James slusser does a great job and got my full support! Aye
~
flipchan

PolkaWorld votes AYE

After initially voting NAY, the proposer shared more information in PolkaWorld’s Telegram group, leading us to change our vote to AYE. The amount requested is small, but it could serve as a valuable leverage point. https://t.me/DVpolkaworld/500

Read more feedback [here](https://southern-manicure-6ee.notion.site/1683-Re-submission-of-1678-6-month-renewal-Alan-B-Levan-NSU-Broward-Center-of-Innovation-Memb-23aa3c644fba80bfaa2be01740fac77b?source=copy_link).

Dear Proposer,

Thank you for your proposal. Our **second** vote on this proposal is **NAY**.

The **Small Tipper** track requires **30% participation and simple majority of non-abstain votes** according to our [voting policy v0.2](https://docs.permanence.io/voting_policy/voting_policy_v0.2.html), and any referendum in which the **majority of members vote abstain receives an abstain vote**. This proposal has received **zero aye and two nay** votes from **ten available members**, with **two members abstaining**. Below is a summary of our members' comments:

> The re-submission was evaluated without any changes from its earlier version, prompting concerns about repeating previous issues. One vote opposed the proposal with the same arguments as before, while two abstentions acknowledged the proposer’s dedication but raised doubts about how the initiative fit within broader strategic objectives. These voters questioned whether the space was meant for community events or actual business outcomes, and they sought a clearer plan and regular engagement schedule. Another vote reiterated earlier reservations, emphasizing annoyance over what was seen as repetitive submission practices on the OpenGov platform.

The full discussion can be found in our [internal voting](https://voting.opensquare.io/space/permanence/proposal/QmXFgq8kwMsfY3MJjXaUM8PXK5GVPpS3nXqJoRVNjZBpxb).

Please feel free to contact us through the links below for further discussion.

Kind regards, Permanence DAO Decentralized Voices Cohort IV Delegate 📅 [Book Office Hours](https://cal.com/permanencedao/office-hours) 💬 [Public Telegram](https://t.me/permanencedao) 🌐️ [Web](https://permanence.io) 🐦 [Twitter](https://twitter.com/permanencedao) 🗳️ [Delegate](https://polkadot.subsquare.io/user/15ubZj6T7NUYyQw6j4XBkEMJ2vew5w9kqKEcN1QG7Z1weKDV/votes)

With <8 hours remaining, and for anyone still on the Nay or Abstain side of the vote, here is additional information that I have previously provided directly to DVs and others in an attempt to gain your support;

Thank you for the opportunity to provide additional context around the broader strategy referenced in my proposal. **The Levan Center is one small, but important, component of a much larger, integrated effort to grow Polkadot’s presence across Florida and the wider North American market**.

🧭 Who I Am & What I Do

My name is [James Slusser](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jslusser/). I’ve been a Senior Ambassador with Polkadot since June 2022, focused on:

- Business Development
- Investor Relations
- Community Building
- University Outreach
- Policy/Regulatory Engagement

In 2024, I was admitted as a Candidate to the Polkadot Technical Fellowship. I’m an alumnus of the Polkadot Blockchain Academy (Berkeley cohort) and active in several working groups (AAG, [Pop Dot Play](https://x.com/popdotplay/status/1948367856833634590), Kusama Vision Art bounty, and Thought Leadership via Distractive). I routinely represent Polkadot at domestic and international conferences, media engagements, and business development meetings.

