Cardano in Oceania

Objectives: What do we plan to do?

Business Development & Capacity-Building Program

To unlock Oceania’s potential, we will establish a robust business development (BD) capacity-building track. This program will connect and resource local Cardano advocates to drive adoption, and forge strategic partnerships across the region in government and enterprise verticals – creating a template that can scale globally.

Key components of the BD track include:

Dedicated Oceania BD Team

We will allocate resources to a regional Business Development Team (individuals or an agency) based in Oceania. None of the founding entities or Intersect have done so – an obvious strategic gap. This team will coordinate the outreach to enterprises, startups, government agencies, and NGOs, evangelising Cardano’s technology and identifying collaboration opportunities. The BD Team will coordinate with EMURGO, Cardano Foundation, Intersect and Input Output Global (IOG) teams to align regional efforts with global strategy.

Structured Training & Certification

Inspired by Storm Partners’ 360° approach to ecosystem growth, we will implement a comprehensive training program for the BD team and community leaders. This curriculum will cover five key skill pillars – Strategy & Research, Legal & Compliance, Finance & Risk, Growth & Marketing, and People & Performance – similar to Storm’s model. Trainees will learn to translate Cardano’s technical capabilities into profitable, scalable business models, navigate local crypto regulations, manage project finances, execute multi-channel growth campaigns, and build high-performing teams. We will leverage existing resources like the Cardano Academy (for blockchain fundamentals) for all participants to deepen their ecosystem expertise.

Mentorship & Knowledge Exchange

The program will invite experienced business developers and entrepreneurs (from Storm Partners and successful Cardano projects globally) to mentor Oceania participants. Through workshops and one-on-one coaching, mentors will help local teams refine go-to-market strategies and avoid pitfalls. We will also host “BD bootcamps” – intensive multi-day trainings – potentially co-designed with Storm Partners to instill best practices in partnership building, deal negotiation, and ecosystem marketing.

Pilot Initiatives and Partnerships

As a practical outcome, the BD team will aim to secure pilot projects in key sectors by 2026. Targets include:

  • Enterprise Partnerships: Targeting areas like supply chain (e.g. partnering with a dairy cooperative to trial product provenance on Cardano), finance (unlocking impact capital), and government (blockchain for record-keeping or welfare distribution).

  • Startup and Accelerator Engagement: We will collaborate with startup incubators/accelerators in Australia and NZ to insert Cardano into their programs. For example, offering Cardano workshops to Web3 startups or sponsoring a “Cardano challenge” track in local accelerator demo days.

  • Academia and Research: Forge links with universities (such as University of Sydney’s blockchain group or Waikato University’s blockchain and Indigenous economy groups) to promote Cardano in curricula and research, creating a talent pipeline and potential R&D partnerships.

Milestones & Deliverables – Business Development

By Q4 2025, the BD Lead will be in place and the first cohort of 5–10 Cardano Oceania BD Fellows enrolled in the training program. By Q2 2026, we expect the team to have conducted at least two BD bootcamps and engaged 8–10 target organisations across Oceania. KPIs include the number of partnerships/MOUs signed (goal: 3+ formal agreements by end of 2026), number of entrepreneurs or businesses onboarded to Cardano (goal: 10+), and the investment pipeline generated (e.g. leads for Cardano-based solutions or Catalyst proposals emerging from the region). This capacity-building track will not only deliver local growth but also serve as a model to be replicated in other regions once refined.

Ecosystem Activation: Mapping & Community Network

To accelerate the delivery of Cardano products and services in Oceania, we will launch an Ecosystem Activation stream focused on mapping the community landscape and actively connecting its members. This will make the “human infrastructure” of Cardano in Oceania more visible and coordinated, increasing the speed and success of initiatives.

Actions in this stream include:

Comprehensive Ecosystem Mapping:

We will create a dynamic map of all key players and relationships in the Oceania Cardano ecosystem – individuals, communities, and organisations. This includes:

  • Community groups: Cardano meetup chapters in cities, online forums, Telegram & Signal groups.

