Hangout #10: Curating Ethereum's Future with Jacob Willemsa of ETH Global

Episode DescriptionJacob 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 CoverThe Global Community RevolutionHow ETH Global works: hackathons, applications, manual curation by handFrom 100 attendees in Waterloo to 25,000 applications in IndiaWhy manual review beats algorithmic selection for community qualityFrom 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-sustainingTechnical 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 healthMarketing 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 worldwideThe Business of Developer CommunitiesPartnership strategies with ecosystem companies and sponsorsThe manual curation process that maintains event qualityScaling community building while preserving authenticityKey Insights for BuildersManual curation beats algorithmic selection - Quality community requires human touchBuild for your community first - Authentic product-market fit comes from serving real needsLocal communities are the foundation - Global success starts with strong local rootsBe a net promoter of the technology - Everyone can contribute to ecosystem growthRight place, right time, right people - Success often comes from recognizing opportunitiesFocus on builders, not speculators - Sustainable communities form around shared creationAbout JacobJacob 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 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.farmMarvyn Paul - https://twitter.com/mpweb3wordsmith | https://warpcast.com/marvp | https://linktr.ee/marvynpaulContact: [email protected] Links:Website: https://pods.media/10-years-of-ethereumTwitter: https://twitter.com/10yearsofethMarvyn's Other Podcast: Is This the New Internet - https://pods.media/is-this-the-new-internet