Every revolutionary idea begins with a spark, a moment of inspiration that changes everything. For STEPN GO co-founders Yawn and Jerry, that moment came unexpectedly one afternoon when Jerry made a seemingly ordinary cup of coffee for Yawn.
As they discussed the successes and limitations of their first project, STEPN, the conversation shifted towards how to improve its potential. In a flurry of laughter, caffeine, and napkins, the idea for STEPN GO was born.
It was during these countless coffee meetings that the founders of FSL realized that while STEPN had successfully tapped into the potential of mobile and earning models, it lacked social engagement and community functionality, which are crucial for broader and more sustainable user interaction.
Furthermore, they also considered how to improve the economic model, as it is the foundation of a viable project. In the case of the STEPN project, sneaker inflation had always been a major concern, so they focused on designing a sustainable token economy to address this issue.
With their passion for community and the desire to make Web 3 more accessible to people, Yawn and Jerry created STEPN GO. They envisioned a platform that not only promotes physical fitness but also brings people together.
STEPN GO was imagined as a space where deeper social connections enrich every step of the fitness journey. It is not limited to tech-savvy enthusiasts but open to everyone, creating a sense of inclusivity, accomplishment, and participation for all users.
To turn this vision into reality, Yawn and Jerry designed various new features to create the ultimate social fitness application:
1. Easy Onboarding with the Haus System: This social feature ensures a smooth entry for new users. Active players can lend their sneakers to friends and family, allowing them to experience the app without any knowledge of cryptocurrencies. The more, the merrier.
2. Social Interactions: By walking or running with their sneakers, users can earn equipment fragments and use them to customize their 3D avatars. These avatars can be flexibly displayed on an interactive map within the app, enabling everyone to interact with the entire community.
3. Energy System: In addition, Yawn and Jerry designed a sustainable economic model where users must burn their own sneakers to obtain energy and use the application, ensuring stability in asset value.
The decision to create STEPN GO instead of expanding the existing STEPN platform was driven by a clear vision that required starting from scratch. While the original STEPN system had been successful, it primarily focused on the mobile and earning models, which limited the inclusion of robust social features and interactive elements without disrupting the existing user experience.
Integrating complex social functionalities required fundamental restructuring, which could jeopardize the stability and security of the platform and user assets. Ultimately, the creation of STEPN GO was a bold step forward, leveraging the lessons learned from STEPN to offer something entirely new in the Web 3 space.
In summary, this is an innovative story sparked by a simple cup of coffee, proving that great ideas often stem from small beginnings. With STEPN GO, the team will continue to move towards a more interconnected world, inviting everyone to join and experience the evolution of social fitness.
Importantly, this does not mean abandoning STEPN. STEPN remains a valuable and functioning platform, ensuring that both applications can thrive and play their unique and complementary roles within the ecosystem.
Furthermore, while GGT is introduced as the utility token for STEPN GO, GMT remains the primary governance token in the ecosystem. STEPN is and will continue to be the place where users can mint new GMT tokens while running, and the team will add more use cases through STEPN GO and future products.
