LIP-23: Develop Lizard Launchpad

Authors: Haitzu, SeaGolem, Lemz

Summary

This LIP seeks approval from the community to formalize the Lizard Launchpad Product, including two core strategies: Working together with the Grand Exchange Protocol (“GEX”), who will develop the Lizard Labs branded/operated launchpad Lizard Labs executing the launch of an additional NFT collection as an access pass to the launchpad

With the successful sell-out of $TIMES (Dark Times) as part of the Lizard Launchpad Pilot and positive feedback from the community last week, the Authors are excited to take the formalization of the Lizard launchpad for DAO approval.

Abstract

As a trusted partner to many top tier game studios in crypto, Lizard Labs is seeking to offer exclusive opportunity for studios to launch tokens to the Lizard Labs community and our ever growing group of affiliate partners. For studios, relying on highly aligned communities is often crucial at early stages of game development, studios believe that Lizard Labs is in a very strong position to offer both the technical solution and the access to a community which not only invests in games, but actually plays them.

Portfolio Council Member, Haitzu and the GEX team, have approached the DAO to build a launchpad as a white label solution for the DAO to immediately distribute incoming deal flow, as exhibited by the $TIMES sale last week. The launchpad will be operated under Lizards Labs website domain.

Under the partnership with GEX, Haitzu and team will take charge of technology development, alongside sourcing and curating deals on offer for the Lizard Launchpad i.e. identifying opportunities, due diligence and creating research content for the DAO.

All launchpad deals on the Lizard launchpad will be access gated and under full control of the DAO and will include, but may not be restricted to, Lizard Labs NFTs, Lizard Launchpad NFTs and whitelisted partners. If approved, Lizard Labs is proposing to launch a “Launchpad NFT” collection, which will offer non-Lizard Labs NFT holders a “pass” to access the Lizard Labs Launchpad. The NFT will be whitelisted for partner communities to access.

Rationale

Since partnering with BasedVC six months ago, the partnership has resulted in positive feedback and bespoke investment opportunities for the DAO, which we are grateful for.

At the time, the DAO believed there was insufficient organic deal flow to justify building a Lizard Launchpad platform, post Aelin shutdown. Today, our reputation has grown and deal flow is significant from the market rebounding, with many studios interested in launching with the Lizard Labs community.

Many users in the community have been unhappy with the nature of sales on the BasedVC platform, which sees a majority of our community unable to participate in BasedVC deals. The Lizard Launchpad seeks to make deals on the platform much more accessible for community members.

Since beginning conversations with studios over the start of May, there are currently FIVE high quality game TGEs in discussion with the Portfolio Council beyond the current Dark Times ($TIMES) and Moonfrost opportunities. Lizard Labs expects significant growth in opportunities as the launchpad is created, in addition to the imminent TGE of $LIZ. Lizard Labs will be hosting the public sale of $LIZ on the Lizard Launchpad, in addition to other platforms.

The DAO has been impressed by GEX’s work so far in spinning up the launchpad MVP in a short time frame to validate the opportunity, and have high confidence due to Haitzu’s reputation and in GEX’s reliability as a long term partner.

By creating a “Launchpad NFT” collection, we see an opportunity to onboard new members to the community via access to significant deals of the launchpad. The collection will be a free mint, and a significant marketing opportunity as we approach $LIZ TGE.

This results in:

• Sell more allocation via the launchpad (increase distribution value to launchpad partners)
• THEN generate revenue via % markup to non Lizard Labs NFT holders i.e.
• NO FEE for Ethlizards Genesis and Venture NFT holders
• Small Fee for Lizard Launchpad NFT
• Fee for whitelisted partners

This is comparable to the XBorg’s Prometheus Chestplate mint, which drew attention to the project and ecosystem as a whole, especially before their token launch.

By offering deals on the launchpad to community members beyond Lizard Labs , the DAO is able to take large allocation of game sales, thus generating more fees and revenue as a business line.

Together, the creation of a launchpad is critical in the Lizard Labs flywheel:

• Increasing the player distribution power of the DAO for game partners
• Establishing a core revenue stream for the Portfolio Sub-DAO to enable more investments.
• Embedding the launchpad as utility for Ethlizards Genesis and Venture NFTs
• Reinforcing Lizard Labs as the leading blockchain gaming community
• Marketing of the launchpad and Lizard Labs ecosystem via a new collection mint.

Specifications

Launchpad Access Structure

Every deal on the platform will follow a multi-tiers access, such that:

Tier 1 - Ethlizards NFT holders

• Large reserved allocation
• $ investable/wallet is has a large cap
• Genesis Ethlizard holders will have 2x allocation vs. Venture Ethlizards

Tier 2 - Launchpad NFT Holders

• Reserved allocation
• $ investable/wallet has a medium cap
• There is a small fee charged for participation

Tier 3 - Whitelisted Community NFT holders (affiliate partners like other gaming guilds, etc.)

• Small Reserved allocation
• $ investable/wallet has a medium cap
• There is a fee charged for participation

Some deals will have a final stage with all tiers becoming uncapped allocation amounts. On a deal by deal basis, partner studios may request different sale structures, so the above is subject to change on each deal.

Ethlizard Launchpad Build

GEX will be in charge of developing the white labelled solution and integrate our assets and branding to deliver the final product. The technical specifications will be worked in collaboration between GEX and the Lizard Labs to make sure the solution is tailored to our needs. Lizard Labs will create the necessary legal framework to host and offer this new service in the most compliant way possible to our partners and community members. Certain countries will be geo-gated.

GEX's economical model is to offer a low entry price for the product while splitting the revenues (fees) collected through the platform. They plan on offering its white labelled solution to other communities in the future, creating a network effect which will see GEX partner with synergistic player communities which will see diverse deals from studios around the world. As a founding partner to GEX, Lizards DAO can retain a small percentage ownership in the underlying network and its future growth.

Lizard Launchpad NFT

Lizard Labs will launch an NFT collection under the following specifications

• Free mint
• 3,000 supply
• Simple art (access pass, not a generative PFP collection)

Utility will provide T2 access to the launchpad, much less fees compared to T3. They will receive access to discord, but limited to launchpad channel and general social category i.e. ULL, Liz Follow Liz etc.

Commercial Arrangement

• Project Fees - Lizard Labs DAO will charge a fee for game studios selling tokens through the Lizard Launchpad
• User fees - Lizard Labs will charge fees for T2 Launchpad NFT holders and T3 whitelisted partners for participating in launchpad sales
• All platform revenues will be shared between GEX and Lizard Labs
• Lizard Labs' share of revenue goes directly to Portfolio Sub-DAO to be used for investments
• This is not an exclusive agreement. Lizard Labs and it’s community can still engage with other community-raising platforms.