AIP-321: Founders Circle Powered by ApeCoin

[Waabam]

Hi @MisterHype,

I like the spirit of this initiative and it partially addresses an issue we’ve been discussing amongst the Stewards recently - how do we continue to stay connected and maintain our professional relationships, now that we’re moving on from our roles as Stewards of WG0?

There is a risk of losing the institutional knowledge and expertise that the Stewards and outgoing Special Council members have developed. An ApeCoin DAO Founders Circle, or something like it, could create a space for people to connect and maintain those professional relationships. This would bring value to the DAO, in my view.

That being said, I agree with the advice of others above: it would be wise to start with some research around what the best structure and format would be, before asking the DAO for a significant sum of money to create and staff a physical space. I tend to think that a digital space may be preferable for this purpose.

I hope that helps.

[adventurousape]

Hi @MisterHype,

Thanks so much for your proposal! I do think there can be a lot of value in a co-working environment and am a big advocate for irl events, but have to agree with @Sasha that the idea is ahead of it’s time, at least as far as the co-working space. I don’t think we have a high enough concentration of active DAO members in any one area yet for it to be worth spending $50K a month for something that only a handful of members would be able to take advantage of, since the members of the DAO live all over the world.

I also agree with starting smaller and doing some sort of proof of concept to begin with sound research behind it. Spending $385K on office design and construction for a physical location seems a bit much to start with. Agree with @ssp1111 about preferring a network of smaller, low-overhead spaces over a singular location as well. I also like the idea of a virtual version of this.

I do have some questions:

How will you measure the success of this initiative? Are there KPIs that you are looking to add?

How would the 5-7 professionals be chosen? And what would each one’s job responsibilities be?

Thanks again for your proposal and all your efforts to improve the DAO! Overall, I like the concept, but just think it needs to be done on a smaller scale and at less cost to start.

[BojangleGuy]

I think this has potential to be a great opportunity for the DAO, as there a quite a few different ways to implement it. I do think that putting it in one location would need a lot of research to maximize usage.

I wonder if you could propose a similar idea that sponsors or funds work space for DAO members across the world. For example, you ask for $100,000 to fund the program and then people from within the DAO come and submit what they are building/working on and you then fund a workspace for them in their local area. And then create a digital space where everyone who is building/working worldwide can collaborate and feel together.

Overall I think this concept could turn into something great. Just need to find the right way to implement it!

[NANA]

very interesting concept! Could very well be ahead of its time though it would be amazing to have access to co-working spots to collaborate with other builders powered by ApeCoin.

Perhaps we could test out the appetite for co-working by getting access to or subsidizing existing co-working locations in select cities based off research.

Thanks for putting this idea together and prompting my imagination!

[SeraStargirl]

How big the the web3 / apecoin dao community in Tel Aviv? I’m curious how you chose this location, or is it personal bias because it’s where you are from and you are the author?

I agree with most of the takes in this thread that we would like to see the data supporting this location being beneficial to members of the DAO and how it will have an impact if it was passed.

[MisterHype]

Hi @Waabam,

Thank you for sharing your opinion. Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and I am happy to hear that my idea aligns with an issue that has been discussed among the Stewards.

I agree that the preservation of institutional knowledge and expertise is essential, and it should be a key task in the operation of the Founders Circle. In addition to creating events for communities, connecting startups, and providing space for them, I believe that we should focus on building an information preservation and development “farm” (what I called Education Hub). This “farm” could be considered the “School of the DAO,” where members could come to learn and share knowledge with each other. Would love to hear your thoughts on that.

I appreciate and agree with the feedback of others regarding the importance of conducting research and approaching this idea with the necessary level of seriousness. The intention behind my initial proposal was to provide a broad overview of the concept, and I fully recognize the need to delve into the specifics in order to make it a reality. I understand that some may have concerns about opening a physical office, and I appreciate your suggestion of a digital space. However, I believe that establishing a physical office will allow us to reach a different target audience than the digital space proposal. Rather than focusing on web3 to web3 connections, we could connect web3 to high tech, broadening our reach and expanding our impact. Ultimately, our goal is to realize the vision of this initiative and meet the goals we set, both in the short and long term. (If you interesting to read about why I chose Tel Aviv, read my reply to @SeraStargirl later on today).

Thank you once again for your valuable feedback and for supporting the ApeCoin DAO Founders Circle proposal. We all are committed to creating a space that fosters knowledge sharing, networking, and innovation within our community. Exciting years ahead.

-Mr. Hype

[Zoopie]

I fully support the ApeCoin DAO Founders Circle’s initiative to create a collaborative co-working space and event hub. By blending physical and digital interactions and providing comprehensive resources for startups, this plan fuels innovation. The dedicated website for operational efficiency and the focus on staying current with blockchain developments also add to its appeal. Overall, this approach is a significant stride toward shaping the future of innovative work environments.

