Crypto Hipster

Georgi Koreli is a remarkable athlete-turned-entrepreneur, Stanford GSB alumnus, and the visionary founder behind Hinkal, a leading privacy infrastructure company, with $250m+ private transactions processed in 2024.- 2x Stanford alum- 5 years in banking and hedge funds- Icons founder- Sambo 2x World Champion

Marc Walton, Forex Mentor, retired from trading for clients in spring 2020. He now focuses on running Forex Mentor Pro, his passion. Marc takes on a few private clients each year who wish to fast-track their trading progress.Marc trades forex, crypto and actively invests in metals and mining stocks.Marc sold his successful business in the UK in 2000, then invested in property to create income & emigrated with his wife & young kids to the Canary Islands. He lived out his dream to be a singer & guitarist in a band for the first few years and on the side was trying to learn how to trade (badly!).After losing over $20k in trades and spending another $10k on wonder systems, Marc was on the verge of quitting. He needed to make a drastic change.After working privately with a mentor, Marc managed to turn things around and became a consistently profitable trader. He then was introduced to a fund in the US where he began trading their client funds while living in a beautiful part of the world, trading for just a few hours a day.No boss, no staff, no commute, no hassles.Marc earned more money from trading than when he employed over 20 people + all the stress that went with it.https://www.forexmentorpro.com/

Marc Walton, Forex Mentor, retired from trading for clients in spring 2020. He now focuses on running Forex Mentor Pro, his passion. Marc takes on a few private clients each year who wish to fast-track their trading progress.Marc trades forex, crypto and actively invests in metals and mining stocks.Marc sold his successful business in the UK in 2000, then invested in property to create income & emigrated with his wife & young kids to the Canary Islands. He lived out his dream to be a singer & guitarist in a band for the first few years and on the side was trying to learn how to trade (badly!).After losing over $20k in trades and spending another $10k on wonder systems, Marc was on the verge of quitting. He needed to make a drastic change.After working privately with a mentor, Marc managed to turn things around and became a consistently profitable trader. He then was introduced to a fund in the US where he began trading their client funds while living in a beautiful part of the world, trading for just a few hours a day.No boss, no staff, no commute, no hassles.Marc earned more money from trading than when he employed over 20 people + all the stress that went with it.https://www.forexmentorpro.com/

Cyrus Taghehchian, ranked #7 on Entrepreneur's "Top Entrepreneurs Under 40," has engineered two successful exits totaling $300M during his strategic two-decade tech career. His pioneering work spans blockchain architecture, token economics, fintech innovation, and agile implementation. Cyrus excels at transforming ambitious concepts into market-redefining solutions that challenges industry conventions while delivering measurable results. Driven by intellectual curiosity and strategic foresight, he builds next-generation technologies that anticipate market evolution. His signature blend of visionary thinking and disciplined execution continues to establish new benchmarks across the digital landscape. In his latest venture, Aces.fun, Cyrus is launching a platform that monetizes real-world assets through derivative markets.

Cyrus Taghehchian, ranked #7 on Entrepreneur's "Top Entrepreneurs Under 40," has engineered two successful exits totaling $300M during his strategic two-decade tech career. His pioneering work spans blockchain architecture, token economics, fintech innovation, and agile implementation. Cyrus excels at transforming ambitious concepts into market-redefining solutions that challenges industry conventions while delivering measurable results. Driven by intellectual curiosity and strategic foresight, he builds next-generation technologies that anticipate market evolution. His signature blend of visionary thinking and disciplined execution continues to establish new benchmarks across the digital landscape. In his latest venture, Aces.fun, Cyrus is launching a platform that monetizes real-world assets through derivative markets.

Karan Sirdesai is the Co-Founder and CEO of Mira Network. Previously an investor at Accel, he helped deploy over $250 million in crypto and AI investments, backing companies now worth over $5 billion. Before that, he was a consultant at BCG, advising global conglomerates.A self-taught programmer, Karan has built and sold multiple crypto trading products. Under his leadership, Mira Network serves over 500,000 users with nearly 250,000 AI inference requests daily. Mira's decentralized verification network powers AI applications for leading institutions like Aethir, io.net, and Hyperbolic, enabling trustless verification of AI outputs at scale.Karan is a thought leader in AI and blockchain, frequently speaking on AI agents, Decentralized Finance AI (DeFAI), Web3 adoption, bringing web2 users into web3 and the future of autonomous systems. His vision is to make AI infrastructure trustless and reliable, ensuring unbiased and secure development for the next wave of AI innovation.X: https://x.com/karansirdesaiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karansirdesai/

