Building a Modular DAO Framework with Zero-Knowledge Voting

Client Overview

🔹Client: Confidential (An emerging L2 ecosystem DAO incubator)
🔹Industry: Web3 Governance / DAOs
🔹Engagement Duration: 10 months

Objectives

To design and implement a plug-and-play DAO framework enabling:

🔹Anonymous, secure voting via zk-SNARKs
🔹 Decentralized treasury management with time-based streaming
🔹Ragequit-enabled protection for minority stakeholders
- - 🔹Reputation-based participation through staking

Solution

TechSteck Solutions developed a modular DAO architecture combining the composability of OpenZeppelin’s Governor contracts with Aragon’s flexibility and the privacy guarantees of MACI (Minimal Anti-Collusion Infrastructure).

Key Modules:

🔹ZK Voting Engine: Integrated MACI for anonymous voting with anti-collusion guarantees using SNARK proofs.
🔹Treasury Streams: Leveraged Sablier contracts to create continuous token flows to contributors and grantees.
🔹Ragequit Mechanism: Adopted Moloch v3’s exit framework to enable DAO members to exit with their proportional treasury share.

🔹Reputation Layer: Developed a staking mechanism to build dynamic reputation scores based on activity, verifiable via subgraphs.

ZK Integration Details

🔹Utilized Circom circuits with Groth16 proving system for vote privacy.
- - - - 🔹Built a relayer layer for gasless zkVote submissions, preserving anonymity.
      - 🔹Verified ZK proofs on-chain within Governor logic to ensure trustless tallying.

Implementation Highlights

- - - - 🔹Composable Modules: DAO creators could enable/disable features (e.g., enable Ragequit but disable Streaming).
        🔹Custom Governance Parameters: DAO instances could customize voting delay, quorum, and execution delay.
        🔹Upgradeable Contracts: Framework built with UUPS proxies for upgradability.
        🔹SDK Toolkit: Developed React components and SDK for third-party dApps to launch DAOs via CLI or GUI.

Outcomes

- - - - 🔹Governance Participation increased by 2.3x due to anonymous and gasless voting.
      - 🔹Grant Disbursement time reduced by 60% through Sablier-based automation.
      - 🔹Ragequit Feature used by 17% of early token holders, preventing conflict escalation.
      - 🔹Builder DAO Adoption: 14 DAOs deployed the framework within 3 months of launch.

Lessons Learned

- - - - 🔹ZK Onboarding: Simplified tutorials and faucet integration were critical for zk adoption.
        🔹Economic Layering: Reputation staking helped deter spam voting and incentivize value-aligned proposals.
        🔹Flexibility > Rigidity: DAO creators appreciated modular architecture more than strict governance models.

Conclusion

🔹TechSteck Solutions’ modular DAO framework bridged the gap between privacy, flexibility, and composability — empowering communities to govern transparently, securely, and equitably.

- - - - 🔹Looking to upgrade your DAO with ZK tooling and modular governance? [Contact TechSteck Solutions]

GET STARTED

If you would like to work with us or just want to get in touch, we’d love to hear from you!

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