Trevor Koverko
Trevor Koverko is a blockchain entrepreneur, former NHL player, and co-founder of Polymath, an RWA tokenization platform; Polymesh, a purpose-built L1 RWA blockchain; and Sapien, a company providing human data labelers for LLM model fine-tuning. [1][2][3]
Education
Koverko received his HBA in Business from the Ivey Business School at Western University in 2012. [4]
Career
Koverko began his professional hockey career, being drafted by the New York Rangers in 2005. After a car accident ended his sports career, he shifted focus to entrepreneurship, founding his first startup, eProf.com. He later worked on a virtual reality project involving the Oculus Rift DK1, which was sold to a Canadian private equity fund. In 2017, Koverko co-founded Polymath, a company focused on real-world asset tokenization and blockchain infrastructure. He helped develop the Polymesh blockchain, launched in 2019, and joined the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). His work at Polymath stemmed from exploring how private equity funds could transition to blockchain, which led to identifying challenges in legally compliant tokenization and the creation of a dedicated platform to address them.
In 2023, he co-founded Sapien, a company focused on rethinking the data labeling process used in artificial intelligence development. Inspired by the human component in training AI systems, Sapien applies gamified and decentralized methods to improve engagement and efficiency for data labelers. Koverko’s approach draws parallels to the transformation of traditional industries through user-centric and incentive-based models. Throughout his work at Sapien, he has discussed the connection between AI and Web3, emphasizing how decentralized systems can distribute value and computing power across participants rather than concentrating it among major technology firms. [4] [5]
Interviews
Sapien
In an October 2025 interview with theCUBE in collaboration with NYSE Wired, Koverko discussed his transition from professional hockey to the world of Web3 and artificial intelligence. After being drafted by the New York Rangers, a car accident redirected his path toward entrepreneurship and early Bitcoin investment in 2012. He reflected on his experience founding Polymath and witnessing the rise of tokenization, from NFTs to real-world assets, describing how each wave has reshaped digital ownership and finance.
Koverko explained that his latest venture, Sapien, functions as a marketplace where people contribute data to train AI models, focusing on collaboration between humans and machines rather than replacement. He highlighted the platform’s decentralized structure as a way to create opportunities for global workers while ensuring diverse, high-quality data. Discussing the company’s customer base, he outlined three main groups—large AI model developers, startups, and Fortune 500 enterprises—and predicted that the future of AI will include more specialized, industry-focused models built around proprietary data. He concluded by emphasizing the value of perseverance in entrepreneurship and outlined Sapien’s next steps toward advancing human-powered AI and expanding tokenized real-world assets. [11]
AI Isn’t Killing Jobs
In a June 2025 interview on the Cut The Noise podcast, Koverko discussed Sapien, a platform designed to enable people worldwide to earn an income by generating data for AI models in a gamified environment. He described it as a new form of gig work where users can earn at least $5 an hour, creating opportunities for financial stability in regions where that represents a living wage. Koverko shared his background as a former professional athlete drafted by the New York Rangers who transitioned into technology and entrepreneurship, including his early involvement in cryptocurrency and the creation of Polymath, a project focused on tokenizing real-world assets.
He explained that Sapien was built to meet the growing demand for high-quality data in AI training while keeping users engaged through interactive, game-like experiences. The platform uses decentralization and blockchain-based systems to ensure transparency and quality, allowing people to contribute from anywhere in the world. Koverko also challenged the notion that AI will eliminate jobs, suggesting instead that it will generate new forms of digital work. He noted Sapien’s rapid growth, with over a million users onboarded, and emphasized its goal of merging human creativity with technological advancement in an accessible, decentralized economy. [12]
Decentralized AI Supply Chain
In a May 2025 interview on the DWeb Decoded podcast, Koverko discussed Sapien, which he described as the world’s first decentralized data foundry. He recounted his transition from a professional hockey career in Canada, cut short by a 2005 car accident, to involvement in early cryptocurrency ventures, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. He also described his work founding Polymath, a project focused on security tokens and asset tokenization, and reflected on the challenges and cycles of the crypto industry.
