# Fireside Chat with Kartik Talwar & Austin Griffith

- Speakers: [Austin Griffith](https://streameth.org/speakers/austin-griffith), [Kartik Talwar](https://streameth.org/speakers/kartik-talwar)
- Channel: [ETHGlobal](https://streameth.org/ethglobal)
- Date: 2025-11-09
- Duration: 22:07
- Topics: Ethereum, developers, Build Guild, Speedrun Ethereum, hackathons, open source, education, onboarding, innovation, blockchain, smart contracts, Ethereum Foundation, EVM, mentorship, founder support, ecosystem, composability, incentives, developer journey, learning, shipping, pit of despair, community, persistence, impact, Austin Griffith, developer growth, programming, Solidity, contribution, career, projects, discovery, simplification, collaboration
- Watch: https://streameth.org/watch/yt-FATZ4JqebCw
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FATZ4JqebCw

## Description

In this fireside chat, Austin Griffith discusses developer onboarding, education, and growth in the Ethereum ecosystem, focusing on initiatives like Build Guild and Speedrun Ethereum. He emphasizes the importance of hands-on building, learning through shipping projects, and overcoming the "pit of despair" in blockchain development. The conversation covers the Ethereum Foundation's evolving role in supporting developers, from education to founder support and enterprise connections. 

Hackathons are highlighted as crucial for fostering innovation, collaboration, and real-world skills, but the ultimate goal is to encourage long-term impact through open source contributions and continuous learning. Austin advises developers to stay curious, build iteratively, contribute to open source, and aim for meaningful impact beyond hackathon prizes, stressing that success is a long-term journey shaped by persistent effort and community engagement.

00:00 Introduction
00:52 Advice for Early-Stage Ethereum Builders
01:39 Developer Journey in Build Guild & Speedrun Ethereum
03:08 Fundamentals vs. Discovery in Learning
05:24 Fostering Innovation and Curiosity
05:52 Ethereum Foundation’s Developer Priorities
07:24 Developer Growth and Ecosystem Support
09:01 Measuring Developer Success & Impact
11:17 The Role and Value of Hackathons
13:43 From Hackathons to Companies and Careers
15:23 Staying Curious & Embracing Challenges
16:26 Simplification, Composability, and Hackathon Strategy
18:31 Open Source Contributions and Long-Term Impact
19:51 Advice for Developers: Building, Pivoting, and Persistence
21:50 Closing Remarks

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🇮🇳 *Pragma New Delhi*
Pragma New Delhi 2025 was held on September 25th at the JW Marriott Hotel in Aerocity New Delhi and was an in-person summit for builders and leaders in the web3 ecosystem. Watch the full Pragma New Delhi YouTube Playlist here: 

ETHGlobal's Pragma series takes place in cities around the world, and is designed to be a different kind of event. Pragma is a one-stage conference with founders-only on stage, bringing together a small group of curated attendees and speakers to discuss the future of web3 and reflect on the past. 

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✅ Follow Austin Griffith
X: https://x.com/austingriffith

✅ Follow Ethereum Foundation
X: https://x.com/ethereumfndn

✅ Follow Kartik Talwar
X: https://x.com/TheRealKartik

✅ Follow ETHGlobal
X: https://x.com/ETHGlobal​
Warpcast: https://warpcast.com/ethglobal
Website: https://ethglobal.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCfF9ZO8Ug4xk_AJd4aeT5HA 

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