  • Talent: local Haskell/Plutus developers, stake pool operators, blockchain researchers, Catalyst proposal teams from Oceania, designers, and product managers with Cardano experience.

  • Initiatives & Projects: startups or dApps building on Cardano in the region, notable use-case pilots (for instance, any Pacific identity or supply chain projects on Cardano), and existing Catalyst-funded projects related to Oceania.

  • Capabilities & Resources: identifying who has expertise in what (e.g. Plutus smart contract experts, Atala PRISM (SSI) experts, community managers, etc.), as well as mapping support organisations (blockchain associations, innovation hubs, venture capital funds focusing on blockchain in Oceania).

    We will use mapping tools present in our community to visualize this network to present an interactive relationship map where one can see, say, how a developer in Melbourne is connected to a project in Auckland. Additionally, we will maintain a searchable database that catalogs these ecosystem entities with tags for their skills/interests. The mapping process will start with surveys and outreach to known community members, and iteratively expand via referrals (“snowball mapping”). By Q1 2026, a first version of the Oceania Cardano Ecosystem Map will be published, covering at least 100 individuals/organisations.

Identifying Gaps and Opportunities

As we map, we will analyse the data to spot capability gaps (e.g. if there are few Plutus devs in a certain country) and opportunity areas. For instance, the map might reveal a cluster of fintech entrepreneurs in Sydney interested in blockchain but not yet on Cardano – valuable targets for our BD team. It may show strong academia links in NZ but fewer industry links, suggesting where to focus outreach. This analysis will inform our strategy dynamically (a feedback loop between mapping and BD/marketing efforts).

Community Relationship Building

Mapping is a means to an end – activation. We will initiate regular networking and knowledge-sharing sessions to strengthen connections:

  • Host “Oceania Ecosystem Roundtables” (virtually each quarter) where project leaders and community members across Australia, NZ, and Pacific Islands come together to introduce their work, needs, and offers of collaboration.

  • Use the map to facilitate matchmaking – e.g. if a government pilot in Fiji needs a Cardano developer, use our network to find a suitable expert; if a startup in Auckland seeks a Plutus mentor, connect them with a community member from Melbourne, etc. A community coordinator (possibly part of the BD team) will oversee these introductions.

  • Provide tooling recommendations for collaboration: beyond the map itself, encourage use of Cardano community platforms.

Ecosystem Progress Tracking

We will continuously update the map with new entrants (e.g. after each hackathon, add the new teams and developers). In 2026, this map and network will serve as a measuring stick for ecosystem health – tracking growth in community size, diversity of projects, and connectivity (we can measure, for example, an increase in cross-collaboration links year-over-year). KPIs: one target is to see at least 10 new collaborations (e.g. new hires, project partnerships, mentorship relations) emerge directly through the facilitated network.

Overall, the ecosystem activation stream will create a living blueprint of Cardano’s social capital in Oceania. This will shorten discovery time (“who can help me build X on Cardano?”), reduce duplication of efforts, and boost the success rate of delivering Cardano-based products by ensuring the right people and knowledge are linked up promptly.

Community Engagement

Community engagement and developer activation are at the heart of this strategy, and we plan to significantly scale up events (building on the work done via volunteerism and individual donations to date) and host at least one hackathon in Oceania in the 2025-2026 period. By creating more opportunities for hands-on building and networking, we aim to grow the talent pool and surface innovative solutions on Cardano. Major initiatives in 2025–2026 include:

Regional Conferences and Partnerships

We will significantly increase Cardano’s presence in major Oceania tech events to raise awareness and build networks:

  • Australian Crypto Convention (AusCryptoCon): Starting in 2025, Cardano will have an official presence at the annual Australian Crypto Convention, the Southern Hemisphere’s largest crypto event (~10K people in 2024). We plan to have a sponsored booth and present in a speaking slot to showcase Cardano’s technological progress, ecosystem projects, and upcoming capabilities including governance tools, scalability upgrades, and Bitcoin DeFi. As the first major event in this program we will also host a Cardano side event to launch the Cardano in Oceania strategy, inviting community members and crypto industry leaders in the region.

