Crypto Hipster

Cyrus Taghehchian is a strategically-minded senior executive of 20 years with an accomplished entrepreneurial track record of top-notch technical and business execution. He is a Deloitte Consulting alum specializing in e-commerce and digital marketing. Previous clients Cyrus consulted include Intel, Paypal, Bank of America, and Cisco. Cyrus invests in early stage crypto-assets and is a serial entrepreneur with 2 successful exits generating over $300M in returns for investors.He is a thought-leader in the Web3 space and an early innovator of NFT technology in 2017. Cyrus believes in giving back to the community. He mentors entrepreneurs looking to build in Web3 and advises enterprises on blockchain adoption. He is a previous speaker at World Blockchain Summit Dubai, ETH Denver, NFT NYC, DIFC Summit Dubai, and has contributed to ETH Magicians for Ethereum off-chain governance topics on UX, Agile in Web3, and Quality Assurance.His efforts and innovation in the Web3 e-commerce space honored him as Entrepreneur Magazine’s top entrepreneurs under 40 in 2018. Cyrus has been vocal about how total marketplace dependency can cause inefficiencies and deadweight loss in the economy. He believes in free markets and that blockchain technology can help break down systematic monopolies that have made some corporations more powerful than governments. Cyrus is a University of California, Irvine alum and holds a degree in Economics, a concentration in Informatics, and left his MBA to start building Web3 E-commerce.During his off-time, Cyrus enjoys traveling the world and trying new cuisines. He likes to learn and reads several books a year. Cyrus stays active by playing tennis, golf, and hockey.

Sheldon Bennett, Chief Executive Officer, has over 20 years of management experience leading international companies, including PwC, Ernst & Young, Baker & McKenzie, and Cisco Systems before founding DMG Blockchain Solutions. He leads DMG’s Canadian mining operations and was responsible for developing industrial bitcoin mining operations, including government relations, power optimization with Canadian utilities. He has developed DMG’s new Core+ strategy to build out multiple revenue-generating software solutions for cryptocurrency adoption for financial institutions. From his previous experience in the Big 4, he launched two Environment and Sustainability practices as well as working on the audit of many ESG reports.  Steven Eliscu, Chief Operating Officer, is an experienced executive with a demonstrated record of accomplishments in roles at Blockchain/FinTech start-ups and the semiconductor industry. Steven most recently worked as Head of Finance for DSP Concepts, and was the Sr. Director of Finance at Bitfury while advising several Blockchain startups. Steven is also a former equity research analyst for UBS, having provided investment coverage of the semiconductor industry to institutional investors. Steven has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Join the Crypto Hipster for Crypto Policy and Regulatory News, Insights, Analysis, and Commentary Around the World, with your host Jamil Hasan

Claire Ross-Brown is an English actress, businesswoman, and philanthropist with extensive experience in both the entertainment industry and the business world. Launching her acting career at the age of 14, Claire quickly made a name for herself with appearances in popular English TV shows such as EastEnders; and in feature films like The Rainbow. Her expertise also spans the financial sector, where for over 30 years she has been a pivotal figure, providing advice to industry leaders including Cashworks, Goldman Sachs, and Credit Suisse on talent management, corporate partnerships, and strategic deal-making. In 2019, armed with a deep understanding of modern business and financial practices, Claire founded CJ London, a luxury fashion brand known for its exceptional yet accessible “Timeless Classics” collections. Centered around the iconic "little black dress", CJ London is committed to sustainability, using eco-friendly materials and processes to cater to fashion enthusiasts globally. In the dynamic landscape of blockchain technology, Claire Ross-Brown joined Concordium, a pioneering Layer One blockchain, as an advisor and news anchor in 2021. Her involvement with Concordium positioned her at the vanguard of blockchain innovation, where she leveraged her expertise to offer strategic insights and effectively communicate intricate blockchain concepts to a broad audience. Simultaneously, Claire took the role as Executive Director and presenter at Crypto Channel Direct. This weekly program has quickly become a staple in the crypto community, with Claire dissecting the most pressing crypto and blockchain news, offering opinions, and providing informative segments that elucidate the industry's most complex topics. Claire's dedication to demystifying the often opaque world of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology made her a trusted voice in the community. Her ability to translate the nuances of digital currencies and the underlying technology into accessible and engaging content ensures that viewers are consistently well-informed and ahead of the curve.

Join the Crypto Hipster for Crypto Policy and Regulatory News, Insights, Analysis, and Commentary Around the World, with your host Jamil Hasan.

