Rootstock Collective - Call for Delegates 🚀

RootstockCollective Governoors rejoice!

After successful onboarding with Tally.xyz, RootstockCollective is ready to ignite the next phase in its journey to decentralization: a delegate race!

We call forth community members who feel called to have a pivotal role in how the Collective evolves. Meme lords, tinkerers, builders and enjoyoors of ideation and proposal crafting, we want you!

What is a delegate race?

For a period of two weeks, RootstockCollective will promote delegates so they receive more $stRIF delegation by other community members, dolphins and whales. The callout will be to delegate their voting power to their preferred candidate.

Delegation enables $stRIF holders to strengthen governance security without checking the Forum every day and participating in voting. Delegates take care of that.

After two weeks, the top six addresses will receive a special badge commemorating their commitment to decentralization and will be announced on the Forum, by RootstockCollective’s X handle and on Discord. This might attract even more delegation.

A delegate race is a chance to attract substantial $stRIF voting power and ensure a central place in the decision making process of the Collective.

What is a delegate anyway?

Delegates play a crucial role in governance. They act as representatives of token holders, participating in discussions, proposing changes, and voting on proposals that shape the direction of the DAO.

Their responsibilities extend beyond simply casting votes; they are expected to thoroughly understand the issues at hand, consider the potential impacts of their decisions, and act in the best interests of the DAO and its community.

This often involves engaging with other members, gathering feedback, and communicating their rationale for their decisions. Additionally they often champion new initiatives and proposals and ensure that governance is a vibrant marketplace of ideas.

We at StableLab are proud to be an active delegate in multiple DAOs, from Aave to ZKSync. We have recently released a DAO delegate handbook, covering all aspects of what it means to fill this role, with many real world examples of delegate programs.

If you feel drawn to learn more, please follow this link.

Delegate Responsibilities

A key aspect of a delegate’s responsibility is to maintain transparency and accountability. They should be open about their affiliations, potential conflicts of interest, and the reasoning behind their votes.

This allows token holders to make informed decisions about who to delegate their voting power to, ensuring that delegates remain responsive to the needs of the community.

Delegates are expected to act with integrity and good faith, prioritizing the long-term health and sustainability of the DAO over short-term gains or personal interests.

The effectiveness of a DAO depends on the active participation and responsible decision-making of its delegates. By fulfilling their duties with a commitment to the DAO’s values, delegates can foster a thriving and robust governance ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders.

RootstockCollective’s vision

Rootstock Collective envisions a world where decentralized finance (DeFi) is accessible to everyone, leveraging Bitcoin’s security and stability. It’s aim is to foster a vibrant, self-sustaining ecosystem that empowers users with control over their financial decisions, driving innovation and inclusion in the blockchain space. The Collective’s goal is to cultivate a community where members have a stake in the governance process, ensuring that the protocol evolves in line with collective wisdom and needs.

How can I participate?

Prepare a delegate application containing your name, your RSK address, and a pitch of why people should delegate to you. For best in class delegate applications please check out EzR3eal’s Aave profile here.

Disclosing conflicts of interest is also really important and goes a long way to establish trust.

If you know $stRIF holders reach out to them to make sure they know of your intention and get ready to delegate to you. Sometimes those precious tokens are on a cold wallet, and need some preparation, so giving people a good heads up is key to winning this race.

You can also take to social media and activate your following with one of these sample texts. Every delegated $stRIF helps you win this race.

When will the delegate race start?

The short answer is: In one week from now!

Please reply with your delegate profile to this thread. A profile must include:

  • Your name
  • Your tagline
  • A short bio
  • Your RSK address for delegation

Ready, set, go!

6 Likes

Thank you @rspa_StableLab for putting this together! We’d be delighted to extend our role as a Rootstock Shepherd to a Delegate as well.

Avantgarde Finance
Avantgarde is a DeFi native asset management, advisory and research firm specialising in onchain asset management for DAOs, Foundations, Institutional and Sophisticated Investors. Avantgarde has been active in DeFi since 2016 and bring decades of TradFi experience to help DAOs and Foundations optimise treasury management strategies, improve financial sustainability, and support long-term growth. Current and past clients include Uniswap, Arbitrum, Compound, Nexus Mutual, Gitcoin, and others, and we currently serve as active delegates on Uniswap, Compound, and Velora.

What we bring
Avantgarde has extensive experience supporting DAOs with governance, treasury management, and various other ecosystem initiatives leveraging our network; helping them make informed decisions and adopt sustainable financial practices. Our experience and work includes producing detailed research reports (such as Treasury Risk Reduction for Arbitrum), supporting working groups (like the Uniswap Bridge Assessment Committee), and spearheading various proposal initiatives (recently Uniswap DAO Principles) while ensuring alignment with the protocol’s long-term goals.

