Nikolas Sargeant
The Ethereum Foundation has implemented significant organizational changes, reducing its research and development workforce while consolidating operations under a newly branded "Protocol" division designed to accelerate blockchain development priorities.
The foundation announced these strategic modifications in a Monday blog post, positioning the restructuring as essential preparation for Ethereum's transition to global adoption. The organization emphasized its commitment to deploying both technological innovations and core values at unprecedented scale.
The newly formed Protocol division operates around three fundamental objectives: enhancing Layer 1 scalability, optimizing blob scaling mechanisms, and delivering superior user experiences. Each priority area now features dedicated strategic initiatives with assigned leadership teams to ensure focused resource allocation and clear accountability measures.
Workforce Optimization Creates Focused Development Teams
Foundation officials characterized the organizational changes as a necessary evolution from previous operational methods. The restructuring creates what leadership describes as a more unified and efficient organization with specialized teams capable of rapid response to development challenges.
The transition affected multiple research and development team members who will no longer continue with the Ethereum Foundation. However, the organization actively encourages community members to recruit these talented individuals, expressing hope they will remain active contributors within the broader Ethereum ecosystem.
Strategic Leadership Appointments Drive Technical Priorities
The Protocol division's leadership structure reflects the foundation's commitment to specialized expertise across critical development areas. Tim Beiko and Ansgar Dietrichs will spearhead Layer 1 scaling initiatives, while Alex Stokes and Francesco D'Amato assume responsibility for Layer 2 scaling advancement.
User experience improvements fall under the guidance of Barnabé Monnot and Josh Rudolf, ensuring that technical developments translate into practical benefits for ecosystem participants. Dankrad Feist provides strategic oversight across all three focus areas, maintaining coordination between specialized teams.
The foundation emphasized that each strategic goal now connects to specific Protocol initiatives, creating collaborative workspaces that leverage complementary skills and expertise.
Ethereum's increasingly complex technical roadmap demands accelerated iteration cycles and enhanced collaboration frameworks. The foundation recognizes that successful transition from research concepts to production implementations requires streamlined feedback mechanisms and tighter integration between development phases.
The Protocol division actively seeks new contributors, particularly for leadership positions including UX Lead and Performance Engineering Lead roles, signaling continued expansion despite workforce reductions.
