📖 Full Recap — Saigon Founders Meetup & Startup Fair 2026 From fundraising & governance to Blockchain, AI & FinTech entrepreneurship — the meetup brought together founders, startups & builders to explore sustainable growth opportunities within the Cardano ecosystem 🇻🇳 A huge thank you to all speakers, participants, partners, and community members who made this event possible. Read the full recap on Cardano Forum 👇 forum.cardano.org/t/cardano-… Special thanks to: @Cardano_CF @Cardano @Catalyst_onX @HUBNetworkVN for supporting community growth, builder education, and ecosystem collaboration in Vietnam. CC: @IOGroupNews @c3eth @mietran0407 @Hahero7 @VnmeseMarkbui @IlumNguyen @YaoHuynh @HarisNguye80637 @HUBNetworkVN @AsiaAfrica_AACC @AsiaCnft #Cardano #CardanoCommunity #Web3 #Blockchain #Startup #FinTech #Governance #ProjectCatalyst #Vietnam #CardanoVietnam

📌 Surfacing Innovation & Growth DAO Feedback and Misconceptions In #Cardano governance, proposals are often judged not only by what they actually say, but also by DReps’ and community members’ assumptions, prior frustrations, fears, expectations, and interpretations projected onto them. The Innovation & Growth DAO proposal was submitted to the Intersect Budget Process a few weeks ago, and over this period we received community feedback on it, including comments on X and two reviews directly on the Intersect Hydra Voting platform from DReps outside the proposal’s core working group: @yutazzz and @SIPO_Tokyo We responded to these comments both on X and on the Hydra Voting platform. You can check the proposal itself, the reviews, and many of the responses directly through the link below👇 hydra-voting.intersectmbo.or… However, instead of leaving the discussion scattered across tweets, DMs, and buried inside the Intersect Hydra voting app, which, despite good intentions, almost nobody reads consistently, let’s be honest 😅, I decided to surface and address the most recurring questions and concerns in a short public series on X over the next few days. But before getting into the responses themselves, I think some additional context matters. Misconceptions, assumptions, and incomplete interpretations have played a major role in Cardano governance discussions since the early #ProjectCatalyst days, and they continue to shape how people evaluate on-chain Governance Actions today. There is a reason Cardano’s governance testnet was named SanchoNet, it was a homage to Sancho Panza, Don Quixote’s grounded companion in Cervantes’ classic. 🏰 In Don Quixote, the famous scene is not only about a man fighting windmills. It is about perception: Don Quixote sees threatening giants where there are, in reality, windmills. Governance discussions can work in a similar way. Every proposal has two versions: 🔸 The actual written proposal, with its stated purpose, scope, and definitions; 🔸 And the version each reader reconstructs through assumptions, skepticism, prior frustrations, fears, expectations, or ideals. Sometimes the “giant” being debated is not the proposal itself, but an imagined version of what people fear it might be. ⚔️🌪️ That does not mean skepticism is wrong. Quite the opposite. Sancho Panza matters because he brings realism, common sense, and grounded judgment into a world of projections and dramatic interpretations. As a DRep, I understand the skepticism. Our ecosystem has developed some scar tissue from past problems, and stronger scrutiny is a natural response. We are not trying to avoid criticism. Solid proposals should be challenged, refined, and improved through serious feedback. Some questions and concerns reflect healthy scrutiny from an ecosystem that wants to avoid repeating past mistakes. Others seem to come from incomplete interpretations of the proposal’s purpose, design, and intended role within Cardano’s funding architecture. At the same time, the Innovation & Growth DAO proposal was developed through an internal DRep collaboration process, including multiple meetings, questionnaires, and joint drafting work with experienced Cardano ecosystem contributors such as @JaromirTesar, @Cardanians_io, @jonahkoch, @triangleforces, @Lo_Ponch, @GrendelMarco, @genwealth_app, myself and others. 🤝 I am confident that the group of DReps involved in the @adaGrowthDAO has the experience needed to design, manage, and operate this project in a way that avoids repeating problems observed in Cardano’s funding history. So in that spirit, this short series is my attempt to bring the discussion back from imagined giants to the actual windmills: what the Innovation & Growth DAO proposal really says, what it is trying to solve, and where legitimate concerns still deserve clarification. 🌾 📌 Here are the main recurring questions and concerns surrounding the proposal: 🔹 Why create a new funding mechanism or DAO if Treasury Withdrawals and the Intersect Budget Process already exist? 🔹 How will the DAO avoid overlap with Catalyst, Builder DAO, Cardano Tooling DAO, Orion Fund, and other funding vehicles? 🔹 How will DReps and “experts” be selected, matched, compensated, and held accountable? 🔹 Could this DAO become a group of people voting for themselves, and how will conflicts of interest be handled? 🔹 Who audits the DAO itself, and what happens if a funding round underperforms? 🔹 Who is eligible to participate, how to participate, and what are the requirements? 🔹 Why is the DAO requesting this budget, and are operational costs too high? Over the next few days, I’ll publish tweets addressing recurring questions, concerns and misconceptions. 🧵 If we want serious governance, we need to evaluate what is actually being proposed, not only the versions reconstructed through fear, frustration, assumptions, or incomplete context. This is not unique to our proposal. It is a natural human bias that can affect how any proposal is interpreted, and we need to keep it in check to make better collective decisions. #DRep #Governance #Intersect

