Web3 emerged in response to the inadequacies of centralized institutions in managing financial and social infrastructure, emphasizing trust-minimized distributed networks like blockchains. Central to Web3's ethos are decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), which utilize blockchain-based smart contracts to enable transparent and democratic governance of shared assets and open-source infrastructure. DAOs represent a shift toward collective decision-making without relying on traditional hierarchical structures, offering transparency, democratization, and global participation. However, they face tradeoffs, such as balancing decentralization with efficiency and navigating dynamics between early and late-stage members. DAOs are still evolving, and their success will depend on how well they manage these tradeoffs while experimenting with governance structures that align with diverse community values.