Rootstock’s vision of expanding access to decentralized finance on Bitcoin very much aligns with our own mission around improving financial accessibility, and resonates with our commitment to building sustainable, transparent, and community-led ecosystems. Drawing on lessons from leading DAOs, our strategy for contributing to Rootstock focuses on strengthening governance processes and enhancing treasury management, promoting best practices and proven frameworks that can support decentralization while improving financial sustainability in line with long-term goals. We’ll work closely with the Rootstock community to ensure decisions are transparent, inclusive, and strategically sound.

Rootstock Delegate address: 0xaFeC0951EC3C1AC7017F80D2f4c2D668755cc23b (avantgardedelegate.rsk)

5 Likes

Hello everyone, and thank you @rspa_StableLab for setting this up. Similarly, we’d be honored to continue our role as Rootstock Shepherd and now Delegate.

PGov
PGov specializes in providing governance services for decentralized protocols. Our members are dedicated to innovation, leveraging years of specialized expertise to provide pinpointed guidance that meets each team’s specific governance needs.

We are a team of diehard governance enthusiasts who have been in the governance space for over four years. Members of our team originally helped deploy Uniswap v3 on Rootstock as members of the Uniswap Accountability Committee and have stayed close with the team since helping steward the millions of dollars of Rootstock provided liquidity. We currently hold a significant amount of RIF tokens ourselves that we intend to keep and hold long term to continue to build our reserves and align ourselves financially with the DAO.

Rootstock Delegate Address: pgovdelegate.rsk (0x3FB19771947072629C8EEE7995a2eF23B72d4C8A)

4 Likes

Short Bio: Mechanical Engineer by formation, 15 years experience as an engineer, 10 of those managing my own engineering company, sold in 2022 to dedicate 100% to Crypto. Solid experience in Sales, Product, Project and R&D Management. MBA in Innovation Management. Bitcoin mining investor since 2018 and avid Web3/DeFi user since 2019 on most major blockchains. Currently also working for a Bitcoin mining company with operations in the US and Latin America.

Experiences, Vision, Interests:

  • Deep understanding of tech stacks, modular blockchains, layer abstraction, Layer 2 blockchains, blockchain integration and bridging.
  • Been deeply dedicated over the last year to Bitcoin L2s. Solid vision and understanding of the top Bitcoin L2s currently.
  • Launched a Bitcoin DeFi product based on Bitcoin L2s from scratch, wrote its 26-page in-depth whitepaper. We were finalists on an Outlier Ventures round.
  • An avid proponent of the transformative potential of Web3 and smart contracts on Bitcoin through Bitcoin Layer 2s, unlocking utility of more than 1 trillion-dollar value currently sitting mostly idle, and triggering a flight-to-quality movement from other established non-Bitcoin ecosystems.
  • Decent networking on a variety of blockchains and Bitcoin L2s.
  • From all my experience with hundreds of DeFi protocols and dozens of Blockchains and Bitcoin L2s, I’d have a lot to collaborate to Rootstock ecosystem.
  • Rootstock seems to be onto something with the Collective governance, where decisions can be taken in a decentralized albeit agile manner. It’d be a pleasure to collaborate.
  • Hopelessly interested in memes, nerd stuff, pop culture, crypto twitter, macro economy, world politics, laser eyes, and everything crypto and Bitcoin.
  • Ultimate Bitcoin perma-bull, I’m never bullish enough.

RSK Address for Delegation: chronotriggerdelegate.rsk
(In case that doesn’t work: 0xe38bF6F68dbf5733d5bF3C9E3fE47Bf7F9eDa3e1)

Bitcoin is digital gold, growing harder, smarter, faster, & stronger due to the relentless progression of technology. ~Michael Saylor

3 Likes

Name: StableLab
Tagline: Bringing DAO best practices to Bitcoin

Short Bio:
StableLab is a governance firm specializing in professional delegation, DAO design, and decentralized operations. We’re active delegates in protocols like MakerDAO, Aave, Optimism, and Uniswap, with a track record of high-impact governance since 2018.

Our work combines deep research, structured processes, and a commitment to transparency. We bring these strengths to Rootstock Collective to help build a resilient governance layer for Bitcoin-powered DeFi.

We believe Rootstock is laying the foundation for a new era of open, secure financial infrastructure and we’re here to support that vision with integrity and consistency.

