2025 Proposed Cardano Goals
This page outlines the proposed set of goals the Cardano Product Committee of Intersect have collected and summarised through community consultation.
Introduction
The four broader topics and eight goals below have been created by the Cardano product committee of Intersect via a facilitated process with volunteering SMEs, Intersect committees and working groups, focus groups, and different feedback vehicles from the broader Cardano community (such as open calls, open Miro boards, and open survey).
These goals will be submitted as a proposal for review and further feedback on GovTool and the Cardano forum and then, once refined, as an info action on-chain alongside the budget proposal, making an overall Cardano proposal from Intersect and its committees.
Broader topic: get more usage
Cardano, like any other ecosystem, blockchain, or more broadly product, must be useful and used to survive and thrive. As such the first and widest topic proposed is related to ‘getting more usage’.
The broader goal is to get more adoption of Cardano as a viable option for many use cases, get more developers to be able to build on Cardano, and then get more users using Cardano (perhaps even without knowing their apps use Cardano), so finding product market fit. As a result, this should drive more transactions, increasing our treasury's size and value.
Goal: Attract DApps and users - product market fit
Cardano, like any other ecosystem, or even more simply a product, requires increasing usage to thrive (so users). In particular, supporting more use cases will function as an attractor to bring more users which in turn will attract more users and DApps, which in turn will drive more transaction activity which will generate a higher value for our native token as well as higher value of our treasury (both in terms of ada size and overall related fiat value).
So this goal broadly relates to supporting initiatives that help find broader product-market fit via the facilitation of real-world applications on Cardano (also considering the different opportunities that relate to different geographies).
Info: During the process of collecting and refining these goals, through input and feedback from the Cardano community, we realized the four goals below, which are all part of the ‘get more usage’ topic, relate and support this first goal. So we have considered them as supporting goals for ‘attract DApps and users - product market fit’. This is also why this first goal doesn’t have specific sub-goals, as those after act as supporting goals and they have sub-goals.
Problem to solve
Context
Cardano has qualities that make it competitive and unique, however, as of now, the application of these qualities has not resulted in wide usage, which also means, as much as different projects have found good applications, there hasn’t been yet clear product market fit (which is also a broader problem for blockchain overall). The challenge we have as a community is how to support finding this product market fit by fostering and attracting the development of new use cases.
Problem / challenge
How might we attract more DApps, users, and protocols to Cardano (to increase transaction activity which will ultimately fund the treasury)?
Desired outcome
Context
To get more usage we aim to foster and support initiatives that bring more builders and DApps on Cardano, so effectively fostering Cardano as a good, competitive, and easy-to-build-on option for many real-world applications. This will create an environment that will generate usage and will provide data on which path is more successful to get to the broader product market.
Desired outcome
Drive initiatives that bring developers, and so DApps and users, to Cardano for real-world applications - help find product market fit
Goal: Easier to build on and to use Cardano
Cardano offers value if its core technology, and the abstraction layers above, are used by builders to support use cases that solve users' problems, so providing value to them. With this simple concept in mind, and considering what Cardano as a product is offering, it becomes clear that making it easy to build on Cardano, and so to use Cardano, becomes a key goal for the ecosystem. This goal broadly refers to all the activities that make it not only technically simpler to build on Cardano but also to those that support education to get people up to speed and to market and let people know it is easy to build on Cardano, and perhaps much more.
Problem to solve
Context
As of now, there seem to be barriers to easily building both on L1 and L2. These seem to be related to the time needed to get fully operational, and generally to get familiar with the tech stack, as well as the lack of libraries to speed up the process. On top of these there seems to be a lack of dedicated onboarding and education, and when available it doesn’t seem to be correctly marketed to potential new users/builders.
Problem / challenge
How might we reduce barriers and simplify processes for using and building on the Cardano blockchain?
Desired outcome
Context
To make it easier to build on Cardano, and as a result, to give value to end users, this goal supports initiatives that aim to make it more accessible to build on Cardano, and so make Cardano a good option as a foundational layer to build on for developers, making it a valuable option for end users’ applications.
Desired outcome
Enhance the usability, accessibility, and appeal of the Cardano blockchain for both developers and everyday users
Sub-goal
sub-goal: Simplify Cardano tooling for building
sub-goal: Make it easy to build on the L2 on Cardano
sub-goal: Facilitate developer onboarding (with attention to needs in different regions and cultures)
sub-goal: Achieve compatibility with popular developer tools
sub-goal: Fund working products and SDKs that make it easier
sub-goal: Eliminate the majority of TX fees for volume applications leverage L1 immutability (sidechains / bridge tech)
Sub-goal: Support node diversity
Sub-goal: SDKs to easily build partner chains and applications.
Goal: Cardano competitive option
Cardano is a foundational layer that could support different types of applications for different use cases (many of which are probably still to be discovered). Cardano is not the only option on the market. This goal relates to all the initiatives that can enhance and expand Cardano’s core qualities with a focus on making Cardano a competitive option that builders and businesses will pick over other options.