Karan Sirdesai is the Co-Founder and CEO of Mira Network. Previously an investor at Accel, he helped deploy over $250 million in crypto and AI investments, backing companies now worth over $5 billion. Before that, he was a consultant at BCG, advising global conglomerates.A self-taught programmer, Karan has built and sold multiple crypto trading products. Under his leadership, Mira Network serves over 500,000 users with nearly 250,000 AI inference requests daily. Mira's decentralized verification network powers AI applications for leading institutions like Aethir, io.net, and Hyperbolic, enabling trustless verification of AI outputs at scale.Karan is a thought leader in AI and blockchain, frequently speaking on AI agents, Decentralized Finance AI (DeFAI), Web3 adoption, bringing web2 users into web3 and the future of autonomous systems. His vision is to make AI infrastructure trustless and reliable, ensuring unbiased and secure development for the next wave of AI innovation.X: https://x.com/karansirdesaiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karansirdesai/

Sebastian Pfeiffer, Managing Director @ Impossible Cloud NetworkSebastian Pfeiffer is the Senior Director of web3 Growth at Impossible Cloud Network, where he is responsible for developing and implementing the company's growth strategy. His focus includes designing decentralized business architecture, tokenomics, legal frameworks, and stakeholder alignment.Before joining Impossible Cloud, Sebastian was a Consultant at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), specializing in strategy development and execution for globally recognized companies across various industries, with a focus on social impact and industrial goods. He holds dual Master of Science degrees in Strategy and Corporate Development from Aalto University and Universität zu Köln.LinkedIn:⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastian-pfeiffer/

Sebastian Pfeiffer, Managing Director @ Impossible Cloud NetworkSebastian Pfeiffer is the Senior Director of web3 Growth at Impossible Cloud Network, where he is responsible for developing and implementing the company's growth strategy. His focus includes designing decentralized business architecture, tokenomics, legal frameworks, and stakeholder alignment.Before joining Impossible Cloud, Sebastian was a Consultant at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), specializing in strategy development and execution for globally recognized companies across various industries, with a focus on social impact and industrial goods. He holds dual Master of Science degrees in Strategy and Corporate Development from Aalto University and Universität zu Köln.LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastian-pfeiffer/

Sean (Xiang) Ren, CEO and Co-Founder of Sahara AISean is the CEO and Co-Founder of Sahara AI, a decentralized AI blockchain platform for a collaborative economy. Backed by top investors in AI and Crypto, including Binance Labs, Pantera Capital, Polychain Capital, Sequoia Capital, Samsung Next, Matrix Partners, and many more, Sahara AI has raised over $40 million to advance decentralized AI. Today, Sahara AI is trusted by 35+ leading tech innovators and research institutions, such as Microsoft, Amazon, MIT, Character AI, and Snapchat. Additionally, Sean is an Associate Professor in Computer Science and the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Early Career Chair at the University of Southern California, where he is the Principal Investigator (PI) of the Intelligence and Knowledge Discovery (INK) Research Lab. At Allen Institute for AI, Sean contributes to machine common sense research. Prior, Sean was a Data Science Advisor at Snapchat. He completed his PhD in computer science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and was a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University. Sean has received many awards recognizing his research and innovation in the AI space including the WSDM Test of Time Paper Award, Samsung AI Researcher of 2023, MIT TR Innovators Under 35, Forbes 30 Under 30, and more. Personal Site: https://www.seanre.com/ Twitter: @xiangrenNLP LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xren7

Sean (Xiang) Ren, CEO and Co-Founder of Sahara AISean is the CEO and Co-Founder of Sahara AI, a decentralized AI blockchain platform for a collaborative economy. Backed by top investors in AI and Crypto, including Binance Labs, Pantera Capital, Polychain Capital, Sequoia Capital, Samsung Next, Matrix Partners, and many more, Sahara AI has raised over $40 million to advance decentralized AI. Today, Sahara AI is trusted by 35+ leading tech innovators and research institutions, such as Microsoft, Amazon, MIT, Character AI, and Snapchat. Additionally, Sean is an Associate Professor in Computer Science and the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Early Career Chair at the University of Southern California, where he is the Principal Investigator (PI) of the Intelligence and Knowledge Discovery (INK) Research Lab. At Allen Institute for AI, Sean contributes to machine common sense research. Prior, Sean was a Data Science Advisor at Snapchat. He completed his PhD in computer science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and was a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University. Sean has received many awards recognizing his research and innovation in the AI space including the WSDM Test of Time Paper Award, Samsung AI Researcher of 2023, MIT TR Innovators Under 35, Forbes 30 Under 30, and more. Personal Site: https://www.seanre.com/ Twitter: @xiangrenNLP LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xren7

Bhaji Illuminati is a visionary growth leader with a proven track record of scaling early-stage tech companies into market-leading brands. As CMO of Centrifuge, she is driving the adoption of real-world assets on-chain, positioning Centrifuge at the forefront of the RWA movement. Previously, at Dragonboat, she grew the team from 5 to 40 in a year and secured $12M in funding led by Insight Partners. At Taulia, her strategies helped pave the way for its $1B acquisition by SAP. Bhaji’s expertise spans go-to-market strategy, organizational scaling, and navigating complex ecosystems to drive growth and impact. Beyond work, she founded GLOW, a network connecting women executives in Los Angeles, and enjoys life in Venice, California, with her husband and two daughters.

