Blockchain, Crypto, Web3, whatever you want to call it. This movement has spawned a generation of technologists and contributors who believe in a networked future. A future built on the ideals of stakeholder capitalism and equity. If you contribute to a project or an organization, you deserve a say in its future. It’s becoming a widely held belief, but it hasn’t always been. 

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While crypto-native companies and DAOs in particular, are getting the lion’s share of attention around these concepts at the moment, there are a number of traditional companies that have been successfully operating on these principles for decades. 

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Here’s a list of 7 well-known and financially viable companies that are already operating like DAOs… we’re lucky to call one of them a partner 😉

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1. Valve:

Valve Corporation, the video game developer behind popular games like Half-Life and Portal, operates like a DAO. The company has a flat organizational structure with no managers or bosses. Instead, employees work in self-organizing teams that have the autonomy to make their own decisions and set their own priorities.

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2. Gore:

W.L. Gore & Associates, the company behind Gore-Tex fabric, is known for its flat organizational structure that promotes a culture of decentralized decision-making. The company operates through a lattice structure, where employees work in self-managing teams and have the freedom to pursue their own projects and interests.

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3. Morning Star:

Morning Star, a California-based tomato processing company, operates as a self-managed organization. The company has no managers, and all employees have the freedom to make their own decisions and set their own goals. Morning Star also uses a peer-based performance evaluation system to promote transparency and accountability.

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4. Semco Partners:

Semco Partners, a Brazilian conglomerate that operates in a variety of industries, has a flat organizational structure that emphasizes employee empowerment and participation. The company encourages employees to take ownership of their work and make their own decisions, and it also involves employees in the hiring and firing process.

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5. Buurtzorg:

Buurtzorg, a Dutch home healthcare company, operates as a self-managed organization. Nurses work in self-organizing teams that have the autonomy to make their own decisions and set their own priorities. The company also emphasizes a culture of open communication and transparency.

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6. Zappos:

Zappos, the online shoe and clothing retailer, has a flat organizational structure that prioritizes employee empowerment and customer service. The company has a "Holacracy" system, where employees work in self-managing teams and have the freedom to make their own decisions and set their own goals.

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7. Patagonia:

Patagonia, the outdoor clothing and gear company, has a decentralized organizational structure that emphasizes environmental and social responsibility. The company has an open-door policy, where any employee can speak to the CEO, and it also encourages employee activism and involvement in environmental and social causes.

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These 7 companies  adopted organizational structures that resemble DAOs in their emphasis on decentralization, employee empowerment, and distributed decision-making. Long before "DAO" was a commonly used acronym. They demonstrate that DAO-like approaches to organizational structure can be successful in a variety of industries and contexts, and can lead to more equitable and democratic decision-making processes.

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