Snark Chocolate

In this episode, we spoke with Vanishree Rao, founder of Fermah, about building a universal proof marketplace designed for speed, cost-efficiency, and real-world ZK adoption. Main topics we discussed:

- The vision behind Fermah: solving ongoing hurdles in proof generation

- What defines a proof market and why universality across proving systems matters

In this episode, we spoke with Ben Fisch, co-founder and CEO of Espresso Systems, about building a fast confirmation layer for L2s. Main topics we discussed:
- Espresso’s evolution from a privacy tool to infrastructure for rollup interoperability
- What shared sequencing really means and how Espresso supports shared builders
- How cross-chain confirmation works and why Espresso is uniquely designed for it
- The engineering behind high throughput and low-latency consensus
- Why exchanges, bridges, and L2s benefit from Espresso's confirmation layer
- Thoughts on TEEs as a shortcut when ZK proofs aren’t feasible
- Research into asynchronous messaging, shared builders, and composability
- A bullish callout to PIN AI and the need for more user-facing crypto apps

Links

Espresso's X/Twitter: https://x.com/EspressoSys

Ben's X/Twitter: https://x.com/benafisch

Espresso Website: https://www.espressosys.com/

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ingo_zk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

GitHub: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://github.com/ingonyama-zk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/ingonyama⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ingonyama.com/career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, we spoke with Chad Fowler — jazz musician, technologist, author, CTO, and general partner at BlueYard Capital. We covered topics like privacy, AI, Star Trek vs. Star Wars visions of the future, investing in Web3, the parallels between jazz improvisation and engineering, open source software, writing books, the evolving role of the CTO, creativity, and much more.

Links

Blueyard's Webpage: https://blueyard.com/

Blueyard's Twitter/X: https://x.com/blueyard

Chad's Twitter/X: https://x.com/chadfowler?lang=en

Chad's Music: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs86QkXYIQl1mjdwlXwwK3A

Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/Ingo_zk⁠

YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ingo_zk⁠

GitHub: ⁠https://github.com/ingonyama-zk⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/ingonyama⁠

Join us: ⁠https://www.ingonyama.com/career

With Deepak Maram, Applied Cryptographer at Sui

In this episode, we spoke with Deepak Maram from Mysten Labs about Sui’s cryptography-driven roadmap and products. Main topics we discussed:

With Anna Rose, creator of Zero-Knowledge Podcast, Zero-Knowledge Validator, zk Summit and zkHack and more

In this episode, we spoke with Anna Rose about building the Zero Knowledge Podcast, ZK Summit, and ZK Hack. Main topics we discussed:

Links

Anna's Twitter/X: https://x.com/AnnaRRose

Sign up for zkSummit: https://www.zksummit.com/

ZKV Website: https://zkv.xyz/

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ingo_zk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

GitHub: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://github.com/ingonyama-zk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/ingonyama⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ingonyama.com/career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

With Lukas Helminger, CEO and Co-founder & Lukas Gotz, Product lead and Co-founder at Taceo

In this episode, we spoke with Lukas Helminger and Lukas Götz from Taceo about their novel architecture combining MPC and ZK. Main topics we discussed:

With DC Builder, Research Engineer at World Foundation

In this episode, we spoke with DC Builder from Worldcoin’s World Foundation about building identity infrastructure for the age of AI. Main topics we discussed:

• How World is designing tools like World ID and the Orb to verify real humans in a privacy-preserving way
• The architecture behind the World App, smart accounts, and Worldchain
• A breakdown of their grants program and highlights
• Their new client-side ZK stack to enable privacy-preserving proofs on low-end phones
• partnerships in gaming and beyond
• Privacy and compliance challenges around biometrics, and how MPC and ZK are used to address them

Links

World's Website: https://foundation.world.org/

World's Twitter/X: https://x.com/worldcoinfnd

DC's Twitter/X: https://x.com/DCbuild3r

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ingo_zk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

GitHub: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://github.com/ingonyama-zk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/ingonyama⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ingonyama.com/career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

With Lisa Akselrod, DevRel and Technical Writer at Aztec

In this episode, we met with Lisa Akselrod from Aztec to dive into how they’re building a fully decentralized, privacy-first Layer 2. Main topics we discussed:

• How Noir lets developers write apps with both private and public logic
• The role of client-side proving and what it enables, from privacy to performance
• Aztec’s early commitment to decentralization and its implications for the network
• Developer tooling, onboarding, and upcoming milestones like the public testnet
• Use cases developers are exploring, including private DeFi, identity, and more creative directions

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  Links

  Aztec's Website: https://aztec.network/

  Aztec's Twitter/X: https://x.com/aztecnetwork

  Sandbox: https://aztec.network/sandbox

  
  

  YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ingo_zk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  GitHub: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://github.com/ingonyama-zk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/ingonyama⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Join us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ingonyama.com/career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

With Esli, Head of product and ecosystem at Marlin

In this episode, we met with Esli from Marlin to explore their work at the intersection of verifiable compute and trusted execution environments (TEEs). Main topics we discussed:

• Marlin’s evolution from network-layer optimizations to a confidential computing layer.
• Kalypso, a ZK proof marketplace supporting private inputs and TEE-based proving.
• Oyster, a framework for easily deploying applications and AI agents in TEEs.
• TML (TEE Machine Learning) as a faster, more practical alternative to ZKML.
• Use cases like decentralized frontends, verifiable AI, and secure key management.
• Challenges and mitigations around TEE trust, side-channel attacks, and reproducibility.

With Michael Dong, Co-founder at Brevis Network

• This week, we spoke with Michael Dong, co-founder of Brevis, about their vision for efficient, verifiable off-chain computation using ZK. Key takeaways include:

• The role of Pico, Brevis’ modular ZKVM that integrates with their coprocessor to optimize performance and scalability.
• ZK for interoperability, exploring the challenges and trade-offs of using ZK for cross-chain validation.
• Practical use cases, including dynamic DeFi applications, automated token distribution, and verifiable AI inference.
• AI meets ZK, leveraging verifiable machine learning to ensure trust in AI-powered financial automation.
• The road ahead, focusing on optimizing ZK proving costs, integrating with DeFi and RWA projects, and pushing for real-world adoption.

Links

Website: https://brevis.network/

Pico Docs: https://pico-docs.brevis.network/

Brevis Twitter/X: https://x.com/brevis_zk

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ingo_zk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

GitHub: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://github.com/ingonyama-zk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/ingonyama⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ingonyama.com/career⁠⁠⁠⁠