Stepping down from Penumbra Labs

Personal update: I stepped down from Penumbra Labs a few weeks ago. The project will continue and the protocol is unaffected.

I’m proud of what we achieved. We created a genuinely decentralized privacy protocol that puts individual autonomy first, during an incredibly difficult market and regulatory climate. We stayed true to cypherpunk ideals. However, these achievements came at a large personal cost, and over the last few months I’ve come to terms with the reality of burnout, and my need for a hard reset.

I’m optimistic about the future. An unstoppable private economy awaits, based around principles of autonomy, consent, and human freedom. And we’ve materially shifted the world in this direction. I’ll remain an advisor to the ecosystem. But for now, I’m stepping back. Penumbra Labs will continue under the interim leadership of our ops lead, Cate Yushina, and Radiant Commons and the foundation are unaffected. The protocol has been decentralized from day 1, and is not dependent on any one entity.

It’s been an enormous privilege to be able to build technology that reflects cypherpunk ideals, to learn and grow from others, to (hopefully) inspire others to do the same. To participate in building the future. Thanks to everyone who’s helped along the way.