[CLOSED] Polygon Delegate Incentive Program (DIP) Application Thread

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You are invited to apply for the Polygon Delegate Incentive Program (DIP), where selected participants will be rewarded for their active contributions to Polygon governance, as well as for participating in the growth of the Polygon ecosystem more broadly. Full details of the DIP can be found in our announcement post here.

The table below outlines the key areas of relevance that inform a candidate’s eligibility and fit for the Delegate Incentive Program. For guidance on how assessment and selection decisions will be made, the table also includes insights into the scoring rubrics, along with examples of eligibility indicators. It should be noted that these indicators represent examples of the characteristics that will be looked for in candidates, but are by no means an exhaustive list, and should be used as such.

Please review this table carefully to understand how your background aligns with the program’s expectations.

Category Score Rubric Eligibility Indicators (Examples)
I. Deep Involvement in the Polygon/Ethereum Ecosystem 1 → Minimal to no ecosystem involvement
3 → Significant, but non-regular contributions
5 → Heavily involved in the ecosystem		 - Founder or early team member of an ecosystem project
- Past governance/forum contribution and experience
- Ecosystem grant recipient or similar program member
II. Relevant Technical Comprehension 1 → Minimal to no technical knowledge
3 → Some relevant technical experience
5 → Deep technical knowledge and experience		 - Development experience, ideally protocol governance experience (e.g., worked on EIP or similar)
- Technical background/experience related to protocol or chain security
- Published technical research paper or similar
III. Extensive Ecosystem Network 1 → Minimal to no ecosystem network
3 → Moderate network & fellowship
5 → Extensively engaged in the ecosystem		 - Established social accounts and/or website
- Published content awareness pieces or similar
- Proven marketing experience or savvy

Voting power, including POL voting stake (delegated and otherwise), will be considered when assessing a candidate’s application, with a minimum delegation of 5,000 POL required for program eligibility by the date of application close (December 4th). Candidates who do not meet the minimum delegation at the cutoff date may still be provisionally accepted into the program, however, they will not be eligible to receive any rewards until meeting the minimum delegation and may be removed from the program if fail to do so. Further, all candidates are encouraged to grow their delegation, as payouts will be structured to reward prominent delegates, with up to 20% of the total rewards based on voting power (the member with the highest vote power receiving the full 20% bonus and the lowest receiving no additional rewards).

Finally, the program will give priority consideration to individuals and smaller entities within the Polygon community, though participation is by no means exclusive to them.

Application Template

To be considered for selection, please follow the application process and post your response as a public comment in the forum thread below. Your application should include the following information:

Applicant Details

  • Applicant Individual Name
  • Affiliated Company (optional)
  • Delegation Wallet Address
  • Link to Social Media/Website
  • Email (if applicable)

Delegate Platform

  1. Candidate Experience
    • Describe your background and/or experience.
  2. Delegate Philosophy/Motivation
    • What motivates you to participate in Polygon governance and what principles will guide your role as a delegate?
  3. Key Topics for Polygon
    • What do you believe are the most important topics and themes for Polygon at this time?
  4. Areas of Contribution
    • Highlight the areas where you are most interested in contributing (e.g., governance, technical improvements, community building, ZK).
  5. Ecosystem Goals
    • Share your thoughts on the overall goals you have for Polygon, both in governance and in the broader ecosystem.

Conflicts of Interest

  • Please disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may affect your participation.
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Applicant Details

Delegate Platform

  1. Candidate Experience

Polygon validator since launch in 2020, running blockchain nodes on Polygon, Avail, WAX, and several others. As a computer engineer, I built a web3 marketing platform supporting 1,000+ projects and have engaged deeply with Polygon’s validator community. I have also authored PIP-26 and participated in the Polygon Protocol Governance Calls (PPGC) for nearly four years. Actively contributing to technical governance, I’m committed to supporting Polygon’s decentralized growth.

  1. Delegate Philosophy/Motivation:

My motivation to become a Polygon delegate stems from my deep involvement with the network since its inception. I have been running nodes on Polygon since the genesis launch in 2020, gaining a thorough understanding of its infrastructure and the evolving needs of decentralized protocols like AggLayer.

Over the years, I’ve worked with various projects building on Polygon. I’ve engaged closely with the validator, business development, and governance communities while actively participating in the broader ecosystem.

Becoming a delegate aligns with my commitment to supporting Polygon’s future by evaluating and voting on key proposals that advance decentralized protocols and the AggLayer. I’m excited to help grow Polygon’s infrastructure and support AggLayer’s role in connecting protocols seamlessly.

I am excited about the opportunity to collaborate with innovators in ZK technology, blockchain interoperability, security, and governance.

Additionally, my participation in governance platforms like Algorand and AELF has enriched my understanding of decentralized decision-making. While there is always more to learn, these experiences have built a foundation I believe will allow me to be an effective and informed delegate.

  1. Key Topics for Polygon
  • AggLayer is around the corner (launching in early December)
  • Community Engagement / memecoin
  • zk tech improvements
  1. Areas of Contribution
  1. Ecosystem Goals

My primary goal is to ensure Polygon remains decentralized, secure, and adaptive to the ecosystem’s needs. I’m focused on fostering transparency, accountability, and responsible validator participation, while supporting governance decisions that benefit the network’s growth and long-term success. As a community delegate, I take seriously the trust placed in me by those who delegate their voting power, ensuring I vote thoughtfully on proposals that improve the protocol and ecosystem for everyone involved.

AggLayer serves as a foundational layer to connect protocols and address fragmentation across the blockchain space. By enabling seamless interactions between chains, it provides the necessary groundwork for scaling and unifying the ecosystem.

This foundational work sets the stage for companies and developers to build diverse applications in areas such as DeFi, gaming, and RWAs, unlocking new possibilities in the ecosystem over time.

Drawing on my validator experience and deep involvement in the Polygon ecosystem, I aim to contribute to its evolution as a cornerstone of scalability, interoperability, and a more cohesive web3 infrastructure.

Conflicts of Interest: None

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Applicant Details

  • Applicant Individual Name: Masha Borodaieva
  • Affiliated Company: Blockchain Manager Lead at everstake.one
  • Delegation Wallet Address: 0xc6A00263aC1061E6299e44D8d2560A78Ab7f6249
  • Link to Social Media/Website: https://x.com/Everstake_Masha
  • Email: [email protected]

Delegate Platform

  1. Candidate Experience
    I’ve been working with Polygon PoS for almost four years as the Lead Blockchain Manager at Everstake. In addition to validator contributions, which consistently prioritize community benefit and high-quality performance, I’ve focused on education, research, and maintaining a deep understanding of the ecosystem’s latest developments. I take pride in breaking down complex topics to help the community stay informed and make confident decisions. My goal has always been to foster understanding and adoption while staying aligned with Polygon’s long-term vision.

  2. Delegate Philosophy/Motivation
    With years of experience in the Polygon ecosystem, I’m driven by the opportunity to contribute to its governance in a meaningful way. Having collaborated closely with the core team and key ecosystem projects, I’ve gained a deep understanding of the network’s needs and challenges. My motto has always been to add value—not just as a validator, but through education and research. Now, I’m eager to bring that same mindset to governance.
    As a Community Delegate, I’m focused on ensuring that governance decisions are transparent, secure, inclusive and aligned with the community’s long-term interests.

  3. Key Topics for Polygon

  • zkEVM and AggLayer
  • Strengthening governance to enhance decentralization and community involvement.
  • Expanding use cases across DeFi, gaming, enterprise, and supporting projects in all sectors.
  • Seamless onboarding for new users.
  1. Areas of Contribution
  • Community Building: Fostering a more engaged, informed, and active Polygon community.
  • Governance: Ensuring transparent, secure, and inclusive decision-making processes.
  • Education: Simplifying complex blockchain concepts for broader understanding.
  • Research: Analyzing ecosystem developments to inform strategic decisions.
  1. Ecosystem Goals
    My goal for Polygon’s ecosystem is to continue building a unified, scalable network that connects various chains seamlessly. This composability is crucial for enabling developers to create innovative solutions across different sectors without being confined to a single chain.
    I’m focused on ensuring that governance remains decentralized and transparent, so that the community can actively shape the network’s growth. Supporting the adoption of Polygon across DeFi, gaming, and other sectors is key to expanding its reach and impact. I want to contribute to making Polygon a robust ecosystem where all parts work together efficiently, driving sustainable growth and innovation for years to come.

