MTNDAO, the renowned month-long hacker house for Solana developers and builders, just wrapped up its eighth edition (V8) in August 2025, and the buzz is real. According to a recent post from the official MTNDAO account on X (formerly Twitter), more people have relocated to Salt Lake City following this event than the total from all previous editions combined. That's a massive endorsement of the event's impact—and a hint that things are only going "higher," as the post cheekily suggests.

For those new to the scene, MTNDAO is essentially a high-energy retreat where Solana enthusiasts gather to code, collaborate, and ski (yes, it's in Utah for a reason). It started as a niche gathering but has grown into a powerhouse event, attracting hundreds of applicants each time. The V8 summit, held from August 1-31, 2025, in Salt Lake City, focused on fostering innovation in the Solana ecosystem, which is home to some of the wildest meme coins out there—like those pump.fun launches that can go viral overnight.

The post, shared by @mtndao, highlights this migration wave: "more people have moved to salt lake city after mtndao v8 than the cumulative amount people that had moved because of mtndao before you tell me what that means (hint: higher)." It's a not-so-subtle nod to the event's growing influence, possibly alluding to rising real estate values or even token prices in the Solana space. Replies poured in, capturing the excitement. One user, @jpsychedelic369, summed it up with "The fomo is real 💯," while @excelhtf joked about "fullporting slc housing market after each mtndao is free money"—a playful way of saying betting on SLC real estate post-event is a no-brainer.

Even meme coin projects are chiming in. @MemeCoin_Track, a platform building AI agents for memecoins on Solana, called it "MTNDAO V8 is the alpha. WAGMI." For the uninitiated, "alpha" means insider knowledge or edge, and "WAGMI" stands for "We're All Gonna Make It," a rallying cry in crypto circles. This ties directly into why MTNDAO matters for meme tokens: these events are breeding grounds for new ideas, partnerships, and launches that can propel obscure memes to moonshot status.

Why the migration surge? Salt Lake City, with its tech-friendly vibe, affordable living (compared to San Francisco or New York), and proximity to world-class outdoor activities, is becoming a hub for crypto nomads. MTNDAO amplifies this by creating lasting connections—think late-night coding sessions turning into startup co-foundings. Past editions have already drawn Solana devs to the area, but V8 seems to have supercharged it. As reported in a CoinDesk article, earlier iterations saw record applications, and the trend is clearly accelerating.

For meme coin enthusiasts, this means more talent pooling in one spot, potentially leading to faster innovation in Solana-based tokens. Imagine the next big meme coin being brainstormed over apres-ski drinks in SLC. If you're a blockchain practitioner eyeing the meme space, keeping tabs on events like MTNDAO could give you that edge. Whether it's networking with builders or spotting emerging trends, these gatherings are where the magic happens.

As the Solana ecosystem continues to thrive, with meme coins driving much of the on-chain activity, MTNDAO's role in community building can't be overstated. If the post is any indication, expect even bigger things from future editions—maybe even a permanent crypto colony in Utah. Stay tuned, and who knows, you might find yourself packing for SLC next.