2023 in retrospect: LayerX yearly recap and plans for the coming year

11 min readJan 17, 2024

With another year coming to a close, it’s now time to look at 2023 through the rearview mirror. Wrapping up 2023 was exciting, given the significant number of product developments and milestones that marked this year.

Join us as we look back at the amazing things we accomplished this year and also share a glimpse of what’s coming in 2024 🔮

LayerX

TAIKAI Labs was rebranded to LayerX

Most certainly, this was one of the most important and redefining moments of the year for us. With the acquisition of Bepro Network Labs and integration of its products into TAIKAI LAbs, we expanded our product offerings and faced the question “how will we integrate these products inside TAIKAI Labs?”.

After careful consideration, we chose a different approach. Instead of merging these products inside TAIKAI Labs, we decided to embrace their diversity and modularity and rebranded TAIKAI Labs as LayerX. This has allowed each product to thrive independently by delivering specific added value to different audiences.

The Portuguese Web3 ecosystem map

In March, we partnered with Masterblox, a leading European blockchain accelerator and growth hacking agency, to conduct thorough research on Portugal’s web3 ecosystem. The research elected the Portuguese leading blockchain companies in each sector, demonstrating Portugal’s remarkable transformation from an underdog into a tech leader in the crypto industry.

The updated Portuguese Web3 ecosystem map is already in the making. If you want to apply or know a project deserving a spot in this listing, fill out this application form.

A successful first edition of ETHPorto

ETHPorto brought together the Ethereum community of developers to Porto for the first time, and what a success it was! Over the course of 3 days, the event attracted over 700 participants, setting high expectations for years to come.

The first 2 days of the event were dedicated to insightful talks where we explored different topics spanning from DeFi, ReFi and DAOs to social impact, public good and communities. And of course, being an event organized by the Ethereum foundation and LayerX, ETHPorto featured a hackathon where 268 participants hacked away for 48h, delivering 28 projects and winning $35.000 in prizes.

Overall, the event was an overwhelming success and proved that Portugal is indeed a reference in the web3 space, showcasing its potential to become one of the main hubs for blockchain development in Europe. See you in Porto in 2024? 👀

Closer than ever to our community! 🫶

This year we also kicked off a new series of monthly calls with LayerX’s community! We host the call at the end of each month to connect with our community and share news and updates firsthand. This way we ensure that our community members are active participants in our journey by sharing invaluable feedback, suggestions and insights that are instrumental for our work. We already count 7 monthly calls with an average of 108 listeners per session.

Back in April, we also started electing the community member of the month. This praise serves as a means for us to recognize and express appreciation for our most engaged members who contribute valuable feedback and actively participate in our community.

Here are the community members elected in 2023 🏅 Thanks for your support frens ✨

April: Constar
May: Mochi
June: Vagelis.
July: Tony Evans
August: Jerry
September: Prithvi Hegde
October: Эдуард
November: Look Luck

Release of Mx.X

In July, we launched Mx. X, an NFT designed to represent the power of LayerX and its community. More than just a digital asset, Mx. X was developed as a way for us to show our appreciation and give back to the people who support us.

Since the release of the original Mx. X, 145 NFTs have been minted by our community members and new, themed editions of the NFT have been released such as the ETHChicago Mx. X and the ETH Argentina Mx.X.

Want to grab your own Mx. X? Follow us on Discord or Telegram and stay tuned for upcoming releases!

Web3 Xplorer — the new Web3 events aggregator in town

In August, we launched the Web3 Xplorer, a Web3 events aggregator that compiles all the information about the events happening worldwide on topics like Blockchain, Crypto, NFTs, Dapps, DeFi, and everything Web3-related.

The Web3 Xplorer aims to be a tool built for and by the community, so make sure to visit the page regularly to be updated on everything happening within the Web3 community and add interesting events that are not yet listed!

Discover the hottest Web3 events on the Xplorer 🌐

We celebrated LayerX’s 5th anniversary!

