The art of gamifying social impact

Blockchain’s real promise has little to do with crypto. While the technology is often tied to speculative trading, its potential for real-world impact remains largely overlooked. Rather than forcing people to adapt to blockchain, what if it adapted to them?

That’s the vision of Andrew Berkowitz, founder of ValuesCo. In an exclusive interview with The Crypto Radio, he explained how his company is quietly embedding blockchain into mainstream consumer apps – powering positive social actions without users even realizing it.

“When tens of thousands of people are doing these actions, it is creating meaningful momentum towards that goal,” Berkowitz said. “We are seeing that this next generation of consumers want to connect with brands that are more authentic, more collaborative than the typical static advertising”

ValuesCo challenges the conventional view of blockchain as a niche tool for finance. Instead, it transforms routine behaviors into a catalyst for societal good through gamified, purpose-driven campaigns.

The invisible blockchain powering mainstream innovation

ValuesCo’s strategy is to embed blockchain deep within its products so that users benefit from its advantages without facing its complexity.

By focusing on mainstream consumer applications rather than crypto-native products, the company aims to drive everyday engagement that feels natural and intuitive.

“We've been building since day one with the vision of building a product with blockchain underneath the hood,” Berkowitz said. “We're leveraging the blockchain for gamification… NFTs (non-fungble tokens) for a kind of enhanced type of digital collectible… where you wouldn't know it was a blockchain-based product”.

This behind-the-scenes approach allows brands to leverage cutting-edge technology while offering a familiar, seamless experience. The result is a digital ecosystem that enhances transparency and security without overwhelming the user.

At the heart of ValuesCo’s offering is a dual reward system that marries on-chain tokens with off-chain incentives. The platform rewards users with micro-transactions – small digital tokens for each action – while also offering tangible benefits such as gift cards and discounts.

“Sometimes we need to be rewarded to take that initial step to build momentum in our life, where it just becomes a natural thing for us,” Berkowitz said.

ValuesCo’s research indicates that younger generations, especially Gen Z, value social recognition over material rewards. The platform taps into this mindset by allowing influencers and creators to acknowledge positive behaviors publicly, reinforcing the emotional and social benefits of participation.

Gamifying real-world actions for social impact

Brands create challenges that inspire users to take small, real-world actions – like starting a home compost. Photo: Unsplash / Lenka Dzurendova

ValuesCo’s platform transforms everyday actions into gamified experiences that contribute to social causes. Campaigns are built around themes like climate, sustainability, mental health, and civic engagement – areas that resonate deeply with modern consumers.

In these campaigns, brands design challenges that encourage users to take small, real-world steps. Whether it’s starting a home compost, taking the bus for a week, or joining a clothing swap, every action is a move toward a larger goal.

“The way we've kind of put this product together is brands come to us to launch their own kind of branded, white-labeled, gamified campaign,” he said. 

A flagship example of ValuesCo’s approach is the Get Out the Vote initiative, launched in October during the last US election cycle. The campaign mobilized young voters by encouraging them to take crucial actions such as learning about early voting options, checking voter registration, and locating their local polling places. 

Collaborations with prominent brands like Lyft and Snoop Dogg’s ice cream company, alongside a voting nonprofit and around 60 Gen Z-focused creators, helped tailor the initiative to resonate deeply with its target audience.

As a result, the campaign recorded roughly 40,000 actions and distributed tens of thousands of dollars in rewards to participants. This example illustrates how gamification can drive meaningful momentum in civic engagement – transforming everyday actions into a collective force for social change.

Application of AI in gamifying change

Advancements in vision artificial intelligence (AI) tech have enabled the platform to verify user actions with impressive accuracy. 

“You are basically just feeding photos and videos to AI, and then you're able to ask structured questions that tell you, 'Yes, the user did this', 'No, the user did not do this',” Berkowitz explained. “Each specific action is going to have different kinds of process flows for verification.”

This approach allows the system to confirm activities – whether it’s tracking a meditation session or verifying a friendly hug – by analyzing visual data and applying structured criteria.

Beyond basic verification, AI is set to play a key role in moderating user-generated content and ensuring accountability. Berkowitz noted that as the technology advances, it “becomes easier to just kind of pass off the moderation of this stuff to the AI.” 

Looking ahead, ValuesCo is preparing to launch a new product tailored for crypto-native traders. 

Big changes don’t always come from sweeping movements—sometimes, they start with the smallest actions. By rewarding daily behaviors with blockchain-powered incentives, ValuesCo is proving that impact doesn’t have to feel like a sacrifice.

In an age where digital engagement is second nature, turning participation into progress might just be the key to lasting social change.

 

Listen to the whole interview on The Crypto Radio's live player or in Chain Breakers podcast.