NEAR TAKES THE SPOTLIGHT AT ETHDENVER 2023 : DISCOVER THE NEXT-GENERATION BOS
March 2nd, 2023, Denver, Colorado: ETHDenver is an annual blockchain conference that brings together developers, entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts from around the world to explore the latest innovations in the blockchain ecosystem.
What originally started as an Ethereum-focused event, has expanded over the years to include all kinds of blockchains and Web3 projects. The event is made up of workshops, hackathons, and keynote speeches, and is well recognised for its many networking opportunities. This year was no exception.
An Event Dedicated to Developers
At ETHDenver, attendees can learn from industry experts and participate in hands-on activities to develop their blockchain skills through programs like Camp Buidl. The hackathon is a popular feature of the conference, providing developers with the chance to work on real-world blockchain projects and win prizes, presenting the final result to judges and a large final-day crowd. ETHDenver also features a variety of exhibits and booths showcasing the latest products and services in the blockchain industry.
The conference encourages collaboration and creativity, with a focus on building a more decentralized and equitable future. It is known for its inclusive and welcoming atmosphere, with attendees from diverse backgrounds and skill levels coming together to share knowledge and ideas. For many attending, ETHDenver is a chance to meet people who you might only know digitally. There’s a power in these personal interactions.
NEAR Day
NEAR Protocol was one of the major players at ETHDenver in 2023. This year, the protocol had its own dedicated NEAR Day: a full-day event at the main Genesis Stage on Thursday. Following the series of NEAR-focused talks, keynotes, and workshops, NEAR sponsored the opening night party at the Mission Ballroom with world class DJs and a chance for VIPs to network beforehand. Additionally, many of Near’s biggest names gave talks at smaller stages throughout the conference, including Illia Polosukhin, Marieke Flament, Matt Lockyer, and Alex Chiocchi.
Marcus, Ecosystem Relations at Near Foundation, had this to say about NEAR’s presence at ETHDenver, including a major protocol announcement:
‘There’s better turnout than expected, the NEAR booth is buzzing; lots of people here are showing an interest, especially following the Blockchain Operating System announcement. Looking around, I see doors opening to lots of new opportunities.’
—Marcus, NEAR Foundation
An Introduction to BOS
NEAR announced during NEAR Day that it is now positioning itself as a Blockchain Operating System (BOS). In essence, BOS allows developers to build any decentralised front-end using NEAR. The blockchain space is currently fragmented as there exist a plethora of different identities across networks, BOS solves this by allowing users and develoers to experience the best of the Open Web in one place without neesing to worry about what underlying chain is being used. BOS creates a more seamless Open Wenb experience, allowing NEAR’s infrastructure to pioneer solutions and applications that haven’t seen before.
A Summary of Major NEAR Announcements
Here is a brief recap of the most important presentations during NEAR Day:
Illia Polosukhin : A Decentralized Developer Platform
Illia discusses the recent announcement of a new NEAR layer that allows for the creation of decentralised front-ends to be built on top of existing data stacks, making it possible to build applications that are fully decentralised. He touches upon NEAR’s primary mission to make Web3 simple, secure, and scalable, and highlights the focus NEAR places on user and developer tooling to create an end-to-end experience.
Illia discusses his background in machine learning and how NEAR came to be, and highlights exciting use cases for NEAR. These include: NFT marketplaces, decentralised order books, and streamlined funding. He ends the presentation by emphasising the importance of creating a seamless user experience in driving mass adoption to Web3, and cordially invites all developers to explore NEAR’s platform at alpha.near.org.
The Three Pillars of Sustainability for Blockchain
Marieke Flament, CEO of the NEAR Foundation, speaks about the three pillars of sustainability for blockchain. She focuses on the importance of building to create real engagement, the long-term strategic focus at NEAR, and the possible impact of what is being developed.
Flament notes that NEAR is committed to sustainability by being carbon neutral and inclusive. She expands on this by explaining that as technologists, it is our responsibility to act with integrity and build for a better future, ending the talk by inviting attendees to join NEAR in creating a better Web3 ecosystem.
What’s Wrong with Web3 Onboarding and How to Fix it!
Matt Lockyer and Ben Carrick present Keypom, highlighting the problems that exist with current Web3 onboarding, and explain how the Keypom project brings a revolutionary paradigm shif to the onboarding process.
The duo explain that the current problem with Web3 is that users are required to set up wallets, which can be overwhelming, confusing, and daunting for those who are not familiar with crypto. Keypom’s solution is to let users set up their wallets only after they have seen the value from the dApp being used. This user experience is unique because there is no wallet connection, no seed phrase, no private keys, and no Metamask extensions. Users are instantly signed into their Web3 dApp, without any extra hassle.
The Upcoming Renaissance of ‘Super-dApps’
Alex Chiocchi, Chief Product Officer at Pagoda, discusses the need for a new decentralized operating system that can decentralize major parts of the technology stack and create super-dApps.
He explains the principles and features required for such a system, including self-sovereignty, low-tech literacy, consistent user experience, and seamless community commerce. Chiocchi also discusses his work on the BOS and how it allows for the creation of a fully decentralized identity.
For a more in-depth summary of NEAR at ETHDenver, check out:
Foundation: NEAR Announces the Blockchain Operating System
Flowcarbon’s partnership announcement with NEAR
Till Next Year!
Overall, ETHDenver created an incredible opportunity for NEAR Protocol to be in the spotlight. The event encouraged builders to connect with the broader blockchain community and showcased the best of NEAR’s cutting-edge tech and bright future.
Everyone who attended ETHDenver walked away from the conference with a renewed sense of purpose and enthusiasm at the prospect of creating a more open and decentralised future. Till next year Denver!
Written by Alex
Edited by @achildhoodhero
About NEAR Protocol
NEAR is on a mission to onboard a billion users to the infinite possibilities of Web3 with the Blockchain Operating System (BOS). Leveraging its high-performance, carbon-neutral protocol, which is fast, secure, and scalable, BOS provides a common layer for browsing and discovering the Open Web.
Established by a community-driven team of engineers and entrepreneurs, NEAR’s front-end is compatible with all blockchains, making it the entry point to the Open Web for users and developers alike.
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