Conflicts of Interest

None

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Applicant Details

Delegate Platform

  1. Candidate Experience

We have been a Polygon validator since early 2021, and have operated blockchain nodes for others. We have built web3’s first gaming and esports organization which is web3 focused and shares its teams winnings with its supporters via digital assets. Additionally we provide blockchain infra support to gaming projects in the space. My professional background is in governance, corporate risk and corporate security. Over the years we have been involved at many levels with Polygon and the community. We have introduced PIP submissions and examined and voted on many more. I have been engaged in Polygon Governance calls and added a voice when needed. We have also been a part of the testnet committee and continue to provide support there while we continue to uphold the highest standards for our mainnet validator in the PoS validator set. We look forward to continuing our efforts in helping Polygons growth.

  1. Delegate Philosophy/Motivation:

My motivation as a Polygon delegate is based in my belief that the technology being built by Polygon is critical but, in particular, is critical to the gaming space. Our business is focused on gaming but I am motivated by all of the great projects being built in the Polygon ecosystem and I want to support them all. Advancements coming in AggLayer amongst others are setting the stage for exciting times in this ecosystem.

Becoming a delegate is an honor and a privilege and is a critical part of the Governance system. Continuing to vote on key PIP submissions, participation in governance calls and forum discussions and listening to the community to provide input will be my goal as a Polygon Delegate. Proton Gaming has long been a promoter and partner of Polygon. I look forward to continuing the journey.

  1. Key Topics for Polygon - ZKEVM, AggLayer, Gaming, Defi & Governance

  2. Areas of Contribution

  • Governance
  • Community Impact
  • Validator and Node Operations
  • Gaming
  • Marketing and Visibility
  1. Ecosystem Goals

My goals will continue to be helping drive Polygon toward an efficient, scalable, secure, decentralized hub that nurtures and hosts the next wave of life changing tech. On a finer level, I want to help Polygon succeed in attracting gaming projects and gaming infra to the place where it will all flourish.

Conflicts of Interest - None

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Applicant Details

Applicant Individual Name: mel.eth (Mel Oxenreider)
Affiliated Company: StableLab.xyz
Delegation Wallet Address: 0xcEED47F5201A198f41C5cD9750516061381E1D05
Link to Social Media/Website: https://linktr.ee/themelv.in.media

Candidate Experience

I have extensive experience in the Polygon/Ethereum ecosystem, contributing across governance, research, and technical development:

Governance Involvement: I am an active delegate in Optimism, Uniswap, and Compound governance, and I have successfully run governance experiments, such as the Oxcart Delegation Engine on Arbitrum. My governance experience includes proposal drafting, working group leadership, and consistent voting participation.
Ecosystem Contributions: I focus on novel research initiatives, such as the open-source Oxcart Delegation Engine project, analyzing trust propagation to improve governance efficiency on L2s (see Oxcart Dashboard).
Community Building: I engage openly with ecosystem contributors, host discussions, and attend conferences to share research and work collaboratively.
Technical Expertise: I am familiar with Polygon protocols and L2 governance features, and I have contributed to the development of novel smart contracts for governance mechanisms. I also publish regularly on governance and technical strategies through StableLab. Resources: Oxcart GitHub)(StableLab Blog).

Delegate Philosophy/Motivation

Motivation: I am driven by a deep commitment to decentralized governance and the principles of transparency, inclusivity, and efficiency. My goal as a delegate is to empower communities through innovative governance mechanisms, ensuring that Polygon’s governance framework remains robust and adaptable to evolving challenges.

Guiding Principles:

Transparency: Commit to providing regular updates, publishing rationale for votes, and reporting measurable outcomes.
Inclusivity: Engage with diverse stakeholders to ensure all voices are heard.
Innovation: Leverage research and technical expertise to propose efficient and forward-thinking governance solutions.

Key Topics for Polygon

Critical for Polygon currently:

  1. L2 Scaling and Interoperability: Navigating governance challenges across multiple L2s to optimize scalability and usability.
  2. Sustainable Treasury Management: Designing mechanisms for effective treasury utilization to support long-term ecosystem growth.
  3. ZK Rollups and Privacy: Accelerating development and adoption of zero-knowledge technologies while maintaining governance oversight.
  4. Community Engagement: Strengthening relationships between developers, users, and governance participants to foster collaboration.

Areas of Contribution

I am most interested in contributing to:

Governance: Proposal structuring, voting strategies, and mechanism design to enhance Polygon’s decision-making framework.
Technical Improvements: Designing smart contracts and exploring ZK and interoperability solutions.
Community Building: Sharing research, hosting discussions, and contributing to educational content to broaden participation by increasingly informed delegates and stakeholders.

Ecosystem Goals

I envision Polygon as a leader in the decentralized space, setting a benchmark for governance and scalability. My goals include:

  • Improving POL utility and empowering tokenholders + delegates by rewarding innovative tools, governance structures, educational assets, and coordination focused events.
  • Supporting useful abstraction and seamless cross-chain interoperability.
  • Coalescing toward thoughtful adoption of ZK technologies and ensuring they integrate effectively within Polygon’s growing and governable ecosystem.

Conflicts of Interest

I disclose the following:

  • I am affiliated with StableLab.xyz, a governance research and facilitation firm.
  • I am a delegate in other ecosystems, including Optimism, Uniswap, and Compound.
  • I do not foresee these roles conflicting with my commitment to Polygon governance but will recuse myself from decisions where conflicts might arise.
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Applicant Details

Delegate Platform

1. Candidate Experience

I’m Ignas, a solo researcher with the main focus on DeFi. My mission is to provide clear, in-depth insights helping my audiences stay up-to-date with the latest trends while actively supporting DAO development.

2. Delegate Philosophy/Motivation

Currently, DeFi DAOs face several internal issues, such as voter apathy leading to governance attacks, insider voting, and voting concentration among a few active voting addresses. Additionally, they face external challenges like regulatory uncertainty.

I believe in a decentralized future, even if it seems naive. However, the current state of crypto is plagued by misaligned incentives that prioritize short-term speculative gains over the core DeFi values of self-sovereignty and custody.

Equally concerning is the trend of McKinsification in DAOs, where decisions are increasingly made by one or two professional consultant delegates. This discourages individual participation, as their opinions and votes have less impact.

To make DeFi DAOs viable, we must align incentives to encourage active participation in governance from the broader crypto community. I believe that community must be at the core of every DAO. Without giving the community a say in protocol governance, we’re no better than the Web2 companies we aim to replace—companies that view their “community” merely as users to extract value from.

I will highlight key votes and decisions of the DAO on X and my blog, as I believe the general public is often unaware of important actions being taken.

3. Key Topics for Polygon:

  • Polygon is facing stiff competition from multiple new L2s and even L1s alike. Recently, Lens Protocol moved to zkSync, and Polygon needs to do whatever it takes to keep existing super-apps like Polymarket on Polygon as well as attract new consumer applications.

  • At the same time, AggLayer is competing with OP Superchain and zkSync Elastic Chain. What is the positioning of Polygon in this growing competition? These are key considerations for the Polygon 2.0 implementation.

  • At the same time, Polygon has been losing mindshare so potential community initiatives and marketing campaigns can be considered to bring more builders and retail users alike.

4. Areas of Contribution

  • Governance
  • Community building
  • Revenue sharing

5. Ecosystem Goals

I believe Polygon’s future lies in decentralizing its governance even more. By giving token holders, not just early insiders, a stronger voice in decision-making, the network will become more inclusive and fair. Decentralization should be the foundation of how we evolve, ensuring that every participant has an equal say in shaping the protocol. Moreover, I will support initiatives that align token holders with the protocol, such as revenue sharing or other methods to bring value to the token. Token holders are frustrated with exploitative tokenomics that only benefit early insiders who acquired tokens at much lower prices, leaving no upside for new investors. Without incentives to buy and hold tokens, the attractiveness and health of DAOs decline.