🗺️ Regional Strategy Overview

My approach is focused on high-leverage, low-cost efforts that help lay long-term foundations for Polkadot adoption. [Here’s what that looks like](https://x.com/LearnPolkadot/status/1938403198068277375):

🏟️ Polkadot x Inter Miami CF

Though not managing the relationship day-to-day, I’m deeply involved in:

- Curating and hosting IR/BD guests in Polkadot suites [at each home match](https://x.com/jslusser/status/1949304646763237378) 
- Representing Polkadot at IMCF community workshops
- Coordinating with Sal Esposito and Chris Wade on BD + Government engagement
- Using the platform to drive regional interest in Polkadot among enterprise, civic, and academic leaders

🧑‍💼 Levan Center of Innovation (Referendum 1683 Focus)

The Levan Center serves as a tri-county tech hub (Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach), drawing business, academic, and government leaders to regular events. My engagement includes:

- Working from the space 2–3 days/week
- Hosting Polkadot-branded meetups (moving from cost-prohibitive to no-cost formats)
- Leveraging coworking and meeting space for enterprise BD
- Networking with incubator/accelerator participants and public/private sector leaders
- Planning future hackathons, education series, and partnership activation
- _This is a strategic venue to reach the right people with consistent presence._

🎓 University & STEM Outreach

- Actively engaging high schools and universities with blockchain programs
- Introducing Polkadot Blockchain Academy content to the University of Miami, University of Florida, Nova Southern University, Miami-Dade College and more.
- Exploring research collaboration with academics with the Web3 Foundation
- Helping students become local community builders
- Represented Polkadot at the University of Miami Business of Blockchain event

🏛️ Policy & Legislative Engagement

- Member of the Florida Blockchain Business Association
- Regularly travels to Tallahassee to meet with legislators, testify, and advocate
- Supports similar efforts in Texas via the Texas Blockchain Council
- Collaborates with the Blockchain Association (DC-based) on federal policy

💼 Investor Relations & Enterprise Outreach

- Work with Polkadot Capital Group, Signum, Scytale, and Harbour Industrial Capital
- Host IR dinners and meet-and-greets
- Pursue long-cycle BD with enterprise partners from conferences and local hubs
- Leverage access to high-net-worth individuals and decision-makers at Polkadot-sponsored events

📣 Media, Speaking, and Thought Leadership

- Regular appearances on AAG (Polkadot & Kusama editions)
- Speaker at blockchain conferences including: Permissionless NYC, Blockchain Futurist ([Miami upcoming](https://x.com/jslusser/status/1948375376754851938) in November), ETH Denver, Decentralized Lugano, Panama Blockchain Week, eMerge Americas, WAGMI Miami, and more
- Interviewed by podcasts and publications (see latest [Blockhash interview](https://x.com/jslusser/status/1948124782190346311))
- Curator for Kusama Vision’s upcoming Art + Social Experiments track
- Host monthly casual [meetups in Miami](https://x.com/jslusser/status/1950359298489328016) w/ ca. 50 attendees

💬 Conclusion

Referendum 1683 is not a stand-alone initiative - it’s a **modest funding request** for a key piece of a larger, boots-on-the-ground strategy already in motion. The $2,400 budget is proportionate to its scope and impact. I show up, consistently, across multiple verticals - and welcome ongoing community input, oversight, and collaboration.

I would be happy to speak with any DV or community member directly and invite you to visit us in Miami to see firsthand what we’re building.

With respect, 
James Slusser Senior Ambassador, Polkadot

**Six-Month Report: Polkadot Membership at the Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation**

**Reporting Period:** May - October 2025

**Funding Amount:** 2,400 USDT (400 USDT/month)

This proposal ([#1683](https://polkadot.subsquare.io/referenda/1683)) requested 2,400 USDT to continue Polkadot’s Reserved Desk–level membership at the [Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation](https://www.nova.edu/innovation/) for an additional six-month period (May through October 2025). The initial membership, funded via [Referendum #1224](https://polkadot.subsquare.io/referenda/1224), covered November 2024 through April 2025.

The Reserved Desk membership provides Polkadot with a physical presence in South Florida, enabling business development meetings, investor relations conversations, community engagement, and regular opportunities to network with fellow member organizations. It remains a low-cost, low-risk method to test the location’s viability as a long-term business development hub for Polkadot. If the community deems this location strategically valuable, this membership could be upgraded in the future to a private office or Corporate-sponsored space as availability allows.