  • University and Hackathon Partnerships: We will also allocate resources to support third-party hackathons or innovation competitions in the region. For example, Auckland University and the University of New South Wales run fintech hackathons, Cardano would sponsor a prize for “Best use of Cardano” and provide mentors. A portion of the events budget will cover these sponsorships, which are relatively low-cost but high-impact for developer outreach.

  • Cardano Oceania Summit or Expo: Toward late 2026, depending on community growth, we envision a wrap-up event – possibly a regional Cardano mini-summit or expo – where all strands of this strategy come together. This event would highlight projects spawned over the two years, feature talks from global Cardano leaders, and solidify the community for the future. We will seek additional funding or align with the Cardano Summit global event to make this happen (not explicitly budgeted here but a potential goal if resources allow).

Oceania Hackathon (2026)

We will organise a dedicated Cardano hackathon in 2026. This will likely be hosted in a major tech hub (Sydney or Auckland), accessible to participants from across Oceania. We anticipate ~100 developers and creators attending, forming teams to build dApps and tools on Cardano over an intensive 2–3 day event. Focus areas would include supply chain track-and-trace, identity (SSI), and social investment. To ensure a high-impact event, we will provide attractive incentives and robust support:

  • Prizes & Awards: Significant prize pools (e.g. 10k ada for the top team, and smaller prizes for runners-up and category winners) to attract talent and reward excellence . We will also offer follow-on support to winners, such as fast-track consideration in Catalyst or introductions to incubators.

  • Venue & Logistics: A professional venue with capacity ~150 people, strong internet, breakout rooms, and catering for a 48-hour hackathon. We will explore sponsorships or partnerships (with local tech hubs or universities) to potentially host at lower cost, but budget accordingly to ensure quality.

  • Travel Grants: To encourage region-wide participation, we will offer travel stipends for selected attendees (especially students or developers from Pacific Island nations or remote parts of AU/NZ). This improves diversity and idea exchange.

  • Technical Mentorship & Workshops: Cardano experts (from IOG, EMURGO, or the community) will be on-site or on-call to assist teams. We’ll run short workshops during the event on using Cardano dev tools (e.g. how to use the Cardano node, write Plutus/Aiken smart contracts, integrate with APIs) so even newcomers can contribute.

  • Marketing & Outreach: A dedicated marketing campaign will promote the hackathon across Oceania’s tech communities (more in Marketing section). The goal is to not just attract existing Cardano enthusiasts, but also new developers (including Web2 devs and students) curious about blockchain. We expect extensive social media impressions and coverage, as seen in the Berlin 2025 hackathon which drew significant online attention.

  • Outcome Focus: We will treat the hackathon as a launchpad – after the event, we’ll help teams continue their projects (e.g. connecting promising projects with Catalyst funding advisors or integration partners in the ecosystem).

  • Budget Benchmark: For reference, the Cardano hackathon in Berlin (2025) had a budget of about ₳100,000, covering venue, prizes, marketing, technical support, and contingencies. Using this as a benchmark, we allocate a similar amount for the Oceania hackathon. This substantial investment is justified by the hackathon’s expected value: new developer onboarding, creation of open-source Cardano tools, and flagship projects demonstrating Cardano’s capability in Oceania.

Local Community Events & Workshops

In addition to a larger hackathon, grassroots events will be held regularly across the region:

  • In-Person Events: We will support at least 20 in-person events over 2025–26 across key cities such as Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Tauranga, Auckland, Wellington, and possibly one or two in Pacific Island capitals like Suva or Port Moresby. These events (budgeted at ≈₳2,500 each for venue, refreshments, and a small host stipend) will include a mix of Cardano focused and partner events to connect with other blockchain/crypto and technology communities.

    The aim is to provide variation in topics and knowledge/experience levels, with sessions from introductory (for those new to blockchain) through to deep dives with subject matter experts. They will also provide engagement with enterprise, government and industry representative groups who are blockchain curious, to provide sessions aimed at expanding the potential use cases for Cardano as high assurance decentralised infrastructure.

