Zug, Switzerland, November 1st, 2024,
Chainwire
This acquisition will enhance the governance features for all
existing and forthcoming web3 communication platforms built on the
River Protocol.
River, the first-of-its-kind protocol for
securing communication for end users, today announced its
acquisition of Llama, a protocol designed for decentralized
governance. Llama’s technology will be integrated into River to
further enhance its offerings for users. Earlier this month,
Towns, an end-to-end encrypted on-chain communications
platform, launched on River, cementing it as River's largest
project to date with 125 thousand unique users onboarded and 81
thousand Towns created. The acquisition will benefit all existing
and forthcoming platforms built on the protocol, including more
robust governance tools for DAOs and expanding their use cases.
The protocol is focused on expanding its technical capabilities
and shaping the future of web3 communications. The integration will
enhance River’s token governance capabilities and provide built-in
governance contracts for users creating spaces within the platform.
Additionally, Towns will benefit from a new tech stack, allowing
users to build customizable governance systems.
"The acquisition of Llama aligns perfectly with our
vision at River to offer more decentralized governance and
customization for our users," said Patrick Fives, Chief
Protocol Officer and Co-founder of the River Protocol.
"Our goal is to build the future of communication, and this
integration will streamline decision-making, creating more
accessible and efficient on-chain governance."
Llama’s governance system is powered by open-source smart
contracts, providing flexibility and customization for users. It
allows DAOs to define specific roles and permissions for executing
on-chain transactions, or "actions," such as protocol upgrades,
fund transfers, parameter adjustments, and emergency pauses. By
allowing users to determine who can propose, approve, or execute
these actions, Llama incorporates robust checks and balances
through advanced permissioning strategies. This granular control is
important for securely managing complex operations and adapting to
changing requirements.
“The River team has been at the forefront of on-chain
governance innovation from the start, quickly adopting advanced
features like multi-token voting and multi-chain governance,”
said Austin Green and Shreyas Hariharan, co-founders of
Llama. “Their integration of these tools has set a new
standard for decentralized communication platforms, and we’re
excited to see how they’ll continue using our technology to create
even more customizable and powerful governance solutions for their
users.”
In 2023, Llama raised a $6 million seed round led by Founders
Fund and Electric Capital and notable investors including Elad
Gil, Sandeep Nailwal (Polygon), and Stani Kulechov (Aave).
About River
River is the first-of-its-kind protocol for
securing communication for end users. It unlocks the same
experience you would expect from web2 communication platforms,
while providing the security of web3. The River Protocol is an
EVM-compatible L2 chain, leveraging decentralized off-chain stream
nodes and smart contracts that are deployed on Base, to build
programmable communication tools in a permissionless manner.
River’s utility token, RVR, is delegated to Node
Operators to help secure the platform. Launched in May 2024,
River’s clients include Propeller.chat and Towns, the a16z-backed on-chain communications
platform that launched in October 2024.
About Llama
Llama is a fullstack platform for onchain access control and
governance. The Llama protocol is designed for decentralized
governance, consisting of open-source, fully deployed smart
contracts that offer a comprehensive on-chain governance system
with flexible requirements. The platform allows clients to securely
take action using onchain policies and custom execution strategies.
In 2023, Llama raised a $6 million seed round led by Founders Fund
and Electric Capital and notable investors including Elad Gil,
Sandeep Nailwal (Polygon), and Stani Kulechov (Aave).
Contact
Ryleigh
Ebron
Serotonin
ryleigh@serotonin.co