metadata: {"signature": "0x8e13f5751117063327e32f18faf0d2eeaff1705dc67eb418f00216ff685615221745b79130a2f78a477f52e4627813d26c83b2b2b24a6b96c8376ba2e893c84c1c", "application": {"round": "0xfe353838ba7ef47c31530041f268161d090543ac", "answers": [{"type": "email", "hidden": true, "question": "Email Address", "questionId": 0, "encryptedAnswer": {"ciphertext": "TPJO7gj3F2ClyWvvHmqPcI2kiIIy3kk/Sfq/79QQv05BAVziF0FPXToXQ3iLrbbN", "encryptedSymmetricKey": "f1981d51f3ba2e11bb5f67255bb12dc032e18c69235f69c122d4d2eba01f0706dde2ab4ae7fd23490f9e02370b4cc207fe4dd193255b20f7039caefb98f881a2863f91dba82bc9a528642639f557e49ae0c52254bff4d35e723d303bcc2f4c915c6993fac72312fdac0c6d0b75ecce5a0e6560b101664619e671e8d51861251d000000000000002043adfb0501bde5c4e2f6712589fd59d10039afa95ab122adb29ef0e2558ca59ed17939f1894d79b374f9596fbffa998b"}}, {"type": "short-answer", "answer": "The primary source of funding for this project comes from my personal investments, demonstrating my deep commitment and belief in its potential. Additionally, I am actively applying for grants in both the Web3 and Web2 ecosystems, leveraging the innovative opportunities in blockchain technology and the established support in traditional tech sectors. By combining these diverse funding avenues, I aim to create a robust financial foundation that ensures the sustainability and growth of the project.", "hidden": false, "question": "Funding Sources", "questionId": 1}, {"type": "number", "answer": "1", "hidden": false, "question": "Team Size", "questionId": 2}, {"type": "paragraph", "answer": "The d-fund project tackles the pervasive issue of investment inequality in emerging markets, where local individuals are often excluded from participating in their own economic growth. Currently, investments in these regions are predominantly made by professional investors from the US and Europe, leading to a flow of returns back to northern countries and suboptimal long-term benefits for local economies.\n\nd-fund addresses this problem by leveraging blockchain technology to democratize investment opportunities. By breaking down traditional investment products into smaller, more accessible entry tickets, we enable local individuals to invest in their markets, fostering economic inclusion. Yes, this helps investors take part in the development of their markets, but more profoundly, it allows for the funding of impactful projects throughout emerging markets that respond to local problematics.\n\nThese projects are identified by local accelerators and community leaders who have a deep understanding of the specific advantages and benefits of each project. This grassroots approach ensures that the initiatives funded are not only relevant but also effective in addressing the unique challenges faced by these communities.\n\nThrough this innovative approach, d-fund not only empowers individuals in emerging markets to become active participants in their economic futures but also promotes a more equitable global investment landscape, bridging the gap between northern and southern countries while solving local issues and driving sustainable development.", "hidden": true, "question": "Impact statement - what real world problem do you solve and how", "questionId": 3}, {"type": "paragraph", "answer": "### How Our Project Contributes to the Celo Ecosystem\n\nOur project will significantly enhance the Celo ecosystem through various strategic contributions:\n\n1. **Features Development**:\n   In the short term, we will develop basic yet essential features by tokenizing real-world assets, making them more liquid and overcoming geographical barriers. In the longer term, we aim to implement decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and incentive tokens to engage individuals in their local economies, thus fostering deeper community involvement and governance within the Celo ecosystem.\n\n2. **Legal Framework**:\n   One of our primary challenges is establishing a robust legal framework. We are conducting an extensive legal analysis to navigate the complexities of token creation, distribution, and international payments. By addressing these regulatory hurdles, we are not only ensuring compliance but also setting a precedent for other projects within the ecosystem. This investment in legal infrastructure will help stabilize and legitimize the broader use of blockchain technology in emerging markets.\n\n3. **Pragmatic Use of Blockchain**:\n   For us, blockchain is a means to achieve our mission, not the end goal. We are focused on delivering a tangible business case that utilizes blockchain as a tool for positive impact, unlike many projects that ride the blockchain wave without substantive value. Our approach highlights the practical benefits of blockchain technology, reinforcing its credibility and usefulness within the Celo ecosystem.