Payload with PR https://github.com/BalancerMaxis/multisig-ops/pull/1354

Introduction

Over the last 6 months, the Maxis have transformed into a professional on-chain DevOps team, ensuring smooth operations of Balancer technology across chains as well as providing white-glove service to partners in the ecosystem. Our key success metrics are showcased by fast response times to partner requests and successful execution of many initiatives like supporting the launch of CoWAMM, the related incentive program, or the design and execution of token grants. Furthermore, we are constantly improving our technology stack with the ultimate goal of achieving self-service autonomy for most operations.

Given the Maxis are an integral part of Balancer technology and partner management, we aim to switch to bi-annual funding starting in Q4 2024. This provides us with more funding stability and also guarantees that resources for the upcoming Balancer v3 launch will be adequately allocated.

Initiatives

As with previous funding proposals, we want to make the most impact to Balancer DAO by working on key initiatives with clearly measurable objectives.

As context, you can refer to our last quarters performance reports to evaluate our progress in relation to initiatives executed in Q3 2024 (July, August, reports)

Initiative 1: Scale Balancer’s On-Chain DevOps Hub

Co-Leads: Xeonus & Tritium

Team: gosuto, Zekraken, Zen Dragon (and freelancers)

Summary

Over the last 6 months, we have taken over responsibility over most of the on-chain operations tech stack, including multi-sig management, OpenZepellin infrastructure to distribute BAL rewards, secondary incentive management as well as new chain deployments and access management.

Our main focus for the next half year is to simplify and further automate any on-chain operations that the DAO has to manage. These include but are not limited to new AMM management (e.g. CoWAMMs), Balancer v3 and its corresponding new fee sweeping mechanism as well as governance operations. Two components will be crucial to drive this initiative forward: our automation code base and our operations UI.

Objectives

1. Operate and maintain new chain deployments for Balancer v2

• Support custom infrastructure for the Balancer v2 MODE deployment incl. a dedicated MODE ve8020 gauge system on MODE network.
• Support and integrate potential new chain deployments into our operations infrastructure such as BAL token emission scheduling through OpenZeppelin
• Deploy and maintain any needed infrastructure to operate those chains

2. Fee processing for Balancer v2

• Coordinate and run fee processing of Balancer v2’s core pool framework as long as it is operational in light of the v3 launch
• Coordinate with Mimic fee processing

3. Secondary Token reward management

• Build a rewards management system on Mode as part of a veMODE initiative
• Launch a injector configuration tool on the operations UI to further improve partner management and self-service capabilities

4. AURA position management

• Launch a safe module to automatically relock AURA
• Maintain the self-service module for vote placement for the BD team and design potential automation work to assign incentives without human intervention.

5. Gauges and Core Pool Framework (Balancer v2)

• Continued management of core pool detection and pool list curation
• Optimization of fee structure after transitioning our focus from Balancer v2 to Balancer v3

6. Management and Execution of Token Grants

• Maintaining and provisioning of upcoming token distribution grants
• Advising on how to design and execute token grant programs

7. Omni-chain operations: Chainlink Automation & Gas Stations

• Further optimize Chainlink upkeep monitoring and automate LINK top-ups as well as the design and development of backup systems
• Incorporate more monitoring solutions into the operations UI
• Establish omni-chain gas station contracts to feed all relevant dependencies with ETH (or chain gas tokens) and LINK (gas for automation jobs)
• Collaborate with Chainlink to define and ship client-side cross-chain rate providers as well as advising on oracles for omni-chain operations.

