Applicant Name: Wasabi
Twitter: x.com
Applicant Summary including why interested in applying to become a 2025 delegate:
I’m a Founder from the Dominican Republic who is passionate about building solutions for our most pressing needs. I’m the Secretary of Kokonut Network, a blockchain-based cooperative powered by Trees and People.
Besides the work I do at Kokonut, I’ve been involved in the Web3 Community since 2021, and I’ve been part of many Founders Circles and Working Groups, one of the most notable being the EBF Framework, Gitcoin Community Council, and the RWA x ReFi Report.
As a Public Good, I help coordinate, run, and architect the operations of Let’s GROW Live; this is a 24/7 event hosted for the Gitcoin Community with more than 600 speaking slots, 60+ Grantees, 2,000+ speakers, and thousands of organic interactions during 2 weeks.
Why would I be a good fit?
I’m a Public Goods Maxi and Regen at heart, working to build, scale, and globally expand Kokonut Network as a response to solving a systematic problem that affects millions of people globally; the lack of funding for IRL projects within underserved communities, as these communities doesn’t meet the standard criteria of Legacy Organizations.
I think my work is critical to help move the needle by challenging the status quo, so for me, this is not about building another company or business. It is about sending a message of change from each of the entities within the Kokonut Ecosystem.
I could bring a different perspective to the Governance of Gitcoin DAO as I’m not a delegate in any other major DAOs but have been building my network from the ground up without any connections or “hand-outs” by actively participating in value aligned communities thru my time in web3, Gitcoin has the brand recognition within Web3 Public Goods Realm because of its contributions to novel ideas and experiments which some of them has helped shape projects at the Infra & App Layer; as a delegate I would make sure that the community & builder centric approach stay a thing while Gitcoin still pursue its north stars.
I have context and already read almost every governance post after I joined the forum:
Involvement in Gitcoin Grants community or prior initiatives:
- Appointed signer on gitcoin.eth multi-sig by $GTC Holders
- Head of Operations to the Execution of the First-ever Gitcoin Citizens Community Onboarding & Education Program
- I was a council member elected by the GTC Token Holders for the Gitcoin GG20- GG22 Community Rounds to select who to give matching funds to run a Round.
- I led reviews of the OSS Round for the Apps Category in Gitcoin #GG20, reviewing 220+ applications in 2 weeks.
- Curated grants for the #GG19 Grants Round landing page features.
- Gitcoin OSS Round #GG22 - Apps & Web3 Infra Round Operator & Grants Reviewer
Prior experience in either Grants or Delegate Programs, respectively:
- Octant Community Fund Season 1 - Council Member
- Octant Community Fund Season 2 - Council Member
- Polygon General Grants Program Subject-Matter Expert Reviewer Season 1 – 271 Grant Proposals reviewed
- Advisor to Regen Citizens Round Season #1
Any anticipated conflicts of interest:
I take pride in myself for having an unbiased view of the world around my work, and when anyone within my network comes any closer to the programs I’m contributing to, I always delegate that review or analysis to someone else. Those who have worked with me can attest to this statement.
If any COI arises, I’ll make sure to abstain from voting on it or having any kind of influence in that process besides giving my professional opinion about the subject in question.