Gaurav Sharma is a technology executive and software engineer with a background in platform scaling and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. He has held senior engineering and leadership positions at Amazon, eBay, Agoda, and Binance, and is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the decentralized computing network, io.net. ^[6]

Education

Sharma graduated from the Army Institute of Technology, Pune, in 2007, where he earned a Bachelor of Engineering (BE) degree in Information Technology. ^[7]

Career

Sharma began his career in 2007 as a software engineer at Calsoft, where his work focused on filesystem and storage-related projects. He then moved to GS Lab in 2008, spending two years contributing to kernel-level development, clustering optimizations, virtualization, and the testing of distributed databases. In 2010, he joined Hewlett-Packard as a senior software engineer, where he was involved in enhancing the Network File System (NFS) for the HP-UX operating system, as well as working on kernel Remote Procedure Call (RPC) and virtualization technologies. In 2013, Sharma joined Amazon as a senior developer, where he worked on Kindle’s digital publishing pipeline, a large-scale distributed system responsible for managing ebooks across multiple global marketplaces. He transitioned to eBay in 2016, serving as an architect and designing high-availability configuration systems for the company's e-commerce platform.

In 2017, Sharma relocated to Bangkok, Thailand, to join the online travel agency Agoda. He started as an engineering manager and was later promoted to senior director of engineering. In this capacity, he oversaw the development and maintenance of critical systems related to personalization, bidding algorithms, anomaly detection, pricing, promotions, and customer platforms. In 2022, he joined the cryptocurrency exchange Binance, where he led engineering for AI-driven compliance and identity verification systems. Sharma entered the decentralized infrastructure sector in 2024 when he was appointed Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at io.net. He later transitioned to the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 2025. ^[8]

Interviews

DePIN, GPUs, & AI

On the CryptoNews Podcast in January 2025, Sharma shared insights into his extensive experience in tech leadership, having previously worked with major companies like Amazon and Binance. He emphasized the lessons learned from those roles, particularly the importance of customer obsession and operational excellence, which he applies in building io.net's tech infrastructure. Sharma discussed the company's focus on developing a decentralized platform that facilitates access to GPU computing power for AI startups, helping them save costs while fostering community growth. He highlighted the platform's goal to provide seamless technology solutions and enable developers to create and deploy AI models efficiently, with a commitment to collaboration and responding to user needs. Sharma also praised Solana for its supportive ecosystem and community, which has aided in io.net's development. As they advance, io.net plans to expand its offerings to become a one-stop shop for decentralized AI platforms, aiming to drive innovation within the industry. ^[1]

IO.net

In a January 2025 episode of Buildify, Sharma discussed his journey in the tech industry, including his experiences at companies like Amazon and Binance, before joining io.net, an emerging player focused on decentralized computing. Sharma shared how his prior roles involved addressing scalability challenges and the need for GPU resources in machine learning, which inspired his interest in blockchain technology. At io.net, he highlighted their approach to creating a decentralized GPU marketplace that allows users to access hardware at lower costs by leveraging a network of community-supplied resources. Sharma explained that by avoiding the ownership of inventory, io.net can pivot quickly and respond to market demands without the overhead costs typically associated with centralized providers. Additionally, he touched on the potential growth of the decentralized AI space, emphasizing io.net's commitment to building platforms that empower developers while maintaining affordability and user-centric principles. Overall, he expressed optimism about the future of decentralized computing and AI, citing significant recent growth and partnerships within io.net. ^[2]

Decentralized GPUs

In a December 2024 episode of the DePINed Podcast, host Tom Trobridge interviewed Sharma, the CTO of io.net, a decentralized platform designed to facilitate AI development through GPU resources. Sharma explained that the project's initial focus was on providing affordable, decentralized GPU access, empowering developers to build AI models efficiently. The platform has since evolved into a three-layer architecture, incorporating data management, model building, and application deployment. The discussion highlighted the importance of GPUs in AI development and the market's shift toward decentralized solutions amid rising demand for AI technologies. Sharma detailed their upcoming product, IO Intelligence, which aims to streamline model deployment processes for developers. The conversation reinforced the potential for decentralized AI infrastructure, drawing parallels to the transformative impact of platforms like Airbnb on traditional businesses. ^[5]

Presentations

Future of AI

During a presentation at TOKEN2049 in Dubai in May 2025, Sharma argued that the future of artificial intelligence (AI) would not be centralized. Drawing on his extensive experience in tech and AI, he highlighted how businesses must embrace AI to thrive, drawing parallels to past technological shifts like the rise of the internet. He emphasized that today's AI innovations could facilitate the creation of billion-dollar companies with minimal resources compared to previous decades. Sharma pointed out that the high demand for GPUs, essential for AI development, was creating a significant gap in the market, favoring centralized players who could monopolize access. He proposed that a decentralized approach, similar to models seen in the hotel industry like Airbnb, could aggregate unused computing power and lower costs for developers. By circumventing the traditional, costly centralized systems, he argued, builders would be empowered to innovate without the constraints imposed by existing players, thus paving the way for a more democratized future in AI development. ^[4]

GPU Bottleneck

During DePIN Day in Hong Kong in March 2025, Sharma discussed the advancements made by io.net in overcoming GPU limitations over the past year. He emphasized the increasing demand for GPUs driven by AI, predicting a significant shortage as industries adapt to new technologies. Sharma explained how modern businesses, particularly in AI, spend substantial portions of their funding on GPU resources, often leading to long wait times for centralized systems. To address these issues, io.net created a decentralized cloud platform that offered GPUs at reduced costs and allowed users to bring their own hardware, incentivizing its use. Over the past year, they developed a range of products that facilitated GPU utilization and established a marketplace for AI models and data, attracting both individual developers and enterprises. Sharma highlighted the company's rapid growth and community focus, which included efforts to support AI startups through investment and the provision of resources. ^[3]