Title: Leveraging RARI Chain for Glambase Marketplace Integration
Submitted by: Ivan Starinin, Co-Founder at Glambase.app
Date: Dec 8 2023
Abstract
This proposal seeks funding from the RARI Foundation for integrating Glambase with the newly launched RARI Chain. We aim to develop a dedicated marketplace on Rarible’s white label marketplace solution, tailored for trading AI-generated influencers. The requested funding is 100,000 RARI, which will be pivotal for project development, integration, and market expansion.
Background
Glambase, a platform for crafting virtual AI influencers, has been at the forefront of innovative content creation. With an array of diverse AI avatars, Glambase is transforming the digital influencer landscape. The integration with RARI Chain will not only enhance our offerings but also contribute significantly to the RARI ecosystem.
Objectives
Marketplace Development: Building a Glambase-specific marketplace on the Rarible protocol, leveraging RARI Chain’s capabilities for secure and efficient trading of AI influencers.
Chain Integration: Seamlessly integrating Glambase with the RARI Chain, ensuring robust, low-cost transactions.
Ecosystem Synergy: Enhancing the RARI ecosystem by driving trading volume and bringing new use cases to RARI Chain.
Why This Matters
Pioneering Initiative: As one of the first projects on RARI Chain, Glambase will set a precedent for innovation and versatility in NFT use cases.
Trading Volume Boost: Glambase’s marketplace will contribute significantly to the trading volume on RARI Chain, fostering economic activity and token utility.
Enhancing Legitimacy: The success of this integration will elevate the stature of RARI Foundation, the RARI token, and the RARI Chain, showcasing their capability to support diverse and dynamic projects.
Market Expansion: This integration targets the burgeoning field of virtual influencers, tapping into new markets and demographics.
Community Engagement: Encouraging active participation and investment from both the Glambase and RARI communities, fostering a stronger, interconnected ecosystem.
Innovative Use Cases: Showcasing the versatility of RARI Chain in handling unique digital assets, setting a trend for future innovations.
Proposal Details
Marketplace Development:
Develop a tailored marketplace on Rarible’s white label solution.
Implement features for trading, auctioning, and showcasing AI influencers.
Integrate smart contract functionality for secure and efficient transactions.
RARI Chain Integration:
Leverage RARI Chain’s low-cost, high-performance environment for all transactions.
Embed royalties for creators at a node level, supporting the creative community.
Ensure compliance with RARI Chain’s security protocols for user safety.
Funding Allocation:
40% for technical development and integration with RARI Chain.
30% for marketing, community engagement, and user onboarding.
20% for operational expenses and platform maintenance.
10% as a reserve for unforeseen contingencies and additional features.
Milestones
Finalizing the integration framework with RARI Chain. - Q1 2024
Developing and testing the minting process for AI influencer NFTs. -Q1 2024
Launching the white label marketplace for trading these NFTs. -Q1 2024
Conclusion
The integration of Glambase with RARI Chain represents a groundbreaking opportunity for both platforms. It aligns with RARI Foundation’s commitment to empowering creators and driving innovation in the NFT space. We firmly believe this partnership will yield substantial benefits for both ecosystems and set a new standard for digital asset trading and creator empowerment.
We look forward to the possibility of collaborating with the RARI Foundation and are excited about the potential synergies and opportunities this partnership could unlock.
hi @Starinin
Congratulations on building Glambase. Truly innovative, and love the idea of building on top of Rari Chain.
Have a few questions to understand better Glambase’s current status:
Has the development of all platform functionalities, including Avatars creation, AI content generation, and monetization dashboards, been completed, or is it still a work in progress?
Minting the influencers NFT is a cool feature that will enable for trading & auctioning. Are there other ideas you plan to implement using the Rarible protocol?
Would be great if you could explain your strategy for user acquisition. With the game theory where each new AI influencer costs +$1, it can put the bar high to join Glambase very soon. How do you plan to address this challenge and attract users to the platform?
Thank you for your kind words about Glambase and your insightful questions. Let me address each of them:
Development Status: We’re definitely still in the development phase, but making great progress. Our approach is very user-centric – think of it like a Kickstarter model. We’re not chasing VC funding; instead, we’re focusing on building features that our users are excited about. Good news is, our character generator is almost ready and we’re aiming for a release in January. So, stay tuned for that!
Future Plans with Rarible Protocol: For now, our main focus is on getting the influencer trading feature off the ground. But we’re not stopping there. We’re always brainstorming about innovative ways to use the Rarible protocol for added on-chain functionality. If you have any ideas or suggestions, we’d love to hear them. Your input could play a crucial role in shaping our next steps.
