Anna catches up with Howard Wu, co-founder of the Aleo Network, and Alex Pruden, executive director of the Aleo Foundation. They discuss the evolution of the Aleo project, including technical decisions, breakthroughs, detours, and initial goals. They also explore the challenges of running marketplaces in the crypto industry, the introduction of Veruna as the proof system, and the transition to a hybrid consensus of proof of work and proof of stake. The podcast ends with a discussion on the network's governance plan and excitement for the upcoming mainnet launch.

In this discussion, Howard Wu, the Co-founder and CEO of Provable, shares insights into privacy's crucial role in blockchain, highlighting its necessity beyond mere financial secrecy. Justin Thaler, a research partner at A16z crypto, elaborates on innovative advancements like zero-knowledge proofs that enhance privacy without compromising transparency. The duo explores real-world challenges in maintaining user confidentiality and the future of decentralized applications, emphasizing the balance between privacy, security, and compliance in an evolving technological landscape.

Howard Wu, Founder of Aleo, discusses Aleo - a privacy-focused blockchain enabling fully private applications. Topics include programming languages for SNARKs, switching from VC/Academia to founding, missing features in web services, high programmability, functional privacy, ZEXE protocol, and Proof-of-Succinct-Work.