Title: cofound3r: Aligning Builders, Programs, and Supporters
Non-Constitutional
Loom: Arbitrum GovHack - cofound3r (final) | Loom
Deck : DocSend
Demo (Phase 4 - Deliver) : cofound3r | venture support solution | Loom
TLDR
We aim to support:
- Builders in navigating Arbitrum support programs and receiving decentralized and asynchronous guidance.
- Support Programs in increasing visibility and impact by attracting more and relevant builders.
- Delegates in monitoring the performance and cross utilization of programs, enabling data-driven decisions.
Team / proposal lead: Antonis - Telegram: @AntonisArgyros , X:@An___is
Team members: George (Discord: npizza) , Nikos ( Discord: 0xnikos) , Suhib
Challenge statement:
Today, delegates want to monitor the utilization of the support mechanisms but there isn’t any structured/non manual way to do that. The results is that resources are getting alllcated in a non optimal manner
Tomorrow, we want to enable delegates to monitor the utilization of resources so that we can attract more builders to Arbitrum resulting in growing the ecosystem
Track: Ventures
- Abstract
cofound3r enhances project success within the Arbitrum ecosystem by providing a comprehensive support system. It assists builders in navigating Arbitrum’s diverse support mechanisms with decentralized and asynchronous guidance while boosting the visibility and reach of support programs to ensure they connect with the right projects. Additionally, it enables supporters to monitor the utilization and impact of these programs, ensuring resources are used effectively and delivering measurable outcomes.
- Motivation
The current support mechanism within the Arbitrum ecosystem can be challenging for builders to navigate, often resembling an uncharted forest. Implementing cofound3r will provide a structured approach while guiding builders efficiently. Additionally, this proposal will enable the collection of valuable data points on program usage, allowing for data-driven decisions and the design of future programs based on real insights and high-level understanding of their impact.
- Rationale
We are a team of builders sharing the aspiration of making venture building accessible to all. Having firsthand experience with creating our own ventures—including exits, flops, and mergers—we understand the challenges of venture building. Studies show that 74% of projects receiving funding still fail.
Our experience enabling major organizations such as a Fortune 50 company, multi-country organizations, investment funds, venture studios, and R&D centers has shown that combining financial and operational support significantly increases success rates. Arbitrum DAO has numerous support programs that combine financial with operational support, but lacks a structured system for efficiently matching projects with suitable programs, leading to inefficiencies and missed opportunities.
Our rationale is based around these three objectives:
Understanding: Firstly, we aim to assess the key characteristics of any new or existing builder. Based on their specific profile, we can evaluate their current capacity in areas such as business development, financial viability, fundraising maturity, operational excellence, solution readiness, and team structure. We also determine how each project can contribute value to Arbitrum, whether by increasing transactions, attracting new funds, creating awareness, engaging the ecosystem, or enhancing the DAO’s operational capacity.
Collaborating: Utilizing the captured data points, we provide structured and guided support to individual projects. With numerous initiatives like Arbitrum Hub, the Ambassadors program, Quesbook Grants, Developer Hub, Jobs Portal, Community Initiatives, Arbitrum Education, FireStarters, and RnDAO’s Venture Building program, our solution aims to leverage these existing resources to effectively support each project by directing them to the most appropriate programs for their specific maturity stage and profile.
Reporting: Finally, we bring value to the community by providing gathered information to delegates, program managers, observers, and other relevant parties. We aim to become the interface for interaction and collaboration in a structured and transparent manner. Our proposal should be seen as a companion and enabler, providing data points across programs and projects. Through this interface, Arbitrum can support more projects with the same effort, capture best practices for the ecosystem, and connect supporting mechanisms.
By incorporating these elements, cofound3r aims to enhance the success rate of projects within the Arbitrum ecosystem, ensuring that support mechanisms are utilized efficiently and that supporters have a good visibility of the actual utilization.
- Key Terms
Builders: This term encompasses venture builders, individual projects, dApps, games, projects outside of Arbitrum, growth-led startups, public goods initiatives, research-driven projects, and SMEs (such as development agencies and marketing collectives).
Supporters: Refers to delegates, token holders, and observers within the Arbitrum ecosystem.
Support Mechanism: Includes various forms of assistance such as access to finance (grants, investments), access to resources (human capital, infrastructure, physical events, knowledge bases), and initiatives (incubation, acceleration programs, Entrepreneur in Residence (EiR) programs, fellowships, workgroups, etc.).
- Specifications -
Contracting Approach
- Project Phases and Milestones:
- We will divide the project into clearly defined phases: Analyze, Customize, Map, Deliver, Execute, and Admin.
- Each phase will have specific milestones and deliverables to ensure progress is tracked and goals are met.
- Resource Allocation:
- We will allocate a dedicated task force for each phase, ensuring specialized skills and expertise are applied where needed.
- Our team includes development and design teams, community engagement specialists, documentation experts, project managers, and strategists.
- Transparent Reporting:
- Regular progress reports will be shared with the Arbitrum community, detailing achievements, challenges, and next steps.
- Community Involvement:
- Workshops and one-on-one sessions will be organized to gather input and feedback from key stakeholders and community members.
- Financial Management:
- Detailed cost breakdowns for each phase will be provided, ensuring transparency in budget allocation and spending.
- A 30% buffer is included to accommodate any unforeseen expenses, with a commitment to return any unspent funds to the Arbitrum DAO.
- Utilization of Existing Modules:
-
To optimize costs and leverage existing investments, we will utilize modules and components we have already developed. This approach is particularly relevant for the Delivery phase, where substantial development work has already been completed, allowing us to provide many resources free of charge.