Bhaji Illuminati is a visionary growth leader with a proven track record of scaling early-stage tech companies into market-leading brands. As CMO of Centrifuge, she is driving the adoption of real-world assets on-chain, positioning Centrifuge at the forefront of the RWA movement. Previously, at Dragonboat, she grew the team from 5 to 40 in a year and secured $12M in funding led by Insight Partners. At Taulia, her strategies helped pave the way for its $1B acquisition by SAP. Bhaji’s expertise spans go-to-market strategy, organizational scaling, and navigating complex ecosystems to drive growth and impact. Beyond work, she founded GLOW, a network connecting women executives in Los Angeles, and enjoys life in Venice, California, with her husband and two daughters.

Cecilia Hsueh is the co-founder and CEO of Morph, the global consumer layer for driving blockchain adoption. A serial entrepreneur with over 12 years of experience building consumer-focused companies, she previously led crypto exchange Phemex to achieve $5B in daily trading volume. Before entering Web3, she ran a successful market research firm advising Fortune 500 companies on consumer strategy and built a direct-to-consumer sportswear brand. Cecilia is passionate about building inclusive web3 ecosystems for the mass market.

Cecilia Hsueh is the co-founder and CEO of Morph, the global consumer layer that drives blockchain adoption. A serial entrepreneur with over 12 years of experience building consumer-focused companies, she previously led crypto exchange Phemex to achieve $5B in daily trading volume. Before entering Web3, she ran a successful market research firm advising Fortune 500 companies on consumer strategy and built a direct-to-consumer sportswear brand. Cecilia is passionate about building inclusive web3 ecosystems for the mass market.

Victor Vernissage, a researcher at the intersection of macroeconomics, blockchain, AI and decentralized governance and a co-founder of multiple crypto ventures, including Citadel.one staking app, DeSci/Fi project Episteme, and Humanode, an AI-driven biometric protocol that has authenticated over 500,000 humans.

Lindsey Lim is a board member at the Radix Foundation and previously senior director at Circle Internet Finance (issuer of USDC), where she led financial partnerships. Prior to this, Lindsey had a similar role at Calibra, Facebook's crypto wallet, where she focused on building a global on-ramp and off-ramp network. Lindsey also worked at the World Bank Group for over five years. She was country manager of the Philippine subsidiary of Swedish insurance tech company BIMA MILVIK, and worked at McKinsey and Citibank.You may reach Lindsey at linkedin.com/in/lindseylim. Please include a note specifying why you are reaching out.

Hedi Navazan, the Chief Compliance Officer of 1inch Group, to your podcast. Hedi brings over a decade of expertise in regulatory compliance, financial crime prevention, and governance. With a distinguished career spanning both traditional finance and digital assets, Hedi is a pivotal figure in navigating the intersection of decentralized finance (DeFi) and global regulatory landscapes.Prior to joining 1inch, Hedi managed financial crime and regulatory teams across Europe at HSBC, where she gained extensive experience in banking and compliance. Her global perspective is further enhanced by her work with prominent organizations such as Europol, Interpol, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), where she has advised and educated policymakers on creating robust regulatory frameworks for the digital asset sector.

Hedi Navazan is the Chief Compliance Officer of 1inch Group, to your podcast. Hedi brings over a decade of expertise in regulatory compliance, financial crime prevention, and governance. With a distinguished career spanning both traditional finance and digital assets, Hedi is a pivotal figure in navigating the intersection of decentralized finance (DeFi) and global regulatory landscapes.Prior to joining 1inch, Hedi managed financial crime and regulatory teams across Europe at HSBC, where she gained extensive experience in banking and compliance. Her global perspective is further enhanced by her work with prominent organizations such as Europol, Interpol, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), where she has advised and educated policymakers on creating robust regulatory frameworks for the digital asset sector.

