Proposal “dash-next-bizdevprmediaadoptionintegrati“ (Closed)Back

Title:Dash NEXT: BizDev/PR/Media/Adoption/Integrations/UseCases 2021
Owner:Dash-Next
Monthly amount: 194 DASH (5815 USD)
Completed payments: no payments occurred yet (4 month remaining)
Payment start/end: 2021-01-13 / 2021-05-12 (added on 2021-01-09)
Votes: 911 Yes / 161 No / 8 Abstain
External information: app.dashnexus.org/proposals/dash-next-bizdevprmediaadoptionintegrationsusecases/overview

Proposal description

The Dash NEXT team has established partnerships, led integrations, driven business opportunities, created use cases, and engaging stories for Dash. Based in Asia, we have leveraged local networks and strengthened Dash’s position across markets and industries.

In 2020, we have achieved almost 50 integrations and partnerships, we were invited to represent Dash at over 25 conferences and created lots of media stories.

Looking forward, we are continuing this approach and, based on your feedback and current market opportunities, adapt it to needs in the Dash ecosystem and crypto users.

This includes:

  • Pushing out Dash Platform by creating new use cases, working closely with internal and external dev teams to realize ideas, creating public visibility for Platform inside and outside the crypto space.
  • Establish partnerships in new fields, for example with cross-chain projects or in the DeFi Space. We are excited to promote building with Dash's features that contribute to a crypto ecosystem moving towards further decentralization. Some ideas in the making are to explore how Dash's decentralized storage can solve shortcomings on other Blockchains such as Ethereum, wrapped assets, and atomic swaps.
  • Create new options for users and tell exciting media stories. We see a big opportunity in bringing Dash into decentralized exchanges, lending platforms, and yield apps as it increases usage while driving forward the mission to “be your own bank” and spend Dash at your favorite merchants.
  • Provide new value propositions to traders and investors, e.g. through arbitrage opportunities between DEX and CEX, integrations into yield, or decentralized staking platforms. We see great potential to increase trading volume and market sentiment.
  • Of course, we will continue pushing forward Dash integrations in the payment space with merchants, exchanges, and other partners.
Different partnerships and projects in the DeFi space are already in the making. Expect further updates, partnerships, and media articles soon.

Please let us know your feedback and suggestions to help improve our work.

We also appreciate recommendations and intros to interesting partners who we can help to integrate Dash into their business.

To recap our achievements of 2020, please check out more details below:


Conferences and AMAs:


Partnerships and Integrations:


Exchanges:


External Media:



                                      Meetups and Events:


                                      Highlights of our work in 2019:

                                      • “DAO Building of the year” award for Dash, represented by Dash NEXT at Malta Blockchain Summit, one of Europe’s largest Blockchain events with 6k+ participants.
                                      • Healthy merchants and consumer ecosystem in Thailand, in the top-3 ranking on Anypay globally for many consecutive months.
                                      • 9 exchange integrations, many of them top exchanges and more integrations already in progress. Of course we want Dash to be integrated everywhere, but one of the main goals here is getting as many fiat on/off ramps as possible to be able to provide end-to-end solutions to merchants with fiat settlement requirements.
                                      • 1.5mil. Hotels worldwide on 2 travel platforms and soon 400+ airlines and private homes payable with Dash 
                                      • Dash Gift cards for over 190 countries with many big merchants such as Amazon, Steam, Spotify, Netflix and many more
                                      • Dash mobile top-up in 145+ countries via 200+ Mobile providers
                                      • Up to 2m easy to use Dash branded crypto debit cards, linkable with Digifinex and soon to more exchanges (currently in beta-test, expected to launch Q1/2020)
                                      • 19 conference partnerships, usually with Dash as a community partner, keynotes, panels, Dash payments for tickets, special discounts for Dash community members


                                      Merchants



                                      Exchanges:



                                      Others:



                                      External Media:



                                      Own Social Media Channels:



                                      Meetups



                                      Ongoing/Upcoming Integrations & partnerships:

                                      • Threefold
                                      • Stakehound
                                      • Bidao
                                      • Various DeFi partnerships

                                      Key Learnings of Our Approach:

