Hello beautiful soul,
Let’s turn back the clock: where were you five years ago? I remember it like it was yesterday, glued to my computer screen, eagerly waiting for the stream to go live.
On September 16, 2020, the very first Project Catalyst public town hall aired, marking the beginning of an incredible journey. It started small - Fund2 (initial funding round) produced the first-ever set of 12 funded projects. Fast-forward five years, and that number has grown to over 2,000+ funded projects, with 1,400+ already complete and more than $150 million allocated. Over the years, we’ve maintained an impressive 86% completion rate with community members participating from over 100 countries. This journey wouldn’t have been possible without you, and we can’t wait to see what we build together next.
So happy birthday to all of us! Including YOU!
So what’s next? The best way to shape that future is to get involved. The time has come: Voting for Fund14 is now live until October 6, 11AM UTC! Missed this round and looking to submit a proposal for Fund15? Make sure to check out this latest announcement on eligibility requirements.
For the rest of active participants in Fund14 - this is your opportunity to guide the future of ecosystem innovation. This round, 56,802 wallets are eligible to vote, representing a powerful 4,452,723,371.68 ada. Want to audit snapshot, voting, or tally & results? These pages are for you.
We’re also excited to finally introduce a new feature into the voting process. Advancing the art of possible at scale in Cardano ecosystem when it comes to voting. For the first time, a generalized quadratic function will be used during the vote tally. While your voting experience won’t change yet, this function will adjust the final results using a “gamma” (γ) parameter (A18, B2) to balance voting power and thresholds.
Here’s a simple way to understand it:
- If γ=1: The system operates on a “1 ADA, 1 Vote” principle.
- If γ=0: The system operates on a “1 Wallet, 1 Vote” principle.
For Fund14, the gamma parameter is set to 1/3, creating a balance between these two approaches. Your voice is critical in this new chapter, and it carries more weight than ever before. Now is the time to yield it!
Wishing you a great week ahead.
Kindly,
Danny Ribar
Head of Community Operations (let’s connect on X; LinkedIn)
Project Catalyst is coming to Asia!
Check out the schedule below to see where we’ll be and when:
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - September 27
Join via this link
Innovation doesn’t happen behind closed doors, it happens with the community. Whether you’re building the next great game, exploring how to scale your project, or unlocking new possibilities with blockchain solutions, join the Catalyst team and IO teams for an event you won’t want to miss.
Singapore - September 30 - October 3
Save your spot here
Heading to Token2049? Come by the IO booth and meet the Catalyst team! On Sep 30, Project Catalyst is taking over Cool Cats at the NCO Club during Cardano Happy Hour at 7PM!
Osaka, Japan - October 4
Sign up now here
The Catalyst team will be joining the Governance Workshops fore DReps, SPOs, builders, and governance leaders committed to shaping the future of Cardano. Together, we’ll review the 2025 budget process, explore models for delegating authority, and identify key improvements to strengthen decentralized governance.
Tokyo, Japan - October 7 - October 8
Register here
We also will be at Tech For Impact on October 7! Swing by the Catalyst booth, say hi, and let’s connect. After the Tech for Impact Summit, keep the energy going and join Project Catalyst at SUIGIAN in the heart of Tokyo.
![Project Catalyst Town Hall #206 - 17 September 2025 [internal]](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/uploads/cardano/original/3X/6/8/68a287196328042ce070c313c9cf115fc5c002de.jpeg)
Weekly Town Hall with Fay
Want to catch up on the latest from our community town halls? Here’s what you missed from Town Hall #206, hosted by Catalyst Community Manager, Fay Adams.
What went down?
At Town Hall #206, we didn’t just celebrate Catalyst’s 5th birthday. We reflected on how far we’ve come and where we’re heading. One highlight was our Alternative Voting Mechanism proposal, a bold step toward making Catalyst more fair, inclusive, and resilient.
Why does this matter? Because voting is at the heart of how Catalyst drives real-world change. If our system isn’t fair or accessible, the innovations we fund—and the communities they impact—are at risk. That’s why teams from IOG Research, Photrek, and Catalyst came together to explore new models like quadratic voting, ranked choice, and spend-voting, alongside cutting-edge cryptography to keep participation private while keeping results verifiable.
The impact? A governance system where every voice can be heard more fairly, where trust is strengthened through privacy protections, and where Catalyst can scale to support even greater global innovation.
What’s next?
At the upcoming Town Hall (Sep 24), we’ll dive into the EMURGO LM × UNDP Accelerator. An initiative that’s piloting UNDP’s project pipeline through the Cardano blockchain. Think meaningful partnerships, hands-on mentorship, and SDG-driven projects built with real-world outcomes in mind. Join us for an update on this proposal.
Register for the next Town Hall.
Want to host a community-led After Town Hall discussion? Register via this link before each Tuesday.
Beyond the Newsletter
That’s all for now. To get a behind-the-scenes look and catch all the latest news as it happens, follow us on our social channels below.
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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.
