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

Source: Tako

Editor's Note: In order to provide direct access to Alpha founders, Tako recently established the Founders Club and launched the "Discover Base Alpha" series of interviews in collaboration with BlockBeats. This series will regularly introduce readers to projects within the Base ecosystem that are highly potential, innovative in product, and have a high-quality team background, 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 directly engage with the founders.

This edition's guest for the interview is AzFlin, the founder of Daos.World. The following is a 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. View on Industry Trend Changes

6. Social Features of Daos.World

7. How to Participate in Daos.World

8. Vision and Philosophy

9. Entrepreneurship Insights and Lessons

10. Work-Life Balance

11. Other Community Q&A

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 technically savvy developer who transitioned from Traditional Finance (TradFi) to Web3 in 2021. He has worked at the pioneering NFT aggregation platform Genie and Uniswap before immersing himself in what he calls "trench dev," engaging in various projects on the frontlines of the crypto world.

This journey eventually led to the creation of daos.world, a decentralized DAO launchpad, aiding DAO managers in on-chain fundraising and fund management. daos.world initially launched on Base at the end of 2024, expanding to Solana thereafter, with the aim of becoming the "world's largest DAO launchpad" by offering transparent, trustless investment opportunities through a unique project selection and whitelist mechanism.

AzFlin's vision is to explore new token issuance models and drive greater value through DAOs. By implementing stringent team reviews, requiring project teams to provide private documents to ensure accountability, and introducing the innovative DWL token system, he has built a platform focused on quality and reputation.

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

AzFlin:

Thank you for the invitation, Julie. I really enjoy Tako's asynchronous long-form interview format, especially the functionality to sync across platforms to Warpcaster, very powerful.

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

Let me briefly introduce my background, from mundane development in traditional finance to the shift to "trench dev." I have been programming for over 10 years, majored in Mathematics in college, and then worked for 7 years in TradFi doing Python+SQL+data analysis. Back then, I had no passion for work, just wanted to get by, had no ambition, just wanted to enjoy life—completely different from my mindset now.

In 2021, I joined a Solidity boot camp called Chainshot, reigniting my passion for programming. Later, I joined Genie (the first NFT aggregation trading platform) as the lead engineer. I fell in love with the industry's rapid pace of innovation—the constant stream of new things every day, where anyone could create a blockbuster project at any moment. My experience at Genie truly captivated me in the crypto world.

A year later, Genie was acquired by Uniswap. Compared to a startup, Uniswap's large company pace was much slower, with all sorts of meetings, documents, and processes that I found hard to adapt to. I enjoyed 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, but I won't go into detail here). But this turned out to be a blessing in disguise, giving me the opportunity to develop independently and also gaining some recognition in the industry.

Then came the "trench development" phase. After leaving Uniswap, I independently developed various small projects on different chains and took on some freelance work. Whenever I had an interesting idea, I would either pursue it alone or collaborate with others. This phase was very challenging—going from a stable high salary to earning money from sporadic projects, sometimes going weeks or even months without income, sometimes putting in a lot of effort into a project that received little attention, and sometimes seeing a small side project unexpectedly take off.

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

Now, I am completely immersed in entrepreneurship.

Q1.1 - Tako User@jamesx:

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

AzFlin:

Probably sitting in Telegram watching everyone frantically spamming whitelist commands, or going downstairs for a smoke and having a moment of contemplation on 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:

"DAO + Meme Token" is an explosively powerful combination. 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 to freely invest from, but adding a speculative token makes it even more interesting.

Daos.World Differentiation

Q3.1 - Julie:

Ever since daos.world launched on Base at the end of 2024, I've been keeping an eye on it. What made you decide to create a DAO launchpad? What sets DW apart from other launchpads? (Similar questions have been asked by the community as well.)

AzFlin:

Our points of differentiation are:

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

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

Q3.2 - Tako User @coolhayley:

Recently, many projects using the "AI Agent+DAO Funding" model have been gaining popularity. What is the core competitive advantage of daos.world compared to other DAO platforms?

AzFlin:

Key advantages:

The DAO funds are completely under free control, and the treasury assets can be cross-chain invested in NFTs, DeFi, etc., as we only use a regular wallet to manage funds, not custom contracts.

A high revenue share is based on Base, with 40% of Uniswap V3 trading fees refunded 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:

What was the initial reason for daos.world to choose Base? Curious how early support from @jessepollak helped you grow (e.g., the 176x increase in $FDREAM)?

AzFlin:

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

Additionally, we were fortunate to be noticed early on by @jessepollak, who gave us great support, for which I am forever grateful! The conclusion is: as long as you create something good, the Base team will see it.

Q4.2 - Julie:

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

AzFlin:

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

Meteora's technology is also excellent, and its fee structure is very advantageous for project teams. Although the market is currently down, 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 daos.world in the Solana ecosystem through Meteora's dynamic pool, and daos.world also opens 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 two-chain cross-chain system, and I believe it benefits users on both sides.

View on Hot Topic Changes in the Industry

Q5.1 - Julie:

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

AzFlin:

Attention in this industry is as fleeting as a fish's. The speed at which the AI/DAO Meme cycle faded was astonishing. We also noticed the heat around BSC and may deploy over there in the future. EVM technology is easy to replicate, so expanding to other EVM chains is not difficult; the key is to have enough Degen users and transaction volume.

I don't always want to chase the latest 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 pursuing common goals — is one of the foundations of this industry. We hope to help creators launch DAOs in the simplest and most seamless way possible and provide the best tools to operate them.

We have many relevant plans.

There are many DAO enthusiasts in this industry, and I would love to hear everyone's feedback: How can we make DAOs fun again? How can we increase participation? Many people don't like voting; how can we truly involve the community rather than just speculating on coins?

