diff --git a/backend/src/api/import-from-matrix.js b/backend/src/api/import-from-matrix.js
index 5bb6125..3d289b7 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/import-from-matrix.js
+++ b/backend/src/api/import-from-matrix.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-const { getClient } = require('../matrix-bot');
+const { getMatrixClient } = require('../matrix-bot');
 const { matrixUserToAuthorAddress } = require('../util/db');
 const write = require('../util/forum/write');
 const { dao, wallet } = require('../util/contracts');
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ module.exports = async (req, res) => {
   console.log('roomId', roomId);
   console.log('eventId', eventId);
 
-  const client = getClient();
+  const client = getMatrixClient();
   const event = await client.getEvent(roomId, eventId);
   console.log('event', event);
 
diff --git a/backend/src/matrix-bot/index.js b/backend/src/matrix-bot/index.js
index d2b0f5b..b867968 100644
--- a/backend/src/matrix-bot/index.js
+++ b/backend/src/matrix-bot/index.js
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@ const {
   SimpleFsStorageProvider,
 } = require('matrix-bot-sdk');
 
-const { registerCommands } = require('./commands');
-const { registerRoomEventHandler } = require('./room-events');
-
 const {
   MATRIX_HOMESERVER_URL,
   MATRIX_ACCESS_TOKEN,
@@ -17,32 +14,24 @@ const {
 
 const storageProvider = new SimpleFsStorageProvider(BOT_STORAGE_PATH);
 const cryptoProvider = new RustSdkCryptoStorageProvider(BOT_CRYPTO_STORAGE_PATH);
-let client;
+console.log('MATRIX_HOMESERVER_URL:', MATRIX_HOMESERVER_URL);
+const client = new MatrixClient(
+  MATRIX_HOMESERVER_URL,
+  MATRIX_ACCESS_TOKEN,
+  storageProvider,
+  cryptoProvider,
+);
 let joinedRooms;
 
 const { startOutboundQueue } = require('./outbound-queue');
 
 const start = async () => {
-  console.log('MATRIX_HOMESERVER_URL:', MATRIX_HOMESERVER_URL);
-  client = new MatrixClient(
-    MATRIX_HOMESERVER_URL,
-    MATRIX_ACCESS_TOKEN,
-    storageProvider,
-    cryptoProvider,
-  );
-
   // Automatically join a room to which we are invited
   AutojoinRoomsMixin.setupOnClient(client);
 
   joinedRooms = await client.getJoinedRooms();
   console.log('joined rooms:', joinedRooms);
 
-  // Before we start the bot, register our command handler
-  registerCommands(client);
-
-  // Handler for custom events
-  registerRoomEventHandler(client);
-
   client.start().then(() => {
     console.log('Bot started!');
     // Start the outbound queue
@@ -50,9 +39,22 @@ const start = async () => {
   });
 };
 
-const getClient = () => client;
+const registerMessageHandler = (eventHandler) => {
+  client.on('room.message', (roomId, event) => eventHandler(client, roomId, event));
+};
+
+const registerEventHandler = (eventHandler) => {
+  client.on('room.event', (roomId, event) => {
+    if (event.state_key !== undefined) return; // state event
+    eventHandler(client, roomId, event);
+  });
+};
+
+const getMatrixClient = () => client;
 
 module.exports = {
   start,
-  getClient,
+  getMatrixClient,
+  registerMessageHandler,
+  registerEventHandler,
 };
diff --git a/backend/src/matrix-bot/commands.js b/backend/src/topics/bot-commands.js
similarity index 90%
rename from backend/src/matrix-bot/commands.js
rename to backend/src/topics/bot-commands.js
index 8ea5a7d..d7ea015 100644
--- a/backend/src/matrix-bot/commands.js
+++ b/backend/src/topics/bot-commands.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-const { setTargetRoomId } = require('./outbound-queue');
+const { registerMessageHandler } = require('../matrix-bot');
+const { setTargetRoomId } = require('../matrix-bot/outbound-queue');
 
 const {
   appState,
@@ -53,10 +54,10 @@ const handleCommand = async (client, roomId, event) => {
   }
 };
 
-const registerCommands = (client) => {
-  client.on('room.message', (roomId, event) => handleCommand(client, roomId, event));
+const start = () => {
+  registerMessageHandler(handleCommand);
 };
 
 module.exports = {
-  registerCommands,
+  start,
 };
diff --git a/backend/src/topics/index.js b/backend/src/topics/index.js
index 7aaf923..8df9fd1 100644
--- a/backend/src/topics/index.js
+++ b/backend/src/topics/index.js
@@ -2,12 +2,16 @@ const proposalsNotifier = require('./proposals-notifier');
 const validationPools = require('./validation-pools');
 const work1 = require('./work1');
 const rollup = require('./rollup');
+const registerIdentity = require('./register-identity');
+const botCommands = require('./bot-commands');
 
