Highlighting how Ethereum has grown and the stories of the people who built it. 10 years in crypto is like a century in other industries, and we want to understand our history, together. We are in this industry to build a better future, and we want to hear from those putting it in place.
Hangout #10: Curating Ethereum's Future with Jacob Willemsa of ETH Global
Episode Description
Jacob Willemsma joins us to share the remarkable journey of ETH Global from a single hackathon in Waterloo, Canada in 2017 to a worldwide network spanning six continents. As someone who's been part of the organization since its earliest days, Jacob reveals how a simple "no price talk" rule set the tone for eight years of builder-focused community building that has shaped Ethereum's developer ecosystem.
In this conversation, we explore ETH Global's evolution from organizing the largest hackathon in Canada to curating developer communities across 25+ cities worldwide. Jacob shares invaluable insights on building authentic crypto communities, the manual curation process behind quality events, and how local communities can attract global attention.
What We Cover
The Global Community RevolutionHow ETH Global works: hackathons, applications, manual curation by handFrom 100 attendees in Waterloo to 25,000 applications in India
Why manual review beats algorithmic selection for community quality
From Idea to ExecutionThe right place, right time story that started ETH Global in 2017Building events in cities they'd never visited before across 6 continentsRevenue evolution: grants, partnerships, and becoming self-sustaining
Technical and Strategic DecisionsWhy Ethereum over other chains for community-driven experiencesThe relationship with Ethereum Foundation and credible neutralityHow hackathons serve as early indicators of ecosystem health
Marketing and Community BuildingCreating authentic experiences that developers want to shareThe importance of local community cultivation before global eventsHow to identify and nurture emerging developer hubs worldwide
The Business of Developer CommunitiesPartnership strategies with ecosystem companies and sponsorsThe manual curation process that maintains event qualityScaling community building while preserving authenticity
Key Insights for Builders
Manual curation beats algorithmic selection - Quality community requires human touch
Build for your community first - Authentic product-market fit comes from serving real needs
Local communities are the foundation - Global success starts with strong local roots
Be a net promoter of the technology - Everyone can contribute to ecosystem growth
Right place, right time, right people - Success often comes from recognizing opportunities
Focus on builders, not speculators - Sustainable communities form around shared creation
About Jacob
Jacob Willemsma works on partnerships and growth at ETH Global, where he's been instrumental in expanding the organization's reach across six continents. A University of Waterloo computer science graduate, Jacob was present at the first ETH Waterloo event in 2017 and has been part of almost every ETH Global event since. His work focuses on building relationships with ecosystem partners and identifying emerging developer communities worldwide.
About 10 Years of Ethereum
This podcast celebrates Ethereum's 10th anniversary by highlighting the builders, creators, and visionaries who shaped the ecosystem. From DeFi pioneers to NFT artists, from Layer 2 innovators to community builders - we're documenting the human stories behind the technological revolution.
Hosts:
Chinmay Patel - https://twitter.com/chinmaydoteth (https://twitter.com/chinmaydoteth) | https://warpcast.com/chinmaydoteth (https://warpcast.com/chinmaydoteth) | Basket.farm
Marvyn Paul - https://twitter.com/mpweb3wordsmith (https://twitter.com/mpweb3wordsmith) | https://warpcast.com/marvp (https://warpcast.com/marvp) | https://linktr.ee/marvynpaul (https://linktr.ee/marvynpaul)
Contact: 10yearsofeth@proton.me (mailto:10yearsofeth@proton.me)
Show Links:
Website: https://pods.media/10-years-of-ethereum (https://pods.media/10-years-of-ethereum)
Twitter: https://twitter.com/10yearsofeth (https://twitter.com/10yearsofeth)
Marvyn's Other Podcast: Is This the New Internet - https://pods.media/is-this-the-new-internet (https://pods.media/is-this-the-new-internet)
30 Jul 2025
Hangout #9: Onboarding Web3 Builders with Nader Dabit of Eigenlayer
Nader Dabit is one of the most respected Developer Relations leaders in Web3, currently serving as Director of DevRel at EigenLayer. In this episode, we dive deep into his incredible journey from starting programming at 30 to becoming a key figure in Ethereum's developer ecosystem.
In this conversation, we explore Nader's transition from AWS to Ethereum, the founding story behind Developer DAO, and what EigenLayer is building with restaking technology. Nader shares invaluable insights on developer relations in Web3, the importance of building in public, and how to create developer communities that actually drive adoption.