User Acquisition Strategy: This is a key area for us. Our plan includes a mix of influencer marketing through TikTok and YouTube, a referral system, and targeted social media promotions on platforms like Twitter and Telegram. PR is also on our radar. While these efforts are still in the pipeline, our early metrics are promising, showing very solid conversions into paid users. We’re quite aware of the pricing dynamics, especially when you consider platforms like OnlyFans where creators can earn up to $1 million per account. In this context, our starting price of $1000 seems quite reasonable. Of course, we’re ready to adapt if needed. If our current pricing strategy doesn’t hit the mark, we’re open to fixing the price at a certain point instead of increasing it further. We believe that once we showcase more of what Glambase can do through visual demos, the appeal will naturally grow.
Hope this gives you a better picture of where we’re at and where we’re headed. Your interest and queries are highly valued, and we’re all ears for any suggestions you might have.
Thank you for your responses, @Starinin. I really like the direction you’re taking with the project.
My concern lies in the early stage of the project, and there’s a considerable journey ahead before it gains enough traction to justify a 100k RARI investment. While I recognize the proposal’s intention to support innovation and RARI chain growth, breaking down the funding request into measurable milestones (or even multiple grant proposals) would provide greater clarity to the DAO and the community. This approach will help everyone understand what to anticipate and when.
Additionally, establishing these milestones will empower the DAO to decide when it’s opportune to proceed with subsequent installments, enabling timely deployment and maximizing collaborative opportunities for impact.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and concerns. It’s important for us to have these engaging discussions, and I appreciate the opportunity to clarify some aspects of our proposal.
Series of Proposals: Indeed, the current proposal is part of a series. Our goal is to demonstrate substantial traction with this initial phase and then seek further support. We are confident in our strategy and believe that the requested amount is just the starting point to achieve significant milestones.
Nature of Funding: It’s crucial to highlight that this funding is not an investment in the traditional sense. In the crypto sphere, seed investment rounds often reach into millions of dollars. Our request is modest in comparison and is focused on achieving specific developmental and marketing goals.
Budget Perspective: To put the budget in perspective, consider that $150k USD is roughly the annual salary of a developer in the US. Given that our project encompasses not just development but also marketing and operational expenses, the amount we are asking for is quite reasonable. Typically, NFT/ICO campaigns operate with budgets in the hundreds of thousands, so our request aligns with industry standards.
Rapid Growth: Our growth trajectory has been remarkable. We’ve already generated $4k in revenue in less than a week without any formal marketing efforts. This early success is a strong indicator of our project’s potential. Often, startups with zero revenue and less traction secure more substantial investments, and here we are, not even seeking an investment but a grant to fuel our growth.
Grant Comparisons: In the context of crypto grants, our request is average. These grants are designed to support innovation and ecosystem development, and our project aligns perfectly with these goals.
Experience and Expertise: While I respect your viewpoint, I invite you to consider the broader context of our budget and the nature of our request. If you have insights or experiences that you believe could be beneficial, I would be eager to hear them. We value diverse perspectives and believe that constructive dialogue can lead to better outcomes for all involved.
We’re committed to transparently and effectively utilizing the grant to achieve our outlined objectives and to contribute positively to the RARI ecosystem. I look forward to continuing our discussion and finding ways to align our goals with the expectations and standards of the DAO and the community.
First off, a heartfelt thanks to each one of you for joining today’s call. It was truly a pleasure to connect and engage in such meaningful discussions.
Engagement with Our Live Proposal
I want to take this opportunity to encourage more active participation in our live proposal. Your insights and feedback are invaluable to us. For ease of access, here is the direct link to the proposal: Tally | Rari Foundation Proposal. Please, take a moment to review and make your vote.
Goals for Q1 2024
As we discussed, we are setting our sights high for the upcoming year. Our goal is to reach a minimum total volume of $1 million USD on Rari Chain with our project by the first quarter of 2024. This is an ambitious target, but with our combined efforts and dedication, I am confident it is well within our reach.
Stay Updated and Learn More About Me
For those interested in staying up-to-date with the latest developments, you can follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/IvanStarinin). Also, if you’re curious to know more about my background and what drives me, please check out my bio here: https://ivanstarinin.com/. I believe understanding each other’s experiences and motivations can significantly enhance our collaboration.
P.S. I will make bi-weekly updates about our progress here if the proposal goes through.
The proposal “seeks funding from the RARI Ecosystem Growth Fund.” However, this is not the case as in their Tally proposal they are attempting to take funds directly from the DAO.
