We bid farewell to 2024.

The final Midweek with Max of the year began with a nod to the technical hiccups that delayed the start, but the energy quickly picked up as the hosts—Max Sanchez, Phil Gomes, and Rick Laprade—led the discussion. The session was packed with updates on engineering milestones, community initiatives, and plans for the year ahead, with a tone that balanced humor and serious reflection on the team’s progress. Max took the lead on engineering updates, focusing on the deployment of the upgraded Hemi Virtual Machine (hVM).

This update addressed issues with Bitcoin testnet reorganization by fine-tuning parameters to improve synchronization with the consensus tip. The team has also advanced the Bitcoin Kit, which now enables developers to interact with UTXOs, query Bitcoin balances, and analyze transactions. Developers can expect detailed documentation and resources to support these new tools.

Another highlight was the internal testing of the Bitcoin Tunnel, with community access planned soon. The team confirmed that the mainnet launch is slated for early to mid-January 2025, pending the holiday schedule. Phil shifted the focus to community and outreach efforts. He shared how the team has been strengthening Hemi’s presence through media campaigns, including end-of-year retrospectives and live-streamed discussions with key figures in the crypto space. Partner onboarding has been a major focus, laying the groundwork for a strong launch. Looking ahead to 2025, the team is actively submitting proposals to speak at major industry events, including ETH Denver and Consensus Hong Kong. Phil also touched on the much-requested Hemi merchandise initiative, noting that while it’s unlikely to roll out before the end of the year, the team is prioritizing designs for a launch in early 2025.

The session also included a lively Q&A segment, where the team addressed questions on topics like proof-of-humanity mechanisms and the Demos system. They explained how Demos ensures unique user verification while maintaining high standards of data security. When asked about the Token Generation Event (TGE), Max clarified that its timing will depend on market conditions, network activity, and other non-technical factors, though the team is working hard to ensure readiness.

For participants in PoP mining, the team acknowledged current API issues in the browser-based miner and recommended using the CLI version for better results. Interspersed with these updates were entertaining stories from the team’s past experiences. Rick shared anecdotes from his time managing social media for major brands, including his stint with Hasbro, while other team members reminisced about the early days of crypto and the eccentric pitches they encountered during the ICO boom.

The session concluded with a heartfelt thank-you to the Hemi community for their support throughout 2024. The team emphasized their excitement for what’s to come in 2025, hinting at a year filled with new milestones and opportunities. Midweek with Max will return on January 7, 2025, ready to kick off another chapter in Hemi’s journey.