ZENPOWER 2048 Vision
Date: 2025-12-28 (Updated: 2026-01-01) Horizon: 2025-2048 Focus: Sustainable growth, ethical funding, user-first economics
Why 2048?
The year 2048 represents the convergence of two powerful ideas:
The Centennial of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948-2048)
- Digital rights as the next frontier of human rights
- Privacy, autonomy, and dignity in the age of AI
The Console Legacy (console.zenpower.at)
- 2048 was the year our fictional universe "discovered" the Zenpower protocols
- A timeline where kindness became the optimal economic strategy
- The prophecy of ethical technology winning over extractive systems
"In 2048, they looked back and wondered why it took so long."
Executive Summary
Zenpower is positioned at the intersection of three major technology waves:
- Self-Sovereign Identity (SIWE/Web3) - Users own their data
- AI Infrastructure (MCP/LLM tooling) - Agents as first-class citizens
- Decentralized Systems (Blockchain/IPFS) - Trustless verification
The strategic objective is to build sustainable revenue streams that:
- Don't exploit users ("no milking")
- Attract institutional capital (VC/Angels)
- Create defensible competitive moats
- Scale globally without losing cypherpunk soul
Current Asset Inventory (2025)
| Category | Count | Maturity |
|---|---|---|
| API Routers | 54 | Production |
| Services | 46 | Production |
| Landing Pages | 78 | Production |
| Docker Containers | 40 | Production |
| Test Modules | 60 | Production |
| MCP Tools | 3 | Early |
| NFT Collections | 10 | Curated |
| Subdomains | 31 | Live |
Technical Moat: Unified auth (SIWE), multi-surface architecture, AI-native infrastructure
Phase 1: Foundation (2025-2028) - "Proof of Concept"
1.1 Revenue Streams (User-Friendly)
| Stream | Model | User Impact |
|---|---|---|
| MCP-as-a-Service | B2B subscriptions | None - enterprise pays |
| Developer API Tiers | Freemium + paid tiers | Free tier generous |
| White-Label Licensing | Enterprise licensing | None - B2B only |
| Consulting/Integration | Project-based | None - services |
| Grants & Bounties | Ecosystem funding | Positive - pays contributors |
1.2 What NOT to Do (Anti-Patterns)
| Bad Pattern | Why It's Bad | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Token pre-sales | Regulatory risk, user exploitation | Utility tokens post-product-market-fit |
| Aggressive ads | Degrades UX | Sponsorships, ethical partnerships |
| Data selling | Violates cypherpunk ethos | Privacy-preserving analytics |
| Pay-to-win gaming | Exploits players | Cosmetic-only monetization |
| Hidden fees | Erodes trust | Transparent pricing |
| Engagement tricks | Dark patterns | Genuine value delivery |
1.3 Angel/Seed Fundraising Strategy
Target: €500K-€2M seed round
Pitch Deck Structure:
- Problem: Web3 UX is fragmented, AI tooling is siloed, identity is broken
- Solution: Unified identity + AI infrastructure platform
- Market: TAM €50B+ (AI tools + Web3 infra + identity)
- Traction: 31 live services, 40+ containers, 54 API endpoints, production-ready
- Team: [Your credentials + cypherpunk heritage]
- Ask: €1M for 18-month runway
Investor Targets by Category:
| Type | Examples | Why They'd Care |
|---|---|---|
| Web3 Infrastructure | a16z Crypto, Paradigm, Polychain | SIWE/wallet auth innovation |
| AI Infrastructure | Andreessen AI, Sequoia AI | MCP/agent tooling angle |
| European Deep Tech | EQT Ventures, Balderton, Point Nine | Regional advantage, GDPR expertise |
| Angel Syndicates | AngelList, SeedLegals | Faster, less dilution |
| Grants (non-dilutive) | Ethereum Foundation, Protocol Labs | Open-source components |
Credibility Builders (90-day sprint):
- Open-source MCP tools on GitHub (visibility)
- Technical blog posts / thought leadership
- Speaking at ETHGlobal, AI conferences
- Case studies with early adopters
- SOC2 Type 1 certification (enterprise sales)
Phase 2: Growth (2028-2035) - "Scale"
2.1 Enterprise Products
| Product | Target | Pricing Model | ARR Potential |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZenMCP Enterprise | F500 AI teams | €10K-100K/year | €5M |