Q5.2 - Tako User@amandaeth:

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

AzFlin:

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

Q5.3 - Tako User@anymose:

Aside from the DAO space, what other race 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 (PMF) of cryptocurrency.

Daos.World's social features

Q6.1 - Julie:

You previously mentioned wanting to add social features, such as a Troll Box and enhanced 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 to allow people to leave messages and increase interaction.

How to Participate in Daos.World

Q7.1 - Julie:

For users new to DAOs but interested in participating in daos.world, how can they get involved? What is the entry process for the average user? What risks should they be aware of?

AzFlin:

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

Furthermore, participating in the whitelist of new projects can also be 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 hasn't fully kicked in 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 gains and reduce risks?

AzFlin:

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

Methods to reduce risk: Research the team, observe their social media, analyze their communication style; these little 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 promoting a new project, join their Telegram, or join my community. Any contribution will be seen and acknowledged.

Q7.4 - Tako User@aegis2293:

I heard @latenightonbase and @basejunkie are up to something with $NFA? The tax token for the NFT DAO? It 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 daos.world for the next two quarters? Will it still be a launchpad in two years, or will it evolve into something bigger? What is the ultimate goal?

AzFlin:

Next two quarters:

Expand to more high-activity EVM chains

Optimize launch mechanism

Introduce more innovative DAOs

Strengthen community building for existing DAOs

Next two years:

To be honest, I haven't thought that far ahead yet. 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 stay up to date 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 mentioned "Just write code, just launch," and some DAOs can go live in a few weeks. This rapid iterative approach is rare in the crypto industry (many projects get stuck in endless development cycles). How do you manage to be both fast and stable? How do you decide which features must go live and which can be added later?

AzFlin:

Speed is key. Speed determines success. I often tell people that the crypto industry changes rapidly, and many teams move too slowly. Everyone needs to step up, act faster, and not get bogged down by details. Release the most basic version first, allowing the product to face users as soon as possible.

I have no secrets; it's just hard work, aiming to launch with the minimum viable product (MVP). 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 future product iteration and ecosystem expansion?

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, but as DWL is a token without market value, how can we prevent users from losing interest after short-term gains? In the future, will DWL have more utility scenarios?

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 Insights and Lessons

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 hacks that taught you valuable lessons?

AzFlin:

I have learned more in the past few months than in the past few years. Just to share a few points:

Cashing out at the right time is key, as the success and hype in the crypto industry are fleeting. As a founder, you need to secure your financial well-being first. 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 initial hype phase.

Deciding whom to whitelist for allocation is tricky. It's best to have clear requirements in advance (such as tweeting, providing support), as many people who receive whitelist allocation disappear.

Talent is hard to find; there are few truly capable individuals in this industry. If you find one, cherish them and collaborate as much as possible.

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

Maintaining price stability is extremely difficult now with fierce competition, you must perform at the top 5% level just to barely maintain it. Continuous introduction of new users and buying pressure is needed.

Q9.2 - @Mable Jiang:

How do you deal with the community's pressure on the coin price? And the developer's moral blackmail of "should not do certain things otherwise it's a rug"? Public development is challenging; I'd like to hear your thoughts.

AzFlin:

I basically ignore comments about the coin price, I'm used to dealing with FUD. Public development is indeed difficult, but that's part of the game.

Q9.3 - Tako User@coolhayley:

How was the early team formed?

AzFlin:

They were all friends or partners I knew from before.

Work-Life Balance

Q10.1 - Julie:

Tako initially advocated for "High Tech, High Life." Your development pace must be very demanding physically and mentally. How do you maintain balance to avoid burnout?

AzFlin:

daos.world when it first 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 the most exciting days of my life — facing new challenges and opportunities every day.

I'm still very busy now (especially with some real-life matters), but I'm more composed. Balance must be maintained, or else burnout will happen.

Q10.2 - Tako User@shea:

When under a lot of pressure, besides smoking, are there any other ways to relieve stress? Such as exercise?

AzFlin:

I used to exercise regularly, but have been doing it less lately. 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 watch shows and chill at night, haha.

Community Q&A

Q11.1 - Tako User@web3zy8:

You mentioned that you would stick to daos.world, but many projects on the platform are currently performing poorly, supporters and users are drained, and the coin price has dropped 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 have also made gains. This is the nature of the cyclical rotation in the industry. All DAOs are still under development, and many will have a strong comeback. 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:

What is your view on 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 enabled many people to earn hundreds of times (including me). Although I haven't sold most of the tokens, I haven't lost either. The early community atmosphere was the best, with many people willing to contribute, feeling the charm of the platform and AZ. AZ is one of the most approachable founders I have ever seen.

Platform development inevitably encounters setbacks, divisions, FUD, especially when the DWL rules were introduced. The team's original intention was fairness, but lack of adequate communication led to continuous FUD. In hindsight, at that time, AI tokens were the hottest, and most coins eventually plummeted. So, FUD + unclear rules + lack of liquidity provision + too many projects leading to fund dispersion formed a vicious cycle.

I think this is market-driven, but community operations also have a responsibility. I have always respected 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 the feedback, Jack. You are one of the earliest OG supporters, and I will always remember that!

Q11.4 - Tako User@flyawei:

I'm fed up with PVP (Player-vs-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 challenging, purely PVP mode. To keep a project hot, you need a whitelist followed by new buyers to take over. But it's hard to find new funds now. A real market fit must be found.

Q11.5 - Tako User@shea:

The whitelist mechanism of daos.world allows users to earn 15-77x returns. How is such high yield designed? How to ensure sustainability?

AzFlin:

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

Q11.6 - Tako User@shea:

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

AzFlin:

Yes. 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, fairly rewarding creators.

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

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