Imagine you are a Greek Farmer.

You’re standing in the heart of Athens, the cradle of civilization, where democracy was born. In the distance, high above, the Parthenon stands proud after 2,500 years, though it bears the visible scars of time and the wars it has witnessed from its perch. You turn your head to the right and spot a sleek, illuminated sign: “Cardano Embassy.” Here I am, you think, I’ve arrived. Next to the sign, you notice a strange box with two antennas and a big “W” as its logo. You pass it by and step into the building. At the reception, Kostas greets you warmly. To his right, there’s a closed door labeled “Stake Pool Operations.” You wouldn’t have paid it much attention, but before you can say a word, the door swings open, and a guy inside yells, “HEY, MALAKA, SEND ME THAT GITHUB LINK AGAIN, DAMN CARDANO’S DOCUMENTATION, DAMN IT ALL!” Kostas shoots him a look to calm down, and the guy quickly backtracks, “Oh, a thousand apologies, I didn’t see you there. Good morning!” He shuts the door, finally giving you a chance to return the greeting. “Yes, hello, I’m Markos. We spoke on the phone about Palmyra.” “Ah, you’re the gentleman with the olives! Of course, Yannis is already in the meeting room and has the presentation ready. Please, follow me.” You follow Kostas down a wide hallway, but you can’t help noticing the displays and projections lining both sides—like you’ve stepped into an exhibition space. There’s a thingy encased in Plexiglas labeled “Cyclone by IAGON.” Next to it, another device, similar to the one you saw outside but much larger. You spot posters for some “Stuff,” and then, aha! You recognize the next one: the ZenGate logo, tied to Palmyra, the reason you’re here. After that, it all blurs together. Something about NMKR, some Husky dogs—so you decide not to overload your brain with questions. After all, you’re here for a different purpose: to learn about a new service that lets you export your olive oil cheaply around the world. “Here you go,” Kostas says, ushering you into a bright meeting room where Yannis welcomes you. “Hello, hello! Take a seat wherever you can see the screen comfortably.” You pick a good spot, pull out your notepad to jot down notes, and brace yourself to fire off a barrage of questions! As the door closes behind you, Kostas assures you he’ll be outside if you need anything. The lights dim, and the presentation begins.

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The story above is fictional, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. Here in Athens, where I’m writing from, we have the people, the time, and the passion to dedicate ourselves full-time to setting up an official Cardano Embassy in Greece. A meeting point for our community to brainstorm ideas and collaborate, while also informing and connecting with the public about all the activities in our ecosystem. The question is: Do we want this? And if so, who would manage it? Intersect from the Cayman Islands? The Greek OdyC DAO? The Cardano Foundation? How could something like this work? However, if this experiment succeeds, it could serve as a blueprint for physical embassies in other cities worldwide! Athens could be the first, but imagine Embassies in Tokyo, New York, or Lagos. Let’s start here and inspire the world! The plan is for the Embassy to become self-sustaining after the first year, covering its own expenses. Because if you thought those displays and posters in the hallways would go up for free, our CEO friends are sorely mistaken.

The Cardano ecosystem is rapidly growing, drawing interest from tech enthusiasts, investors, and professionals across Greek industries like agriculture and shipping, eager to explore its applications. Yet, there’s no physical hub in Greece to unite this diverse group. This gap limits opportunities for collaboration, education, and broader adoption, leaving potential untapped and slowing the ecosystem’s momentum locally.

A Greek Cardano Embassy would be a dynamic open space, benefiting diverse groups within the ecosystem. It would be the go-to place for anyone. Programmers learning AIKEN, farmers exploring Palmyra, investors diving into Dexes and RWAs, gaming firms integrating NFTs, publishers leveraging book.io, or even a Greek Minister tracing ancient artifacts onto the blockchain (an idea proposed by CH himself) and more, such as the tourism and shipping industry. By offering a physical space for education, collaboration, and support, it would boost trust in Cardano’s ecosystem, crucial in Greece where personal connections drive business. This trust would translate into measurable value: higher adoption rates, more developers building on Cardano, and real-world use cases showcasing our blockchain’s potential. The ROI for the Cardano Community lies in accelerating Greece’s role as a regional leader in blockchain innovation, amplifying our global footprint.

First Milestone: Space Selection

Deliverable: Secure a location near Athens’ city center, balancing cost, size, and accessibility.
Definition of Done: Lease signed, funding allocated, and financial management assigned (e.g., Intersect MBO as contract holder, advised by our team’s lawyer).
Community Outcome: A confirmed site signals the Embassy is real, building anticipation.
Notes: We’ll research options based on funding and welcome input on management structure.

Second Milestone: Renovation and Partnerships

Deliverable: Renovate the space while securing ecosystem partnerships (e.g., IAGON, Palmyra).
Definition of Done: Renovation underway (walls painted, tech installed) and at least 3 tiered sponsorship deals signed, covering display spaces or events.
Community Outcome: A branded hub takes shape, and DApps gain visibility, fostering ecosystem ties.
Notes: We’ll offer flexible sponsorship packages and adapt to partner proposals.

Third Milestone: Pre-Launch Prep

Deliverable: Develop content and schedules, presentations, workshops (e.g., AIKEN coding), promos, and opening day plans.
Definition of Done: An activity calendar finalized, with materials ready (e.g., Palmyra guides, stake pool docs).
Community Outcome: Ready-to-go resources ensure immediate value. Education and collaboration from day one.
Notes: Prep runs alongside renovation, maximizing efficiency.

