitive data could be tracked or misused.
2. Security: Employing Cardano's secure, decentralized design, we eliminate the risks of hacking or manipulation associated with data stored in centralized servers.
3. Cost-effectiveness: Our solution can reduce centralized management and governance expenses, providing an affordable alternative to services like Uber.
4. Decentralized governance: Unlike centralized services, where entities can implement arbitrary rule changes, our platform enables users to suggest improvements and vote on proposals, fostering community-driven governance.

Our strategy includes:

1. Building the platform: Utilizing our expertise, we'll develop a comprehensive web and mobile application.
2. Conceptualizing the economic model: We aim to create an economically competitive model, centered around a Cardano native token, incentivizing user expansion.
3. Building the community: Our focus will be on fostering a sustainable community through incentivization.
4. User Testing: We'll conduct testing with a global user base, starting in Germany.
5. Hardware Integration: To enhance decentralization, we plan on integrating our solution with a specialized hardware device.

By introducing a Cardano native token for fee payments, our platform will create substantial demand for ADA, thereby boosting both retail and institutional adoption of Cardano. We aspire to provide a genuine Web3 solution for the automotive industry, enabling direct transmission of vehicle data to the blockchain. Through decentralization, we aim to reinforce data security and privacy, reduce costs, and empower users with governance rights, leading to increased demand for the Cardano blockchain.

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

Our proposed solution directly addresses the challenge by leveraging our team's expertise in blockchain technology, software development, and quality assurance to contribute to the growth and enhancement of the Cardano ecosystem.

Here are the key impacts and benefits our project will bring to Cardano:

1. Enhanced User Experience: Our collective experience in software development and quality assurance enables us to deliver applications that are not just functional but also user-friendly
2. Software Quality and Reliability: Our project emphasizes rigorous software quality assurance
3. Community Growth: Our project, through its deliverables, aims to attract more developers and businesses to the Cardano ecosystem
4. Empowering the Ecosystem: By addressing existing challenges in a user-friendly and efficient manner, we strengthen the Cardano ecosystem

We are realistic in our expectations and foresee a gradual increase in usage as our project progresses and matures. Within a reasonable timeframe post-project completion, we aim to engage a significant number of users, thereby contributing to the overall activity and vibrancy of the Cardano ecosystem.

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

The success of our project will be gauged through a combination of both quantitative and qualitative measures.

Quantitative Measures:

1. Completion of User Stories: We will track the successful completion of each user story within our sprints, with a focus on meeting the clear acceptance criteria we have established
2. Project Milestones: We'll measure the successful delivery of the increment within its timeline
3. Code Quality Metrics: We will leverage software quality metrics to ensure the highest quality of our deliverable

Qualitative Measures:

1. User Feedback: We will collect and analyze feedback from our user
2. Community Engagement: We will gauge community engagement and sentiment via social media channels, discussion forums, and other platform

In terms of the project's impact on Cardano’s productivity and growth, in the short term, our project aims to deliver tangible, functional solutions that address existing challenges. The improvements we make will contribute to enhancing the overall efficiency of the Cardano ecosystem.

In the long term, our project aims to foster innovation within the ecosystem. By providing reliable and high-quality solutions, we'll encourage more developers and businesses to build on the Cardano blockchain. This can lead to an increase in dApps and other use cases for Cardano, ultimately contributing to the network's growth and the value of ADA.

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

Our plan for sharing the outputs and results of our project involves a combination of direct outreach, online engagement, and collaboration with strategic partners.

Direct Outreach:

We will organize webinars, workshops, and presentations at industry conferences. These events will allow us to share our project's outputs with a wide audience, including other developers, potential customers, and industry stakeholders. Our team will also publish whitepapers and technical documents detailing the project's implementation and results, making them accessible to the public.

Online Engagement:

We will maintain an active online presence through social media, blogging platforms, and forums related to blockchain and mobility services. By regularly sharing project updates, insights, and results on these platforms, we will ensure the wider blockchain and ride-hailing community stays informed about our progress.

Strategic Partnerships:

We plan to engage with relevant industry partners, including ride-hailing service providers, automotive companies, and blockchain organizations. Sharing our results with these entities will allow us to demonstrate the potential of our solution and explore opportunities for collaboration.

