Based Series | Weekly Founder Feature: Daos.World Founder AzFlin

Source: Tako

Editor's Note: To provide direct access to Alpha founders, Tako recently officially launched the Founders Club in collaboration with BlockBeats to introduce the "Discover Base Alpha" series of dialogues. It will regularly bring readers projects in the Base ecosystem with great potential, innovative products, and high-quality team backgrounds, inviting project founders to share their insights. At the same time, it also provides an opportunity for users interested in emerging and hot projects to have direct conversations with the founders.

This issue's guest for the dialogue is AzFlin, the founder of Daos.World. Below is the transcript of this AMA:

Table of Contents

1. AzFlin's Background and Experience

2. What is Daos.World

3. Differentiation of Daos.World

4. Multi-chain Strategy

5. Perspective on Industry Trend Changes

6. Social Functions of Daos.World

7. How to Engage with Daos.World

8. Vision and Philosophy

9. Entrepreneurship Insights and Lessons

10. Work-Life Balance

11. Other Community QA

AzFlin's Background and Experience

Julie:

We are pleased to introduce this week's guest - AzFlin (@azflin), the co-founder of daos.world (@daosdotworld).

AzFlin is a developer with a strong technical background who transitioned from Traditional Finance (TradFi) to Web3 in 2021. He has worked at the first NFT aggregation trading platform, Genie, and Uniswap, before diving into what he calls "trench dev," engaging in various projects at the forefront of the crypto world.

This journey ultimately gave rise to daos.world, a decentralized DAO launchpad that assists DAO managers in on-chain fundraising and fund management. daos.world initially launched on Base at the end of 2024, later expanding to Solana, with the goal of becoming the "world's largest DAO launchpad," providing transparent, trustless investment opportunities through a unique project selection and whitelist mechanism.

AzFlin's vision is to explore new token issuance models and drive DAOs to achieve greater value. Through rigorous team audits, requiring project teams to provide private documents for accountability, and an innovative DWL token system, he has built a platform that prioritizes quality and reputation.

Welcome AzFlin to the Founders Club! Next, we will hear him share the entrepreneurial journey of daos.world, his views on multi-chain development, and how to build an incentive-aligned system in Web3. Feel free to ask questions, whether about his transition from TradFi to "trench dev" or feedback on daos.world.

AzFlin:

Thank you for the invitation, Julie. I really like Tako's asynchronous long-form interview format, especially the feature that syncs across platforms to Warpcaster, which is very powerful.

I usually prefer text-based communication rather than voice meetings. So, this format suits me well.

Let me briefly introduce my experience, from the mundane development in traditional finance to the transition to "trench dev." I have been coding for over 10 years, studied mathematics in college, and then worked in TradFi doing Python+SQL+data analysis for 7 years. At that time, I had no passion for work, just wanted to get by, had no ambition, and just wanted to enjoy life—very different from my mindset now.

In 2021, I joined a Solidity bootcamp called Chainshot, which reignited my passion for coding. Later, I joined Genie (the first NFT aggregation trading platform) as the Chief Engineer. I fell in love with the rapid pace of innovation in this industry—the constant stream of new things every day, where anyone could create a hit project at any time. My experience at Genie truly got me hooked on the crypto world.

A year later, Genie was acquired by Uniswap. Compared to a startup, Uniswap's big company pace was much slower, with various meetings, documents, and processes that I found hard to adapt to. I enjoy rapid development, working alone or in a small team. A year later, I was fired because of a so-called "rug pull shitcoin" incident (the specific story can be found online, I won't go into details here). But this event turned out to be a blessing in disguise, giving me the opportunity to develop independently and also gaining some reputation in the community.

Next came the "trench warfare development" phase. After leaving Uniswap, I independently developed various small projects on different chains and also took on some freelance work. Whenever I had an interesting idea, I would either pursue it on my own or collaborate with others. This phase was tough — going from a stable high salary to earning money from sporadic projects, sometimes going weeks or even months without income, sometimes pouring effort into projects that received little attention, and sometimes seeing small things I did casually unexpectedly go viral.

