Key Takeaways
- Sergey Nazarov, who studied philosophy and management, was strongly interested in technology and blockchain from a young age.
- He worked at FirstMark Capital and QED Capital, gaining experience in investing and finding blockchain opportunities.
- Nazarov co-founded Chainlink in 2017, creating a decentralized oracle network that connects blockchain to real-world data.
Who Is Sergey Nazarov?
Sergey Nazarov grew up with parents who were engineers and introduced him to computers when he was young. He started using a keyboard at five and read programming books in middle school. As a kid, he enjoyed building with Lego, taking apart old TVs to learn how they worked, and playing strategy games.
His family moved to New York in the 1990s, where he later got a degree in Philosophy and Management from New York University. Sergey also worked as a Teaching Fellow at the Stern School of Business, helping with a Technology Entrepreneurship course.
Early Career
Teaching Experience
In 2010, Sergey worked as a Teaching Fellow at NYU Stern School of Business, where he supported Professor Lawrence Lenihan, CEO of FirstMark Capital, in his technology entrepreneurship course. He contributed by helping create the course material, giving presentations on effective networking, and working one-on-one with teams on their tech startups.
Venture Capital and Startups
Sergey worked at FirstMark Capital, examining new technologies and finding investment opportunities. He learned a lot about tech and blockchain startups, which helped him spot the potential of decentralized technologies early on.
QED Capital and Board Experience
As a General Partner at QED Capital, Sergey gained extensive experience finding good investment opportunities and working with new startups. He also participated in board meetings, helping make business plans and grow companies like SecondMarket.
Nazarov’s Blockchain Journey
Also 2010, Nazarov started a business renting GPUs to mine Bitcoin. He quickly covered his costs and made a profit, which interested him in blockchain technology. This experience showed him how blockchain could be used for more than just cryptocurrency.
Nazarov saw the collapse of FTX as an opportunity. He believed that as traditional finance faced more problems, blockchain could help grow decentralized finance (DeFi). He saw FTX’s failure as an example of the lack of transparency in traditional finance, with blockchain offering a better solution.
Entrepreneurial Leadership
Sergey Nazarov has started and led several successful companies. He was the CEO of CryptaMail and Secure Asset Exchange, which focused on improving security and privacy in digital communication and asset management. He also co-founded SmartContract, which helps smart contracts connect to real-world data. Through these businesses, Sergey has helped grow the blockchain and cryptocurrency industries.
Co-Founding Chainlink
In 2017, Nazarov co-founded Chainlink with Steve Ellis and helped write the white paper for the protocol. Chainlink is a blockchain protocol that connects blockchain with outside data, acting as an oracle.
At first, Chainlink was meant to be a centralized system for verifying information, but it has now become a decentralized network. It works with smart contracts to secure transactions using outside data and APIs.
Nazarov believes that Chainlink’s infrastructure could bring great value to society and possibly become something meaningful for everyone.
Chainlink’s Role in DeFi
Chainlink helps Decentralized Finance (DeFi) grow by providing reliable and secure oracles. These oracles connect smart contracts to off-chain data, allowing the creation of decentralized apps that can automate financial services like lending, insurance, and derivatives without needing centralized intermediaries.
Advocacy for Transparency and Security
Sergey often discusses how blockchain can fix trust problems, especially in traditional financial systems. His work with Chainlink focuses on transparency, decentralization, and security in data and transactions, supporting his early belief that trust is key in technology.
Vision for the Future of Blockchain
Sergey sees Chainlink’s infrastructure becoming a big part of the digital economy. He believes blockchain technology can change industries more than finance, including supply chain management, insurance, healthcare, etc.
Final Thoughts
Sergey Nazarov went from being a tech lover to a blockchain leader. He co-founded Chainlink 2017, creating a network that connects blockchain to real-world data, helping grow decentralized finance (DeFi). Sergey believes blockchain can fix trust issues in traditional systems and change industries like finance, healthcare, and supply chain, shaping the future of the digital industry.
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