The recent SSV Network DAO Meetup in Berlin brought together key stakeholders, including SSV DAO committee members, SSV Labs, SSV Foundation, and SSV Divers. This bi-annual event serves as a crucial platform for discussing the future of the SSV Network protocol and ecosystem, according to SSV Network.

Community and Contributor Engagement

The meetup highlighted the contributions of SSVDivers, who have been instrumental in expanding community engagement and supporting new operators. Their efforts were celebrated, emphasizing the importance of community-driven initiatives in the SSV ecosystem.

Operational Enhancements and Budget Strategy

Ben, the DAO Facilitator and Coordinator, discussed the need for improved monitoring and alerting systems to support the ecosystem’s builders. The focus on tooling aims to provide participants with essential metrics and insights for efficient business operations.

Budget discussions were central to the meetup, particularly around the grants program. The SSV DAO has committed $5 million to support ecosystem growth, with 26 grants completed and 46 more in the pipeline. Detailed budget specifics will be released on the forum for community discussions.

Inclusion of Solo Stakers

GBeast, head of the Validator Operations Committee (VOC), provided updates on including solo stakers in the Validator Operator (VO) program. New rules focusing on fairness and transparency were introduced, marking a significant milestone for decentralizing Ethereum. The VOC is also working on improving data availability and streamlining the onboarding process for solo stakers.

SSV Labs: Focus on Scalability

Taiga from SSV Labs shared plans for optimizing the network’s infrastructure and scalability. The network has already surpassed $3 billion in Total Value Locked (TVL), making performance maintenance a top priority. One notable update is the Alan fork, which aims to reduce network messages by up to 90%. Research into various optimizations is ongoing to implement sustainable long-term solutions.

The SSV Labs team is also investigating operator performance to build tools that help operators improve their setups, ensuring the network remains robust despite continued growth.

SSV Foundation: Building Trust

Elad from the SSV Foundation outlined plans for creating a compliant, transparent, and efficient foundation to support the DAO’s goals. The foundation will focus on building trust through KYC/KYB processes and streamlining agreements and contracts. For 2025, long-term budget planning and treasury management are top priorities.

Looking Ahead: Budget and Sustainability

The meetup also focused on financial planning to support various initiatives within the ecosystem. The DAO is proposing a budget framework for the next four years, aiming to clarify its goals and the means to achieve them. The community will be informed about these plans in the coming weeks.

The next meetup is scheduled for six months from now, continuing the tradition of bi-annual gatherings to review progress and set future goals.

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