Former Ethereum Foundation researcher Francesco D’Amato has joined independent protocol research group Ethlabs, extending the movement of core Ethereum developers into organizations operating outside the Foundation.
Summary
- Former Ethereum Foundation researcher Francesco D’Amato has joined Ethlabs after five years to continue Ethereum protocol research.
- D’Amato said he will keep working on faster Ethereum finality while helping Ethlabs expand its protocol research team.
- The move adds to a growing number of independent Ethereum organizations formed by former Foundation researchers following the Foundation’s restructuring.
According to a statement shared by Ethereum Foundation researcher Francesco D’Amato on X, he has left the Ethereum Foundation after five years to join Ethlabs, a nonprofit protocol research organization established by former Foundation researchers to continue Ethereum core development.
During his time at EF Research, D’Amato said he worked across several protocol research areas, including maximal extractable value (MEV), consensus mechanisms, data availability sampling, and execution layer pricing. He described the decision to leave as difficult but said the current period of change made it the right moment for “a new beginning.”
“Leaving that behind is hard, but after 5 years this time of great change seems right for a new beginning,” D’Amato wrote.
He added that, for the first time since beginning Ethereum protocol research, he believes there is “a credible shot” for core research to advance outside the Ethereum Foundation.
At Ethlabs, he said he will work alongside former EF colleagues to expand the organization’s protocol research efforts, bring new researchers into the ecosystem, and continue contributing to Ethereum’s long-term technical roadmap.
Among his priorities, D’Amato said he intends to keep working on reducing Ethereum’s transaction finality time, stating that he plans to focus much of his effort on helping Ethereum “finalize much faster, as soon as possible.”
Ethlabs expands its research team
Ethlabs launched in June as an independent nonprofit research organization founded by former Ethereum Foundation researchers Ansgar Dietrichs, Barnabé Monnot, Caspar Schwarz Schilling, Josh Rudolf, and Julian Ma. The organization said its research spans settlement speed, network capacity, native asset issuance, cross-chain interoperability, and Ethereum’s monetary design.
Backed by Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin, Bitmine, SharpLink, Anchorage, Octant, SNZ, and other Ethereum ecosystem participants, Ethlabs has said its research priorities are tied to growing institutional use of Ethereum for stablecoins, tokenized assets, investment products, and AI-driven commerce.
The group has also stated that research decisions remain independent despite corporate funding, with contributions managed through an external grants administrator.
When the organization launched, executive director Ansgar Dietrichs said Ethlabs was created to advance Ethereum’s core technology while providing a long-term home for protocol researchers outside the Ethereum Foundation. Lubin described the organization as another stewardship body working alongside the Foundation and other independent contributors to Ethereum’s development.
Ethereum development spreads beyond the Foundation
D’Amato’s move comes as the Ethereum Foundation continues reshaping its internal structure and as more protocol work shifts to independent organizations.
Last month, the Foundation reduced its workforce by 54 positions, or about 20%, following a review of its staffing and long-term responsibilities. It later dissolved its Protocol Support team while reorganizing its remaining work into dedicated divisions covering protocol development, users, community, access, and institutional activity.
The restructuring has also led to the creation of new Ethereum-focused organizations. Earlier this month, former Foundation employees Mo Jalil, Oskar Thorén, and Aaryamann Challani launched EthSystems, a for-profit company building confidential infrastructure for regulated financial institutions on Ethereum with backing from Bitmine, SharpLink, and Lubin.