P.S. Love the “Your Name” background.

[dar]

Hi @MisterHype, kudos for the well done proposal! It describes an interesting vision for a physical space, that could have a lot of potential to help builders in the space.

A couple of thoughts that you might want to take into account; in the commercial markets I know, typical commercial leases are 10-15 years, maybe you can get down in the 5-7 year range, but you end up paying a premium for a shorter term commitment. Perhaps that is already accounted for in your plan? But I assume you are talking about a longer than one year lease, is that correct?

Are utilities and insurance also covered in your lease estimate? If not, you might want to look at adding those costs in. Assuming also there are other general costs like IT management (wifi, hardwire network/phone/video conferencing) meeting room/security systems and software, and other wetware things like refrigerators, food services, cleaning and waste management. These might exceed the 100k buffer, you might want to add them to the budget to get a better picture. Also if there is going to be any advertising, those costs can be sizable.

I’m not sure if I overlooked what the goals and OKRs might be, if you have those modeled out as well? I’d be interested to know how many people you expect to be served by the space for this first year you described. It might be helpful to model it out on a five year timeframe to start. Then you could put together a metric like cost per person, and expected reach of that person on a per-team basis. That way we can see if we spend $30,000 per person in the first year, we expect companies to use the space to reach at least 100,000 customers per team, and then develop an outreach metric that can be tracked. Then you would know if you are underperforming or over performing.

All in all, this looks rather costly without knowing an expected occupancy rate. I wonder if you have considered a less capital intensive approach where you can rent a meeting room from a co-working space (if they are available in your region) to hold monthly meetups to start? This would give you some data to see how much interest there is now. At each meetup you could then do some polling to understand how much interest there is, and what levels of return to expect. Or, if you already have that data, please share it, I think it will make the proposal a lot stronger with collected data.

[ssp1111]

Hey @NANA (and others reading),

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, one of our own BAYC and ApeCoin DAO members has an IRL Space recently launched with plans to expand:

Club3

While it may not be exactly what this idea is seeking to deliver, they have the network to help avoid the coworking landmines.

Having gone down this path several times in my IRL career, building out and sustaining IRL spaces are more of a real estate investment play than a social network.

Your idea of subsidizing existing spaces could well be the way to go - less friction, less capital, less risk.

---

Onward

SSP (GrumpyG on Spaces)

[coolmatt]

Interesting idea. Might be good to have some market research or early demand signals to know the space would be full in Tel Aviv (I don’t know the market personally).

[MisterHype]

Hi @ssp1111,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts I’m still with love & hate about co-working spaces. I appreciate your support and I can see how the idea aligns with AIP-226’s values, but in my opinion the target audience is much wider.
Speaking on AIP-226, I totally agree with what started all -

Continuing the discussion from AIP-64: IRL Events Feasibility Study — Recap:

@ssp1111

Events are a major part of Apecoin DAO’s mission of driving Web3 culture forward

However, this proposal is putting daily effort into local communities and sharing the values of the DAO on an education hub. Then we can grow with these communities and expand (from the community and locations). As well need to say, the focus will be on ApeCoin DAO, not on Yuga, style yearly apefest events.

I want to clarify that my proposal is not to have subscriptions from founders. Instead, it is to create a space that serves as a source of exposure for the DAO in selected areas that will be approved by us and that will serve our purpose. For example, I suggested Tel Aviv due to its reputation as a source of pilgrimage for successful startups, its recent expansion by companies such as AWS and Microsoft, and my familiarity with the costs that will form the basis of discussion in this forum (I wanted to have perspective for conversation).

I understand that there have been various co-working models with different approaches and diverse business models in recent years, based on your experience with co-working spaces you can tell us much more. The idea offers a model that I was exposed to through my participation in the Amazon AWS founders program, which provides co-working space services without cost. Their main goal is to expand exposure within the core of the high-tech industry through events and professional experts (Every week about 2-3 events with different high-tech companies and communities).

Regarding your question on how we plan to sustain the space beyond the first year, I believe it’s a matter of identifying the goals we would like to measure and developing a strategy for achieving them. This is something that we can discuss further in the forum and through research that I am currently formulating to create a basis for discourse. I do not agree with your comparison to the business models you proposed, as the concept is not to make money from the office space, but to spend money on events and education and connecting ApeCoin DAO to growth communities.

Lastly, I want to assure you that I am committed to doing what is right and best for the community. My proposal is driven by a long-term perspective and a desire to bring a mass of quality people to the DAO.

Thank you once again for your valuable input and for taking the time to engage in this discussion. I apologize for the delay in my response, as I believe in thoroughly reading and contemplating each reply in order to develop ideas through conversation. This forum is an essential tool for building upon our collective knowledge and shaping our proposals together.

