Status Update
Hi all,
We wanted to provide an update on the current status of Catalyst.
As you know, we closely co-developed the program with Matter Labs and the Foundation over the past few months, doubling down on the focus on ZK Chain Growth programs and VC matching.
While we have now aligned out the key elements of the proposal—having iterated with delegates, chains, ML and ZKF to the greatest extent—ML and ZKF are evaluating how best to engage with the community and TPPs going forward and no longer have the capacity to serve on this TPP’s SteerCo.
With these seats opening up on the SteerCo, we are also discussing ways to streamline the proposal and make it easier to digest and de-risk, given that it is less reliant on ML and ZKF as core contributors.
The focus on the app layer that we aligned with many of you remains unchanged. We are considering the following key changes to be published soon:
- Reduce complexity: Amplify the simplicity of the mechanism design and reduce the cognitive load of the programme.
- Reduce size: Start with a pilot first to prove value and de-risk, before scaling up fund size.
- Restaff the committee: With ML and ZKF no longer on the SteerCo, we are exploring options for a committee function with a similar level of expertise and commitment.
Our current ambition is not to solve everything in one program or have the perfect version from the start, but rather to find effective ways get funds to builders effectively. We want this program to coexist with other TPPs led by contributors, service providers, ML, and ZKF, and we hope that with a more narrow focus, it can fit better into the portfolio.
With this, we also hope to provide a good test case for the first fully externally set-up TPP. We aim to lead this as a true DAO proposal with full transparency, allowing all parties—including delegates, service providers, ML, and ZKF—to learn from the process.
In discussions with many skilled builders in the ZK ecosystem, and given the current lack of visibility regarding who is working on what, we are exploring ways to integrate their skill sets into future iterations of the program.
We look forward to engaging further with all parties on the way forward.
P.S. Thanks for your patience. We recognize that these iteration cycles have taken longer than usual as we worked to rally the different stakeholders.
Looking forward to your feedback and any smart ideas.