                                      • The Blockchain ecosystem is fastly moving towards decentralized financial products and cross-chain applications. Bridges are essential building blocks between projects and the number of DeFi users is growing rapidly.
                                      • These opportunities must be articulated and transferred to projects. The DAO has the power to make them happen.
                                      • Wrapped assets enable trade on various DEX.
                                      • Data oracles to enable smart contracts to read and write from Dash.
                                      • Yield generating options such as liquidity pools, decentralized staking, borrowing, or lending
                                      • the DeFi space is moving fast we need to showcase what Dash and Platform is capable of
                                      • Enabling crypto payments is like putting together a big puzzle
                                      • Dash needs local partners all over the globe (exchanges, payment services, merchants, etc.) that enable us to legally operate in each market
                                      • Fiat gateways are a key element to grow merchant ecosystems around the world. To achieve this, exchanges with fiat trading pairs a required
                                      • Merchants need support - it is a long way for them to understand cryptocurrencies
                                      • Big and small businesses are often scared of crypto payments as they do not know how to handle the technology and mistrust a volatile asset. Giving them options to easily and immediately exit to the fiat of their choice and providing them a personal support contact is the best way to overcome these worries.
                                      • The travel industry is currently on hold and partners are struggling but it remains a great and viable use case for Dash
                                      • With one of the highest numbers of tourists, Thailand is the perfect market as Dash’s showcase
                                      • Crypto Payments is new for most travel platforms. The industry is a blue ocean of opportunities to build on 
                                      • Local networks and exposure are key to create partnerships
                                      • Blockchain is one of the fastest moving industries. The most efficient way to know key players is to meet them at conferences and events.
                                      • The Asian crypto scene is huge and participating in conferences and events has created most of our leads and completed integrations
                                      • Good personal contacts can put Dash high up in our partner’s priorities and makes integrations happen fast
                                      • Cooperation and streamlining of efforts between Dash Teams around the world increase outcomes and cost-efficiency
                                      • Identifying shared goals can create great results one team alone cannot create - e.g. the combined effort of Dash Embassy DACH, CORE, and Dash Thailand to systematically reach out to all exchanges without Dash listing has shown great results
                                      • Having regular calls with teams around the world enables us to help other team and get help where it is needed

                                      Budget:

                                      Please see details of our budget below.
                                      https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HKHS8K4IhLmlG3rnVHTME8yeJIOfbWEJ0suWjBt1m2E/edit?usp=sharing

                                      https://www.linkpicture.com/q/Screen-Shot-2564-01-16-at-09.20.09.png


                                      Track record
                                      To find out what we have done in the past, please have a look below.

                                      Our previous proposals
                                      https://www.dashcentral.org/p/dash-next-bizdev-pr-marketing-adoption-i
                                      https://www.dashcentral.org/p/dash-next-biz-dev-partnerships-thailand-
                                      https://www.dashcentral.org/p/dash-next--dash-thailand-q1-2020
                                      https://www.dashcentral.org/p/dash-next--dash-thailand-q4
                                      https://www.dashcentral.org/p/Dash_Thailand_Q3_2019
                                      https://www.dashcentral.org/p/dash-next-in-asia--beyond-biz-dev-p-ship
                                      https://www.dashcentral.org/p/DashThailandhttps://www.dashcentral.org/p/Thailand 

                                      Our Dash Watch reports:
                                      https://beta.dashwatch.org/r/DEC20/Dash-Next
                                      https://beta.dashwatch.org/r/NOV20/Dash-Next
                                      https://beta.dashwatch.org/r/OCT20/Dash-Next
                                      https://beta.dashwatch.org/r/SEP20/Dash-Thailand
                                      https://beta.dashwatch.org/r/AUG20/Dash-Next
                                      https://beta.dashwatch.org/r/JUL20/Dash-Thailand
                                      https://beta.dashwatch.org/r/JUN20/Dash-Thailand
                                      https://reports.dashwatch.org/MAY20/Dash-Thailand.pdf
                                      https://beta.dashwatch.org/r/APR20/Dash-Thailand
                                      https://beta.dashwatch.org/r/MAR20/Dash-Thailand
                                      https://beta.dashwatch.org/r/FEB20/Dash-Thailand
                                      https://reports.dashwatch.org/JAN20/Dash-Thailand.pdf
                                      https://reports.dashwatch.org/DEC19/Dash-Thailand.pdf
                                      https://reports.dashwatch.org/NOV19/Dash-Thailand.pdf
                                      https://reports.dashwatch.org/OCT19/Dash-Thailand.pdf 
                                      https://beta.dashwatch.org/r/SEP19/dash_thailand_q3_2019
                                      https://reports.dashwatch.org/JUL19/dash_thailand_q3_2019.pdf
                                      https://reports.dashwatch.org/JUN19/DashThailandAdoptionPartnershipsBusDev.pdf
                                      https://reports.dashwatch.org/MAY19/DashThailandAdoptionPartnershipsBusDev.pdf
                                      https://reports.dashwatch.org/MAR19/DashThailand.pdf

                                      We thank you sincerely for your trust and great support.

