Crypto Hipster

Join the Crypto Hipster for weekly news, analysis, insights and commentary from around the world of crypto and blockchain.

OWEN O DRISCOLL | CO-FOUNDER/CEO @ TRRUE Owen is a start-up founder in the fintech and crowdfunding industry who has developed and led a team of developers, marketers, and financial experts to build a powerful platform that enables individuals and businesses to raise funds online. In addition to his accomplishments in fintech and blockchain, Owen has a background as an entrepreneur. He pioneered the Subway food and beverage franchise within Ireland from 2008 until 2018, growing the retail offering in Cork to three locations. Owen’s keen interest in sustainable horticulture led him to formally study horticultural science at Munster Technology University to leverage the coming shift towards natural products and widespread integration into the agricultural sector. As a lead ambassador for Aeternity blockchain, Owen has represented a blockchain company at events and conferences, building brand awareness and promoting the company's solutions. Through this experience, he has developed a strong understanding of blockchain technology and its potential applications across various industries. Owen has also worked as a blockchain consultant, advising businesses on the potential applications of blockchain technology and how it can enhance their operations. His expertise in the field has helped clients navigate the complex world of blockchain, enabling them to take advantage of the technology's benefits while minimising potential risks. Owen is passionate about start-up culture and has been fortunate enough to have participated in two accelerator programs. These experiences have provided him with valuable insights into the start-up ecosystem and allowed him to network with like-minded entrepreneurs and investors. As a result of his participation in these programs, Owen has developed a keen eye for identifying promising start- ups and a deep understanding of the challenges they face.

Javier Castro-Acuña is the Head of Crypto & Web3 at Bitnovo, a non-custodial Spanish crypto platform where he has been working full time for the last 3 years.He first heard about Bitcoin from online poker players in 2014 and started to dive deeper since then. The growing interest pushed him into a Masters Degree in Blockchain, Smart Contracts and Cryptoeconomics. He holds a degree in Business Administration and prior to crypto worked in finance areas at multinational companies like Vodafone or 20th Century Fox. He also moonlights as a DeFi degen and occasional teacher. Bitnovo website: https://www.bitnovo.com/en/LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/javiercastroacuna/

Join the Crypto Hipster every Friday for a weekly recap of news, insights, analysis and commentary from around the world of crypto and blockchain.

Join the Crypto Hipster each Friday for crypto news, insights, analysis, and commentary from around the world of blockchain and crypto.

Julian Deschler is a co-founder of Elusiv - Web3's modular privacy stack. After beginning his career in TradFi, he delved into the blockchain scene, working at several web3 startups during his University studies. Recognized with a scholarship from Europe's largest entrepreneurship center UnternehmerTUM, Julian co-founded Elusiv while still in Uni, and now passionately champions the evolution of privacy in the Web3 ecosystem by leading the business strategies of Elusiv.

Lasha Antadze is the co-founder of Rarify Labs, a company advancing Rarimo, the interoperability protocol for digital social identities. In 2022, Rarify Labs received US$10 million in a Series A funding round from Pantera Capital at a $100 million valuation. As a serial founder, Lasha has close to a decade of experience in the blockchain industry. Prior to Rarify Labs, Lasha co-founded decentralized auction platform Shelf Network, which was recognized by the 2018 Frontier Innovations Awards as the best blockchain use-case for the real world, and was acquired by the Aurora Group in 2022. As early as 2015, Lasha has also led projects with the Ukrainian government to transition various state processes on to the blockchain.

Michael O’Rourke,  CEO and Co-Founder at Pocket Network Michael O’Rourke is Co-Founder of Pocket Network. Prior to building Pocket Network, he owned and operated a blockchain development agency, and was on the ground level of Tampa Bay’s largest Bitcoin/Crypto meetup and consultancy, Blockspaces, with a focus on teaching developers Solidity. Michael first got into bitcoin in 2013, and his interests quickly grew much deeper. In 2016, writing smart contracts and making discoveries in API services for Ethereum gave Michael a unique perspective on what is required to provide a vertically and horizontally scalable infrastructure service in a decentralized manner.

Join the Crypto Hipster for a weekly walk through the regulatory and legal landscape of crypto and blockchain around the world, including news, insights, analysis and commentary.

Kitty Horlick is a Director at Rarify Labs, a company advancing Rarimo, the interoperability protocol for digital social identities. Prior to Rarify Labs, Kitty founded Blackwood, a consultancy firm focused on onboarding traditional businesses into Web3. She has been involved in blockchain since 2016 and has provided communications services for a range of web3 and traditional tech companies including Cardano Foundation, Unit London, and Institut. Outside of web3, she is also a seasoned multimedia journalist, and has written for outlets including The Sunday Times, and produced award-winning documentaries and podcasts.