diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a17b63827..0337ad04e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -86,6 +86,11 @@ see [Migrate from the SignalFx Java Agent](https://quickdraw.splunk.com/redirect
 
 <!-- Comments, spacing, empty and new lines in the section below are intentional, please do not modify them! -->
 <!--DEV_DOCS_WARNING-->
+<!--DEV_DOCS_WARNING_START-->
+The following documentation refers to the in-development version of `splunk-otel-java`. Docs for the latest version ([v2.8.0](https://github.com/signalfx/splunk-otel-java/releases/latest)) can be found [here](https://github.com/signalfx/splunk-otel-java/blob/v2.8.0/README.md).
+
+---
+<!--DEV_DOCS_WARNING_END-->
 
 ## Requirements
 
diff --git a/dependencyManagement/build.gradle.kts b/dependencyManagement/build.gradle.kts
index ef4bfa04d..b9a1aba65 100644
--- a/dependencyManagement/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/dependencyManagement/build.gradle.kts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ plugins {
 
 val otelVersion = "1.42.1"
 val otelAlphaVersion = otelVersion.replaceFirst("(-SNAPSHOT)?$".toRegex(), "-alpha$1")
-val otelInstrumentationVersion = "2.8.0"
+val otelInstrumentationVersion = "2.9.0-SNAPSHOT"
 val otelInstrumentationAlphaVersion =  otelInstrumentationVersion.replaceFirst("(-SNAPSHOT)?$".toRegex(), "-alpha$1")
 val otelContribAlphaVersion = "1.39.0-alpha"
 
diff --git a/deployments/cloudfoundry/index.yml b/deployments/cloudfoundry/index.yml
index 7386ddbbc..6f2ec080e 100644
--- a/deployments/cloudfoundry/index.yml
+++ b/deployments/cloudfoundry/index.yml
@@ -29,3 +29,4 @@
 2.5.0: https://github.com/signalfx/splunk-otel-java/releases/download/v2.5.0/splunk-otel-javaagent.jar
 2.6.0: https://github.com/signalfx/splunk-otel-java/releases/download/v2.6.0/splunk-otel-javaagent.jar
 2.7.0: https://github.com/signalfx/splunk-otel-java/releases/download/v2.7.0/splunk-otel-javaagent.jar
+2.8.0: https://github.com/signalfx/splunk-otel-java/releases/download/v2.8.0/splunk-otel-javaagent.jar
diff --git a/licenses/licenses.md b/licenses/licenses.md
index 99cb2c184..1441bc746 100644
--- a/licenses/licenses.md
+++ b/licenses/licenses.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 
 # splunk-otel-javaagent
 ## Dependency License Report
-_2024-09-18 12:43:15 EEST_
+_2024-09-18 16:52:13 EEST_
 ## Apache License, Version 2.0
 
 **1** **Group:** `com.squareup.okhttp3` **Name:** `okhttp` **Version:** `4.12.0` 
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ _2024-09-18 12:43:15 EEST_
 > - **POM Project URL**: [https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-java-contrib](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-java-contrib)
 > - **POM License**: Apache License, Version 2.0 - [https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0](https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0)
 
-**19** **Group:** `io.opentelemetry.instrumentation` **Name:** `opentelemetry-instrumentation-bom-alpha` **Version:** `2.8.0-alpha` 
+**19** **Group:** `io.opentelemetry.instrumentation` **Name:** `opentelemetry-instrumentation-bom-alpha` **Version:** `2.9.0-alpha-SNAPSHOT` 
 > - **POM Project URL**: [https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-java-instrumentation](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-java-instrumentation)
 > - **POM License**: Apache License, Version 2.0 - [https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0](https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0)
 
diff --git a/version.gradle.kts b/version.gradle.kts
index 3e9ca8d4c..b5398db89 100644
--- a/version.gradle.kts
+++ b/version.gradle.kts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // do NOT update that variable manually - it is managed by the pre/post release scripts
-val distroVersion = "2.8.0"
+val distroVersion = "2.9.0-SNAPSHOT"
 
 allprojects {
   version = distroVersion