We are pleased to announce our next Decentralized Futures grant recipient the Web3 Deal Desk (“Deal Desk”), a pioneering initiative transforming how strategic business development (“BD”) deals are funded within the Polkadot ecosystem. The Deal Desk evaluates and facilitates robust funding decisions for new BD opportunities, empowering Polkadot’s BD teams to pursue and secure strategic deals efficiently and responsibly.
Strategic Imperative
Grants have become a critical tool for Web3 ecosystems to compete and drive growth. To pursue competitive and strategic deals, Polkadot’s BD entities need a tailored funding mechanism that goes beyond traditional Treasury and Web3 Foundation channels. This mechanism must be robust and agile, supporting the sustainable and efficient use of capital while balancing transparency with the confidentiality required for commercially sensitive information.
The Deal Desk addresses this need by enabling BD entities to apply for funding on high-value deals in a streamlined manner, providing guidance on deal structuring, and ensuring rigorous, quality-driven funding decisions.
Core Functions
As an expert-led steward of deal funding, the Deal Desk focuses on four key pillars:
- Strategic Fund Allocation: Streamlined and sustainable capital deployment into high-value deals to maximize ecosystem impact.
- Strategic Deal Evaluation: Comprehensive opportunity assessments using both on-chain and off-chain criteria.
- Expert Deal Advisory: Professional guidance on commercial deal structuring, including milestone design and negotiations, to optimize ROI while managing risk.
- Transparent Impact Reporting: Annual publication of Deal Impact Reports to track outcomes, ensure transparency, and share key insights and data.
The Deal Desk functions as a public utility and facilitator of deal funding rather than an executor of deals. All deals will be managed directly by ecosystem entities that maintain primary relationships with their prospects.
Evaluation Process
Proposals for deal funding are funnelled through a comprehensive three-tier evaluation process:
- Qualification Filter: An initial review to assess the proposal’s completeness and alignment with the funding criteria for consideration by the Deal Desk.
- Evaluation Filter: A deeper analysis to evaluate the proposal’s potential for significant and enduring use cases and ecosystem impact, based on business fundamentals.
- Deal Review Board: Final funding decisions are made by the Deal Desk’s independent committee of BD experts, focusing on the overall opportunity and deal structure.
Ecosystem Integration
The Deal Desk will operate amongst a robust network of key partners within the Polkadot ecosystem, including:
- Ecosystem BD groups
- Marketing & PR providers
- Legal service providers
- VCs and other funding programs
- Technical and onchain-metrics validation entities
Funding Structure
The Deal Desk is designed to transition to full Treasury funding in the future. This structure reinforces its position as a public utility focused on ecosystem growth rather than profit generation.
Looking Ahead
The Deal Desk represents a step forward in maturing the capability for strategic deal funding to help drive the growth of the Polkadot ecosystem. By introducing streamlined funding processes, commercially-minded evaluations, and deal structuring expertise, they aim to dramatically improve funding utilization, strategic return on investment, and overall BD effectiveness across the ecosystem.
For strategic partners and teams seeking to drive significant value within the Polkadot ecosystem, the Deal Desk stands ready to evaluate and support impactful initiatives.
More detailed information about processes and evaluation criteria will be shared by the Deal Desk in the coming period. Stay tuned for updates on their webpage, social media or contact them directly per dd@web3dealdesk.com.
Disclaimers:
The content or any information in this announcement is not a financial promotion and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any tokens or to invest in any application or to use any application. It is intended solely for informational purposes.
Web 3.0 Technologies Foundation provides funding but does not endorse, control, or have any involvement in the final products or services developed by the grantee. Any projects or applications created are the sole responsibility of the grantee. Web 3.0 Technologies Foundation assumes no responsibility or liability for any action, product, or services provided by the grantee.
Web 3.0 Technologies Foundation assumes no liability for any claims or damages whatsoever associated with your reliance on this announcement and your use, inability to use, or your interaction with other users within the application, including any direct, indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages, or loss of profits, cryptocurrencies, tokens, or anything else of value.
This information should not be construed as financial, legal or professional advice. Always conduct your own due diligence before making any decisions.
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