6. Conflicts of Interest

I am the co-founder of Pink Brains, an organization dedicated to promoting various crypto projects through educational content. You can find more info about us here: pinkbrains | Twitter | Linktree.

I’m a delegate for Lido, Arbitrum, Aave, Instadapp, Paraswap, Optimism, Uniswap, Compound,…I plan to apply as a delegate to other DAOs soon, with the same mission of strengthening them and aligning token holders with the protocol.

I always make appropriate disclosures and recuse myself from voting when necessary.

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Applicant Details

Delegate Platform

  1. Candidate Experience

Tané is formed with a group of crypto-native product builders, based in Tokyo, Dubai and New York. We have an investment arm that has been focusing on infrastructure. We invested in projects in fields such as ZK/FHE, interoperability, and MEV. We also have a network operation entity where we contribute to projects with node operation and governance participation. We are a member of the Optimism Grants Council and an active delegate in Lido, Uniswap, etc.

Co-founder, Takeshi will be the main representative from Tané. He was a senior software engineer for Twitter and other tech startups for 8 years. He worked on frontend (mobile web application and iOS app) and backend (Scala-based API services and data analysis platform). He has currently been responsible for operating blockchain nodes including Ethereum, Avalanche, EigenLayer/DA, and Secret Network, thus he is quite familiar with how the blockchain works at each infrastructure level.

  1. Delegate Philosophy/Motivation

We have established our Delegate Core Values as below and demonstrated our delegate activities and decision makings based on them.

a. Integrity
We value integrity a lot. We believe integrity is the most important virtue even in an industry that values trustless and permissionless. In fact, even though we should aim for governance minimization in the end, the protocols should still need governance and it requires capable and sincere participants. We should be one of them.

b. Diversity
Diversity is one of the most important values to achieve decentralization. We are very unique in various perspectives including the geographical diversity (Japan and Asia). We also value the diversities provided by other actors and are willing to appreciate them and collaborate with them.

c. Practicality
We believe in progressive decentralization. While considering that decentralization is the ultimate goal for crypto/blockchain projects to achieve, we sometimes value practicality and approaches that get things done rather than getting stuck in pursuing the “decentralization” too much from the start.

d. Transparency
We believe transparency is a vital trait in decentralized systems. We communicate our findings, feedback, opinions, disagreements, and praises in a clear and constructive manner. We believe transparent communications should lead to better discussions and decisions to thrive.

  1. Key Topics for Polygon

We believe the most important topic for Polygon at this time is builder onboarding. For that, we have to have

  • a clear strategy and roadmap that builders can understand and follow
  • secure infrastructure that their applications are to be built on
  • appropriate and timely communication to the public
  1. Areas of Contribution
  • technical/UX improvements
  • Japan/Asia expansion
  • Meta-governance

Our unique experience and expertises outlined above should allow us to make critical feedback and comments on technical upgrades, user experience improvements, and expanstion to the Japan/Asian market, which are to be discussed and delivered by collaborating with Polygon contributors.
On top of that, we have gained extensive experience in DAO governance space that would allow us to propose some ideas for optimizing Polygon governance itself.

  1. Ecosystem Goals

The ecosystem goal is to develop a unique builder ecosystem within Polygon, where various zk-powered Layer 2 chains are aggregated to form a unified network that delivers a seamless user experience.
To achieve this, governance should first focus on securing the governance mechanisms themselves, eliminating risks such as governance capture. By ensuring robust and secure governance, we should be able to establish a stable foundation for the ecosystem’s growth. Additionally, governance should work towards providing safe and efficient infrastructure and propose initiatives that attract builders to the ecosystem. This includes developing policies and programs that encourage participation, innovation, and collaboration among developers.

Conflicts of Interest

Our investment arm, as a separate entity, has invested in a number of crypto startups but as of the time of writing this profile, we don’t believe there are clear COIs in terms of contributing to Polygon governance. We are also active in the other DAOs, Arbitrum, Optimism (S6 Grants Council member), Uniswap, Lido, and more in the future.

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Applicant Details

  • Applicant Individual Name: Sov
  • Affiliated Company: Head of Grants at Gitcoin
  • Delegation Wallet Address: sovereignsignal.eth
  • Link to Social Media/Website: @sovereignsignal on X / @sov on Farcaster

Delegate Platform

1. Candidate Experience

I’ve developed expertise in ecosystem development and grant program management across Web3. Through my roles at various organizations and active delegation across multiple DAOs, I’ve gained valuable insights into effective governance and cross-ecosystem collaboration.

Key roles:

  • Head of Grants at Gitcoin
  • Active Grant Allocator for Polygon
  • Optimism Grants Council Member
  • Active delegate for multiple DAOs

2. Delegate Philosophy/Motivation

My governance philosophy bridges strong domain expertise with community needs. Years of experience in program design have shown me that sustainable growth comes from aligning incentives and empowering community participation.

3. Key Topics for Polygon

Successfully implementing AggLayer and strengthening Polygon’s position in the L2 ecosystem are critical priorities. We must focus on attracting and retaining builders through effective programs while developing clear coordination frameworks.

4. Areas of Contribution

Drawing from my experience in grants management and cross-DAO governance, I plan to contribute to Polygon’s ecosystem development. My program management background uniquely positions me to help strengthen governance frameworks and community initiatives.

5. Ecosystem Goals

My vision for Polygon centers on building an interconnected ecosystem where effective resource allocation drives sustainable growth. This includes developing programs that attract builders while ensuring governance decisions align with long-term ecosystem health.

Conflicts of Interest

In the interest of transparency, I currently serve as Head of Grants at Gitcoin, which has received ecosystem funding as a Grant Allocator. I will recuse myself from any votes where these roles might create conflicts.

Disclosures:

  • Head of Grants at Gitcoin
  • Active delegate in multiple DAOs
  • Gitcoin receives CTB Grant Allocator funding
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Applicant Details

Delegate Platform

1. Candidate Experience

  • I am the founder and CEO of Nodeinfra, a Polygon CDK implementation provider and validator company based in Korea.
  • I discovered two consensus bugs in Geth. One of these bugs led to the Ethereum hard fork on November 11, 2020, due to legacy Geth version deployments. At the time, it was considered Ethereum’s most significant challenge since the DAO fork in 2016.
  • I hold a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Seoul National University and have published papers at top systems conferences such as OSDI, ATC, and EuroSys.

2. Delegate Philosophy/Motivation

  • Motivation
    1. Currently, our team at Nodeinfra exclusively supports Polygon CDK, not any other RaaS solutions. This means that for our business to grow, it’s critical that Polygon CDK succeeds in the market.
    2. Therefore, I am motivated and aligned to contribute to making Polygon infrastructure the best Ethereum scaling solution.
    3. With nearly 10 years of experience in distributed systems and first-hand experience operating the CDK stack in production, I believe there are specific technical areas where I can add significant value.
  • Principles
    1. Source code first: I will read the relevant source code to make decisions. Code simply executes instructions and does not care about people’s feelings and opinions.
    2. Decentralization over performance: I will prioritize decentralization and security over performance and efficiency. A lot of real money owned by real people is at stake, so I’d rather be conservative.

3. Key Topics for Polygon

  • Agglayer decentralization: Over the next 5 years, Agglayer will become critical low-level infrastructure for not just CDK rollups but really the entire crypto ecosystem. It is worthwhile to decentralize the stack.
  • CDK reliability and security: CDK is a complex technology. CDK is a ZK-based L2 stack that integrates with a plethora of modular protocols such as decentralized DAs, sequencers, and provers. It is thus important and challenging to ensure that the CDK stack stays reliable and secure.

4. Areas of Contribution

  • EIP reviews: I will help direct the technical development of the Agglayer and the CDK technology
  • Partnership with modular protocols: I will facilitate the integration of CDK technology with state-of-the-art modular protocols such as decentralized DAs, sequencers, and provers
  • Governance decentralization: I will contribute opinionated perspectives as a CDK RaaS provider based in Korea

5. Ecosystem Goals

  • Best L2 technology: Polygon should aim to become the #1 Ethereum scaling solution
  • Win Asia: Polygon should aim to win market share in Asia, which is becoming increasingly important in the crypto industry

Conflicts of Interest

  • Please disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may affect your participation.

