Ethereum has added a new independent research organization backed by Joe Lubin, Bitmine and Sharplink, bringing together five former Ethereum Foundation researchers.
Summary
- Ethlabs launches with the support of Joe Lubin, Bitmine, Sharplink and other contributors to the Ethereum ecosystem.
- Five former Ethereum Foundation researchers have joined the non-profit organization to focus on core protocol research.
- The organization will study scaling, settlement, interoperability and infrastructure for institutional adoption.
According to a advertisement from Ethlabs, the newly launched non-profit research group has garnered support from Bitmine, Sharplink, Anchorage, Octant, SNZ and other participants in the Ethereum ecosystem.
The organization did not disclose how much funding it has received.
Founded by former Ethereum Foundation senior researchers Ansgar Dietrichs, Barnabé Monnot, Caspar Schwarz Schilling, Josh Rudolf, and Julian Ma, Ethlabs was created as an independent institution focused on technical research for the Ethereum network. The group said its work will cover areas including settlement speed, network capacity, native asset issuance, cross-chain interoperability, and Ethereum’s monetary design.
The launch comes as the Ethereum development ecosystem increasingly relies on independent organizations alongside the Ethereum Foundation.
Ethlabs said the structure gives researchers a dedicated home with long-term funding while allowing them to continue working on core questions of the protocol.
Ethlabs focuses on the infrastructure that institutions need
Its founding members include researchers who have previously contributed to Ethereum’s work on scaling, finality, data availability, protocol economics, and virtual machine development.
In a statement accompanying the launch, CEO Ansgar Dietrichs said Ethlabs was established to advance Ethereum’s core technology and supporting infrastructure used by AI institutions, developers, and autonomous systems.
“As long-time contributors to the core protocol, we are establishing an independent nonprofit organization to advance the core technology of Ethereum and the shared standards and infrastructure builders they depend on.”
The organization said its research priorities are tied to growing blockchain activity involving stablecoins, tokenized assets, investment products and AI-powered trading. According to Ethlabs, improvements are needed in these areas as more financial activity moves to public blockchain networks.
Commenting on the initiative, Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin said that Ethlabs would operate as another management organization alongside the Ethereum Foundation and other independent groups working on Ethereum development.
Institutional supporters expand Ethereum commitments
The support from public companies comes as some corporate sponsors continue to increase their exposure to Ethereum. as before reported According to crypto.news, Bitmine recently acquired another 52,203 ETH worth approximately $90 million, bringing its holdings to approximately 4.7% of the total Ethereum supply.
Addressing the need for additional research investment, Bitmine President Tom Lee said Ethereum could see substantial adoption by institutions and AI agents, increasing demand for protocol research and technical expertise.
Sharplink CEO Joseph Chalom linked the funding decision to what he described as “the beginning of an institutional supercycle on Ethereum.” According to Chalom, supporting core protocol researchers represents a direct way for the company to contribute to the long-term development of the network.
Despite receiving funding from companies and ecosystem participants, Ethlabs said research decisions will remain independent. Contributions will be handled through a third-party grant administrator responsible for evaluating, selecting and distributing funds.
Under the structure outlined by Ethlabs, contributors will receive quarterly reports and annual independent audits, but will have no authority over research priorities, technical roadmaps or organizational decisions.
