The Ethereum Foundation (EF) has integrated its protocol research and development units under a single banner called the protocol. June 2nd.
The new initiative will focus resources on three technical priorities: scaling the base layer, increasing the blob capacity of the Layer 2 network, and enhancing the user experience.
3-Track Plan
The protocol operates codewriters, researchers, and project coordinators towards a shared roadmap that treats these priorities as the sole benchmarks of funding and staffing.
Tim Baiko and Ansgar Dietrich lead the work on a base layer scale, Alex Stokes and Francesco Damat oversee the design of the layer 2 throughput and blob, while Barnabe Monotto and Josh Rudolph direct the project of users and experience. Additionally, Dankrad Feist advises each track.
The foundation has constructed the ZKEVM rollup, a response to rapid advancements in hardened Layer-2 systems, and a reconstruction in response to the wider demand for Ethereum as a settlement engine.
By grouping teams under a single roof, the protocol aims to shorten the path from research papers to production code, creating a closer feedback loop across client, encryption, and interface efforts.
Leaning teams and clear accountability
The protocol is currently operating with fewer staff. The foundation confirmed that some researchers and engineers set out during the reorganization and encouraged other Ethereum companies to adopt them.
Team Leads must have an explicit responsibility for code quality and peer review, demonstrating measurable advances in three priorities at regular checkpoints.
The new structure will also coordinate Ethereum’s internal governance forum. The protocol will remake schedule meetings and propose new venues for community input on hard fork timing, security reviews and blob pricing policies.
The foundation manager said the goal is to translate on-chain signals and developer feedback into releases without drifting.
The protocol opened searches for user experience and performance engineering leads, inviting additional applicants with kernel-level or encryption expertise.
The group is planning a joint workshop with external client teams and Layer 2 Builders to improve execution layer changes and blob compression techniques prior to the next network upgrade.
The protocol will start working immediately under the new framework.