Cardano becomes user-governed with six meetings worldwide and a seventh virtual meeting

We are delighted to announce that Intersect will host its inaugural Annual members' meetings (AMMs) globally in October 2024. As a not-for-profit organization incorporated in Wyoming, USA, we must hold at least one annual meeting for our members. However, beyond this obligation, we are excited to bring members together, hold retrospectives on Intersect’s first year, and take a peek into 2025 and what next year holds. 

Setting the stage for the future in our first year is an exciting step as our members embrace and navigate Cardano’s new future: a future community-driven through on-chain governance. To have the best opportunity to meet as many members as possible, we’re hosting seven AMMs: six in-person gatherings worldwide and one Special Town Hall virtual meeting.

Location	Community Hub	Date
Tokyo, Japan	Japan	Thursday, October 3
Lisbon, Portugal	Europe	Saturday, October 5
Special Town Hall	Online	Tuesday, October 8
Accra, Ghana	Sub-Saharan Africa	Friday, October 11
Colombo, Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka	Saturday, October 12
Mexico City, Mexico	LATAM	Thursday, October 17
Austin, Texas	North America	Saturday, October 19

Upholding our core principles

Our AMMs are more than a formality; they are a manifestation of the principles that guide Intersect:

• Enablement: We are an inclusive community where everyone is welcome to contribute and have their voices heard.
• Transparency: We commit to openness and honesty in everything we do, which is essential for evolving Cardano together.
• Governance: Being member-led means our members shape the future of our organization and influence the entire Cardano ecosystem.

What to expect at the AMMs

Our Annual members’ meetings are an opportunity for our community hubs to share and discuss ideas for new projects, share progress on our core objectives, and provide a platform for questions and feedback. Our experience in 2024 will guide us as we evaluate new ideas and focus on how the community will shape Intersect’s future in 2025.

The agenda at one of our AMMs will look like this (with some caveats for our virtual Special Town Hall):

Item	Activity
1	Reception
2	Welcome and  introduction
3	Intersect’s vision for 2025
4	Retrospective part 1
5	Break
6	Retrospective part 2
7	Lunch break
8	Committee and board elections
9	Farewell
10	Optional networking / happy hour (not all hubs will have this)

Committee and Board Elections

The committee and board elections are an important part of the AMMs. Associates are welcome to attend AMMs, but only individual and enterprise members can vote for committee members and board seats. Voting will occur in parallel with the meetings, and the agenda item will provide information about the process and the candidates. Voting can only be done online via the member portal, where every member has one vote. 

More about voting

On September 9, the application process opened for members to stand for election to seven core Intersect committees and the governing board. 50% of seats are available on each committee, and two Intersect member seats are available on the governing board. The remaining 50% will be open for elections in April to give ourselves a staggered approach.

Intersect’s committees provide opportunities for members to take an active role in steering Intersect’s and Cardano's future in each committee's specific area of interest.

The governing board has five seats with Input | Output, EMURGO, and the University of Wyoming’s Blockchain Center of Excellence holding three. Two are filled by Intersect members elected by their peers, with the successful members becoming official Non-Executive Directors, governing our organization.

Important dates: 

September 9	Application process opened
September 27	Application process closed
September 30	Deadline to join as Individual or Enterprise member to vote
Throughout October	AMMs held throughout the month with candidates announced
October 4	Voting goes live on member portal
October 20	Member voting period closes on member portal
October 23-24	Election results announced at Cardano summit in Dubai

Get involved and shape the future

Your participation is crucial. Please join us at the AMM closest to you if you can. If attending in person isn't feasible, our Special town hall on Tuesday, October 8, is open to all members.

Remember to register and vote!

• Join or upgrade: To be eligible to vote, you must be an Individual or Enterprise member by September 30. You can join here.
• Vote: Cast your vote for committee members and board seats starting October 4 via the member portal.