RSK Address for Delegation: stablelabdelegate.rsk
(0x4f62c4228f50875A2f3BE0921c4C2c41029A8BAe)

4 Likes

Thanks you @rspa_StableLab for putting this together!

Name: DAOplomats

Short bio: DAOplomats is a crypto-native organization offering governance-as-a-service to help DAOs operate efficiently and transparently. We specialize in treasury management, grants strategy, and community building. As trusted partners of 1inch, Gitcoin, Everclear, and more, we also serve as active delegates in top DeFi and Layer 2 protocols. Our team maintains a fully transparent, auditable voting history across the EVM ecosystem.

At DAOplomats, we align with Rootstock’s mission to extend Bitcoin’s capabilities by enabling transparent, community-led DeFi through its EVM-compatible sidechain

Drawing on our proven track record in transparent governance and strategic treasury management, we’ll partner with the Rootstock community to implement inclusive decision-making frameworks secured by merged mining.

RSK Address for Delegation: gov.daoplomats.eth
(0x057928bc52bD08e4D7cE24bF47E01cE99E074048)

5 Likes

Name: Arana Digital

About Us:

We are a team experienced in DAO governance, operations, growth and research. Our members are deeply steeped in the crypto space and have multiple years of participation in protocol governance.

We have worked intimately with Rootstock Labs for over a year, assisting them with making Rootstock’s ecosystem more robust. Namely, our primary contribution has been facilitating the deployment of Uniswap v3 on RSK, which has since become a predominant DEX on the L2, holding nearly $20M of TVL today. Through this process, we’ve become quite familiar with the architecture of Rootstock and have gained insight into its unique market potential in the Bitcoin space.

With delegation history for DEXs, money markets, L2s, liquid staking protocols, and stablecoins, our team is acclimated with a breadth of sectors, a variable that’s of particular importance when it comes to governing a chain. Over the past couple of months, we have also participated in the RSK governance ecosystem as a Rootstock Shepherd, voting actively on proposals.

Rootstock Delegate Address:

  • 0x0579A616689f7ed748dC07692A3F150D44b0CA09
  • RNS: aranadelegate.rsk
3 Likes

Name

Tané

RSK Address

0xB79294D00848a3A4C00c22D9367F19B4280689D7

Short Bio

Tané is a group of crypto-native product builders based in Tokyo, Dubai and New York. We have been active as delegates in Arbitrum, Optimism, Lido and more, and in Optimism we also served on the Grants-related Councils, reviewing applications, shaping funding policy, and supporting delivery.
Beyond being delegates, we author governance proposals that optimize processes, enhance decentralization and organize grant programs. Our tech-savvy team delivers critical feedback on technical upgrades, and as a Japan representative we connect an under-represented user base to DAO decision-making.

Takeshi, Head of Network Operations, who worked for Twitter as a senior software engineer and for SmartNews, a Japanese unicorn startup that provides a news aggregation mobile app with 30M MAU as a product manager, is the main representative of the account.

Contact

Motivation

We believe we can contribute to Rootstock in many and unique ways, helping Rootstock fulfill its promise as a trustless, Bitcoin-secured base layer for lenders, borrowers, and applications.

  • Grant-distribution expertise – As a member of the Grants-related Councils of Optimism, we know how to design programs that bootstrap ecosystem growth.
  • Governance optimization – Our experience across multiple DAOs equips us to refine Rootstock governance mechanisms for greater efficiency and community engagement.
  • Strong Japanese-market connections – Rooted in Japan, we can facilitate partnerships, foster community growth, and support expansion into Asia’s one of the largest crypto market.
  • Tech-savvy feedback – Our background as entrepreneurs, engineers, and product managers enables us to provide detailed, constructive input on technical upgrades.
2 Likes

Name: Curia Lab

Tagline: Data-driven insights for Rootstock governance

Contact

Short Bio:
Curia Lab is a team focused on DAO governance and analytics. Our analysts and engineers aim to transform raw on-chain activity into clear, actionable insight. We have experience in building governance dashboards and reports for Optimism, SafeDAO, Arbitrum, which help communities understand participation, delegate behaviour, and other governance dynamics.

RSK address for delegation: 0x17296956b4E07Ff8931E4ff4eA06709FaB70b879

Posted on behalf of the Curia Lab delegate team. We look forward to serving the Rootstock Collective community.

1 Like

Name:

404 Gov

RSK Address:

0xE93D59CC0bcECFD4ac204827eF67c5266079E2b5

Short Bio:

404 Gov is the professional governance arm of 404 DAO, a community of web3 professionals and students focused on advancing education, innovation, and adoption of blockchain technology in Atlanta. We actively contribute to many top protocols, including Uniswap, Arbitrum, Optimism, and NEAR. Our team is dedicated to promoting sustainable governance practices, growth, and decentralization.

