TL;DR
- Gitcoin announces a restructuring focused on improving the grants infrastructure rather than funding public goods.
- The platform is divided into two business units to coordinate specific product work and handle community and governance matters.
- The DAO will adopt a structure similar to “Labs” to ensure stability in software development and assign specific tasks through token voting, focusing on grants for the year 2024.
Gitcoin, the open-source software funding platform, announced a restructuring to shift its focus from funding public goods to enhancing the grants infrastructure specifically designed for the Ethereum ecosystem.
Since its launch in May 2021, Gitcoin operated with a relatively flat organizational structure, without a CEO at the helm. However, as the DAO evolved, transitioning from an impact-focused approach to a more technology-centric one, a lack of alignment with the existing structure became evident.
🌿 Inspired by the incredible creativity and innovative spirit within our community, we're thrilled to launch the Ecosystem Collective subDAO! Aimed at nurturing the Gitcoin ecosystem and the broader web3 grants industry, this initiative will guide our community and governance.
— Gitcoin (@gitcoin) February 5, 2024
In this context, Kyle Weiss, Gitcoin’s executive director, shared that the organization experienced some disconnection. In a fully remote environment, where contributors participate from virtually every continent, ensuring stability, efficient operations, and software development with a core group of individuals who have context has become essential.
Gitcoin Splits Into Two Units to Improve Governance and Work More Efficiently
As part of the restructuring plan, Gitcoin formed two distinct business units. One will focus on coordinating specific product work, while a subDAO will handle community and governance-related matters.
Weiss highlighted that over the years, Gitcoin experimented with various products, some of which proved to be distractions, while others significantly contributed to its growth. However, he emphasized that the main focus for 2024 will be on grants. The intention is to closely associate Gitcoin with this aspect, moving away from the narrative centered on funding public goods.
To facilitate this transition, the DAO will abandon independent workstreams to adopt a structure more similar to “Labs,” a common approach among existing protocol development teams, such as Uniswap Labs or OP Labs of Optimism.
The goal is to ensure stability in software development and assign specific tasks through token voting. This will enable software development teams to have stronger leadership and make more defined decisions, while the community remains focused on achieving results through grant programs via token voting.
The open-source platform is positioning itself to build world-class software, recognizing the need to balance community participation with effective decision-making in technological development
