Alephium’s COO on Building Efficient Teams – Maud Bannwart

The Blockchain Startup Show with Harrison Wright

A Conversation with Maud Bannwart from Alephium

Every growing company understands that success comes from overcoming challenges, not just achieving milestones.

Mastering these challenges is key to sustaining growth. Whether it's about scaling the team, maintaining quality, or fostering innovation, companies must navigate their journey with resilience and strategic insight.

In this episode of The Blockchain Startup Show, we chat with with a special guest, Maud Bannwart, the COO of Alephium. Maud shares her experience in leading Alephium, a company known for its innovative approach in the crypto sector. She discusses the importance of finding the right talent, the role of innovation in driving success, and why expanding the team doesn't always equate to increased efficiency.

Join us to gain valuable insights on navigating the complexities of business growth. Maud's expertise will enlighten and inspire you, whether you're leading an established company aiming to optimize your growth strategy or an emerging business looking to make your mark in the competitive world of crypto.

Guest Profile

Maud Bannwart

Maud is the COO of Alephium, a pioneering layer one blockchain network focused on providing a secure, scalable, and decentralized platform for smart contracts and decentralized applications.

With a unique background that spans chemical engineering and startup experience, Maud has navigated diverse career paths to land in the crypto industry. She began her journey at EPFL in Switzerland, where she studied chemical engineering before transitioning into business and the tech startup world. Her early professional experience includes working at BestMind, a leading Swedish startup specializing in self-driving cars, where she met Alephium's founder, Cheng.

Before joining Alephium, Maud worked at the Swiss crypto exchange Lykke, where wore multiple hats, contributing to HR, legal aspects, investor relations, and product management.

Since joining Alephium in June 2021, Maud has been instrumental in overseeing all non-development activities, helping to shape the project’s identity and drive its growth. Her role involves strategic planning, community engagement, and ensuring the smooth operation of the blockchain network.

Maud’s passion for innovation and her diverse skill set make her a key player in the evolving blockchain technology industry.

Key Take-Aways From The Interview

[0:01 - 1:59] Career Transition and Diverse Experience

Maud Bannwart’s career path, from chemical engineering to startups and eventually Alephium, showcases the value of diverse experiences and adaptability. Her varied background provided her with a unique perspective and skill set that benefited her roles in the crypto industry.

[4:48 - 6:28] Alephium’s Unique Vision and Technical Innovations

Alephium aims to offer a secure, scalable, and decentralized platform for smart contracts and decentralized applications. Founder Cheng's technical innovations, which couldn't be integrated into existing blockchains, led to the creation of Alephium, highlighting the importance of pioneering new solutions.

[6:31 - 7:48] Strategic Funding and Development

Alephium secured funding through a pre-sale with a conscious decision to limit the amount raised. This strategy ensured a focus on building a useful and sustainable product, emphasizing the need for mindful resource management in startup development.

[8:02 - 9:32] Building Identity and Community Engagement

Establishing a strong project identity and engaging with the community through transparent and respectful interactions is crucial. Alephium’s approach to building trust and fostering a supportive ecosystem is a key factor in its development strategy.

[12:25 - 14:10] Addressing Security in the Crypto Space

Alephium places a significant focus on security, aiming to make writing secure smart contracts easier and less error-prone. Addressing security issues is paramount for the widespread adoption of DeFi and blockchain technology, and Alephium's environment is designed to facilitate this.

Developer-Friendly Tools and Positive Feedback

Alephium's new virtual machine and smart contract language have received positive feedback from developers, indicating that the tools are user-friendly and effective. This highlights the importance of creating an accessible and supportive environment for developers.

[19:10 - 24:42] Lean and Efficient Team Structure

Maintaining a small, efficient team and emphasizing quality over quantity in hiring decisions is central to Alephium's approach. This strategy ensures agility and effectiveness in project development, demonstrating the benefits of a lean team structure.

[30:00 - 33:00] Human Touch and Respect in Recruitment

Emphasizing kindness and respect in recruitment processes helps build a positive and engaging work environment. Alephium’s commitment to a human touch in interactions reflects its core values and contributes to a strong team dynamic.

[36:30 - 40:00] Recognizing Unseen Impacts of Decisions

Acknowledging and addressing the unseen impacts of decisions is important for sustainable growth. Alephium’s strategy includes being mindful of the broader effects of their actions, ensuring long-term success and a positive reputation.

[45:00 - 51:00] Empowering the Community

Alephium empowers its community to contribute and make decisions, fostering a resilient and dynamic ecosystem. This approach helps distribute control and encourages diverse initiatives within the project.

[51:00 - 57:00] Quality over Quantity

Focus on finding the right fit, maintaining respect and kindness, and recognizing the unseen impacts of actions. Alephium’s approach to hiring and community engagement underscores the importance of quality over quantity in building a successful project.

People or Resources Mentioned

• Cheng Wang
• EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)
• Lykke
• Bitcoin
• CryptoKitties
• Ethereum
• Cardano
• Ergo
• TypeScript
• Rust
• Vitalik Buterin
• Frederic Bastiat
• The Sovereign Individual
• GitHub