XO - dApp Staking Application

[pbjs]

Hi, Astar community,

I’m Paul, Co-founder & CEO of XO. We’re thrilled to apply for the Astar dApp Staking program and be part of Astar Community!

XO Introduction
Despite the prevalence of SNS, 79% GenZ feel lonely. Current apps fail to help them connect deeply.

XO is the game changer of next generation social discovery platform. We help GenZ initiate intimate conversations with blockchain-verified identity and AI assistance.

With over 1.5M downloads, XO creates 1M+ conversations monthly. Thanks to the AI moderators, users are so engaged that they spend 40mins per day in average, nearly twice as high as Facebook and Snapchat (26 mins). Users exchange over 4M messages every day. People love the AI wingmen so they summon them over 100k times everyday. As a result, Rooit has 3X higher retention than industry standard.

Additionally, 40% of active users are creators, contributing $38 average revenue per paying user (1.6x higher than Bumble), $80K+ monthly recurring revenue (MRR). XO is profitable and the revenue is growing 2X YoY.

XO is backed by Rakuten, Techstars accelerator, Expara Ventures, Protege Ventures, Taiwan Government Fund. Join us in transforming the way people connect and build relationships.

Let’s create a social platform that promotes authenticity, inclusivity, and meaningful connections.

Mission: XO is on a mission to build a safe friend-making platform that helps lonely individuals initiate intimate conversations and establish emotional connections with others.

Team:

• Co-founder CEO: Paul Hsu / https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulbjhsu/

With a background in Human-Computer Interface and design, Paul brings a deep understanding of user empathy and creative design. His previous startup experience includes leading an international brainwave startup to profitability and filing a Chat UI patent with a top Taiwan think tank.

• Co-founder CTO: Peter Yu / Peter (Po Shun) Yu - Rooit Inc. | LinkedIn

A Ph.D. candidate in Computer Science with over 20 years of experience in algorithms, cloud service operation, and development. Peter provides strong technical support and expertise to drive XO’s technological advancements.

• CMO - Carol: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-chung-crypto/

ex-Co-founder of an ESG-related blockchain company (G-click) and former CMO of Marketing Solution Studio. Carol is an advocate for NFT projects such as Alpacadabraz and Zencats, bringing valuable marketing expertise to XO.

• Dev & Advisors: ex-1inch dev, MEXC investment manager

Past Performance & Milestones:

• Pre-seed round invested by Techstars Accelerator (Top Accelerator in the U.S.) and Rakuten (e-commerce listed company in Japan)
• 1.5M+ downloads with 82% users are from organic and referral
• Top 10 on Appstore & Google Play social chart
• Top 20 Web3 startups selected by Binance, Kyros Ventures and AWS.
• Co-host side event in Taipei Blockchain week with Mocaverse, Astar Network, Trekki, Phaver.

Roadmap:

The data storage will be migrated to decentralized storage in Q3 2024 for our NFT holders.

dApp Staking Reward Usage Breakdown:

All rewards from dApp Staking will be used for the Astar common goods, meaningful connections rewards and dApp operations including but not limited to:

1. New Astar User Rewards & Meaningful Connections Rewards (50%)

• ASTR prize pool
• Initial rewards for Astar new users
• Chat2earn incentivizing rewards

1. Co-marketing Activities (50%)

• Giveaways
• AMAs
• User Generated Content (UGC) campaigns
• Ambassador programs

Appendix:

Website: https://rooit.me
X: https://x.com/xo_app

[BoomBLB]

It looks very interesting. I would like to ask a few more questions.

1. Most people are still familiar with social platforms that are web2. What are the team’s plans or strategies for attracting people?

2. In terms of privacy, how does the team store data? And what is the team’s contingency plan in the worst case scenario?

[pbjs]

Thanks for the questions! We’re happy to answer:

1. Most people are still familiar with social platforms that are web2. What are the team’s plans or strategies for attracting people?

→ Since XO has 82% of new users are organic & referral. We have a strong user acquisition strategy as below

• Custodial wallet creation for web2 users: Users don’t need to have knowledge about wallet creation, seed phrases etc.
• Collaboration with web2&3 communities which have active user base. XO partners with Web3 projects such as WorldCoin, Lens protocol, Phaver and Web2 projects like Rakuten points, Trip.com. Together we will bring more and more users into decentralized world.
• Invite codes & token incentives: Allowing users to meet like-minded friends in exclusive community and earn token rewards.

