Zo House is India’s First Community Driven Clubhouses for Web3 Enthusiasts. Zo House is the latest innovation from the founders of Zostel, the world’s largest backpacker’s hostel chain. We spoke to Mr. Dharamveer Singh Chouhan, Co-Founder and CEO of Zo World to find out more.ExcerptsWhat inspired the creation of Zo House, and how does it build upon the success of Zostel?Zostel pioneered backpacker hostels and social real estate, revolutionizing travel since 2013. By focusing on traveler-centric design and amenities, such as board games over TVs, and making the common room the living heart of these spaces, we have innovated both hostels and budget hotels to create unique communal experiences.Building on the success of fostering a vibrant backpacker community, Zostel has already become the go-to place for people on all sorts of trips who absolutely love the social vibe and atmosphere that the Zo community brings to our spaces. With Zo Houses, we are venturing to bring a larger, exclusive, and premium experience for the Zo community in their respective cities even when they are not traveling to another place. Recognizing the potential of NFTs and the Web3 landscape to capture and encapsulate the intangible value of the community, we envisioned an edgy, tech-first clubhouse owned and operated by local and global communities, that serves as a cultural hub for enthusiasts to converge, collaborate, live, and network, all while leveraging the potential gains from their NFT holdings.We were former members of the traditional clubs that didn’t fit our vibe. So we merged tech and entrepreneurial spirit with art, passion, and culture into our NFT-based clubhouses, offering founder NFTs for entry. It began as an experiment to create the ultimate inclusive club.Can you elaborate on the concept of community-driven hospitality and how Zo House is revolutionizing the industry?Community-driven hospitality is an exciting concept to ponder. It involves different communities coming together, actively participating in, and benefiting from travel, tourism, and hospitality services similar to how Zostel has evolved into a backpacking community. This approach emphasizes authentic, culturally immersive experiences and cultivating bonds with visitors. It nurtures a deeper connection between tourists or local communities, promoting these community-driven hospitality practices. Zo House is a modern, revolutionized clubhouse blending real estate with Web3/NFT communities to create a new-age club. We offer members tangible incentives, that include rewards through NFT holdings and fractional ownership of the property. Alongside top-notch amenities, Zo House provides a fantastic community for growth. No other club matches these benefits.How do the clubhouses balance modern technology with luxurious living spaces, and what amenities can members expect?Zo Houses is bridging the gap between new-age technology and luxurious community living spaces for its exclusive members. We have tried providing all the points where cutting-edge tech meets comfort.Luxurious living with smart furniture featuring built-in charging points and touchscreens for convenience. Zo App streamlines digital payments and identity verification while still keeping the anonymity principles of web3 for token gating. Ambient technology adjusts lighting and sound based on occupancy and time of day. Members enjoy high-speed internet, varied seating arrangements, and dedicated workstations. Gaming consoles, a sound system, and a DJ booth cater to entertainment needs, while a café/bar area and private pods provide comfort and privacy. The Zo Club App will be seamlessly integrated with each and every function of the house (almost like a living being) and community. Additionally, leveraging the experience and skills of the community to actively participate and build the Zo House together further augments a shared understanding and knowledge that serves as an ever-growing foundation of live insights and executions across all Zo Houses simultaneously.What kind of digital experiences are offered at Zo House, and how do they enhance the overall lifestyle of members?Zo House offers an innovative blend of luxury and technology, creating an exclusive, tech-driven community space for Web3 enthusiasts. The facility features both private suites and dorms, seamlessly integrated with the Zo Club App, allowing members to unlock doors, book studios, work desks, and meeting rooms, and manage house operations through blockchain-verified NFT memberships. The 24/7 running café can be accessed and ordered from anywhere on the property via the app. Zo House hosts a variety of exclusive events, including Web3, NFT, and blockchain-related workshops, hackathons, cultural concerts, art expos, and VC pitch sessions. Its invite-only community includes leaders, builders, developers, artists, and designers who collaborate under one roof. The facility also boasts a dedicated studio for launching NFT artists and musicians, equipped with the latest tech gadgets like 3D printers and podcast rooms. Zo House