What is an SPE?

🌎Overview

Special Purpose Entities (SPEs) are critical components of the Livepeer ecosystem. Firstly introduced in LIP-90, they are designed to manage and distribute treasury funds for specific needs within the network. These entities focus on particular areas, such as cloud computing, large language models (LLMs), or video artificial intelligence (Video AI), ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently to projects that benefit the broader Livepeer community.

SPEs allow for more specialized and transparent fund allocation. Rather than every individual or project applying directly to the treasury, SPEs serve as intermediaries with expertise in their domains, making informed decisions on how funds should be distributed to achieve the greatest impact.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Current Special Purpose Entities (SPEs) in the Livepeer Ecosystem

The Livepeer ecosystem is supported by a diverse range of Special Purpose Entities (SPEs), each dedicated to addressing specific needs within the network. These SPEs enable targeted innovation and growth by focusing on particular areas, from AI advancements to education and community building. Below is a summary of the active SPEs and their focus areas:

🏛️ GovWorkss SPE: Oversees governance and treasury management, ensuring transparency and accountability across all SPEs.
🤖 AI Video SPE: Develops AI-based video compute capabilities and fosters innovation in video processing.
☁ Cloud SPE: Enhances accessibility by integrating Livepeer into open-source media servers and deploying public broadcasters.
🎓 Education & Experience Focused SPE Focuses on creating impactful educational initiatives and user experiences within the Livepeer ecosystem.
🧠LLM SPE Introduces Large Language Model (LLM) capabilities to expand AI offerings on the Livepeer network.

Each SPE represents a specialized focus area, ensuring a well-rounded and targeted approach to innovation and growth within the Livepeer ecosystem. Find more detailed information about current and upcoming SPEs in the SPE Dashboard.

🏛GovWorks: A Meta-SPE

🏛️ GovWorks SPE is a meta-governance SPE within the Livepeer ecosystem, responsible for overseeing the effective management of the onchain treasury and ensuring that governance processes are transparent, accountable, and decentralized.

Responsibilities

GovWorkss has several important responsibilities in the Livepeer ecosystem:

Governance Oversight	It ensures that the governance processes within Livepeer are efficient and transparent. This includes overseeing governance-related Livepeer Improvement Proposals (LIPs) and ensuring that decisions align with the network’s mission of decentralization and ecosystem growth.
Treasury Stewardship	GovWorks manages the allocation of funds from the onchain treasury, advising on strategic spending to support impactful projects while maintaining long-term financial sustainability.
SPE Support and Coordination	It helps other SPEs by providing best practices, proposal templates, and frameworks for accountability. GovWorks reviews SPE proposals to ensure they meet governance standards and align with the ecosystem’s needs.
Accountability and Reporting	GovWorks monitors the performance of funded SPEs, ensuring they meet their milestones and regularly report to the community. It conducts reviews and audits which are reported in quarterly and annual reports to maintain transparency in the use of treasury funds.

Structure

GovWorks is composed of two main groups:

Committee Members: These individuals are responsible for strategic decision-making. The committee consists of:
- 1 Chair: An external individual or entity providing oversight and impartial leadership.
- 3 Livepeer Inc. members: Selected from Livepeer Inc. for their operational and technical expertise.
- 3 Community-elected Members: Representing the broader Livepeer community to ensure decentralized governance.