Clockwork Announces Shutdown: Solana-Based Automation Startup
Clockwork, a startup specializing in smart contract automation on the Solana blockchain, has declared its decision to cease operations by the end of October. The shutdown is attributed to “limited commercial upside,” marking another closure within the Solana ecosystem.
The founder of Clockwork, Nick Garfield, explained that the shutdown is primarily due to a “simple opportunity cost.” The team is now focused on exploring new prospects. Notably, the open-source code of Clockwork will remain accessible, and a significant portion of the initial seed funding remains available.
Details of the Shutdown
Clockwork, which utilized Solana’s capabilities for smart contract automation, revealed its intention to shut down by the end of October. This decision comes after the startup raised $4 million in a seed funding round in August of the previous year. As part of the shutdown, active development will be halted, and nodes on both the devnet and mainnet will be turned off. This news serves as a setback for the Solana ecosystem, which has encountered several protocol closures recently.
Nick Garfield, the founder of Clockwork, expanded on the decision through a post on X (formerly Twitter). He identified “simple opportunity cost” as the driving factor behind the shutdown. The team assessed the project’s potential benefits and concluded that the prospects were limited, leading them to pursue other opportunities. Clockwork was designed to facilitate scheduled transactions on the Solana network and automate smart contracts triggered by specific events.
Impact on Solana Ecosystem
Clockwork’s closure adds to the growing list of protocols within the Solana ecosystem that have ceased operations. This trend has seen other Solana-based projects, including decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms Friktion and Everlend Finance, shutting down as well. Additionally, the non-fungible token (NFT) protocol Cardinal announced its closure due to economic conditions. These closures raise concerns about the commercial viability of projects in the Solana ecosystem, particularly as the network strives to compete with major blockchain platforms.
Despite the shutdown, Clockwork’s code will continue to be open-source, available for access online. Nick Garfield expressed full support for interested parties to fork and continue the project.
Regarding the fate of the seed money, Garfield mentioned that a “meaningful portion” of the funds is still available. He intends to take some time before deciding on the allocation of these remaining resources.
The decision to shut down Clockwork has broader implications not only for the project’s team and investors but also for the Solana ecosystem as a whole. Clockwork had secured funding from venture firms like Multicoin Capital and Asymmetric, as well as participation from Solana Ventures, according to Crunchbase data. The shutdown could potentially affect investor confidence in Solana-based projects, given the recent series of closures.
Clockwork’s decision to cease operations arrives at a crucial juncture for the Solana network, which is striving to establish itself as a formidable competitor in the blockchain space.
