AGV Council Application - coinflipcanada
Personal Information
Full Name: coinflipcanada
Contact Information:
Current Occupation: Addicted to DAOs and DeFi, other vices don’t compare
Country of Residence / Time Zone: UAE (UTC+4)
Core Competency: Governance & Policy Leader
I have the skills and background to also apply under Strategy / Operations Leader or Business Development / Growth Leader, but applying under Governance & Policy Leader reflects the role I’ve contributed most actively to on the current council, and reflects the unique area of insight I bring to the program.
Having worked through AGV’s establishment phase, I bring not just governance expertise but the specific context of how this program’s governance structures were designed, why certain decisions were made, and where refinement (rather than restructuring) is needed.
Additional Information
Provide specific examples from their experience to support your selection.
A long history with this program which provides me unique institutional knowledge and context, including working to ensure that it functions in a manner that is strongly aligned with Arbitrum. My involvement spans:
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Initial Development: Worked with other delegates and AAEs (before we actually used to call them that) to stand up a venture vehicle (even if gaming wasn’t necessarily the one I would have liked to see Arbitrum establish first)
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GCP Interim Transparency Committee: Participated in identifying where the original working group’s desired operational model may not align with what the DAO wanted to see and ensuring both the election process and overall oversight was better positioned leading into the initial election (while honoring commitments from the original Tally proposal)
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Inaugural GCP Council: Ran for and served on the first GCP Council to ensure the DAO-led process for organizational alignment was maintained
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Structural Development: Actively participated in structuring the bylaws and delegation of authority, through hiring up the organization including the council working to bring on industry veteran Michael Chang as GM giving us a strong Gaming and Venture core and working to ensure that by the end of this first term the entity is able to be responsive to the DAO (although work still remains to ensure consistency and commitment)
My effectiveness stems from my ability to focus singularly on Arbitrum DAO’s interests rather than applying general DAO governance frameworks, most of which haven’t been applied to venture. I understand what Arbitrum specifically needs from AGV and how it fits into our broader ecosystem strategy. This provides essential balance to a council otherwise composed primarily of gaming and venture industry professionals who bring critical domain expertise. We need both: strong gaming/venture voices AND strong Arbitrum-aligned voices. My involvement ensures AGV remains focused on its clear role: serving Arbitrum’s ecosystem growth.
I’m running to ensure we don’t lose momentum on the work started. AGV remains hopefully the first of many investment/treasury related initiatives (and entities) that we pursue as we take a more economically driven approach to growing the DAO. We shouldn’t keep reinventing the wheel, making the same mistakes and suffering needless delays. As an active delegate, including as we move into a more AAE-driven direction, I have a unique grasp on the DAO’s goals, programs and stakeholders, letting us cut through the noise, help others get things done and unlock the potential of these DAO-controlled businesses to serve the greater vision of Arbitrum.
Simply having done the job before doesn’t guarantee I can do it best going forward. I think people can realistically say they felt frustrated that AGV wasn’t as responsive on a week-by-week or month-by-month basis to the DAO during the first term. That frustration is understandable.
I chose to prioritize my efforts on advocating for building durable governance systems over quick fixes, advocating for foundations rather than expedient solutions that weren’t long-term sustainable or would cause future disputes, even when that meant slower visible public progress. I worked to ensure the DAO would have strong influence on the program without needing to go to extremes, which meant choosing to work quietly on structure rather than publicly.
The operating team should be able to execute swiftly on their mandate, but oversight rights can’t be traded away for operational convenience. Effective oversight doesn’t mean micromanagement, it means the team can operate with confidence knowing the guardrails are clear and consistently applied. That’s what enables speed sustainably, but building those systems doesn’t happen overnight and work still remains.
The fact that AGV has clearly turned the corner in recent months reflects both the strong team assembled and the governance foundation that now enables them to operate effectively. That work positions us to move forward with both clarity and speed.
Next Term Priorities
To be clear, what I’m reflecting below is what I hope to encourage fellow council members to also believe in and give clear guidance to the team for improving the program and its impact on the Arbitrum ecosystem. It is not the job of oversight to do all such things, but to ensure we can convey to the team what we want and be effective in having that happen.
Building Beyond Single-Term Thinking
Ensure we have clear systems to successfully manage investments that will extend and be monetized over horizons longer than the currently approved program timeline. AGV’s portfolio will outlive any single council term or program authorization—we need governance structures that handle this reality deliberately, not as an afterthought, regardless of what direction the DAO eventually takes with this program.
