MacLane Wilkison is a technology entrepreneur and executive who serves as the co-founder and CEO of NuCypher, a company specializing in decentralized key management and cryptographic access controls for blockchain applications. ^{[1] [3]}

Overview

Wilkison combines expertise in both financial services and cryptographic technology. Prior to founding NuCypher, he worked as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley, where he focused on mergers, acquisitions, and financing for companies in the technology, media, and telecommunications sectors.

His professional credentials include certification as a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), and Financial Risk Manager, demonstrating his multidisciplinary background spanning both finance and information security. ^[1]

Career and Ventures

NuCypher Leadership

As CEO of NuCypher, Wilkison has led the company's development of privacy-preserving infrastructure for decentralized applications. The company received backing from notable investors including Y Combinator and Polychain Capital. ^[2]

Investment Activities

Wilkison has been involved in several strategic investments in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space:

• Freatic: Participated in a $3.6M seed round for this decentralized information markets protocol (September 2023)
• Entropy: Invested in a $1.95M pre-seed round for this self-custody solution (January 2022)
• NuLink: Supported a $4M seed round for this privacy protection protocol (November 2021) ^[1]

Vision and Philosophy

Wilkison advocates for privacy as a fundamental right in the digital age, which has become central to NuCypher's mission. His work focuses on the intersection of privacy, decentralization, and self-sovereignty in blockchain technology. ^[2]

Professional Network

Wilkison maintains an active presence in the cryptocurrency and blockchain community with approximately 3,200 followers on social media platforms. His network includes notable figures in the cryptocurrency space, demonstrating his integration within the broader blockchain ecosystem. ^[1]

Notable Projects

Under Wilkison's leadership, NuCypher participated in one of the first DAO mergers, which led to the creation of the Threshold Network, representing a significant milestone in decentralized organizational governance. ^[2]