The Cardano R&D Sessions, hosted by Input | Output Research (IOR) in collaboration with the Intersect Research Working Group (IRWG), bring the community together each month for research-led discussions with guest speakers from across the ecosystem.
Held on the first Tuesday of each month, the sessions provide a forum for strategic collaboration—helping to connect cutting-edge research with real-world development.
This Cardano Forum thread includes the full session recording, while other posts offer detailed write-ups of the discussions. If you have questions, feedback, or would like to present at a future session, please visit the IRWG knowledge base or reach out to IOR directly.
In the inaugural Cardano R&D Session, hosted by Input | Output Research (IOR) in association with the Intersect Research Working Group, we hear from from Sandro Coretti-Drayton, Research Fellow, IOR, Philip DiSarro, CEO of Anastasia Labs, Vladimir Sinyakov, Founder and CTO of zkFold SA, and Caro Lang, Dev Lead at Eryx.
Sandro Coretti-Drayton of IOR introduces the four research threads that build on the Hydra Head:
Hydra Tail (zk-rollups)
Hydra Interhead (multi-party state channels)
Optimization tools
Auditing tools
The panelists share their recently funded Cardano treasury proposals including optimistic rollups, ZK bridges, ZK rollups, Hydra-inspired designs & more—showing how Cardano’s EUTXO model enables diverse scaling paths.
In the July Cardano R&D Session, hosted by Input | Output Research in association with the Intersect Research Working Group, we hear from Paolo Penna, Research Fellow at Input | Output Research; Manvir Schneider, Senior Research Scientist at Cardano Foundation; Ryan Wiley, Cerkoryn & DRep,;and Raul Antonio, CTO of Fluid Tokens
Paolo Penna presents a foundational model of how proof-of-stake (PoS) blockchains function economically and introduces the three research streams within the Cardano Vision research program:
Tokenomics Design – studying how treasury flows, reserves, and token supply impact ecosystem health
Rewards Sharing & Transaction Fees – refining incentive schemes for validators and governance
Stablecoins – developing risk-aware frameworks for decentralized stablecoin design
Ryan Wiley (Cerkoryn) revisits CIP-50, proposing a penalty for underpledged stake pools to improve decentralization and raise the Nakamoto coefficient.
The roundtable explored how tokenomics can drive sustainable growth, decentralization, and long-term resilience, addressing key challenges from pledge mechanics and validator incentives to stablecoin design and self-sustaining rewards.
Panelists shared a bold vision for Cardano’s future: a network powered by transaction fee sustainability, interoperable token economies, and DApps that integrate seamlessly with DeFi, governance, and Hydra.
Cardano Technology Validation | August '25 Cardano R&D Session
In the August Cardano R&D Session, Fergie Miller, Director of Research Partnerships at Input Output, introduces us to David Rosales, Head of R&D Innovation; and team members including Raphael Toledo, Dominik Zukowski, Dmytro Kaidalov, Alex Slesarenko, and Nicolas Henin.
Fergie Miller provides an overview of the Cardano Vision Proposal, a five-year roadmap to 2030 spanning nine focus areas like Ouroboros, smart contracts, tokenomics, and zero-knowledge proofs, with 2025 priorities and strong community backing via a 67%+ Treasury withdrawal vote.
David Rosales introduces the evidence-based methodology for technology validation, emphasizing de-risking through formal methods, simulations, and community-aligned workstreams. The session features deep dives into key innovation projects:
Raphael Toledo on Ouroboros Phalanx for anti-grinding security
Dominik Zukowski on Jolteon Liveness for partner chains consensus
Dmytro Kaidalov on RSnarks (Halo2 SNARKs) for on-chain ZK proofs
Alex Slesarenko on Proof of Restake (Minotaur) for secure PoS launches
Nicolas Henin on Cavefish for light client transaction building
Dmytro Kaidalov proposing Committee Proofs for trustless cross-chain bridges.
The presentations highlight prototypes, CIPs, formal proofs, and community feedback opportunities, underscoring Cardano’s commitment to secure, scalable innovation.
In the September Cardano R&D Session, hosted by Input | Output Research in association with the Intersect Research Working Group, the focus turned to Cardano’s Ouroboros protocol and its evolution toward greater performance, resilience, and sustainability.
Chief Scientist Aggelos Kiayias presented the vision for Ouroboros Omega, described as the ‘final form’ of Cardano’s protocol. He introduced two guiding principles shaping its future:
• Optimistic multi-path execution – accelerating to near centralized-like performance when conditions allow, while always falling back to a secure baseline when needed.
• Multi-resource security – moving beyond stake to include useful work and reputation signals, broadening participation and strengthening resilience.
The session also marked a major milestone for Ouroboros Leios, with William Wolff, Giorgos Panagiotakos, and Brian Bush from the Leios innovation team presenting its handover to engineering.
Leios addresses capacity, capability, and sustainability challenges by splitting blocks into ranking and endorsement parts, enabling higher throughput while preserving security. Extensive simulations demonstrate competitive transaction inclusion times, significant Plutus scaling potential, and robust performance even under adverse conditions.