The challenge of connecting respected employers with top talent in the tech industry has persisted for years. Using third-party agencies has proven to be costly and tedious for many companies and job seekers. Braintrust is an innovative, blockchain-based platform that connects tech talent with hiring managers for a transparent, hassle-free experience on both sides. From speeding up the hiring process to guaranteeing quality work and payments, Braintrust has been changing the landscape for its many clients. So what exactly can you expect from Braintrust?
What Is Braintrust?
Braintrust is a talent network that matches employers to vetted knowledge workers based on rates, skill set and location. Using the Ethereum platform, Braintrust is a decentralized solution that offers exceptional benefits compared to traditional talent solutions.
In the recruitment and crowdsourcing industry, numerous online job posting platforms seemingly provide an easy way for employers to connect with talent. However, these are generally ineffective, expensive platforms that are cumbersome to use. Braintrust is a network marketplace that is governed by its network participants. It’s designed as a liquid environment that’s controlled by algorithms, and it brings true benefits to both IT talents and employers.
History of Braintrust
Braintrust’s co-founders, Adam Jackson and Gabriel Luna-Ostaseski, originally identified core issues with existing recruitment and crowdsourcing platforms. The concept of Braintrust as a decentralized network marketplace was born to counter those core issues. Braintrust debuted its public beta in June 2020, and it has grown substantially over its relatively short history, thanks to the hard work of its co-founders, developers and other critical contributors. It managed to raise $25 million during a strategic funding round held in November 2020, eventually launching its public network and releasing BTRST, its native token, in September 2021.
In fact, this growing community currently has more than 50,000 members, including project contributors and knowledge workers located around the world. Notably, the businesses that make regular use of Braintrust’s extensive features and benefits also play a firm role in building its community. This innovative approach ensures that users’ needs are consistently met, and that the platform won’t lose touch with either employers or talent. Ownership is granted through Braintrust’s token, BTRST. Some of its many notable members within the enterprise user pool include Nike, Goldman Sachs, Intel, IBM, Porsche, Nestlé, Nextdoor, Deloitte and many of the world’s leading enterprises.
What Does Braintrust Aim to Achieve?
While there are many talented tech professionals who are actively seeking work with respected companies, connecting with those individuals and companies has proven to be stressful and time-consuming for both employers and talents respectively.
Despite the availability of many recruitment platforms online, some of these platforms may be riddled with undesirable features and rigorous challenges. For example, they’re generally expensive to use, with considerable fees. Often, these are hidden fees that add to the employers’ recruitment expenses and/or detract from the talent’s compensation. In addition, job seekers are often concerned about where they’ll find their next gig, due to the slow process, and whether they’ll get paid in a timely manner.
When Braintrust was initially conceptualized and developed, the goal was to overcome these challenges with a more innovative, productive platform. Clients and users become owners in the space by holding BTRST tokens and taking on governance responsibilities. They steer the direction of Braintrust’s continued development so that the platform is consistently evolving to meet their needs and deliver a superior experience.
Owing to this aspect of Braintrust’s design, it eliminates middlemen who may be out of touch with users’ needs — and who may inflate the process with unnecessary fees. In addition, the platform makes it much faster and easier for talent to connect with employers. In some cases, using the platform can shave weeks or even months off of the hiring process timeline. Braintrust’s innovative design elevates the experience of parties on both sides to enhance productivity and profitability.
How Does Braintrust Work?
Braintrust is a comprehensive, well-designed platform that specifically benefits parties on both sides of the IT recruitment equation.
For Talent
Job seekers can get started by opening a new online account with Braintrust. They are then prompted to create a talent profile that outlines their professional experience and background. Once the profile has been completed, with their work history and other essential details that are pertinent to hiring managers, job seekers can start reviewing the online listings.
Listings provide detailed requirements and responsibilities for each available position. Job seekers bid on the projects that they’re interested in. With Braintrust, talent can take ownership and governance roles. They can keep all of the money they earn, without having to cover hiring fees and other expenses. Job seekers are matched with projects suitable for their interests and skills, so that the overall process of finding the next gig can be completed quickly. In addition, talent is guaranteed to receive compensation. They also receive BTRST tokens as rewards for their efforts.
For Enterprises
Braintrust’s excellent design and features are equally beneficial to employers seeking top talent. After an employer goes through the quick process of establishing an account on the platform, they can post a job listing at no cost. Braintrust uses advanced algorithms to quickly identify talent that may be a great fit for that job listing. Within 48 hours, enterprise clients may be matched with well-qualified individuals who are eager to get to work.
