Dear Horizen DAO Community
I’m both honoured and excited to submit my candidacy for the upcoming Horizen DAO Special Council elections. Over the past two years, I have engaged with the DAO community, most notably through the ZenDogz NFT project alongside current Special Council member Elias. Through this project I learned the uniqueness of this project and community. My motivation for joining the Council is rooted in a deep belief in Horizen’s mission and the importance of transparent, fair, and forward-looking governance to drive sustainable growth and innovation.
While I might not be the most anointed member of the community, I believe it’s vital for any organization’s councils/boards to have solid experience and connections outside the organization, as this is where the opportunities to expansion seed. This is where I believe my merit comes through the best.
My professional background spans over a decade in the cryptocurrency and technology sectors. I served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Information Officer at Coinmotion, Finland’s leading crypto broker, between 2017-2022. Since 2022, I have acted as Chairman of the Board for Bittimaatti, Coinmotion’s subsidiary operating Bitcoin ATM’s, where one of my key achievements was successfully leading the acquisition of a MiCA license — a milestone that highlights my experience navigating complex regulatory frameworks while supporting innovation.
Beyond crypto, I bring cross-domain expertise in IT, business strategy, and emerging technologies. My current main project, developing an AI-psychologist, reflects my commitment to applying advanced technologies in ways that balance innovation with responsibility and security. This mindset is directly applicable to DAO governance, where safeguarding decentralization and community trust must coexist with growth.
I believe my strengths as a candidate lie in:
Deep crypto and regulatory expertise — ensuring compliance and resilience in an evolving landscape.
Leadership and governance experience — guiding organizations at the executive and board level through growth and regulatory milestones, while having forged connections to a wide variety of organizations.
Cross-domain vision — bridging technology, business, and community needs to foster meaningful innovation.
Community engagement — a proven commitment to DAO collaboration and decentralized project development.
As a Special Council member, I would dedicate myself to upholding DAO’s core principles: decentralization, transparency, fairness, and innovation balanced with security. I aim to help strengthen our governance framework, support community-driven initiatives, and ensure Horizen becomes the leader in building sustainable and responsible decentralized ecosystems.
I would be grateful for the opportunity to serve the community in this role, and I respectfully ask for your support in the upcoming election.
Sincerely,
Sampo Hyvärinen