#CardanoDevelopers #BuildingOnCardano #CardanoCommunity #Plutus #CardanoGovernance #ProjectCatalyst #Cardano @IOHK_Charles @corroonian

💥 Catalyst & Funding Models: Building Startups on Blockchain 💥 In the digital era, fundraising is no longer limited to banks or traditional investment funds. Blockchain is opening a new path — where capital can become more transparent, community-driven, and accessible. Join us for an academic session with Digital Economics students at Nguyen Tat Thanh University 🇻🇳 ✨ We’ll explore: • How startup funding works in practice • Traditional finance vs Blockchain funding models • Decentralized funding through Cardano Catalyst • Governance, innovation & the future of Web3 startups 🎮 Mini Game & Interactive Q&A included! 📍 Nguyen Tat Thanh University 🗓️ May 18, 2026 | 17:20 – 18:20 🎟️ Register: luma.com/jesl9wu9 🤝 Co-organized by: Cardano Vietnam x BBO Tech x Digital Economics Major – Nguyen Tat Thanh University CC: @Cardano @Catalyst_onX @VietnamCardano @BambooLabsXYZ @mietran0407 @Hahero7 @AsiaAfrica_AACC @IOGroupNews @AsiaCnft @c3eth @DucChauB @HungWorldMoblie @VnmeseMarkbui #Cardano #Blockchain #Web3 #ProjectCatalyst #Startup

“CARDANO AMBASSADOR VIETNAM” LIVE GUIDANCE ON BUILDING SMART CONTRACTS FOR STARTUPS AT WORKSHOP KICK-OFF 02 🚀 In the context of Web3 gradually becoming the platform for the next generation of products, smart contracts are no longer a concept “for developers,” but have become a core part of building blockchain startups. However, for many young people and early builders, the biggest obstacle is not a lack of ideas — but not knowing how to turn those ideas into a practical product that can run on the blockchain. At Workshop Session 02 of Cardano SEA Hackathon 2026, speaker Jimmy Lee will provide a practical perspective on how to build smart contracts using Plutus, from understanding how they work to how to apply them to real-world startup models within the Cardano ecosystem. 🌟 Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Tuesday, May 5th, 2026 📍 Location: Online via Google Meet 🎟️ Register: luma.com/1eb3zdau Workshop Session 2 is designed for those who want to go beyond the idea and begin the product development phase. Beyond theory, the program focuses on helping you understand how smart contracts work in practice, as well as how to design, develop, and deploy them for startup use cases on Cardano. 💡 What will you receive? 🔹 Understand how an idea is transformed into a practical smart contract 🔹 Get acquainted with Plutus and the smart contract development process 🔹 Master how to design appropriate logic for Web3 startup models 🔹 Practical perspective on how blockchain operates in real products ✨ Speaker Linh Le: - Founder of Viet Cardano Community – winner of Cardano's Best SSPO award in 2024 - Cardano Ambassador in Vietnam - Speaker at Cardano Vietnam Summit 2022 & 2023 - Cardano community administrator with over 50,000 members - Lecturer/trainer in blockchain and digital asset programs Follow our Fanpage for more detailed information! #CardanoSEAHackathon2026 #HubNetwork #HubNetworkHCMC #NJEC #NTTU #NIIC #CardanoVietnam #Cardano #ProjectCatalyst #Vietnam #Singapore #SEAHackathon #Blockchain #Web3 #AI #VietCardanoCommunity

PSA: If you’re reviewing Cardano proposals, I invite you to leverage search function on projectcatalyst[dot]io to see their past track record. Number of proposers are missing disclosures that are quite critical.