I am the CEO of Nodeinfra, a multi-chain validator company. As a validator company, Nodeinfra actively contributes to non-Polygon crypto communities with various public goods and services.

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Applicant Details

  • Applicant Individual Name: ACI
  • Affiliated Company (optional): Aave DAO
  • Delegation Wallet Address: 0x329c54289Ff5D6B7b7daE13592C6B1EDA1543eD4
  • Link to Social Media/Website: aave.com
  • Email (if applicable): N/A

Delegate Platform

1. Candidate Experience

The Aave Protocol Embassy (APE) serves as the official representative of the Aave DAO within the broader DeFi ecosystem. Our primary role is to voice the collective opinions, ideas, and concerns of our community members, ensuring they are heard and addressed in the broader context of the DeFi ecosystem. APE is deeply committed to building strong relationships and collaborations between aligned blockchains, Layer 2s, and DeFi protocols.

2. Delegate Philosophy/Motivation

As the official embassy for one of DeFi’s most successful protocols, APE has a unique perspective on advancing governance and building strong processes that protect DAOs while fostering clear, actionable participation.

We emphasize transparency and process integrity, ensuring all participants have clear guidelines to follow. Our active participation in cross-ecosystem initiatives has earned us a reputation for reliability and impact, and we intend to bring the same level of engagement to Polygon.

We understand the importance of maintaining close relationships between communities, and we will provide regular updates on our voting rationale, initiatives, and other governance-related activities to ensure complete transparency.

3. Key Topics for Polygon

Our focus has always been on DeFi and governance of DeFi protocols. We believe that for Polygon and the AggLayer to succeed it must have a strong DeFi ecosystem with deep liquidity, competitive yields, and innovative new protocols. Alongside building and maintaining a solid foundation of DeFi protocols, we believe the work being done by Polygon around governance is both innovative and important, we believe this is another key topic and we will support the work being done in this direction.

4. Areas of Contribution

APE benefits from access to the extensive technical and governance expertise within the Aave Ecosystem. We will focus primarily on governance as our area of contribution, with particular focus on identifying synergies between Aave and Polygon, and responsible stewardship of Polygon DAO. If required we can contribute our technical expertise, however this will be in rare circumstances, with primary focus on governance contribution.

5. Ecosystem Goals

We aim to support DeFi on Polygon, with the goal of Polygon becoming one of the premier destinations for both institutional users and individuals.

6. Conflicts of Interest

We represent Aave DAO, however there are no hidden conflicts and we have worked closely with Polygon in the past, proving our commitment to mutually beneficial growth. We are active in other DAOs, most prominently Arbitrum DAO. We do not have any further conflicts, however should any arise in the future we will disclose them.

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Applicant Details

Delegate Platform

  1. Candidate Experience

I’ve been deeply involved in the crypto space since 2016, with experience spanning technical leadership, protocol development, and organizational governance. Currently, I serve as CTO at Aragon (since 2022), where I’ve led the launch of the new protocol and application, alongside several impactful DAOs that have advanced the ecosystem. This role has given me hands-on expertise in security upgrades, governance decision flows, and organizational dynamics within decentralized systems.

Before Aragon, I co-founded Guesser, a predictions market company launched in 2017 and later acquired by Gemini. I’m also an active delegate at Nouns DAO, engaging directly with on-chain governance. Earlier in my career, I worked as a security researcher at a major telco, where I honed my skills in identifying vulnerabilities and safeguarding complex systems.

  1. Delegate Philosophy/Motivation

When I joined Aragon and helped launch the new Aragon OSx protocol, the first thing we did was deploy it on Polygon. From day one, we’ve prioritized this community and remain committed to contributing to its growth and success.

Polygon has been a trailblazer in the Ethereum ecosystem, providing a home for many of the projects we rely on and being the first chain to effectively scale. Its leadership and innovation continue to inspire, and I am motivated to help maintain that momentum.

As a delegate, I will thoroughly review proposals to ensure their correctness and future-proofing, safeguarding Polygon’s position as a leader in the space. I am committed to demanding transparency in decision-making and fostering an environment where everyone has a fair chance to voice their concerns.

  1. Key Topics for Polygon

Polygon was the first chain to truly scale the EVM, making it possible for everyone—even our families—to experience blockchain without the burden of high gas fees eating into their profits. It set a standard for accessibility and usability in the Ethereum ecosystem.

The most important priorities for Polygon now are maintaining its leadership in research and continuing its reputation for fast, impactful shipping. This will ensure more projects choose Polygon as their home and adopt it as the go-to aggregation layer.

In particular, I believe two key areas deserve focus: Polygon’s investment in a strong zk research team, which is redefining what blockchain products can achieve, and its progress toward becoming the most scalable Layer 2. These are critical paths for the ecosystem, and I’m eager to support and push these efforts further.

  1. Areas of Contribution

My main strengths lie in helping startups grow by understanding their markets and products, enabling them to focus on the right north stars. I excel at driving fast feature shipping to accelerate learning and ensure products evolve to meet the real needs of the ecosystem.

As CTO at Aragon, I’ve also gained deep insights into governance, both at the technical level and in navigating the often complex dynamics of decentralized systems. This combination of technical expertise and soft skills allows me to contribute meaningfully to governance and ecosystem growth.

  1. Ecosystem Goals

My intial goal is to ensure that governance processes are accessible and effective for everyone. These flows will form the backbone of Polygon’s future efforts toward decentralization, making them a key focus in the early stages.

As governance matures, I plan to shift my efforts toward providing meaningful feedback on what I believe the community and the broader industry need from Polygon.

Finally, I will carefully review proposals to the best of my technical ability, ensuring they are well-structured, sensible, and free of critical gaps.

Conflicts of Interest

For transparency, I am Aragon’s CTO, and we have been supporting Polygon with their Governance Hub. While Aragon collaborates with various chains in the Ethereum ecosystem, we approach each relationship with the utmost professionalism and integrity, ensuring that all interactions are held to the highest standards.

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Applicant Details

Delegate Platform

1. Candidate Experience

My journey in blockchain technology spans over seven years, with a particular focus on translating theoretical innovations into practical solutions. As Chief Blockchain Architect at Lumia, I’ve led the development of a pioneering Layer 2 solution that demonstrates how theoretical blockchain concepts can be transformed into real-world applications. We’ve successfully implemented complex technical features like dual data availability systems using a volition-type approach and integrated Avail’s light client protocol, showcasing my ability to adapt cutting-edge technology for practical use cases.

A significant aspect of my work involves decentralizing critical network components, including zkProver nodes and sequencer networks. Through Lumia’s implementation of Polygon’s CDK and zkEVM technology, we’ve created a framework that enables the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs) at scale – a practical solution to one of blockchain’s most challenging use cases. This work demonstrates not just technical knowledge, but the ability to apply it to solve tangible market needs.

My experience extends beyond pure implementation to include significant contributions to technical standards and governance frameworks. Working closely with Polygon’s core team has deepened my understanding of how technical decisions impact the broader ecosystem, particularly in areas like cross-chain interoperability and scalability solutions.

2. Delegate Philosophy/Motivation

I deeply believe technological innovation must serve practical purposes, hence my intense work in RWA space. Governance for me isn’t just a theoretical exercise, but a crucial element into shaping the future of Polygon. Through my work at Lumia, I’ve demonstrated how complex technical solutions like zkEVM technology can be adapted to serve real business needs, particularly in the RWA space. This experience has taught me the importance of balancing technical excellence with practical implementation.

I see governance participation not as a theoretical exercise, but as a crucial element in shaping how blockchain technology can solve real-world problems. My motivation stems from a desire to ensure that governance decisions are informed by both technical expertise and practical implementation experience. By bringing my experience in translating complex technical concepts into viable solutions, I aim to help bridge the gap between theoretical possibilities and practical applications.

