TalentDAO announced its launch on December 19. Its goal is to use web3 to connect talented people to global opportunity, particularly in Africa[1].
Why Africa?
This is because over 70% of Africa’s population is under the age of 35, one of the youngest and fastest growing populations in the world. Africa is expected to grow from 1.4 billion people to 3 billion by 2050 and over 4.5 billion by 2100, about 40% of the global population. By this time, Africa and Asia combined will constitute about 80% of the global population[2]
However, unlike Asia, Africa has not seen a technological renaissance in the last 40 years–rather, it is just beginning. Thus, Africa has immense potential for growth.
One particular roadblock is a lack of a common African identity. There are a number of divisions based on British/American influence vs. French influence, ethnic differences, and so on, leading to genocide and other conflict.
How does TalentDAO Solve Africa’s Problems?
TalentDAO seeks to address these concerns by promoting African talent and creativity. Individuals may share their cultural expressions in their work. Thus, by developing culture, Africa may form a shared identity which may potentially overcome geographic, demographic, and cultural constraints[3].
TalentDAO will become an institution that will accelerate a cultural renaissance. It will act as a studio and a publisher to back talent, starting with software development, then moving on to eCommerce, graphic design, and so on–any vocation that allows for monetization online[4].
What has TalentDAO Achieved Thus Far?
Its accomplishments thus far includes an off-chain real world “in residency” program in late 2020; the “Hackers in Residence” program (HIR). This program was rolled out in partnership with DoubleGDP, a startup founded by Gitlab co-founder–Sid Sijbrandij and CEO Nolan Myers, Microverse, a YC backed global school for remote software developers, and Nkwashi–a startup city in Zambia.
The program is now in its second year, our partnership with DoubleGDP to build city operating system technology is now in its third year[5].
What is TalentDAO Doing Now?
TalentDAO will be providing monthly stipends to fellows, which will cover their living expenses. The DAO will recover these expenses through income sharing agreements (ISAs) that allow it to earn back value forwarded to fellows and profit through an agreed return on capital. Graduating fellows will also be required to remain members of the guild, and help support future generations of hackers the way they have been supported too[6].
In addition to the digital realm, TalentDAO will occupy a physical space. Nkwashi is a private city being developed approximately 20km outside of Zambia’s capital city, Lusaka. Nkwashi is envisioned as eventually being home to 100,000 people. The city’s economy will be anchored by academic activities and knowledge work. Nkwashi has currently sold over 1500 plots of which >800 have been fully paid for.
Although the future of work is global and remote, TalentDAO believes that physical communities add a dimension of human interaction that cannot be replaced by virtual experiences, such as shared meals[7].
