Episode Description

Jacob 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 Cover

The Global Community RevolutionHow ETH Global works: hackathons, applications, manual curation by handFrom 100 attendees in Waterloo to 25,000 applications in India
Why manual review beats algorithmic selection for community quality

From 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-sustaining

Technical 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 health

Marketing 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 worldwide

The Business of Developer CommunitiesPartnership strategies with ecosystem companies and sponsorsThe manual curation process that maintains event qualityScaling community building while preserving authenticity

Key Insights for Builders

1. Manual curation beats algorithmic selection – Quality community requires human touch
2. Build for your community first – Authentic product-market fit comes from serving real needs
3. Local communities are the foundation – Global success starts with strong local roots
4. Be a net promoter of the technology – Everyone can contribute to ecosystem growth
5. Right place, right time, right people – Success often comes from recognizing opportunities
6. Focus on builders, not speculators – Sustainable communities form around shared creation

About Jacob

Jacob 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 Ethereum

This 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.farm
• Marvyn Paul – https://twitter.com/mpweb3wordsmith | https://warpcast.com/marvp | https://linktr.ee/marvynpaul

Contact: [email protected]

Show Links:

• Website: https://pods.media/10-years-of-ethereum
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/10yearsofeth
• Marvyn's Other Podcast: Is This the New Internet – https://pods.media/is-this-the-new-internet