Optimism as Venture Studio: Mission Updates

[WakeUp_Labs]

TL;DR

WakeUp Labs is launching a new Optimism Mission to support projects through technical and strategic development services. As a Venture Studio funded by the Optimism Collective, we’re here to help projects go from concept to deployment, faster and with fewer barriers.

What’s the mission about?

This mission, funded by the Optimism Collective and executed by WakeUp Labs, provides hands-on technical and strategic support to selected projects building within the ecosystem.

At WakeUp Labs, our goal is to help teams deploy, scale, and grow by removing technical bottlenecks and accelerating adoption across DeFi, gaming, and infrastructure, driving real onchain activity and gas usage on Optimism.

The project lead on our side will be @Axel.Wakeuplabs, who will be taking ownership from here.

Milestone Roadmap

This initiative will follow five main milestones:

1. Define Selection Mechanism
2. Select Subsidy Recipients (Project Screening and Selection)
3. Start Working (Development and Execution)
4. Detailed Report and Public Closure Announcement
5. Long-Term Commitment

These milestones are designed to overlap, so one step doesn’t block the next.
You can read the full project proposal here: CharmVerse Proposal

How We’ll Measure Success

These are the key performance indicators we’ll use to track progress and impact:

• Smart contracts deployed
• Transactions generated
• Unique wallet interactions
• Gas units consumed
• Long-term ecosystem alignment

What’s Next?

We’re just getting started. If you’re building on Optimism, or know someone who is, tag them below or reach out! This mission is designed to unlock new opportunities and push high-potential projects.

Applications will open soon, so keep an eye out. We’ll share more details right here, as well as on X (Twitter), and on LinkedIn.

[WakeUp_Labs]

Update – Milestone 1 & 2 Complete

TL;DR
We’ve wrapped up the first two milestones of the Optimism Venture Studio. Over 15 teams applied, DAMM Capital was selected to move forward. Based on internal assessments and current priorities, we’ve refined our focus to maximize program effectiveness and ecosystem impact.

Milestone 1 – Selection Mechanism & Outreach Strategy

Selection Mechanism Defined:
We developed a transparent and accessible selection process, including:

• Clear eligibility criteria for applicant teams
• Public application form
• Evaluation rubric aligned with Optimism’s goals

Outreach Strategy Activated:
We publicly launched the open call and began direct outreach through:

• Ecosystem channels: X (Twitter), Farcaster, LinkedIn, Telegram, governance forum
• A dedicated blog page and application form
• Direct contact with OP community members and aligned projects

Read the Selection Process Document

Watch the Open Call Recording

Optimism as Venture Studio by WakeUp Labs

Milestone 2 – Project Selection

We received 15+ applications from a wide range of promising projects across DeFi, tooling and infrastructure.

After a thorough evaluation process we shortlisted 4 high-potential projects to explore in more detail. These teams participated in follow-up meetings to further evaluate feasibility, alignment, and impact potential:

Shortlisted Projects

• DAMM Capital – A fixed-income protocol offering on-chain debt vaults and yield strategies, aiming to bring TradFi sophistication to Optimism DeFi.
• R3AL Blocks – Tokenizing real-world real estate and backing it with yield-bearing DeFi assets, creating new on-chain financial products with tangible utility.
• FlashiFi – Building an overcollateralized lending layer using flashloans and atomic arbitrage as revenue streams to enhance borrower efficiency.
• Bondi Finance – A decentralized underwriting protocol for RWA-based credit, enabling off-chain reputation and capital access for SMEs in Latin America.

Selected Projects & Budget Allocation

Following internal discussions and strategic alignment with the program’s goals, including ecosystem KPIs and current market conditions, we’ve decided to continue the program with DAMM Capital as the sole participant.

• 3,000 OP – Operations & Administration: Covering internal coordination, project management, reporting and communication overhead to ensure smooth execution.

• 27,000 OP – DAMM Capital (GitHub). We’ve decided to allocate the majority of development resources to DAMM Capital, as their protocol is technically mature and best positioned to deliver measurable on-chain results in the short term. We believe their deployment will drive meaningful gas usage and adoption within Optimism’s DeFi ecosystem.

This allocation allows us to maximize the resources available for high-impact technical work with measurable on-chain results in the short term.

What’s Next – Milestone 3: Development Begins

We’re entering the development phase with DAMM Capital, tailoring support to their needs and working toward on-chain deployment. Our goal remains to maximize impact and deliver meaningful contributions to the Optimism ecosystem.

Thanks for following along! And be sure to follow us on X (Twitter) and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest.

*Note that changes were made with strategic alignment to the program’s goals in mind, and due to priorities from the participants.

WakeUp Labs Team

[MBBCH15]

Exciting initiative from @WakeUp_Labs! Great to see hands-on support translating into real onchain activity on Optimism. Looking forward to the first cohort of projects and the impact this mission drives across DeFi, gaming, and infra. Props to @Axel.Wakeuplabs for leading the charge!