From: thepipeline_xyz
The announcement of Devnet marked a significant milestone for Monad supporters worldwide [00:00:10]. Unice, a co-founder and COO of Monad, joined the “Pipeline” podcast to discuss this and more, providing insights into the project’s evolution [00:00:27].
Evolution of the Monad Team
Monad began as a software company, with improvements driven by iterations of code development [00:08:13]. Approximately 12 months prior to this discussion, the team consisted of about seven heavily engineering-focused individuals [00:09:19]. Rewinding to 16 months prior, the company was in its very early startup phase, characterized by extensive whiteboarding and discussions on architecting a complex system while maintaining compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) protocol [00:09:41].
Shifting Work Environment
Initially, Monad operated as a remote company, aligning with the global nature of crypto and the desire to find talent wherever it exists [00:10:51]. However, around 14 months prior to the discussion, a “critical mass” of two people in New York led to the decision to establish an office space for occasional collaboration [00:11:11]. This initial six-person WeWork office, used a few times a week, quickly expanded into a 25-person office [00:11:36]. The team recognized significant benefits from this in-person presence, particularly for core engineering, ecosystem, and business development teams, despite not viewing in-person work as an “end all be all” [00:12:03]. This growth led to Monad securing an entire floor in an office space in the Nomad neighborhood of New York, coincidentally sharing letters with “Monad” [00:13:36].
Monad Community Dynamics
The growth of the team has been mirrored by the significant development of the Monad community [00:13:10]. Bill has been instrumental in building the community’s culture since day one [00:13:22]. The community is noted for its creativity, producing artwork, themed nails, and music (both AI-generated and otherwise) [00:14:08]. The level of engagement is high, with thousands of unread messages a day [00:13:57].
Ecosystem Development
On the ecosystem development side, Monad has engaged in productive conversations with various project teams [00:14:31]. These include teams interested in expanding to the Monad ecosystem as part of a multi-chain strategy, as well as teams new to crypto looking to build Monad-native applications [00:14:40]. The discussions have shifted from fundamental questions like “why an L1?” to more specific inquiries about Monad’s testnet plans, indicating a growing understanding of Monad’s vision and the need for a high-performing L1 [00:15:09].
Looking Ahead
Monad remains focused on its primary goal: launching a strong mainnet [00:17:41]. To achieve this, the team continues to expand across all areas, especially in engineering and ecosystem support [00:17:52].
Unice uses an analogy to describe the relationship between the Monad blockchain, its ecosystem, and its community:
- The Monad blockchain is the “skeleton” [00:18:32].
- The ecosystem of applications, tooling, and infrastructure are the “muscles and tendons” [00:18:39].
- The community – the people – is the “beating heart,” essential for bringing the “body” to life [00:18:46].
In the coming year, Monad plans to increase its physical presence at various conferences and may even host its own events in New York, including a potential hackathon further down the line [00:19:01]. This increased presence aims to further engage with the broader ecosystem and educate developers on Monad’s offerings [00:19:11]. Recognition of Monad has grown significantly, with people stopping team members at events like EthDenver [00:20:00].
Monad also plans to release new merchandise and designs in the coming months, encouraging community members to seek out team members at conferences for swag or stay updated through official channels [00:22:00].