The growth fund established in RRC-12 has funds set aside for strategic partnerships and grants. These funds are managed by the foundation and the grants council which StableLab believes can make a much more educated decision regarding this topic.
We believe if Glambase wants this grant they should work with the foundation or the grants council and actually go through the RARI Ecosystem Growth Fund.
Too Much Money for No Product
StableLab feels it is insane for the DAO to spend 100K or 1.3% of the DAO’s treasury on a project that doesn’t even have a product yet. “We’re definitely still in the development phase”.
We have no idea if this product will bring users/activity to Rari Chain because they currently have no users, activity, or even product.
No Clear Budget
Glambase does not provide any clear budget of what they will use the funds for. Simply stating percentiles for development and marketing means nothing. For us to even consider this proposal we would want to see a detailed breakdown of the budget that would include salaries, the number of people working on this, marketing strategies, estimated marketing spending, and a more detailed breakdown of what operational expenses are.
Conclusion
StableLab thinks this ask is far too high and provides far too little information to be considered. We think this proposal would be detrimental to the DAO. We urge the rest of the community to vote AGAINST this proposal.
Thank you for your feedback. Reflecting on your suggestions, I’ve made further adjustments to our project’s milestones. The first phase now concludes earlier and has more concrete deliverables.
Adjusted Milestones, Costs, and Deliverables for Glambase-RARI Chain Integration
Milestone 1: Product Design Completion and User Engagement
Duration: December 18, 2023, to January 31, 2024 Funding Required: $58,000 USD
Objectives:
Complete the design of the Glambase marketplace.
Engage potential users to validate the product concept and design.
Initiate an extensive marketing campaign to build anticipation and generate initial user interest.
Budget Breakdown:
Product Design and User Validation:
Product Manager: 1.5 months x $5,000/month = $7,500
User Interface / User Experience Design: 1.5 months x $5,000/month = $7,500
User Feedback and Validation Studies: $3,000
Intensive Marketing and Community Engagement:
Comprehensive Campaign for Building Anticipation: $49,000 (enhanced focus on creating buzz, user sign-ups, and early engagement)
Deliverables:
Finalized and validated design of the Glambase marketplace.
Strong initial interest and commitment from potential users.
Milestone 2: Application Development, On-Chain Deployment, and User Acquisition
Duration: January 31 to March 31, 2024 Funding Required: $53,000 USD
Objectives:
Complete the development of the Glambase application.
Deploy the application on RARI Chain.
Execute an expansive marketing strategy to convert interest into active users and drive initial trading volume.
Budget Breakdown:
Technical Development:
Solidity Engineer: 2 months x $5,000/month = $10,000
Full Stack Engineer: 2 months x $5,000/month = $10,000
Extensive Marketing and User Acquisition:
Launch Campaign: $33,000 (aimed at maximizing user onboarding and trading activity)
Deliverables:
Fully functional and operational Glambase application on RARI Chain.
A substantial user base actively using the platform and contributing to trading volume.
Additional Notes
Contingencies: We have allocated roughly 20,000 RARI specifically for contingencies. This precautionary measure ensures we can efficiently manage unforeseen expenses or adjustments, maintaining the project’s momentum without compromising its scope or quality. This allocation is distinct from the main funding for each milestone and is intended to address any unexpected challenges that may arise during the course of the project.
AI Character Generator Development: The development of the AI character generator is being managed independently by our core team and is not included in this funding proposal. This ensures that the project’s focus and resources are appropriately dedicated to the key deliverables outlined in the milestones.
Xenia’s Contribution: We eagerly await Xenia’s input to refine our marketing strategy. Her expertise is crucial in optimizing our outreach efforts and achieving the desired impact in user engagement and market penetration. Her suggestions will be integral to the success of our marketing initiatives.
I trust this adjusted proposal aligns better with our goals and budget, ensuring a transparent and effective roadmap to success.
Your continued feedback and suggestions are highly appreciated.
Best regards,
Ivan
Note: Please continue to provide your valuable insights and suggestions to help us refine our strategy further.
As I expressed before my main concern lies around the early stage of the project and the journey ahead towards gaining good traction and validating Glambase’s game theory to justify the requested grant funds.
Grants this size must come with a more explicit plan of action for user acquisition linked to quantifiable milestones to allow forecasting ROI for Rari.
Even after the last edits to the proposal, there remains a lack of clarity regarding the execution plan to attract new users and generate volume - both of which are crucial for the benefit of Rari.
In conclusion: after the discussion here and participating in the proposal review call, I am voting against this proposal.