One Month into Core Commit – Progress, Insights, and What’s Next
Core Commit, a three-month incubation program, launched on January 9, 2025, selecting 10 of the most innovative teams from over 144 applicants. These standout projects, spanning BTCfi, DeFi, gaming, and infrastructure, have spent the past month immersed in mentorship sessions, hands-on workshops, and ecosystem discussions, turning bold ideas into execution.
With momentum building, here’s a look at what’s happened so far—and what’s ahead.
Week 1: Laying the Foundation (Jan 9-14)
The first week of Core Commit set the stage for an ambitious three-month journey. Kicking off with Orientation Day on January 9, the Top 10 teams were welcomed and introduced to the program structure, key milestones, and available resources.
Teams wasted no time diving into development. The first weekly standup on January 14 provided an open forum for early questions, while the b14g Builder Session on January 15 offered a hands-on experience in BTC Staking innovation. Presented by Eileen from b14g, the session walked through a live demo on lowering capital barriers for BTC staking—a crucial step toward expanding BTCfi accessibility.
Week 2: Diving Into Development (Jan 15-21)
Week two was all about moving from ideas to execution. On January 16, the Mentor Spotlight featured Stan, Founder of Colend, one of the leading DeFi projects on Core, who shared his journey from DeFi to BTCfi, offering valuable insights on navigating the unique challenges of building in this space. The session emphasized the importance of adaptability, product-market fit, and long-term sustainability in blockchain-based financial solutions.
As teams started refining their roadmaps, the weekly standup on January 21 provided a checkpoint to address early-stage hurdles and gather feedback.
Week 3: Expanding Technical Depth (Jan 22-28)
Week three pushed teams to explore scalability and cross-chain innovation. On January 22, the Ordinistan Builder Session focused on Optimistic Bridging for Bitcoin NFTs, a key development for improving NFT liquidity and seamless transfers between Bitcoin L1 and Core blockchain. The discussion highlighted the technical challenges of bridging assets while maintaining decentralization and security.
The Mentor Spotlight on January 23 featured Ankit Raj and Aidana Kaskyrbek, who shared best practices for building thriving Web3 developer communities while maintaining developer adoption and retention. With Ankit as Head of Growth at RiseIn and Aidana as Founder of BAITC, both shared their extensive experience in Web3, providing crucial insights into not only the importance of a strong developer community but also how to sustainably grow one.
Wrapping up the week, the weekly standup on January 28 provided a space for mid-program reflections, where teams reviewed progress, adjusted strategies, and aligned on the next steps.
Week 4: Refining Market Fit & Scaling (Jan 29 - Feb. 6)
Week four shifted focus to market validation and scalability, helping teams refine their product-market fit.
The final standup for the first month on February 4 wrapped up key takeaways, providing a clear roadmap for the next phase of Core Commit and setting the stage for deeper mentorship and development in the coming weeks.
On February 6, the Weekly Builder Session featured Juan Coronado, CEO, and Alejandro Rios, CTO of Vault Layer, where they gave a hands-on demonstration of using the VaultLayer-SDK to create Smart Vaults, enabling seamless interaction between Bitcoin Wallets and Ethereum dApps.
Later that day, the Mentor Spotlight and Keynote session featured Mike Silagadze, Founder and CEO of Ether.Fi, a decentralized Ethereum staking protocol managing $8.2B TVL. Drawing from experience in EdTech, DeFi, and Web3, including co-founding Top Hat and leading Gadze Finance, Mike shared insights on creating product-market fit in emerging markets and scaling in evolving industries. Currently, he brings this expertise to startups as a Venture Partner at Ripple Ventures.
What’s Next for Core Commit?
The momentum continues as teams refine their products, strengthen branding, and optimize user acquisition strategies. Upcoming builder sessions and mentor spotlights will provide key insights into Web3 development, BTCfi, and scaling effectively.
Over the next few weeks, builders will participate in hands-on sessions designed to help them fine-tune their projects and maximize adoption. As Demo Day approaches, the focus will shift toward refining product-market fit, expanding user bases, and developing sustainable growth strategies.
Additional technical deep dives, live demos, and mentorship opportunities will equip teams with the tools to drive engagement, optimize BTCfi mechanics, and position their projects for long-term success.
Demo Day: The Ultimate Test
The program culminates in Demo Day, where teams will showcase their projects and pitch for funding opportunities from Core Ventures’ 100+ VC network. Expect major announcements, partnerships, and growth updates as these builders shape BTCfi’s future.
Building Momentum for What’s Next
The first month of Core Commit has laid a strong foundation, with builders gaining momentum through hands-on mentorship, technical deep dives, and real-world implementation. As the next two months unfold, expect even greater progress as teams refine their products, scale their impact, and prepare for Demo Day. Stay tuned as they continue pushing the boundaries of Bitcoin’s utility and innovation on the Core blockchain.
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