3. Key Topics for Polygon

The most critical areas for Polygon’s development include:

  • Advancing practical applications of zkEVM technology while maintaining security and decentralization

  • Implementing efficient cross-chain communication through AggLayer while ensuring robust security

  • Developing scalable solutions for real-world asset tokenization

  • Improving the decentralization of critical network components

  • Enhancing developer experience while maintaining technical rigor

  • Establishing standards for light client implementations and data availability solutions

4. Areas of Contribution

I intend to contribute in several key areas:

  • Providing technical guidance based on practical implementation experience

  • Sharing insights from real-world applications of ZK technology

  • Advising on RWA tokenization standards and implementation

  • Contributing to decentralization strategies for network components

  • Helping translate complex technical concepts for broader community understanding

  • Fostering collaboration between technical teams and business stakeholders

5. Ecosystem Goals

My vision for Polygon’s ecosystem focuses on practical innovation:

  • Establishing Polygon as the premier platform for RWA tokenization through advanced technical solutions

  • Developing robust standards for cross-chain communication and data availability

  • Creating clear frameworks for implementing and decentralizing critical network components

  • Building a more accessible ecosystem where technical innovation directly serves market needs

  • Fostering collaboration between technical experts and business implementers

Conflicts of Interest

While I lead technical development at Lumia, which leverages Polygon’s technology stack, this position enhances rather than conflicts with my ability to contribute to Polygon’s governance. Our practical implementation experience with Polygon’s technology provides valuable insights that can inform governance decisions while maintaining independent judgment in voting matters.

This role would allow me to contribute not just technical knowledge, but proven experience in implementing complex solutions in real-world scenarios. My track record demonstrates the ability to take theoretical concepts and transform them into practical solutions that address market needs while maintaining technical excellence and decentralization principles.

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Applicant Details

Delegate Platform

  1. Candidate Experience
    GM! I’m Varit from Curia Lab, a team passionate about improving blockchain governance through thoughtful insights and active community involvement. We’ve been lucky to work on governance for projects like Optimism, Safe, Arbitrum, and Gnosis, where we’ve supported proposal evaluations, shared data-driven insights, and helped shape governance processes.
    Personally, I also have the chance to contribute as part of the Optimism Grant Council’s Milestone and Metrics Committee, focusing on setting clear goals for grants and ensuring accountability. It’s been a great learning experience, balancing community needs with measurable outcomes.
    I’m really excited about the opportunity to contribute to Polygon’s governance. My goal as a delegate would be to bring my experience in governance and my team’s research to help make decisions that are fair, transparent, and truly reflect the community’s voice. I’d love to collaborate with everyone to keep building on the amazing progress Polygon has already made.

  2. Delegate Philosophy/Motivation

  • Transparency: Commit to openly sharing my rationale for every vote and engaging in discussions on the forum.
  • Accountability: Ensure alignment with the interests of the Polygon community and remain open to feedback on my governance decisions.
  • Inclusivity: Actively seek input from all stakeholders and prioritize community-driven initiatives.
  • Data-Driven Decisions: Utilize governance analytics to evaluate proposals objectively and support evidence-based decision-making.
  1. Key Topics for Polygon
  • Scalability and Performance: Advocate for proposals that enhance Polygon’s technical capabilities, ensuring the network remains efficient and scalable to support the growing demand for decentralized applications.
  • Ecosystem Security: Prioritize initiatives that bolster the security of the Polygon ecosystem, safeguarding user funds and maintaining trust in the platform.
  • Governance Efficiency: Focus on improving governance processes by streamlining decision-making, fostering transparency, and empowering the Polygon community with a stronger voice in governance. By refining governance structures and encouraging inclusive participation, we aim to ensure accountability and adaptability to Polygon’s evolving needs.
  1. Areas of Contribution
  • Governance Research: Bring a data-driven perspective to analyze proposals and voting outcomes, ensuring well-informed decision-making.
  • Proposal Development: Collaborate with community members to refine and structure impactful proposals that align with Polygon’s goals.
  • Stakeholder Engagement: Actively engage with various stakeholders, including developers, users, and other delegates, to represent diverse perspectives in governance.
  • Governance Initiatives: Contribute to the development and refinement of governance frameworks to improve transparency, efficiency, and inclusivity.
  1. Ecosystem Goals
  • Decentralization: Strengthen Polygon’s decentralization by advocating for initiatives that distribute power and responsibility across the community.
  • Innovation: Support cutting-edge projects and partnerships that position Polygon as a leader in blockchain scalability and interoperability.
  • Sustainability: Promote proposals that ensure the long-term growth and stability of the Polygon ecosystem, including treasury management and resource allocation.
  • Inclusivity: Encourage diversity within the Polygon community by supporting outreach programs and accessibility initiatives.

Conflicts of Interest

As a team deeply involved in governance research and DAO operations, we engage with various projects and DAOs such as Optimism, Safe, Arbitrum, Gnosis, etc. to improve their governance. We pledge to maintain transparency and manage any potential conflicts of interest responsibly, especially in our dealings with Polygon and its community.

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Applicant Individual Name: Julien Bouteloup (bneiluj.eth)
Affiliated Company: Stake Capital Group
Delegation Wallet Address: 0x610292b3C2bb0a1AfaeACe11849aC256d3147D64
Social Media/Website Here
Email: [email protected]
Delegate Profile: Here

Delegate Platform

1. Candidate Experience

Introduction

Stake Capital, founded by Julien Bouteloup (bneiluj.eth), is a trusted leader in blockchain and decentralized finance. Julien is a well-regarded expert in the blockchain space with a track record of building impactful projects such as Stake DAO, Rekt News and as a core team contributor to Curve Finance. These initiatives have contributed significantly to the growth of Ethereum, Polygon, and other major blockchain ecosystems.

As an active validator on Polygon Stake Capital secures the network while actively engaging in its governance. With deep technical expertise and a strong community focus, we aim to strengthen Polygon’s mission and contribute to its growth through the Delegate Incentive Program.

Validation Expertise

Stake Capital has extensive experience operating validators across 20+ blockchain networks, including Polygon, Ethereum, Avalanche, NEAR, Gnosis, and more. Our long history of securing high-value networks demonstrates our technical proficiency and commitment to blockchain ecosystems.

  • Genesis Validator: Served as a genesis validator for major PoS chains, including Polygon, contributing to their early decentralization and stability.

  • Track Record: Delivered 99.99% uptime and secured over $100 million in Total Value Locked (TVL) across various networks.

  • Delegation Expertise: Successfully managed large-scale delegations from foundations, institutions, and private delegators with consistent reliability and trustworthiness.

  • Advanced Technical Knowledge: Specialized expertise in zkEVM, Zero-Knowledge Proofs, and blockchain infrastructure enables us to support network scalability and security effectively.

Previous Contributions to Polygon

Stake Capital has been committed to supporting and enhancing the Polygon ecosystem through strategic contributions and initiatives. Below are the key highlights of our work:

  • Early Validator Participation: One of the first validators on the Polygon testnet, playing a critical role in securing and validating the network during its early stages.

  • Integration with Curve Finance: Facilitated Curve Finance’s integration with Polygon, significantly increasing its utility and strengthening its position in the DeFi ecosystem.

  • Angle Protocol Deployment: Collaborated on the launch of agEUR, a capital-efficient stablecoin, on Polygon.

  • Incentive Programs: Designed and executed incentive programs to promote user engagement and ecosystem adoption.

  • Conference Lobbying: Advocated for Polygon at major blockchain conferences, enhancing its visibility and credibility within the broader blockchain community.

  • Validator Operations: Operated highly reliable validators to ensure network security and stability.

  • Bug and Code Fixing Assistance: Provided critical support in identifying and resolving bugs, contributing to the robustness and reliability of the network.

  • Early Project Development: Built one of Polygon’s first projects, Detox, to showcase the platform’s potential and drive early adoption.

  • Ongoing Contributions: Continuously supported Polygon’s growth through technical contributions, advocacy, and community engagement.

These efforts reflect our long-standing and comprehensive commitment to Polygon’s success.

2.Delegate Philosophy/Motivation:

Motivation to Participate in Polygon Governance

Stake Capital is deeply committed to supporting Polygon’s growth, decentralization, and long-term success. As early contributors to the ecosystem, we view governance as a vital opportunity to align our technical expertise and ecosystem experience with Polygon’s evolving mission.

Our key motivations include:

  • Strengthening Decentralization: Ensuring governance remains transparent, inclusive, and community-driven.