🚀 Milestone 3 complete for #ProjectCatalyst proposal #1300150 Onchain Impact Analysis of Fund Distribution & Performance (Funds 9–12) This phase of the Onchain Impact Analysis evaluates: 🔸How funds were distributed 🔸Success rates, sustainability, and alignment with research thesis framework ✅6 new case studies now published: 1⃣ Indigo leanpub.com/on-chainimpact-i… 2⃣ MeshSDK leanpub.com/on-chainimpact-m… 3⃣ Minswap leanpub.com/on-chainimpact-m… 4⃣ Trivolve leanpub.com/on-chainimpact-t… 5⃣ Tapdano leanpub.com/on-chainimpact-t… 6⃣ NMKR leanpub.com/on-chainimpact-N…

Cardano’s Treasury holds around 1.6B ADA, yet Cardano's #1 marketplace is shutting down for "sustainability." Something doesn't add up. The data is painting a jarring picture for the ecosystem. While IOG (the core developer) has proposed a lean 2026 budget cutting their own bill by over 50% to prove independence the community layer is struggling to cross the finish line. Latest Catalyst data shows only about 50% of Fund 13 projects are officially complete. Meanwhile, JPG Store, a cornerstone of our consumer surface, is closing its doors this month because the current model isn't sustainable for revenue generating businesses. It’s time for an honest conversation about accountability: We have 1,300 projects "actively building," but why are our biggest platforms starving while the Treasury remains at record highs? Are we building a self sustaining decentralized economy or an ecosystem that rewards "milestone management" over actual product market fit? When core builders are tightening their belts, why are so many community projects stuck in a perpetual cycle of "in progress" without a clear path to revenue? The numbers don't lie. We need to distinguish between builders shipping products and a "grant funding loop" that doesn't lead to growth. Who is actually delivering value and who is just checking boxes? Are some of the Altcoin builders just griters (Not just within Cardano Network)? #Cardano #ADA #Catalyst #Web3 #Governance👇 #Cardano #ADA #ProjectCatalyst #Governance

The work continues. Let’s build it together. 🔱 cc: @IntersectMBO @Cardano_CF @ProjectCatalyst @wada_org #Cardano #IntersectMBO #CardanoGovernance #Vision2030

On the Civics Committee, I’ll push for better onboarding tools and accessible governance. On the Budget Committee, I’ll ensure treasury resources deliver measurable outcomes, not just activities. Governance participation → Technical contribution → Economic impact. That’s how we actually hit Vision 2030 of @Cardano_CF cc: @IntersectMBO @Cardano_CF @wada_org @africa_townhall @ProjectCatalyst #Cardano #IntersectMBO #CardanoGovernance #Vision2030 5/5

The Civics Committee exists to close this exact gap by improving access, onboarding, and participation tools. The Budget Committee must ensure treasury resources drive real, measurable outcomes in high-growth areas. I’ve spent the last six months building practical solutions at the participation frontier. That experience belongs inside both committees. Tomorrow (Day 3): We will talk on Solutions cc: @IntersectMBO @Cardano_CF @wada_org @africa_townhall @ProjectCatalyst #Cardano #IntersectMBO #CardanoGovernance #Vision2030

🚫 MY ANSWER ON POGUN — NO Pogun is asking for ₳12.29 million ADA from the Cardano Treasury, roughly $2.95 million, to build Bitcoin DeFi infrastructure: a credit market, a yield application, and a Bitcoin bridge through BitVM. The idea sounds strong on paper: bring BTC into Cardano, give it credit utility, create a bridge, yield, and a new liquidity market. But my answer as a DRep is simple: No. First, let the team build the product with their own money. Let them show real demand, real users, real fees, real security, and a clear economic model. Only after that should Treasury funding be discussed. The Cardano Treasury is not a venture fund for beautiful presentations. It is a shared ecosystem resource, and it should not be distributed based on promises, even when the idea looks promising. ₳12.29 million ADA is a serious amount of money. For that kind of funding, there must be more than a roadmap — there must be proven viability. Cardano needs strong projects. But a strong project proves itself through execution first, not by immediately asking for millions from the Treasury. My position: Product first. Metrics next. Trust after that. Only then — funding. I registered as a DRep and I am ready to help shape the future of the ecosystem. - I am optimistic about building the largest digital community in the world. 🖤 My DRep ID: ➡️ drep1y269ehxj30k4vfzfc2z84v0xykd3amuy2xn0kv9zf8rhcec2fg2jr More details here t.me/PROCENT666/338 🚀 COURSE “LEDGER COLD CRYPTO WALLET” | METAMASK edgarbagdasarian.justclick.r… 🔥 CLOSED VIP CHAT PAID SUBSCRIPTION t.me/MREDGARCROSS_BOT 🌐 ALL COURSES AND LINKS mredgarcross.com/ 📌 Note: This post is for informational and analytical purposes only. It does not contain calls for action, protests, or violations of the law. Everything stated here represents the author’s personal reflections. #Cardano #ADA #CardanoCommunity #CardanoGovernance #DRep #ProjectCatalyst #CardanoTreasury #DeFi #BTCFi #BitcoinDeFi #CryptoGovernance #Blockchain #Web3 #TreasuryFunding #Pogun

