Protocol Labs Developer Guild · 2024–2026

18 months.
Real code.
Global impact.

A cohort-based open source contributor program by Protocol Labs. Developers from 20+ countries contributing real code to Web3 infrastructure: IPFS, Filecoin, libp2p, and more. Cohort 6 was the last.

What's next on DevSpot Hire our alumni
PLDG talk on open source and Web3
Open source track · FIL Dev Summit
Panel discussion at FIL Dev Summit
Panel · Emerging trends in Web3
Track recap and learnings presentation
Track recap · learnings & takeaways
0
Months running
0
Cohorts completed
4k+
PRs merged
0
Countries
0
Tech partners
About the program

A 12-week program built around real contributions.

PLDG matched developers with open source projects across the Protocol Labs network: IPFS, Filecoin, libp2p, Drand, and more. Contributors worked in small teams with direct access to core protocol engineers, AMAs, and technical deep dives.

The program ran on a simple premise: get recognised for what you ship, not what your CV says. Rewards were issued retroactively based on the value and impact of contributions.

Over 18 months and 6 cohorts, PLDG became a pipeline of engineering talent into the PL ecosystem. Alumni have gone on to join protocol teams, found companies, and take on full-time roles.

FormatFully remote · 12-week cohorts
Commitment5–10 hrs / week · part-time
First cohortOctober 2024
Final cohortJan – Mar 2026
Powered byProtocol Labs
StatusConcluded · March 2026
For teams & companies

Looking to hire verified open source engineers?

PLDG alumni have 4,000+ merged pull requests across production Web3 infrastructure, reviewed by core protocol engineers. Many are available for full-time roles, contracts, or collaborations.

Get in touch to hire alumni Browse PL jobs board ↗
Vetted by protocol engineers
Every PR was reviewed by core maintainers at IPFS, Filecoin, libp2p, and partner projects.
4,000+ PRs as proof of work
Public, verifiable track record across production-grade open source repositories.
20+ countries · remote-first
Globally distributed engineers experienced in async, cross-timezone collaboration.
Tech partners

11 projects across the PL network.

Hover each to learn more. Contributors worked directly with maintainers and engineering teams throughout the program.

IPFS Shipyard An engineering collective delivering user agency through advancements in IPFS and libp2p. libp2p Open-source networking library powering Ethereum, IPFS, Filecoin, and Optimism, with pub-sub, DHTs, and browser-to-browser communication. Akave Decentralized modular L2 combining Filecoin storage, encryption, and user-friendly interfaces for data management. Open Source Observer Free analytics suite helping funders measure the impact of open source contributions to ecosystem health. Drand Distributed randomness beacon providing verifiable, unpredictable, and unbiased random numbers as a service. Storacha Decentralized hot storage network built on web3.storage, handling petabytes of data for large enterprises. FIL-B Public goods developer experience team helping builders design and implement on-chain solutions on Filecoin. FIL-Oz Independent public good Filecoin protocol team improving protocol design, security, and development within the network. IPFS InterPlanetary File System: peer-to-peer hypermedia protocol for content-addressed, decentralised storage. Lighthouse Programmable data layer powering AI, DePIN, and NFTs with decentralised storage and encryption. Coordination Network Open-source platform enabling seamless sharing of methods, opportunities, and discoveries to scale expertise. FIL Beam Incentivized data delivery layer for Filecoin; storage providers can be paid in-protocol for serving data to clients.
Contributor voices

From the builders who were there.

The learning was unmatched. I helped ship a Filecoin core upgrade, something I would not have imagined doing before PLDG.

KS
Krishang Shah
PLDG contributor

We're loving our PLDG builders, phenomenal talent that hits the ground running from day one.

JA
Jamie
Engineering, Storacha

Joining the Akave team from December was a direct success story from PLDG. This program opened a door I didn't know existed.

AU
Abhay Upadhyay
PLDG alum · Akave (full-time)

I joined knowing JavaScript. I left understanding distributed systems, peer-to-peer protocols, and how to contribute to protocol-level infrastructure.

SS
Siddhartha Swarnkar
PLDG Cohort 3 & 4
What's next

Keep building in the PL ecosystem.

PLDG is concluding, but active programs, funding, and roles continue across the Protocol Labs network.

Accelerator
PL Genesis↗

Accelerator and ecosystem program for teams building on the Protocol Labs stack.

 Founder support
Founders Forge↗

Structured support for early-stage founders: team formation, co-founders, and go-to-market within PL.

 LATAM program
Crecimiento↗

Dedicated support for builders across Latin America: community, grants, and ecosystem connections.

 Early-stage builders
Founder School↗

For contributors turning open-source work into a company, from proof-of-work to product.

 Hackathons & meetups
PL Events↗

LabWeek, hackathons, and community meetups across the PL network, in-person and virtual.
DevSpot
The central directory for PL ecosystem opportunities: grants, roles, programs, and events.
Explore DevSpot ↗
Protocol Labs Developer Guild · 2024–2026

Thank you to every contributor.

Six cohorts. 18 months. 4,000+ pull requests. 20+ countries. 11 tech partners. This program was built by every developer who showed up, shipped work, and pushed the open web forward.

Find your next opportunity @pldevguild on X