Unveiling Metis Foundation: Empowering Decentralized Ecosystem Governance

7 min readMay 25, 2023

Today we are ecstatic to announce the official launch of the Metis Foundation. It is a significant milestone in our journey towards building a more decentralized, efficient, and inclusive blockchain ecosystem. This represents a new chapter in our mission to empower users and contributors across the Metis ecosystem.

In the spirit of transparency and to better inform our community about this exciting development, we’ve prepared a series of questions and answers to shed light on the Foundation’s role, the rationale behind its timing, how it will operate, and the plans we have in place for the future. We’ll also introduce the dynamic team of Decentralization Coordinators (DCs) who will help the Foundation function, as well as the EcoNodes and their leading teams that form the backbone of the Metis ecosystem.

Let’s delve into the details:

What are the roles of the Metis Foundation?

The Metis Foundations’ primary role will be to support the collaborative workspace for the Metis Community Builders, Commons and EcoNodes, advising on resource allocation, team building, governance, marketing activities, events and community development and continuing to host our flagship MetisFest for the community. The EcoNodes, on the other hand, will operate as independent entities and will need to sustain themselves independently.

Who will be supporting the Metis Foundation and its activities?

The Metis Foundation will be supported by a team of dedicated Decentralization Coordinators (DCs).

The first team of six DCs was appointed by current EcoNode members to jumpstart the work on the Commons and EcoNodes collaboration and governance model:

Elena: Elena, as the DC for People and Education, is responsible for fostering a healthy work environment, leading talent acquisition and retention, and ensuring continuous learning within the Foundation.
Yuan: Yuan, the DC for Innovation, is tasked with driving innovative practices within the Foundation. His role involves constantly exploring new technology and ideas that can contribute to the growth and development of the Metis ecosystem.
Natalia: As the DC for Planning, Natalia is responsible for overseeing the financial planning process, ensuring the Foundation’s adherence to its goals, and providing strategic support to the team.
Iryna: Iryna, as the DC for Marketing, is in charge of all marketing strategies and initiatives. Her role is crucial for enhancing the visibility of the Metis ecosystem and driving engagement and growth.
Kevin: As the DC for Strategy, Kevin is tasked with developing and driving strategic initiatives within the Foundation, ensuring alignment with the overarching vision and mission of the Metis ecosystem.
Andrei: Andrei is the DC for Process, responsible for establishing and managing processes within the Foundation, ensuring efficiency and productivity.

Future DCs will be nominated and voted in by all the EcoNodes, thus maintaining the decentralized nature of the Metis Foundation. These DCs are dedicated coordinators, ensuring smooth operations and coordination within the Foundation while supporting the vibrant Metis ecosystem.

Who are the EcoNodes and their leading teams in the Metis ecosystem?

The EcoNodes are integral components of the Metis ecosystem, each operating as a separate entity with its own dedicated team. While each EcoNode has a unique mission, they all contribute to the overall well-being of the entire ecosystem. Here’s an overview:

Metis L2: Led by CEO Tom Ngo，BD Lead Matt, DevRel Lead Rami, Educational Programs Lead Ashley, Community Lead Norbert, Ambassador Programs Lead Yaroslav, Marketing Lead Jose, and PR & Strategy Lead Daria, Metis L2 is the core value and cornerstone infrastructure for the entire Metis ecosystem. It plays a key role in powering the functionality and scalability of the Metis platform.
Nuvo: Under the leadership of CEO Caria and CTO Yuan, Nuvo empowers users with chain-agnostic technology, data exchange, and a reputation framework for projects and gamification. It plays a significant role in enhancing user experience and providing key services within the Metis ecosystem.
Koris: Koris is guided by CEO Pavel, CTO Chris, and COO Chelsea. It provides a solution for DAOs, web3 businesses, and internet-native companies to optimize the benefits of decentralized growth and on-chain operations.
P1X: P1X is led by CEO Andy and is a crucial player in the Metis ecosystem, managing the Asian community, marketing, incubation, and investment activities in Asian countries.
DAC Labs: Led by CEO Kevin and Tech Lead Dr. Reza, DAC Labs utilizes zero-knowledge technology to help Metis L2 upgrade to a Hybrid Rollup, ensuring long-term sustainability. In addition, DAC Labs aims to expand to other L2s and L1s (i.e. BNB, Celo, Avalanche, Polygon, Solana, etc.) and connect these networks with Ethereum, positioning Ethereum as the global settlement layer.

