Withdraw ₳26,840,000 for Input Output Research (IOR): Cardano Vision - Wor...
This treasury withdrawal funds **Input Output Research (IOR): Cardano Vision - Work Program 2025** which will provide the following services: The IOR proposal for Work Program 2025 consists of 20 research streams and 6 technology validation streams from Cardano Vision, a five-year program consisting of 34 research streams across 9 thematic focus areas. Over a five-year period, this funnel approach is expected to generate over 100 high-quality research outputs and provide the foundation for 30 or more technology validation streams, to be implemented into Cardano's Testnet and Mainnet by engineers and developers from the Cardano community. This Treasury Withdrawal is submitted by Intersect on behalf of the vendor. The following sections; Abstract, Motivation, Rationale and Vendor Profile have been sourced from the approved proposal submitted by the Vendor as part of the Intersect budget process. This treasury withdrawal funds one of 39 proposals to give effect to the approved budget info action for ₳275,269,340, administered by Intersect via gov_action1u9x73kwufaxa70lfy59g4ynwyrcsaxdcd0gxzzmh67s9fxq4j8hqqk2phgh. The information provided herein is intended to fulfill the spirit of the constitutional requirement for a treasury withdrawal info action by also providing the details of the proposed solution, alignment to the budget, and amount to be withdrawn from the Cardano Treasury. Note: This withdrawal request has been reduced on request by the Vendor from the Budget Info Action approved ₳26,848,000 to ₳26,840,000.
Reasoning
Written after the vote was cast
What this asks for, and from whom
26,840,000 ADA for Input Output Research, the Cardano Vision Work Program 2025, covering 20 research streams and 6 technology validation streams within a five year program.
What would have to be true for this to be a good use of treasury funds
Peer-reviewed research is the reason I chose this chain in 2017 and it remains Cardano's genuine differentiator. Nobody else in this industry does foundational research at this level, and that is a moat as long as it converts into shipped capability.
What specifically concerns me
This was part of the 2025 Intersect budget slate, which I voted as a slate. I am saying that plainly rather than pretending each line got its own week of deliberation. The slate came through a community budget process with a support threshold before it ever reached the chain, and my judgment was that the process outcome deserved backing in Cardano's first real treasury cycle. The perpetual research critique is fair: streams can run for years without producing anything deployable. At nearly 27 million ADA the conversion question is the whole question.
What I am asking of the proposer if this passes
It was enacted. Publish the conversion rate from research streams to mainnet capability. That single number would end the recurring argument about whether Cardano research pays for itself, and I suspect the answer is better than critics assume.