  • Driving Scalability and Adoption: Supporting initiatives that enhance network scalability, security, and usability to attract more developers and users.

  • Promoting Ecosystem Innovation: Advocating for integrations and upgrades that solidify Polygon’s position as a leading blockchain platform.

  • Representing the Community: Acting as a voice for diverse stakeholders, ensuring governance decisions benefit the entire Polygon ecosystem.

Guiding Principles

Stake Capital’s approach to governance is guided by these principles:

  • Transparency: Providing clear and open communication about decisions and rationale.

  • Inclusivity: Ensuring all voices, particularly smaller entities and community members, are represented.

  • Innovation: Supporting forward-looking proposals that foster growth and sustainability.

  • Accountability: Acting responsibly and always aligning with Polygon’s long-term vision and community goals.

Our extensive experience as a validator and contributor within the Polygon ecosystem ensures that we are well-prepared to deliver meaningful, impactful governance contributions.

3.Key Topics for Polygon

1. Enhancing Decentralization and Governance

  • Decentralization is critical to ensuring Polygon remains a fair, secure, and community-driven platform. Strengthening governance structures to increase transparency and engagement is a priority.

  • Supporting mechanisms for broader community participation, such as incentivized governance programs, to align decision-making with the interests of token holders and developers.

2. Scaling and Interoperability

  • Continued development of scalable solutions, particularly through zkEVM and AggLayer, to enhance transaction efficiency and attract more developers to build on Polygon.

  • Fostering interoperability between Polygon and other ecosystems to expand user reach and enable seamless cross-chain applications.

3. Developer Ecosystem Growth

  • Attracting and retaining developers by providing robust tools, documentation, and resources to simplify onboarding and encourage innovation.

  • Supporting developer-focused events like hackathons and workshops to foster creativity and strengthen community ties.

4. Ecosystem Adoption and Use Cases

  • Expanding the adoption of Polygon across key verticals such as DeFi, gaming, NFTs, and enterprise solutions to establish a diverse and thriving ecosystem.

  • Engaging with existing projects to optimize their performance on Polygon and creating incentives for new applications to deploy on the network.

5. Sustainable Treasury and Incentive Management

  • Designing and implementing effective treasury management strategies to fund long-term growth initiatives, including development grants, ecosystem incentives, and marketing efforts.

  • Aligning incentive programs with ecosystem goals to maximize their impact while ensuring sustainability.

6. zkEVM and Zero-Knowledge Technology

  • Accelerating the adoption and integration of zkEVM and zero-knowledge technologies to improve scalability, privacy, and security.

  • Educating the community and developers on the benefits of zero-knowledge solutions to drive broader adoption within the ecosystem.

7. Community Engagement and Education

  • Strengthening ties with the community through consistent communication, educational initiatives, and transparency in governance.

  • Promoting awareness of Polygon’s capabilities through content, events, and collaborations to increase participation and support.

These topics are pivotal for ensuring Polygon’s growth, sustainability, and leadership in the blockchain space. By focusing on these areas, Polygon can continue to innovate, attract talent, and maintain its position as a top-tier blockchain network.

4. Areas of Contribution

1. Governance

  • Proposal Evaluation and Advocacy: Utilize our governance expertise and extensive experience in blockchain ecosystems to evaluate and advocate for proposals that align with Polygon’s long-term goals.

  • Transparent Decision-Making: Commit to sharing voting rationales, ensuring transparency, and fostering community trust in governance processes.

2. Ecosystem Growth

  • Strategic Partnerships: Drive collaborations with leading projects across DeFi, gaming, and other verticals, leveraging connections with a portfolio of companies, including Synthetix, Paraswap, and Lido.

  • Strategic Integrations: Leverage our governance lobbying and network to facilitate the onboarding of key projects to Polygon, such as Curve Finance, Angle Protocol, and Morpho.

  • Investment Support:

    • Seed funding for high-potential projects in the ecosystem.

    • Connecting promising projects with venture capital partners for additional funding and strategic support.

  • Adoption Incentives: Design programs to attract both established and emerging projects to Polygon, ensuring a thriving and diverse ecosystem.

3. Technical Improvements

  • Infrastructure Development:

    • Operate high-performance validators and support critical infrastructure like RPC nodes and archive nodes to enhance network scalability and reliability.

    • Provide zkEVM and Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZK) expertise to improve network scalability and security.

  • Protocol Security: Collaborate on audits and bug fixes to ensure a secure and robust environment for developers and users.

  • zkEVM Adoption: Advocate and provide technical support for the integration and adoption of zkEVM technology to enhance Polygon’s scalability and privacy features.

4. Marketing and Visibility

  • Media Reach:

    • Utilize Rekt News (35,000+ monthly readers, 200k+ social media followers) to amplify awareness and promote Polygon’s technological advancements.

    • Publish detailed content and insights to position Polygon as a leader in blockchain innovation.

  • Event Promotion:

    • Sponsor Polygon at events such as Stable Summit to showcase Polygon’s achievements, attract developers, and engage key stakeholders.

    • Facilitate panel discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities for Polygon at major conferences, including ETHDenver and DEVCON.

  • Content Creation and Distribution:

  • Produce engaging and high-quality video content, including tutorials, technical explanations.

  • Distribute content across multiple platforms, including Rekt News, Stake Capital’s social media, newsletters, and private channels, to ensure maximum reach and engagement.

5. Community Building

  • Developer Engagement: Host hackathons, workshops, and educational webinars to onboard developers and encourage innovation.

  • Localized Outreach: Expand engagement efforts to underserved regions such as LATAM and Asia through translated content and tailored initiatives.

  • Educational Content: Simplify complex blockchain concepts through guides, tutorials, and videos to empower the community and attract new users.

6. Infrastructure and Shared Services

  • Technical Contributions:

    • Provide essential services such as RPC nodes, archive nodes, and snapshots to enhance network accessibility and scalability.

    • Contribute resources and insights for zk-rollup and other ZK technologies.

  • Shared Services:

    • HR Solutions: Assist in sourcing and onboarding candidates aligned with Polygon’s culture.

    • Legal Support: Offer compliance and governance services, including regulatory guidance and partnership agreement management.

    • Financial Services: Provide expertise in budgeting, planning, and regulatory compliance to streamline operations.

By combining governance expertise, ecosystem building, technical support, and strategic marketing, Stake Capital is uniquely positioned to contribute to Polygon’s long-term success and maintain its leadership in the blockchain space.

5. Ecosystem Goals

Governance Goals

  • Strengthen Decentralization: Build governance mechanisms that are transparent and inclusive, ensuring broader community participation and reducing centralization risks.

  • Empower Governance Participants: Equip delegates and stakeholders with tools, resources, and clear frameworks to make well-informed decisions.

  • Efficient Proposal Processes: Streamline governance workflows to ensure timely evaluation, voting, and implementation of proposals.

  • Sustainable Incentives: Align governance initiatives with long-term ecosystem growth through well-structured treasury management and grants.

Broader Ecosystem Goals

  • Adoption Across Key Sectors: Drive adoption in DeFi, gaming, NFTs, and enterprise applications by supporting onboarding, scaling solutions, and ecosystem incentives.

  • Expand zkEVM Integration: Promote and support zkEVM and ZK solutions to enhance scalability and privacy while educating the community on their benefits.

  • Developer Growth: Host developer-focused events (hackathons, grants, workshops), simplify onboarding, and offer robust infrastructure to attract talent.

  • Strategic Partnerships: Use Stake Capital’s network to onboard impactful projects and establish collaborations that expand Polygon’s interoperability and liquidity.

  • Localized Community Building: Grow Polygon’s presence in emerging markets by offering localized content, translated resources, and region-specific initiatives.

  • Ecosystem Sustainability: Focus on treasury optimization to fund impactful initiatives and ensure incentives support the ecosystem’s long-term health.

6. Conflicts of Interest

Stake Capital has no direct conflicts of interest that would affect its participation in Polygon’s governance.

  • Ecosystem Involvement: Stake Capital actively operates validators and participates in governance across multiple blockchain networks, including Ethereum, Avalanche, Gnosis, and others. While this reflects our extensive experience, we ensure that our participation in other ecosystems does not conflict with our commitment to Polygon’s growth and governance.

