SASSE 101: How To Launch A New Project
…like DAS
The SASSE Initiative Fund. Though it remains elusive, the Fund has made quite the impact. The Tough Viking, for example, was one of its many resultant projects. A more recent, but just as notable, example is the Digital Assets Society (DAS). Its founders utilized the fund to their advantage, fulfilling the students’ budding desire for everything from DeFi to crypto.
Yet, how does one start a new project? What are the steps, rules, procedures, customs, surrounding such a groundbreaking ordeal? After all, demand for new initiatives has invariably followed with the growing intellectual diversity found at SSE. Below, the founders of DAS share their experiences, in order to serve as an example for aspiring SASSE-entrepreneurs. The three founders interviewed are Viktor Svensson (President), Erik Gunnarson (Vice President), and Alex Ekberg (Head of Newsletter).
TIMELINE OF DAS
September 2021: Idea
November 2021: Team formulation and Motivation to SASSE
Launched the Website
Launched the Newsletter
Submitted the motion and began the procedure with the SASSE Board
December 2021
Received an interim budget
Hosted the first event, an inspirational lunch lecture, with full attendance
January 2021
Podcast launched
February 2022
Hosted a larger-scale event by collaborating with another project, XTech, also in the Tech Committee. An NFT exhibition and panel discussion were organized in the Fotografiska museum with over 100+ participants. The event was live-streamed.
March 2022 (New SASSE Year):
Received the official budget for the project
March 2022-March 2023: Continued to host inspirational lunch lectures, workshops, and other events. A new generation of the DAS Board was appointed.
Start with a Vision
Minimax: How did the idea for this project come to be?
Alex: Some of us were having a beer and, as you do, talking about a variety of topics where we ended up discussing crypto and what is money. This led to us discovering our shared interests and the eventual idea of starting DAS.
Viktor: We were interested in the future of the financial system – one that we believe will be decentralized and based on new technology, blockchain technology, to be particular. Truly, we wanted to create this society for our own sake and then to educate other students about this space. When I started SSE, I thought everyone would be talking about this emerging industry. However, this was not the case. I realized there was no real, structured place to talk about this topic and to get in touch with the industry. I then realized it was up to us to take [the] initiative.
Erik: The project really was for our own interests, we were not so dependent on other students’ interests to motivate our efforts in creating the project. We believed that inviting notable figures in the industry … would prompt interest in the students.
Identify Demand
Minimax: To motivate the project’s formation to SASSE beyond just an idea, it is important to identify existing demand in the student body, if there is any. How did you know that there were other students who were interested in this?
Alex: One of the very first things we did was [the launching of] the digital newsletter which enabled us to discover and test for demand and a base audience to grow with.
Viktor: [Also] the intent with the digital newsletter was to educate students about this space. So that if they understand it, they may [develop] an interest, and then come to our events and be able to join in on discussions. Potentially, professional opportunities may open up to them in the future.
Write the Motion
Minimax: According to the description under the Initiative Fund on the SASSE website, once you have solidified the idea and identified demand, you can write the Motion. For guidance in writing the Motion itself, you can contact the Vice President. The Motion can then be sent to the SASSE Board for decision. What should students keep in mind when writing the Motion for it to be convincing?
Viktor: Try to show that you are a unique project, not a new project. [Also] be prepared that it will take some time. It took us around two months from submitting the Motion to hosting our first event.
Find your place in the Bureaucracy
Minimax: In the Association, a project can exist as an independent project like Friedmans Apostlar or Handelsdagarna, reporting to the Vice President if they are unique enough to not quite fit under the umbrella of a committee. Or it can operate as a project within one of the eight current committees and report to the President and/or Project Coordinator (or similar role). DAS currently operates under the Tech Committee. How did this come to be?
Viktor: In our first conversations about this, we actually wanted to start a company or Initiative in Sweden from this shared interest to spread awareness about digital assets to young people. Then, we realized SASSE has so many resources, so doing something here may give a lot of leverage as a starting point to accumulate knowledge and relevant connections. We believed that operating under a committee provides valuable indirect resources [compared to being an independent project]. Then we began thinking about the committees and believed our topic and mission would best suit [to] either TechU or NU. For our case, the SASSE Board discussed internally and agreed it is best for us to operate under TechU.
Organize the project
Minimax: How is DAS organized internally?
Alex: We were a small group of relatively inexperienced friends. So, we decided that it would be best for us to delegate and specialize. For example, I primarily headed the newsletter whilst Viktor and Erik did the SASSE work.
Erik: In organizing ourselves and working together, we saw something from the ground up together. This made the experience even more effective [sic] and satisfying.
Take-Away
Minimax: In retrospect, what are your thoughts on having founded this new project? Any advice for those thinking about starting theirs?
Erik: It has been truly rewarding to be a part of this project. Having people work under you for a common aim has been great to see. Being a part of running the project provided even more incentives to learn as much as possible and keep updated on the topic.
Viktor: Founding the DAS initiative has been so rewarding since it has provided me with priceless knowledge & insights, lasting friendships, connection with leading profiles within this field, and attractive career opportunities. I am proud [of] all members of DAS who have made this possible and grateful for our shared passion for this industry. For those out there wanting to start their own projects: If you have a particular passion for something, just do it, it will be worthwhile. You may think you work for “free,” but you will be very rewarded.
Alex: Just do it. You have to start somewhere.
Through different activities including the digital newsletter, workshops, lunch lectures, and a podcast, DAS continues to strive to provide students at SSE and across Sweden with an ecosystem for learning more about everything concerned with digital assets. The second generation of leaders has been recruited and will continue to operate the project in the Student Association. The founders aim to work with digital assets and promote digital literacy in their professional lives post-graduation.