2. In terms of privacy, how does the team store data? And what is the team’s contingency plan in the worst case scenario?

→ Currently, we store user data on Google Cloud, employing encryption technologies to ensure its protection. This setup allows us to leverage Google Cloud’s robust security measures and infrastructure, providing a secure environment for our user data.

Looking ahead, we are exploring the integration of decentralized storage solutions for our NFT holders. This will offer them the option to store their personal data on a decentralized platform, enhancing privacy and giving them full control over their information. Users will have the ability to remove and manage their data as they see fit, further empowering them with ownership and management rights.

In the event of a worst-case scenario, our contingency plan involves immediate data security assessments, rapid response to secure user data, and transparent communication with all stakeholders. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of data protection and will continue to adapt our strategies to safeguard user privacy and data integrity.

[souleater]

Hi, thanks for the proposal, got interest with your app.

1. Btw do you have any roadmap for the data migration to dec storage. This is important as it will protect users privacy and any warranty from the team not to sell our behaviour data? (I havent download the app so I havent read ToA)

2. Will you cover more regions? I only saw 3 regions (US, France, Taiwan)

Many thanks!!!

[pbjs]

Thanks @souleater for the questions!

for the questions:

1. Btw do you have any roadmap for the data migration to dec storage. This is important as it will protect users privacy and any warranty from the team not to sell our behaviour data? (I havent download the app so I havent read ToA)
   → The data storage will be migrated to decentralized storage in Q3 2024 for our NFT holders.

2. Will you cover more regions? I only saw 3 regions (US, France, Taiwan)
   The app is available globally, we support English, Mandarin and Japanese in the mobile app.

Cheers!

[BoomBLB]

Appreciated with your response. Thank you so much =)

[tksarah]

Thank you for the proposal.
I believe it is an intriguing product that cleverly utilizes the latest technology. In addition to my roles as an IT architect and tech lead, I also work in human resources, organizational development, and as a career counselor, bringing deep insights into relationship building in the real world.

I have a few questions:

0. Despite the prevalence of social media, I would like to know if there is evidence that 79% of Generation Z feels lonely.
1. Is there a specific reason for using the Astar Network?
2. How exactly will DID Infra and AI help in building relationships among people? Please explain the specific process by which your product fosters relationship building.
3. What is the significance of adopting web3/Blockchain for this product? Conversely, are there things that cannot be achieved with traditional Web2.0 technology alone? I have been consulted about developing a very similar concept using only Web2.0 technology. Therefore, I am curious if there is a special reason to adopt Blockchain, and I believe investors would fundamentally be interested as well.

I would appreciate your comments on the above.

[pbjs]

Hey @tksarah

Thank you for your insightful questions. I’m glad to address them below:

1. Generation Z and Loneliness: Yes, there is evidence to support that 79% of Generation Z feels lonely, as highlighted by a Statista survey available at this link. This significant figure underscores the gap that exists in current social media platforms in facilitating genuine connections.

2. Choice of Astar Network: Our decision to utilize Astar Network is driven by its cutting-edge zkEVM technology, which offers scalability and speed essential for maintaining user privacy, anonymity, security, and ease of use. Additionally, as we aim to expand into the Japanese market, Astar Network emerges as an ideal partner. Our collaborative efforts were evident during the side event at Taipei Blockchain Week, reflecting mutual appreciation between our teams.

3. Utilizing DID Infra and AI in Relationship Building: Our platform, being an anonymous social network, aims to balance anonymity with the verification of authenticity and social credit. Imagine XO evolving into a social platform akin to a Gitcoin passport, where interactions ensure the counterpart is genuine and not fraudulent, while also documenting commendable behavior. We’ve implemented LLM and ML for user recommendations, and our chatbots, serving as AI Wingmen, assist in breaking the ice, with over 10K daily activations by users seeking companionship.

4. Significance of Web3/Blockchain: Privacy and security are paramount for us and our users. Integrating blockchain allows for secure identity verification and the accumulation of social credit and reputation, addressing limitations present in Web2.0 projects concerning scam and malicious accounts. Moreover, our token reward system incentivizes positive social interactions, offering tokens for engaging companionship, a feature not readily achievable with traditional Web2.0 technology alone.