"Trench warfare development" is full of randomness, but you learn a lot and can do whatever you want freely. It was this experience that eventually led me to establish daos.world. In November 2024, I decided to fork the then-popular daos.fun and, with another partner, spent a month creating an MVP. By luck and timing, we also gained popularity.

Now, I am completely addicted to entrepreneurship.

Q1.1 - Tako User@jamesx:

As a founder, I can understand the various challenges, joys, and surprises you have experienced. I'm curious, since the launch of the project, what has been your happiest moment?

AzFlin:

Probably sitting in Telegram watching everyone frantically spamming whitelist commands, or going downstairs for a smoke, having a moment of emptiness while thinking about what to do next.

Daos.World 101

Q2.1 - Julie:

For those who are new to daos.world, how would you introduce it in 30 seconds? What is its core mission? Why should Tako users pay attention?

AzFlin:

The combination of "DAO + Speculative Token" is a highly explosive mix. Many DAO attempts in the past have failed, but in this cycle, the Memecoin craze has proven that everything can be tokenized. DAOs themselves are cool — having a treasury that is open to free investment, but when combined with a speculative token, it becomes even more interesting.

Daos.World Differentiation

Q3.1 - Julie:

Since the end of 2024, I have been following daos.world since it launched on Base. What made you decide to create a DAO launch platform? What sets DW apart from other launch platforms? (Some in the community have asked similar questions.)

AzFlin:

Our differences are:

- Innovative tokenomics: On Base, we have designed a mechanism where staking DAO tokens earns $DWL.
DWL is a lottery token that can be burned to win whitelist spots of other projects.
I love this on-chain experiment, similar to the "food farms" gameplay during the 2021 DeFi summer boom.
In the future, we will explore more DAO tokenomics models, such as $RWOK's "staking NFT to earn tokens" model.

- Customized Services: We provide tailored support for DAOs, such as developing early AI agents for DAOs (e.g., the three AI directors of 3 Beras Capital).
We work closely with teams to provide consultancy in development and marketing, helping them unleash their full potential.

Q3.2 - Tako User @coolhayley:

Recently, the "AI Agent+DAO Funding" model has become very popular. What is the core competitive advantage of daos.world compared to other DAO platforms?

AzFlin:

Key advantages:

DAO funds are completely freely available in the treasury and can be cross-chain invested in NFTs, DeFi, etc., because we only use a regular wallet to manage funds, not custom contracts.

High revenue sharing is based on Base, with 40% of Uniswap V3 trading fees returned to the DAO. On Solana, the Meteora dynamic pool can generate very high first-day fees, and creators can also share in them.

Deep support – We are not just a launch platform but also provide customized marketing and technical support to help projects maximize their potential.

Multi-chain Strategy

Q4.1 - Julie:

Why did daos.world initially choose Base? I'm curious how early support from @jessepollak helped your growth (e.g., the 176x increase in $FDREAM)?

AzFlin:

Choosing Base was a logical choice. We first considered an EVM chain because compared to Solana, EVM makes it easier to build complex smart contracts. And Base is the No.1 in the EVM chain in terms of Degen culture, trading volume, and user mindset, so we naturally chose it.

Additionally, we were very fortunate to be noticed early on by @jessepollak, who provided us with great support. I am forever grateful! In conclusion, as long as you create something good, the Base team will see it.

Q4.2 - Julie:

Expanding to Solana was a natural progression. How does Solana address the shortcomings of Base? What is the current progress?

AzFlin:

Solana has attracted a large number of Degen users who were not on Base. Even though the market has cooled off now, Solana's Degen culture remains unmatched. Releasing a project on Solana immediately catches people's attention; everyone holds SOL and is ready to go at any time.

Meteora's technology is also great; its fee structure is very beneficial for project teams. Although the current market is sluggish, new DAOs are slow to join, but we remain optimistic and will continue to build on Solana.

