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We’re only 8 weeks into 2022, and DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) have shown no signs of stopping anytime soon. Before getting lost in the momentum, Layer3 brings you 10 of the DAOs on our watchlist.
Note: This is not financial or investment advice. Always do your own research!
1 | Index Coop: Making crypto investment simple and helping everyone achieve financial freedom.
What: Offers users the opportunity to invest in crypto assets through index mutual funds or ETFs (exchange-traded funds).
Why: Investing in crypto and managing crypto assets can be daunting for those who are new to crypto—and even for seasoned retail investors! Market volatility means high risk, and not everyone can afford to lose. Index offers accessible methods for new investors to test the waters, and a surefire entry point for those intimidated by typical DeFi protocols.
Who: Consists of the Index Coop Community, DeFi Pulse, and Set Labs. DeFi Pulse aims to be the “Bloomberg of decentralized finance,” while Set Labs develops methods to create and rebalance Index’s suite of financial products.
Token: $INDEX
2 | Vector DAO: Vector doesn’t only want to change the future of design, they want to change the future of design work.
What: Unlike a traditional agency, Vector DAO combines design with principles of investment and ownership. Vector’s ethos is that top design talent in the space should be able to diversify and own their work.
Why: Vector’s innovative organizational structure where community contributors can earn equity and tokens for their work is a model that we expect to see more of in a DAO-led future. Earning in ownership > earning in cash (Did someone say Layer3?).
Who: More than 40% of Vector members have contributed to the DAO by taking on projects or running operations. You can hire them here, or apply to join here! P.S. They accept equity or tokens as compensation for services provided.
Token: None at the moment
3 | SyndicateDAO: You’ve heard of DAO social clubs, but what about DAO investment clubs?
What: Syndicate wants to revolutionize investing through web3 technologies, both on-chain and off-chain. ****It allows anyone to invest in tokens, NFTs, and even startups. Users can create their own investment DAOs in just a few clicks.
Why: Traditional models for investing are outdated and leave out many who don’t have the institutional resources to invest. Syndicate democratizes investing and provides new market entry opportunities for those wanting to invest collectively.
Who: Individuals and web3 communities looking to launch their own investment clubs (Global Coin Research, Chapter One, Vector DAO, & Forefront, to name a few).
Token: None at the moment
4 | OlympusDAO: A DAO powered by $OHM, a decentralized and free-floating reserve currency for web3.
What: While Olympus is probably best known for popularizing (3,3) and its high staking rewards, it’s now developed into an entire ecosystem with the fundamental goal of creating a decentralized, censorship-resistant reserve currency.
Why: It’s one of the OG DeFi experiments. Despite $OHM taking a deep dive from its all-time highs earlier this year, OlympusDAO has an ambitious action plan for the next 12 months. This includes creating a strong “EconOHMy” via Olympic Incubator and Grants, through which it’s seeking to “incubate several dozen protocols” and train “Olympus-focused developers” during 2022.
Other plans include increased decentralization, token emission management, and deepening $OHM liquidity.
Who: “Ohmies” are some of the most passionate community members in web3. You’ll spot them with a (3,3) in their Twitter bios.
Token: $OHM
5 | DeveloperDAO: Despite the name, it isn’t exclusive to just developers.
What: An NFT-gated DAO where members collectively participate, learn, and contribute to the future of web3.
Why: DeveloperDAO is a lesson in both decentralization and knowledge sharing. DAO members can share knowledge and collaborate on projects of interest, while also having access to governance rights via its governance token, $CODE.
Who: The 15k+ member discord has over 130+ channels and includes everything you want to know about BUIDLing in web3, including a series of guilds, meme channels, language channels, job channels, technical discussion channels, gm channels....
Token: $CODE
6 | AssangeDAO: A DAO dedicated to freeing Julian Assange and raising money for his legal defense.
What: Created in Feburary of this year, AssangeDAO is a “group of cypherpunks fighting for Julian Assange’s release.” It’s successfully raised over $55 million to do so.
Why: Issue-oriented DAOs are an innovative way to coordinate capital using the power of blockchain and web3 technologies. The ability to coordinate and raise large sums of money is no longer just limited to GoFundMe.
Who: While the immediate goal of the DAO is to secure Assange’s release, it’s also built a community centered around issues of whistleblowing, raising awareness, and freedom of information.
Token: $JUSTICE
7 | BanklessDAO: Helping the world go bankless .
What: Bankless wants to decrease our reliance on central and commercial banks, by providing educational and multimedia resources for those wanting financial independence.
Why: Self-custody and financial sovereignty are essential principles of the crypto financial system. They’re not going away anytime soon, and Bankless has cemented itself as one of the heavy hitters in driving these concepts home.
Who: On its podcast alone, Bankless has featured Cobie, Zeus (founder of Olympus), Chris Dixon, and Vitalik. ****Its access to some of the most exciting figures in web3, and its well-curated list of resources featuring everything from building a crypto-native portfolio to hypothetical ETH fee burns, makes it one to watch.
Token: $BANK
8 | BFF DAO: Say goodbye to a male-dominated web3.
What: BFF is a NFT-gated DAO that aims to onboard women and nonbinary people into web3. Men currently represent 81% of the current participants in the web3 ecosystem, and BFF wants to even the playing field.
Why: Learning DAOs and onboarding DAOs represent an exciting new opportunity in web3, where it’s easier to learn by doing than it is by simply observing. As more people embrace and adapt web3 technologies, DAOs will need to invest time and resources into educating newcomers who want to contribute.
Who: BFF’s live YouTube launch event was attended by celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Tyra Banks, and Mila Kunis. To celebrate the launch, 10,000 BFF “friendship bracelet” tokens were airdropped to web3 newcomers, as opposed to reserving token supply only for early adopters who could provide liquidity.
Token: $BFF
9 | KlimaDAO: Fight climate change and earn crypto rewards for doing it.
What: A decentralized and open-market for carbon, organized as a DAO. By increasing access and demand for carbon offsets, KlimaDAO makes pro-climate projects more profitable, while allowing investors and community members to participate.
Why: To date, KlimaDAO has absorbed the equivalent of over 16,102,347 tons of carbon. Its native token, $KLIMA, functions as a reserve asset backed by real-world carbon assets that can be used to offset carbon emissions. HODLers also get a 6% weekly yield!
Who: “Klimates” are passionate about creating a carbon-based economy and have worked with partners such as Olympus, Gitcoin, and Blockchain for Climate Foundation.
Token: $KLIMA
10 | Cool Cats: A collection of randomly-generated cat NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain.
What: While Cool Cats is a NFT collection and technically not a DAO, we included it in our list because of its DAO-like features. We love the cats.
Why: NFT communities in 2022 are starting to function more like DAOs. Increasing demand for utility, gamification, and tokens amongst growing NFT communities offer exciting new opportunities for NFT projects to launch their own decentralized ecosystems.
Who: As one of the strongest NFT communities in web3, Cool Cats recently announced the launch of its supporting NFT collection, Cool Pets. Owning a Cool Pet will grant all holders access to Cooltopia, a P2E gaming universe where players can earn in Cool Cats’ native token $MILK.
Token: $MILK
A 12-month plan for how Olympus will achieve its goal of becoming Web3’s premiere decentralized reserve currency
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