The Challenge
Osaka raised $4M to solve a real problem: every Web3 community was crammed into Discord servers that weren't built for token-gated access, governance proposals, or crypto-native features. But Web3 users are notoriously design-critical, and previous attempts at 'crypto Discord alternatives' had clunky interfaces that felt like 2010 forum software. Osaka needed to feel as polished as mainstream social apps while offering blockchain functionality seamlessly.
Our Approach
We designed the Osaka platform around 'community without chaos; - bringing structure to Web3's messy Discord culture. The brand identity balances futuristic elements (gradients, geometric shapes) with approachable, friendly design that doesn't feel overly technical. We created a modular visual system that works across light and dark modes, knowing crypto users overwhelmingly prefer dark interfaces.
The Solution
The platform organizes communities into customizable spaces for different purposes: governance forums, casual chat, event planning, and token-gated channels. We designed an onboarding flow that doesn't assume users understand Web3 terminology, explaining concepts like 'token-gating' and 'wallet connection' in plain English. The interface feels familiar to anyone who's used Slack or Discord, but with blockchain features that actually make sense.
The Results
Osaka onboarded 180 communities in their first three months, including major NFT projects and DAOs with combined membership of 450K users. Daily active users grew 40% month-over-month, and communities reported 67% reduction in admin workload compared to Discord. The platform processed $2.3M in governance votes without a single smart contract failure. Crypto Twitter/X hailed it as "finally, a Web3 tool that doesn't suck."