Q4.3 - Tako User@emily:

HypurrDAO provides liquidity support for the Solana ecosystem to daos.world through Meteora's dynamic pool, and daos.world also offers whitelist resources to HypurrDAO. Have you considered designing a two-way token incentive to achieve a cross-chain ecosystem loop in this collaboration?

AzFlin:

I don't fully understand this question. Yes, this is a bi-chain cross-chain system, and I think it benefits users on both sides.

Views on Hot Topics in the Industry Version

Q5.1 - Julie:

The cryptocurrency industry's trend changes rapidly. AI Meme and DAO Meme were popular at the end of last year, but recently, the hype has shifted to the BNB chain. How do you view this market rotation? How does daos.world adjust its strategy to avoid simply chasing trends and instead build long-term value?

AzFlin:

The industry's attention span is as short as a fish's. The speed at which the AI/DAO Meme trend faded was astonishing. We also noticed the heat around BSC, and we may deploy there in the future. EVM technology can be easily replicated, so expanding to other EVM chains is not difficu< the key is to have enough Degen users and trading volume.

I don't always want to chase hot trends; my goal is to build a project that can provide long-term value to the industry. The core idea of a DAO—community crowdfunding and pursuit of common goals—is one of the foundations of this industry. We hope to help creators launch DAOs in the simplest and most streamlined way possible and provide the best tools for operation.

We have many related plans.

There are many DAO enthusiasts in this industry, and I am eager to hear everyone's feedback: How can we make DAOs interesting again? How can we increase participation? Many people dislike voting; how can we truly involve the community, rather than just speculating on tokens?

Q5.2 - Tako User@amandaeth:

Are there any circumstances that would make you stop operating this project? For example, insufficient funds or a proven unworkable mechanism?

AzFlin:

If we can't make money, no new DAOs join, or the product-market fit is too low, I might pause maintenance, but I won't completely give up.

Q5.3 - Tako User@anymose:

Apart from the DAO-related field, what other tracks do you think can exist in the crypto industry for the long term?

AzFlin:

DeFi comes first; this is the true product-market fit of cryptocurrency.

Daos.World's social features

Q6.1 - Julie:

You previously mentioned wanting to enhance the social functionality, such as the Troll Box and improved governance. How do you view the development of the social layer on daos.world?

AzFlin:

Currently, the social layer of daos.world mainly consists of Telegram, Discord, X, with each DAO having its own community.

In fact, these platforms are already quite good. Discord's emoji voting is great for quick decision-making. Unless there is a truly innovative feature, there is no need to reinvent the wheel.

A simple improvement would be to add a Troll Box on each DAO page, allowing everyone to leave messages and increase interaction.

How to Participate in Daos.World

Q7.1 - Julie:

For users who are new to DAO but interested, how can they participate in daos.world? What is the entry process for regular users? What risks should be noted?

AzFlin:

The simplest way to participate is to purchase any DAO token on daos.world. However, please do your own research (DYOR) as some tokens may even be trading below Net Asset Value (NAV), presenting an undervaluation opportunity. For example, the NAV of $YT (YapTrade) is currently higher than its market value.

Furthermore, participating in a new project's whitelist is also very exciting. For example, on SOL, @Meet_Wally (a competitor of ChatGPT/Perplexity) is currently a good opportunity to get on the whitelist as the hype has not fully taken off yet.

Q7.2 - Tako User @coolhayley:

As a founder, what key points do you think users need to pay attention to when participating in order to maximize returns and reduce risks?

AzFlin:

If you have made a lot of gains, remember to cash out. I have seen too many people being greedy and not withdrawing, ending up losing money. I have made this mistake myself as well.

Ways to reduce risk: research the team, observe their social media, analyze their communication style; these small details can help you make judgments.

Q7.3 - Tako User@Fraral:

How can one get into your whitelist?

AzFlin:

The most direct way is to contribute on X (Twitter) - tweet to promote a new project, join their Telegram, or join my community. Any contribution will be seen and recognized.

