Event Recap: NYC 2025
A look at the Showcase and Summit in August 2025
On August 20th and 21st 2025, Protocols for Publishers brought together protocol developers and web publishers to explore how new protocols (atproto, MCP, web applets, etc) can ensure reader and user agency in the face of the next online platform shift — one that is both away from a small number of centralized social platforms and towards a more AI-mediated web experience. The inaugural gathering served to forge relationships and establish a shared understanding of the strategic landscape and future opportunities.
PfP Team
Showcase
On the evening of August 20th we gathered a crowd at the Betaworks office in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan. Nearly 100 people signed up to hear some short talks, ask questions, and socialize with peers.
Boris Mann kicked off the evening and Ivan Sigal from Free our Feeds took questions from the crowd, sparking a lively discussion aimed at finding shared language between the two key groups in attendance: publishers and developers.
Devin Gaffney from Graze gave an engaging tour of the ATprotocol, and shared some unique new case studies from media organizations he has worked with.
Finally, Rupert Manfredi from Unternet wrapped up the evening with a tour of cutting‑edge protocols, highlighting avenues experimentation for publishers to engage with readers while retaining control over their own platforms.
Setting up at Betaworks; Boris Mann, Ivan Sigal, Devin Gaffney, and Rupert Manfredi present to the crowd
Summit
After the Showcase, PfP hosted a one‑day summit for a select group of publishers and protocol developers. Ted Han led the event, gathering input from 30 attendees representing 22 different organizations.
- Morning Session: Participants split into smaller groups to explore how the strategic landscape of web publishing is shifting and what changes readers will experience online.
- Mid‑day Session: Unternet CEO Rupert Manfredi outlined a set of “protocol buckets” that could hold promising solutions, taking questions from the audience.
- Afternoon Session: Groups reconvened to drill down into specific protocol opportunities, drawing insights from both publishers and developers. These findings were compiled into an executive summary that was shared with all attendees.
Rupert Manfredi presents his 5 Protocol Buckets; Ted Han elicits insights from the group
Throughout the day coffee breaks provided ample networking time. While a single day was enough to spark conversation, it wasn’t sufficient to capture every nuance. Protocols for Publishers aims to continue to connect interested stakeholders, and follow up with online programming and future events aiming to empower developers and publishers to co‑create experiments and pilots that tackle the critical issues raised at this summit.
Media coverage of the event
Neel Dhanesha