Copies of invoices for the $400/month membership fee (May - October 2025) are available for review for [Q2](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FLMh6WGBcu63jTOKZoiI8hNyHr99Lxt5?usp=drive_link) (May - July) and [Q3](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/113HDnFmJZVquultfFY95T3eFn6YZZkzi?usp=sharing) (August - October).

**Impact & Outcomes (May - October 2025)**

During this six-month period, the Levan membership continued to generate tangible value across several strategic priority areas:

**(1) Awareness & Community Growth**

- On average, 5–10 people per week were introduced to Polkadot for the first time through on-site conversations, events, and organic interactions.
- A growing number of repeat visitors return weekly to learn about different aspects of the ecosystem.
- The South Florida Polkadot community has become increasingly vibrant and engaged, with consistent interest across builders, startups, students, and enterprise contacts.

**(2) Developer Relations**

- Ongoing developer inquiries about building on Polkadot and Substrate, and now Solidity.
- Participation in local hackathon ecosystems, including promoting the Polkadot Cloud Builder Party during October.
- Even when devs could not participate due to bandwidth constraints, I continue to be invited as a Polkadot representative to other local hackathons to educate builders and encourage them to consider Polkadot technology.

**(3) Enterprise & Government Business Development**

- Numerous BD conversations stemming from the visibility of the dedicated Polkadot workspace.
- Two member companies with on-site offices learned about Polkadot simply by stopping by my desk:
- [Fort Lauderdale United FC](https://www.ftlutd.com/) (women’s professional soccer team)
- [betr.ai ](http://betr.ai)(currently exploring building on Polkadot)
- Both companies continue to engage regularly, alongside many other Levan members and the Center’s executive team.

**(4) Investor Relations**

- Continued IR conversations with local founders, funders, and innovation groups.
- Networking through the Center’s event calendar and affiliated groups has strengthened Polkadot’s visibility among regional investors.

**(5) University Outreach**

- Progress with local universities regarding adding Rust and Substrate content into their blockchain curricula.
- Ongoing discussions with faculty and administrators have been supported by proximity to the Nova Southeastern University campus and community.

**(6) Policy, Regulatory & Legislative Efforts**

- The Levan Center’s mix of government, enterprise, and academic stakeholders continues to support Polkadot’s broader public-sector engagement in Florida.

Social proof of ongoing activity can be found on my X and LinkedIn accounts, where I regularly publish Polkadot-related updates:

- X: [https://x.com/jslusser](https://x.com/jslusser)
- LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jslusser/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jslusser/)

**Operational Notes**

**Availability of Office Space**

Due to high demand, no private offices or Corporate-sponsored rooms are currently available. Should availability open, it may be appropriate to consider upgrading from the Reserved Desk level. For now, the current membership remains the most cost-effective option.

**On-Site Presence**

I typically work from the Center 2–3 days per week, in addition to attending many of its events and networking functions. The location’s steady foot traffic and active programming calendar consistently produce meaningful engagement opportunities for Polkadot.

**Key Updates (August - October 2025)**

**1. Appointment of New Executive Director**

After nearly a year without permanent leadership, the Center appointed [Michael Burtov](https://www.linkedin.com/in/burtov/) on August 7, 2025, as Chief Innovation Officer at Nova Southeastern University and Executive Director of the Levan Center.

Michael is also the co-founder of [Connecting Giants and Unicorns](https://cgu.org/) (CGU), a group focused on fostering collaborative relationships between enterprises and startups through curated tech-focused events. I have been attending CGU events for some time, and they’ve proven valuable for raising awareness of Polkadot.

In early September, once Michael settled into his role, we met to discuss Polkadot-related initiatives. He was pleased to learn that:

- I was a current Levan member,
- Several Polkadot initiatives had already been introduced at the Center, and
- The ecosystem aligns well with the innovation focus he wants to advance.

Michael has expressed interest in exploring:

- Reviving previously paused Polkadot initiatives,
- Developing new collaborative opportunities, and
- Investigating an AI-powered DAO concept potentially running on Polkadot technology.
 
