Edwin Mata is a Web3 builder, blockchain lawyer, co-founder, and CEO of Brickken, a tokenization and asset management platform that simplifies the creation and management of tokenized digital assets. ^[1][2]

Education

Mata has received a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the Universidad Publica de Navarra and a Master in International Law, Foreign Trade, and International Relations from ISDE at Columbia Law School. ^[3]

Career

Mata began his legal career as a junior lawyer at Maniega & Soler in 2012, working in the mergers and acquisitions department. He then moved to ROSS LGL in 2013, serving as a senior lawyer in the corporate department, where he managed emerging technologies and handled company formations, business restructuring, joint ventures, and legal case management for national and international clients. In 2016, he joined ANF Autoridad de Certificación as chief operating officer and lawyer, where he achieved qualified trust service provider status in Spain and Malta. ^[4][5][6]

In 2017, Mata became the head of the legal department and data protection officer at Signaturit, leading the establishment of the legal department, securing ISO certifications, and overseeing the creation of Spain's first blockchain-based smart contract for the insurance industry. He co-founded and served as CEO of Leypal from 2019 to 2020, a company offering electronic signature and certified mail services, which was later sold to a multinational. ^[4][5][6]

Since 2020, Mata has been the CEO and co-founder of Brickken, a company focused on tokenizing real-world assets. He also collaborates with Attolon Law, managing technology-based projects. He has been active in academia, teaching blockchain and legal tech topics at various institutions, including Universidad CEU San Pablo, Universidad de Sevilla, and EBIS Business Techschool. He has also served as a mentor at Outlier Ventures' RWA Base Camp and held roles as director and lecturer in blockchain-related programs at Nuclio Digital School. ^[4][5][6]

Interviews

Industry Disruption

In an interview with the Future Founder podcast, Mata discussed his law background, blockchain education, and Brickken’s tokenization platform. He opened with how he got into law and blockchain: ^[7]

“My name is Edwin Mata. I'm the CEO and co-founder of Brickken, formerly a lawyer specifically in mergers and acquisitions. I was a guy wearing a suit 24/7, and look at me now—I have a shirt. I decided to enter the space in 2017 and just fell in love with the technology of blockchain. In 2020, I decided to begin my own startup, Brickken, where we do the tokenization of financial instruments. So, I mean, the lawyer side of things I really love, but it's just—it's a service provider role. When you're a software provider, you deal with the client, but you don't really deal with the client; they hire you, they like your product, and that's it. But when you're a service provider, it's very much in contact, and that can be good or bad. With lawyers, it's very difficult to be in a positive kind of environment because we're always doing something, like getting a new contract or handling all these tasks. I was working a lot in data rooms, trying to do my work, facing constant deadlines like "we have to finish by tomorrow," and I felt like, "I'm not a robot." The love I had for legal work was fading out.”

“Then in 2017, I entered a company in legal tech, doing something completely different, became an in-house, and that's where I connected with the technology. I realized that I could still be a lawyer without being a service provider; I could use my knowledge through technology to amplify it for others. Ever since, I think I'm just more in love with this situation. Being client-focused is heavy, and while some people like it, I just don't anymore.”

He then discussed how the public majority could educate themselves about blockchain: ^[7]

“I think the blockchain industry as a whole is still in the education phase. If we were in the adoption phase, we would see more money, more backers, more institutional players, and more traditional funds moving on-chain. This is starting to happen, but we're still very early. When I entered in 2017 and 2018, there was barely anything; a lot was being built, but it was still in the early stages. The community I found at the time was just around 50 people in a Telegram group; now, there are 15,000. It was all about self-education back then. By 2020, things were better, but the industry is still very much focused on education.”

