Proponent: 14QhzKsxmrECK8EDpLzzep8tWcYMUPYfXGfmgqM8cVtYRJjJ (James Slusser)

TBD (Levan Center of Innovation account)

Note: 10-09-24 Per a conversation with the NSU Business Administrator, they do not accept crypto as a form of payment for any services at NSU. The only forms of payment they can offer are, credit card through the marketplace site, check, ACH or wire transfer (these are as a last resort option). Therefore, I have changed the Proponent from the Levan Center of Innovation to my personal Polkadot account, and will remit to Levan on behalf of Polkadot.

Date: September 30, 2024

Requested USDT: 2,400 USDT

Summary: This proposal requests 2,400 USDT to sponsor Polkadot’s 6-month membership to the Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation  at the Reserved Desk level, providing Polkadot with access to a physical space in South Florida for Business Development meetings, MeetUps and Networking with other member organizations. This is a low-cost, low-risk method to test the location’s viability, and if proven effective, can be upgraded to a private office or Corporate-sponsored space pending availability.  The linked draft proposal details all membership benefits.

The Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation is a public-private partnership between Nova Southeastern University and Broward County acting as an economic and education development engine linking the South Florida innovation ecosystem.  They partner with public and private entities across various industries for a local, regional, national, and international impact.

The sponsorship aims to begin the process of establishing a physical presence to leverage connections with businesses, educational institutions, government officials, blockchain policy advocates and the community at large to drive awareness, foster growth, and explore new integrations. Additionally it will serve as one location to host Polkadot-branded monthly MeetUps, Hackathons and other educational initiatives.

This proposal will leverage the leadership of Angela Dalton, North America Head Ambassador, expand upon the learnings from Ecosystem Agent The Weak Hand (Sal Esposito) and his core-team role managing the Inter Miami deal, and support Ecosystem Agent James Slusser to grow Polkadot’s presence in Florida.

Florida currently has the third-largest population in the United States, with an estimated 22.95 million people in 2024. Its economy is the fourth largest in the country, boasting a real GDP of $1.6 trillion as of the third quarter of 2023. In terms of global economic standings, Florida ranks as the 13th largest economy in the world. In the third quarter of 2023, Florida's economy experienced a growth rate of 6.1%, significantly outpacing the overall U.S. economy. The state's economic contributions account for approximately 5.7% of the entire U.S. economy, highlighting its significant influence both nationally and globally​.

Following OpenGov protocol I will leave the Pre-Proposal Discussion open for two weeks, followed by the referendum submission. I welcome and appreciate all community feedback, questions and comments, and will request to appear on AAG to discuss further.

For details, please see the draft Proposal