Zero Knowledge The Founding of Zero Knowledge Systems with Austin Hill
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Mar 25, 2025 Austin Hill, one of the original founders of Zero Knowledge Systems and co-founder of Blockstream, shares his journey from the early internet days in Montreal to navigating the dot-com boom. He discusses the ambitious mission for online privacy with their flagship product, Freedom, and the shift to a B2B approach. Austin reflects on his involvement in Bitcoin and the challenges of open-source infrastructure, as well as a new venture in material nanotechnology, exploring innovations while advocating for ethical privacy solutions in today's data-driven world.
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Early Tech Experiences
- Austin Hill's early tech experiences included getting a modem at 7-8 years old and running a bulletin board system (BBS) by age 10.
- He was exposed to the internet through hacking university systems, a common practice due to the lack of commercial internet access.
Introduction to Online Civil Liberties
- Early exposure to hacker culture and publications like 2600 and FRAC introduced Austin Hill to online civil liberties.
- The FBI's Operation Sun Devil in 1994, targeting hackers, further solidified his interest in this area.
Founding of Zero Knowledge Systems
- After selling his ISP, Austin Hill, along with his partners, decided to create a tool that made cryptography accessible to the average user.
- This marked the beginning of Zero Knowledge Systems and their flagship product, Freedom.