diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 7f697f9..757e3c6 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -5,35 +5,38 @@ members = [
     "runtime-api",
     "tests",
 
-     # parachain
+    # parachain
     "examples/parachain/node",
     "examples/parachain/runtime",
 
-     # aura
-     "examples/aura/node",
-     "examples/aura/runtime",
+    # aura
+    "examples/aura/node",
+    "examples/aura/runtime",
 
-      # babe
-     "examples/babe/node",
-     "examples/babe/runtime",
-     "examples/babe/rpc",
+    # babe
+    "examples/babe/node",
+    "examples/babe/runtime",
+    "examples/babe/rpc",
 ]
 
 [workspace.dependencies]
 codec = { version = "3.1.3", package = "parity-scale-codec", default-features = false }
-scale-info = { version = "2.1.1", default-features = false, features = ["derive"] }
+scale-info = { version = "2.1.1", default-features = false, features = [
+    "derive",
+] }
 jsonrpsee = "0.24"
-polkadot-sdk = { version = "0.12.2", default-features = false }
+polkadot-sdk = { version = "=2503.0.1", default-features = false }
 
 # crates which cannot be used from polkadot-sdk
-sp-core = { version = "35.0.0", default-features = false }
-sp-runtime-interface = { version = "29.0.0", default-features = false }
-cumulus-pallet-parachain-system = { version = "0.18.1", default-features = false }
-substrate-wasm-builder = "25.0.0"
-sc-service = "0.49.0"
-sc-tracing = "38.0.0"
-sp-api-proc-macro = "21.0.0"
+sp-core = { version = "36.1.0", default-features = false }
+sp-runtime-interface = { version = "29.0.1", default-features = false }
+cumulus-pallet-parachain-system = { version = "0.20.0", default-features = false }
+substrate-wasm-builder = "26.0.0"
+sc-service = "0.50.0"
+sc-network-sync = "0.48.0"
+sc-tracing = "39.0.0"
+sp-api-proc-macro = "22.0.0"
 
 # local crates
-simnode-runtime-api = { path = "./runtime-api", version = "2412.0.0", default-features = false }
-sc-simnode = { path = "./simnode", version = "2412.0.0" }
+simnode-runtime-api = { path = "./runtime-api", version = "2503.0.0", default-features = false }
+sc-simnode = { path = "./simnode", version = "2503.0.0" }
diff --git a/examples/aura/node/src/service.rs b/examples/aura/node/src/service.rs
index 153985f..51cfb9e 100644
--- a/examples/aura/node/src/service.rs
+++ b/examples/aura/node/src/service.rs
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ pub fn new_full(config: Configuration) -> Result<TaskManager, ServiceError> {
 		Vec::default(),
 	));
 
-	let (network, system_rpc_tx, tx_handler_controller, network_starter, sync_service) =
+	let (network, system_rpc_tx, tx_handler_controller, sync_service) =
 		sc_service::build_network(sc_service::BuildNetworkParams {
 			config: &config,
 			net_config,
@@ -336,6 +336,5 @@ pub fn new_full(config: Configuration) -> Result<TaskManager, ServiceError> {
 		);
 	}
 
-	network_starter.start_network();
 	Ok(task_manager)
 }
diff --git a/examples/babe/node/src/service.rs b/examples/babe/node/src/service.rs
index f91b68b..a215b08 100644
--- a/examples/babe/node/src/service.rs
+++ b/examples/babe/node/src/service.rs
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ pub fn new_full_base(
 		Vec::default(),
 	));
 
-	let (network, system_rpc_tx, tx_handler_controller, network_starter, sync_service) =
+	let (network, system_rpc_tx, tx_handler_controller, sync_service) =
 		sc_service::build_network(sc_service::BuildNetworkParams {
 			config: &config,
 			net_config,
@@ -576,7 +576,6 @@ pub fn new_full_base(
 		);
 	}
 
-	network_starter.start_network();
 	Ok(NewFullBase {
 		task_manager,
 		client,
diff --git a/examples/babe/runtime/src/lib.rs b/examples/babe/runtime/src/lib.rs
index 6fae4d2..c30379e 100644
--- a/examples/babe/runtime/src/lib.rs
+++ b/examples/babe/runtime/src/lib.rs
@@ -166,15 +166,17 @@ pub type Executive = frame_executive::Executive<
 /// to even the core data structures.
 pub mod opaque {
 	use super::*;
+	use sp_runtime::{generic, traits::BlakeTwo256};
 
 	pub use sp_runtime::OpaqueExtrinsic as UncheckedExtrinsic;
-
 	/// Opaque block header type.
 	pub type Header = generic::Header<BlockNumber, BlakeTwo256>;
 	/// Opaque block type.
 	pub type Block = generic::Block<Header, UncheckedExtrinsic>;
 	/// Opaque block identifier type.
 	pub type BlockId = generic::BlockId<Block>;
+	/// Opaque block hash type.
+	pub type Hash = <BlakeTwo256 as sp_runtime::traits::Hash>::Output;
 }
 
