The conversation did not express interest in submitting proposals under specific guidelines provided by Starkware, yet it highlighted noteworthy advancements and studies within the realm of blockchain technology.

One highlighted project is Drivechain, showcased at sha-gate-demo, which represents a significant stride towards enhancing blockchain interoperability and functionality. Additionally, the AOPP 2.0 initiative, detailed at a Bitcoin development group, showcases efforts to streamline and improve cryptographic procedures within the Bitcoin ecosystem.

The discussion also touched upon the concept of Automated Market Makers (AMM), with a specific mention of a testnet status available at xcancel. This area of research is crucial for decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms seeking to facilitate trading without traditional market-making mechanisms. Furthermore, an on-chain Decentralized Exchange (DEX) was mentioned, with reference made to contract details hosted on GitLab by GeneralProtocols.

Lastly, zero-confirmation transactions were discussed, pointing to a snippet on GitLab that suggests ongoing exploration into making blockchain transactions more efficient and reducing wait times for confirmations. Each of these points collectively underscores the depth and breadth of current research and development efforts aimed at pushing the boundaries of what blockchain technologies can achieve, particularly in the context of OP_CAT's potential applications.