The Impact App, by Eco Labs

Why

Lack of low cost MRV solutions are a friction point that prevents impact projects--especially small scale projects--from scaling quickly. There is a growing number of people who want to take action to help regenerate our planet, land stewards who need more sustainable & resilient income, and communities who need to restore their local natural resources and build resiliency.

At the same time there is a growing amount of capital being raised to fund impactful activities. NFT fundraising, individuals who care, & companies who want to reach net-zero, increase their brands cultural significance, or are operated by CEOs who care. More and more markets for ecosystem services are being developed. As Nori founder Paul Gambil says "demand is not the problem, supply is".

How can we reduce the friction of these two forces connecting? Those who want to fund impactful activities (funders), and those who want to get paid to take impactful action (impact actors). This app & platform aims to address this, by aggregating all existing solutions, guiding impact actors on exactly how to start taking action, and building custom methodologies in coordination with funders which utilize plug & play data collection tools built into the app.

What

This application will serve multiple functions:

• index/directory of all actions one can take which already have a funding counter-party and an existing MRV methodology.
• step by step guide on exactly how to utilize existing methodologies and start getting paid to make an impact.
• register and verify information about it's users in order to filter what actions that individual can feasibly take part in, such as location, expertise, access to land + size and existing resources on that land, access to a vehicle, physical capabilities/disabilities, etc.
• collect data for custom methodologies using in-app tools such as images, video, location, audio, & temperature. Upload that data in public and transparent formats such that anyone is able to verify and cross reference.
• integrate with mobile compatible blockchains such as Celo to facilitate in-app payments to impact actors.
• provide resources & clear pathways for impact actors to obtain additional equipment or expertise which can increase the quality of data collected / increase pay. This could take the form of classes, obtaining certifications, purchasing IoT sensors or specialized measurement equipment needed to unlock higher paying methodologies.
• optionally re-direct funds paid for impact actions to purchase products in-app, such as dynamic NFTs which can showcase & illustrate ones impact over time, and merchandise / accessories / tools which aid the impact actions (UV-protective clothing, knee-pads, gloves, tools tailored to specific methodologies)

When

Spring/summer 2022 - team building, customer discovery, hackathons (ex: Activate x Wormhole), grant applications. Major goals: build the MVP directory/index of existing impact actions, secure a total of $1.2m in funding, refine revenue models, research target market, obtain legal advise on entity structure / risk assessment, hire developers to start work on an MVP, bring on initial team members and advisors Fall/Winter 2022 - incubators, accelerators, app development, planning, MVP. Major goals: go through ReFi Venture Studios accelerator program, develop customer methodology pilot program with 10-30 coffee farmers in South America (in coordination with CCC), secure partnerships and integrations with other MRV providers and educators. Finish MVP (only functions 1 and 2) Spring 2023 - Fully operational V1 App launch, including functions 1-5. Summer 2023 - V2 launch including all 7 functions