| Identity-as-a-Service | Web3 apps | Usage-based | €10M |
| Compliance Suite | Regulated industries | Per-seat | €3M |
| Managed Infrastructure | Startups | Monthly subscription | €2M |
2.2 Geographic Expansion
| Region | Strategy | Timeline | Investment |
|---|---|---|---|
| DACH (current) | Deepen | 2025-2028 | Organic |
| EU | Expand | 2028-2030 | Series A |
| UK/US | Enterprise sales | 2030-2033 | Series B |
| APAC | Partnerships | 2033-2035 | Strategic |
2.3 Funding Roadmap
| Round | Target | Timeline | Metrics Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seed | €1-2M | 2025-2026 | MVP, 10 paying customers |
| Series A | €5-15M | 2028-2029 | €1M ARR, 50+ enterprise |
| Series B | €20-50M | 2031-2032 | €10M ARR, market leader |
| Series C/IPO | €100M+ | 2035+ | €50M ARR, global |
Phase 3: Maturity (2035-2045) - "Dominance"
3.1 Platform Economics
| Model | Description | Revenue Share |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplace | Third-party MCP tools | 70/30 creator/platform |
| Certification | Zenpower-certified developers | Training fees |
| Acquisition | Buy complementary startups | Strategic |
| Standards Body | Drive industry standards | Influence, not revenue |
3.2 Defensive Moats
| Moat Type | Description | Durability |
|---|---|---|
| Network Effects | More users → more tools → more users | Very High |
| Data Moat | Aggregated insights (privacy-preserving) | High |
| Brand | Trusted cypherpunk heritage | High |
| Switching Costs | Deep integration = hard to leave | Medium |
| Patents | Defensive portfolio only | Medium |
| Community | Open-source contributors, governance | Very High |
3.3 Exit Options
| Option | Likelihood | Valuation Range | Your Preference? |
|---|---|---|---|
| IPO | Medium | €1-5B | Maximum independence |
| Strategic Acquisition | High | €500M-2B | Quick liquidity |
| Stay Private | Medium | N/A | Maximum control |
| DAO Transition | Low | Novel | Maximum decentralization |
Phase 4: Legacy (2045-2055) - "Endgame"
4.1 Long-Term Vision
By 2055, Zenpower should be:
- Infrastructure Layer: Like AWS for identity + AI
- Open Standards: Core protocols are open, value in implementation
- Sustainable: Profitable without exploitation
- Decentralized: Community governance for core protocols
- Generational: Outlives founders
4.2 Succession Planning
| Aspect | Approach | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Leadership | Professional management | By 2035 |
| Ownership | Founder liquidity events | Gradual 2030-2040 |
| Mission | Codified in governance docs | 2025 |
| Technology | Open-source core, proprietary edge | Ongoing |
| Community | Foundation or DAO for stewardship | 2040+ |
Immediate Action Items (Next 90 Days)
Week 1-2: Quick Wins
- Create investor landing page (invest.zenpower.at)
- Compile traction metrics dashboard
- Draft executive summary (2-pager)
- Identify 10 target angel investors in DACH region
- Open-source 1 MCP tool on GitHub
Month 1: Foundation
- Full pitch deck (12-15 slides)
- Financial model (3-year projections)
- Cap table cleanup (if needed)
- Legal entity optimization (holding structure)
- Pricing page for API tiers
Month 2: Materials
- Technical whitepaper (architecture + vision)
- Case study template
- Demo environment for investors
- Press kit / media assets
- LinkedIn presence for founder
Month 3: Outreach
- Warm intros to 5 investors
- Apply to accelerators (Y Combinator, Techstars, Antler)
- Submit to Web3/AI grants (EF, Protocol Labs, etc.)
- Attend 2 industry events
- First 3 paid customers (even small)
Revenue Model Deep Dive
API Pricing Tiers
| Tier | Price | API Calls | Features | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | €0 | 1,000/month | Basic MCP, community support | Developers |
| Pro | €29/month | 50,000/month | All tools, email support | Freelancers |
| Team | €99/month | 500,000/month | Team mgmt, SSO | Startups |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited | Dedicated, SLA, on-prem | F500 |
Principle: Free tier must be genuinely useful, not a teaser.