embodies a modern lifestyle for its members, providing synchronous and serendipitous interactions daily, making it the ideal place to learn and build on Web3, NFTs, and blockchain technology.How does the membership model work, and what benefits do RWA-backed memberships provide?There are 2 membership tiers.The top and most exclusive tier is the Founders of Zo World NFTs which are only 1111 in number that gives complete and exclusive global access and benefits. They are also tradeable in the open market on the Ethereum chain. All NFTs were minted on an exclusive invite-only basis by individuals vetted by the community itself and those who understood the vision while organically interacting with the community.The new tier coming into play is an exclusive invitation basis, requiring individuals to hold membership or receive a recommendation or invitation from an existing member to access its unique community-driven clubhouse atmosphere. Membership is limited to 500 members only with lifetime city membership+ownership. This approach ensures the preservation of the community’s ethos and values. RWA-backed memberships offer a range of benefits to holders, leveraging technology to enhance trust and transparency. Members can confidently anticipate returns, rewards, and even fractional ownership of the venue, which can be liquidated in the future.5. With flagship properties in Bangalore and San Francisco, what expansion plans does Zo House have globally?Zo House currently operates in Bangalore (Koramangala) India, Dubai, and San Francisco, with upcoming expansion into the top 50 global cities. Our vision is to offer the Zo House experience to diverse communities worldwideHow does Zo House cater to the specific needs of Web3 enthusiasts, and what role does the Zo Club play in this?Zo House caters to Web3 enthusiasts by serving as a communal hub for collaboration and innovation. It provides opportunities to learn from top Web3 leaders, positioning itself as the mecca of Web3 in each city. Members gain access to exclusive Pop Houses at major Web3 events globally. The lounge embraces the digital age, specifically designed for the Web3 community.Zo Club acts as the central hub of Zo World and brings together members in a vibrant and creative community. It is an app exclusively for the members of Zo World that offers a unique space for you to express your Web3 persona, showcasing your digital identity and multiple achievements. A member can engage in exclusive discussions in our chat rooms, connect, share insights, and build meaningful relationships. It can also be used to stay informed with live updates on the ground-breaking initiatives that our founders are leading and be at the forefront of discovering upcoming Zo Houses and flagship events.The Zo App is described as a premier travel app. Can you share more about its features and how it enhances the travel experience for members?We envision trips as not just a passive travel lifestyle part of an individual wherein they are only booking a stay and traveling during that time, but rather our worldview looks towards an evergoing trip of life as we navigate through it over the years. As such, we are positioning the Zo App to cater to the larger Zo community throughout this trip, with features both on the short-term and long-term plans, ranging from bookings, travel management, seamless tech-enabled immediate support, and feedback, and live recommendations, to local city councils hosting everyone visit their destinations in the best possible way from local learnings, with the help of gamified local quests, all being managed in a decentralized community ownership & operation model.How does Zo House aim to create a sense of community among its members, and what events or initiatives are planned to foster connections?Zo House brings together 450 members who collectively own 1111 NFTs through a variety of fun events and activities each nurturing a sense of fellowship and cooperation. From art displays to learning sessions, each one helps everyone feel like part of a big, creative family. It’s like a cool hangout spot where artists can meet, connect with fellow members, work on projects together, and participate in residencies and hackathons on a continuous basis within the community forming a new-age clubhouse transcending geographical barriers.Exclusive events across web3, NFTs, protocols, hackathons, residencies, cultural concerts, art expos, tech/art/music workshops, open mics, Zo Fests, VC pitch sessions all happen frequently across Zo Houses. As we evolve we’ll keep bringing more novel and larger events with uber cool stuff in the future to keep our community strong and connected!What does the future hold for Zo House, and how does it envision shaping the hospitality industry in the years to come? The future of Zo House is part of an expansive vision under the Zo brand, encompassing both real-world and digital assets. As we establish Zo as the central brand, we aim to elevate Zo Club as the world’s best and most exclusive web3 and lifestyle club, and Zo House as a