Aave Labs has submitted a governance proposal titled '[ARFC] The Aave Foundation, Phase 1' to the Aave DAO. The initiative seeks to establish a memberless foundation in the Cayman Islands, which would eventually manage the protocol's intellectual property, including trademarks, domains, and the codebase.
The first phase of the plan is limited to the legal incorporation of the foundation and the appointment of an independent director and a supervisor. No assets, such as trademarks or code, will be transferred at this stage. Any future asset transfers will require separate governance votes through Aave Improvement Proposals.
The foundation will operate under the Cayman Islands Foundation Companies Act as a memberless entity, ensuring no shareholders can control or redirect it. Aave Labs, its affiliates, and service providers are strictly prohibited from holding any roles or rights within the new organization.
The proposal mandates that the foundation submit quarterly reports to the DAO regarding its legal activities and assets. This structure follows the 'Aave Will Win Framework' from February 2026, which aimed to create a community-backed vehicle for managing the Aave brand and its intellectual property.