\n\n4. **Scalability and Market Focus**:\n   We are targeting emerging markets that are poised for significant growth both industrially and demographically. Initially focusing on the African market for equity investments, we recognize the immense potential across various other markets and investment products. This expansion will drive increased transaction volumes on the Celo platform, boosting its scalability and community engagement. By tapping into these booming markets, we contribute to the creation of a robust economic fabric that aligns with Celo's vision of financial inclusion and sustainable growth.\n\n5. **Alignment with Celo's Core Values**:\n   - **Smartphone Utilization**: Celo's technology is optimized for smartphone use, a perfect match for the African market where mobile phones are integral to daily life. With the widespread use of mobile money services like M-Pesa, our project leverages this mobile-centric culture to enable seamless investment opportunities, facilitating financial inclusion and empowering individuals to participate in their market's growth directly from their mobile devices.\n   - **Carbon Targets**: One of Celo's motivations is to support carbon capture through funding positive social and environmental projects. Our project shares this commitment by focusing on investments in initiatives that address local environmental challenges. By funding impact projects identified by local accelerators and community leaders, we ensure that the investments contribute to carbon reduction and promote sustainable development, resonating with Celo's environmental goals.\n   - **Zero Knowledge Base**: Similar to Celo's vision, we believe that blockchain should be an enabler rather than a barrier. Our approach emphasizes the usability of our platform without requiring users to be blockchain experts. This aligns with Celo\u2019s mission to make blockchain technology accessible to everyone, thereby supporting economic development in emerging markets. By simplifying the investment process and making it intuitive, we lower the entry barriers and encourage broader participation in the digital economy.\n\nThrough these shared values and strategic alignments, our project not only complements the Celo ecosystem but also amplifies its mission of financial inclusion, environmental sustainability, and technological accessibility. Together, we can drive significant social and economic impact in emerging markets, fostering a more inclusive and equitable global economy.\n", "hidden": true, "question": "Celo leverage - how does your project contributed to the Celo ecosystem?", "questionId": 4}], "project": {"id": "0xf56f76bf90682d6285702492666b937e2ae3cbcb480032ca8f8e6580fe3ad9c4", "title": "d-Fund", "metaPtr": {"pointer": "bafkreihs2zr2nlopop3fjyworcm5gkfwdn6m2cv6io4zhj7u4mf7mjoqdi", "protocol": "undefined"}, "website": "https://d-fund.co/", "createdAt": 1722256060777, "credentials": {}, "description": "d-fund aims to create an investment platform allowing individuals from emerging markets to invest in their own markets. Today, investments in these areas are restricted to professional investors, mostly coming from the US or Europe. These investors provide resources, but in the end, returns go back to northern countries, and the long-term benefit for the local economy is not optimal.\n\nThis is quite natural and is due to various barriers. First, financial barriers necessitate having the means to invest, which can be difficult in regions where interest rates can average 30%, and the minimum entry ticket can easily reach several tens of thousands of euros. Second, educational barriers exist because investment is an action that not all people, globally speaking, are sensitive to. It requires knowledge and understanding of the products to invest in. Third, legal barriers involve most investment deals using financial vehicles hosted predominantly in northern countries. These different elements pose a general problem: excluding local populations from the foundations of their economies. If the foundations of an economy do not remain local, it perpetuates the bipolar relationship between northern and southern countries.\n\nWith today's legal opportunities and blockchain, we can divide traditional investment products into smaller entry tickets for better distribution and a more democratic approach. By doing this, both local and global individuals can take part in strong economic growth, relying on the expertise of professional investors. Combining this process with an investment thesis based on social and/or environmental impact, we have an opportunity to create a global impact.", "lastUpdated": 0}, "recipient": "0x7117b310187c1d5E7FddfDd4059f63787F69347b"}}