Real Talk Case Study: LAKE (LAK3) – Revolutionizing the Global Water Economy
An Interview with LAKE
Founded in July 2019 by Jean-Hugues Gavarini and Xavier Pouteau, LAKE (LAK3) is a Switzerland-based RWA project transforming the global Water Economy through blockchain technology. Their innovative approach aims to create a decentralized, transparent, and equitable water ecosystem accessible to all.
Can you describe LAKE in a few sentences?
LAKE is a RWA project leveraging blockchain technology to disrupt the global Water Economy. We aim to create a decentralized, transparent, and equitable water ecosystem where water and its economy are accessible to all, regardless of geographic or economic status. By connecting consumers and businesses directly to water sources around the globe, LAKE is shaping a future where the water industry is managed sustainably and collaboratively, ensuring long-term opportunities and fairness for all.
What is the primary mission or goal of your project?
LAKE's primary goal is to transform the Water Economy for three essential reasons:
1. The current water economy is overly centralized, with only a few key players controlling the drinking water supply for 8 billion people. This centralization poses risks to ensuring sufficient and fair access for all. By harnessing blockchain technology, we aim to decentralize the water industry, bringing more players together and connecting water sources directly to consumers.
2. Rethinking the water economy is essential, as this highly profitable industry has mostly benefited only a select few. There are, however, countless opportunities for all stakeholders (consumers, water sources and businesses) to get involved and generate income.
- Through the $LAK3 token, we transform passive consumers into active players in the $300Bn water industry, enabling them to buy, sell, secure, invest in, and donate water.
- For Water Sources, we offer opportunities to expand from local to global markets through Web3, increase brand exposure, and access funding via the LAKE Launchpad to enhance infrastructure and supply more water to market—an essential step given the challenges posed by population growth.
- For Businesses, our Community to Business (C2B) model provides access to higher-quality water directly from sources at better prices, with opportunities for employees to engage in C2B deals to earn passive income as well as alignment with their CSR goals by supporting sustainability and addressing water scarcity.
3. Disrupting the Water Economy is crucial to addressing issues like plastic pollution and water scarcity. This industry has the potential to support cleaner, fairer, and more sustainable initiatives.
What are the key social or environmental impacts of your project?
Our project creates several transformative impacts:
Community Empowerment:
LAKE is pioneering a new Water Economy where individuals transition from passive consumers to active players, tapping into a trillion-dollar industry while promoting ownership and responsibility. Over 8 billion people will be involved, choosing the best options to suit their needs, including buying, selling, securing, donating, and investing in water sources.
By opening the gate to the New Water Economy, the LAK3 token empowers individuals and communities to participate in fostering a fairer and more sustainable approach to this critical Real-World Asset: water, while enjoying incredible benefits that were previously inaccessible to individuals.
Water Scarcity:
With nearly 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water, we're committed to enhancing water accessibility. Our ecosystem features a "Donate Water" initiative enabling LAK3 token holders to contribute directly to verified NGOs focused on delivering clean water to deprived communities.
Additionally, 30% of LAKE's portal profits are dedicated to water charity projects, supporting initiatives such as building wells, drilling, infrastructure development, and investments in water treatment facilities.
Sustainability:
With only 9% of plastic being recycled, LAKE is committed to setting new standards by developing innovative packaging solutions that can truly make a difference. LAKE’s R&D department is focused on finding the best possible balance to create practical, clean, and easy-to-transport packaging — a solution that could be integrated into our Water Source network. LAKE aims to serve as a proof of concept for other industry players.
On top of developing a clean packaging, the LAKE Ecosystem also plays an important role for sustainability through its components and way to operate.
- Water Source Selection: we are carefully selecting water sources that offer more sustainable options and align with our values for a cleaner environment.
- Water Source Network: by expanding the variety of springs and production methods, we can prevent the overexploitation of groundwater.
- LAKE Water Shop: it encourages carbon Footprint reduction by cutting the value chain and connecting consumers directly to local water sources. On top, it also boosts the local economy and supports local businesses. This feature also introduces the 'Save Planet Fee,' an initiative designed to motivate, without restricting, users to consume water locally. This fee will fund tree reforestation projects.
- Loyalty Program: tokens to earn as incentive to reward users who consume locally.
- Logistics: working with specialists to reduce the carbon footprint by optimizing transportation routes through advanced logistical algorithms, minimizing travel distance and time for more sustainable delivery.
- Investing in cleaner Businesses: Investing in and supporting LAKE's water sources, it's acting towards sustainable water management practices.
How do you measure the impact of your project?