  • Cardano “Town Halls”: We will continue the practice of regular virtual town halls (e.g. one per month) dedicated to Oceania time zones. These Zoom sessions will share project updates, allow community Q&A, and give a platform to highlight regional progress. We have budgeted for any necessary software or hosting fees, as well host and support team stipends, totaling ~₳5,000. These ensure inclusivity for those who cannot attend in person and keep momentum between physical events.

  • Governance & Education Workshops: As Cardano explores the Voltaire era (on-chain governance), we aim to educate and empower the Oceania community in governance processes. We plan a series of 3–4 workshops (some in-person, some virtual) on topics like Cardano Problem Statements (CPSs) and Improvement Proposals (CIPs), community voting, and the amendment of the Cardano Constitution. These workshops (budgeted ~$10k total to cover materials and any guest speaker travel) will help Oceania community members become active participants in Cardano’s governance (e.g. becoming Catalyst proposers, Community Advisors, or even elected representatives in future governance structures). This not only strengthens decentralisation but also positions Oceania’s voices in global Cardano decision-making.

Impact and KPIs

By the end of 2026, our goal is to have engaged hundreds of participants through these events. Key metrics include:

  • Hackathon success: ≥100 participants, developing ≥20 project prototypes; at least 3 of those projects should continue development post-hackathon (enter Catalyst funding or similar). Also, an increase in Cardano developers in Oceania (we can track new GitHub commits or developer survey numbers before vs. after).

  • Community growth: 20+ local events conducted with an average attendance of ~30, reaching ~600 people in total; virtual town halls engaging an additional audience (50+ attendees each month). We expect to see community membership metrics (meetup groups, online forums) at least double from their 2024 baseline.

  • Education and governance: 100+ individuals trained through workshops and town halls on Cardano concepts, with at least 20 new active Catalyst voters or proposal collaborators coming from Oceania by 2026.

  • Ecosystem outcomes: New collaborations formed at events (e.g. a meetup introduction leading to a startup hiring a Cardano developer, or a university connecting with Cardano Foundation for research). These anecdotal wins will be captured and reported to illustrate qualitative impact.

Integrated Marketing & Storytelling Strategy

A coordinated marketing and outreach strategy will amplify all of the above efforts, ensuring that Cardano’s message in Oceania reaches the right audiences with high visibility. This strategy blends community-driven content, paid promotions, strategic partnerships, and compelling storytelling to maximize impact. We will implement an integrated marketing plan with clear budget lines as follows:

Community-Led Content Creation

We will nurture authentic, grassroots content from within the Oceania Cardano community. This involves:

  • Champions Program: Identify and support local Cardano content champions to build on existing channels established by well-known Oceania based Cardano Ambassadors. Spreading the load to create content with enthusiasts who are already blogging, making videos, or tweeting about Cardano. We will provide them with micro-grants or incentives (for example, ₳200–500 for high-quality articles or tutorial videos) to encourage a steady stream of content. Topics might include developer how-tos, Cardano news explained in local context, interviews with Oceania Cardano builders, and event recaps.

  • Localised Enterprise Content: Commission pieces that highlight local perspectives – e.g. a feature story on a New Zealand agritech startup using Cardano for supply chain, or a spotlight on an Australian Indigenous artist issuing NFTs on Cardano. Such stories make Cardano relatable to regional audiences. We will publish these on industry blogs, LinkedIn, and potentially seek placement in tech media through Blockchain, Web3 and AI associations which Cardano Oceania will join.

  • Multi-Language Outreach: In the Pacific Islands, language diversity is a factor – we will explore translating key educational content into languages like Te Reo Māori, Tok Pisin, Fijian, via community members, to broaden adoption of Cardano at the grassroots level.

To widen our reach beyond the existing community, we’ll invest in targeted promotions:

  • Crypto Media Sponsorships: Partner with popular regional crypto news sites or newsletters (e.g. CryptoNews Australia, Blockchain NZ updates) for sponsored content or banner ads that promote Cardano’s developments and local events. This ensures Cardano stays visible in the broader blockchain discourse in Oceania.