Deeper Integration with the Arbitrum Ecosystem
With AGV now having clear operational leadership, we have an opportunity for cleaner lines of communication across AAEs and deeper collaboration. OpCo’s recent involvement in administering elections shows how AAEs can support each other operationally. AGV can work more closely with the Arbitrum Foundation on grants to streamline decision making and hand off between potential gaming partners, work to seehow we can make our DeFi infrastructure more accessible to gaming chains, like through OCL-led interoperability efforts, or the Defi network Entropy has been reinforcing.
Creating Replicable Frameworks
Ensure that AGV becomes an exportable and replicable framework that makes further investment programs feasible if the DAO decides to pursue them, including any revamps of existing treasury initiatives. We shouldn’t keep reinventing the wheel, the governance structures, operational patterns, and oversight mechanisms we’ve built should serve as blueprints, not one-offs.
Cultural Alignment, Not Just Structural
Ensuring that AAEs are aligned with the DAO isn’t just structural: it’s cultural. AGV’s team genuinely wants to serve Arbitrum’s growth and have the DAO’s voice heard in strategic decisions. The challenge in the first term wasn’t lack of willingness, but was lack of established pathways for how to do this effectively and a large learning curve to get the program off the ground. My focus is on fostering these communication channels and decision-making patterns so that alignment happens naturally and consistently, not just when formally required. Building this culture takes time and intentional practice, but the foundation and goodwill are there.
Other Involvement
Are you involved with any other networks from a governance perspective? If so, please list the DAOs and networks.
I am not involved in any competitive DAOs from a governance perspective but am a Core contributor to the GMX DAO, a leading DeFi protocol on Arbitrum and other blockchains.
Do you work for a gaming related company? If yes, please list the company or companies you are employed by and confirm if this company intends on applying for any AGV programs?
No
References and Links
Are you willing to complete appropriate non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), KYC requirements, and other necessary documents?
Yes. For reference, KYC and NDAs have already been executed with the GCP Foundation (AGV) as part of my role on the GCP Council, and I’ve respected and honoured such agreements.
References:
References include individuals who have previously directly worked with me on AGV/GCP matters and can speak to the nature of effective oversight of AAEs
Andreea - Arbitrum Foundation
Patrick McCorry - Arbitrum Foundation
AJ Warner - Offchain Labs
Disclosures
Please disclose all of the applicant’s actual and potential conflicts of interest, including but not limited to financial, personal, DAO governance, and professional.
As a core contributor to GMX, I actively advocate on behalf of the GMX DAO. The nature of such activity includes involvement in Arbitrum Governance (although that is led by the GMX DAO’s governance committee, which I’m not a member of).
I actively invest within the Crypto space, but with most investments being in DeFi and Infrastructure, there has been no known conflicts to date and I would recuse if one were to arise.
Additionally, please disclose all active contributor roles and payment streams related to the Arbitrum DAO that the applicant and entities with which they have a professional or financial relationship have and are receiving.
I’m a member of the AGV oversight council, and currently draw compensation from there. I have previously served on various councils, committees and multisigs on behalf of the Arbitrum DAO but draw no current compensation from any such roles.
I’m not currently a participant in the DAO’s Delegate Incentive Program but may or may not participate in the future depending on the nature and obligations of the program.
GMX activities are supported by the Arbitrum DAO through programs including DRIP (user liquidity incentives distributed by the Arbitrum DAO directly to users), and the Audit Support Program and will likely be supported in the future as GMX remains an active participant in the Arbitrum ecosystem.
Declarations
By submitting an application, the applicant understands that any offer to join and hold a position in the AGV Council is contingent on the following compliance screenings and declarations:
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Successfully completing as well as maintaining updated all relevant non-disclosure agreements, KYC requirements, conflict of interest checks and disclosures, and other necessary documents
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Not currently, or within the last year, being a direct representative or full-time employee at a network competitor(s) (e.g., Solana, Polygon, Optimism)
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Being aligned with the community values listed in The Amended Constitution of the Arbitrum DAO, following the Code of Conduct for delegates, being committed to prioritizing the Arbitrum DAO’s needs, and acting in absolute good faith and utmost honesty to fulfill their duties to the best of their abilities.
The applicant confirms that they have read and understood all the content within this form and that the information submitted is accurate and complete:
Yes