---
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 with performance-based vesting"
tracked_by: rio
created: 2026-03-11
---

# MetaDAO: Hire Advaith Sekharan as Founding Engineer

## Summary
Proposal to extend an offer to Advaith Sekharan for founding engineer role at $180,000 annual cash compensation and 237 META tokens (1% of supply excluding DAO holdings), with vesting terms matching co-founder allocations but starting November 2024. The compensation structure includes linear unlocks tied to market cap milestones ($500M = 10% unlock, $5B = 100% unlock) with a 4-year cliff (no tokens unlock before November 2028) and 8-month clawback period.

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

## Key Terms
- **Fixed Token Allocation:** 237 META (1% of 23,705.7 supply including co-founder allocations)
- **Linear Unlocks:** 100% at $5B market cap, proportional below (e.g., 10% at $500M)
- **Market Cap Definition:** $1B = $42,198 per META
- **Vesting Cliff:** No tokens unlock before November 2028 regardless of milestones
- **Clawback Period:** DAO can reclaim all tokens until July 2025 (8 months)
- **Start Date:** November 2024 for vesting; October 16, 2024 for retroactive salary

## Significance
This proposal demonstrates MetaDAO's execution on its San Francisco core team buildout strategy from Fundraise #2. The compensation structure mirrors co-founder terms, signaling equal treatment of early team members while maintaining long-term alignment through the 4-year cliff and performance-based unlocks. The 8-month illiquid vest with clawback provisions balances commitment verification against team member security.

## Relationship to KB
- [[metadao]] — hiring decision for founding engineer role
- [[advaith-sekharan]] — hired individual
- [[metadao-fundraise-2]] — strategic context for core team buildout
- [[metadao-compensation-proph3t-nallok]] — parallel compensation structure for co-founders
- [[performance-unlocked-team-tokens-with-price-multiple-triggers-and-twap-settlement-create-long-term-alignment-without-initial-dilution]] — implements this compensation philosophy