Problem to solve
Context
As of now, Cardano doesn’t seem to be the most competitive option in terms of speed of development (as covered in the goal ‘easier to build on and to use Cardano’), speed of transactions, and perhaps more. So this means Cardano is not often chosen by builders and businesses for their use cases.
Problem / challenge
How might we make Cardano meet the needs of apps that want to build on it (in terms of speed of transactions and speed of development), so being competitive with other options and getting more users?
Desired outcome
Context
This goal aims to support all the activities that help define areas of Cardano’s competitiveness and lack of, and to increase Cardano’s competitive advantage over other options, looking at different sets of use cases and scenarios.
Part of this also looks at the value of interoperability. Making the ecosystem interoperable with other chains, Cardano could significantly increase its use cases and facilitate broader adoption.
Desired outcome
Make Cardano a viable and competitive option for a broader set of scenarios
Sub-goal
sub-goal: Widen appeal for simpler use cases
sub-goal: Increase L1 capacity through scaling initiatives (Leios, Params, etc)
sub-goal: Lower finalization time on L2 to get closer to guaranteed settlements
sub-goal: Deliver critical missing infrastructure to meet crypto-wide standards
sub-goal: Deliver critical missing infrastructure to expand interoperability
sub-goal: Support the introduction of a stablecoin
sub-goal: Increase throughput
sub-goal: Standardize wrapped tokens for bridging
sub-goal: Interoperability - build bridges with other blockchain ecosystems
sub-goal: Make Cardano a viable product for exchanges by making it cheaper to run.
Goal: Clear funding mechanisms
If we want to bring to Cardano more usage, and we can bring in more builders and applications, we need to look at structuring more clear funding routes both for projects that build on Cardano and for projects that support building Cardano. These funding routes need to look both inside, so at the treasury and the many different ways to distribute Cardano treasury money, and outside, so perhaps at VCs or similar routes.
Problem to solve
Context
As of now, there do not seem to be clear routes for projects to get support and funding. Historically, Cardano’s projects had one funding route in Project Catalyst and other self-organized forms of external funding. With the Chang upgrade #1 Cardano officially entered into the age of Voltaire, giving the community an option for direct access to the treasury, via a Cardano budget. So internally there are existing options and new options, but they need to be defined and refined for scope and processes, and externally, routes for funding need to be almost fully defined, documented, and advertised for adoption.
Problem / challenge
How might we develop effective funding mechanisms for Cardano projects and businesses (both from inside and outside the ecosystem)?
Desired outcome
Context
To make sure projects that build on Cardano and that build Cardano have clear paths for funding, supporting longevity during down markets, it’s key to define accessible funding avenues.
So this goal aims to support all the activities that will get us closer to a first set of processes that can be documented, advertised, and used by the builders to get funding.
Desired outcome
Establish a well-structured and accessible funding ecosystem for Cardano projects (both from inside and outside the ecosystem)
Sub-goal
sub-goal: Create and incentivize practical use cases on Cardano
sub-goal: Create funding avenues outside of the Cardano treasury for projects that use Cardano as part of their infrastructure
sub-goal: Clarify treasury funding avenues for projects that invest in improving Cardano
sub-goal: Make experts/companies that can build on Cardano easy to find and give work to
sub-goal: Support catalyst but change the voting system
sub-goal: Support projects building on and for Cardano in talent retention during down markets and while there isn't a clear product-market fit yet
sub-goal: Build out open-source infrastructure for funding
sub-goal: Facilitate the creation of business opportunities on Cardano.
Goal: Make Cardano more recognizable
Cardano has some strong core qualities, some of which are technical, some of which are embedded in its community and ecosystem structure and participation. Cardano as a brand, and its related native token ada, don’t seem to be well known or known at all by the businesses and builders outside the current community, and even less by the general public. Also, there are some negative connotations that seem to be present in the media.
Even more, if we get closer to the other goals in the ‘get more usage’ topic then we need to make sure the ease of development, the competitiveness, and the clear funding routes are clearly marketed so that people know about and can come to take value from them.
Problem to solve
Context
Cardano blockchain and its native token ada, don’t seem to be well known by the wider public. Even worse, a good chunk of the media related to crypto doesn’t give ada and Cardano a good reputation, certainly not because of hard facts.
So there seems to be a lack of coordinated planned marketing to give Cardano the image and recognition it deserves.
Problem / challenge
How might we increase the recognition and reputation of the Cardano ecosystem and ada token?
Desired outcome
Context
This goal aims to support all the activities that can bring Cardano’s core qualities, and the true state of its community and ecosystem, to the general public, to increase its recognition and reputation and so to bring more interest, builders, users and so usage.
Desired Outcome
Raise Cardano's profile and reputation through effective marketing and positive public relations
Sub-goals
sub-goal: Increasing mainstream public awareness of Cardano and its core qualities
sub-goal: Manage and address existing public perception of Cardano
sub-goal: Implementing a comprehensive marketing strategy for broader outreach and targeted engagement
sub-goal: Partnerships with tier-1 brands
Sub-goal: Market the current use cases Cardano has supported (also looking at what was funded by project Catalyst).
