A strategic initiative that aims to foster innovation in on-chain asset management by funding projects that leverage Enzyme’s robust digital asset management infrastructure, align with key objectives and deliver long-term growth and value creation.

TLDR:

• Enzyme has introduced a revised Grant Programme, aimed at fostering innovation and talent in on-chain asset management by funding innovative projects on its platform
• The Enzyme Council and its sub groups review and approve grant proposals
• The Enzyme Grant Programme is particularly interested in projects that develop indices, apply AI, create investment support systems, provide DAO support and tooling, or are involved in marketing, conferences, and research publications
• The Enzyme Council DAO’s core objectives include: 1) enabling a robust, market-driven on-chain asset management infrastructure, 2) growing Assets Under Management (AUM), 3) ensuring long-term sustainability, and 4) creating value for stakeholders
• A ‘Market Working Group’ will be established to focus on promoting long-term sustainability and reviewing grant proposals
• Application for the programme includes expressions of interest by email, proposal submission on DAO forums and a final vote on Snapshot
• The programme encourages potential grantees with transformational ideas to apply, aiming to harness the potential of decentralised finance for growth, sustainability and value creation.

Introduction

As Enzyme continues to evolve in the changing landscape of on-chain asset management, it’s crucial that we consistently align our efforts with our vision of propelling innovation and fostering talent.

One such initiative that plays a pivotal role in this pursuit is our Enzyme Grant Programme. This programme, which can allocate up to 306,000 newly minted tokens annually, aims to encourage and fund innovative projects that strive to construct practical solutions and tools using our platform.

As we move forward, we believe now is an opportune time to revisit and refresh this grant framework. Our aim is to enhance its relevance and impact, making it more aligned with our broader objectives and the evolving needs of the DeFi space.

To this end, we are looking at setting new parameters and guidelines that will shape our decision-making process. This article is intended to serve as the primary reference for all pertinent information about our refreshed grant programme and application process. Herein, we delve into the specifics of the programme, highlight areas of particular interest, and provide details on how to participate in this initiative.

Part 1: What is Enzyme?

Enzyme is a sophisticated on-chain asset management system that offers streamlined access to digital assets and DeFi through a single, comprehensive application. The protocol integrates a robust front-to-back execution and order management system, offering fully automated reporting, risk management, administration, governance, and operations.

Enzyme has become a trusted base for a growing number of innovative projects, each contributing to the development of a more efficient, secure, and equitable financial ecosystem.

By leveraging Enzyme’s robust smart-contract technology and on-chain asset management features, these projects have developed unique front-ends and customer-facing platforms. The inherent customizability of Enzyme allows projects to design different use-cases and user experiences.

The Enzyme Council is made up of two constituencies — the Enzyme Technical Council (ETC) is responsible for making decisions to further the development and adoption of the protocol. The other constituency is the Enzyme User Representatives (EUR), who represent the user community and raise concerns and issues on their behalf.

The goal is for the ETC and EURs to maintain a close relationship and preserve a healthy feedback loop. Both constituencies work together to define and prioritise the needs of users of the Enzyme network, and will ultimately decide whether a grant request meets the intended objectives and growth plans of the protocol.

Part 2: The Evolution of the Enzyme Grant Programme

The Enzyme Council is dedicated to committing significant resources towards supporting promising projects that strive to build on Enzyme, creating practical, high-value solutions for on-chain asset management.

In a bid to streamline and enhance the impact of this programme, the Enzyme Council has undertaken a comprehensive review of our grant initiatives. The goal is to establish clear guidelines and a coherent framework for projects that seek to leverage Enzyme’s asset management system.

The Enzyme Council DAO can review grant applications and allocate those funds to projects, developers, maintainers and auditors who they believe can add value to the Enzyme ecosystem.

In our refreshed grant programme, we are particularly interested in supporting projects that are seeking to build practical solutions in the following areas:

• Development of indices, methodologies, and investment tools enabling the creation, management and reporting of institutional grade funds
• Applications of AI and generative AI, with a scope ranging from automating customer service to conducting market analysis and fund construction
• DAO support and tooling with real use-cases behind them
• Marketing, conferences, and research publications

These areas signify our continuous commitment to broaden the reach and depth of our platform, and in turn, encourage innovative solutions that benefit the Enzyme ecosystem.