The 2021 @CardanoSummit brought me into the #CardanoCommunity and today, i cannot enumerate the network, resources, and opportunities i benefited from the community since then. Indeed, the #CardanoSummit and #ProjectCatalyst are two(2) drivers of @Cardano awareness and adoption.

Over the last six months, I have co-built a governance participation programme from scratch: 100 verified Intersect members, 40 in Cardano certification, and delivered a major Catalyst hackathon (775 participants, full accountability). I’m running because I’ve already been closing the gap from the outside and a seat lets me do it from inside. Tomorrow (Day 2): The participation challenge and why Vision 2030 needs it solved. cc: @IntersectMBO @Cardano_CF @wada_org @africa_townhall @ProjectCatalyst #Cardano #IntersectMBO #CardanoGovernance #Vision2030 #VoteIntersect2026 3/3

🚨 Attention folks! With #ProjectCatalyst on hold until further notice, we need to seriously think about alternative ways to fund community initiatives, grassroots efforts, and innovation from smaller teams and builders. Treasury Withdrawals are complex by design and usually make more sense for larger-budget proposals, not for leaner, community-driven ideas. So the question is simple: what kind of funding ranges should exist for smaller initiatives? 🤔 Vote in the poll below 👇 Share your reasoning in the comments 💬 And tag builders, dReps, and community members who should be part of this discussion 🔁 #Cardano

🌐 Cardano x Bitcoin just got more real. @SundialProtocol drops its Bitcoin Yield Testnet at #ParisBlockchainWeek - natively interacting with the Bitcoin network 🧡 Built on Cardano's eUTXO model. Funded by #ProjectCatalyst. Powered by the community. ➡️ World's first bridgeless BTC ↔️Cardano transfer ✅ ➡️ Bitlayer BitVM trust-minimized bridge in development ➡️ Anastasia Labs & Midgard L2 under the hood ➡️ Now: public testnet live for exploration This is what grassroots BTCFi looks like 👇 sundialprotocol.com/dashboar… $ADA $BTC #Cardano #BTCFi #CardanoCommunity 🇿🇲STAKE with ZAM🇿🇲

🟣 Governance Discussion A key concern: What happens to contributor history in the renewed Catalyst system? Reviews, reputation, past work— Do they carry forward or reset to zero? #gimbalabs #projectcatalyst

Last week, we participated in a 2-day training convened by @SFCG_Kenya in Kwale on Technology Facilitated GBV under #ProjectCatalyst. The sessions strengthened knowledge on digital safety, legal frameworks, and collaboration across sectors to tackle online violence. #YOWO

🚀 Milestone 3 complete for #ProjectCatalyst proposal 1300147 Offchain Impact Analysis of Fund Distribution & Performance (Funds 9–12) This phase of the Offchain Impact Analysis evaluates: 🔶 How funds were distributed 🔶 How projects performed over time 🔶 Success rates, sustainability, and alignment with Catalyst goals ✅ 6 new case studies now published: 1️⃣ DeltaDeFi leanpub.com/deltadefi 2️⃣ ClarityDAO leanpub.com/claritydao 3️⃣ Andamio leanpub.com/andamio 4️⃣ Atrium leanpub.com/off-chainimpact-… 5️⃣ DigiFarm leanpub.com/off-chainimpact-… 6️⃣ Taptools leanpub.com/off-chainimpact-…

🟣 Governance Discussion Gimbalabs began as a Catalyst-funded education initiative. Over time, governance became part of how the network survives and evolves. This week’s Open Spaces showed that the work is still ongoing: preserve what works, identify what doesn’t, and keep building in public. #Gimbalabs #Cardano #ProjectCatalyst #Governance #CardanoCommunity #Web3