We leverage blockchain's capabilities for data collection and reporting to track our Real-World impact. While our ecosystem is still under development, we've already achieved notable measurable impacts:
First Humanitarian Mission to Senegal:
- Funded 5 wells benefiting about a thousand villagers.
- Collected testimonies from communities, photos, and produced a full documentary to showcase the impact on the ground.
- Planning to develop encapsulated NFT metadata (tamper-proof data) to put on-chain what has been done off-chain on the ground. Through these NFTs, LAKE could include various details such as expense breakdowns, proof of delivery, testimonies, and even points of contact on the ground.
Water Source Impact:
Sembrancher is the first Water Source partner that joined LAKE early 2024.
The impact for this Spring:
- Over 35,000 bottles purchased and distributed
- Water tested at 4 international events
- Expansion into 6 new countries (UK, USA, UAE, Hong Kong, Thailand)
- Garnered significant attention with a press release on Yahoo Finance and over 100,000 combined social media views.
In 2025, Sembrancher will be the first to benefit from LAKE’s crowdfunding opportunities, strengthening its business and unlocking greater water potential, leading to an increased water supply on the market. For $LAK3 holders, this will also be the first water source they can invest in, becoming shareholders and earning dividends.
When LAKE Ecosystem is fully released, we'll be able to track:
- Volume of liters secured through B2S protocol and delivered through Water Shop.
- Number of people gaining new water access and how it’s changing their life (education, revenue).
- Impact of $LAK3 token donations to NGOs.
- Profits on-chain through smart contracts from our C2B model.
- Increased volume of water brought to market per water source and dividends distributed to $LAK3 holders thanks to the LAKE Launchpad.
Can you share a success story about how LAKE has positively impacted a community?
In June 2024, we launched our first humanitarian mission to Senegal in partnership with Leeydi Men, funding the construction of five wells in the Kaolack region. These wells are transforming daily lives of thousands across the five villages, improving health and helping livestock survive under hot temperatures.
Along with the well construction, the team took part in a tree-planting initiative designed to support the local ecosystem and emphasize the connection between water access and environmental sustainability.
This is just the beginning – we're committed to multiplying these missions to positively impact more communities worldwide. Our documentary and trailer capture the direct impact through community testimonies, highlighting how the wells have affected their lives and emphasizing other villages' needs.
📝 Medium Article
📰 Press Release
🎥 Trailer
🎥 Documentary
What cool tech does LAKE use to power its magic?
We leverage several blockchain-based technologies:
Utility-NFTs:
Our NFTs represent real rights, privileges, and ownership warrants within our ecosystem. We're leveraging the power of NFTs to transform how we interact with water. NFTs play a crucial role in recognizing and rewarding engagement, offering a dynamic way to prove activity, generosity, and investment.
Smart Contracts:
We use smart contracts to automate the transaction process, eliminating the need for intermediaries and significantly reducing the risks of manipulation—both by design, and post-facto by auditability.
Smart contracts ensure transparency and security, e.g. the use of Smart Contracts for our C2B model. Profits from the sale are proportionately distributed among pool participants through smart contracts, ensuring fair compensation based on each contributor’s stake.
That’s not all, LAKE harnesses smart contracts through the use of NFTs held in the users’ wallets to unlock access to different features, enhanced economic propositions, privileges and memorabilia. Smart Contracts enable the management of NFTs rights, ensuring transparency and security in every transaction.
Smart Flow Scheduler (SFS):
Our cutting-edge oracle system is designed to ensure optimal execution of transactions within the LAKE ecosystem. It’s an essential component of the LAKE ecosystem, providing a robust, transparent, and efficient platform for water transactions.
By integrating real-time data, advanced algorithms, and blockchain technology, the SFS optimizes order execution, maintains market stability, and ensures transparent and secure transactions, enhancing the overall user experience and fostering a sustainable water economy.
What are the standout features that make LAKE unique?
Our Ecosystem offers several innovative features:
- Access to RWAs Without Tokenization: Our multi-utility token bridges the water industry and blockchain without tokenizing water itself, enabling holders to buy, sell, secure, donate water, or invest in water sources — all while ensuring token liquidity and acceptance across exchanges globally, avoiding complex compliance requirements.
- Spring to Consumer (S2C) Model: A new distribution model connecting water sources directly to consumers, ensuring 24/7 access to high quality water at affordable prices.
- Community to Business (C2B) Model: Empowering individuals to engage in large-scale water transactions previously exclusive to B2B, allowing for passive income generation through this unique model.
- Water LaunchPad: Through our Launchpad, we help water sources expand, increasing supply to meet growing demand. $LAK3 holders gain affordable investment opportunities, becoming real shareholders in water sources worldwide and promoting financial inclusion with low entry barriers.