-Mr. Hype

[MisterHype]

Hi @adventurousape,

Firstly, I would like to thank you for your feedback and for contributing to the conversation about the AIP idea. I understand your concerns that the proposal may be ahead of its time and may only benefit a few members. However, I would like to clarify that the aim of the initiative is to benefit the entire DAO and its community. For example, the proposed office in Tel Aviv aims to create a vision and basis for discourse, for us to understand that the first and next offices will focus to connect with growth communities, contribute to the industry and discourse, and create exposure for ApeCoin DAO. Additionally, it is designed to increase the number of members participating in the DAO and benefit all members from the growth of a community in which we are not yet in touch, specifically, the high-tech web2 community. The goal is to enable all members to enjoy the content offered by the community, including access to events that we will hold every week (From first office).

I agree with you that the proposal should start with small steps, and the current proposal is only the beginning of a long-term process towards implementation. I believe that this is an excellent time for us to start the vision with the aim of reaching a stage where there are enough members in different areas of the DAO who will enjoy the ongoing and smooth operation of the initiative. This project is for the future, and it requires time and effort to achieve, and starting with smaller steps is a necessary part of the process.

In terms of measuring success, my plan is to agree on goals with the community. It is important to set specific, measurable, and achievable goals. These goals can include the number of new members brought by Founders Circle, the amount of community involvement and participation in DAO decision-making, the level of cooperation and support between members of the founders circle, the number of successful projects launched by the founders, and their impact on ApeCoin DAO. These metrics will help us examine whether we are worthy of receiving an additional budget for another year/expanding the activity to additional selected sites. It is a process that we will run on the forum that will create small steps to achieve the big goal.

Regarding the team, the purpose of this AIP idea is to generate a basic understanding for the purpose of creating a deep discourse on the aforementioned. In general, the activity of the local team should be to produce the weekly events, connect with the local community, and update the international community.

Finally, I would like to ask if you still think that the proposal seeks to promote an idea for $50,000 per month that only a handful of members will be able get the benefit of it? I hope that my response has addressed your concerns and provided more clarity on the proposed initiative. Once again, thank you for your feedback and support in improving the DAO.

-Mr. Hype

[adventurousape]

Hi, Mr. Hype,

Thanks for your explanation. I do like the idea of irl co-working spaces, but I don’t see that many active members of the DAO, in any one location, to be able to justify spending that amount of money, at this time. Like several others suggested above, I agree with trying it first by renting a meeting room or some other low cost alternative. That would significantly decrease the cost. You could collect data, then come back with something bigger after you’ve proven the concept.

I do appreciate the idea and what you are looking to do, and wish you great success in connecting local communities with ApeCoin.

-AA

[NANA]

Thanks SSP! Club3 looks cool. I’m in Los Angeles… hopefully I can check this out one day.

Thanks for the insight, ser.

[ssp1111]

LA in the house! Happy to make the introduction to the founders and management team.

Let me know

[MisterHype]

HI @BojangleGuy,

Thank you for your positive feedback and for suggesting an alternative approach to implementing the concept. Your idea of sponsoring or funding workspaces for DAO members across the world is intriguing. It presents an opportunity to support individuals within the DAO who are actively building and working on projects.

By allocating a budget, such as the proposed $100,000, we can enable DAO members to submit their projects and apply for workspace funding in their respective local areas. This approach not only promotes inclusivity but also encourages collaboration among individuals from diverse locations.

Q - Don’t you think it’s something WG0 or Forj AIPs should focus on?

Creating a digital space for global collaboration and connection is also an excellent suggestion. It would allow DAO members working worldwide to come together, exchange ideas, and collaborate on various initiatives. This digital platform could serve as a hub for sharing knowledge, resources, and fostering a sense of community.

I appreciate your belief in the potential of this concept, and I agree that finding the right implementation strategy is crucial. Your proposal offers an alternative perspective that aligns with the decentralized nature of the DAO, enabling broader participation and supporting members worldwide.

I will definitely consider incorporating your ideas into the ongoing discussions and exploring the feasibility of implementing them within the ApeCoin DAO Founders Circle initiative. Thank you for your valuable input and for contributing to the development of this concept.

-Mr. Hype

[MisterHype]

Hi @NANA,

Thank you for sharing your opinion and expressing interest in the concept. I appreciate your input and the creative ideas you’ve suggested.

I want to refine the matter of the Founders Circle space to clarify the intention behind it. The goal is not simply to create a common space, but rather to establish a dedicated space where the local community we decide to target, can connect with the values and offerings we provide as a DAO.

This space will serve as a platform to showcase and market the ApeCoin DAO, similar to how companies like Amazon or Microsoft operate. If the proposal were solely about offering a place for co-working, I would agree with you that starting with existing co-working locations, based on thorough research, could be a viable approach.