-
Steps to Implement -
To ensure the successful implementation of this proposal, we have outlined the following steps, each involving specific roles and resources.
- Analyze
- Action: Create the Arbitrum version of categories, subcategories, and data points to be captured.
- Roles: Development Team, Project Manager
- Resources: Data analysts, venture building strategists, project manager
- Outcome: A comprehensive framework tailored to the specific needs of the Arbitrum ecosystem.
- Customize
- Action: Organize 3 workshops and 10 one-to-one sessions to capture input and further tailor the model.
- Roles: Community Engagement Team, Documentation Specialist
- Resources: Event coordinators, facilitators, project manager
- Outcome: Refined model based on feedback from key stakeholders and community members.
- Map
- Action: Map all active initiatives and support mechanisms across Arbitrum and embed these initiatives into the model.
- Roles: Project Manager, Development Team
- Resources: Project managers, researcher
- Outcome: An integrated model that connects various support programs and initiatives within Arbitrum.
- Deliver
- Action: Launch the web app that will document the maturity level of each project, provide structured guidance, and connect each project with specific initiatives across the Arbitrum ecosystem.
- Roles: Development Team, Documentation Specialist
- Resources: Web developers, UX/UI designer, content creator
- Outcome: A functional web application ready for public use.
- Execute
- Action: Utilize the provided application with actual use cases for at least 30 projects. Act as both the “venture coach” for projects and the “venture validator” for delegates.
- Roles: Community Engagement Team, Project Manager
- Resources: Venture coaches, project managers, data analyst
- Outcome: Real-world validation of the platform with practical insights and improvements.
- Admin
-
Action: Document the outcomes of activities, further tailor the approach, and report back to delegates the key learnings from each phase. Develop a centralized dashboard/interface for delegates to monitor the performance of all projects and see the utilization of resources in one place.
-
Roles: Development Team, Project Manager, Documentation Specialist
-
Resources: Web developers, data analysts, report writers, strategists
-
Outcome: A centralized dashboard/interface for monitoring, detailed reports, and a strategic roadmap for continuous improvement.
-
Timeline -
We plan to complete the cofound3r project within four months, with an additional six-week buffer to accommodate response times from Arbitrum. Here’s the detailed timeline, broken down by weeks:
Phase 1: Analyze (Weeks 1-4)
- Weeks 1-2: Create the Arbitrum-specific categories and data points.
- Weeks 3-4: Validate the framework with initial stakeholders.
- Completion Date: End of Week 4
Phase 2: Customize (Weeks 3-4)
- Weeks 3-4: Organize and conduct 3 workshops.
- Weeks 3-4: Complete 10 one-to-one sessions and incorporate feedback.
- Completion Date: End of Week 4
Phase 3: Map (Weeks 2-4)
- Weeks 2-4: Identify and map all active initiatives within the Arbitrum ecosystem.
- Weeks 2-4: Integrate these initiatives into the model.
- Completion Date: End of Week 4
Phase 4: Deliver (Weeks 2-8)
- Weeks 2-4: Develop the web application framework.
- Weeks 5-6: Complete UI/UX design and content creation.
- Week 8: Launch the web application for public use.
- Completion Date: End of Week 8
Phase 5: Execute (Weeks 9-16)
- Weeks 9-10: Begin pilot testing with 10 projects.
- Weeks 11-12: Expand pilot testing to 20 additional projects.
- Weeks 13-16: Collect and analyze feedback, implement improvements.
- Completion Date: End of Week 16
Phase 6: Admin (Weeks 4-16)
- Weeks 4-10: Develop a centralized dashboard for performance monitoring.
- Weeks 11-12: Document outcomes and tailor the approach based on findings.
- Weeks 13-16: Report key learnings and strategic roadmap to delegates.
- Completion Date: End of Week 16
Buffer Period We have allocated an additional six weeks (Weeks 17-22) as a buffer that will allow us to incorporate feedback, make necessary adjustments, and ensure that the project is completed successfully.
- Overall Cost
The total cost to implement the cofound3r project is $96,000. We propose an additional buffer of 30%, bringing the total budget to $124,800.
Commitments
- Any unspent funds will be returned to the Arbitrum DAO to ensure transparency and responsible use of resources.
- The overall cost is relatively low because we commit to using modules we have already developed, especially relevant for the Delivery phase.
| Phase | Expense | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze | Data Analysis | $3,000 |
| Venture Building Strategy | $3,000 | |
| Project Management | $2,000 | |
| Subtotal | $8,000 | |
| Customize | Event Coordination | $2,500 |
| Facilitation | $3,000 | |
| Project Management | $2,000 | |
| Subtotal | $7,500 | |
| Map | Project Management | $4,000 |
| Research | $3,000 | |
| Data Analysis | $2,000 | |
| Subtotal | $9,000 | |
| Deliver | Web Development | $7,000 |
| UX/UI Design | $6,000 | |
| Content Creation | $4,000 | |
| Subtotal | $17,000 | |
| Execute | Venture Coaching | $6,000 |
| Project Management | $6,000 | |
| Data Analysis | $5,500 | |
| Subtotal | $17,500 | |
| Admin | Web Development | $17,000 |
| Data Analysis | $6,000 | |
| Report Writing | $4,000 | |
| Strategy | $10,000 | |
| Subtotal | $37,000 | |
| - Project total | $96,000 | |
| - Buffer | $28,800 | |
| - Proposal total | $124,800 |