Q7.4 - Tako User@aegis2293:

I heard that @latenightonbase and @basejunkie are up to something with $NFA? The NFT DAO's tax token? Sounds revolutionary for creators!

AzFlin:

That's right, stay tuned.

Vision and Methodology

Q8.1 - Julie:

You mentioned wanting to focus on long-term development, what is the roadmap for the next two quarters for daos.world? Two years from now, will it still be a launchpad or will it evolve into something bigger? What is the ultimate goal?

AzFlin:

Next Two Quarters:

Expand to more high-activity EVM chains

Optimize the launch mechanism

Introduce more innovative DAOs

Strengthen community building for existing DAOs

Next Two Years:

To be honest, we haven't thought that far ahead. The primary goal is to build the best DAO launch platform and provide all the tools needed for DAOs (treasury management, governance, voting, etc.). We will keep up with industry trends and explore any opportunities in the DAO space.

Ultimate Goal:

Get more people (including non-crypto users) involved in DAOs, showcasing the power of decentralized governance and tokenization.

Q8.2 - Julie:

You have mentioned "Just write code, just launch," with some DAOs going live within a few weeks. This rapid iteration approach is rare in the crypto industry (where many projects get stuck in endless development cycles). How do you achieve both speed and stability? How do you decide which features must go live and which can be added later?

AzFlin:

Speed is paramount. Speed determines the outcome. I often tell people that the crypto industry is fast-paced, and many teams move too slowly. Everyone needs to step up, act faster, and not get bogged down by details. Launch the most basic version first to get the product in front of users as soon as possible.

I have no secret; it's just hard work, trying to launch with the minimum viable product (MVP) as much as possible. Additionally, testing is crucial. As long as the tests pass, I will not hesitate to release.

Q8.3 - Tako User@SOLO_eva:

daos.world What are the plans for daos.world regarding product iteration and ecosystem expansion in the future?

AzFlin:

We will expand to more chains, optimize the launch mechanism (such as the upcoming tax token), and enhance DAO tools.

Q8.4 - Tako User@JulianAllen:

daos.world has created a wealth effect through a whitelist mechanism. However, as DWL is a token with no market value, how do you avoid user loss after short-term gains? In the future, will DWL have more utility scenarios as a token with no market value?

AzFlin:

Currently, $DWL is mainly a lottery whitelist token and will also be used for community rewards. I have always emphasized that it has no intrinsic market value, but I am considering how to make it more impactful.

Entrepreneurship Experience and Lessons Learned

Q9.1 - Julie:

Every founder's journey is filled with challenges and learning moments. What obstacles have you encountered in building daos.world? Have there been any failures or hack events that taught you important lessons?

AzFlin:

I have learned more in the past few months than in the past few years. Here are a few points I'd like to share:

Cashing out at the right time is key, as success and hype in the crypto industry can be fleeting. As a founder, you must first secure your financial safety. If you don't sell, others will not hesitate to sell on top of you, leaving you with nothing. We could have cashed out more during the early hype stage.

Whitelist allocation is difficult to decide whom to whitelist. It is best to have clear requirements in advance (such as making a tweet, providing support); many people who received whitelist disappear.

Finding talent is challenging, as there are few truly capable individuals in this industry. If you find one, treasure them and collaborate as much as possible.

Networking is crucial, and everything accumulates over time. Many supporters of daos.world are people I have collaborated with in the past.

Maintaining price is extremely difficult now, the competition is fierce, you have to be at the top 5% level just to barely maintain. Constant need to onboard new users and buyers.

Q9.2 - @Mable Jiang:

How do you deal with community pressure on price? And the ethical blackmail of developers "shouldn't do certain things otherwise it's a rug"? Open development is difficult, would like to hear your thoughts.

AzFlin:

I basically ignore price-related comments, used to dealing with FUD. Open development is indeed difficult, but that's part of the game.

Q9.3 - Tako User@coolhayley:

How was the early team formed?

AzFlin:

All were friends or partners we knew from before.

Work-Life Balance

Q10.1 - Julie:

Tako initially advocated for "High Tech High Life." Your development pace must be very draining, how do you maintain balance and avoid burnout?

