TL;DR
This post outlines a plan to unify how users discover and engage with the Polkadot ecosystem through a dedicated onboarding platform.
Built as a modular system, the platform will initially support campaigns and events — and expand over time to include gaming, ambassador programs, and more.
It builds on work already started by Distractive, Airlyft, Moonbearer, and DOTMemo (Nyrium Labs), and will be led by a joint team from Airlyft, DOTMemo, and Braille.
The goal is to make onboarding consistent, scalable, and easier to adopt across the ecosystem.
Introduction
Polkadot should function as a suite of tools, not a set of disconnected experiences.
Today, our onboarding is fragmented — users encounter multiple entry points with no clear path forward. A campaign, event, or tweet might bring someone in, but where do they go next? How do they reach their destination, whether it’s adding liquidity to Hydration, staking DOT on Bifrost, investing in Polimec, playing NFL Rivals, voting on OpenGov, or becoming an ecosystem agent?
For new users, the experience is overwhelming. Dozens of options exist, each with different designs, tones, and channels.
The burden shouldn’t be on them to figure this out — it’s on us to provide a structured path.
This proposal outlines a plan to unify onboarding across Polkadot through a dedicated onboarding platform. It builds on work kicked off nearly a year ago by Distractive and Airlyft, alongside parallel efforts from Moonbearer and DOTMemo, while addressing gaps and ensuring a scalable, long-term solution.
This onboarding platform is not meant to replace existing entry points like polkadot.com, wallets, or the future Polkadot App. Instead, it acts as the glue — connecting official entries, the broader ecosystem, and future solutions into structured funnels, guiding users from top to bottom. It should also lead to greater awareness of wallets, dApps, and other ecosystem entities.
Over the past four weeks, we’ve spoken with stakeholders, gathered feedback, and mapped out the challenges. The goal is clear: to make Polkadot feel like a unified ecosystem from the first interaction.
As we continue investing heavily in campaigns, activations, and ecosystem growth — including initiatives like Inter Miami and HEROIC — we also need an onboarding experience that matches that level of quality and ambition.
This initiative deserves a dedicated team to ensure those efforts lead to long-term adoption, and to give sponsors and partners a clear, reliable way to guide users into the Polkadot ecosystem through gamified and structured experiences.
How do we get there?
To offer a unified onboarding experience that guides any type of user into our ecosystem, we need to have a flexible platform with solid standards in place.
Regarding the platform’s specs, it’s important to differentiate modules and funnels:
- Modules are the features being built.
- Funnels are the user journeys that combine different modules based on need.
The platform will be structured as a modular system to support different needs. All modules should be coherent and easily linkable, so users can move seamlessly between different entry points.
The main requirement is to be Open Source.
The platform should evolve with the ecosystem and reflect the best of Polkadot’s technology under a consistent and seamless UX. While it is initially built on Airlyft (at the condition their features go OS) and DOTMemo, the long-term goal is to add other ecosystem solutions that enhance onboarding, such as Apillon (embedded wallets) or POP (messaging framework).
Modules
We’ll start with three solutions that are either live or being built:
1. Campaign Quest Module (Airlyft)
This module provides gamified tasks and incentives to guide users through onboarding journeys.
- The MVP was tested at ETHDenver. Feedback is being implemented already.
- Will be used by Distractive as a general onboarding tool for upcoming campaigns.
- Will be used for multiple activations like meetups, events or sponsored teams (Inter Miami, Heroic).
- Great to engage event attendees with quests.
2. QR Code & NFT Claim Module (DOTMemo)
This module provides a QR code based NFT reward experience.
- Directly integrated with Nova Wallet for a seamless NFT claim experience.
- Optimized for event activations, making it easy for attendees to receive NFTs.
- Has a built in tracking to measure success.
Note: We are planning to consolidate the two modules to ensure both tools complement each other for future event-based onboarding.
3. In progress: E-learning Module (Airlyft)
- Users can complete learning paths to familiarize themselves with Polkadot concepts.
- Planned to integrate with other modules to offer learning-based rewards.
