With the launch of The Sandbox DAO, our global community — citizens of a new digital nation in the making — is invited to propose and participate in governance decisions, helping us shape the future of the open metaverse.

Introduction

At The Sandbox, we’re building an open metaverse, where anyone around the world has the ability, through our tools and platform, to own their creations, publish unique experiences on virtual LANDs, and connect with people in new and meaningful ways. With over five million users, The Sandbox ecosystem was established using blockchain technology, incorporating Web3 elements and NFTs, so that ultimately the platform could be run and managed by the community it serves.

Today, we celebrate the launch of The Sandbox DAO, a significant milestone towards our realization of an open metaverse, where our users can now participate in the decisions and development of the platform. Thus, The Sandbox community of players, owners, creators, and brands, are able to express their voice by submitting proposals and voting on topics such as:

• Product improvements and requests including new gameplays, communication tools (i.e. emojis, voice chat), and avatar utilities.
• Upcoming platform events and the amount of reward mechanics.
• Defining the players status for SAND and LAND owners based on the number of LANDS or NFTs they own.
• And more!

“We believe a gaming open metaverse must be governed by all users: creators, players, and LAND owners to make it timeless and push the boundaries of our community. Blockchain technology enables a full decentralized system of decisions and power to people. We think Fortnite or Roblox will adopt it at one point,” said Arthur MADRID, CEO & Co-Founder of The Sandbox

Back in 2020, we took a first step in decentralizing the economy of the platform by introducing the SAND utility tokens. In doing so, we were able to empower creators, allowing them to buy and sell virtual plots of LANDS, publish their creations on the marketplace, and earn SAND that they could exchange for FIAT globally, without an intermediary on either centralized or decentralized exchanges. Today SAND is a Top 10 Gaming token and Top 100 cryptocurrency, with utilities beyond The Sandbox platform.

The launch of The Sandbox DAO is yet another step that will allow The Sandbox to continue to exist in full autonomy, building a timeless, open world platform that is ruled and governed by its users.

“The launch of The Sandbox DAO marks a significant milestone in our journey to build the open metaverse, together. Four years ago, we began empowering a new generation of creators through decentralization, blockchain, and NFTs. These creators are now the citizens of a digital nation in the making and hold the power to decide how the platform should evolve and what initiatives it will support,” said Sebastien Borget, COO & Co-Founder of The Sandbox. “I can’t wait to see how each of us will take action in supporting good causes, growing the ecosystem, and paving its future.”

Our Rollout Plan

This May, The Sandbox introduces our Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO), inviting our engaged, global community to build the future of the metaverse with us. This groundbreaking initiative, rolling out in three phases with a treasury of 25 million $SAND, marks a new era in decentralized governance. Each member of the DAO effectively becomes a virtual citizen of a new digital nation in the making and can help propose and vote on projects that will contribute to the growth of The Sandbox ecosystem. With this launch, user participation and governance become central components of The Sandbox’s operation. This move aligns with our core values of transparency and inclusivity, ensuring that every voice can contribute to the growth and direction of our ecosystem.

Since the release of The Sandbox Whitepaper, we’ve diligently crafted a platform empowering everyone — creators, players, owners, and brands — to construct, own, and profit from their virtual endeavors. With the introduction of The Sandbox DAO, we’re taking a step closer to realizing our vision by empowering our community to actively participate in our platform’s governance, from determining how we structure Game Jams to launching education-related projects to supporting positive impact and charitable causes we should invest in.

We’ve chosen to implement a progressive rollout for The Sandbox DAO. This was done for two key reasons. First, we want to ensure a thoughtful and well-executed launch. This allows us to test and iterate on the DAO’s functionality as we progress, enabling us to learn from any challenges that arise and make necessary adjustments along the way, ultimately leading to a more robust and effective system.

Second, we understand the importance of setting ourselves up for long-term success. We’re taking a deliberate and measured approach to ensure we’re prepared for sustainable growth. By involving our community in the journey from the beginning, we can benefit from diverse perspectives and collective wisdom, enhancing the overall success of the DAO.

The phases of progressive decentralization are as follows:

Phase One, DAO Debut (Starting May 28th): Phase One is the initial iteration of our DAO and will have a limited scope of capabilities. SAND and LAND owners can vote for the Sandbox Improvement Proposals (SIPs) they believe in and want to see come to life. The community can propose SIPs via a form on The Sandbox DAO website and must send them via email to sip@sandboxdao.com. Submissions will be reviewed by the DAO Project Management Team for curation and further developed in partnership with the submitter. At this early stage, some operations, such as finance, will still be managed by The Sandbox staff, but The Sandbox DAO will have its own tools and money.

