Case study · Vrbs
A DAO where builders earn their vote.
A community-run organization that funds open-source technology, art, and public works while giving contributors a real voice in governance.
- Role
- Product, UX, frontend
- Scope
- Auction, Art Race, DAO
- Year
- 2024–2025
- Stack
- Next.js, TypeScript, viem
01
The problem
The people building a community often have less power than the people who can afford its assets.
Vrbs redesigned the Nouns model around participation. Artists create the daily artwork, contributors can earn nontransferable votes, and governance is shared equally between NFT holders and vote holders.
02
The system
- A daily Art Race. The community selects the artwork that becomes the next auctioned Vrb.
- Votes earned through work. Contributors gain governance power without needing to win an expensive auction.
- Split governance. NFT holders and people who earned votes each control half of the decision-making power.
- A CC0 brand. Anyone can use the identity in art, products, and new projects.
03
My role
I built the web app: the daily auction, Art Race voting, DAO pages, and contract integrations. I also worked with the protocol creator on how to present VRGDA issuance and split governance without making users learn the underlying mechanics first.
04
Outcome
Artists have earned more than 8.6 ETH and 365,000 votes through the protocol. Community members also used the CC0 identity outside the app, including art, coffee, chocolate, and other physical products.