Ahmad Shadid is a tech entrepreneur known for his contributions to the artificial intelligence and blockchain industries. He is the founder ofO.XYZ, a blockchain and AI company, and the former CEO of IO.net, a Solana-based decentralized infrastructure provider (DePIN). As Founder and ex-CEO of IO.NET, Shadid successfully transformed the startup into a multibillion-dollar enterprise within just a year. His strategic deployment of AI solutions greatly impacted the Crypto AI landscape and solidified IO.NET's position as a leader in the decentralized AI compute sector. The company's advancements under his leadership helped pave the way for broader blockchain adoption, emphasizing reliability and scalability in decentralized physical infrastructure.At O.XYZ, Shadid’s vision focuses on building a strong platform for scalable blockchain and AI solutions, designed to cut operational costs and accelerate transaction speeds in real-world use cases.

Ahmad Shadid is a tech entrepreneur known for his contributions to the artificial intelligence and blockchain industries. He is the founder ofO.XYZ, a blockchain and AI company, and the former CEO of IO.net, a Solana-based decentralized infrastructure provider (DePIN). As Founder and ex-CEO of IO.NET, Shadid successfully transformed the startup into a multibillion-dollar enterprise within just a year. His strategic deployment of AI solutions greatly impacted the Crypto AI landscape and solidified IO.NET's position as a leader in the decentralized AI compute sector. The company's advancements under his leadership helped pave the way for broader blockchain adoption, emphasizing reliability and scalability in decentralized physical infrastructure.At O.XYZ, Shadid’s vision focuses on building a strong platform for scalable blockchain and AI solutions, designed to cut operational costs and accelerate transaction speeds in real-world use cases.

William Herkelrath is the CEO, and co-founder of K3 Labs, a drag and drop platform for automating common Web3 tasks. With more than 20 years in both product and sales roles in the FinTech industry, William has been an early executive at 3 separate start-ups that were acquired by Fortune 500 firms. Since 2017, William has been exclusively focused on helping blockchain firms recognize and capitalize on mainstream uses-cases for the technology. He was the Chief Revenue Officer for Curv, which was acquired by PayPal in early 2021, and the Head of Business Development for Chainlink.Wm

William Herkelrath is the CEO, and co-founder of K3 Labs, a drag and drop platform for automating common Web3 tasks. With more than 20 years in both product and sales roles in the FinTech industry, William has been an early executive at 3 separate start-ups that were acquired by Fortune 500 firms. Since 2017, William has been exclusively focused on helping blockchain firms recognize and capitalize on mainstream uses-cases for the technology. He was the Chief Revenue Officer for Curv, which was acquired by PayPal in early 2021, and the Head of Business Development for Chainlink.

Steven Pu, Co-Founder of Taraxa, a purpose-built, fast, scalable, and device-friendly Layer-1 public ledger designed to help democratize reputation by making informal data trustworthy. Prior to Taraxa, Steven launched multiple ventures and products in IoT and mobile healthcare. He was also a Partner at Monitor Deloitte’s strategy practice, spearheaded their digital strategy line of business serving Fortune 500 companies with hundreds of millions in upside impact. Steven also had the honor of co-authoring the book “Next Blockchain” with Makoto Yano, vice-minister of Japan’s Ministry of Economics, Trade, and Industry. Steven holds undergraduate and master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.

Steven Pu, Co-Founder of Taraxa, a purpose-built, fast, scalable, and device-friendly Layer-1 public ledger designed to help democratize reputation by making informal data trustworthy. Prior to Taraxa, Steven launched multiple ventures and products in IoT and mobile healthcare. He was also a Partner at Monitor Deloitte’s strategy practice, spearheaded their digital strategy line of business serving Fortune 500 companies with hundreds of millions in upside impact. Steven also had the honor of co-authoring the book “Next Blockchain” with Makoto Yano, vice-minister of Japan’s Ministry of Economics, Trade, and Industry. Steven holds undergraduate and master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.

Dr. Nikhil Varma is an Associate Professor of Management at the Anisfield School of Business, Ramapo College of New Jersey, and a globally recognized expert in blockchain technology, operations, and sustainability. With over 20 years of academic and professional experience, he bridges the gap between research and practice in emerging technologies and management. Dr. Varma serves as the Senior Fellow and Chair of the Blockchain Workgroup at The Digital Economist and is the Technical Lead for the Algorand Foundation in India, where he supports blockchain diffusion and adoption across the country. His work focuses on leveraging decentralized technologies to drive innovation and sustainable growth. Holding a Ph.D. in Business Administration and an MBA from HEC Montréal, along with advanced engineering credentials, Dr. Varma has published extensively on supply chains, sustainability, and blockchain applications in top-tier journals and global conferences. He is also a sought-after advisor, having supported ventures like Aten Ventures and Qbrics. At Ramapo College, he designs and teaches cutting-edge courses in Business Analytics, Data Visualization, and Sustainability, equipping students with real-world skills in data-driven decision-making. A certified Scrum Master and SAP professional, Dr. Varma combines technical expertise with strategic insight to advance the adoption of blockchain and emerging technologies globally.