                                      As always, your feedback is most welcome and will be included in our work!

                                      Show full description ...

                                      Discussion: Should we fund this proposal?

                                      Submit comment
                                       
                                      0 points,3 years ago
                                      This ask is too high given current Dash valuation, I will be voting "No" on all proposals that do not adjust their ask, ongoing proposals are eating our entire budget.
                                      Reply
                                      3 points,3 years ago
                                      I would like to point out that DashWatch has verified almost all the work that DashNext have done. For December: https://reports.dashwatch.org/DEC20/Dash-Next.pdf . Really hoping they get over the finish line.
                                      Reply
                                      2 points,3 years ago
                                      I see this whale is busy trying to defund a lot of proven projects, I know you guys are tough, I haven't voted yet on this proposal. But the integrations you have put together deserve support.
                                      Reply
                                      2 points,3 years ago
                                      Plus , a lowered ask, I hope voters have enough sense to push this into funding over this whale's objection.
                                      Reply
                                      2 points,3 years ago
                                      Thanks a lot for your feedback and support, We are highly motivated and hoping till the end!
                                      Reply
                                      2 points,3 years ago
                                      You have my support
                                      Reply
                                      2 points,3 years ago
                                      Thanks a lot for your support! Highly appreciated!
                                      Reply
                                      3 points,3 years ago
                                      I would like to say: this is our last international marketing proposal outside of Core and I greatly support all ventures where people work hard for Dash and show results. There have been calls for more marketing in the MNO channels, but almost every marketing venture, even ones that produce quite a lot, get eventually defunded. Why are we shooting ourselves in the foot?
                                      Reply
                                      1 point,3 years ago
                                      Thanks a lot for your comment and support!
                                      Reply
                                      0 points,3 years ago
                                      I like a lot of the stuff you guys have done biz dev wise but your budget is out of control. The budget needs to but cut by at least 30% if not more. I see lots of pork and probable redundancies that could be cut significantly.

                                      Who are the 5 team members listed under HR and what do they do, what is their title, how is your organization structured?
                                      Do any of these same people also get paid under the "marketing team" or "merchant support team" or under the Integration team or any other paid duties? Who are the people who do these things?
                                      Reply
                                      2 points,3 years ago
                                      What pork do you see?
                                      Reply
                                      1 point,3 years ago
                                      Thanks a lot for your comment and we are happy to hear you like our BizDev work.

                                      Regarding Budget and team members:

                                      The 5 team members are Felix Mago (Media, Speaker, Conferences, Tech Bridge, Integrations), Sascha Jochum (BizDev, Strategy, Marketing), Tobias van Rennings (Administration, Partner management), Ratima Sirihongthong (Translations, Merchant support, Social Media), Theerapong Srisuphan (Assistant for Adoption, partnerships, events). The 5 salaries for that people are in the Budget under HR. The other parts of the Budget you mentioned are costs and are not used for salaries.

                                      Budget wise we try to keep salaries and expenses always as low as possible. To continue our work in the same quality and scope we can’t cut our Budget unfortunately.
                                      Reply
                                      0 points,3 years ago
                                      Put the budget in the proposal not an external link, also elaborate on the human resources expense
                                      Reply
                                      1 point,3 years ago
                                      (next time. already voted yes.)
                                      Reply
                                      0 points,3 years ago
                                      Thanks a lot for your yes vote and your input. The proposal platform unfortunately doesn't provide tables and forms that's why we worked with an external link to show the budget clearer, but we appreciate your feedback and will add additional info about our HR and a screenshot of the Budget table ASAP.
                                      Reply
                                      1 point,3 years ago
                                      "BlockBali DeFi Summit - Dash and DeFi can break the traditional financial system. ...01.12.20" - I tipped a Balinese taxi driver big time in Bali. I spent over an hour with him at my laptop demonstrating Dash, setting up a wallet for him and explaining cryptocurrency. I'm not going to lie. It was not easy. He was middle aged and not concerned that much with currencies. Onwards and upwards though. Bring on the Dashpay wallets :-) ...which will make things easier.
                                      Reply
                                      0 points,3 years ago
                                      Wow great effort and thanks for sharing that experience. We also know from the many street work we did how challenging it can be to educate non crypto or tech savvy people. And a Balinese Taxi driver is an especially tough challenge no doubt. Well done and let's keep it up!
                                      Reply