“When Brickken was launched, we focused heavily on education, writing, and creating content to showcase our work, presenting it as a new alternative to what people were used to. Right now, we are still far from mass adoption, but adoption is accelerating. Between 2017 and 2020, growth was slow, and institutions were skeptical, often dismissing crypto as a scam. From 2020 to 2024, perceptions have shifted; now, big institutional players are exploring the technology and conducting proof of concepts. As of 2024, major institutional players are recognizing the potential, with some, like the CEO of Black Rock, acknowledging that the world is becoming tokenized. This trend is set to accelerate because the efficiency of blockchain, particularly in cross-border transactions, capital allocation, settlements, and reconciliation processes, saves money. It's not just about crypto; it's about the financial efficiencies that are drawing big investors in.”

When asked about blockchain being a commodity, Mata responded: ^[7]

“I believe that the token of a blockchain is a commodity because it fluctuates in value, but it also acts as a product because it enables transactions on the blockchain. This dual nature makes it unique; it's a commodity that can store value due to its fluctuating price and also serves as a product that can be exchanged. This situation challenges our current definitions, as it doesn't neatly fit into categories like commodity, store of value, or cryptocurrency. There is a need to define new asset classes to properly categorize these digital assets. The digital nature allows for a single code to perform in multiple ways, evolving and transforming unlike traditional physical assets like gold, which remains static and unchanging in its properties. In the digital world, what something is today could radically change tomorrow due to its adaptable and code-driven nature.”

Toward the end of the interview, he explained Brickken’s focus on tokenization: ^[7]

“We focus on tokenization, which involves digitizing or representing offline assets like equity and debt as financial instruments on the blockchain. Securities and other assets can benefit from this approach because it allows for more efficient interaction with financial instruments. Traditionally, raising capital requires going through limited channels, such as family, friends, or venture capital, which can be costly and restrictive. Blockchain technology lowers entry barriers and broadens access to capital by enabling global participation in funding environments that operate 24/7. This digitization of financial instruments streamlines processes that are typically burdened by offline contracts, documents, paperwork, and legal intermediaries. Technology provides assurance, security, efficiency, and optimization, making it a preferable alternative for financial operations. The validation of our approach came in 2020 and was further supported when blackrock decided to deploy a fund on Ethereum, recognizing the capital efficiency of blockchain-based transactions compared to traditional offline methods.”

Brickken and STOs

On the Crypto Coin Show, Mata discussed the evolution of Security Token Offerings (STOs) and the role of Brickken in tokenizing securities on the blockchain. He highlighted the regulatory challenges and the need to understand existing securities laws rather than create new regulations. Brickken's approach focused on providing technology that simplifies the process of tokenization for companies, emphasizing user experience and legality. Mata noted that STOs have grown significantly but still represent a small fraction of the market compared to traditional equities. He also addressed the ongoing collaboration between regulatory bodies and private companies, predicting further growth and mainstream adoption of tokenized securities in the coming years. ^[8]

CEO Interview

Brickken Advisor Giannis Andreou interviewed Mata about the progress and challenges of the Brickken project. Mata explained that Brickken focuses on tokenizing equity and providing infrastructure to operate in a Web3 environment, making it adaptable for various industries beyond real estate. The project began in Q1 2020 and has since developed a decentralized application set to launch in late 2023. He emphasized the importance of market timing, citing a postponed token listing due to unfavorable economic conditions. He highlighted the project's ongoing efforts, including tokenizing properties and equity and managing feedback from early adopters to refine their offerings. The discussion also touched on the importance of having a strong, growing team to support the company’s scaling goals. ^[9]

Panels

Brickken Pitch

At EthCC 2023, Mata discussed the tokenization of the economy, emphasizing that businesses should be able to tokenize their assets. He outlined Brickken's solution, the "Brick Token Suite," which facilitates digital asset creation, distribution, and management. Mata highlighted the fragmented market and challenges companies face, such as legal compliance and technical expertise, when tokenizing equity or debt. Brickken's platform offers an all-in-one, no-code experience to help companies enter the token economy, manage investor relations, and comply with regulations. The company has onboarded several clients, from real estate to franchises, and aims to generate more leads and revenue through its SaaS model. Mata also discussed Brickken's monetization strategy and plans to maintain a competitive edge through legal, financial, and technological integration. ^[10]