Braintrust also has advantageous features that support hassle-free onboarding, compliance measures and invoicing. And because the hired talent keeps 100% of their earnings, without a cut for the middleman, employers can offer a more competitive net wage to attract leading talent.
Features of Braintrust
Braintrust aptly uses blockchain technology to change the landscape of IT headhunting. Its decentralized platform specifically puts knowledge workers and employers in the driver’s seat. This enhances worker freedom and profitability, while granting ownership of the platform. In short, Braintrust has been expertly developed with numerous features to achieve what other recruitment platforms have failed to do.
Braintrust Account
To join the Braintrust talent community, individuals must first apply to the Braintrust Talent Network. Then, they’ll be prompted to create a Talent Account, through which users can access their Braintrust wallet and manage their BTRST tokens. These accounts are specifically for members of the community who want to use the platform to search for employment. Applicants must progress through a stringent vetting process before they can start their job search and make full use of the platform.
Braintrust Node Program
The Braintrust Node Program is designed for employers who want to take full advantage of the functionality and benefits offered through the Braintrust network. Specifically, participants can earn BTRST tokens with a 20% discount, while paying only 10% of their revenue as a network fee. By doing so, Node participants gain access to thousands of vetted IT professionals who are eager to start working on new projects.
Meanwhile, participation in the Node Program qualifies employers for a competition for each referral they successfully execute. One winner is selected each month, to be awarded 1% of the total node Gross Services Value (or GSV) contributions. This will be paid in BTRST, up to a $10,000 value.
Braintrust Governance
All token-holding participants in the Braintrust network can participate in voting to help steer the direction of the platform’s future development. Off-chain and on-chain voting methods are used together to promote discussions and simplify voting on proposals.
Off-chain voting includes a basic “yes or no” poll, referred to as a Temperature Check. This is followed by a Consensus Check, which is a more formal polling procedure.
For on-chain voting, formal proposals must be created before they go through a formal voting process. Only projects that pass through all steps successfully are then executed and brought to fruition.
Braintrust Connector Program
The Braintrust Connector Program is open to all of the platform’s participants. It enables participants to earn BTRST tokens as a reward for successful referrals. The amount of tokens earned depends upon the number of connections between job seekers and employers that the referral generates.
The maximum earning per referral is $10,000, which is payable in BTRST tokens. Participants can profit financially, while also helping the network expand its reach to better serve highly skilled technical talents.
Braintrust Wallet
While Braintrust has an internal wallet, participants in the Braintrust network will need access to their own cryptocurrency wallet if they want to participate in voting, staking or trading.
Numerous wallets are available that accommodate BTRST tokens. Participants can connect an existing wallet that supports BTRST tokens to their accounts. Otherwise, they’ll need to register for a new wallet in order to benefit financially from their BTRST tokens. WalletConnect and MetaMask are only two of the options available for Braintrust users to consider.
Benefits of Braintrust
There are numerous recruitment platforms that appeal to IT talent, and to employers seeking their skilled labor. However, Braintrust is the first decentralized talent network that makes use of blockchain technology to deliver a superior experience for all parties. What are the specific benefits that IT professionals and employers can enjoy by being active on Braintrust?
Full Ownership Economy
Braintrust has an established community of users and contributors, each of whom participates in the functionality and continued development of the platform. All token holders can participate in community discussions to explore and debate new ideas for future development.
Governance is a multi-layered process that gives all of the community’s members and owners the ability to participate and contribute to the future of the platform. This is unlike other recruitment platforms, some of which are entirely steered by corporate ownership and may thus lose touch with what’s important to the people and companies whom they serve.
Fair Rates
Braintrust maintains fair rates with a simplified fee structure. With each invoice paid, the employer pays a flat fee of 10% to Braintrust. The tech talent isn’t responsible for any fees, so each worker receives the full amount of compensation that’s agreed upon at the start of the contract. This stands apart from the rate structure for other popular recruitment platforms. Commonly, other platforms have hidden fees that may be difficult to identify, which can detract from workers’ earnings at a relatively high rate. This makes the use of such platforms less appealing to the top talent whom employers are trying to attract.
Referral Rewards
Braintrust is committed to being the most robust and advantageous recruitment platform available. A solid portion of its success is rooted in the employers who use the platform. As part of Braintrust’s continued efforts to expand, it actively solicits referrals from its participants through its Braintrust Connector Program. As a result, a referring party can receive BTRST tokens as a reward for a successful employer referral. The specific value of a referral is based on several factors, including how many connections occur as a result, and the maximum value of each referral is $10,000.
