Custom Layer-1 blockchain development, down to the runbooks
We design and build Proof-of-Stake networks, and the things a network needs to run: validators, staking, an explorer, a faucet, monitoring, and the runbooks your operators follow.
Talk to an engineer, not a salesperson.
L1-01Validators and operators
IllustrationThe problem
When the chain itself is the problem
Most teams should build on an existing chain. A custom Layer-1 makes sense when that chain's fees, finality or governance are the actual obstacle, and then the network itself becomes the engineering problem.
That problem is bigger than consensus. A chain without validator tooling, an explorer and a documented onboarding path is a research project, not a network.
What we build
What a working network needs
The chain, and everything people need to run it and use it.
Consensus and validator operations
Validator set management, block production and slashing, configured, integrated and tested under validator churn. Node packaging and runbooks that people who didn't build the chain can follow.
Staking economics
Rewards, delegation and slashing modelled before implementation. They can't be quietly changed once people have staked.
EVM compatibility
An EVM layer, so contracts, wallets and tools built for Ethereum work on your network. Gas pricing and upgrade rules are set to fit your economics.
Explorer and faucet
An explorer indexed from the chain and checked against node state. A testnet faucet with per-wallet limits and abuse controls.
Operator console and monitoring
A console for validator, governance and treasury operations, with dashboards and alerts for whoever is on call.
Release gates and audit readiness
Production stays locked until named checks pass, such as an external audit and a recovery drill. We prepare the code and documents an auditor needs.
Evidence
What we can show you
We don't have a Layer-1 case study we can publish yet.
We only publish client work with the client's written permission, and we don't have that for a Layer-1 yet. On a call, and under NDA, we can talk through how we'd approach yours.
Not a Layer-1 project. We show it for how we treat a running system: architecture, safety, testing and rollback.
“Excellent developer. Anupam delivered a complex production integration with strong attention to architecture, safety, testing, and rollback procedures. He followed the scope carefully, communicated clearly, and provided a reusable solution…”
Ratings, reviews and engagement dates come from client contracts delivered through Upwork, checked 24 Sep 2026. '…' marks where a quote was shortened. Client names stay private.
A common question
Framework or from scratch?
We usually start from a proven framework, and we'll say so. A framework gives you tested consensus, networking and tooling, so your budget goes into what makes your network different: economics, permissions, integrations and operations.
Building consensus from scratch is justified when the framework's constraints are the actual problem, not by default.
Performance
Throughput we measure, not claim
We don't quote throughput before measuring it on your hardware, with your transaction mix, over repeated runs. Any number we give you comes with how it was measured and what it doesn't cover.
- Several runs of a fixed length, not one good run.
- Counted from transaction receipts, not from what was sent.
- Stated with the setup: validators, hosts, network and load.
Process
How a Layer-1 project runs
Four steps. You get something you can read at the end of each.
Discover
Why a new chain, who runs the validators, what the token does, and what regulators or partners need.
You get
A written brief, including a plain recommendation on whether to build a chain at all.
Architect
Consensus choice, validator set, staking model, EVM or not, and the gates before production.
You get
An architecture doc, the key decisions (ADRs) and a milestone plan with estimates.
Build
Chain configuration and modules, validator packaging, explorer, faucet and console, on a local multi-validator testnet from early on.
You get
Regular demos and written updates.
Validate and hand over
Failover drills, measured benchmark runs and recovery tests on the testnet.
You get
UAT sign-off and handover notes.
Pricing
How pricing works
A Layer-1 always starts with a paid discovery sprint. Scope depends on the consensus design and the tooling, and we'd rather scope it properly than quote a number that becomes wrong in week three. Build work then runs in fixed-price milestones or with a dedicated team by the month.
- Discovery sprint
- Fixed-price milestones
- Dedicated engineer, monthly
- Hourly
Start here
Not ready to talk?
Scope your project
9 short steps. See your result before you share an email.
Questions
Questions we get about Layer-1 work
How long does a Layer-1 take?
It depends on the consensus design and the tooling scope. An honest answer needs a discovery conversation first. We'd rather scope it properly than quote a number that becomes wrong in week three.
Do you deliver validator documentation?
Yes. Node packaging, configuration and runbooks are part of delivery. A network nobody outside the build team can operate isn't finished.
Is the chain ready for public launch when you hand it over?
Not on our say-so. We recommend an independent audit and a recovery drill before any public launch. We build release gates that keep production locked until those are done.
Will it be EVM-compatible?
It can be. EVM compatibility lets Ethereum wallets, tools and contracts work on your chain. It brings its own gas and upgrade decisions, which we make with you in the architecture step.
Three ways to start
Planning a Layer-1 network?
Pick whichever suits you. A person reads every message.