### An introduction to Krievo via KSM collective

[KSM Collective](https://https://forum.polkadot.network/t/dv-ksm-community/7872) is an experimental on-chain organisation of members, formed on the Krievo parachain in Kusama, governed via the [Virto App](https://preview.virto.app) and coordinated through [Element's](https://https://element.io/) open-source communication platform.

It was setup initally as [a reponse to the Decentralised Voices programme](https://https://forum.polkadot.network/t/dv-ksm-community/7872) to which it became a delegate in the [second round of applications](https://medium.com/web3foundation/decentralized-voices-cohort-2-b10ddb7c71cc).

Uniquely it coordinated its votes on Kusama spending via its own native version of OpenGov, which established its own tracks and parameters on top of the Krievo blockchain.

Technical challenges and a lack of communication hindered the voting turnout, but these teething issue are now being worked through.

Version 2.0 aims to be more active - with the aim of driving innovation in Kusama and beyond.

If you'd like a little backstory of Krievo's origins you can read more [here](https://forum.polkadot.network/t/kusama-lives-and-makes-creativity-possible-by-virto/4539).

### Problem

[Polkadot](https://polkadot.network) is a technically advanced and well capitalised blockchain infratructure provider with solid brand awareness in a hyper-competitive market.

However it’s primary focus on multi-chain interoperability has made it complex and fragmented - in terms of talent, resources and productivity.

A focus on off-chain popularity rather than on-chain effectiveness has resulted in poor capital allocation, underused or exploited public resources and minimal adoption of funded projects with massive duplication of effort, all contributing to talent burnout and an increasingly dysfunctional culture.

### Krievo = network glue

By creating shared infrastructure for on and off-chain organisations of any kind, the Krievo system simplifies on-chain structures, delivers massive operational efficiencies over legacy systems, fosters collaboration, drives network effects and unlocks unique benefits for its emerging memberships.

### Background

Krievo is a product from the [Virto team](https://virto.network/) - who are the first collective on Krievo, dogfooding their own tech, with experienced core contributors from the [Polkadot technical fellowship](https://wiki.polkadot.network/docs/learn-polkadot-technical-fellowship).

Krievo uses KSM as its native token, but retains governance control of its infrastructure by retaining the Root Origin from its [OpenGov based architecture](https://https://wiki.polkadot.network/docs/learn-polkadot-opengov-origins).

Insulating Krievo from outside interference or oversight, removes the kind of [platform risk](https://www.startupillustrated.com/Archive/Platform-Risk/) that is a hallmark of existing social networks and a primary motivator of the [Web3 mission](https://https://web3.foundation/about/).

### How does Krievo work

Collectives on Krievo have memberships - each membership costs a small amount of KSM.

When purchased by the org, it allows the onboarding of members to that particular community.

The process and rationale for how members are onboarded, retained and rewarded for participation in organisations is left to the absolute discretion of the org itself - after all, they will understand the want and needs of their community better than anyone.

Collectives on Krievo decide their own governance parameters - for example with/without token, 1 person 1 vote etc etc - any current project or team can shift their current management from the blunt instrument of proxies / multisigs to a simpler and more intuitive - but ultimately more adaptable structure.

Over time a whole collection of organisational templates will emerge - you can think about this as an **_App store for governance_**.

### How is Krievo governed?

Each organisation formed on Krievo gets 1 vote ensuring that those utilising the platform (its users) get to decide what is/isn’t important to them.

### Why does this governance structure matter?

Enabling Krievo’s users (the organisations) to govern the platform rather than relying on token weighted governance has clear benefits.

Token based governance in proof-of-stake networks is primarily useful for kickstarting network security through economic speculation.

It is far less useful for creating a supportive environment for the next phase of productive experimentalism and meaningful adoption of the technology, which relies on a completely different set of incentives and culture.

The diverse governance arrangements of the organisations that emerge on Krievo gives long term protection from platform plutocracy and resistant to [sybil attacks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sybil_attack).

