Cabin Labs

1. TL;DR

With the end of the First Fellowship’s proposal, a new proposal is required for Cabin to continue operations. This proposal will support small bets that help us become default alive and achieve Cabin’s vision of building a network of modern villages. The proposal includes three objectives:

• Run Experiments
• Refine Vision & Strategy
• Keep the Lights On

2. Team

Sponsor: Jon Hillis Steward: Jon Hillis Members: additional contributors as needed

3. Goals

Objective 1. Run Experiments

Validate demand and test product offerings that help Cabin build towards a network of villages. An initial list of ready-to-go experiments & a backlog can be found here: https://forum.cabin.city/t/cabin-labs-proposed-bets/64

Each bet listed here will be incubated by Cabin Labs for up to 3 months, at which point it will be spun out into its own proposal if it is on track to continue and reach its goal. We will start with small experiments to validate or invalidate each of these three paths, and double down on paths that result in sustainable revenue.

Cabin Labs will incubate experiments focused on the set of paths outlined in Fall 23 Product Directions: https://forum.cabin.city/t/fall-23-product-directions/22

The overall goal of Cabin Labs is to help promote high quality metrics-driven experiments for the DAO by helping new proposals get ready to operate independently as quickly as possible. As bets are completed, new bets will be pulled up from the backlog.

Objective 2. Refine Vision & Strategy

• Talk to community members and product users
• Write strategic memos to help define product direction and roadmap
• Write proposals as needed and source contributors for them

Objective 3. Keep the Lights On

Maintain infrastructure

• Pay the bills & keep services running (app, CRM, email, blog, forum, etc)
• Complete necessary database migration to keep app running (by Feb 2024)
• Take care of DAO’s legal and tax needs (legal structures, tax filings, etc)

Manage digital footprint

• Manage community gathering spaces (discord and discourse)
• Manage social media (twitter & instagram)
• Manage content (newsletter, blog, website)

Develop partnerships

• Serve as the point person for inbound partnership requests
• Source opportunities for new partnerships

Support proposals

• Provide feedback on all proposals submitted
• Coordinate execution of multi-sig for all approved proposals
• Provide support and feedback for all approved proposals
• Help hold approved proposals accountable to outcomes

4. Proposed Budget

1 year of funding for this work stream:

$396,000 USDC 12,600 ₡ABIN

This represents a >3x reduction in cash vs. the First Fellowship for the past year. At $99k per season for the next 4 seasons, this proposal provides the DAO with a baseline 7.6 year run rate of supported operations and experiments.

Here’s a breakdown of the intended use of funds, which includes a reduced contributor payment for Jon, a reduced contributor budget for experiment incubation, app support, and our digital / community footprint, a budget for community engagement incentives, and a budget for software, expenses, and operating costs to keep the lights on.

See full budget breakdown here: https://forum.cabin.city/t/cabin-labs/23

5. Timeline and Deliverables

Timeline: 1 year, at which point the proposal can be reviewed and renewed as needed

Deliverables: Cabin continues to exist and finds a path to becoming default alive