 /// Max size for serialized extrinsic params for this testing runtime.
@@ -447,6 +449,7 @@ impl pallet_session::Config for Runtime {
 	type SessionHandler = <SessionKeys as OpaqueKeys>::KeyTypeIdProviders;
 	type Keys = SessionKeys;
 	type WeightInfo = pallet_session::weights::SubstrateWeight<Runtime>;
+	type DisablingStrategy = ();
 }
 
 impl pallet_session::historical::Config for Runtime {
@@ -511,7 +514,9 @@ impl pallet_staking::Config for Runtime {
 	type EventListeners = ();
 	type BenchmarkingConfig = StakingBenchmarkingConfig;
 	type WeightInfo = ();
-	type DisablingStrategy = pallet_staking::UpToLimitDisablingStrategy;
+	type OldCurrency = Balances;
+	type RuntimeHoldReason = RuntimeHoldReason;
+	type Filter = ();
 }
 
 parameter_types! {
diff --git a/examples/parachain/node/src/service.rs b/examples/parachain/node/src/service.rs
index 5a1e900..c30242c 100644
--- a/examples/parachain/node/src/service.rs
+++ b/examples/parachain/node/src/service.rs
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ async fn start_node_impl(
 	>::new(
 		&parachain_config.network, parachain_config.prometheus_registry().cloned()
 	);
-	let (network, system_rpc_tx, tx_handler_controller, start_network, sync_service) =
+	let (network, system_rpc_tx, tx_handler_controller, sync_service) =
 		build_network(BuildNetworkParams {
 			parachain_config: &parachain_config,
 			net_config,
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ async fn start_node_impl(
 		)?;
 	}
 
-	start_network.start_network();
+	// Network starts automatically
 
 	Ok((task_manager, client))
 }
@@ -427,6 +427,7 @@ fn start_consensus(
 		collator_service,
 		// Async backing time
 		authoring_duration: Duration::from_millis(1500),
+		max_pov_percentage: Some(100),
 	};
 
 	let fut =
diff --git a/examples/parachain/runtime/src/lib.rs b/examples/parachain/runtime/src/lib.rs
index 57ebee1..fea8eb5 100644
--- a/examples/parachain/runtime/src/lib.rs
+++ b/examples/parachain/runtime/src/lib.rs
@@ -463,6 +463,8 @@ impl pallet_session::Config for Runtime {
 	type SessionHandler = <SessionKeys as sp_runtime::traits::OpaqueKeys>::KeyTypeIdProviders;
 	type Keys = SessionKeys;
 	type WeightInfo = ();
+	// Disable validator slots when they get kicked from the CollatorSelection pallet
+	type DisablingStrategy = ();
 }
 
 impl pallet_aura::Config for Runtime {
diff --git a/examples/parachain/runtime/src/xcm_config.rs b/examples/parachain/runtime/src/xcm_config.rs
index d45c9d6..f3880a2 100644
--- a/examples/parachain/runtime/src/xcm_config.rs
+++ b/examples/parachain/runtime/src/xcm_config.rs
@@ -198,6 +198,7 @@ impl staging_xcm_executor::Config for XcmConfig {
 	type UniversalLocation = UniversalLocation;
 	type Barrier = Barrier;
 	type Weigher = FixedWeightBounds<UnitWeightCost, RuntimeCall, MaxInstructions>;
+	type XcmEventEmitter = PolkadotXcm;
 	type Trader =
 		UsingComponents<WeightToFee, RelayLocation, AccountId, Balances, ToAuthor<Runtime>>;
 	type ResponseHandler = PolkadotXcm;
@@ -248,6 +249,7 @@ impl pallet_xcm::Config for Runtime {
 	type Weigher = FixedWeightBounds<UnitWeightCost, RuntimeCall, MaxInstructions>;
 	type UniversalLocation = UniversalLocation;
 	type RuntimeOrigin = RuntimeOrigin;
+	type AuthorizedAliasConsideration = ();
 	type RuntimeCall = RuntimeCall;
 