Koverko highlighted the growing bottleneck in AI development caused by the need for high-quality data, comparing the process of refining raw data for AI to refining oil. He critiqued traditional data centers for relying on manual oversight and presented Sapien’s model as a gig-economy solution that connects businesses with individuals to complete data tasks efficiently. He emphasized the importance of a diverse contributor base for improving data quality and argued that AI will create new job opportunities requiring specialized human expertise. Koverko also outlined Sapien’s user acquisition strategy, noting partnerships with large corporations to ensure steady demand, and emphasized the ongoing need for human involvement in AI as the industry continues to evolve. [13]
AI Data Labeling
In a June 2024 interview on the BOOM! It's On The Blockchain podcast, Koverko discussed his career and work with Sapien. He recounted his early involvement in the Bitcoin and Ethereum communities and founding Polymath in 2017, a company focused on tokenizing real-world assets through its products and the Polymesh blockchain. Koverko highlighted the importance of human feedback in AI, explaining that labeled data improves model performance and creates new opportunities for gig work.
He described Sapien’s role in providing structured data for AI models, emphasizing human contributions to model accuracy and fine-tuning. Koverko also addressed AI’s impact on the workforce, suggesting that while some roles may change, new positions—particularly in data labeling—will emerge. He noted that Sapien enables anyone with internet access to participate in this work, and he expressed optimism about AI applications in education, such as personalized tutoring. He concluded by outlining Sapien’s goals to expand its human data labeling network and scale its operations in the coming years. [14]
Entrepreneurship
On the "Rent is Due" podcast, Koverko reflected on his journey from a professional sports career to the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship. He discussed the transition from hockey, where he developed a competitive mindset, to founding and building tech companies like Polymath and Polymesh. Koverko emphasized the importance of adaptability, the value of competing at a high level, and the critical lessons learned from both his athletic and business experiences. He also touched on the role of networks, perseverance, and the evolving landscape of tech entrepreneurship. [8]
Crypto and the NHL
On The Pal’s Podcast, Koverko discussed his transition from being an NHL draft pick for the New York Rangers to becoming a tech entrepreneur focused on blockchain and cryptocurrency. He recounted his journey from dealing with career-ending injuries and early retirement to pursuing education and work in Silicon Valley. Koverko explained his involvement in startups, including his role in acquiring and managing online businesses and his efforts to innovate with tokenized funds and decentralized finance. He also shared insights on the evolution of crypto and its comparison to the dot-com bubble and emphasized the importance of long-term investment strategies and diversification. [9]
Presentations
Human Powered Axie
In December 2024, Koverko presented at the Blockchain Futurist Conference, discussing his career and the evolution of Web3. He reflected on his early involvement with Polymath and the development of the Polymesh blockchain, noting its contributions to the tokenization of assets and collaboration with Ethereum co-founder Charles Hoskinson. Koverko emphasized the importance of human data labeling in AI, likening raw data to crude oil that requires refinement, and highlighted the scale and centralization issues of the current global workforce.
He introduced Sapien as a platform designed to decentralize data labeling, enabling enterprises to access diverse labor and allowing individuals to earn money remotely through gamified workflows. Koverko outlined the platform’s features, growth, and revenue milestones, including $200,000 in monthly revenue within six months, and discussed plans for cross-platform interoperability and collaboration with other decentralized AI projects. [15]
Panels
BASSLite
In February 2025, Koverko participated in a Stanford Blockchain Club panel alongside Gil Rosen (Blockchain Builders Fund), Jeremy Hazan (Hyperbolic), and Jonathan Jarnilla (Exabits), discussing post-revenue blockchain AI companies with significant Web2 user traction. Koverko outlined Sapien’s approach to decentralizing AI data labeling, leveraging a global network of 100,000 human labelers to produce specialized datasets for enterprises, and noted that the platform had generated over 2 million tags from contributors across more than 100 countries, serving clients like Alibaba and MidJourney.
The panel also addressed technical innovations and efficiency, with Sapien emphasizing the importance of diversity in labeling and crypto-economic incentives to ensure data quality, while Hyperbolic and Exabits focused on GPU orchestration and the provision of compute resources. Challenges of decentralization, such as trust and quality variability, were discussed, along with solutions like proof-of-sampling models and staking mechanisms. The conversation concluded with an outlook on AI in the crypto space, highlighting the potential to address data bottlenecks and expand the AI economy. [16]
Fireside Chat
At CoinAgenda 2022, Koverko discussed his journey from being a professional hockey player to becoming an early participant in the cryptocurrency space, particularly within the Ethereum community in Toronto. He highlighted his experiences with key figures like Vitalik Buterin and Anthony Di Iorio and recounted the early days of Ethereum development. Koverko also shared insights into the creation and evolution of Polymath, a platform designed to tokenize financial securities, detailing the challenges of building a blockchain tailored for legal compliance and security. The conversation concluded with reflections on the current state of tokenization and the regulatory landscape, emphasizing the convergence of technological advancements and increasing regulatory scrutiny in the crypto industry. [10]