Former Ethereum Foundation researchers launch Ethlabs

A group of former Ethereum Foundation researchers has launched Ethlabs, a new non-profit organisation focused on Ethereum research and development. The initiative is backed by well-known names such as Bitmine, SharpLink, Joe Lubin, Anchorage, Octant and SNZ.

Ethereum is available at OKX and Bybit.

Who is behind Ethlabs?

The founding team consists of five familiar faces from the Ethereum world: Ansgar Dietrichs, Barnabé Monnot, Caspar Schwarz-Schilling, Josh Rudolf and Julian Ma. All have previously contributed to the Ethereum Foundation before making the move to this new project.

Notably, Bitmine recently expanded its Ethereum holdings to $567 million in ETH, further illustrating its involvement in the ecosystem. The organisation states it operates independently, with research priorities determined by its own leadership and financiers having no influence on the technical direction.

What is Ethlabs focusing on?

Ethlabs is targeting a broad range of Ethereum protocol issues, including settlement efficiency, scalability, interoperability between different blockchains, data availability and the protocol’s own economics. These are precisely the areas where the network needs to evolve further in the coming years.

The launch comes at a time of increased discussion around Ethereum’s future. For instance, an Ethereum developer recently warned about a potential staking cartel in plans concerning validator financing. The founders of Ethlabs see their organisation as an independent counterpart that focuses purely on technical progress. The Ethereum price stands at $1.648,44 at the time of writing, a drop of 5.6% in the past 24 hours.