MCP Marketplace Economics
| Actor | Share | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Tool Creator | 70% | Incentivize quality |
| Platform (Zenpower) | 20% | Infrastructure costs |
| Community Fund | 10% | Grants, bounties |
Consulting Services
| Service | Rate | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture Review | €2,000/day | Enterprises |
| Integration Sprint | €15,000/week | Startups |
| Custom Development | €150/hour | All |
| Training/Workshops | €5,000/day | Teams |
Investor FAQ
Q: Why not do a token sale? A: Regulatory uncertainty, user exploitation risk. Focus on product-market-fit first. Token may come later for utility (governance, staking), not fundraising.
Q: What's your competitive advantage? A: Unified identity (SIWE) + AI tooling (MCP) in one platform. No one else has both. Plus: production-ready (31 services live), cypherpunk credibility.
Q: How do you avoid exploiting users? A: B2B revenue model. Users are beneficiaries, not the product. No data selling, no dark patterns, no pay-to-win.
Q: What's your path to profitability? A: €1M ARR by 2028 via enterprise MCP licensing. Break-even by 2030. Capital-efficient European cost base.
Q: Why Austria/EU? A: GDPR expertise (regulatory moat), deep tech talent, lower burn rate than US, underserved market, EU Digital Identity Wallet opportunity.
Q: What if a big player copies you? A: They're too slow and too corporate. Cypherpunk credibility can't be bought. Network effects compound. First-mover advantage in SIWE+MCP intersection.
Q: What's your unfair advantage? A: Already built. 54 API endpoints, 40 containers, 60 test modules. Competitors are still planning.
Metrics Dashboard
North Star Metrics
| Metric | Current | 2028 Target | 2035 Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Active Users | ~100 | 10,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Enterprise Customers | 0 | 50 | 500 |
| ARR | €0 | €1M | €50M |
| MCP Tool Installs | ~10 | 10,000 | 1,000,000 |
| GitHub Stars | ? | 1,000 | 50,000 |
Health Metrics
| Metric | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| NPS | >50 | User love |
| Churn | <5%/month | Retention |
| CAC Payback | <12 months | Efficiency |
| Gross Margin | >70% | Software economics |
| Burn Multiple | <2x | Capital efficiency |
Risk Mitigation
| Risk | Probability | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulatory (crypto) | Medium | High | EU-first, compliant from day 1, no token sale |
| Competition | High | Medium | Speed + quality + community + credibility |
| Key person | High | High | Document everything, hire #2 early |
| Tech obsolescence | Low | High | Modular architecture, stay current |
| Funding gap | Medium | High | Multiple sources (VC + grants + revenue) |
| Market timing | Medium | Medium | Diversified product lines |
Grant Opportunities (Non-Dilutive Funding)
| Source | Focus | Amount | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethereum Foundation | Ecosystem tooling | $50K-$500K | Rolling |
| Protocol Labs | IPFS/Filecoin integration | $25K-$200K | Quarterly |
| EU Horizon Europe | Deep tech R&D | €500K-€2M | Annual calls |
| Austrian FFG | R&D tax credits | 14% of R&D spend | Ongoing |
| Gitcoin Grants | Open-source | Variable | Quarterly |
The Zenpower Promise
To Users: We will never exploit you. Free tiers are real. Your data is yours. No dark patterns.
To Investors: We're building infrastructure for the next 30 years. Patient capital welcome. Clear path to profitability.
To Team (Future): We're building something meaningful. Equity for everyone who contributes. Remote-first, async-friendly.
To Community: Open standards, open source where possible, transparent governance. Cypherpunk values.
Strategic Decisions (Confirmed 2025-12-28)
| Decision | Choice | Implications |
|---|---|---|
| Funding | Hybrid (grants → selective VC) | Non-dilutive first, institutional later for IPO |
| Exit Goal | Build to IPO | Need €100M+ ARR, institutional investors, governance |
| IP Strategy | Keep proprietary | Enterprise value, but need other visibility channels |
| Token Strategy | Full tokenomics | Soulbound, earning, utility, proof-of-*, contracts, fun, history |
ZENCOIN Token Economics (Already Designed!)
