An online platform to solve collective action and coordination problems

Project summary

This project builds upon the successful ACX 2024 project to create a functional MVP of a web app for solving collective action dilemmas and coordination problems. Tetra Jones and I were awarded $17K each to collaborate on it, and we succeeded! The MVP went live in early June. We're currently conducting closed beta testing in search of use cases with high traction and impact potential.

I'm seeking additional funding to continue developing this project full-time and extend our runway for another 9-12 months. This funding would be allocated to operational costs and growth strategies (described below) to expand the user base, find a sustainable revenue model, and explore non-profit and commercialization options.

As for this project's relevance to Effective Altruism, a keyword search for Collective Action Problem(s) and "Coordination Problem(s) returns over 200 results in EU forum posts alone.

Some specific areas we think Spartacus.app could address:

It could also enable insiders to mobilize in opposition to institutional incentive structures surrounding endeavors that carry extreme tail risk, such as:

What are this project's goals? How will you achieve them?

I've found myself describing Spartacus.app as "change.org, on Steroids" as a point of reference, but the comparison elides some significant differences. Our principle innovation (and, as far as we can tell, unique in this space) is combining an assurance contract framework (A will do something but only if B,C,D also agree) with temporary anonymity to break the inertia of bad equilibria and incentive structures that deter people from acting on their actual preferences or suppress crucial information required for rational decision making.

Unlike crowdfunding platforms, our primary value proposition isn't fundraising but bootstrapping real-world, high-leverage initiatives that require synchronous group behavior to be effective. Temporary anonymity allows for a seamless, almost magical transition from the safety of anonymous, provisional commitment to a critical mass of participants publicly aligned on the same values and goals.

What have you done so far?

As mentioned, after about six months of spec and design work, we debuted the MVP in early June at NYCTechWeek. It's a web app built on Next.js, with APIs to services like Supabase, Twilio, Plaid, and Auth.o.

Right now, anyone can sign up and test the core functionality of real-time and private campaigns. Feel free to check it out. (We recommend the mobile interface and using a phone# to sign in). Create, Join, and Share user flows, and some basic user settings are all working.

You can find more details on our progress journey in previous monthly posts to our substack.

What do you have planned next?

We have some near-term features we're working on, such as:

Chain of Trust" referral system.
- Unique invite code generator
- Settings for turning on/off "Chain of Trust."
- Tree diagram and database to track code creation, utilization, and referral connections.
Private Campaign content enrichment.
Campaign categorization tags.
Internal KPI/Analytics tracking.
Monetization.

Overall, we're shifting gears to user acquisition and running several cycles of the feedback/iteration process to determine how to shape our mid— and long-term roadmap.

How will this funding be used?

Extending our runway for another 9-12 months.

Here's a rough breakdown of the annual project OpEx at current levels of spending:

Continued compensation for co-grantee TetraSpace at $50/hr for 10-20 hrs of work per week (variable).
Software & subscriptions: $7,000 | Essential dev tools, service providers, APIs, CRM, lead generation tools, user support, and product management software. (may fluctuate based on metered services).
Hosting & infrastructure: $3,000 | Cloud hosting, website, and basic IT infrastructure.
Marketing: $5,000 | Social media, content marketing, and SEO.
Public relations & events: $3,000 | conferences, exhibitions, presentations, demos, and speaking opportunities.
Legal and accounting: $3,000 | Basic legal services and accounting for tax compliance and financial management.
Outsourcing, consulting, and interns: $6,000 | Paid internships, compensation for consultants and subject matter experts, guest speaker fees.

I'm covering my own expenses with personal savings while working on the project full-time.

Who is on your team? What's your track record on similar projects?

I’m Jordan Braunstein. I've been an avid reader of ACX/SSC for eight years and actively participate in the LA rationalist community. I'm also connected to the folks in EA Los Angeles. I can be found on LinkedIn and Twitter.

I have 15+ years of experience as a business development lead and product manager at various startups, ranging from pre-seed to Series B, including employee #1 at a VR startup called Vivid Vision. I have a B.S. in Economics and Political Science from SUNY Purchase, NY. I've lived in NYC, Chicago, San Francisco, and now Santa Monica, LA.

My primary technical collaborator is Tetra Jones (They/Them). We independently submitted similar applications to the ACX/Manifund grant program and were told we could receive a more significant joint grant if we agreed to work together. I had a robust framework for the project, and Tetra had the technical skills I lacked. As Their contribution, Tetra joined the Spartacus.app project as a freelance engineer using Their half of the grant as compensation.

What are the most likely causes and outcomes if this project fails?

A well-executed platform for solving collective action problems could address some of humanity's most widely acknowledged problems and produce tremendous value. That said, there are several ways this particular attempt may fail:

Market-Related:

We vastly overestimate demand for a platform like this.
Users don't see enough value in the platform to justify paying for it.
A competitor sees what we're doing, copies our functionality, and poaches our users.
Association with controversial subjects causes the project to become polarized and anathematized by a large segment of potential users.

Product-Related:

The platform is too complex, complicated to use, or unreliable.
We can't scale the platform effectively to meet growing demand.
Making collective coordination easier and less risky has a double edge. We don't sufficiently limit how the platform can be used, allowing activities that cause real-world harm.

Financial:

We run out of money before achieving profitability or securing additional funding.
We vastly underestimate the costs of user acquisition and retention.
We can't find a viable revenue model and/or business model.

Team-Related:

Conflicts and disagreements within the team.
Key team members leave the project.
We don't have the means to recruit necessary additions to the team.

If we ever reach a point of irreversible failure or resource exhaustion, hopefully, we can salvage whatever valuable assets we could produce and find a new home for them.

What other funding are you or your project getting?

This project received $34,000 in February 2024 from the ACX 2024 grant series, split between two projects (which were functionally combined).

If we continue progressing, our tentative plan is to transition into a public benefit corporation. This will allow us to grow faster and diversify our funding pool. If we can't source sufficient philanthropic funding, we'd be very open to securing private funding from value-aligned angel investors contingent on validating a viable business model.