PROPOSAL NAME:
ApeCoin Rewards App
PROPOSAL CATEGORY:
Brand Decision
TEAM DESCRIPTION:
I Founded Affiliate Window (https://www.awin.com) and exited to Axel Springer in Germany in 2012 with a turnover of more than $150m. Post Awin, I managed international music artist The Australian Pink Floyd from small clubs to over 140 arenas worldwide, working with both Live Nation and UTA (United Talent Group). I founded FanCircles to bring communities together with a common interest and provides Web 2.5 rewards apps for fans of music artists, TV shows and works with labels and artist managers. Clients include Cody Jinks, Neck Deep, UB40, Boy George, Awin.com, and TV’s Most Haunted (UK equivalent to Disney’s Ghost Hunters)
The project will be executed and run by my company Access Experiences in the UK of which I (Kevin Brown) am the CEO. You can see my profile on Linkedin.
As a company, we run both FanCircles.com and Access.xyz to cater to a multitude of industries with our SaaS platform solution which has been used by over 70 clients in the US and Europe with over 2 million users. The team consists of our CTO, Kostas Melas, who has been my CTO through the vast majority of my previous companies including Affiliate Window, as well as his team of 4 mobile developers. We also have a small team of account managers that grows with the number of clients. Access Experiences (a UK Company) will be the exclusive beneficiary of the funding from the DAO.
ABSTRACT:
The ApeCoin Rewards App will be available on iOS, Android, and as a web app and is designed to reward ApeCoin and BAYC holders with a range of rewards and benefits, while also providing visibility to MADE BY APES licensees. Holders who have at least one ApeCoin or a BAYC/MAYC are eligible for exclusive rewards. The app offers the ability to access POAP NFT drops, multimedia promotional content from partners, industry event promotional opportunities, as well as discounts and special offers in collaboration with Made By Apes licensees and at participating retailers across the US and Europe, both online and in real life (IRL). This emphasis on rewards and benefits aims to deliver continuous value and enhance engagement within the ApeCoin community and grow the awareness outside of Web3.
There’s no cost for users to use any feature of the app. The app is free to use and has the ability to gate content and rooms (Discord call them channels) via integration with WalletConnect.
BENEFIT TO APECOIN ECOSYSTEM:
The ApeCoin Rewards App directly supports the ApeCoin ecosystem by enhancing token utility and engagement among holders. By offering exclusive rewards, discounts, and promotional content, the app incentivizes the holding and use of ApeCoin, potentially increasing demand and value. It aligns with the APE Community’s core mission of fostering a vibrant community of creators and innovators in the web3 space by providing a platform that rewards creativity, participation, and loyalty. Furthermore, by integrating with MADE BY APES licensees, the app promotes visibility and collaboration within the ecosystem, embodying the values of boldness, equality, transparency, collective responsibility, and persistence. The next stage would be to talk more formally to each of these licensees regarding their potential participation in the program.
KEY TERMS:
- Token Gated: Content can be open to any app user, helping onboard non-ApeCoin holders, or token gated to ApeCoin/BAYC holders.
- MADE BY APES Licensees: Partners or projects officially licensed to create content or merchandise associated with the ApeCoin ecosystem.
- Content Promotions Platform: Text content, video, and images are managed by our team, and users can interact, including commenting and sharing their content, in a safe, content-moderated space.
- Partner Offers: Partners can provide users with discounts, offers, and exclusive information.
- Web2.5: The app is open to anyone to use, hence we like to call this Web 2.5. Features and benefits for ApeCoin and BAYC holders are gated.
- POAP (Proof of Attendance Protocol): Issue souvenir “tickets” as NFTs to the users’ connected wallet for selected events.
- Gated Audio: Ability to add Discord chats and X Spaces chats to the integrated streaming audio player. Listen on the move, just like Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
PLATFORMS & TECHNOLOGIES:
- Mobile Platforms: iOS and Android for native app development. The mobile apps are developed in their respective platform-native languages to ensure optimal performance, user experience, and access to device-specific features. For iOS, the development language is Swift. For Android C++. Native app development is chosen to provide a user experience on par with leading platforms, where speed, reliability, and seamless integration with device capabilities are paramount.
- Web Application: A responsive web app for desktop and mobile use, ensuring accessibility for users regardless of their preferred device. The web application serves as an extension of the mobile experience, offering similar functionalities in a format accessible from web browsers.
- Backend Infrastructure: The backend systems are built using PHP, a widely-used and versatile server-side scripting language that is especially suited for web development. PHP’s ability to easily integrate with various databases and its large community support make it a reliable choice for developing robust backend systems.
- Database: MySQL is used as the database management system, known for its reliability, scalability, and performance. MySQL’s comprehensive feature set and its ability to handle large volumes of data make it an ideal choice for managing the complex data structures.
- Hosting: The application infrastructure is hosted on Google Servers, leveraging the scalability, security, and reliability of Google Cloud Platform (GCP). This hosting solution provides the infrastructure necessary to scale the application seamlessly, ensuring high availability and minimal downtime.
- Blockchain Technology: The app utilizes WalletConnect for secure in-app wallet connections, enabling users to safely interact with blockchain-based rewards and transactions directly from their mobile or web app.
STEPS TO IMPLEMENT & TIMELINE:
- Contract Finalization: Sign agreements for IP use and branding with ApeCoin DAO.
- App Development: Customize the existing FanCircles platform for ApeCoin Rewards App features (6 weeks). - £96,000 (£8,000/month) for account management
- Partner Onboarding: Secure partnerships with retailers, MADE BY APES licensees, and event organizers (ongoing, initial phase 4 weeks).
- Launch: Official launch of the app on iOS, Android, and web platforms. - £144,000 (£12,000/month) to operate platform
- Marketing and Promotion: Leverage ApeCoin and partner social media channels for app promotion (ongoing post-launch).
Total Timeline: Approximately 1-2 months from contract finalization to launch.
The platform is provided by my company FanCircles so there is no development as such to do. FanCircles is a SaaS model and runs over 70 apps for different clients from music artists to company “Intranet” apps. Each app has various features switched on or off depending on the scenario.
The costs of running the platform are split between the licensing, hosting & upkeep of the platform as both IOS and Android native apps as well as the webapp, and the resources required internally to source and maintain a content schedule within the app. This would include sourcing affiliate offers from major brands and most importantly supporting the Made By Apes brands by sourcing offers and promotional media from them to offer to app users.
Although not at all essential, it would be helpful and beneficial to have a point of contact within the Ape Foundation to talk with to benefit the foundation and app and to help and advise on the direction of the app content.
OVERALL COST:
The total budget for the ApeCoin Rewards App is £240,000 (approximately $288,000) for the first year (£144,000 for platform operation, and £96,000 for account management).
The funding term is 12 months; the author may submit a follow-up AIP should the project require further funding. This includes development, maintenance, partner onboarding, and marketing efforts. Costs will be paid quarterly, with the first payment due upon project initiation.