Fourth Milestone: Grand Opening

Deliverable: Open the Embassy with a dedicated phone line and bilingual (Greek-English) website.
Definition of Done: Doors open, phone active, website live with contact info, schedules, and basic ecosystem info.
Community Outcome: A physical hub welcomes all farmers, devs, investors, offering direct access to Cardano’s tools and support.

Target State: Cardano community receives a fully functional Embassy: a renovated, self-sustaining space with active partnerships, a packed schedule of events, and accessible channels (phone, web) to engage with Cardano in Greece.

I will provide a minimum cost for a decent place close to the Athens center and a maximum cost for an outstanding result, beyond which it wouldn’t make much sense to overpay, with an ADA/Dollar conversion of 1-1.

Monthly Costs

$3k - $10k for renting a one floor space - to an entire 3 floor building $5k - $10k for 2 - 4 people, as permanent staff $1k - $2k Utilities

Total Yearly Cost

$108k min - $264k max per Year

On top of this and only for the first Year, we add the cost of space renovation and equipment

$60k - $250k

which brings a total of

Min: $168k Max: $514k

This range covers launching and running the Embassy for its inaugural year, balancing cost-efficiency with ambition to create a sustainable, impactful hub. The requested amount above is a rough average of min and max projected costs and may vary.

Our team is a robust network of over 10 community members in Athens, plus dozens more across Greece and abroad, ready to bring the Cardano Embassy to life.

Here’s how we’ll resource it:

Core Team: At least 3 members are committed full-time from day one, handling site selection, renovation oversight, and partnership negotiations and staying on as long as needed.

Support Team: At least 5 members will work part-time, trusting our leadership and stepping in for various tasks as needs arise.

Remote Network: Greeks nationwide will assist remotely with communication (e.g. outreach to DApps), logistics (e.g. arranging supplies), or promotion. No physical presence required.

Duration Estimates: From funding approval, we estimate 3-5 months to open the doors, broken down as follows:

Month 1: Space selection and contract signing (Milestone 1).
Months 2-4: Renovation (2-3 months depending on scale) and partnership deals (ongoing), alongside pre-launch prep (Milestone 2 & 3).
Month 5: Final setup, website launch, and grand opening (Milestone 4).

The timeline flexes based on renovation complexity, but with our team’s size and dedication, we’re confident in hitting these targets.

Our team brings a wealth of relevant experience to deliver the Cardano Embassy project.

Personally, I’ve worked as an estate agent in Athens, giving me intimate knowledge of the city center’s real estate market. Perfect for selecting and securing the ideal space. I’ve also managed space renovations, so overseeing the Embassy’s transformation won’t be new territory. Within Cardano, I’ve been a content creator since 2022, producing over 100 videos on ecosystem tools, news, and guides, building a strong educational foundation. As a Catalyst L2 Moderator, Milestone, and PoA Reviewer since Fund 10, I’ve honed project oversight skills, and I’ve organized multiple workshops and meetups, sharpening my ability to engage communities - key for the Embassy’s launch and operations. I also serve as a DRep.

Beyond me, our team spans lawyers (for contracts), programmers (for technical workshops), salesmen (for partnerships), mathematicians, and more. This diversity fueled the creation of OdyC, the first Greek Cardano DAO, along with our web portal and a thriving Discord server, where we’ve collaborated for over a year. Our collective experience positions us uniquely to choose the space, renovate it, secure DApp sponsorships, and open a hub that elevates Cardano in Greece.

Post-launch, the Cardano Embassy will thrive through a mix of ecosystem support and revenue-generating services. As outlined in the proposal description, we expect DApps like IAGON, NMKR, WM and Palmyra to back this hub, financially or through in-kind contributions, since it amplifies their visibility and user base in Greece. Beyond that, our community’s offerings, from educational workshops (e.g. Blockchain onboarding, AIKEN coding bootcamps) to technical support (e.g. stake pool setup), have inherent value that individuals and businesses will pay for. Furthermore, we will also run the official Greek stake pool ourselves. Part of the revenue streams will be secured in stablecoins and earn yield in the DeFi market. After the first year, we’ll sustain the space via tiered revenue streams: sponsorships for displays and events, modest fees for premium services, and membership perks for local Cardano supporters. We’ll pilot free access initially to build trust and demand, then phase in charges (e.g. by month six), ensuring financial independence while keeping the Embassy accessible.

I submit this proposal as an individual, but I enjoy the support of the whole Greek Cardano Community, as it is organised through our Greek DAO "OdyC" (of which I am one of the Founders).

We are all in this together!

https://odyc.gr/ https://x.com/OdyC_DAO https://discord.gg/MM6yFbeN53

Turning the Cardano Embassy into reality involves several key dependencies. First, we’ll need a local company to handle space renovation. Structural work, wall paintings, and tech installations to bring the vision to life. Securing a suitable location in Athens and obtaining necessary permits will also be critical steps. Funding, of course, is a cornerstone dependency, which we’re seeking from Intersect, supplemented by potential sponsorships from Cardano ecosystem projects (e.g., IAGON, WMT, PALMYRA, NMKR). The heart of this lies with our Athens team, backed by Cardano communities across Greece, whose grit and collaboration will drive success. External support - expertise from the Cardano Foundation, technical input from global SPOs, or promotion by DReps, would turbocharge our efforts. With these pieces aligned, we can begin and complete this pioneering hub.