Avail Splits from Polygon Following Co-Founder Anurag Arjun's Departure
Polygon co-founder Anurag Arjun has announced his departure, accompanied by the decision to separate the Avail project from the Polygon blockchain ecosystem.
Avail Splits from Polygon Following Co-Founder Anurag Arjun's Departure
In a blog post, Polygon stated:
“Avail will officially separate from Polygon Labs. Additionally, Arjun will be leaving Polygon Labs and will directly take on a role at Avail, with self-funded resources specifically allocated for this project.”
Polygon launched Avail in late 2020 and introduced it to the public in mid-2021. A spokesperson for Avail noted that Arjun had previously co-founded the project. However, the acquisition of the project by a separate entity (owned by Arjun) will officially detach the project from Polygon. The representative added:
“Meanwhile, this structure will evolve into a decentralized organization. The specific timeline for this transition has not been determined, as current efforts will be focused on a smooth transfer of ownership.”
1/ Hey there, we're excited to share some big news with you! 👋👋👋 We’re Avail - a new modular blockchain optimized for data availability. And starting today, Avail will operate independently of @0xpolygon.
— Avail (@AvailProject) March 16, 2023
What is Avail?
Avail is a modular blockchain that enables developers to build highly scalable and customizable applications. Unlike monolithic blockchains, modular blockchains separate components such as consensus, security, and data availability to operate independently.
Learn more: [Understanding Monolithic Blockchain vs. Modular Blockchain]
Avail is currently operating in testnet and is expected to launch its mainnet soon. With the separation from its previous mechanism, Avail will establish a non-profit organization called the Avail Foundation to facilitate easier network governance by the community.
A “Win-Win” Move
Polygon shared in their blog:
“This separation benefits both parties. Avail will gain from independent development and increased flexibility. Meanwhile, Polygon Labs will move closer to Ethereum, focusing on scaling solutions such as the PoS network, three zero-knowledge solutions (including Polygon zkEVM, Polygon Zero, and Polygon Miden), as well as Polygon Supernets.”
4/ In other words, we're tearing down barriers to blockchain development, giving developers the power to disrupt stagnant industries and drive change for communities. And we're doing it all with an open-source, protocol-agnostic approach that puts the community in charge.
— Avail (@AvailProject) March 16, 2023
With this move, Arjun’s entire team at Polygon will transition to the new organization. Avail has yet to provide an official response regarding the size or number of team members. The Avail representative also declined to answer questions about potential future fundraising efforts.
According to The Block, when asked about a native token, the project representative also declined to comment, with the only information available on the project’s Twitter being: “Avail’s plan is to place ownership in the hands of the community.”
This separation comes shortly after Polygon announced a reduction of 100 jobs (20% of its workforce) last month.
