This proposal seeks to recover 46.1 DOT lost due to a technical error while pursuing a local Polkadot event. The event aimed to foster XR, AI, and Web3 collaboration in Finland but faced unexpected funding roadblocks due to discontinuation of advertised Events Bounty support.

The original proposal (596 DOT) was for a launch event (an extraordinary event) that would be on a cool venue and set the stage for an extended hackathon and a series of recurring meetings, culminating in a Slush side event in November 2024.

Due to the feedback from the Events Bounty curators, the event was scaled down, the venue was changed to smaller, the catering was reduced, the organiser fees were cut and the prizes to activate participants were slashed.

The revised proposal was for merely 310 DOT. Since the Polkadot community in Finland is non-existing, the practicalities were to be organised by a student group (XES) that was eager to learn more and spread the Polkadot vibes to their entrepreneurial membership. As an ambassador, I helped them to set up the practicalities, to be able to receive the funding. For this, I had to give them 1.1 DOT existential deposit and lock up 45 DOT to pay for the multisig and pure proxy identity verification.

Although we had submitted the application well in advance, we now started to run out of time. After multiple queries, we heard nothing from the Events Bounty. Ultimately, we had no choice but to pull the application. Then, we finally got a response: “The Bounty has been in some flux as we prepare for either a renewal or a wind-down of operations.” This possibility, that the entire bounty was about to be discontinued, was not communicated to us earlier and we had been waiting in vain.

I was frustrated, fatigued and under a lot of pressure. This led me to make a technical error with polkadot.js and caused the locked up DOT to be lost. I immediately asked for help on Polkadot Watercooler channel (Element) and, after a call with Radha from Web3 Foundation, got confirmation that the funds cannot be retrieved, even if Subscan still shows the pure proxy as active. These are the accounts in question:

• Pure proxy: 12NY5cguZUHNm5hhAxLMZXMtnKT3LZttgxuieSkoqevgQp8b
• Multisig: 12tp6EoXFwAucagB9BrKqud5XfBFQKm4LHg48xARHQnjQsmk

Who am I?

• My name is Tomi. I am a Polkadot Ambassador in Finland, since 2023.
• Even before that I was actively promoting the network globally. For instance, I wrote a Polkadot-friendly book called Crypto Curious?
• Recently, I initiated a cross-chain collaboration project Polkadot-Cardano uniFires, securing 140,000 ADA from Cardano Project Catalyst to get things moving. We are now half-way through and the future looks promising.
• In Finland, I helped the student clubs to organise a Decoded viewing party, represented Polkadot in various events and explained Polkadot intricacies in a Finnish-language podcast.
• I am part of the team that helps active community members to get sponsorships for Polkadot Decoded 2024.

I spent months in preparation, partnership talks and coordination efforts, to no avail. After all these experiences, I am a little tired and disappointed, to say the least. To regain my motivation and to focus fully on the international initiatives underway, I am asking the community to reimburse the 46.1 DOT that I lost due to a technical error (and my own stupidity), acknowledging that this was all done in good faith, pursuing a local event for Polkadot promotion.

---Read the full proposal (same text as here)---