- Burn to Secure (B2S): Token holders can burn $LAK3 tokens to secure water allocations for the next decades—10, 20, or even 50 years. This innovative system ensures fixed pricing and guaranteed delivery of high-quality water while increasing token scarcity to maintain value.
What have been the biggest twists and turns in LAKE's journey?
When we started promoting LAKE in the Web3 space back in early 2024, we were thrilled by the incredible excitement from both the Web3 space and our community around LAKE.
Key highlights:
- Our cLAKE Program (gamified bounty campaign) showcased the incredible engagement and ongoing activity of our amazing community!
- Successful fundraising of $13M lead by the enthusiasm surrounding LAKE's mission. We are equally thrilled to witness how engaged our investors are, advocating for LAKE at every opportunity.
- Shortlisted as one of the top 10 out of 280+ projects at the BGA Web3 Oscars, receiving the "Rising Star" award for leveraging Blockchain for Good and making positive impacts.
- Successful $LAK3 launch reaching $1.89 ATH just five days after the listing and maintain a value above $1 despite the challenging market conditions as we write this.
2025 will be a major year for LAKE and $LAK3 holders:
- Top tier 1 Centralized Exchanges to be added on top of Uniswap and MEXC as we remain committed to making $LAK3 accessible worldwide.
- Launching LAKE Ecosystem features including Water Shop (planned for release on the Mainnet by the end of Q1 2025), the C2B, donation portals, Launchpad, and Burn to Secure (B2S) Protocol.
- Introducing new additions like LAKE NFTs, a loyalty program, the Whale Club, and unique DeFi initiatives, which will provide additional utilities to the $LAK3 token and generate extra income for our community.
- Onboarding new ambassadors, strategic advisors, alongside partnerships with renowned Web3 players and sports teams.
- We’ll also onboard more water sources to strengthen our ecosystem, creating more opportunities for every stakeholder.
- Planning future humanitarian missions in Africa and Asia.
Why did you choose to join Blockchain for Good Alliance?
Partnering with Blockchain for Good Alliance is a natural fit for LAKE, as we share a common mission to leverage blockchain technology to address Real-World issues like water scarcity, which is one of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As Glenn, Lead of the Blockchain for Good Alliance, mentioned, “people don't normally associate sustainability with profit, but that's a really misaligned view.” We share his vision, and LAKE is becoming the proof of concept that we can work towards fairness, sustainability, and equity, while also generating profits.
BGA has given us greater exposure through various initiatives such as AMAs, the Sustainable Summit in Bangkok, and their marketing activations.
Our goal is to continue our partnership, as we share common values and missions. BGA and its network are essential to our growth, enabling us to make a greater impact on community empowerment, sustainability and water scarcity while fostering collaborations with the projects they support.
What advice would you give to someone starting a blockchain project for social good?
- Recruit a committed team that is aligned with the core values of your project.
- Define the social, environmental, or resource challenges you're addressing and how blockchain can provide a solution. Ensure your project has a Real-World impact and always engage with the communities you're aiming to help, as they know their needs best.
- Identify strategic allies and partners to collaborate with, amplifying your impact.
- Actively involve your community in the process—some aspects of the project could be community-oriented, like what Giveth is doing, for example. A well-engaged community is often the key to a successful blockchain initiative.
How can others get involved or support your mission?
We aim to grow our local communities around the world to spread LAKE’s mission.
We encourage community involvement through:
- Representing LAKE at events and live talks
- Creating multi-language content
- Contributing regional insights
- Providing water source connections
- Sharing NGO contacts
Any additional information you would like to share about your project.
Meaningful projects often stem from altruistic individuals—those who genuinely care. Let me briefly share the background of Jean-Hugues, LAKE's CEO and co-founder.
He developed a strong bond with water from a young age, growing up in a lakeside chalet near Geneva. His earliest memories are filled with playing by the lake, skipping stones, and enjoying its fresh water. Influenced by his family's values, especially the legacy of his grandparents, World War II resistance leaders—Jean-Hugues was taught the importance of defending rights and equality.
A pivotal moment in his life came from his great-grandmother's words which still resonated deeply with him: “You know, the water you are drinking is one of the purest and most abundant there is. Remember this for life, there is pure water in our village, lots of water”. This instilled in him a lifelong mission to protect and share this valuable resource.
Growing up between Silicon Valley and the French Alps, Jean-Hugues was surrounded by both technology and water, igniting his passion to innovate and reshape the water economy for the benefit of all.
He is strongly devoted to fairness, equality, and the principle of giving back.
LAKE (LAK3) Links
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