Applicant / Nominee Information
- Full Name: Valentin Prossliner
- Contact Information: valentin.prossliner@gmail.com
- Current Occupation: General Manager @ dYdX Ops subDAO
- Country of Residence / Time Zone: Cayman Islands / ET-1
Applicant / Nominee Qualifications and Experience
- Identify one of the domains described within the Desired Qualifications section in the OpCo - Oversight and Transparency Committee (OAT) Application Process Overview forum post in which you have the most experience and describe that experience:
First hire and now General Manager and a Director of the dYdX Operations subDAO. The subDAO runs community-owned infrastructure for the dYdX Chain, most notably the web and mobile front ends, the Chain indexer, and fosters communication among the independent chain validators. As such I built a highly skilled team leading it throughout the transition to, and launch of the dYdX Chain and our expansion since. This experience positions me perfectly for the OAT as I have first-hand experience in building and expanding a subDAO entity, by doing that I have shown to be competent in all of the three mentioned areas.
Within the last 8 years I have supported various orgs on Stategy&Operations - from leading a team of 40 at at the time Youtube’s most successful children animation studio, to setting up a DAO from scratch for an NFT company, which was producing NFTs for Batman etc. On top of it as a trained mechanical engineer I thrive on designing processes, implementing new ones, and optimizing poor ones. Most recently I was brought in to manage the dYdX subDAO, which I scaled, recruiting top-tier talent across 3 different domains. As part of this I have to make sure that our strategy is aligned with the wider ecosystem (dYdX Labs, dYdX Foundation, the community, and other stakeholders) and financially sound. Additionally I am constantly forging new relationships with potential partners, service providers, etc.
- Describe your network and reputation within the blockchain/technology industry. Have you previously represented a crypto brand and/or navigated DAO governance:
With over four years in crypto I have built a large network of degens and professionals across multiple ecosystems (Maker, the LAO, Nansen),but most relevant to OpCo is the the network I built as GM for the dYdX Operations subDAO. This includes contacts
- at financial service providers to get quick access to TradFi (Rain, Reap, Harris&Trotter)
- DeFi for on-chain financial services (Steakhouse, Karpatkey). - crypto legal counsels across jurisdictions with high trading volumes
- legal & tax counsels in crypto favorable countries (e.g., Caymans, BVI, Panama, Guernsey).
Beyond that on multiple occasions, I have represented dYdX (0xResearch Podcast, Eth Denver Panel), and navigating DAO governance is my day-to-day.
- Detail your experience in advisory, governance, and/or oversight roles:
Starting in 2021 I have been involved in many different DAOs as a community member and contributor, and since I started at the dYdX Ops subDAO I have lived and breathed governance. This ranges from drafting proposals for community approval of initiatives that go beyond the previously approved mandate, to funding proposals for term extensions and regular community and finance updates on the subDAO’s activities and performance. Making sure the subDAO serves the community mandate and providing insight into how the subDAO can do so are my highest priorities.
- Have you previously contributed to the Arbitrum DAO? Describe any relevant experiences through which you’ve gained an understanding of the DAO’s current structure, contributors, and programs:
I have not actively contributed to the Arbitrum DAO yet. I have however followed the proposal for the OpCo very closely and also added a couple of comments to the discussion, sharing some of the lessons I have learned at dYdX. Additionally, I was able to have fruitful discussions with some team members from Entropy, L2Beat, Areta, and other delegates during ETHDenver—from what I understand, the DAO is struggling with operations across most of the many initiatives that are currently being pursued by the DAO. This includes but is not limited to, a lack of overview of what programs are ongoing, how they are performing, and what the DAO’s overall vision, strategy, and priority for these is.
Additionally, the current ARDC V2 Ops Lead is my wife (see also Disclosures below)—as a result, despite not having actively contributed I am well aware of the Arbitrum DAO dynamics, programs, and challenges.
- Given the scope of OpCo is relatively broad in its current form, describe how you view OpCo’s role within the DAO and what it should accomplish to deem the entity a success over the next 3-5 years:
OpCo’s role
- Operational efficiency within the DAO, developing and implementing standardized operations across the different DAO initiatives, while preserving their autonomy
- Coordination between initiatives and entities (OCL, AF, Entropy, GCP), enabling knowledge sharing between initiatives and contributors streamlining cooperation, and working towards a common goal
- Thought leadership, leading the conversation within the Arbitrum community forming a long-term strategy for the Arbitrum DAO, and advocating for the implementation thereof.
- Accountability, be accountable financially and work towards a common goal (to be defined by SOS)
What does success in 3-5 years look like:
1. Arbitrum DAO = efficiency
The DAO is a poster child on how a fully decentralized DAO can move with agility. Processes across initiatives are standardized, service providers enjoy working with the DAO and bureaucracy is at its minimum.
2. Arbitrum DAO = talent
The DAO is able to attract, retain and reward talented individuals who keep pushing the frontiers of finance and DAOs.
3. Arbitrum DAO = mission driven
The DAO has a North Star that is clear and transparent to the community and being pursued across initiatives.
References (Only complete if relevant)
- Please provide the name, position, and contact information of individuals who can attest to the applicant’s/nominee’s qualifications and character:
- Bernard Schmid @bernard, Co-Founder @ Areta
- Federico @federico, Investor @ Reverie
- Shaun Musuka (will share contact in private), CLO @ Steakhouse Financial
Disclosures
- Please disclose all of the applicant’s/nominee’s actual and potential conflicts of interest, including but not limited to financial, personal, DAO governance, and professional:
GM of dYdX Operations subDAO
The current ARDC V2 Ops Lead Tamara is my wife. She is also in the process of applying for the DIP. She will obviously abstain from the OAT elections.
- Please disclose all active contributor roles and payment streams related to the Arbitrum DAO that the applicant/nominee, and entities that they have a professional or financial relationship with, has and is receiving:
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Declarations
- The applicant/nominee understands that any offer to join and hold a position in the OAT is contingent on:
- Successfully completing as well as maintaining updated all relevant non-disclosure agreements, KYC requirements, and other necessary documents
- Not being a direct representative or full-time employee at network competitors (e.g., Solana, Polygon, Optimism)
- The person as well as any companies with which the person maintains a professional or financial relationship to relinquish any and all contributor roles within the Arbitrum DAO that were obtained through an official election or ratification process conducted via Snapshot or Tally
- The person as well as any companies with which the person maintains a professional or financial relationship to abstain from becoming an internal employee for OpCo, entering into service provider contracts with the entity, or applying for any contributor role within the Arbitrum DAO that requires an official election or ratification process through Snapshot or Tally
- The person as well as any companies with which the person maintains a professional or financial relationship to relinquish positions on other DAO initiatives’ or DAO-adjacent entities’ oversight committees or any other positions comparable in nature
- 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