 	const VERSION_DISCOVERY_QUEUE_SIZE: u32 = 100;
diff --git a/runtime-api/Cargo.toml b/runtime-api/Cargo.toml
index a617b54..a965338 100644
--- a/runtime-api/Cargo.toml
+++ b/runtime-api/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "simnode-runtime-api"
-version = "2412.0.0"
+version = "2503.0.0"
 authors = ["Polytope Labs <hello@polytope.technology>"]
 edition = "2021"
 license = "Apache-2.0"
@@ -17,7 +17,4 @@ polkadot-sdk = { workspace = true, features = ["sp-api", "sp-std"] }
 
 [features]
 default = ["std"]
-std = [
-  "codec/std",
-  "polkadot-sdk/std",
-]
+std = ["codec/std", "polkadot-sdk/std"]
diff --git a/simnode/Cargo.toml b/simnode/Cargo.toml
index 0ccb540..dba70d0 100644
--- a/simnode/Cargo.toml
+++ b/simnode/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "sc-simnode"
-version = "2412.0.0"
+version = "2503.0.0"
 authors = ["Polytope Labs <hello@polytope.technology>"]
 edition = "2021"
 license = "Apache-2.0"
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@ rand = "0.8.5"
 futures = "0.3.16"
 tokio = { version = "1.13", features = ["signal"] }
 clap = { version = "4.0.9", features = ["derive"] }
-jsonrpsee = { workspace = true,  features = ["server", "client-core", "macros"]  }
+jsonrpsee = { workspace = true, features = ["server", "client-core", "macros"] }
 
-sc-service = { workspace = true, features = ["test-helpers"] }
+sc-service = { workspace = true }
 sp-runtime-interface = { workspace = true, default-features = true }
 simnode-runtime-api = { workspace = true, default-features = true }
 
diff --git a/simnode/src/client/aura.rs b/simnode/src/client/aura.rs
index 6a00207..39b0b5c 100644
--- a/simnode/src/client/aura.rs
+++ b/simnode/src/client/aura.rs
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ where
 		config.prometheus_registry(),
 	);
 
-	let (network, system_rpc_tx, tx_handler_controller, _network_starter, sync_service) = {
+	let (network, system_rpc_tx, tx_handler_controller, sync_service) = {
 		let params = BuildNetworkParams {
 			config: &config,
 			net_config,
@@ -181,8 +181,6 @@ where
 	};
 	spawn_tasks(params)?;
 
-	_network_starter.start_network();
-
 	let task = run_manual_seal(ManualSealParams {
 		block_import,
 		env,
diff --git a/simnode/src/client/babe.rs b/simnode/src/client/babe.rs
index 19818c6..7f8a798 100644
--- a/simnode/src/client/babe.rs
+++ b/simnode/src/client/babe.rs
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ where
 	let metrics = <sc_network::Litep2pNetworkBackend as NetworkBackend<B, B::Hash>>::register_notification_metrics(
 		config.prometheus_registry(),
 	);
-	let (network, system_rpc_tx, tx_handler_controller, _network_starter, sync_service) = {
+	let (network, system_rpc_tx, tx_handler_controller, sync_service) = {
 		let params = BuildNetworkParams {
 			config: &config,
 			net_config,
@@ -187,8 +187,6 @@ where
 	};
 	spawn_tasks(params)?;
 
-	_network_starter.start_network();
-
 	let babe_consensus = BabeConsensusDataProvider::new(
 		client.clone(),
 		keystore_container.keystore(),
diff --git a/simnode/src/client/parachain.rs b/simnode/src/client/parachain.rs
index 113468e..81de9ee 100644
--- a/simnode/src/client/parachain.rs
+++ b/simnode/src/client/parachain.rs
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ where
 	let metrics = <sc_network::Litep2pNetworkBackend as NetworkBackend<B, B::Hash>>::register_notification_metrics(
 		config.prometheus_registry(),
 	);
-	let (network, system_rpc_tx, tx_handler_controller, _network_starter, sync_service) = {
+	let (network, system_rpc_tx, tx_handler_controller, sync_service) = {
 		let params = BuildNetworkParams {
 			config: &config,
 			net_config,
@@ -320,8 +320,6 @@ where
 	};
 	spawn_tasks(params)?;
 
-	_network_starter.start_network();
-
 	let task = run_manual_seal(ManualSealParams {
 		block_import,
 		env,