modern, revolutionized clubhouse blending real estate and Hospitality.It aims to revolutionize the hospitality sector by merging exclusivity with a strong community ethos. Operating on a membership-based model, it seeks to expand its presence worldwide while maintaining the distinct local flavor of each location, offering tailored experiences to its members. The future roadmap involves building decentralized operations as the foundation for enabling communities to run their own cities and cultures, enriching member interactions with a range of exclusive events, workshops, and social gatherings designed to foster deep connections, utilizing cutting-edge technology to optimize services and member engagement.How does Zo House address the intersection of technology and luxury, and what innovations can we expect in the future?Zo Houses blends luxury and technology for exclusive community living. Smart furniture, the Zo App for digital payments, and ambient tech for lighting and sound create a convenient living space. High-speed internet, diverse seating, and dedicated workstations meet work and relaxation needs. Entertainment options include gaming consoles, a sound system, and a DJ booth. The Zo Club App integrates all functions, fostering a collaborative and interconnected community. Additionally, for us, modern real estate is dynamic and ever-changing as per usage and needs even from day to day. We keep evolving at pace with modern tech and AI, both across hardware and software being deployed across Zo Houses.What kind of partnerships or collaborations is Zo House exploring in the Web3 and tech spaces?Zo House is partnering with platform players, Web3 chains, trade exchanges, protocol builders, token launchers, art curators, music managers, creators, hackathon organizers, and residency partners. These collaborations foster innovation and creativity, hosting token launches, protocol development sessions, and immersive art and music events. Additionally, Zo House supports hackathons and residencies, providing a fertile ground for Web3 advancements. This positions Zo House as a hub for pioneering advancements in tech and digital expression.Zo House is also partnering with city real estate planners, supply partners, influencers in Web3 and lifestyle, hospitality partners, and builders. These collaborations aim to integrate cutting-edge technology with luxury living, fostering innovation and creating a seamless, tech-driven community experience.How does Zo House ensure exclusivity and maintain its status as a luxury brand?Zo House ensures exclusivity and maintains its status as a luxury brand through an invitation-only membership model, attracting individuals who align with its niche community-driven clubhouse. To maintain our luxury brand status, we aim to target high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), CXOs, and top influencers. The club offers top-tier amenities and bespoke services, and a real-life space designed to work, live, socialize, and network creating a unique atmosphere for its members. Exclusive events, from hackathons to art exhibitions, and other workshops/events provide unparalleled networking opportunities. The exceptional customer service ensures every member feels valued, reinforcing Zo House’s reputation. These elements together solidify its standing as a premier luxury, community-driven clubhouse.What kind of feedback have you received from members, and how has it influenced the development of Zo House?We received an enthusiastic response from our members, including protocol founders from the United States and Dubai. These founders visited us frequently and expressed a strong desire to create similar spaces like Zo House in their own cities. Their feedback, shared through word of mouth, played a crucial role in influencing the development of Zo House. Over time, this organic promotion has significantly contributed to our growth. Gradually, through these word-of-mouth recommendations, we have amassed a community of 450 founder members. This community now supports 1111 NFTs, reflecting the widespread interest and engagement. Zo House’s reputation continues to spread, driven by the passionate endorsements of our members.Are there plans to expand Zo House to other sectors beyond hospitality, such as coworking or education?Zo House is a dynamic space designed for creators, collectors, and NFT enthusiasts to create, work, reside, interact, and connect. It fosters a vibrant community where members can co-live and co-work, enhancing collaboration and connection. With plans to expand further into the top 50 cities globally in the coming years, Zo House aims to build a global network of creative hubs. These expansions will provide more opportunities for members to engage with like-minded individuals and thrive in an innovative environment. By encouraging community living and working, Zo House creates a unique ecosystem for creativity and growth. The future of Zo House is set to redefine how communities of creators interact and flourish.
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