Grants
Braintrust has a number of grant programs, each of which has a different purpose. Ambassador Grants, for example, promote brand awareness through a variety of marketing avenues, which include social advocacy, viral campaigns and more. Builder Grants are open to project managers, designers and developers who want to make technical contributions to the continued development of the platform. Educator Grants serve the important purpose of growing available content in the Braintrust Academy. For instance, this content may cover interview training, proposal generation and other key topics relevant to the hiring process. These and other grants are accessed via Braintrust’s MVP Wave.
Braintrust Road Map
The insightful concept of Braintrust was formed in August 2018. The network was developed in the months that followed, but it remained in stealth mode until it officially launched in 2020. In between these important milestones, the company raised approximately $5 million in funding from a seed round held in November 2018. After a private beta launch in June 2019, Braintrust attracted partnerships with RocketSpace, Silicon Foundry, IDEO and others.
After the official public beta launch, Braintrust obtained another $25 million in funding in November 2020. Shortly afterward, it passed the milestone of $5 million in GSV. Its governance came online in May 2021. The token was officially launched to the public in September 2021, after which GSV grew at a monthly average rate of 34% for a period of time. By the end of 2021, it reached $31 million in GSV.
More than that, Braintrust’s unique, no-fee design has expanded the hourly rate for individual talent to almost $100. At the same time, it’s grown its referral program — through which it currently acquires more than half of its new clients. Impressively, the average size of its projects is $57,000. Since 2021, the number of job opportunities listed on its platform has tripled.
Going forward, Braintrust will continue to function on community governance. Its community members will devise, discuss and vote on key changes to the community in order to promote its growth. In addition, Braintrust will continue to focus on expanding its reach in the recruitment industry by attracting even more employers and IT talent to use the platform.
BTRST Tokenomics
Demand for the native BTRST token that drives Braintrust is BTRST, is introduced by onboarding new clients. Supply is generated through talent. Specifically, clients utilize BTRST to make enhancements to their job listings.
Job seekers use their tokens to take courses through the Braintrust Academy. They can stake their BTRST, or use their tokens to vote on proposals. Tokens can also be used by IT talent to access various discounts, perks and other resources. In addition to these uses, parties can earn more BTRST through the peer-vetting process, and by referring other talent and employers to the platform.
Most BTRST are allocated for the development of the network. This includes 54% of the coins, which are used for network rewards and community incentives. Up to 22% have been allocated to the network’s initial investors. Another 19% are held by early contributors. Only 5% will be listed for public sale via CoinList. The total available supply of tokens is 250 million, and the current circulating supply is just under 120 million.
BTRST Price Prediction
Many people want to know if they should build up a supply of BTRST tokens in their wallet, or convert any extra tokens to fiat through an exchange. A look at the historical performance of the token price and what it may do in the future is essential. In September 2021, the price of BTRST was close to $30. As of September 2022, the token’s price is at $2.40. Cryptocurrencies have taken a hit across the board in recent months, so this downward trend in BTRST’s price should be considered a reflection of market conditions rather than the inherent value of the token. It has strong fundamentals with critical functionality on a well-designed, growing network.
As of this writing (Sept. 28, 2022), BTRST has a market cap of around $290 million. In addition, it can be adopted by numerous major companies, which may lift the price further. According to Kalkine Media, it’s unlikely that BTRST will reach $30 per token soon. However, according to PricePrediction, it may be reasonable to expect it to hit a double-digit price by 2026.
Is BTRST a Good Investment?
Braintrust has already gained significant momentum since its launch, and it continues to expand its reach in the recruitment space. More than that, it stands apart from other recruitment platforms through its innovative fee structure and decentralized design. The price of cryptocurrencies is volatile across the board, so short-term holds could see small gains. However, because the potential for substantial gains in the long term is significant, BTRST may also be suitable for those who are interested in a solid long position.
The Future of Braintrust
Since its launch, Braintrust has been changing the landscape of IT recruitment. It empowers its users through direct ownership while maintaining a great fee structure with full transparency. It also offers educational resources for talent to take advantage of. Looking forward, Braintrust can continue to develop through user-controlled governance, which will effectively steer the platform toward purposeful evolution that is purposeful. In addition, the platform will continue to expand its reach, relying heavily on referrals to connect more job seekers with employers.
The Bottom Line
Braintrust runs off of the power of the BTRST token, enabling job seekers and employers to earn tokens and use them effectively. With a limited number of tokens available, and with a small allotment for public investments, BTRST offers considerable upside potential and exceptional functionality. Both IT professionals and employers are encouraged to explore Braintrust in greater detail and to take advantage of its continually evolving features.