Phase Two, Exploration: During this phase, the DAO will gain more autonomy. Consequently, The Sandbox DAO will become self-reliant, no longer dependent on The Sandbox’s staff.

Phase Three, Full Launch: In Phase Three, we will unveil the full scope and opportunities of the DAO. The community will be empowered to propose and vote on SIPs, fostering a decentralized decision-making process similar to phase one, but SIPs will happen more organically, and the curation process will decrease. SIPs put forth by community members will undergo community voting, ensuring inclusivity and transparency in the DAO’s governance.

The Sandbox DAO Council and Advisors

The Sandbox DAO will be composed of two critical groups: Council and Advisors. Each party plays a different role in supporting the development and function of the DAO. The Council is responsible for reviewing SIPs and providing guidance on proposals, ensuring they align with the DAO’s vision and community interests. Council members have decision-making power and have the ability to veto proposals based on legality, redundancy, conflict, and community interests.

For the Council, The Sandbox DAO is collaborating with a select group of trusted partners. The initial SIPs were handpicked by these partners for their potential to elevate The Sandbox’s ecosystem. They will lay a solid foundation for the DAO’s future, where all members will have an opportunity to submit, propose, vote, and decide on funded SIPs.

For the Special Counsel, we have chosen:

1. Sebastian Borget, who is the Co-Founder and COO of The Sandbox provides a rich perspective and deep knowledge of the platform as he’s led the company for the past twelve years.
2. Frederic Montagnon, an engineer and Chairman of the Arianee Project, a widely used protocol for tokenized digital product passports. Montagnon is an investor in tech that enhances digital sovereignty and those that optimize the use of resources.
3. Jean-Michel Pailhon, Founder of Grail Capital, provides a deep understanding of Digital art and collectibles.
4. Yat Siu is the Co-Founder and CEO of Animoca Brands, a Hong Kong-based game software and venture capital company and parent company of The Sandbox. Sui’s in-depth knowledge of the Web3 space and a deep understanding of gaming thanks to his leadership at Animoca Brands, will help The Sandbox grow in new ways.
5. Shannon Snow, the COO of World of Women, one of the world’s leading web3 brands celebrating inclusion in the next era of the web, provides an important understanding of the NFT space and how it fits into the larger entertainment and film/TV industry.

Advisors exist to act as cultural ambassadors and strategic advisors, leveraging their expertise and networks to guide the DAO toward achieving its vision of a decentralized, vibrant metaverse. The Advisors were selected because they are leaders in their respective fields, and known for their contributions and influence. They have deep connections within their sectors and an understanding or interest in Web3 technology.

For the Advisory Board, we have chosen:

1. Mia Bao, Co-Founder of DAOBase, brings over seven years of invaluable experience in product management and strategic marketing. She is the leading aggregator and database for DAOs and also the founder of BeepCrypto, a forward-thinking marketing agency dedicated to bridging the cultural and market divide between the East and the West. Her influential contributions have impacted industry projects such as Animoca Brands, The Sandbox, YGG, NIKE, and many more.
2. Anthony Chau, the Co-Founder and CEO Of Chord Hero, brings his knowledge and expertise as a leader at the forefront of educational innovation. Since 2019, Chau has spearheaded Chord Hero’s mission to democratize music learning while pioneering novel approaches to education.
3. Dr. Loretta Chen, CEO and Co-Founder at SmoblerStudios. A multifaceted and influential figure in the arts, media, advocacy, and education scene for over two decades, Chen will offer insights on how to build a Metaverse for Good and drive positive change.
4. Zaf Chow, who is an expert in art and museums and a passionate advocate of Web3 development and adoption, will offer insights into how Web3 can create a more equitable future. Chow’s dedication to bringing positive change to traditional business sectors and her deep understanding of Web3’s potential makes her a driving force in advancing the adoption of decentralized technologies and empowering the next generation of digital pioneers.
5. Samuel Choy, the General Manager of Bliss Concepts Limited (McDull), will offer insights into original IPs and publications, animated TV & features, branding, licensing, and business developments. Thanks to his work on “Mcdull & Mcmug,” Choy has deep knowledge of financing, production, promotion, and distribution.
6. Inna Modja, the CEO of Code Green, is a Malian-French artist, filmmaker, and global advocate for gender and climate justice. Her 15-year tenure as an activist has made her an expert on social causes like fighting female genital mutilation and climate change. Passionate about social, gender, and climate justice, she’s a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), contributing to finding solutions to fight against desertification and drought.
7. Matheus Vivian, Co-Founder and CEO of Hermit Crab Studio, brings his sports and game development background to The Sandbox DAO, offering a fresh perspective into new globally relevant content categories.