Michael Wasyl is a business development professional with 10+ years across fintech, digital assets, and entrepreneurial ventures. Michael has sourced and evaluated fintech investment opportunities for ConsenSys Capital, managed go-to-market for influential startups in the space and supported message compliance and forensic trade reconstruction analytics for some of the largest banks while at Bloomberg. Michael is also a managing partner at DeerCreek, a strategy advisory for top blockchain foundations.Bracket is a leading DeFi platform focused on liquid-staked assets and strategy management. It is designed to simplify and improve the use of Liquid Staking Tokens (LSTs) and Liquid Restaking Tokens (LRTs). The platform provides users with tools to maximize yields while maintaining exposure to ETH. Bracket’s innovative token, brktETH, creates fungibility among various LSTs, making them more flexible and efficient as collateral.

Michael Wasyl is a business development professional with 10+ years across fintech, digital assets, and entrepreneurial ventures. Michael has sourced and evaluated fintech investment opportunities for ConsenSys Capital, managed go-to-market for influential startups in the space and supported message compliance and forensic trade reconstruction analytics for some of the largest banks while at Bloomberg. Michael is also a managing partner at DeerCreek, a strategy advisory for top blockchain foundations.Bracket is a leading DeFi platform focused on liquid-staked assets and strategy management. It is designed to simplify and improve the use of Liquid Staking Tokens (LSTs) and Liquid Restaking Tokens (LRTs). The platform provides users with tools to maximize yields while maintaining exposure to ETH. Bracket’s innovative token, brktETH, creates fungibility among various LSTs, making them more flexible and efficient as collateral.

Ricardo JohnsonRicardo Johnson is the founder of Oases, a pioneering platform revolutionizing real estate investment through blockchain technology. By leveraging tokenized co-ownership, he is unlocking access to income-generating luxury properties, allowing investors to build diversified portfolios of tangible assets with the flexibility, security, and lifestyle benefits of digital innovation.With a strong background in finance, real estate, and emerging technologies, Ricardo specializes in:✅ Real Estate Tokenization – Transforming traditional property ownership into accessible, fractionalized assets.✅ Web3 & Blockchain Integration – Bridging the gap between decentralized finance and real-world real estate opportunities.✅ Digital Asset Strategies – Creating new pathways for wealth-building in a shared economy.Passionate about reshaping traditional ownership models, Ricardo is on a mission to make real estate investing more accessible, enabling investors to generate passive income and participate in the future of digital-first property ownership.Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-c-johnson/Website: https://ownoases.ioEmail: [email protected]

Ricardo JohnsonRicardo Johnson is the founder of Oases, a pioneering platform revolutionizing real estate investment through blockchain technology. By leveraging tokenized co-ownership, he is unlocking access to income-generating luxury properties, allowing investors to build diversified portfolios of tangible assets with the flexibility, security, and lifestyle benefits of digital innovation.With a strong background in finance, real estate, and emerging technologies, Ricardo specializes in:✅ Real Estate Tokenization – Transforming traditional property ownership into accessible, fractionalized assets.✅ Web3 & Blockchain Integration – Bridging the gap between decentralized finance and real-world real estate opportunities.✅ Digital Asset Strategies – Creating new pathways for wealth-building in a shared economy.Passionate about reshaping traditional ownership models, Ricardo is on a mission to make real estate investing more accessible, enabling investors to generate passive income and participate in the future of digital-first property ownership.Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-c-johnson/Website: https://ownoases.ioEmail: [email protected]

Evan Owens is an experienced entrepreneur, operator, and investor with over 15 years of expertise in business development, sales, and strategic partnerships. As a former startup founder, he has a proven track record of building and scaling businesses across various industries. Evan's involvement in the blockchain space began in 2016 with his early investment in Ethereum, demonstrating his forward-thinking approach to technology and innovation. In addition to his business pursuits, Evan is an accomplished sailboat captain, having successfully sailed across the Atlantic Ocean.

Evan Owens is an experienced entrepreneur, operator, and investor with over 15 years of expertise in business development, sales, and strategic partnerships. As a former startup founder, he has a proven track record of building and scaling businesses across various industries. Evan's involvement in the blockchain space began in 2016 with his early investment in Ethereum, demonstrating his forward-thinking approach to technology and innovation. In addition to his business pursuits, Evan is an accomplished sailboat captain, having successfully sailed across the Atlantic Ocean.

