3 layers to a DAO to DAO partnership

🤝 Partnerships
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I keep getting pulled onto calls with DAOs who want to partner with Gitcoin. I want to lay out how I think about these things + solicit feedback from the DAO.

IMO there are 3 layers to a DAO to DAO partnership. They go in order from more casual to more serious (from less commitment to more commitment).

  1. Social interoperability
  2. Product/Technology interoperability
  3. Governance Rights interoperability

More about these layers:

1. Social interoperability

In this stage, there are strong relationships being built between members of each DAO across-DAO. DAO members might be invited to speak at Gitcoin events like Schelling Point or our Public Goods are Good twitter spaces, or DAO Vibes. This is the relationship/rapport/trust building stage of of a DAO to DAO partnership.

2. Product/Technology interoperability

The product/technology interop stage is when the DAOs start to invest resources into seriously building Practical Pluralism between the products of each system.

Examples of this I’ve seen at GitcoinDAO.

  1. Gitcoin leverages Proof of Humanity or BrightID or Idena for Gitcoin Grants
  2. Gitcoin launches a podcast on the bankless network.
  3. I’m sure there are many others.

3. Governance Rights interoperability

The Governance Rights interoperability stage is when the governance rights of each DAO is extended to the other DAO, likely via a Mutual Grant.

Past examples of this

  1. Gitcoins incubation of KERNEL.
  2. Gitcoins mutual grant with DeveloperDAO.
  3. Gitcoins incubation of dComipass.

Summary

One thing I think is really important about web3 is Practical Pluralism. Instead of web2 companies elbowing out each other for market share, web3 networks of DAOs are fundamentally modular + interoperable. I fantasize about a world in which the Ethereum ecosystem becomes a DAO of DAOs that all rises and falls together, building a beautiful world of immense utility from a diverse fauna of protocols that serve our shared mission.

Feedback welcome.

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I think it is to Gitcoin’s credit that it does not see itself in an adversarial relationship with other DAOs, but instead operates in a kind of curated collaboration. In order to differentiate the wider Web3 commons from the inherited economic structures of constant competition we need to have porous borders. As a Bankless listener I especially appreciate how your podcast has slotted in there because in my mind there is a shared ethos with the Bankless crew. So yes, it’s great and please keep it up!

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This is interesting as it pertains to dao to dao partnerships! Token Swaps as Ecosystem Enablers Report - General - Arbitrum

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After the rough market conditions of 2022-2023, many token swaps, including the collaboration between PrimeDAO and Gitcoin, which I was personally connected to, didn’t realize their potential.

I’m optimistic about the DAO-to-DAO coordination topic regaining interest. We’re getting closer to a world where D2D collaboration will be net positive. One of the great examples is the co-funded Gitcoin Community Rounds, which aligns the interests of multiple ecosystems to achieve shared objectives.

Eager to explore what type of D2D collaborations are possible with the next iteration of Allo!