However, the intention behind the proposal goes beyond providing co-working spaces. It aims to offer education and events, foster connections with additional communities, and ultimately expand the reach of our DAO.

I’m glad that the idea has sparked your imagination, and I value your suggestions about testing the appetite for existing co-working locations in select cities. Here another imagination what about the blueprint will show up on the otherside and share the live events in the Founders Circle’s deed?

Thank you once again for your contribution and for sharing your thoughts. Your input is important as we continue to refine and develop this concept.

-Mr. Hype

[MisterHype]

Hi @SeraStargirl,

Thank you for your response and for raising important questions regarding the selection of Tel Aviv as a potential location for the initiative. I appreciate your curiosity and desire to see data supporting the benefits of this placement for DAO members.

To address your concerns, I would like to clarify that the choice of Tel Aviv as a proposed location was not influenced by personal bias. In fact, I don’t reside in Tel Aviv (and in the next months will become EU citizen - ), the decision was made after careful consideration and evaluation of various factors.

1. Tel Aviv has gained recognition as a thriving center for technology and innovation. It has fostered a vibrant ecosystem of startups, investors, and talent, making it an attractive hub for blockchain and Web3 communities. This presents a unique opportunity for like-minded individuals to connect and collaborate.

2. The fact that Amazon chose Tel Aviv as the pilot location for its collaborative offices (among four global locations, germany, nordic, spain) demonstrates the city’s appeal and further supports its suitability as a potential hub for the DAO. Examining the strategies of large companies can provide valuable insights and guide our decision-making process.

3. The initial suggestion of Tel Aviv stemmed from my experience and basic understanding of the costs involved. This allowed us to initiate a discussion and collectively decide whether we should further explore the idea. However, I fully acknowledge that comprehensive data and research are essential to provide a more informed perspective.

Moving forward, I completely agree with the need for concrete data to support the choice of location and demonstrate its impact on the DAO. That’s why I suggestion to hiring consulting firm to help us decide where is the place we should start with and where to expend to. Conducting thorough research and analysis will be a priority as we refine and develop the initiative. This will enable us to assess the potential benefits, determine the most suitable location for our first establishment, and subsequently expand to additional locations based on achieving specific goals.

I appreciate your feedback and emphasize the importance of transparency and informed decision-making. It is essential that any proposal, including the choice of location, is supported by data and offers clear benefits to the DAO and its members.

Thank you for bringing up these points and highlighting the significance of data-driven decision-making. Your input is invaluable as we continue to shape and improve the initiative.

-Mr. Hype

[MisterHype]

Hi @Zoopie,

Thank you for your response and for sharing your support for the ApeCoin DAO Founders Circle’s initiative. I’m glad to hear that you find the concept of a collaborative co-working space and event hub compelling. The combination of physical and digital interactions, along with the comprehensive resources for startups, truly fosters innovation and creates a dynamic work environment.

I believe that with the collective input and collaboration of the community, we can shape an initiative that truly resonates and delivers value.

-Mr. Hype

[MisterHype]

Hi @dar,

Thank you for your thoughtful feedback and for sharing your insights on the ApeCoin DAO Founders Circle’s proposal. I appreciate your analysis and suggestions, and I’d like to address your points in this response.

1. The rental amount mentioned in the proposal is based on the average price per square meter in Tel Aviv. It serves as an initial basis for examining the idea together. In Tel Aviv, the prices for long-term and short-term rentals are relatively similar, which is why the estimate is not limited to a specific lease duration.

2. I fully agree with your observation about the additional costs of services, insurance, and operations. These aspects should be considered and factored into the budget. Ensuring the inclusion of these expenses will provide a more accurate representation of the overall financial requirements for the initiative.

3. Establishing clear objectives and key results (OKRs) is indeed crucial for measuring success and tracking the impact of the initiative. I share your view on the importance of modeling the expected number of individuals served by the space, the cost per person, and the projected reach on a team basis. Incorporating these metrics will allow for better evaluation and performance tracking. It will also provide a clearer understanding of the initiative’s effectiveness and highlight areas for improvement.

4. While renting common spaces initially may seem like a cost-effective approach, it may miss the point of the proposal. The intention is to create a conference center that will enable us to host various companies from the local industry and introduce them to the activities and offerings of our DAO. By having our dedicated space, we can showcase our work and foster stronger connections with the local community.

5. As I see it, with the ability to accommodate about 50 people in the common space and approximately 200 people in the conference center, we have the potential to host numerous events throughout the year. With around 100 events annually, we can expose our activities to thousands of individuals connected to others in the industry. Additionally, the content upload to the website will further extend our reach to the international community.

Your suggestions and insights have been instrumental in refining the proposal, and I appreciate your contribution. If you have any further insights or ideas, please feel free to share them. I dm you.

-Mr. Hype