Chris Chung is the CEO & Co-Founder of Titan, a Solana DEX Aggregator as well as Solana’s first Meta Aggregator. Chris is very active in the Toronto Solana ecosystem as the local ambassador for MonkeDao in Toronto, and a Superteam Canada member. Chris also previously served as the CTO of a cryptocurrency and US equity hedge fund building out low latency analytics, back office reporting, and trading systems. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-chung-ab673377/ Twitter/X: https://x.com/realRockyChung Telegram: realRockyChung

John Vibes is an author and journalist who has been in the crypto industry for over 10 years. He is currently the content lead for Somnia.Somnia is bringing the entire world’s data on-chain with the fastest and most cost-efficient EVM Layer 1 blockchain ever, capable of processing over 400k TPS with sub-second finality and sub-cent transaction fees. With these capabilities, Somnia is the only blockchain fully equipped for real-time, reactive, mass-consumer dApps that reach millions of users.

John Vibes is an author and journalist who has been in the crypto industry for over 10 years. He is currently the content lead for Somnia.Somnia is bringing the entire world’s data on-chain with the fastest and most cost-efficient EVM Layer 1 blockchain ever, capable of processing over 400k TPS with sub-second finality and sub-cent transaction fees. With these capabilities, Somnia is the only blockchain fully equipped for real-time, reactive, mass-consumer dApps that reach millions of users.

Kkrusher (Kevin Rusher) has been deeply involved in the cryptocurrency industry since 2017, transitioning to a full-time focus in 2020. With a background in accounting and finance, he explored Bitcoin academically during his third year of university, when writing a paper on Financial Technologies. Initially aspiring to become a crypto accountant, Kkrusher embarked on a diverse journey, which included creating an off-the-record index fund for family and friends, deploying capital to DeFi, building and managing a medium-scale GPU mining facility (formerly the largest Raven Coin miner), and working at a crypto exchange conducting KYC/AML checks for individuals and businesses. Inspired by the potential of DeFi after the 2020 DeFi Summer, Kkrusher shifted his focus to bridging traditional finance with decentralized systems. Today, he leads RAAC with a mission to make traditional assets accessible through innovative, blockchain-driven solutions.

Sung Choi is the senior vice president of business development and operations at Coinme. He focuses on business development, strategy, and operations at Coinme, a leading cryptocurrency cash exchange in the U.S. with over 21,000 locations to convert cash into digital assets. At Coinme, Sung is focused on product strategy, operations and business development.Before his work at Coinme, Sung worked in renewables, leading efforts to develop and finance wind and solar projects. Between the renewable energy industry and crypto, Sung also fulfilled a lifelong dream of owning a bar/restaurant. Sung holds a bachelor’s of science in aerospace engineering, a master’s in economics from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Juris Doctorate from Seattle University School of Law.

Sung Choi is the senior vice president of business development and operations at Coinme. He focuses on business development, strategy, and operations at Coinme, a leading cryptocurrency cash exchange in the U.S. with over 21,000 locations to convert cash into digital assets. At Coinme, Sung is focused on product strategy, operations and business development.Before his work at Coinme, Sung worked in renewables, leading efforts to develop and finance wind and solar projects. Between the renewable energy industry and crypto, Sung also fulfilled a lifelong dream of owning a bar/restaurant. Sung holds a bachelor’s of science in aerospace engineering, a master’s in economics from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Juris Doctorate from Seattle University School of Law.

Rich Zhou- Brazilian Jui jitsu 4 stripe blue belt-CFA Chartered financial advisor designation-Father of newborn-has helped raise over 100M+ in funding for companies An experienced Founder and CEO, Rich Zhou leads multiple ventures, including Aquifer Growth and Aquifer CFO, all tailored to support startups and SMEs in scaling their operations. At Aquifer Growth, Rich delivers scalable SEO and website optimization services designed to enhance visibility and user engagement. Through Aquifer CFO, Rich offers a unique "plug-in" finance department solution, providing fractional CFO services that integrate seamlessly into startups’ operations, with a focus on customized financial reporting.Prior to founding Aquifer, Rich held leadership roles across finance and analysis, including Controller at KOHO, Finance Manager at Walmart Canada Bank, and Senior Analyst positions at McCain Foods and RBC Capital Markets. With deep expertise in finance, strategy, and technology, Rich brings a unique perspective to each venture, supporting clients in driving growth and achieving measurable results."when companies are scaling they typically have disconnected patchwork of accounting and finance resources maybe they have an advisory firm or an external bookkeeper, maybe they do the work themselves, or the person they hired is managing everything and lacking proficiency and because of that they typically don’t have what one might consider a comprehensive accounting department. What we do is we augment, enhance or act as their finance department to provide bookkeeping, accounting, FP&A, tax & regulatory, controllership up to CFO guidance to assist these companies in getting better accounting without the overhead. We act as the day to day partner to ensure any accounting and finance issues seen or unforeseen are handled

