Magical May: From Vibe Coding to Times Square
4 years of Talent Protocol, 2,000 names on Times Square, and 1 vibe-coded registry
What a month. My heart is full.
Sometimes I wonder if what we're building at Talent Protocol truly matters... but then I see tweets like this and remember exactly why we keep showing up.
May brought so many incredible milestones for our community:
🏆 Builder Rewards completed its first chapter
Our 4-week pilot with Base successfully rewarded almost 200 superbuilders with 8 ETH through a fully permissionless, automated system. The 72% retention rate speaks volumes about the value this brings to the ecosystem.
2K+ active builders, dozens of new apps and repos, over $15K to reward real impact.
This was @base Builder Rewards in April.
No applications. No shilling. Just shipping.
Here’s what we learned so far
This was @base Builder Rewards in April.
No applications. No shilling. Just shipping.
Here’s what we learned so far
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I'm shipping code again!
This month marked my return to coding after 10+ years with the launch of the Onchain Builder Registry. There's something incredibly empowering about going from idea to production solo through "vibe coding." Having that full autonomy to create something meaningful reminded me why I fell in love with building in the first place.
Verified Builder Registry
A community-powered directory of verified builders backed by onchain attestations.
After 10+ years without writing code, I'm shipping software again!
It's so powerful to have full autonomy to go from idea to production.
The Verified Registry of Onchain Builders is the most meaningful thing I built recently.
Check it out and lmk how I can improve it.
It's so powerful to have full autonomy to go from idea to production.
The Verified Registry of Onchain Builders is the most meaningful thing I built recently.
Check it out and lmk how I can improve it.
Times Square lit up for Builders Day
We surprised over 2,000 onchain builders by displaying their names on a Times Square billboard on May 1st. The reactions were incredibly moving. Seeing founders who've raised millions get emotional about their name being up there revealed something powerful: even the most accomplished builders crave mainstream recognition.
Today we got the names of over 2,000 onchain builders on Times Square!
Happy Builders Day!
Happy Builders Day!
What made this even more special was how we approached it. Great ideas don't always need massive budgets. This campaign delivered exponential returns in community goodwill, brand trust, and genuine excitement. It was a reminder that with the right story and a frugal mindset, small investments can create outsized impact.
Joining the Base Security Council
We're honored to be one of the 10 members helping secure and decentralize control of Base contract upgrades as part of their Stage 1 Decentralization. This responsibility speaks to the trust placed in both our team and me individually.
Base has reached Stage 1 Decentralization
We're building the foundation for a truly open, global onchain economy
We're building the foundation for a truly open, global onchain economy
Builders Table NYC Edition
Thirty hungry builders gathered in one of New York's most iconic penthouses for an evening of spicy conversations about building onchain. These connections and conversations continue to inspire me.
Putting together a builders-only dinner this Wed before FarCon.
Co-hosting with @iggy_gl in an epic NYC penthouse.
If you’re…
> building something serious onchain
> hungry for high-signal conversations
> willing to share your hardest problems
1–2 spots left
dm if interested
Co-hosting with @iggy_gl in an epic NYC penthouse.
If you’re…
> building something serious onchain
> hungry for high-signal conversations
> willing to share your hardest problems
1–2 spots left
dm if interested
Great way to kick-off Farcon with our friends at @TalentProtocol
Thank you to everyone who pulled up
Thank you to everyone who pulled up
FarCon Friends
The density of high-quality builders at FarCon was simply unmatched, and it was great to spend IRL time with friends from all around the world.
Some key takeaways that have me excited:
Farcaster is making sign-ups free, which opens up possibilities for us to create FC accounts for new Talent Protocol users and build more native social features
Base is shifting focus to end users with creators with their new Coinbase Wallet app
Talent Protocol sponsored a bounty for the hackathon, and the in-person feedback we received about our platform was incredibly validating
The winner of our FarCon bounty built a talent badges mini app that feels worth testing further
Met founders from Frens and Zapper who are also indexing blockchains, validating our recent technical vision
The energy at FarCon reinforced that we're building in the right direction, with the right community, at exactly the right time.
Four years of Talent Protocol
Four years and counting - still here, still dreaming, still building. The journey continues with even more determination.
We launched @TalentProtocol on May 1, 2021.
It’s May 1, 2025.
We’re still here. Still building.
Dreaming bigger every day.
4 years of compounding trust, builder by builder.
It’s May 1, 2025.
We’re still here. Still building.
Dreaming bigger every day.
4 years of compounding trust, builder by builder.
We celebrated @TalentProtocol 's 4th birthday today 
Of course I coined it on @zora and you can buy it if you wanna join the celebration.
Of course I coined it on @zora and you can buy it if you wanna join the celebration.
None of this would have happened without our incredible team, partners who believed in our vision, and most importantly: the quiet builders who keep showing up every day.
A massive thank you to everyone involved! Your support, feedback, and belief in our mission make all of this possible.
Let's keep building! 🫡
What was your biggest building achievement in May?
Hit reply and let me know, I read every message.
Even if it feels small, I'd love to hear it. One of my favorite parts of this newsletter is learning what everyone else is building.
1 vibe-coded app 4 weeks of @base builder rewards 4 years of @talent 2000 names on times square countless vibes at /farcon-nyc
How did you get this in Times Square? How much does it cost?
I used this service: https://welcome-to-times-square.com/
an onchain registry of builders, how the one starting a fresh can be part of it
build up your reputation in a community, ecosystem or protocol so that they vouch for you
is it totally focused on the base eco, or the whole crypto eco
What a month for Talent Protocol! Milestones included the successful Builder Rewards pilot with 8 ETH distributed, after 10+ years, returning to coding, and celebrating Builders Day with 2,000 names featured in Times Square. Read more insights from @macedo on this uplifting journey!