Hoskinson says PRAGMA adds 'second set of eyes' to Cardano but won't speed development

Charles Hoskinson, creator of Cardano and CEO of IOHK, commented on the launch of the community association PRAGMA.

In an X statement on April 22, Hoskinson praised PRAGMA for supporting Cardano-related projects, noting that “multiple clients and a diverse and resilient ecosystem” are essential for Cardano.

He further encouraged the community, stating:

Hoskinson said he was unaware of PRAGMA until recently and has not formally met with the group on various issues. He added that PRAGMA will “not speed up feature delivery” but will add resilience and a “second set of eyes” to Cardano’s formal specifications.

Supporting the Cardano ecosystem

The Cardano Foundation announced PRAGMA on April 22, describing the initiative as a not-for-profit, open-source association focused on blockchain software development.

The association will not act as a funding platform. It will require participants to find funding elsewhere — an approach it claims will ensure its long-term success.

The new association includes the Cardano Foundation and four other members: Blink Labs, dcSpark, Sundae Labs, and TxPipe.

PRAGMA is distinct from Intersect, an existing Cardano member-based organization. PRAGMA’s official website explains Intersect aims to act as Cardano’s governance entity rather than an initiative for open-source software development.

PRAGMA nevertheless called the two initiatives “complementary efforts” that could eventually “work hand-in-hand.”

Two projects have initial support

PRAGMA intends to assist the Cardano ecosystem by hosting and supporting existing projects, promoting the development of new tools, and acting as a “home” for blockchain projects.

In its first stage, PRAGMA will focus on just two projects. The first is a Rust-based node for Cardano called Amaru. The second is a smart contract platform for Cardano called Aiken.

By 2025, PRAGMA intends to open membership to select members in the Cardano ecosystem. Later, it plans to open itself to external blockchain ecosystems, meaning the association’s scope is not limited to the Cardano blockchain.

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