He noted that some staffing adjustments and strategic planning must occur before fully reactivating initiatives, but Q4 looks promising, and he asked for patience while he aligns internal priorities.

**2. Launch of Polkadot Co-Working Wednesdays**

Inspired by the work of the Toronto Polkadot Roots community, I launched Polkadot Co-Working Wednesdays at Levan beginning in August.

Key points:

- Hosted in smaller, no-cost conference rooms (as opposed to larger, paid event spaces).
- Roughly a dozen sessions were hosted through October.
- Attendance ranged from 3–10 participants per week, with deeper conversations facilitated by smaller group size.
- Feedback from community members has been overwhelmingly positive.
- The concept directly inspired Executive Director Burtov to launch Co-Working Tuesdays for the broader Levan membership.

The full schedule of past sessions may be viewed on my [Luma calendar](https://luma.com/calendar/manage/cal-UJf7tQY8D4kKpOR?period=past).

**Funding Going Forward**

Given that Co-Working Wednesdays have become a weekly MeetUp initiative, I have approached the Polkadot Roots Program to fund the Levan membership beginning November 2025 onward.

The logic is straightforward:

- The $400/month membership equates to $100 per weekly MeetUp, a highly cost-effective initiative.
- The membership also provides Polkadot with continued BD, IR, and community engagement benefits.
- Roots currently funds the Toronto Co-Working Wednesdays, making this a natural fit.

Therefore, I will not seek OpenGov funding to continue the membership assuming Roots approves ongoing support.

**Conclusion**

The six-month period from May through October 2025 has demonstrated that maintaining a Reserved Desk at the Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation remains a highly effective, low-cost strategy for advancing Polkadot’s presence in South Florida across BD, developer outreach, education, community growth, and IR initiatives.

Local engagement continues to rise, key relationships are strengthening, and new leadership at the Center presents promising opportunities for deeper collaboration in Q4 and beyond.

I appreciate the community’s support for this initiative and remain committed to maximizing the value of Polkadot’s presence in South Florida.


I am re-submitting [Referendum #1678](https://polkadot.subsquare.io/referenda/1678), which was rejected yesterday. No changes have been made to the proposal content, and I encourage anyone reviewing this new submission to reference the detailed comments and responses already provided on 1678.

Given the high volume of OpenGov proposals - many requesting significantly larger amounts - and the limited 7-day window of the Small Tipper track, I believe some Decentralized Voices (DVs) did not have sufficient time to fully review the proposal. Additionally, due to the timing of 1678’s submission, I was unable to appear on Attempts At Governance (AAG) prior to the close of the decision period.

Following [my appearance on AAG today](https://www.youtube.com/live/7scRQGCNE8k?si=MAoOfA1lrMl1SYLd&t=363) (July 24, 2025), I hope that:

- **KusDAO** and **Hungarian DAO** will continue their support, as on 1678  
- **Trustless Core** and **JAM Implementers DAO** will have time to review and vote  
- **PermanenceDAO** and **PolkaWorld** will reconsider their original *NAY* votes  
  - *PolkaWorld*: I’ve responded to your latest questions in the _DV Delegates – PolkaWorld Open Group_ Telegram group 
  - *PermanenceDAO*: I attempted to book an Office Hours slot, but none were available before August 6. I'm happy to address any questions here or in your _Permanence DAO - Public_ Telegram group

For **non-DV communities**, including **ChaosDAO**, I remain fully available to answer any questions or concerns.  

Thank you all for your time, attention, and continued engagement.


- A proposal was resubmitted after being rejected  
- No changes were made to the original idea  
- The creator wants more time for review  
- Some groups supported it before  
- Others are asked to review or change their votes  
- The creator is answering questions in chat groups  
- Available to talk with more communities  
- Thanks everyone for their time

#173·Re-submission of 1678: 6-month renewal | Alan B. Levan - NSU Broward Center of Innovation Membership