These EcoNodes, with their dedicated teams, play crucial roles in driving the growth and sustainability of the Metis ecosystem. They provide key infrastructure services and innovations while ensuring the decentralization and robustness of the Metis ecosystem.

Why is the Foundation being released now, rather than at the beginning?

There are several important reasons why we chose to release the Metis Foundation at this juncture rather than at the inception of our project.

Firstly, we value the concept of genuine community engagement in ecosystem governance. Unlike many other protocols that primarily rely on delegating votes, we aspire to innovate and create a governance structure based on Contribution and Reputation Power (СRP). Our aim is to foster an environment where the community plays a more active role rather than just passively delegating their votes.

Secondly, the initial stages of the Metis ecosystem involved heavy development work that required specific skills and dedication to deploy and maintain the network. Technically, it was not feasible to establish the foundation during these early stages. However, with the recent launch of our P2P network, Verifiers Network, and upcoming Decentralized Sequencers Pool, the ecosystem is now technically ready for the Foundation’s introduction.

Finally, during the second half of 2022, we saw successful collaboration and interaction amongst our EcoNodes. With some EcoNodes prepared for launch, it is an opportune time to release the Foundation to further streamline and coordinate the efforts across the ecosystem.

Therefore, the decision to release the Foundation now reflects our commitment to community engagement, our readiness in terms of technical infrastructure, and the maturation of the EcoNodes. This strategy underpins our ongoing mission to achieve effective decentralized governance in the Metis ecosystem.

How will the Foundation work, particularly in relation to Decentralization Coordinators (DCs), Commons, and EcoNodes?

The Metis Foundation operates with the aid of Decentralization Coordinators (DCs), but the ecosystem’s governance primarily depends on the collaboration of Commons and EcoNodes.

DCs operate at the Foundation level, supporting and aligning the efforts within the ecosystem. Their primary function is to facilitate the operations of the Foundation, including strategy, planning, HR and education, communications, innovation, marketing, and process management.

Commons, on the other hand, are Decentralized Autonomous Companies (DACs) that participate actively in the governance process. They stake Metis tokens and accumulate veMetis for future decision-making power. Commons have the right to propose changes through Metis Improvement Proposals (MIPs) and vote on proposals made by other Commons and EcoNodes. It’s crucial within each Common to establish a process that aligns Common voting with the preferences of its members.

EcoNodes, which evolve from Commons through significant contributions to the Metis ecosystem, play an even more substantial role. They are tasked with making critical decisions, implementing approved proposals, and ensuring the ecosystem’s health, sustainability and growth. EcoNodes, serving the core infrastructure needs of the Metis ecosystem, are a vital part of the ecosystem’s governance. However, it’s important to note that the EcoNodes and Foundation voted to currently put a freeze on creating new EcoNodes for at least a year (with the final one being announced this summer), until the governance process for DACs and Commons is well-established and matured.

In terms of governance rights and responsibilities, EcoNodes and the communities within them vote on proposals, acting as advocates for the interests of the Metis ecosystem. They are also the implementers of passed proposals. While they can delegate implementation to a third party, the EcoNodes remain ultimately accountable and responsible for the execution.

Therefore, the Metis Foundation, with the help of DCs, Commons, and Eco Nodes, functions as a cohesive and interactive governance mechanism, fostering a truly decentralized ecosystem.

What are the next steps going forward for the Metis Foundation?

We at the Metis Foundation have set forth a clear plan for our immediate next steps.

Firstly, we will release the Governance Bluepaper. This document is of paramount importance, as it will define the concrete steps, algorithms, and practices of how our governance model will function. It serves as a comprehensive guide, outlining the operational aspect of our governance model to ensure clarity and transparency for all participants in the Metis ecosystem.

Secondly, our Contribution and Reputation Power (СRP) based governance product will go online. This key development will foster an ecosystem where all participants are encouraged to contribute and are recognized based on their individual contributions. In addition, we will initiate Governance Mining, a mechanism designed to incentivize active participation in the ecosystem’s governance, rewarding those who engage.

Lastly, we will commence a test run. This critical step allows us to ensure the seamless operation of our systems and processes, enabling us to identify and resolve potential issues before a full-scale deployment.

Each of these steps is integral to our overarching goal: the establishment of a truly decentralized and vibrant Metis ecosystem, where everyone can contribute, have a voice, and share in the ecosystem’s success.

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