Our experience includes active participation in various working groups and councils/committees, including Arbitrum LTIPP, Optimism ACC, Arbitrum Onboarding Lead, Arbitrum MSS, and as an endorsed delegate in NEAR. We look forward to bringing our experience and learnings from other ecosystems to Rootstock and extending the capabilities of Bitcoin.

1 Like

Name: DAOstar

DAOstar (https://daostar.org/) is dedicated to supporting the long-term success and sustainability of the DAO ecosystem by:

  • Developing technical standards, interoperable infrastructure, and public goods
  • Sharing insights on DAOs and decentralized governance through open-source research
  • Creating a communal forum for DAO builders and fostering collective research

By partnering with the Rootstock community, we will look to bring our expertise in DAO ecosystem security, grant program management, and governance best practices, in order to create a strong foundation on which the Collective can grow and thrive.

We believe that in order to succeed, DAOs need to maximize their shared impact through collaboration as well as competition. Through our participation as a Rootstock delegate, we hope to promote decentralized governance and open, collaborative research and development for the Bitcoin DeFi ecosystem.

DAOstar is a 100% public good, nonprofit, no-token project, supported by many amazing projects and organizations, including Optimism, Arbitrum, ENS, Tally, Agora, and the Ethereum Foundation, among others.

RSK Address for Delegation: 0x27538B3398880e3F407149ff551827c4962a6801
RNS: daostar.rsk

2 Likes

Name: Seviramar

Short Bio:
I’m Seviramar, a community builder and educator committed to expanding access to decentralized finance in Latin America. Since 2020, I’ve been actively involved in the Bitcoin DeFi ecosystem through Rootstock, Tropykus, and Money On Chain.

My focus is on connecting technology with real-world needs—promoting financial inclusion, strengthening communities, and supporting protocols that build on Bitcoin. I believe in transparent governance, long-term thinking, and designing solutions with local relevance.

As part of the Rootstock Collective, I bring experience, consistency, and a deep commitment to building a resilient DeFi layer for Bitcoin.

RSK Address for Delegation: seviramar.rsk
(0x82A41714bFeC405b5ba392DC78589d5316693d21)

2 Likes

Great!!! Fully support your work during this time @Seviramar !!!

2 Likes

Name: Manuel Ferrari
Tagline: Bitcoin educator, DeFi builder, and advocate for Rootstock adoption
RSK Address: 0x8297d4a331A519569bc5F785DB8cCA68fE53E846
RNS: ferraridelegate.rsk

Short Bio:
I am the co-founder of Money On Chain, the first DeFi protocol launched on Rootstock in October 2019. While I have a meaningful governance stake in the protocol, I do not control it. Money On Chain is a decentralized protocol, and one of the major governance participants is Rootstock Labs itself—clearly showing aligned incentives to support the growth of the Rootstock ecosystem as a whole.

I was recently elected President of the Bitcoin Argentina NGO, one of the oldest Bitcoin-focused nonprofit organizations in the world. It has educated thousands and played a major role in Bitcoin’s grassroots adoption throughout Argentina, and indirectly across Latin America.

The NGO was originally founded by Diego Gutiérrez Zaldívar (co-founder of Rootstock) and other renowned Bitcoiners in the region. As part of our new board’s vision, we are committed to promoting sidechain technologies like Rootstock. From this platform, I hope to further raise awareness and adoption of Rootstock—starting in Argentina and expanding globally.

Regarding my role as a delegate: my mission is not to favor any single protocol, including Money On Chain. In fact, what benefits Money On Chain the most is the growth of the entire Rootstock network. More TVL, more users, and more high-quality projects on Rootstock is the rising tide that lifts all boats. That is where I will focus my energy and vote.

Through mimLABS, I’ve helped onboard and support many projects into the ecosystem—including Tropykus, Sovryn, Symbiosis, SushiSwap, Oku-Trade, LayerZero, and wallets like Beexo and Enkrypt. We’ve also contributed to the development of RIF On Chain, a core part of the RIF ecosystem. I believe the RIF token is essential to enabling sustainable growth within Rootstock and am committed to helping it evolve with sound tokenomics.

I’ve been involved in Rootstock since it launched on mainnet in 2018, and I remain deeply committed to its mission. I’d be honored to represent $stRIF holders who want thoughtful, proactive governance focused on real growth and decentralization.

4 Likes

An honor to collaborate on Rootstock next to you Manu.

1 Like