Yannik Schrade is a computer scientist, CEO and Co-Founder of Arcium, a company that aims to develop confidential computing solutions using cryptography and distributed systems.^[1]

Early Life & Education

Yannik Schrade’s interest in privacy and societal systems began in childhood after reading 1984. He taught himself programming early on by developing video game modifications.

Initially studying law at the University of Heidelberg and the Technical University of Munich from 2018 to 2020, Schrade later shifted to computer science, aiming to explore the field further after founding his first business. He pursued a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from 2020 to 2024.^[1][2]

Career

Yannik Schrade founded Shiftscreen in 2020, an app that enabled over 100,000 users to use their iPads as professional workstations. The app was featured in The Wall Street Journal and was ranked as a top-selling iPad productivity app in the Apple App Store.

In 2022, Schrade co-founded ZKurve AG, focusing on developing trustless and confidential computing through MPC, ZK, and encryption technologies.

As CEO and Co-Founder of Arcium, he aims to advance decentralized confidential computing for use in AI, healthcare, and finance. Schrade has also spoken at events such as the World Economic Forum, EthCC, and Solana Breakpoint.^[1][2][3][4]

Arcium

In 2022, Yannik Schrade co-founded Arcium, originally named Elusiv, with Nicolas Schapeler, Julian Deschler, and Lukas Steiner. Elusiv aimed to provide transactional privacy through encryption and decentralized compliance using Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) and secure Multiparty Computation (MPC). In 2024, the company rebranded as Arcium, shifting its focus toward confidential computing.^{[5][6][7][8][9]}

Arcium aims to enable secure data processing, allowing encrypted data to be analyzed without exposure. Schrade articulated this vision during his keynote at Solana Breakpoint in 2024:

"Imagine a world in which any data can be stored securely in an encrypted way while it remains possible to do anything with this data. A world where we can analyze, process, and learn from information without ever having to expose it." - Yannik Schrade^[10]

Arcium Association

In 2022, Yannik Schrade co-founded the Arcium Association and ZKurve AG in Switzerland. The organization aims to advance trustless and confidential computing through the application of multi-party computation (MPC), zero-knowledge proofs (ZK), and encryption technologies.

Private Life

Yannik Schrade aims to promote privacy that empowers individuals while balancing personal freedom with societal safety. He opposes Trusted Execution and Trusted Execution Environments, advocating for solutions to address "trusted single points of failure" through cryptography and distributed systems. Schrade contends that privacy should not be viewed solely as a political issue but requires systems and incentives that enhance privacy technologies.

In addition to his professional work, Schrade is involved in wildlife preservation in southern Germany. He is an avid reader of Friedrich Nietzsche and aligns with ideas of personal sovereignty and the rejection of external authority. Schrade expresses admiration for the ZCash ecosystem and Zooko Wilcox for their contributions to cryptography and decentralization, stating:^{[10][11][12][13][3][14]}

"Crypto as a movement is actually a movement rooted on the application of their will, the construction of a new system, outside of traditional structures, traditional moral judgments." - Yannik Schrade