Reference Docs:
/opt/zenpower/docs/tokenomics/TOKENOMICS.md- Full specification/opt/zenpower/docs/ethos/simple-explanations/dual-coin-for-humans.md- Plain English/opt/zenpower/contracts/src/ZENCOIN.sol- Smart contract (ready!)
The Dual Currency System (Existing Design)
| Currency | Supply | Purpose | Earning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZEN$ | Unlimited | Daily transactions, tipping | Proof of Zen actions |
| ZENCOIN | 21M cap | Governance, staking, store of value | The Forge mechanism |
The Forge Mechanism (Key Innovation)
ZEN$ + Time + Effort = ZENCOIN
ZENCOIN cannot be purchased directly - it must be FORGED:
- Burn ZEN$ (reduces inflation)
- Commit time (30-60 days)
- Complete effort (tasks, creation, teaching)
- Receive minted ZENCOIN
Token Distribution (No Pre-Mine!)
| Allocation | % | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| Community Forge | 50% | Earned over time via The Forge |
| DAO Treasury | 20% | Governed by token holders |
| Development Fund | 15% | 4-year linear vesting |
| Ecosystem Grants | 10% | Milestone-based release |
| Liquidity | 5% | DEX pools, launch liquidity |
Prophet wallet starts at 0 - Team earns through The Forge like everyone.
Proof of Zen Actions (Earn ZEN$)
| Action | Reward | Cooldown |
|---|---|---|
| Daily login | 10 ZEN$ | 24h |
| Help another user | 5-50 ZEN$ | Per event |
| Create content | 10-100 ZEN$ | Per creation |
| Report accurate bug | 50 ZEN$ | Per bug |
| Complete quest | Variable | Per quest |
| Gift to sanctuary | 10 ZEN$ | Per gift |
Smart Contract Status
ZENCOIN.sol - Production ready:
- 21M max supply (Bitcoin-inspired)
- ERC-20 with governance (ERC20Votes)
- Role-based minting (Forge contract only)
- Emergency pause (Ethics Board)
- Gasless approvals (ERC20Permit)
Regulatory Approach
| Jurisdiction | Strategy |
|---|---|
| EU (MiCA) | Utility token, earned not purchased |
| US | Geo-fence initially |
| Austria | Legal opinion pre-TGE |
Key Principle: Tokens are earned through contribution, not speculation.
IPO Readiness Checklist (2035 Target)
Financial Requirements
- €100M+ ARR
- Positive EBITDA (or clear path)
- 3 years audited financials
- Clean cap table
- No regulatory issues
Governance Requirements
- Independent board (3+ members)
- Audit committee
- Compensation committee
- ESG reporting
- SOC2 Type 2 + ISO27001
Operational Requirements
- CFO with public company experience
- Investor relations function
- Legal counsel (securities)
- D&O insurance
- Internal controls (SOX-ready)
Market Requirements
- Clear market leadership narrative
- Analyst coverage (2-3 firms)
- Institutional investor relationships
- IPO advisor (Goldman, Morgan Stanley, etc.)
Proprietary IP Protection Strategy
Since keeping code proprietary, need alternative visibility:
| Channel | Action | Investment |
|---|---|---|
| Thought Leadership | Blog, podcasts, speaking | Time |
| Case Studies | Customer success stories | Sales effort |
| Certifications | Industry recognition | Application fees |
| Patents | Defensive + offensive | Legal costs |
| API Documentation | Best-in-class docs | Engineering |
| Demo Environment | Sandbox for prospects | Infrastructure |
Next Steps After Approval
Immediate (Week 1)
- Create
invest.zenpower.atlanding page - Draft ZENCOIN whitepaper outline
- Apply to Austrian FFG for R&D funding
- Set up investor CRM (track relationships)
Short-term (Month 1)
- Build metrics dashboard
- Draft pitch deck (12 slides)
- Legal review of token structure
- Identify first 10 angel targets
Medium-term (Q1 2026)
- First grant application (Ethereum Foundation)
- Token economics simulation
- 3-year financial model
- First 3 paying customers
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it." - Alan Kay
"Make something people want. Then figure out how to get paid." - Paul Graham