Hello there, beautiful soul!
Thank you for all the hard work you’ve put into your proposals so far.
The final deadline is August 18 at 6:00 AM UTC when Catalyst App will close, and we want to ensure your submission goes smoothly.
Please read the following steps carefully to avoid any issues. Responsibility for following all Fund14 rules and guidelines rests solely with you. If you wish to review how to register your Catalyst Keychain, please refer to this earlier correspondence that will get you up to speed. For the rest of you - here’s what you need to know next:
Step 1: Confirm You Are in the Right Category
This is the most common and critical issue we see. A proposal submitted to the wrong category will be removed without notice from the process after the deadline, and you will not be able to make changes. Our team cannot move proposals for you; only you can select the correct category before the deadline.
These are the non-negotiable criteria:
- Partners & Products: Is your product already live and working on Cardano mainnet? You must provide clear evidence.
- Concepts: Is your project still an idea, whitepaper, prototype, or in beta?
- Ecosystem: Is your project non-technical, with an output that is generally not a development effort?
- Developers: Is your project an open-source development effort?
You can find detailed category briefs in the Catalyst App or on the Catalyst website.
Step 2: Add Your Finishing Touches
Make any final edits to your proposal before the deadline. After August 18 at 6:00 AM UTC, the portal will temporarily close while we migrate all eligible submissions to the Fund14 section of the Project Catalyst website. This is where proposals will live on for the rest of the Fund14 lifecycle. After the deadline passes, no more edits or adjustments to proposals are possible.
Step 3: Mark Your Draft as “Final” (Crucial)
This step is easy to miss! If your proposal remains in a “draft” state (public or private), it will not move forward. You must officially change the status to “Final” to be included. Learn more about these statuses here.
Step 4: Save a Copy of Your Proposal
This is a ‘better safe than sorry’ moment. We strongly urge you to back up your proposal by exporting a copy and saving its URL. Because our platform is brand new, some features - like accessing old drafts and ongoing discovery space - are still under development. Once the submission window closes, you will likely lose access to your content on the Catalyst App. Saving a copy is the best way to protect all your hard work. However, the team will be migrating existing eligible proposals to the website directly, as well as the Community Review module for the next steps of ideation phase.
What’s Next?
We are incredibly excited to see the passion and creativity you bring this season! Once the submission deadline passes and all proposals are migrated, the Community Review stage will begin. You can review the full schedule on the Fund14 timelines here.
Wishing you the best,
Danny Ribar
Head of Community Operations (let’s connect on X; LinkedIn)
Want to become a Community Reviewer?
Registration to become a Community Reviewer for Fund14 is also closing soon. Your contribution is vital, and we want to ensure your registration is successful.
The firm deadline to apply and be fully verified is August 18 at 6:00 AM UTC.
Please find the instructions that apply to you below.
For Returning Reviewers (from Fund13)
- Good news! Your verified status carries over.
- Simply register using the same email address you used for Fund13.
- Warning: If you use a different email, your history will not carry over, and you will need to start as a new reviewer with full KYC verification.
For New Reviewers
- You must complete the full application and identity (KYC) verification.
- We recommend starting this process immediately, as verification can take time. If this process is not completed by the time deadline passes - you will need to wait till the next funding round for an opportunity to participate.
Important Reminders for Everyone
- Firm Deadline: Your application and KYC verification must be fully completed and approved by August 18 at 6:00 AM UTC. Any pending or incomplete registrations will not be accepted even with open zendesk tickets.
- Limited Seats: Application and verification do not guarantee participation. We encourage you to register as soon as possible.
Ready to get started?
- Read the Onboarding Guide: Get all the details on the review process.
- Register Here: Registration FAQ
- Have Questions? Join the Community Telegram Chat
Important Safety Rule: To protect yourself from scams, only communicate in the public chat. Do not engage in Direct Messages (DMs). Official admins will never DM you first.
Get in touch
And that’s a wrap. Don’t forget to follow Catalyst on X (twitter) to keep an eye on all the latest.
Catalyst Team
Note: References in this newsletter to the 3rd party projects, products, and services are provided for information purposes only and are not endorsements. Everyone should carry out their own investigations before relying on the information provided in this newsletter.