8. Analytics (v2)

• Transition to maintenance mode for DeFilytica deployments

9. Financial reporting (v2 & v3)

• Advise on financial reporting metrics with karpatkey
• Build and ship artifacts to monitor revenue generation on Balancer v3

10. Operations UI

• Full GitHub integration to propose changes from the UI
• Completion of security review with Hypernative
• Exploration of token whitelisting module
• Building of tooling surrounding Balancer v2 and v3 management such as monitoring dashboards for Chainlink, Injector v2 configurator or the migration of legacy pool creators for Balancer v2

Initiative 2: Support and execute on the launch of Balancer v3 and new Products

Co-Leads: Xeonus, Tritium

Team: Zen Dragon, gosuto, MikeB

Summary

Balancer v3 is planned to release between Q4 2024 and Q1 2025. The Maxis will play a crucial role in setting up key infrastructure that guarantees correct operations of the new protocol version across chains. We will collaborate with BLabs and other ecosystem partners to plan and execute a smooth launch which will include a rollout to a defined set of target chains and the subsequent management thereafter. Additionally, we will explore new revenue models and tokenomics adjustments that will have the most beneficial impact on both partners and the DAO.

Objectives

1. Plan and execute on v3 launch
2. Design, deploy and maintain all key infrastructure necessary to manage Balancer v3 on-chain

• Integration tests before launch
• Support and build a potential testnet deployment together with Balancer labs
• Automation
• Permission sets and monitoring
• Fee collection mechanisms

3. Fee processing for Balancer v3

• Design and implement a new fee collection mechanism for Balancer v3, either on-chain or off-chain. Balancer v3’s new design will allow to more easily collect fees per pool and therefore has the potential to be built completely in-house and onchain

4. Support and manage deployments on strategic chains

• Work together with the BD Unit to utilize synergies in chain deployments
• Coordinate expansion plans with ecosystem partners

5. Design and execute a liquidity seeding plan with potential bootstrapping reward programs.

• Management and execution of secondary token reward programs to bootstrap liquidity on products build on top of Balancer v3

6. Support partners and builders in execution of product launches

• Management and monitoring of creator fees in Balancer v3
• Work to align new pool logic with users (DAOs seeking liquidity solutions)
• Be leaders and/or available resources in the Balancer Community and Developer Ecosystem

7. Design and build new analytics artifacts together with the product and data teams

• Explore potential deployment of a native analytics platform on the native app
• Advise service providers on how to incorporate key metric data based on partner feedback

8. Advance Tokenomics and the DAOs Revenue Strategy

• Balancer v3 offers the opportunity to rethink the current setup of Balancer’s tokenomics. The Maxis will lead any strategic workshops or workstreams together with key stakeholders in the DAO
• Optimize the core pool framework based on the reduced BAL emission schedule that will go into effect in Q1 2025 (according to the BAL emission schedule)

Initiative 3: Partner Management

Co-Leads: MikeB, Zen Dragon

Team: Tritium, Zekraken

Summary

Balancer’s partner pipeline has experienced substantial growth across the 10 networks we support, and this momentum is expected to continue as V3 and aligned stakeholders drive new opportunities. Our partner management team's core objective is to not only sustain but also maximize the value of relationships with both current and new partners for the benefit of the DAO and veBAL holders. To achieve this, we will collaborate closely with the business development and DevOps teams to strategically enhance the partner experience and streamline the onboarding process for new partners. By leveraging our technical expertise and commercial focus, the partner management group is dedicated to providing the best possible experience for all stakeholders on the Balancer platform.

Objectives

1. Assisting partners in pool choice, strategy, design, and launch assistance

• Utilizing internal partners such as Cowswap and Gyroscope

2. Building strong working relationships with internal partners to provide the best possible service and options to our partners.

• Employing the advanced tech built on Balancer to provide optimal outcomes
• ncluding Cowswap, Gyroscope, Xave, QuantAMM, hooks, boosted pools, and others as they present themselves.

3. Overseeing ongoing revenue improvements to suggest to partners. I.e. swap fees, pool migrations, amplification parameters etc.
4. Providing proactive partner support and guiding new partners through the ecosystem.

• Governance, incentive markets, new launches and pooling opportunities.

5. Rate Provider review facilitation and continuous process improvement
6. Spearheading with the DevOps team to execute BD and partner requests not limited to, primarily related to smart contract interactions in a safe and efficient manner.
7. Coordinating with compounders and wrappers to ensure our partners receive seamless integration to all relevant platforms. I.e. Beefy, Aura, StakeDAO.
8. Working with various vote markets to improve partner incentive efficiencies and an agnostic approach to reven...