AzFlin:

daos.world when it just launched, I completely gave up a healthy lifestyle, worked non-stop, sometimes anxious to the point of insomnia, and even started smoking again. This state is not sustainable, but that period was also the most exciting days of my life—facing new challenges and opportunities every day.

Now I'm still very busy (especially with some real-life affairs), but more composed. Must maintain balance, or else burnout will happen.

Q10.2 - Tako User@shea:

When you're under a lot of pressure, besides smoking, are there any other ways to relieve stress? Like exercising?

AzFlin:

I used to exercise regularly, but have been doing it less lately. However, I plan to start again!

Q10.3 - Tako User@Ekko:

How do you currently balance remote and on-site work?

AzFlin:

It's all about working hard every day and not wasting time—although I still often end up watching shows and slacking off at night, haha.

Community QA

Q11.1 - Tako User@web3zy8:

You mentioned that you would stick to daos.world, but many projects on the platform are now performing poorly, with supporters and users losing money, and the token price dropping by 99%. What are your thoughts? Will you compensate loyal users?

AzFlin:

I understand everyone's frustration. Indeed, many people have lost money, but many others have gained. This is the nature of the industry's cyclical rotation. All DAOs are still under construction, and many will bounce back strongly. For example, AISTR is about to launch bonds, and RWOK is becoming the core treasury of the Remilia ecosystem. These DAOs are all backed by hard assets, and at the very least, funds will be returned to holders upon maturity.

Q11.2 - Tako User@Fraral:

How do you view the social track? Why did you accept Tako's invitation?

AzFlin:

Two reasons: 1) I like to talk about myself; 2) Vitalik has also been here.

Q11.3 - Tako User@jacktod1:

daos.world has made many people earn hundreds of times (including me). Although I didn't sell most of the tokens, I didn't lose either. The early community atmosphere was the best, many people were willing to build, everyone felt the charm of the platform and AZ. AZ is one of the most approachable founders I've ever seen.

During the platform's development, setbacks, divisions, and FUD are inevitable, especially when the DWL rules were introduced. The team's original intention was fairness, but inadequate communication led to continued FUD. In hindsight, at that time, AI tokens were the most popular, and ultimately most coins experienced a sharp decline. So FUD + unclear rules + lack of liquidity + too many projects causing fund dispersion formed a vicious cycle.

I believe this is market-driven, but community operations also have a responsibility. I have always appreciated the daos.world team, AZ, Mew, Americanspirit; they are really great.

What I most hope to see is different developers collaborating on the same platform, complementing each other's resources.

AzFlin:

Thank you for your feedback, Jack. You are one of the earliest OG supporters, I will always remember!

Q11.4 - Tako User@flyawei:

I'm fed up with PvP (Player versus Player). Just the day before yesterday, a dao.fun project was rug pulled right after launch. Hopefully, our DAO project can address this pain point.

AzFlin:

The current market is very tough, operating in full PvP mode. To keep a project hot, it needs a whitelist followed by new buyers to support the price, but it's challenging to find new funds now. A genuine market fit must be found.

Q11.5 - Tako User@shea:

The whitelist mechanism of daos.world allows users to earn 15-77x returns. How was such high yield designed? How can sustainability be ensured?

AzFlin:

This was not designed by us but rather determined by the initial presale price and market demand. No one can guarantee such a return; it all depends on market supply and demand.

Q11.6 - Tako User@shea:

daos.world has "anti-sniper" technology to protect DWL holders. Will more innovative technologies be introduced in the future to optimize the platform?

AzFlin:

Yes, we will. For example, we may introduce "tax tokens" for certain DAOs, allowing creators to earn passive income based on transaction volume. Although tax mechanisms have been unpopular in the past, they can create a positive feedback loop and fairly reward creators.

We are designing this mechanism for NFT DAO ($NFA) for @latenightonbase and @basejunkie.

This article is a contributed piece and does not represent the views of BlockBeats.