Ankur Nandwani is a co-founder of ZetaChain, a blockchain platform that focuses on enabling interoperability across various blockchain networks. With a background in computer engineering and extensive experience in the cryptocurrency industry, Nandwani has contributed to several projects, including the Basic Attention Token (BAT), and held key roles in organizations such as Coinbase and Ribbit Capital. ^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Education

Ankur Nandwani earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Computer Engineering from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Surat, India, in 2008. He later obtained a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Computer Science from Texas A&M University, graduating in 2010. His academic work focused on areas such as mobile security, machine learning, and blockchain technologies.^[1][3][4]

Career

Nandwani began his career in technology with a focus on mobile security, contributing to research and development in this area before transitioning into blockchain and cryptocurrency. He joined Coinbase, a leading cryptocurrency exchange, as an early team member, where he led the Consumer Product Division, helping shape the platform's user-facing services.

In 2017, Nandwani co-founded the Basic Attention Token (BAT), a decentralized advertising platform built on Ethereum. The project integrates with the Brave Browser, rewarding users and content creators while maintaining user privacy. BAT was launched through an initial coin offering (ICO), which raised $36 million.

Following his time at Coinbase and BAT, Nandwani worked as an investor at Ribbit Capital, a venture capital firm specializing in financial technology and blockchain investments. His work at Ribbit Capital allowed him to engage with a wide range of projects within the blockchain ecosystem.

Currently, Nandwani serves as a co-founder of ZetaChain, a blockchain platform designed to connect multiple blockchain ecosystems, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Polygon, and Solana. The platform uses EVM-based universal smart contracts to enable seamless asset and data transfers across chains. ZetaChain supports over 280 decentralized applications (DApps) and more than 4 million unique wallets as of 2024. Its applications span areas such as decentralized finance (DeFi), gaming, and lending.

Throughout his career, Nandwani has maintained a strong focus on topics such as blockchain interoperability, decentralized application development, and mobile security. ^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]}