What We Cover
The Developer Relations Role• What DevRel actually means and why it's crucial for Web3 adoption• How to measure success in an inherently subjective role• Building developer communities that drive real growth
EigenLayer and Restaking• What restaking is and why it matters for Ethereum's future• How EigenLayer enables any programming language with L1 security• The most promising applications being built with restaking technology
Developer Community Evolution• How Ethereum's developer community has changed over 10 years• The founding story and impact of Developer DAO• What's still missing to get mainstream developers excited about Ethereum
Educational Impact & Content Creation• How dropping out of high school shaped Nader's approach to developer education• The content he's most proud of and where newcomers should start• How developer education needs have evolved in Web3
Looking Forward: Next Decade• Bold predictions for Ethereum's next 10 years• Developer tooling trends that could have outsized impact• Advice for developers starting their Ethereum journey in 2025
Key Insights for Builders• Start with passion, add crypto thoughtfully - unstoppable systems beat faster networks• Building in public accelerates career growth and opportunities• The best Web3 companies build both protocols AND applications• Developer experience at the protocol level is now more important than individual tools• LLMs have revolutionized developer onboarding more than any single advancement
About NaderNader is the Director of Developer Relations at EigenLayer and co-founder of Developer DAO. Before Web3, he worked at Amazon Web Services building developer tools and abstractions for cloud applications. Despite starting programming at 30, Nader has become one of the most influential voices in Web3 developer education and community building.
About 10 Years of EthereumThis podcast celebrates Ethereum's 10th anniversary by highlighting the builders, creators, and visionaries who shaped the ecosystem. From DeFi pioneers to NFT artists, from Layer 2 innovators to community builders - we're documenting the human stories behind the technological revolution.
Hosts:Chinmay Patel - https://twitter.com/chinmaydoteth | https://warpcast.com/chinmaydoteth | Basket.farm
Marvyn Paul - https://twitter.com/mpweb3wordsmith | https://warpcast.com/marvp | https://linktr.ee/marvynpaul
Contact: 10yearsofeth@proton.me
Show Links:Website: https://pods.media/10-years-of-ethereumTwitter: https://twitter.com/10yearsofeth
Marvyn's Other Podcast: Is This the New Internet - https://pods.media/is-this-the-new-internet
27 Jun 2025
Hangout #8: Web3's Sherpa: How 0xGramajo Guides Others Through Ethereum
Content creator 0xGramajo discusses his journey from Bitcoin to Ethereum, his "Sherpa mentality" for Web3 education, and building authentic communities in decentralized social media, in an interview with Marvyn Paul and Chinmay Patel.
13 Jun 2025
Hangout 7: Demo Day: AI Agents, Mini Apps & Frictionless DeFi with Samuel Huber, Vishal Mathur & ViperNFT
Samuel Huber, Vishal Mathur, and ViperNFT demonstrate AI agents and mini apps on Ethereum, as Chinmay Patel and Marvyn Paul discover how these innovations reduce friction and increase adoption in DeFi and social feeds in this interview.
12 Jun 2025
Hangout 6: How To Create A Quality Community in Web3 with Jeff Kauffman
Web3 marketer Jeff Kauffman shares his counterintuitive strategies for building strong Web3 communities, including a unique newsletter approach and insights on engaging early adopters, in an interview with Chinmay Patel and Marvyn Paul.
10 Jun 2025
Hangout 5: How Dylan Abruscato made Crypto's Most Captivating Game
Dylan Abruscato, creator of Crypto the Game, discusses the evolution and insights behind building viral crypto products and creating engaging on-chain experiences in an interview with Chinmay Patel and Marvyn Paul.
5 Jun 2025
Hangout 4: Revolutionizing Creator Monetization with Lucas Campbell & Dan Simmons of Pods Media
Lucas Campbell and Dan Simmons of Pods Media discuss revolutionizing creator monetization through blockchain technology and solving podcasting's innovation gap in this interview with Chinmay Patel and Marvyn Paul.
2 Jun 2025
Hangout 3: Zero Knowledge Proofs & Ethereum's Privacy Future with Anish Mohammed
Cryptographer Anish Mohammed explains zero-knowledge proofs and Ethereum's privacy future, exploring Layer 2 scaling and the critical intersection of AI risk and cryptographic guardrails in a conversation with Chinmay Patel and Marvyn Paul.
29 May 2025
Hangout 2: Empowering Creativity with Ethereum featuring Adrienne from GM Farcaster and Humpty from CryptoSapiens
Adrienne Schulman and Humpty Calderon discuss how Web3 creators build audiences and sustainable businesses through strategies like community building and diversifying revenue streams in this interview.
26 May 2025
Hangout 1: The Ethereum Foundation with Josh Stark and Jason Chaskin
Ethereum Foundation's Josh Stark and Jason Chaskin discuss the challenges and rewards of building on Ethereum, highlighting the balance between decentralization and coordination, in an interview that explores the platform's future.
Who has been a guest on Celebrating 10 Years of Ethereum
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
0xGramajo
Samuel Huber
Vishal Mathur
ViperNFT
Jeff Kauffman
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YouTube views
617
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Podcast Authority Score: 55 / 100
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Quality
81
Social presence
0
YouTube
72
Engagement
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