# Uri Kolodny

> Uri Kolodny is a serial entrepreneur, most known as the co-founder and former CEO of StarkWare, and an alumnus of The Hebrew University and MIT Sloan.

- Canonical URL: https://iq.wiki/wiki/uri-kolodny
- Categories: People in crypto
- Tags: Founder
- Created: 2024-04-18T16:23:33.926Z
- Last updated: 2024-04-19T12:39:30.201Z
- Source: IQ.wiki — the world's largest blockchain and crypto encyclopedia (https://iq.wiki)

---

**Uri Kolodny** is a Co-Founder, Board Member & Ex-CEO at StarkWare[\[3\]](#cite-id-cueaipf895), the developer of the permissionless Validity-Rollup ([ZK-Rollup](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zk-rollup)) [Layer 2](https://iq.wiki/wiki/layer-2) network operating on [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum), [Starknet](https://iq.wiki/wiki/starknet). Kolodny stepped down as CEO of StarkWare in January 2024. [\[1\]](#cite-id-i6wjbtt43ws)[\[2\]](#cite-id-s8pax4jhvvh)  
  
  
# Education  
  
Uri Kolodny attended The Hebrew University of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2001 where he earned a B.Sc., in Computer Science (Magna cum Laude). In 2000, he earned an MBA at MIT Sloan School of Management. [\[2\]](#cite-id-s8pax4jhvvh)  
  
# Career  
  
Uri Kolodny is a serial entrepreneur, who has co-founded several technology companies, among them OmniGuide (an MIT spinoff developing optical fibers for endoscopic surgery), Timna (developer of an ultrasound-based therapeutic product for the cardiovascular market), and Mondria Technologies (developer of tools for visualization of big data). [\[2\]](#cite-id-s8pax4jhvvh)  
  
Previously, Uri also served as an Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR) with two Israeli VC firms including Greylock & ICV. [\[2\]](#cite-id-s8pax4jhvvh)  
  
He has served as an Advisor and Angel investor in multiple companies including Certora, Mesodyne, Anthro, Aclarity, and Newmetrix. [\[4\]](#cite-id-l4h5n7d6j6e)  
  
## StarkWare  
  
In 2018, Uri Kolodny co-founded StarkWare alongside [Eli Ben-Sasson](https://iq.wiki/wiki/eli-ben-sasson), [Michael Riabzev](https://iq.wiki/wiki/michael-riabzev), and [Alessandro Chiesa](https://iq.wiki/wiki/alessandro-chiesa). He served as the CEO of the company until January 2024 when he stepped down due to a family health issue. [\[3\]](#cite-id-cueaipf895)[\[5\]](#cite-id-8ln0pj25fp9)  
  
> “I remain utterly STARK-pilled, but I’m leaving the CEO post to meet the health needs of my family,” Kolodny said. [\[6\]](#cite-id-h2jwl24sd2e)  
>   
> “The company, and the tech stack it has built, are more advanced after six years than I could have ever dreamed. Led by Eli and the team of 150+ gigabrains, I’m positive that StarkWare will continue to push boundaries of what is possible in scaling Ethereum.”[\[5\]](#cite-id-8ln0pj25fp9)  
  
In his statement, Kolodny expressed confidence in the company’s future under [Eli Ben-Sasson’s](https://iq.wiki/wiki/eli-ben-sasson) leadership.  
  
> “I am sure he will lead Starkware forward with talent and devotion, to great heights,” he remarked.[\[6\]](#cite-id-h2jwl24sd2e)  
  
StarkWare Industries Ltd. is a [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) technology company based in Israel, focusing on developing ZK-Rollup technology and building products to solve the challenges of the [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum) network. Besides the technology infrastructure, Its main two products are StarkEx and [StarkNet](https://iq.wiki/wiki/starknet). [\[3\]](#cite-id-cueaipf895)  
  
### StarkEx  
  
StarkEx is the Validium L2 scaling engine on Ethereum [mainnet](https://iq.wiki/wiki/mainnet) that is modified (tailored) to fit specific permissioned [Dapps](https://iq.wiki/wiki/decentralized-application), used for projects to deploy their ideas (mostly for trading use cases) [dYdX](https://iq.wiki/wiki/dydx), ImmutableX, DeversiFi, and many other partners. This Specific L2 is where most protocols are built on, generating real trading volume and conducting transactions. [\[7\]](#cite-id-cx3ejkzuv46)  
  
### Starknet  
  
[Starknet](https://iq.wiki/wiki/starknet) is built based on STARK as the decentralized L2 Zk-rollup. The layer is responsible for executing transactions while scaling without the security sacrifice of [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum). STARK developers can write [smart contracts](https://iq.wiki/wiki/smart-contract) and run them permissionlessly on Starknet. [\[8\]](#cite-id-k1hrkvqoj4q)  
  
Starknet aims to achieve secure low-cost transactions and high performance by using the STARK cryptographic proof system. Starknet contracts and the Starknet OS are written in Cairo, a custom-built and specialized programming language. [\[8\]](#cite-id-k1hrkvqoj4q)  
  
  
<br>  
<br>