Ethereum (ETH), the foremost smart-contract blockchain, has been facing a scalability challenge for years as its user base expands, leading to higher costs and slower transactions.

To tackle this issue, starting in 2019, the Ethereum community launched various scaling solutions called layer 2s (or rollups), with Optimism (OP) being one of the pioneering solutions.

In 2024, major companies including Kraken, Uniswap, World Network (formerly Worldcoin), and Sony's Blockchain Lab adopted Optimism's technology to develop their own scaling solutions, positioning Optimism's founding team, led by Jing Wang, as nominees for CoinDesk’s Most Influential list.

“If you have to put a finger on the pulse of the lifeline of the Optimism Collective, it is Jing Wang,” said Ben Jones, another co-founder.

The founding team includes several early Ethereum members such as Wang, Jones, and Karl Floersch. The collaboration began in 2016, leading to the inception of Optimism.

Wang began her journey in crypto world through Bitcoin but was motivated by Vitalik Buterin to explore Ethereum further. She played a pivotal role in creating the Plasma Group, which focused on scaling research before moving to Optimism, a technology designed to optimize Ethereum's transaction costs.

As Optimism grew, they released the OP Stack framework in 2023, enabling developers to establish their own layer 2 blocks, while also forming a network known as the Superchain, designed to improve interoperability between various blockchain networks.

Despite facing competition from other layer 2s like Arbitrum and zkSync, Optimism has risen as a frontrunner in the space, with Coinbase's Base network being the first significant client to utilize the OP Stack. This suggests a growing trend towards integrating shared governance and technology within the Ethereum ecosystem.

With its blend of accessible technology and robust developer incentives, Optimism seems well-placed to sustain its leading role in Ethereum’s scaling discourse.