We believe these approaches not only set us apart but also align with our vision of fostering genuine relationships in the digital age. Your interest in our project is much appreciated, and I’m open to further discussions to explore potential collaboration opportunities.

Cheers!

[Juminstock]

Lately I have been observing SocialFi projects on different blockchain networks, which makes me think that interest in this type of platform is growing tremendously. I’m glad there is such a proposal for Astar!

[Leo]

As an artificial intelligence program developer, I understand your vision and will support it in this matter. There is a high amount of opportunity in this field. I think it will add value to the Astar Network ecosystem.

[VasaKing]

A very interesting approach regarding social media, before asking questions about the App I prefer to download it and try it by myself.

[Vincent]

I think this is a great use case of blockchains and looking forward to see XO’s expansion to other areas like, JP and Korea - speaking from a real user of the mobile app

[tksarah]

Thank you for your intriguing reply. I understand the points about leveraging DID and AI. It’s also interesting to hear that you are planning to expand into the Japanese market. As a Japanese person, I believe the key to mass adoption in Japan lies in support for the Japanese language and extreme simplicity. Unfortunately, Japan has a higher number of people who are not proficient in English compared to other countries. Therefore, it would be beneficial to recognize the necessity of Japanese language support from the start in the Japanese market. Furthermore, when it comes to “extreme simplicity,” it means that the platform must be easy to use for those who are not familiar with technologies like DID, AI, and blockchain. Japanese people tend to rely on centralized organizations for “trust” because they do not want to take responsibility themselves. Or perhaps they prefer to leave the difficult parts to an organization. There is also a strong desire to feel “safe” by entrusting responsibilities to a well-established organization. For mobile applications, it would be wise to refer to successful mass adoption cases in Japan, such as LINE, Mercari, and PayPay.

I am certainly looking forward to trying out the mobile app once it is released.

[pitcoin777]

That’s a great initiative… I want to see real games on Astar Network.
Let’s go.

[Gaius_sama]

List XO in dApp Staking

• Yes
• No

[Max.eth]

It’s an interesting and original application of Web 3. I’m curious to see how it goes.

[pithecus]

Hi Team,
Glad to see you proposal!
I already see most of the questions above that I also wanted to ask.

1. It seems there are two difference versions of your dApp, one is the app itself, and the other is the web version when you access your website. I have two of them on my mobile, so I was curious if you have any particular reason to separate them or there is a way to merge them in a single account or so?

2. I was curious if there are any feedback from the XO users that testimony their social interaction got improved (or better), as such testimonies would be what you were aiming at, I assume.

3. Please correct me, if I am misunderstood. From my point of view, XO can also be seen as a dating dApp like Tinder. Do you have any comparison or benchmark with such apps and have strategies to compete them?

4. Here you have mentioned Rooit and I also can see Rooit from Paul and Peter’s LinkedIn pages. It would be great if you can explain what are the main differences between Rooit and XO?

@pbjs

With over 1.5M downloads, XO creates 1M+ conversations monthly. Thanks to the AI moderators, users are so engaged that they spend 40mins per day in average, nearly twice as high as Facebook and Snapchat (26 mins). Users exchange over 4M messages every day. People love the AI wingmen so they summon them over 100k times everyday. As a result, Rooit has 3X higher retention than industry standard.

5. I was curious if you can elaborate how you plan to build “a safe friend-making platform” and if you have some guidances or rules in case any issues happen if some members actually meet in person. In contrast to the other dApps like DeFi or NFT, XO is helping the users get connected to others, which is mostly focused on real interaction with people. So it would be great if you can prepare something in advance.

@pbjs

Mission: XO is on a mission to build a safe friend-making platform that helps lonely individuals initiate intimate conversations and establish emotional connections with others.

[DrCAO]

Thank you very much for the proposal! I like the background of the team and also feel the AI social project would benefit Astar eco. I would like to know more about what the project will bring to Astar eco, do you have plan to onboard more users to Astar eco?

[pitcoin777]

Voted aye. Let’s go.

[Leo]

Voted Yes I am really wondering I wish you will add çamur on astar