 const start = () => {
   proposalsNotifier.start();
   validationPools.start();
   work1.start();
   rollup.start();
+  registerIdentity.start();
+  botCommands.start();
 };
 
 module.exports = {
diff --git a/backend/src/matrix-bot/room-events.js b/backend/src/topics/register-identity.js
similarity index 74%
rename from backend/src/matrix-bot/room-events.js
rename to backend/src/topics/register-identity.js
index 27f7f08..b0a4ac0 100644
--- a/backend/src/matrix-bot/room-events.js
+++ b/backend/src/topics/register-identity.js
@@ -4,8 +4,10 @@ const {
   matrixUserToAuthorAddress,
   authorAddressToMatrixUser,
 } = require('../util/db');
+const { registerEventHandler } = require('../matrix-bot');
 
 const handleRegisterIdentity = async (client, roomId, event) => {
+  if (event.type !== 'io.dgov.identity.register') return;
   const { message, signature } = event.content;
   console.log('Received request to register identity');
   let account;
@@ -31,20 +33,10 @@ const handleRegisterIdentity = async (client, roomId, event) => {
   }
 };
 
-const registerRoomEventHandler = (client) => {
-  client.on('room.event', (roomId, event) => {
-    // Note that state events can also be sent down this listener too
-    if (event.state_key !== undefined) return; // state event
-
-    switch (event.type) {
-      case 'io.dgov.identity.register':
-        handleRegisterIdentity(client, roomId, event);
-        break;
-      default:
-    }
-  });
+const start = () => {
+  registerEventHandler(handleRegisterIdentity);
 };
 
 module.exports = {
-  registerRoomEventHandler,
+  start,
 };
diff --git a/backend/src/topics/rollup.js b/backend/src/topics/rollup.js
index 6df8520..de3079e 100644
--- a/backend/src/topics/rollup.js
+++ b/backend/src/topics/rollup.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 const { getContractAddressByNetworkName } = require('../util/contract-config');
 const { registerDecider } = require('./validation-pools');
+const { registerEventHandler } = require('../matrix-bot');
+const { matrixPools } = require('../util/db');
 
 const {
   ETH_NETWORK,
@@ -13,10 +15,44 @@ const start = async () => {
     // If this is not sent by the work1 contract, it's not of interest here.
     if (pool.sender !== rollupAddress) return false;
 
-    // TODO: to derive the expected content here, we need information from Matrix.
+    // A rollup post should contain
+    // - a list of off-chain validation pools
+    // - authorship corresponding to the result of those off-chain pools
+    if (!post.embeddedData?.matrixPools) return false;
 
+    // TODO: Compute expected result by fetching off-chain pool matrix events
+    // TODO: Or precompute? Since we want to be computing that anyway.
     return false;
   });
+
+  // We can use LevelDB to store information about validation pools
+
+  registerEventHandler(async (client, roomId, event) => {
+    switch (event.type) {
+      case 'io.dgov.pool.start': {
+        // Use the event id as the validation pool id
+        const poolId = event.event_id;
+        // TODO: This event should include validation pool params
+        console.log('Matrix pool started', { poolId });
+        await matrixPools.put(poolId, {});
+        break;
+      }
+      case 'io.dgov.pool.stake': {
+        // TODO: Keep track of stakes
+        break;
+      }
+      case 'io.dgov.pool.result': {
+        // This should be sent by the current batch worker
+        // TODO: Compare batch worker's result with ours to verify and provide early warning
+        break;
+      }
+      case 'io.dgov.rollup.submit': {
+        // TODO: Compare batch worker's result with ours to verify
+        break;
+      }
+      default:
+    }
+  });
 };
 
 module.exports = {
diff --git a/backend/src/util/db.js b/backend/src/util/db.js
index 722114a..1003c39 100644
--- a/backend/src/util/db.js
+++ b/backend/src/util/db.js
@@ -11,4 +11,5 @@ module.exports = {
   referendumEventIds: new Level(`${dataDir}/referendumEventIds`, { keyEncoding: 'json' }),
   matrixUserToAuthorAddress: new Level(`${dataDir}/matrixUserToAuthorAddress`),
   authorAddressToMatrixUser: new Level(`${dataDir}/authorAddressToMatrixUser`),
+  matrixPools: new Level(`${dataDir}/matrixPools`, { valueEncoding: 'json' }),
 };
diff --git a/ethereum/contracts/core/Bench.sol b/ethereum/contracts/core/Bench.sol
index b12af80..e5d3e3e 100644
--- a/ethereum/contracts/core/Bench.sol
+++ b/ethereum/contracts/core/Bench.sol
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ contract Bench {
         uint256 amount,
         bool inFavor
     ) external {
+        require(
+            msg.sender == address(dao),
+            "Only DAO contract may call stakeOnValidationPool"
+        );
         ValidationPool storage pool = validationPools[poolIndex];
         require(
             block.timestamp <= pool.props.endTime,