---
type: entity
entity_type: decision_market
name: "MetaDAO: Hire Advaith Sekharan as Founding Engineer?"
domain: internet-finance
status: passed
parent_entity: "[[metadao]]"
platform: "futardio"
proposer: "Nallok, Proph3t"
proposal_url: "https://www.futard.io/proposal/B82Dw1W6cfngH7BRukAyKXvXzP4T2cDsxwKYfxCftoC2"
proposal_date: 2024-10-22
resolution_date: 2024-10-26
category: "hiring"
summary: "Proposal to hire Advaith Sekharan as founding engineer with $180K salary and 237 META tokens"
tracked_by: rio
created: 2026-03-11
---

# MetaDAO: Hire Advaith Sekharan as Founding Engineer?

## Summary
Proposal to extend an offer to Advaith Sekharan for the founding engineer role at MetaDAO with $180,000 annual cash compensation and 237 META tokens (1% of supply excluding DAO holdings). The token allocation uses the same performance-based vesting structure as co-founders Nallok and Proph3t, with linear unlocks tied to market cap milestones and a 4-year cliff before any tokens become accessible.

## Market Data
- **Outcome:** Passed
- **Proposer:** Nallok, Proph3t
- **Proposal Account:** B82Dw1W6cfngH7BRukAyKXvXzP4T2cDsxwKYfxCftoC2
- **Proposal Number:** 7
- **Created:** 2024-10-22
- **Completed:** 2024-10-26

## Compensation Structure
- **Cash:** $180,000/year (retroactive to October 16, 2024)
- **Tokens:** 237 META (1% of 23,705.7 supply including co-founder allocations)
- **Vesting Start:** November 2024
- **Cliff:** No tokens unlock before November 2028 (4-year minimum)
- **Unlock Mechanism:** Linear based on market cap ($5B = 100% unlock, $500M = 10% unlock)
- **Market Cap Definition:** $1B = $42,198 per META
- **Clawback Period:** DAO can reclaim all tokens until July 2025 (8 months)
- **Post-Clawback:** Tokens vest into smart contract/multisig inaccessible to leadership

## Significance
This proposal demonstrates MetaDAO's execution of its San Francisco core team buildout strategy from Fundraise #2. The compensation structure mirrors co-founder terms, establishing consistency in performance-based alignment. The 4-year cliff and market cap-based unlocks create extreme long-term orientation compared to standard startup vesting, while the 8-month clawback period provides the DAO with early exit optionality.

## Relationship to KB
- [[metadao]] — hiring decision for founding engineer role
- [[advaith-sekharan]] — hired individual
- [[metadao-fundraise-2]] — authorized this core team buildout
- [[performance-unlocked-team-tokens-with-price-multiple-triggers-and-twap-settlement-create-long-term-alignment-without-initial-dilution]] — implements this compensation philosophy