Moving forward, new modules will be built as needs arise, with a focus on integration and unification rather than creating isolated solutions.
Funnels
Some of these funnels are already being addressed and will have a solution soon, while others have been identified through discussions with stakeholders and will be scoped based on demand.
In Progress
- Activation Campaigns (Distractive)
- Events & Meetups
- Sponsored Teams (Miami, Heroic, etc.)
Pending Scope & Validation
- Discord
- Ambassadors Program
- Gaming (DOTPlay)
- DeFi cross-parachains
- CEXs to dApps
- Governance
- NFTs
Read on how we help teams create a funnel in the appendix.
Who is building this?
This onboarding platform needs a dedicated team to ensure its success. It’s not just about building features — it requires continuous iteration, integration with ecosystem tools, and alignment with evolving onboarding needs.
We are a joint venture team composed of Airlyft, DOTMemo, and Braille.
- Development → Airlyft and DOTMemo
- Product Management → Braille
- Ecosystem Coordination → Braille
- Design → Braille
Note: Braille is operating in this capacity as an independent entity, separate from its role within the UX Bounty.
Why this team?
- We’ve already started the work. This isn’t an abstract proposal — it’s an active project that has gone through multiple iterations with Distractive, Airlyft, Moonbearer, and DOTMemo.
- We’re best positioned to execute. This team has been at the center of onboarding discussions, refining solutions, and integrating stakeholder feedback.
- We’re ready to take the lead. Rather than introducing more fragmentation, the most effective path forward is to let the team that built the foundation scale it into a unified onboarding experience.
Execution Plan
Note: This plan is subject to change based on the feedback we receive from this discussion.
The high-level plan is simple: unification first, then expansion.
Phase 1: Unification (4–6 months)
- Consolidate existing onboarding modules into a single, cohesive platform
- Integrate additional modules and collaborate with more entities
- Establish feedback loops for continuous improvement
- Expand stakeholder adoption by onboarding bounties, parachains, dApps, wallets, and DAOs
Phase 2: Expansion (6+ months)
- Transition from setup to a fully operational onboarding framework
- Develop new modules based on ecosystem needs and data insights
- Scale adoption by making the platform available to more teams
Success will be tracked through platform usage, funnel performance, and project adoption.
We’ll propose objectives and KPIs in the coming weeks.
Next Steps
Here are the next steps we’ll focus on in the coming weeks:
- Publish pilots and share early data to inform iteration
- Gather feedback from community to refine the approach
→ Any thoughts? Let us know in comments! - Expand the backlog with additional funnel opportunities
- Confirm team roles and finalize tech stack
- Consolidate the timeline with clear execution milestones
- Propose KPIs and objectives to track success
- Explore and define funding options
Final Acknowledgment
This initiative wouldn’t have taken shape without Distractive and Airlyft setting the foundation, alongside Moonbearer and DOTMemo x Nova working in parallel. Their early work pushed the conversation forward and laid the first bricks for this unified onboarding platform.
Many others have contributed to shaping this effort and will continue to provide input as it evolves. Thank you to Nicholas (DOTPlay), Don Diego, Otar, Flez & Nino (UX Bounty), Patrik (Events Bounty), Charu (Mozaic NFT & Unique), Lucy, and Crane, Evan & Eric (Marketing Bounty).
Appendix
Modules Mockups & URLs
- Campaign Quest Module (Event Template) — Figma
- QR Code & NFT Claim Module — Figma
- E-learning Module — Figma
Example process for teams to request a new funnel
You’re organizing a side event in Bangkok and receive a grant from the Events Bounty. You want to activate attendees with quests and NFT rewards. Here’s how the onboarding request process would work:
- You submit a brief — Share your onboarding goals, audience, and needs
- We help scope it — We’ll refine the request, challenge assumptions, and ensure alignment with the platform
- You approve the scope — We translate it into development tasks and share the plan
- We build the funnel — Using the modular system, we deliver what’s needed. In this case, a mix between the quest module and QR Code NFT would be perfect
- You test and we iterate — We launch, collect feedback, and improve together