Rich Zhou- Brazilian Jui jitsu 4 stripe blue belt-CFA Chartered financial advisor designation-Father of newborn-has helped raise over 100M+ in funding for companies An experienced Founder and CEO, Rich Zhou leads multiple ventures, including Aquifer Growth and Aquifer CFO, all tailored to support startups and SMEs in scaling their operations. At Aquifer Growth, Rich delivers scalable SEO and website optimization services designed to enhance visibility and user engagement. Through Aquifer CFO, Rich offers a unique "plug-in" finance department solution, providing fractional CFO services that integrate seamlessly into startups’ operations, with a focus on customized financial reporting.Prior to founding Aquifer, Rich held leadership roles across finance and analysis, including Controller at KOHO, Finance Manager at Walmart Canada Bank, and Senior Analyst positions at McCain Foods and RBC Capital Markets. With deep expertise in finance, strategy, and technology, Rich brings a unique perspective to each venture, supporting clients in driving growth and achieving measurable results."when companies are scaling they typically have disconnected patchwork of accounting and finance resources maybe they have an advisory firm or an external bookkeeper, maybe they do the work themselves, or the person they hired is managing everything and lacking proficiency and because of that they typically don’t have what one might consider a comprehensive accounting department. What we do is we augment, enhance or act as their finance department to provide bookkeeping, accounting, FP&A, tax & regulatory, controllership up to CFO guidance to assist these companies in getting better accounting without the overhead. We act as the day to day partner to ensure any accounting and finance issues seen or unforeseen are handled www.aquifercfo.com

Teemu Päivinen is the Founder and CEO of ZkCloud (formerly Gevulot), the first universal proving layer democratizing access to ZK proving. Active in crypto since 2011, Teemu has founded companies such as CoinMotion and Equilibrium Labs, known for its collaborations with leading L1s and L2s. In addition, Teemu has advised Dapper Labs, Open Zeppelin, and served on Samsung NEXT’s Stack Zero Grant Committee. As a Venture Partner at CompoundVC, he helps blockchain startups scale, combining deep expertise in entrepreneurship, blockchain, and venture capital.

Teemu Päivinen is the Founder and CEO of ZkCloud (formerly Gevulot), the first universal proving layer democratizing access to ZK proving. Active in crypto since 2011, Teemu has founded companies such as CoinMotion and Equilibrium Labs, known for its collaborations with leading L1s and L2s. In addition, Teemu has advised Dapper Labs, Open Zeppelin, and served on Samsung NEXT’s Stack Zero Grant Committee. As a Venture Partner at CompoundVC, he helps blockchain startups scale, combining deep expertise in entrepreneurship, blockchain, and venture capital.

Aly Madhavji is the Managing Partner at Blockchain Founders Fund which invests in and venture builds top-tier startups. He is a Limited Partner at Loyal VC and Draper Goren Holm. Aly consults organizations on emerging technologies such as INSEAD and the UN on solutions to help alleviate poverty. He served as Senior Blockchain Fellow at INSEAD and was recognized as a “Blockchain 100” Global Leader. He is an internationally acclaimed author, publishing three books, and a columnist for leading Web3 publications. Aly served as a board member of Soluna Holdings (NASDAQ: SLNH) and on various advisory boards including the University of Toronto’s Governing Council, which manages a $2.5B budget. He is a mentor with Orbit Startups, an elite accelerator program operated by the venture fund SOSV with $1.5B+ AUM and the Mobile Only Accelerator (MOX). Aly holds a Master of Global Affairs as a Schwarzman Scholar from Tsinghua University (清华大学), a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD (Singapore and France), and a Bachelor of Commerce with Distinction from the University of Toronto. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlockchainFoundersFund/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blockchainfoundersfund/?originalSubdomain=sg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alymadhavji/?hl=en Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVCRgXA7LaTDxsQ_b3J85bA Twitter: https://x.com/blockchainff?lang=en Website: https://blockchainff.com/

