Governance & DAOs
Grant Platform for a Web3 Ecosystem
Technology Stack
Deliverables
Web3 Development
Documentation
Architecture Design
Product Design
Product Discovery
Project is Private
Contact for technical references.
The Problem
Fast growing Web3 ecosystems often struggle to scale funding and grant programs without losing transparency, efficiency, and community trust. As ecosystems mature, the volume of grant applications increases, internal processes become fragmented, and communication between grantors and applicants turns opaque and slow.
In this project, a particular Web3 ecosystem, represented by an association based in Switzerland, faced several challenges in relation to grant/funding processes.
The grant onboarding process was lengthy and manual, often taking months from initial screening to final approval. Applicants had little visibility into where they stood in the process, what the next steps were, or how long each phase would take. Internally, teams relied on disconnected tools and manual coordination, which increased the risk of errors, delays, and inconsistent decision making.
Another major issue was the lack of standardization and transparency. Milestone tracking, proof of delivery, and grant lifecycle management varied from case to case, making it difficult to compare projects, audit decisions, or communicate progress to the wider community. As the ecosystem grew, these limitations became a bottleneck for innovation, community engagement, and long term scalability.
The challenge was not only technical, but also organizational. The ecosystem needed a solution that respected existing internal workflows while opening the process to the community in a structured, trustworthy, and future proof way.
The Solution
AxLabs partnered with this Web3 association (our client) to design and develop a dedicated grant and funding platform tailored to Web3 governance and community driven programs. The solution started with a deep product discovery phase to align stakeholders, clarify goals, and define a shared vision for the platform.
We proposed a modular grant platform built around transparency, clear lifecycle stages, and automation. At its core, the platform structures grants into programs, calls, and applications, each with configurable stages, clear responsibilities, and visible progress indicators. Applicants can understand exactly how the process works, what is expected at each stage, and how long decisions typically take.
From a design perspective, AxLabs created a complete design system for the ecosystem first community facing product. This ensured consistency, accessibility, and scalability, while allowing the platform to evolve into a multi brand or multi program environment in the future. User flows were carefully designed for all roles involved, including applicants, coordinators, reviewers, and administrators.
On the technical side, the platform introduced automation for task assignment, notifications, lifecycle transitions, and status tracking. Integrations with existing tools and workflows reduced friction for internal teams, while transactions on-chain (in the client’s blockchain technology) were leveraged to increase traceability, auditability, and trust in key actions such as voting, approvals, and milestone validation.
The solution was intentionally designed beyond a simple grant tool. The long term vision positions the platform as a broader funding infrastructure, capable of supporting different funding models, community voting, decentralized governance, and data driven insights for ecosystem growth.
The Outcome
Robust and Scalable Grant Platform
Delivered a production ready grant platform that modernizes how a Web3 ecosystem manages funding and community participation.
Established a clear and shared understanding of the grant lifecycle across all stakeholders, reducing confusion, manual work, and operational delays.
Improved Applicant Experience
Introduced a transparent and predictable application journey with clearly defined stages and expectations.
Enabled applicants to track progress, understand decisions, and interact through a single, structured interface.
Operational Efficiency for Internal Teams
Reduced error prone manual processes through automation of task assignment, notifications, and lifecycle transitions.
Improved coordination between reviewers, coordinators, and administrators with better visibility and standardized workflows.
Foundation for Long Term Growth
Built on standardized processes, a reusable design system, and a modular architecture designed to scale.
Enabled future expansion into new governance models, funding mechanisms, and community driven initiatives.
Stronger Ecosystem Trust and Positioning
Increased transparency and community visibility around funding decisions and grant progress.
Positioned the ecosystem as a leader in open, community centric, and governance driven innovation.