  • Search and Display Ads: Use Google Ads strategically (e.g. when someone searches “blockchain conference Australia” or “how to build dApp Cardano”, our event or academy appears). Also consider YouTube ads clipped from our storytelling videos to drive curiosity about Cardano.

Strategic Partnerships (Marketing)

We will collaborate with organisations to co-market and co-brand initiatives:

  • University and School Engagement: Work with university tech clubs to hold Cardano workshops or demo days – in exchange, Cardano can be featured in their communications. Possibly sponsor hackathon kits for university hackathons (with Cardano logos on swag, etc.).

  • Industry Associations: Engage groups like Blockchain Australia and BlockchainNZ to include Cardano content in their newsletters or events. For instance, if BlockchainNZ runs a webinar series, we propose a Cardano-themed session.

  • Influencer and KOL Outreach: Identify a few respected voices in the Oceania crypto/tech space (e.g. popular podcasters or Twitter personalities) and equip them with early info or access (like invite them to our hackathon or provide an interview with a Cardano executive) so that they organically talk about our initiatives. We will be careful to follow disclosure norms with any paid arrangements, but often a mutually beneficial partnership can be formed (content for them, exposure for us).

Storytelling & PR Campaigns

Numbers and ads alone won’t win hearts – storytelling is key to illustrate Cardano’s value:

  • Success Stories: We will produce at least 5 high-quality case studies or mini-documentaries over 2025–26 that tell the story of Cardano in Oceania. For example, a short video following a team at the hackathon as they build a solution for Pacific remittances, concluding with how they implement it in real life. Or a written case study about a government pilot using Atala PRISM for digitizing certificates in an island nation. These stories will be shared widely (Cardano Foundation blog, YouTube, social media) to demonstrate real-world impact.

  • Narrative Themes: We will weave a consistent narrative in our communications: Cardano as a catalyst for inclusive and sustainable innovation in Oceania. Themes like financial inclusion for remote communities, transparency in trade (aligning with Oceania’s export integrity), and empowering local talent will recur in blogs and talks. This resonates with regional values and differentiates Cardano’s approach (often termed “RealFi”).

  • PR and Media Outreach: Toward major milestones (e.g. launch of the hackathon, partnership with a government, conclusion of the 2026 program results), we will issue press releases to mainstream media in Oceania. We’ll highlight value creation narratives – e.g. “Cardano empowers 500 new developers in Oceania” or “Pacific Island trials Cardano solution for aid delivery” – to catch headline attention. The marketing budget includes hiring PR consultants as needed to pitch these stories to news outlets.

Marketing – Budget & Tracking

KPIs for marketing include the number of content pieces produced (target: at least 2 per month, ~>40 total), total impressions/reach (aiming for millions of impressions cumulatively, e.g. >500,000 through social ads and content views), engagement metrics (click-through rates on ads, social shares), and community growth metrics (such as a 50% increase in Cardano-related social media followers or forum membership from Oceania by 2026). More qualitatively, we’ll gauge brand perception in the region via periodic surveys or feedback.

By integrating community voice, paid reach, partnership networks, and authentic storytelling, our marketing efforts will ensure the Oceania strategy not only delivers results on the ground, but that those results are seen and amplified, attracting further support and talent into the ecosystem.

Cardanoの生きがい - Ikigai - Deposit Reimbursement

In September 2024, only weeks after the Chang hard fork to introduce on-chain governance, an Info governance action titled Cardanoの生きがい - Ikigai - was submitted. This was only a symbolic governance action, as it simply asked the community whether they agreed with a statement thanking those that helped get Cardano to this point and expressing a sense of hope for the future.

Unfortunately, due to a bug in the code of the Cardano node that permitted an unregistered stake key to be used in the governance action, the submitter was unable to recover their deposit of 100K ada. While the community expressed at the time the importance of reimbursing this deposit via a treasury withdrawal; once the ability to do so became available, following the Plomin hard fork; unfortunately none of the entity based budget submisisons have included this.

As a fully community-led initiative, we therefore felt it was important to take this opportunity to carry out the community’s wish, by including the deposit reimbursement in our budget Info goverance action.