DAO Summoning

DAO summoning refers to the process of creating or establishing a DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization). A DAO is a unique form of organization that operates on the blockchain, allowing for decentralized decision-making and ownership. Unlike traditional companies or organizations that have centralized authority, DAOs are governed by smart contracts and operate based on predefined rules and protocols.

DAO summoning is commonly used when forming a new Moloch DAO, but it can also apply to the creation of any other DAO. The first DAO to be summoned was the MolochDAO, initiated by Ameen Soleimani on February 14th, 2019 at ETHDenver. This groundbreaking event marked the beginning of a new era in decentralized governance.

To summon a DAO, all the necessary infrastructure can be deployed within seconds. Various tools and platforms have been developed to simplify the summoning process, allowing users to create a new DAO with just a few clicks. One such platform is DAOhaus, which serves as the home for purpose-driven community DAOs.

The term “summon” is used in the context of forming a new DAO to emphasize the importance of rallying a community around a shared purpose or common values. It reflects the core principles of DAOs, which are based on distributed and collective ownership. Unlike traditional organizations that prioritize profit and hierarchical structures, DAOs prioritize inclusivity, transparency, and decentralized decision-making.

DAO summoning also involves the process of gathering new members for a DAO. A “DAO summoner” takes on the role of inviting individuals to join the DAO, assembling the initial group of members. In the initial versions of the Moloch DAO framework, the DAO summoner was the only initial member, requiring active recruitment efforts to expand the community. However, in later versions, such as version 2.1, a new DAO can be summoned with multiple initial members, known as “multi-summoning.”

Let’s dive deeper into the concept of DAO summoning and its significance in the blockchain ecosystem:

What is the Significance of DAO Summoning?

DAO summoning plays a crucial role in enabling decentralized governance and community-driven decision-making. By summoning a DAO, individuals can come together to pursue shared goals, contribute resources, and collectively manage assets. This approach eliminates the need for centralized intermediaries and allows for greater autonomy and transparency.

DAO summoning is particularly significant because it empowers communities to leverage blockchain technology for various purposes, including funding, project management, and resource allocation. It enables individuals from different parts of the world to collaborate without traditional barriers, making DAOs truly global and inclusive.

What are examples of DAO Summoning?

The formation of the MolochDAO is a significant example of DAO summoning. Ameen Soleimani summoned the MolochDAO to support Ethereum ecosystem projects by pooling resources and making collective funding decisions. The MolochDAO successfully distributed grants to various projects, fostering innovation and development within the Ethereum community.

Another example of DAO summoning is the DAOstack ecosystem, which offers a framework for the creation and management of DAOs. With DAOstack, users can summon and govern DAOs tailored to specific needs, such as decentralized project management or decentralized investment funds.

DAOhaus, the platform mentioned earlier, allows users to summon their own purpose-driven community DAOs. It provides a user-friendly interface for creating a new DAO, customizing its parameters, and managing its operations without the need for extensive technical knowledge.

What is the DAO Summoning Process?

The process of summoning a DAO involves several steps, which may vary depending on the platform or tools used. Here is a general overview of the process:

1. Define the Purpose: The first step is to define the purpose and mission of the DAO. This includes determining the goals, values, and decision-making processes that will guide the DAO’s operations.
2. Choose the Platform: Next, choose a platform or tool for summoning the DAO. There are various options available, such as DAOhaus, Aragon, or DAOstack. Consider the features, ease of use, and community support offered by each platform.
3. Customize Parameters: Once you have selected a platform, customize the parameters of your DAO. This includes defining the governance model, voting mechanisms, membership requirements, and other settings specific to your DAO’s needs.
4. Deploy the DAO: After customizing the parameters, deploy the DAO on the chosen platform. This typically involves interacting with smart contracts and blockchain transactions to create the DAO’s infrastructure.
5. Invite Members: As the DAO summoner, you will invite individuals to join the DAO. This can be done through various channels, such as social media, forums, or personal networks. The goal is to assemble an initial group of members who share the DAO’s vision.
6. Manage and Govern: Once the DAO is summoned and the initial members are onboarded, the governance process begins. Members can propose and vote on various proposals, such as funding requests, project ideas, or changes to the DAO’s operations. The collective decisions are executed through smart contracts.

What is the Evolution of DAO Summoning?

Since the inception of DAO summoning, the process has evolved significantly. Early versions of DAO frameworks, like the Moloch DAO, had limitations such as requiring a single initial member or limited scalability. However, subsequent versions and new platforms have addressed these limitations and introduced new features.

For example, multi-summoning, introduced in version 2.1 of the Moloch DAO framework, allowed multiple initial members to be part of the summoning process. This change increased the diversity and distribution of power within the DAO from its very inception.

New platforms, such as DAOstack and Aragon, have introduced more advanced governance mechanisms and user-friendly interfaces. These platforms provide templates, modules, and tools to make DAO summoning and management more accessible to a wider range of users.

What is the conclusion?

DAO summoning is the process of creating or establishing a DAO, a decentralized organization governed by smart contracts on the blockchain. It allows individuals to come together, define shared goals, and collectively manage resources and decision-making. DAO summoning plays a significant role in fostering decentralized governance, empowering communities, and promoting transparency and inclusivity.

With platforms like DAOhaus, Aragon, and DAOstack, summoning a DAO has become more accessible and user-friendly. These platforms provide tools and interfaces that simplify the process, allowing anyone to create their own purpose-driven community DAO in just a few clicks.

As blockchain technology continues to evolve, DAO summoning is expected to play a vital role in reshaping traditional organizational structures, fostering collaboration, and promoting global community-driven initiatives.

Author: Collectively authored by DAOhaus

DAOhaus is a platform that serves as the home for purpose-driven community DAOs. It has evolved from a hackathon project in 2019 to a fully-fledged platform hosting over 1,000 DAOs. DAOhaus allows users to incorporate the functionalities of DAOs into their own projects without the need to handle the complexities of writing smart contracts or building dApps. Launching a DAO through DAOhaus is a simple process that can be completed in just a few clicks.