  • Portfolio Companies: Our venture studio and investment activities involve collaborations with numerous projects in the DeFi and blockchain space. We are diligent in maintaining transparency and will recuse ourselves from decisions where potential conflicts may arise due to these investments.

  • Media Ownership: Stake Capital owns Rekt News, a blockchain-focused media platform. While this provides an opportunity to amplify Polygon’s visibility, we commit to maintaining objectivity and avoiding any undue influence on content or coverage.

We are committed to full transparency and will proactively disclose and manage any potential conflicts that could impact our role as a delegate.

Julien Bouteloup
Founder & CEO Stake Capital Group

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Applicant Individual Name: Akshaan Ahuja
Affiliated Company: Blockchain@Berkeley
Delegation Wallet Address: 0xe2F88F32711a1Eb88215dC5551c1B3124618665B
Link to Social Media: https://x.com/CalBlockchain
Delegate Profile: https://governance.polygon.technology/community-members/0xe2F88F32711a1Eb88215dC5551c1B3124618665B/

1. Candidate Experience: Premier University Blockchain Club at UC Berkeley focused on blockchain innovation via education, research, and consulting. Through our online courses and conference meet-ups, we’ve reached a global audience eager to learn about blockchain technology. Our members actively work on projects for numerous protocols across the web3 space, with a focus on constructing the future of web3 infrastructure. We are delegates in numerous other ecosystems including Uniswap, Aave, Compound and more.

2. Delegate Philosophy: We are motivated to participate in Polygon governance because we believe in contributing to the evolution of web3 infrastructure and guiding the future of the aggregation thesis. Polygon’s vision aligns with our goals of creating a more unified and accessible blockchain ecosystem. As a delegate, we aim to support the development of the AggLayer and premier ZK technologies. Our guiding principles include fostering decentralization and promoting education in web3.

Key Topics for Polygon

  • AggLayer Development: Advancing the AggLayer to provide a unified experience for developers, eliminating the segregation of different chains.
  • Educational Outreach: Expanding efforts to educate university students interested in web3 and decentralization.
  • Adoption in Academia: Promoting the integration of Polygon’s products within university blockchain clubs and academic projects.

Areas of Contribution

  • Education: Spreading awareness and understanding of Polygon’s technologies among university students and the broader web3 collegiate community. Educating students on Polygon products and the thesis of aggregation.
  • Community Building: Fostering collaborations between Polygon and academic institutions to encourage innovation especially among emerging web3 enthusiasts from College.
  • Technical Improvements: Contributing to the development of the AggLayer and ZK technologies using our technical expertise and contributing to discussions in the Governance Forum and Discord around AggLayer development.

Ecosystem Goals

Our goals for the Polygon ecosystem include supporting the continued development and decentralized creation of the AggLayer, enabling a more unified and seamless experience for developers. We aim to facilitate the adoption of Polygon’s products within university blockchain clubs, nurturing new talent and innovation in the blockchain space. Specifically, we are committed to attracting young developers in school to the Polygon ecosystem by integrating Polygon technologies into our educational programs, workshops, and hackathons. By providing hands-on learning opportunities and resources, we hope to inspire and empower students to contribute to Polygon’s growth and innovation. In governance, we strive to contribute to transparent and inclusive decision-making processes that empower the community and align with the broader vision of a decentralized web3 infrastructure. By bridging academia and industry, we aim to drive sustainable growth and collaboration within the Polygon ecosystem.

Conflicts of Interest
None

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Applicant Details

Delegate Platform

  1. Candidate Experience

Since 2022, we have been deeply involved in the Polygon ecosystem, operating as validators and providing reliable RPC infrastructure via our platform, blastapi.io. My experience as the founder of BwareLabs has equipped me with a strong knowledge in blockchain infrastructure and governance, which led to the creation of GovScan, a dedicated platform designed to enhance governance processes and transparency.

With a robust technical background and a passion for innovation, I now lead multiple engineering teams at Alchemy, focusing on advancing blockchain technology and infrastructure. We remain committed to maintaining high standards in our validator operations and driving the development of tools and infrastructure that help the Polygon ecosystem thrive.

  1. Delegate Philosophy/Motivation:
    My motivation is driven by the shared goal of fostering a thriving decentralized ecosystem, ensuring fairness and accessibility for all participants while empowering projects and individuals to build confidently on the network.
    I plan to leverage my technical background and actively contribute to discussions to help achieve the best possible outcomes.

  2. Key Topics for Polygon - ZKEVM, CDK, AggLayer, Defi & Governance

  3. Areas of Contribution

  • Governance
  • Validator and Node Operations
  • Infrastructure
  1. Ecosystem Goals

My goal is to actively contribute to the decision-making process by providing well-informed, highly technical input and thoughtful arguments to the best of my abilities.
On a different note, I’m exploring ways to enhance processes and improve transparency using GovScan.

Conflicts of Interest - None

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Applicant Details

Delegate Platform

Candidate Experience

I have been actively involved with the Polygon community for over three years, including my time at Luganodes, which is a leading validator on Polygon. During my time there, I was deeply involved in Polygon governance, managing our validator profile, engaging with proposals on the governance forum, and producing significant content on the Polygon ecosystem, both personally and through the company’s distribution channels.

Additionally, during my time there, I collaborated closely with teams and ecosystems from 40+ leading projects, including Aptos, SUI, Solana, Ronin, Avalanche, and the EigenLayer ecosystem. My active engagement within these communities and governance processes has given me a broad understanding, which I aim to apply to the Polygon ecosystem for the benefit of its community.

I come from an engineering background and have been deeply involved in various Polygon verticals, including Polygon PoS, Polygon zkEVM, and Supersets, which eventually evolved into Polygon CDK. I am currently the Head of Growth at 2077 Collective/Research—a community-driven initiative aimed at strengthening the Ethereum ecosystem and onboarding new users, builders, and investors through coordinated research and marketing efforts.

Our early supporters include leaders like Vitalik Buterin, Dankrad, as well as leading ecosystems such as EigenLayer, MegaETH, Fuel Labs, and others.

Delegate Philosophy/Motivation

With years of hands-on experience in the Polygon ecosystem, I am motivated to contribute to its governance in a transparent, informed, and impactful way. My approach has always been to add value through education, research, and effective communication.

At 2077, we’ve recently secured a Polygon grant to further enhance the ecosystem through research and content. I believe that Polygon’s current focus on tools like AggLayer and zkEVM is a critical step forward. My goal as a delegate is to bridge the gap between core contributors, the broader ecosystem, and users, ensuring transparency and alignment with the long-term vision of Polygon.

Being from the place where Matic Network started, I’ve witnessed its transformation since 2019. My involvement with Polygon dates back to 2019, making it the first blockchain project I engaged with personally. This deep connection with Polygon’s vision fuels my drive to contribute to its continued success.

Key Topics for Polygon

  1. AggLayer
  • AggLayer addresses one of the most pressing interoperability issues in Ethereum’s rollup-centric roadmap. Key areas of research such as shared token bridges, which are critical for advancing Ethereum’s next phase, “The Surge.”
  1. zkEVM
  • While Ethereum has made significant progress, the EVM isn’t perfect. zkEVM has the potential to revolutionize the developer experience, improve tooling, and drive scalability—an area where Polygon has been a pioneering force.
  1. Ecosystem Evolution
  • The Matic network has significantly evolved into the Polygon ecosystem we know today, leading the charge in scaling Ethereum as one of the very first solutions. However, there is still a need for greater education and empowerment within the community. Onboarding the next wave of users and developers requires a focus on producing consistent and high-quality content.

Areas of Contribution

  • Content & Education: Develop accessible content to educate and empower the community, driving engagement with Polygon’s tools and innovations.
  • Governance: Advocate for transparent, secure, and inclusive decision-making aligned with Polygon’s long-term vision.
  • Research: Provide strategic insights by analyzing trends and developments in Ethereum and the broader crypto ecosystem.
  • Open Communications: Bridge gaps between core contributors, the community, and stakeholders to ensure alignment and transparency.
  • Ecosystem Growth: Expand Polygon’s influence within Ethereum and the wider blockchain industry, fostering adoption and collaboration with key projects.