Aly Madhavji is the Managing Partner at Blockchain Founders Fund which invests in and venture builds top-tier startups. He is a Limited Partner at Loyal VC and Draper Goren Holm. Aly consults organizations on emerging technologies such as INSEAD and the UN on solutions to help alleviate poverty. He served as Senior Blockchain Fellow at INSEAD and was recognized as a “Blockchain 100” Global Leader. He is an internationally acclaimed author, publishing three books, and a columnist for leading Web3 publications. Aly served as a board member of Soluna Holdings (NASDAQ: SLNH) and on various advisory boards including the University of Toronto’s Governing Council, which manages a $2.5B budget. He is a mentor with Orbit Startups, an elite accelerator program operated by the venture fund SOSV with $1.5B+ AUM and the Mobile Only Accelerator (MOX). Aly holds a Master of Global Affairs as a Schwarzman Scholar from Tsinghua University (清华大学), a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD (Singapore and France), and a Bachelor of Commerce with Distinction from the University of Toronto. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlockchainFoundersFund/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blockchainfoundersfund/?originalSubdomain=sg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alymadhavji/?hl=en Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVCRgXA7LaTDxsQ_b3J85bA Twitter: https://x.com/blockchainff?lang=en Website: https://blockchainff.com/

Cy Li is the director of Ethereum Collective Foundation. He is committed to elevate the global standard of digital literacy by building grass root regenerative pipelines for a healthier and more progressive Web3 industry. Equipping the leaders of tomorrow with tools and skill sets to tackle uncharted space confidently while carrying the values and ethos of open source mentality.

Michal “Mehow” Pospieszalski is a seasoned tech leader with a track record of pioneering innovative solutions in the crypto world. As the CTO and co-founder of SwissFortress and CEO, co-founder, co-inventor of MatterFi, Michal merges visionary strategy with hands-on tech know-how, propelling both companies towards defining the future of digital asset management.Check out Crypto Hipster's Top 100 podcast ranking for 2024:https://blog.feedspot.com/cryptocurrency_podcasts/

Emeka Mgbenu (Eh-meh-kah Mig-beh-nu), Senior Product Manager at Sumsub As a Senior Product Manager at Sumsub, Emeka is responsible for delivering sustainable, innovation-driven products tailored for crypto, web3, and blockchain companies. He has over 5 years of experience in finance in crypto, building products for a variety of use cases, such as banking, savings, lending, payments, crypto, and compliance. Emeka holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Covenant University. He currently lives in London, UK. Sumsub Travel Rule Course: https://sumsub.com/courses/sumsub-learning-center-travel-rule-compliance-course/ Full list of Sumsub courses available: https://sumsub.com/courses/ Sumsub 2024 Fraud Report: https://sumsub.com/fraud-report-2024/?utm_source=newswire&utm_medium=media&utm_campaign=fraud-report_2024 Check out Crypto Hipster's Top 100 podcast ranking for 2024: https://blog.feedspot.com/cryptocurrency_podcasts/

Mohamed El-Masri is a corporate finance expert with a focus on alternative investments and blockchain innovation, aims to reform socio-economic systems to facilitate the generation and spread of natural wealth via energy, finance, and technology. With a varied educational background encompassing sociology, political science, and economics, he possesses multiple securities qualifications and certifications in corporate finance regulations. Driven by a passion for establishing a fairer future, Mohamed showcases how finance can be a catalyst for societal progress. Mr. El-Masri serves as the Founder of PermianChain Technologies, Director, Brox Equity Ltd., and is the Author of “Natural Gas and Blockchain” published by Canada’s Blockchain Research Institute (BRI) and included in Alex Tapscott’s recent book “Digital Asset Revolution.” He is the Managing Partner of Hodler Investments, which is launching the first digital asset energy fund in DIFC UAE. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohamedelmasri/

Mohamed El-Masri is a corporate finance expert with a focus on alternative investments and blockchain innovation, aims to reform socio-economic systems to facilitate the generation and spread of natural wealth via energy, finance, and technology. With a varied educational background encompassing sociology, political science, and economics, he possesses multiple securities qualifications and certifications in corporate finance regulations. Driven by a passion for establishing a fairer future, Mohamed showcases how finance can be a catalyst for societal progress. Mr. El-Masri serves as the Founder of PermianChain Technologies, Director, Brox Equity Ltd., and is the Author of “Natural Gas and Blockchain” published by Canada’s Blockchain Research Institute (BRI) and included in Alex Tapscott’s recent book “Digital Asset Revolution.” He is the Managing Partner of Hodler Investments, which is launching the first digital asset energy fund in DIFC UAE. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohamedelmasri/

Bulat is a Web3 Product Leader with 13 years of extensive expertise in Blockchain and crypto. He has teb3 space. “I'm lucky to work with some great engineering and product development teams to create products that make a huge difference in lives,” he says. Bulat's profile: https://x.com/thebulatk Check out Crypto Hipster's 2024 Best Crypto Podcasts ranking here: https://blog.feedspot.com/cryptocurrency_podcasts/