In terms of further research and development, the results of this project will lay the foundation for numerous potential extensions. The insights gained from the implementation of our blockchain-based ride-hailing platform could be used to explore other use-cases in the mobility sector. This might include expanded ride-hailing services, vehicle-sharing platforms, or even blockchain-based solutions for public transportation systems.

Moreover, we anticipate that the platform's codebase will be open-source, enabling other developers to use our work as a basis for their own projects. This will not only foster innovation in the sector but will also allow us to contribute back to the blockchain and Cardano community.

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

As PeakSoft GmbH, a Germany-based consulting company, we bring an extensive range of skills and experiences to the table, making us uniquely positioned to deliver this project.

• Company Reputation and Track Record: Over the years, we have established ourselves as a trusted entity, working with large-scale applications and big clients. Our projects' success, including partnerships with leading German automakers, underscores our ability to deliver high-quality results and manage large-scale projects efficiently.

- Solid Team Foundation: Our company boasts six full-time employees, each bringing their expertise in diverse disciplines such as software development, quality assurance, project management, and blockchain technology. This strong internal structure will ensure that all aspects of our project are managed effectively.

- Extended Resources: Beyond our internal team, we have access to an extensive network of external consultants. Should the need arise, we can swiftly deploy additional resources to ensure our project progresses without disruption.

- Web2 and Web3 Expertise: Our team members are pioneers in both web2 and web3 technologies. We have in-depth experience in large-scale software quality assurance and application development. Furthermore, our involvement as Plutus Pioneers and Atala PRISM Pioneers showcases our deep-rooted understanding and commitment to the Cardano ecosystem.

- Transparency and Accountability: We prioritize maintaining clear communication with the community. Regular progress reports and periodic webinars and Q&A sessions will be organized to keep stakeholders updated. Our stringent budgeting and auditing procedures will ensure that funds are managed appropriately and used as intended.

While our current budget allows for the completion of our proposed project, we may consider seeking additional funding in future Catalyst rounds. This would enable us to introduce new features and expand our project's scope. Any additional funding required will be detailed in a separate, new proposal.

To track the progress of our project, we'll implement Agile methodologies, particularly Scrum, and set clear acceptance criteria for each project component and deliverable. We'll also make use of Scrum boards and product backlogs to provide a transparent and constantly updated view of our progress.

For us, success is not merely about reaching milestones. It also involves accomplishing our established acceptance criteria and user stories within our sprints, and successfully delivering the first product increment within the proposed timeline. In essence, success means delivering a product that meets our high-quality standards and offers real value to the Cardano ecosystem.

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

Our project goals can be categorized into technical and market-focused goals:

Technical Goals:

1. Development of a Blockchain-based Ride-Hailing Platform: The primary technical objective is to develop a functional ride-hailing platform MVP on the Cardano blockchain
2. Ensuring Data Security and Privacy: Building on blockchain technology, we want to ensure that user data remains secure and private

Market-focused Goals:

1. User Satisfaction: We aim to provide an excellent user experience, measured qualitatively through user feedback
2. Community Building: Building a strong and engaged community around our platform is crucial

Validation of the Approach:

Our approach's feasibility will be validated through several means. For the technical aspects, successful development, testing, and launch of the platform will serve as the primary validation. Post-launch, system performance, user feedback, and issue resolution metrics will provide additional validation.

Market-focused goals will be validated through community engagement measures and user satisfaction indicators. By comparing our performance against set targets and industry standards, we will be able to assess our approach's success.

Throughout the project, we will use agile methodologies and regular check-ins to ensure that the project remains feasible and that any issues or roadblocks are addressed promptly. This approach will allow us to adapt and pivot if needed, ensuring the ultimate success of the 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.

Milestone 1 (Months 1-2) - Project Initiation and Planning:

• Administration and Legal Tasks: Set up the project's administrative requirements.
• JIRA Board Creation and Product Backlog Preparation: Establish the project management framework and prepare a detailed product backlog.

Milestone 2 (Months 2-4) - Software Configuration:

• Hardware Configuration and Testing: Set up and test necessary hardware for the project.
• Development and Testing of Data Processing and Transaction Builder Scripts: Create and test scripts for data processing and transaction building on the blockchain.