This year marked the 5th anniversary of our mission 🎉

It was a very special moment for us, and our Portuguese-based team came together for a delightful afternoon, enjoying a barbecue and a sunny summer day by the pool. Let’s keep them coming! 🎂

TAIKAI

Launching the Proof of Participation NFT

In February, we released TAIKAI v3, introducing a new feature for hackathon participants: the Proof of Participation NFT (PoP).

Proof of Participation is a system that allows all hackathon participants to receive on-chain NFTs that showcase the projects they were involved in. Each PoP includes user-specific hackathon data and serves as a tangible credential for resumes and online profiles, such as LinkedIn or GitHub

So far, 793 PoP NFTs have been minted by hackathon participants and counting!

TAIKAI scores 10/10 in security audit

TAIKAI’s web app scored a flawless 10 out of 10 in a Web Application Security Assessment performed by Hacken, a leading Blockchain Security Auditor. This was not the first time TAIKAI’s commitment to an ironclad security was tested and validated.

This time, Hacken conducted a Complex Applications Security Assessment on TAIKAI’s applications to test their robustness, and the results attest, yet again, to the resilience and security of TAIKAI’s web app.

You can read more about the test results and final report here.

Product developments on TAIKAI

Throughout this year, we worked continuously to improve our platformand take it to new heights. We focused on two key pillars, Security and Future Proofing, but this year’s product development and improvements go far beyond these aspects. There’re a lot of new features and improvements to the product, but here are the key highlights of 2023:

Proof of Participation feature
Addition of voting tracks
Deposit and withdraw $TKAI new feature
Implementation of hackathon feedback forms
Improvements to the project showcase page
Node 18 version compatibility
Multiple usability and security improvements

The security features and user experience improvements developed have been essential to provide a more seamless and enjoyable online experience to users but also to protect user data. This is a never-ending mission, but this year certainly brought significant strides toward achieving our goals.

TAIKAI Garden Whitepaper

In November, we released the TAIKAI Garden whitepaper, a document that dives into the whys and hows of the TAIKAI Garden: tokenized ecosystem that provides a space for hackathon participants to further develop their project, as well as access to a collaborative community of innovators.

We’ve put together a snapshot report of the Whitepaper, but we kindly invite you to explore the full document for a deeper understanding of the Garden ecosystem.

Read the TAIKAI Garden Whitepaper 🌱

2023 in numbers for TAIKAI 🚀

In 2023, TAKAI hosted a total of 55 hackathons throughout the year, including 20 hackathons dedicated to Web3 technologies. These hackathons brought together a community of over 10,000 builders who embraced the challenge of pushing themselves, honing their skills and collectively delivering an impressive total of 1,500+ remarkable projects.

During these hackathons, participants from diverse backgrounds and skill sets came together to brainstorm, ideate, and develop innovative solutions for real-world problems. These numbers not only underscore TAKAI’s commitment to fostering creativity and technological advancement but also highlight the platform’s growing influence within the global tech community.

We already have a lot of hackathons scheduled for 2024 and there are more to come. Register now for the next hackathon to develop your skills and have a chance to win awesome prizes 💰

Bepro

$BEPRO available at CoinEx

At the end of March, we announced a new exchange that supports $BEPRO. Listing the token on CoinEx allowed us to push even further and introduce Bepro Network to new markets and individuals. Since then, $BEPRO holders have more possibilities to buy, trade, and withdraw $BEPRO.

Learn more about the listing process here.

Bepro became a multichain platform!

In April, Bepro became a multichain platform and our protocol became available on Polygon and Aurora. We are constantly working on Bepro Network to make it accessible on other chains, while exploring new ways to help builders in creating their Dapps through decentralized development and this was just another step in that pursuit.

Take a look at the official announcement.

Introduced the Task Marketplace!

This was definitely the most impactful development on Bepro this year. In October, we expanded the bounty system to provide non-technical builders with the same opportunities of collaborating on the platform. We rebranded the Bepro platform as the “Task Marketplace” and replaced the term “bounties” with “tasks” to help onboard the next wave of users and create a friendly environment for this more diverse community.

