# Ethereum Researcher Francesco D'Amato Departs EF for Ethlabs

*Author: Bankless*
*Published: Jul 16, 2026*
*Source: https://www.bankless.com/fr/read/news/ethereum-researcher-francesco-damato-departs-ef-for-ethlabs*

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Francesco D'Amato, a five-year veteran of Ethereum Foundation Research, [announced today](https://x.com/fradamt/status/2077739531520921621) he's joining Ethlabs, the independent nonprofit R&D lab founded last month by his former EF colleagues.

> Status update: I am moving from the Ethereum Foundation to Ethlabs [@ethlabs_org](https://x.com/ethlabs_org?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw), joining the team to accelerate protocol work in the age of Ethereum adoption.In 5 years at EF Research, I have worked on research and specification of a wide range of Protocol R&D: mev, consensus,…— Francesco (@fradamt) [July 16, 2026](https://x.com/fradamt/status/2077739531520921621?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

### **What's the Scoop?**
- **A heavyweight hire:** D'Amato's fingerprints are on much of Ethereum's consensus-layer roadmap, e.g. single slot finality research, PeerDAS, MEV work, and censorship-resistance mechanisms like FOCIL. He's known for ranging across hard protocol problems. 
- **In his words:** On the move, D'Amato wrote that for the first time in his Ethereum research career, there's "a credible shot" at serious protocol work happening *outside* the EF, which is a big statement from someone who spent half a decade inside the Foundation.
- **Ethlabs' bench deepens:** The lab was founded by senior ex-EF researchers including Ansgar Dietrichs and Barnabé Monnot, with backing from Bitmine, Sharplink, and Joe Lubin (the same trio anchoring this week's [EthSystems launch](https://www.bankless.com/read/news/ethereum-foundation-privacy-team-spins-out-as-ethsystems)). Their aim is to accelerate Ethereum as the settlement layer for the global economy while publishing research openly.
- **The bigger migration:** The move continues a talent flow out of the EF amid its downsizing and refocus this year, with spin-outs like Ethlabs, EthSystems, and Ethereum Institutional each claiming a lane that the leaner Foundation is vacating. As such, Ethereum's R&D scene is quietly restructuring from a single foundation into a network of specialized, well-funded nodes.
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