The Foundation

The Sandbox DAO Foundation will be established to be the steward tasked with administering the decisions of the DAO and managing the accompanying operations, including management of the treasury and employment of the DAO support team.

DAOs and Sandbox Improvement Proposals (SIPs)

DAOs are commonly used in the crypto and Web3 space to allow people to engage in platform governance. The Sandbox DAO facilitates this by enabling owners and creators to vote on significant decisions and initiatives that shape the platform.

These initiatives, known as “Sandbox Improvement Proposals” (or SIPs), can fall into several categories, including Governance, Game Content, Charity, and more. The initial five SIPs, outlined below, have been proposed by The Sandbox DAO leadership team and act as foundational proposals to initiate the DAO’s operations. Community members with five SAND or one LAND can vote on SIPs in the DAO. This promotes a diverse and inclusive community where every voice counts.

The first three SIPs that eligible community members can vote on are foundational. These SIPs are standard for DAOs and, upon confirmation by the community, grant the right for the DAO to exist.

• SIP 1 “Introducing The Sandbox DAO”: The inaugural SIP introduces The Sandbox DAO and its constitution. By voting ‘approve’ on this SIP, community members signal their approval of the constitution.
• SIP 2 “The Sandbox DAO Foundation”: The Foundation equips the community with the essential tools and resources to execute and implement DAO resolutions. This allows the DAO to serve as a platform for members of The Sandbox community to actively participate in the development and operation of our ecosystem by voting their tokens (e.g., SAND, LAND, Assets, and Avatars). Voting to approve the Foundation (Administration) establishes it as the steward tasked with administering the decisions of the DAO and managing the accompanying operations, including management of the treasury and employment of the DAO support team.
• SIP 3 “Year One Budget”: Community members will vote to approve the Year One budget of 25 Million SAND per year (allocated from roughly 130 Million SAND in The Sandbox Reserve). Inside the SIP, you can review how the budget will be allocated.

Two additional SIPs are currently live for voting, focused on the positive impact that The Sandbox can drive on the real world, sharing our values and vision of a “Metaverse for Good”:

• SIP 4 “Carbon Capture (with NZC)”: This initiative underscores The Sandbox’s commitment to global sustainability efforts. Proposed by NZC, The Sandbox will enter into an agreement to purchase CDR tokens from the Net Zero Company. By investing 100,000 USD in carbon capture, the community can help remove approximately 2,500 metric tons of CO2, equivalent to offsetting the electricity consumption of over 400 homes for a year. This initiative highlights significant energy savings and promotes environmental protection.
• SIP 5 “Red Cross (with Yobike)”: This initiative focuses on humanitarian efforts that integrate with blockchain technology. We aim to sell at least 400,000 SAND tokens worth of NFTs in 2024 (more than 80k SAND already sold) via five media drops and to position The Sandbox as the Red Cross’ preferred Web3 partner. People are voting to authorize The Sandbox to give a SAND Pool Prize to the Experience in order to attract players to play and buy some NFTs and Red Cross-themed NTFs.

Once SIPs are classified as “In-process,” they follow the specific timeline and guidelines outlined in the proposal. The Sandbox Improvement Proposals must follow a set of guidelines laid out by the DAO Team. Published SIPs will only be available to vote for up to fourteen days after they are published.

Building the Future, Together

Our introduction of a DAO is designed to foster trust and promote a sense of belonging among the members of our community by being transparent about every decision and process. This transparency isn’t solely about ensuring clarity but also about fostering a community where every individual’s contribution is valued and considered.

The Sandbox DAO is more than just a governance model; it’s a commitment to our community. By encouraging active participation, fostering inclusivity, and ensuring transparency, we’re paving the way for a platform that is not only built for the community but also by it.

Join us today!

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The Sandbox DAO: Vote on the Future of the Metaverse was originally published in The Sandbox on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.