Hey Stackers, what a time for the project. What a time for Bitcoin L2s. What a time to be Bitcoin builders! In nearly 6 years with this project, I’ve never been more confident about the ecosystem or as excited about what’s next. In this post, I’m going to share a look ahead with a primary lens on the communications and event plans we have here at the Stacks Foundation (or are aware of happening in the ecosystem) to support the Nakamoto and sBTC launches.

Key takeaways:

• There is a LOT on deck and even more is expected to surface over the coming months
• This is an open invite for all to reach out and be part of the launch either through something you see below or through something you’d like to manage on your own.

Before we dive into the launch plans, please note I shared a post earlier that covers things from a technical point of view. That post includes important milestones and sequencing of technical work on the way to full releases of Nakamoto and sBTC. I also recommend everyone check out the “Ultimate Nakamoto Study” guide created by Stacks Residents and members of our team and the ongoing discussion series. Combined, these resources are a good start in helping you get ready for upcoming votes (which we are anticipating Governance solidifying dates for in the next week or two).

Now, to launch comms! The Stacks ecosystem is fortunate to have so many talented people and organizations all over the world that contribute to its success. The launch will be no different and through various Working Groups and entities, we’re excited to be working alongside the likes of MarketAcross, Spartan Group, DeSpread, and more we can’t wait to share. And of course, the the ecosystem stalwarts you’re familiar with like Trust Machines, Hiro, Bitcoin Frontier Fund, will all be part of the action, along with community leads, Residents, grantees, and a host of builders repping Stacks applications.

So, how should we think about the launch comms?

The short answer: A Bitcoin L2 drumbeat, broken into clear layers (learn about the layers below) that builds to the two crescendos of Nakamoto and sBTC. At a high level, the goal is to use the time before launch to help the world better understand the Bitcoin ecosystem, especially Bitcoin L2’s, and create a platform upon which Stacks builders can succeed. Just a few examples of ongoing efforts in this regard include:

• Content like this thesis from Hal Press and this from PortalVC
• Unlocking Bitcoin L2 Rewards, Figment to support Nakamoto & sBTC
• Hiro Hacks, EasyA Hackathon

Suffice it to say, the march toward Nakamoto and sBTC will be heavily peppered with exciting integration announcements driven by the Business Development Working Group, an incredible events schedule including hackathons (more on this below), a refreshed look and feel for Stacks, robust support for builders in telling their story, and more.

Thinking about launch communications as one monolithic campaign doesn’t really work - it’s not the nature of our decentralized ecosystem and frankly, it’s just a lot to think about without some categorization. With that in mind, we’ve separated key activities and streams into alike ‘layers’. Every layer has a set of goals, deliverables, contributors, and leads.

You can dive deeper into these layers in the deck above, and I’ve summed them up here:

• Global Communications Layer: With an emphasis on supporting the highest impact channels with the widest reach, this layer sets the tone for and informs the other layers, providing messaging frameworks and anchors for community activation and app-level launch marketing.
• Developer Activation Layer: This layer is primarily focused on developer traction and should provide onboarding opportunities to audiences captured in the top-of-funnel by global comms and content.
• Apps GTM Layer: This layer is primarily focused on individual apps finding success in user acquisition. Initial traction can demonstrate certain capabilities of Nakamoto/sBTC and send a signal to the industry about the ecosystem’s utility. Further, it is more effective to lead with the specific value and experiences that apps can offer vs. only driving a narrative around the Stacks layer.
• Community Education Layer: This layer is primarily focused on the layer of education going to current STX holders and community stakeholders, with the primary outcome being high levels of voter education and turnout for the Nakamoto and sBTC SIPs.

Glad you asked! We are working with many parties to tighten up timelines & deliverables, finalize messaging frameworks and guidance, vet resources, and all the while collaborating with WGs on the key workstreams all this depends on!

Specifically, we are looking for launch partners (limited spots) in various geographies and to partner with existing events in April through August as part of the launch campaigns. Please get in touch if you are interested or have a suggestion for a launch partner.

It wouldn’t be a post about launch comms without a peek at events as events are a critical way each layer will find success. Of course, it’s not possible to share everything just yet, but we do have a picture rounding into form.

The TL;DR: There is a veritable bounty of ways builders, leaders, and users can get involved with Stacks and the Bitcoin L2 movement from now through launch and beyond. We’re also looking for event partners and collaborations, so please reach out.

Around the time of Bitcoin Halving when we expect Nakamoto, we’ll be doing our part to ensure cities all over the world can participate in a ‘global launch tour’.

These city events will be supplemented by a virtual event layer with a few anchor cities and regions (think NYC, Seoul, Australia, Turkey, London and LatAm) so that everyone has an opportunity to join in one way or another. We’ll be partnering with agencies, existing events and conferences, local leaders, well-known media outlets, our community partners, and more to bring these to life in a major way.

But that’s not it, we’re also locked in for Bitcoin Unleashed to return in Nashville in July, which will be a great opportunity to keep support for the Nakamoto and sBTC launches going. The conference will attract Bitcoin core developers, Layer 2 ecosystem leaders, Ordinals innovators, and touch on topics such as Rollups, Wallets, Dev tooling, Core Development, Security and DeFi. Further, it will be paired with an IRL hackathon with a surprise partner, so all you builders, get ready!

A full slate of virtual events will ensure you never have to go too long without a new opportunity to learn, connect, and prepare for Nakamoto.

• February Virtual (What is this called?): Off the top, join us for in-depth conversations and exciting announcements as Bitcoin evolves beyond just a store of value at our next virtual event scheduled for Feb 2024. Event details to be announced on @stacks X, and on our events calendar.
• Stacks Twitter spaces (ongoing): The Stacks Foundation hosts a bi-weekly show at 11 am or 5 pm ET on Wednesdays with Kyle Ellicott where we discuss trending topics and Stacks layer information.
• Apps, Replits, content: Alright so maybe not strictly ‘events’ per se, but an important part of activating developers up to launch include ongoing virtual experiences like the EasyA learning app, new Replit experiences courtesy of Freehold, and updates to material like the Bitcoin Primer, Clarity Camp, and more.

Throughout 2024, the Stacks Foundation will generate momentum and support developers in between hackathons by working with developers to continue building on Stacks in the run-up to a global Demo Day where the best teams will pitch their ideas to VCs and the Stacks team in December. We also anticipate exhilarating Demo Days courtesy of Bitcoin Frontier Fund and the Bitcoin Startup Lab!

There is already a packed schedule here, with plans in place to run auxiliary events or booths at NFT.NYC, MIT Bitcoin Expo, ETH Denver, Paris Blockchain Week, Consensus, Bitcoin 2024, Korea Blockchain Week, Permissionless, Bitcoin ++, Messari Mainnet, Chainlink’s SmartCon Summit, DevCon, and Art Basel, to name just a few. Please visit our events calendar here for all the latest information.

Throughout the year, we’ll also be working hard to make sure ecosystem leaders and builders get a chance to tell their stories on important stages around the world. If you’re looking for support with speaker placement, please reach out to [email protected].