NEAR HoS @ ETH CC

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NEAR House of Stake
@NEARGovernanceJul 3, 2025

The Spaces focused on discussing updates and impressions from a recent conference, with speakers Lane and Klaus sharing insights from the event they attended. The event, ECC, had a significant increase in attendees, reflecting growing interest. Topics included updates from House of Stake, reflections on governance, progress with AI integration, and the personal motivations behind attendees' involvement in decentralized organizations. The importance of building trust and relationships in such gatherings was emphasized, as was the desire to attract talent from other ecosystems. Discussions also explored potential AI applications in governance, including AI delegates and co-pilots.

House of Stake and Governance Updates

ECC Event Overview

  • Introduction by Lane: Lane shared that he attended the ECC event and found it to be his favorite thus far, noting the increase in attendance numbers to 10,000 compared to previous years. He praised the venue in Ken despite some logistical challenges such as a heatwave.

House of Stake - IRL Meeting Highlights

  • Event Logistics: Klaus detailed the first House of Stake IRL meeting, which included delegates, service providers like Agora and Gauntlet, and people from the foundation. The focus was on trust-building and progressing through interpersonal relationships.
  • Workshop Activities: Klaus ran an exercise on personal 'Fork that' moments to unify the attendees, emphasizing the importance of agency and dissatisfaction with the status quo.
  • Technical Demonstrations: Gauntlet provided updates on emic modeling, while Agora facilitated a demo session, showcasing advancements in testing accounts and proposal voting.
  • Working Groups Formation: Different groups were formed focusing on specific initiatives, with plans to continue advancing these efforts.

Governance Reflections and Insights

  • From Traditional Roles to Open Source: Lane shared his transition from working at IBM to focusing on open source software, driven by a desire for transparency and public benefit.
  • Maxwell's Involvement: Maxwell highlighted the value of in-person gatherings to build rapport, encouraging collective conviction towards community goals.

Recruitment and Roles

  • Hiring Progress: Lane discussed delays due to bureaucratic complexities in adapting roles for House of Stake, indicating hiring might commence imminently after pending structural decisions.

Near Token and Incentives

  • Vote-Escrow Model: Explained by Lane, tokens locked in House of Stake accrue voting power over time; specifics like curve shape are still under development.

Foundational Governance Documents

  • Mission, Vision, and Values: Klaus emphasized starting with the mission, vision, and values to align with Near's broader goals; processes are underway to gather community input for a rough consensus model.
  • Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest: Drafted in collaboration, focusing on robust and enforceable governance rules possibly integrated with AI monitoring.

AI and Governance

  • Discussion on AI Role: The conversation circled back to integrating AI into governance, leveraging AI agents as a means to enhance decision-making processes.
  • Deep Gov Collaboration: Plans to engage with Deep Gov to utilize AI for broad preference aggregation and policy-making insights.
  • Meta Pool Co-Pilot: Lane highlighted Meta Pool's LLM as a governance copilot capable of assisting stakeholders in proposal evaluation.

Engagement and Community Building

  • Cross-Ecosystem Relations: Klaus shared anecdotes on governance cross-pollination with other blockchain communities, fostering collaboration based on shared values rather than technical specifics.
  • Potential for AI-Driven Delegation: Lane acknowledged the potential for AI delegates but emphasized a cautious approach, pacing development along necessary parameters.

Final Remarks

  • Lane and Klaus's Reflections: Concluding thoughts emphasized relational engagement within the community, an open door policy for collaboration, and excitement for ongoing organizational growth and governance improvements.

This session provided valuable insights into governance initiatives through House of Stake, emphasizing AI integration, role provisions, community engagement, and inter-blockchain collaboration. The commitment to advancing Near's mission through innovative governance structures emerged as a central theme throughout the discussion.