Milestone 3 (Months 4-5) - Platform Development (Phase I):

• Frontend Design and Backend Architecture Preparation: Design and develop the user interface and server-side infrastructure.

Milestone 4 (Months 5-6) - Platform Development (Phase II):

• SuperAdmin Implementation: Develop control and management features in the backend for SuperAdmin and provide the interface on the frontend.

Milestone 5 (Months 6-7) - Platform Development (Phase III):

• Driver/Company Implementation: Develop backend elements and frontend interfaces for drivers and companies.

Milestone 6 (Months 7-8) - Platform Development (Phase IV):

• Customer User Implementation: Develop backend functionalities for customers, including profiles, trip booking, and reviews, and the respective frontend interfaces.

Milestone 7 (Months 8-9) - Integration and Deployment:

• Integration Testing and Deployment: Perform comprehensive testing of the integrated systems, fix any bugs, and deploy the system to the production environment. Implement security measures for the platform and its users.

Milestone 8 (Months 9-10) - Final Testing and Launch:

• End-to-End Testing and Bug Fixing: Conduct a final round of testing to ensure all components work together seamlessly and fix any identified issues before the launch

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

Milestone 1 (Months 1-2) - Project Initiation and Planning:

Deliverables: Project plan, legal setup, and project management framework

Outcome: Establishment of the project's foundation with all the necessary administrative requirements addressed.

Measure: The successful creation of the project plan, completion of procedures, and setup of the project management framework.

Milestone 2 (Months 2-4) - Software Configuration:

Deliverables: Tested data processing and transaction builder scripts

Outcome: The project's technical infrastructure will be ready, laying the groundwork for platform development.

Measure: Successful setup and completion of scripts for data processing and transaction building.

Milestone 3 (Months 4-5) - Platform Development (Phase I):

Deliverables: Frontend design and backend architecture

Outcome: Initial phase of platform development, setting up the UI and server-side architecture.

Measure: Successful design of the UI and development of the backend architecture.

Milestone 4 (Months 5-6) - Platform Development (Phase II):

Deliverables: SuperAdmin backend and frontend implementation

Outcome: A working SuperAdmin interface for backend control and management.

Measure: The successful implementation of SuperAdmin functionalities and interface.

Milestone 5 (Months 6-7) - Platform Development (Phase III):

Deliverables: Driver/Company backend and frontend implementation

Outcome: A functioning driver/company interface for user registration, profile management, and trip management.

Measure: Successful implementation of the driver/company functionalities and interface.

Milestone 6 (Months 7-8) - Platform Development (Phase IV):

Deliverables: Customer user backend and frontend implementation

Outcome: A working customer user interface for user registration, profile management, and trip booking.

Measure: Successful implementation of the customer user functionalities and interface.

Milestone 7 (Months 8-9) - Integration and Deployment:

Deliverables: Integrated system, bug fixes, system security measures

Outcome: A fully functional, secure system ready for final testing.

Measure: Successful integration of all components, resolution of bugs, and implementation of security measures.

Milestone 8 (Months 9-10) - Final Testing and Launch:

Deliverables: Fully tested and launched MVP ride-hailing platform

Outcome: The launch of a working MVP blockchain-based ride-hailing platform, ready for user registration and use.

Measure: Successful completion of final testing, bug fixes, and the official launch of the MVP platform.

Each of these milestones will be accompanied by comprehensive documentation outlining the completed tasks, identified issues, and steps taken to resolve them. This will ensure that every phase of the project is well-documented for future reference and potential troubleshooting.

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

Milestone 1 (Project Initiation and Planning):

• Administration and Legal Tasks: 50,000 ADA
• JIRA Board Creation and Product Backlog Preparation: 20,000 ADA

Milestone 2 (Hardware and Software Configuration):

• Hardware Configuration and Testing: 75,000 ADA
• Development and Testing of Data Processing and Transaction Builder Scripts: 75,000 ADA

Milestone 3 (Platform Development - Phase I):

• Frontend Design and Backend Architecture Preparation: 100,000 ADA

Milestone 4 (Platform Development - Phase II):

• SuperAdmin Implementation: 75,000 ADA

Milestone 5 (Platform Development - Phase III):

• Driver/Company Implementation: 100,000 ADA

Milestone 6 (Platform Development - Phase IV):

• Customer User Implementation: 100,000 ADA

Milestone 7 (Integration and Deployment):

• Integration Testing and Deployment: 75,000 ADA

Milestone 8 (Final Testing and Launch):

• End-to-End Testing and Bug Fixing: 50,000 ADA

Miscellaneous and Contingencies: 80,000 ADA

The remaining 100,000 ADA will be used for marketing and promotional activities to ensure the successful launch and operation of the platform. This also includes community-building activities that are crucial for the success of a decentralized solution.