Broader topic: Governance
The last step of the original Cardano roadmap is the age of Voltaire, which brings decentralized on-chain governance. As a community, we officially entered into the age of Voltaire with the Chang upgrade #1 on September 1, 2024. Now that on-chain governance is here we need to make sure that it is refined to fully support this new Cardano government fostering accessibility and participation. So this broad topic refers to all the activities required for a functioning decentralized Cardano government.
Goal: Reliable decentralized governance
Cardano is one of the first blockchains to have a global decentralized government with on-chain decision-making. As we enter into 2025, this government will still be brand new, and perhaps not even fully operational. So it is key to direct some of our focus and effort towards making it fully operational and successful.
Problem to solve
Context
Cardano’s decentralized governance has just been formed, and it will become fully operational with the Chang upgrade #2, which will bring full governance on-chain. The challenge for the Cardano community now is to quickly iterate and refine the governance processes to support this newly formed government and ensure the reliability of the system and participation.
Problem / challenge
How might we make the new Cardano governance strong to support the newly formed Cardano government?
Desired outcome
Context
This goal aims to support all the activities that can make the newly formed Cardano government more and more stable, and that can keep it open, supporting broad participation in its processes.
Desired Outcome
Support the evolution of an open and reliable governance system for Cardano that encourages wide community participation
Sub-goals
sub-goal: Expand Cardano community participation
sub-goal: Stabilize the Cardano governance system post-bootstrapping phase
sub-goal: Refine the protocol, ledger, and tooling for governance
sub-goal: Improve education and marketing for education to make governance processes clear
sub-goal: Refine and expand core governance tools via open contribution.
Broader topic: Business as usual
Cardano has some core qualities that make it reliable and trustworthy, and that attracted its community and its users. These qualities are the current assets that we need to protect and enhance.
So this broad topic refers to all the activities needed to make sure Cardano’s core qualities are maintained.
Goal: Maintain Cardano’s current qualities
Cardano prides itself on being research-led, reliable, and trustworthy as a blockchain. It prides itself on an active, engaged, and passionate community and much more. As we enter a new era of Cardano, where decisions are decentralized to the community, it’s key to have focus and effort in maintaining Cardano and preserving its core qualities
Problem to solve
Context
As we transition from the original Cardano roadmap delivered with guidance from the funding entities to a fully decentralized system, also supported by MBOs, we need to work on making sure that as a community we maintain Cardano’s core qualities.
Problem / challenge
How might we ensure Cardano remains trustworthy, reliable, and competitive?
Desired outcome
Context
This goal aims to support activities that keep the Cardano core running, that identify, advertize, and maintain its ecosystem core qualities, and enhance the support for projects that build Cardano and the related communications to keep transparency.
Desired outcome
Maintain and enhance Cardano's core properties while improving communication and support for projects
Sub-goals
sub-goal: Support key initiatives that keep Cardano's key quality intact
sub-goal: Increase infrastructure reliability in relation to hard fork events
Sub-goal: Nurture, support, and expand the Cardano community
Sub-goal: Diversify players who contribute to Cardano’s development.
Broader topic: Vision
As much as it’s important to preserve and maintain Cardano’s core qualities, it is key to look ahead and define a path for growth. The original Cardano roadmap, set by Cardano’s founders, ended and was fully delivered with the age of Voltaire. Now it’s time to define an open, shared, and transparent process for the Cardano community to define a long-term vision and a roadmap.
Goal: Process for a shared community-driven vision
Our goals as a community in 2025 should be to create a shared long-term vision, so transitioning from the roadmap created by Cardano’s founders to a community-led dynamic vision and yearly roadmap. This will probably require decision and alignment on a first version of the process, and potentially a set of different avenues to contribute.
The Cardano product committee of Intersect, which is facilitating the process to create a 2025 set of goals for Cardano, is also aiming in 2025 to help facilitate this process.
Problem to solve
Context
Creating a long-term vision in a small group is not easy, and it gets more complex as more stakeholders participate. One of Cardano’s strengths is its community-shared mind, so the challenge is to define a reusable process to leverage Cardano’s shared mind to create a long term vision for Cardano and make it operational.
Problem / challenge
How might we create as a community the next path to move Cardano forward?
Desired outcome
Context
This goal aims to support the activities that will create the first open, shared, and transparent process to generate a community-led Cardano long-term vision and to use that process to create a first version of this vision and work towards creating a 2026 roadmap based on it.
Desired Outcome
Create and operationalize the first version of a distributed process for the Cardano community to define its future
Sub-goals
sub-goal: Start high-level research items to support a post-2025 vision
sub-goal: Create a five-year Cardano vision
sub-goal: Create a first version of a reusable open process to generate with the community a long-term vision for Cardano with a way to refine it as we go and extract a yearly roadmap and budget every year.
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