Dr. Alan Tominey is a highly accomplished and visionary expert in the fields of AI, Data Science, digital twins, the energy industry, science, and Engineering. His career began with a focus on novel drug delivery nanotechnology, laying the groundwork for his innovative approach to complex scientific challenges. He then transitioned to the energy sector, building physics-informed digital twins for major capital projects, and working with industry giants such as Exxon, Chevron, Shell, and Kuwait Oil Company (KOC). In this role, Dr. Tominey developed one of the world's most advanced multiphase flow models and was responsible for curating the most sophisticated non-linear optimization engine globally. Remarkably, at one point, approximately 85% of the world's oil and gas flowed through software for which he was responsible.As a distinguished thought leader, Dr. Tominey's expertise extends across various domains, including AI, energy, web3 technologies, and business acquisitions. He has a comprehensive understanding of the entire value chain, from strategic planning to real-time system deployment, earning him a reputation for delivering sustainable growth and competitive advantage.Currently, he serves as the Director of Product & Technology at Gorki in Dubai, where his leadership has been instrumental in driving the company's technological direction. Previously, as the Head of Data Science, AI, and Analytics at Petroleum Experts Ltd in Edinburgh, he led teams in developing AI and physics-driven solutions significantly impacting the energy industry.Dr. Tominey's knowledge extends beyond traditional AI and Data Science. His expertise in decentralized technologies, blockchain, and smart contracts makes him a versatile expert capable of integrating these concepts into business models and solutions.As a strategic leader, Dr. Tominey has been pivotal in business acquisition advisory, identifying potential targets, evaluating technology stacks, and advising on strategic decisions. His ability to navigate the complexities of AI, data analytics, and business operations has been a key driver in his success.A seasoned speaker and mentor, he has dedicated years to mentoring scientists, technologists, and engineers, nurturing the next generation of innovators. His engaging communication style makes complex ideas accessible and relatable.Dr. Tominey's journey is a testament to his commitment to excellence, innovation, and driving meaningful change, leaving an indelible mark on each industry he has specialized in and continuing to shape the future. 

Join the Crypto Hipster every Friday for Crypto Policy and Regulatory News, Insights, Analysis, and Commentary Around the World, with your host Jamil Hasan. NOTE: Season 4, Episode 12 will be published on January 5, 2024. There will be no episode on December 29, 2023. Happy Holidays everyone!

Jathin Jagannath is a Developer Advocate at Cartesi, an app-specific rollup protocol with a virtual machine that runs Linux distributions. At Cartesi, Jathin Jagannath has built developer communities across India and has joined DevAdl to promote Cartesi across the globe. Jathin holds a Master's Degree in Physics & computational Nanotechnology from IIT ROORKEE  and since 2018 has worked as a Software Engineer focusing on blockchain technology. Jathin has a sound understanding of the Layer1 & Layer2 blockchain protocols. He is also proficient in Ethereum-based DApp development. Having founded his own startup in 2018 and previously worked at Accumulate Network and Solice he is very passionate about leveraging web3 technologies to create value and drive innovation for society. He loves to play Volleyball and Chess in leisure. Awosika Israel Ayodeji is a passionate young entrepreneur and founder of Web3bridge. Web3bridge (formerly 500NigeriaDevs4ETH), is the pioneer program dedicated to bridging the gap between web2 developers in Africa and the needed structure for their transitioning to web3. Web3bridge is focused on building a sustainable web3 economy in Africa through remote and onsite web3 development training, supporting web3 developers and startups, and lowering barriers to entry into the Web3 ecosystem. The program runs an intensive 8-week remote learning plan for beginners in tech-focused on teaching HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as the main Web3 cohort program (in-house boot camp), which spans 16 weeks and is aimed at training Web2 developers within and outside Africa to become blockchain developers, at little or no cost. After the training, Ayodeji works with the rest of the team in helping and ensuring that the developers secure their first blockchain developer roles and together with his team, they also work to ensure that the developers succeed and deliver optimal results for their employers. Ayodeji was the pioneering lead of Enterprise Solutions at Hydro Labs where he created and established processes for the department to onboard partnerships and interact with developer communities. He was previously the community lead at Ethereum Push Notification Service (EPNS) a blockchain communications and notification protocol, backed by 34+ VCs with a valuation of over $130m. At the moment, he is contributing actively and resourcefully to growing the blockchain ecosystem in Nigeria and believes in pushing the blockchain narrative across the borders of Africa due to his firm belief in the potential benefit of blockchain and decentralization in Africa's growth development.

Join the Crypto Hipster for Crypto Policy and Regulatory News, Insights, Analysis, and Commentary Around the World, every Friday, with your host Jamil Hasan.

Rusty Matveev is the Chief Strategy Officer of Calaxy, a next-generation social platform redefining the creator-fan relationship. At Calaxy, Rusty leads fundraising and investor relations efforts, also spearheading partnership strategy and growth. A serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist, Rusty has over 15 years of experience in emerging technology, startups, and venture capital. Prior to Calaxy, he led the investment team at Madison Square Garden Ventures and was an integral part of the launch team established to develop and build MSG Sphere. Rusty has been at the forefront of emerging technology in the live and immersive experiences, interactive, gaming, sports, and entertainment verticals, leading efforts towards MSG’s ambitious vision to redefine the live experience and create the next generation of entertainment. Rusty has co-founded several successful startups including META International, a smart city and venue infrastructure company, and Xion, an experiential marketplace and content platform in the travel and hospitality sector. You can follow him on Twitter.