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

• Oussama Benmahmoud: As CEO and Co-Founder of PeakSoft GmbH, Oussama is a Certified PMP, ITIL, Professional Scrum Master, and Product Owner, and holds an ISTQB Advanced Level Certification. His key roles include Project Management, Software Quality Assurance, and Blockchain Development. His extensive Connected Car Projects experience and achievements as a Plutus Pioneer and Atala PRISM Pioneer make him a valuable asset to the team. LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oussama-benmahmoud-43693926/
• Abderrahim Issaoui: As the CTO and Co-Founder of PeakSoft GmbH, Abderrahim brings over a decade of experience e as a Software Engineer. He is Atala PRISM Pioneer. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abderrahim-issaoui-b3149227/
• Habib Mokni: Habib is our Software Engineer and Frontend Developer. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/habibmokni/
• Mohammed Abdelali: Mohammed is an Electronic and Communication Engineer, focusing on Software Quality Assurance. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammed-abdelali-290b7b101/
• Neyla Issaoui: Neyla is part of the Project Management Office, handling Administration, Accounting, and Coordination tasks. LinkedIn
• Ramla Mahjoub: Ramla works in Software Quality Assurance and some project coordination duties, and she is also ISTQB certified. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramla-mahjoub-25a1843b/

Our team roles and responsibilities for the project are:

1. Project Management - Oussama Benmahmoud (Certified PMP, ITIL, Professional Scrum Master, Product Owner)
2. Blockchain Development - Abderrahim Issaoui, Oussama Benmahmoud (Both Plutus Pioneers)
3. Frontend Development - Abderrahim Issaoui (Lead), Habib Mokni
4. Mobility Integration - Mohammed Abdelali, Oussama Benmahmoud
5. Software Quality Assurance - Mohammed Abdelali, Oussama Benmahmoud, Ramla Mahjoub (All three are ISTQB certified, Oussama at Advanced Level)
6. Administration, Accounting, and Coordination Tasks - Neyla Issaoui, Ramla Mahjoub

The team is prepared to engage external consultants if necessary, as we are always open to bringing in more expertise. We remain committed to active engagement with the Cardano community and technical-group channels and understand the expectations of proof of life verifications and public proposal availability. Our team's combined skills and experience make us well-suited to execute this project and contribute significantly to the Cardano ecosystem.

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

Our project's cost offers significant value for money for the Cardano ecosystem due to our team's expertise, our operational efficiency, and our strategic approach to resource utilization.

Our team comprises highly skilled professionals, with extensive experience in large-scale application development, software quality, and connected car projects. This high caliber of expertise might appear to increase the cost, but it also ensures that we deliver high-quality solutions that are designed to stand the test of time, resulting in long-term savings for the ecosystem.

In terms of operational efficiency, we, as PeakSoft GmbH, a Germany-based consulting company, have years of experience working with prominent clients and managing sizable projects. This experience enables us to streamline our operations, reducing overheads and eliminating unnecessary costs.

Furthermore, as a company, we have full-time employees dedicated to this project, ensuring a high degree of accountability, ownership, and commitment, which in turn leads to better cost management and enhanced output. This commitment also extends to the possibility of deploying external consultants, if necessary, to enhance our capabilities without significantly affecting our cost structure.

The budget for this project has been determined considering the average wages for software professionals in Germany, which is one of the higher wage countries in Europe, reflecting the high level of expertise and quality assurance that we bring to this project. However, we're confident that our team's unique combination of skills and experience in both Web2 and Web3 technologies offers exceptional value for the Cardano ecosystem.

Ultimately, our aim is to provide the Cardano community with solutions that not only solve existing problems but also open up new opportunities. By investing in our project, the community is investing in the potential for future growth and innovation within the ecosystem, making it a value-for-money proposition.