To mark the launch of the Task Marketplace, we hosted the Hackfest. This was a month-long initiative dedicated to showcasing the dynamic potential of the Bepro Marketplace and the expansion of the tasks available in the platform.

As the Task Marketplace picked up steam, our commitment to fostering a wider, more diverse community began to take shape. In the first month of the Task Marketplace, the user base more than doubled to +300 builders and 700K $BEPRO were distributed in rewards to the talented builders that delivered high-quality work to the challenges proposed on the Task Marketplace.

You can read more about the first month of the Task Marketplace here.

What to expect from LayerX in 2024?

We’re approaching a brand new year, which prompts us to reflect on everything we achieved as a team. Every team member has played an integral role in our shared journey, contributing unique skills, ideas, and dedicated commitment. Now, as we wrap up this year, we want to share the reflections and aspirations of our co-founders who have guided us, inspired us, and helped each and every team member to tap into their fullest potential.

“2023 presented numerous challenges, but despite the less-than-ideal macro conditions affecting the tech and Web3 sectors, LayerX made significant strides. We not only focused on developing outstanding products for hackathons and the bounty space, but also succeeded in attracting most ETH events to our platforms.

Our efforts in forging partnerships and establishing client relationships with key industry players have been fruitful. Far from merely surviving the bear market, we thrived, setting a solid foundation for 2024. Early indicators suggest an improving market, positioning us for even greater achievements in the coming year.

In 2024, LayerX will concentrate on three pivotal areas:

1- Enhancing TAIKAI: Our primary hackathon platform, TAIKAI, is the cornerstone of our product ecosystem. By attracting more organizations and users to this reputable platform, we anticipate driving broader adoption of both Bepro and TAIKAI Garden.

2- Growing Bepro Network: After a year of breaking barriers and enhancing user experience, we will continue to foster the adoption of the Bepro Network. Our focus will be on minor but impactful product tweaks and on increasing the user and organization base, leveraging our newly revamped product and open marketplace.

3- Developing TAIKAI Garden: We plan to execute TAIKAI Garden’s roadmap diligently, launching key features in alignment with our recently published Whitepaper, and providing liquidity options for the TKAI token.

I am personally thrilled about the boundless opportunities 2024 may bring. My commitment is unwavering in making this year LayerX’s most remarkable year yet, benefitting our company, team, stakeholders, and community. Let’s grow together (LFGrow)!” — Mário Alves

“After a year dedicated to laying the foundations for the future, I believe we now possess the essential resources, a strong team, and valuable data to elevate our products to new heights in 2024. As for Bepro, we’ve undergone a comprehensive product overhaul, tailoring it to a wider audience and ensuring it’s ready for prime time. We’re eager to welcome more partners and builders aboard, sparking increased usage and wider engagement.

Following extensive efforts last year to craft the Garden white paper, the time has come to transform TAIKAI Garden from concept to reality. Our focus is on delivering this innovative platform, empowering entrepreneurs to propel their projects forward by aiding them in finding market fit, acquiring users, and securing initial funding and resources — scarce commodities in the project’s early stages. The integration of our current product line, Bepro, and the Hackathon Platform will not only extend the service reach of this product but also deliver a more comprehensive and unique offering that sets us apart from any competitor.

At the core of TAIKAI Garden is a commitment to nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship through a digital platform, expediting the establishment of new businesses and successful organizations. We are determined to not only meet but exceed the expectations posed by this challenge, and we eagerly anticipate achieving success with the unwavering support of our community.” — Helder Vasconcelos

Wrapping up 2023

2023 is coming to a close, and we can’t help but reflect on the significant transformative moments and milestones that have defined this year at LayerX. The upcoming year will most definitely bring new challenges and opportunities, and we can only be sure to approach them with the same determination that has brought us here. The expectations for 2024 are high, and rightly so because we envision a year of continued growth, innovation, and meaningful impact.

In the name of the LayerX team, we’d like to express our heartfelt gratitude for being a part of our journey and wish everyone happy holidays! 🎅