Polkadot @ Coinfest Asia 2024

Proponent: Mandala Chain

Beneficiary (Multisig): 166EpYwUWjEEiFkmRfouLz6V6qucoAsSfBvFYxV8R3CwY4eG

Date: 23 April 2024

Requested amount: $295,000 USDT in DOT equivalent, with the DOT allocation calculated based on the 7-day average rate when submitting the proposal as a single payment for parallel efforts in different areas in preparation for the event.

Problem Statement

According to Chainalysis's 2022 and 2023 Global Crypto Adoption Index, many Asian countries are among the top 10 performers in the world and have plenty of further growth potential. Yet, in this dynamic landscape of the Asian crypto market, the adoption of Polkadot faces critical challenges and fierce competition. Despite the region's increasing interest in digital assets, the awareness and utilization of the Polkadot ecosystem remain surprisingly low.

Goal and Objectives

This campaign, spearheaded by the Mandala Chain team, aims to maximize awareness about the Polkadot brand and mission in the Web3 space in Indonesia (the fourth most populous country in the world) and across Asia. The campaign's reach includes Australia, where we have a strong partnership via an MOU with the Western Australia Web3 Organization and Perth City Council. Beyond awareness, this campaign will increase user onboarding and engagement so that the growth of the Asian crypto market is channeled towards the expansion of the Polkadot global ecosystem.

We will achieve this through the following objectives:

Polkadot’s Title sponsorship of Coinfest Asia 2024, one of the biggest international crypto festivals that will be advertised throughout August 2024 around Bali via billboards on streets and main buildings. Title Sponsorship includes the highest level of visibility at the event, brand exposure on digital and offline media, a large booth and dedicated area for networking and user onboarding, keynote and panel sessions on the main stage.
Showcase Mandala Chain, the first Polkadot parachain in Indonesia adopting the Polkadot SDK and with unique PoC projects with government and businesses.
Showcase the Polkadot SDK, the Polkadot Hub, and the Bali Blockchain Centre via the Bali Blockchain Summit event and Polkadot Championship Hackathon
Drive direct user onboarding at the above events through interactive experiences, showcases, and dedicated support
Position Polkadot as the technology partner of choice in the Indonesian government’s national digital transformation roadmap called Digital Indonesia Vision 2045 which includes blockchain as an integral component of this plan.
Attract investors via tangible demonstration of Polkadot’s technology and ecosystem, and expose Polkadot parachains and Polkadot-related products to funding opportunities via exclusive VC networking organized by Connected Capital
Create content for owned channels that highlight the excitement and growing enthusiasm for Polkadot in Indonesia and Southeast Asia including Australia

Other key points highlighting Indonesia’s unique position to rapidly scale the Polkadot ecosystem globally:

Unlike the aging population structure in Europe and the US, Indonesia can be a fertile ground to build the next generation of blockchain developers with its population’s median age of around 17 years
The Indonesian economy is the largest in Southeast Asia and 10th largest globally in terms of purchasing power parity
Indonesia’s newly elected vice-president Gibran Rakabuming Raka has promised a push to strengthen the country’s talent in blockchain and crypto to provide more opportunities for its youth
Indonesia held the G20 presidency recently in 2022 and held the ASEAN chairmanship in 2023, showcasing leadership in representing developing nations’ interests.

Events Description

The program of events in this proposal has been thoughtfully designed to be high-impact and highly efficient in terms of marketing exposure, ecosystem activation, community engagement, general public onboarding and post-event follow up and follow through. This program combines 4 highly visible and engaging events across 4 days, 2 main venues, plus the online segment of a hackathon leading up to these main events. The events target a diverse and highly relevant audience and partners from parachains, developers, investors, businesses, government, academia, crypto natives from other L1's, and highly receptive crypto curious and enthusiasts.

Specifically, the event descriptions and attendance profiles are as follows:

Polkadot Championship hackathon, 19-20 August: - 100 developers from Asia, including special invitation to Australian participants, joining this successful hackathon format in its first Asian edition
- The online segment of this hackathon will start in July
Bali Blockchain Summit, 20 August: - A business and government networking and strategy discussion event in support of the Indonesian government's Digital Indonesia Vision 2045 plan, which includes blockchain technology as an integral part of the roadmap
- 500 curated attendees representing parachains, businesses, Indonesian government representatives, academia, investors, and VIPs. Australian government representatives will also be invited via our partnership with the Western Australia Web3 Organization, Perth City Council.
- During this event, we will position Polkadot Blockchain technology and Mandala Chain as integral parties in advancing the Digital Indonesia Vision 2045.
- At the same venue as the above hackathon awards day, attendees will experience firsthand the vibrant Polkadot community and technology, as well as attend talks about Polkadot technology for business and government in Indonesia and beyond.
- We will have booths, staffed demo stations and dedicated representatives to assist with user onboarding into the Polkadot community.
Coinfest Asia 2024, 22-23 August: - Polkadot Title Sponsorship at this festival, which is the premier event of Indonesia’s annual blockchain calendar and highly popular around Asia.
- 6000-7000 attendees from around the world comprising founders, C-suite executives, software developers, policymakers, investors, and crypto-curious general public.
- Title Sponsorship includes the highest level of visibility, a dedicated area for networking, a Title booth, keynote and panel on the main stage, front-end brand exposure on digital and offline media, 15 event tickets and a 50% discount for more, accommodation and transportation.
- Beyond brand exposure and public visibility, we will facilitate parachains to shine under the Polkadot banner and have manned stations to onboard attendees into the Polkadot ecosystem.
VIP Investor Dinner, 24 August: - 50 curated and qualified investors and VIPs who will benefit the Polkadot ecosystem and parachains with their investment and strategic partnerships.
- This will be an intimate venue, away from the crowds, that is more conducive to discussions and relationship building.

The visual timeline of these events is as follows:

Budget

Welcome to review the full proposal here.

Hey, Mandala Chain team

I just wanted to share my AYE for your proposal. First, I appreciate your clarifying that this sponsorship will primarily promote the Polkadot brand and mission. Having Mandala Chain, an Indonesian Polkadot parachain, leading this effort on the ground in Bali is a fantastic move. Indonesia is such an exciting market for blockchain right now. With its young, tech-savvy population and government backing, the timing couldn't be better for Polkadot to step in as a key player. It’s great to see that this proposal isn’t just limited to Indonesia but also extends to Australia through your partnerships.

This proposal is a strategic and well-thought-out plan to enhance Polkadot’s visibility and adoption in a crucial market. I also understand the concerns about the event being pricey and seemingly foreign-focused. However, I found the plan to include accessible events like the hackathon and the Bali Blockchain Summit in Denpasar to ensure local participation, bringing in developers, businesses, and government representatives from Indonesia and nearby countries quite smart and well thought-out.

Happy to drop my support with an AYE vote.