Ecosystem Goals

Polygon doesn’t get enough credit for its contributions—not just to the Ethereum community but also in research, user onboarding, and overall ecosystem growth.

They’ve been building from the ground up. I remember during my final year of college how the Polygon team was actively fostering a young developer community through initiatives like college clubs, grants, and hackathons. At the same time, they made significant strides in onboarding giants from the Web2 world. Major companies like Starbucks, Reddit, Meta, Nike, Disney, and Coca-Cola have either built using polygon technology or announced plans to do so.

As a delegate, my goal is to ensure that Polygon not only remains decentralized, secure, and adaptive to the ecosystem’s needs but also bridges the gap between what core contributors are building and where the ecosystem and its users stand. I aim to help users navigate the Polygon ecosystem effectively, maintain transparency at every level, and uphold the ethos of building in public.

Interoperability will be a defining focus in the near future. As more rollups emerge, unifying the fragmentation within the blockchain ecosystem will become crucial. AggLayer serves as a foundational layer to connect protocols, enabling seamless interactions between chains. It lays the groundwork for scaling and unifying the ecosystem, and I am committed to contributing to its pivotal role in the coming months and years.

Conflicts of Interest

None

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Applicant Details

Delegate Platform

  1. Candidate Experience

Co-founder of first stablecoin on Polygon, QiDao (MAI). Currently still the largest stablecoin protocol on the chain. Most of our OG friends and partners in the space are Polygon projects/ team members. I’ve been an active supporter of Polygon DeFi since the start, and would like to continue to support the community via the delegate platform.

  1. Delegate Philosophy/Motivation

My motivation to be a delegate comes from my connection to the Polygon community. I want the eco to continue thriving, as it did in the last cycle. I have a lot of experience with chain DAOs, and want to ensure that all projects looking to partner with Polygon are able to build positive-sum games.

  1. Key Topics for Polygon
  • Retail adoption of the chain
  • DeFi / money legos
  • Community-led leadership
  1. Areas of Contribution
  • DeFi ecosystem architecture
  • Governance
  1. Ecosystem Goals

My main goal is to keep Polygon focused on what matters, which is builders & users. Attracting attention from these groups should be the priority.

Conflicts of Interest

None.

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Applicant Details

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Delegate Platform

Candidate Experience

DAOplomats, a seasoned crypto organisation, has been specialising in professional DAO governance and coordination through industry-leading research and tooling since 2022. We suggest and build efficient governance structures, act as professional delegates, and spearhead community-building initiatives.

As a trusted partner, we have been working with 1inch, Gitcoin, Everclear, and BanklessDAO on governance, tokenomics, grants, and community building. We are also professional delegates of major DAOs like Uniswap, ENS and Lido DAO, including Layer 2 ecosystems like Arbitrium, Optimism and ZKsync.

We aim to participate actively in the discussions and provide regular updates on how we have voted here on the Forum and our Notion. We are among the few delegates in the EVM ecosystem who maintain a transparent voting history that the public can audit.

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Delegate Philosophy/Motivation

DAOplomats operates based on values and principles that reflect how we vote and collaborate with the broader community. We value open and public collaboration between all stakeholders, ensuring everyone’s voice is heard and considered.

1. Positive sum Collaboration
We strive to make our interactions positive sum whenever possible to allow maximum number of stakeholders to benefit via collaboration.
2. Facilitating Applications of Distributed Technology
We help organizations implement decentralized technologies to enhance transparency, efficiency, and equity.
3. Support the Public Good
We prioritize initiatives that deliver positive social, environmental, and economic outcomes, contributing to the greater good of society.
4. Accelerating Human Coordination
We accelerate collaboration across decentralized networks, enabling diverse teams to work together seamlessly and achieve common goals.

Key Topics for Polygon

1. ZK Tech and Innovation:
Polygon’s zkEVM and AggLayer are game-changers for scaling and privacy. We’re excited to see how these advancements will make the network faster, more secure, and even more powerful.
2. Decentralized Governance:
Governance should be about the community. Strengthening transparency and giving everyone a voice will make Polygon a truly decentralized ecosystem.
3. Growing Across Sectors:
Whether it’s DeFi, gaming, or enterprise, Polygon has so much potential. Supporting diverse projects will keep the ecosystem thriving and innovative.
4. Making Onboarding Easier:
New users shouldn’t feel lost. By simplifying the process and improving the user experience, Polygon can welcome more builders, users, and creators into its world.

Areas of Contribution

Governance
We aim to drive effective, accountable governance by shaping proposals that balance innovation and sustainability while actively engaging the community for inclusive decision-making.
Community Building
We focus on building strong relationships within the ecosystem, encouraging open dialogue, and creating a sense of shared purpose among participants.

Ecosystem Goals

Support Transparent and Fair Governance:
Work towards making governance more open and fair, ensuring the community has a strong voice in shaping Polygon’s future.
Encourage Growth Across Key Sectors:
Help Polygon become the top choice for projects in DeFi, gaming, and ZK applications by supporting initiatives that make the ecosystem stronger and more connected.
Focus on Long-Term Ecosystem Health:
Back ideas and programs that improve POL utility and create value for everyone involved, while ensuring Polygon continues to grow sustainably.

Conflicts of Interest

DAOplomats are active governance participants in multiple DAOs and Ethereum Layer 2. We might leverage our network to bring up proposals that benefit all stakeholders. We maintain a high level of transparency and will always disclose potential conflicts of interest before voting on proposals, ensuring our operations are always above board.

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Applicant Details

Applicant Individual Name: Michael Lewellen
Affiliated Company: OpenZeppelin (for employment context; governance participation is independent)
Delegation Wallet Address: mikelewellen.eth: 0xBE1d294FD9B71Ae2F6831Eb80777fF73fb73c953
Link to Social Media/Website: Twitter: @LewellenMichael
Delegate Platform: https://governance.polygon.technology/community-members/0xBE1d294FD9B71Ae2F6831Eb80777fF73fb73c953/

Candidate Experience

I am a seasoned professional in blockchain security and governance, with a strong background as a Security Solutions Architect at OpenZeppelin. I have a Security Advisor for Compound DAO as well as participating in security advisory and governance for the Arbitrum and ZkSync DAOs. My hands-on experience spans DAO governance, security best practices, and scaling Ethereum ecosystems, equipping me to address technical and governance challenges effectively.

Delegate Philosophy/Motivation

My motivation to participate in Polygon governance stems from my commitment to transparency, security, and robust governance practices. My guiding principles include fostering trustless systems, ensuring scalability without compromising security, and maintaining community-driven governance. I aim to leverage my expertise to enhance Polygon’s resilience and scalability as a leading blockchain ecosystem.

Key Topics for Polygon

The most pressing topics for Polygon at this time include:

  1. Enhancing the security of Layer 2 solutions to prevent exploits.
  2. Scaling the network while maintaining decentralization and trustlessness.
  3. Addressing governance challenges to create a more inclusive and transparent decision-making process.

Areas of Contribution

I am most interested in contributing to the following areas:

  • Security Best Practices: Exploring security practices and tooling to proactively identify and mitigate smart contract vulnerabilities, especially in regards to governance upgrades.
  • Governance: Ensuring transparency and inclusivity in decision-making.
  • Technical Improvements: Improving security infrastructure and scalability mechanisms.
  • Community Building: Encouraging developer and user engagement through education and advocacy.

Ecosystem Goals

My goals for Polygon focus on establishing a secure, scalable, and trustless ecosystem that prioritizes security without sacrificing usability. Specifically, I aim to enhance governance efficiency by balancing security operations with transparency and accountability, ensuring that all decisions are both robustly secure and aligned with community interests. Additionally, I will advocate for proactive measures such as routine audits and comprehensive incident response frameworks to safeguard the network from emerging threats.

Conflicts of Interest

I am currently employed at OpenZeppelin, a leading blockchain security firm. OpenZeppelin has partnerships with multiple blockchain protocols, including auditing services for other Layer 2 solutions. However, I participate in Polygon governance as an independent delegate and do not represent OpenZeppelin in this capacity. I will disclose any potential conflicts of interest and recuse myself from related decisions when necessary.