### How does Krievo relate to Kusama?

Krievo benefits from Kusama’s network security as a service and associated system chain infrastructure such as [AssetHub](https://wiki.polkadot.network/docs/learn-assets) which is used to manage each Krievo organisations reserve account.

### How does Krievo pay for security

KSM paid by organisation to purchase memberships flows to a central pot and is used to pay for Kusama’s core time - aka the ability to validate, settle and secure transactions in a decentralised manner.

Given the current price of KSM, this model provides a sustainable revenue model for maintaining security, whilst maintaining operational/governance independence at the kind of cost effective levels necessary for facilitating innovation.

### What is possible long term value to KSM holders?

If Krievo succeeds in hosting organisations with millions of members collectively over the next decade or so, then membership fees would drive increasing demand for KSM, therefore supporting the networks security guarantees.

### Who is Krievo for?

Krievo is for any and all organisations wanting to access operational efficiency, modularity and scalability within (network) public infrastructure that is democratically governed, technically resilient and digitally native.

Examples include:

- **Decentralised Voices**: As KSM collective demonstrated in the second round of delegations, Krievo offers unique capabilities for DVs to operationalise their delegations and cast votes on both Kusama and (soon?) Polkadot.

- **Next gen parachains**: Kusama parachains such as [Kabocha](https://forum.polkadot.network/t/introducing-kabocha-an-experimental-kusama-parachain-incubated-by-the-edgeware-community/327), or [KSM.Fun](https://kusama.polkassembly.io/referenda/450) can shift their network governance to Krievo, lowering operational overheads and enabling them to benefit from a closer knit community of devs, creators and contributors to help them towards more focused network adoption and ultimately sustainable revenue models.

- **Club based communities**: Established groups such as [ChaosDAO](https://chaosdao.org/) or [PromoTeam](https://x.com/promoteampd) can organise events and activities more easily and benefit from shared treasuries and more intuitive asset management.

- **Product orgs**: Product focused groups like [Proof of Chaos](https://www.proofofchaos.app/), [Helikon](https://helikon.io/), [Kusamarian](https://x.com/TheKusamarian) or [Encointer](https://polkadot.com/blog/introducing-encointer-making-web3-truly-inclusive) can become Krievo orgs and manage their specialist skills, product suites and networks on shared and cooperatively developed infrastructure - and directly access beta testers alongside the wider network effects generated by the shared infrastructure.

- **Established legal entities** like UK based [Decent Partners](https://decent.partners) or US based [Brale](https://brale.xyz), can bootstrap products with a core group of experienced teams and unlock operational efficiencies by marrying off-chain equity structures to Krievo orgs - whilst also expanding the capability and reach of the other organisations.

- **Creator networks** such as [FTTF’s creator network](https://www.channel4.com/press/news/four-floor-returns-c4-fifth-series-and-launches-new-digital-content-brand), [Auto Fabrica’s design studio](https://www.autofabrica.com/) or the [GiantX eSports team](https://giantx.gg/) can onboard their off-chain networks easily and plug Kiev’s infrastructure, rights management and associated permissions into their current websites builders such as Squarespace, Wordpress or Discourse.

### Emerging member benefits

As membership benefits increase, so network effects grow, leading to a positve feedback loop. Current benefits include.

- A supportive environment for cooperation with other talented groups, whilst maintaining operational independence.
- Expanding network of collaborators and beta-testers dog-fooding tech, products and experiments.
- Focal point for onboarding new users, organisations and entities.
- Ability to keep costs low, before scaling up and out as demand dictates.
- Issuing community centric stablecoins via Decent Partners (coordinator) and Brale (issuer).
- Payment infrastructure bridging on and off-chain commerce.
- Opportunity to accèss greater economic upside than possible through current treasury spending.
- Access to action oriented RFPs based on unique insights and experience leading to better focused and prioritised development roadmaps.

### Where Krievo can go

As Krievo organisations emerge, evolve and expand, influential creator collectives will be nurtured, valuable commercial entities will form and impactful cultural movements will be born - all on a common good foundation of shared and equitably governed infrastructure that is more open, programmable and resilient than the organisational structures we have today.