Beyond these focus areas, the Enzyme Council also encourages projects that exhibit a strong potential to disrupt the status quo and create meaningful impact. We are eager to support projects that are not just novel, but are also viable, scalable, and most importantly, beneficial to the Enzyme users and the wider crypto community.

Part 3 : Enzyme Council DAO’s Objectives

At the heart of the Enzyme Grant Programme lies our objectives — a set of criteria which we use to evaluate the merit and potential impact of each proposal.

These objectives guide our decision-making process, helping us identify projects that are most likely to drive growth, add value and enhance the robustness of our asset management infrastructure.

Here are the key objectives that the Enzyme Council DAO will consider:

1. Enabling robust, relevant, market-driven on-chain digital asset management infrastructure for fund managers & allocators: Proposals should ideally contribute to the strengthening or expansion of our existing digital asset management infrastructure. This could involve developing innovative tools for fund managers and allocators, improving the performance or security of our platform, or introducing new features that meet the evolving demands of the market.
2. Growth: Projects should have a clear strategy for attracting new assets to our platform. This could involve strategies which partner Enzyme with new users, improving our platform’s usability or feature set, or developing unique value propositions that differentiate us from other asset management protocols.
3. Long-term sustainability through partnerships, grants, and fee generation: Longevity is crucial in the volatile world of DeFi. Therefore, we value proposals that not only demonstrate a potential for immediate impact but also outline a sustainable business model for the long term. This might involve establishing strategic partnerships or devising a fee structure that provides a steady revenue stream.
4. Value and utility creation for stakeholders: Ultimately, every project we support should aim to create value for all stakeholders in the Enzyme ecosystem. Whether this value comes in the form of improved platform utility, greater returns for investors, or a more vibrant and active community, proposals should clearly demonstrate how they will benefit the broader Enzyme community.

In addition to these main objectives, the Council will be establishing a ‘Market Working Group’. This specialised group will focus on furthering objective 3 — promoting long-term sustainability — and will also be involved in reviewing grant proposals. More details about this group and its role will be provided in the near future.

By aligning with these objectives, potential grantees can significantly increase their chances of receiving support from the Enzyme Grant Programme. We look forward to seeing your innovative ideas and proposals that will help propel Enzyme to new heights in the DeFi landscape.

Part 4: How to Apply

Step 1. Review our objectives, goals and docs to determine how you can add value to the Enzyme ecosystem

Step 2. Begin working on your idea and reach out to the team (grants@enzyme.finance) to temp check any ideas before posting publicly

Step 3. Draft a proposal and share it on the DAO forums as an MFP issue here: https://github.com/enzymefinance/mfp/issues

Step 4. Make sure that your proposal includes the following information: executive summary, background credentials, costs and funding requirements, a clear plan and strategy, how this delivers against our objectives, timelines and next steps

Step 5. Should your proposal be considered of interest, we will invite you to present in an Enzyme Council meeting

Step 6. Take any feedback from this meeting and make adjustments to your proposal accordingly

Step 7. Post your proposal on Snapshot for a final vote, during which time the Council will decide whether or not to proceed: https://snapshot.org/#/enzymefinance.eth

Conclusion

As we venture into this new chapter of our grant programme, we extend our invitation to projects and teams with a vision for transformation. Our grant programme is not merely about funding; it’s about fostering an environment of collaboration and innovation. Together, we can harness the untapped potential of decentralised finance, driving growth, sustainability, and value creation for our community and beyond.

To potential grantees, we look forward to your participation. Your innovative ideas and solutions could hold the key to elevating the Enzyme platform and expanding its utility. We encourage you to approach us with your proposals and join us in our mission to drive the adoption of on-chain asset management.

Thank you for your support and commitment to Enzyme. Together, let’s continue to build the future of finance.

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