Jeff Garzik
Jeff Garzik is the co-founder Bloq and Hemi Labs. As the co-founder of Hemi, he leads the development of a Layer 2 network designed to bring Ethereum-compatible programmability to the Bitcoin ecosystem. [1] [2]
Education
Garzik attended the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he studied Computer Science. His early technical experience also includes contributions to putting CNN.com online. [2]
Career
Early Career and Open Source
Garzik's career is rooted in open-source software development. He spent ten years as a systems engineer at Red Hat, where he made significant contributions to the Linux kernel. His work from this period is now integral to Linux-based data centers and all Android-based mobile devices. [1] He also served as a board member for The Linux Foundation. [3] In the late 1990s, he contributed to the GNOME project's core libraries, fixing bugs and adding new data structures to the GLib library. [2]
Bitcoin Development
Garzik became involved with Bitcoin in July 2010 after reading a post on the news aggregation site Slashdot about the version 0.3 release of the Bitcoin software. [3] He quickly became one of the first and most significant developers to work on the Bitcoin Core codebase after its creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. [4] During his five years as a core developer, he was the third most prolific contributor to the original software, focusing on scaling its infrastructure during its formative years. [5] Garzik has stated that he does not know the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto and believes the creator's anonymity allowed the project to succeed without being tied to a single individual's ego. [3]
Entrepreneurial Ventures
After his work on Bitcoin Core, Garzik co-founded several companies. He is the co-founder and CEO of Bloq, an enterprise blockchain technology company. [2] [6] In 2024, he co-founded Hemi Labs to develop the Hemi network. [7]
Hemi Network
As co-founder of Hemi, Garzik leads a project aimed at expanding Bitcoin's utility. Hemi is a Layer 2 network designed to function as a "supernetwork" that unifies the Bitcoin and Ethereum ecosystems by adding a programmable, EVM-compatible layer to Bitcoin. [8] [9] Garzik leads the project alongside co-founders Matthew Roszak, a crypto investor, and Maxwell Sanchez, the network's lead architect. [10] The stated mission of Hemi is to make Bitcoin a productive and programmable asset for decentralized finance (DeFi) without altering Bitcoin's base layer. Garzik has stated, "From Linux to Bitcoin to Hemi, my mission has always been building infrastructure that lasts." [10]
Technology
The Hemi network incorporates several key technologies developed under the leadership of Garzik and his team. [7]
- Hemi Virtual Machine (hVM): This is a modified version of the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) that embeds a full Bitcoin node. This design allows developers to write smart contracts in languages like Solidity that can natively read and interact with Bitcoin's state, enabling the creation of "Bitcoin-aware" decentralized applications (dApps). [11]
- Proof-of-Proof (PoP): Invented by Hemi co-founder Maxwell Sanchez, PoP is a consensus mechanism designed to inherit the security of the Bitcoin blockchain. "PoP Miners" on the Hemi network take snapshots of Hemi's state and publish them to Bitcoin's blockchain, anchoring Hemi's security to Bitcoin's Proof-of-Work. [7] [12]
- Trust-Minimized Tunnels: For cross-chain asset transfers between Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the Hemi network, the project uses a proprietary protocol described as "trust-minimized tunnels." This mechanism functions as a type of bridge that avoids wrapping assets, aiming to provide a more secure alternative to traditional bridging solutions. [3]
- Hemi Bitcoin Kit (hBK): A software development kit designed to simplify the process for developers to build applications on Hemi by abstracting the complexities of the hVM's precompiles. [7]
In explaining the project's value, Garzik stated, "Bitcoin doesn’t need to be reinvented; it just needs the right tools around it. Hemi provides DeFi protocols with a familiar way to build on Bitcoin, without requiring new skills, compromising on security, or sacrificing decentralization.” [13]
History and Milestones
Hemi Labs launched the project's testnet on July 24, 2024, during the Bitcoin Nashville conference. [7] The mainnet for Hemi debuted on March 12, 2025, with a reported 440 million. [8]
By May 2025, the network's TVL had surpassed $1.2 billion, and by August 2025, the ecosystem reported over 100,000 verified users and more than 70 ecosystem partners, including Sushi, LayerZero, and MetaMask. [13] [10]
Views and Philosophy
Garzik is an outspoken advocate for decentralized systems and has shared his views on the evolution of the cryptocurrency industry. He describes himself as an "energy/acc humanist" and a "network plumber" in his social media profiles. [4]
He has been critical of centralized financial entities and regulators, particularly in the aftermath of the FTX collapse. In November 2022, he posted on X (formerly Twitter), "What was SBF lobbying against? DeFi. What would have prevented this? DeFi. What exchanges already publish real-time proof-of-reserves? DeFi. What will US regulators try to shut down? DeFi." [4] He has also expressed skepticism about the development pace of other Bitcoin scaling solutions, such as the Lightning Network. [4]
Garzik argues against "Bitcoin Maximalism," the idea that Bitcoin will be the only valuable cryptocurrency. In a June 2025 opinion piece, he wrote, “The idea that one coin must dominate all others ignores the power of collaboration and innovation.” This philosophy aligns with his work on Hemi, which he describes as a bridge between the Bitcoin and Ethereum ecosystems rather than a competitor. [5] When asked what Satoshi Nakamoto might think of the modern crypto landscape, Garzik speculated that Satoshi would be pleased with Bitcoin's global resilience but "disappointed" by the industry's hype cycles and projects that stray from the core principles of decentralization. [3]