{"id":4509,"date":"2020-03-12T10:53:28","date_gmt":"2020-03-12T14:53:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/?p=4509"},"modified":"2020-04-09T13:49:40","modified_gmt":"2020-04-09T17:49:40","slug":"journeys-in-blockchain-kadan-stadelmann","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2020\/03\/12\/journeys-in-blockchain-kadan-stadelmann","title":{"rendered":"Journeys in Blockchain: Kadan Stadelmann of Komodo"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kadan Stadelmann confessed.<\/strong> He was leaving his high-paying, cybersecurity job for an uncertain future: a freelance career in blockchain technology.<\/span><\/p>\n

Baffled, his family demanded explanations. \u201cWhat is this… blockchain? Can you even pay your bills with this job?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo something real. Make something out of your life!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But his decision had already been made. Stadelmann\u2019s experience as a government-employed cybersecurity and penetration tester in the operations security division, collecting mass data on centralized nodes, had forced him to question the entire system under which he labored.<\/span><\/p>\n

He just couldn\u2019t do it anymore. It was time to do something different.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stadelmann explains that it was when he had a child that he began to seriously contemplate the greater implications of his work \u2014 how would it affect his kid\u2019s future?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Precious time<\/b><\/h4>\n

Stadelmann\u2019s family moved frequently during his childhood. His father spent much of his career working as a diplomat in what were at the time known as \u201cThird World\u201d countries in Africa. In addition to being highly skilled in machine engineering, his father was a self-taught coder.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stadelmann was exposed to computers at a very young age. He recalls distinct childhood memories of dot-matrix printers. They made him deeply curious about the inner workings of computers. He loved printing the primitive, dotted pictures and was fascinated with the process involved in creating pointillistic images of helicopters and cars.<\/span><\/p>\n

And before that, as a toddler barely able to speak, he was already playing computer games. He quickly won puzzle games, moving cubes through complex labyrinths with ease.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stadelmann enjoyed a precious \u2014 but tragically brief \u2014 connection with his father who, despite being in a diplomatic government role, was often called on to help with IT issues. Around the age of six, he received shocking news: his father had been killed. \u201cUnfortunately, shortly after my time being engaged with coding with my father, this incident happened.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The family was ripped apart. \u201cWe moved to Austria,\u201d he remembers. \u201cI was split away from the family for around two or three years. It was a tough time. My mother wasn\u2019t psychologically able to take care of everything. I was with my siblings, and I was the oldest one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The trauma affected Stadelmann deeply \u2014 even physiologically \u2014 he explains. His brain was working overtime dealing with thoughts and emotions in a way that an average child of that age would not normally experience. \u201cThinking about life, I was very young, but old enough to understand that death was irreversible,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n

With help from the Austrian government and other family members, Stadelmann and his siblings were eventually reunited with their mother after she had some time to recover from the loss. It was at this time that the boy also received his very own computer.<\/span><\/p>\n

The computer was quite expensive by today\u2019s standards, but not high end by any means. \u201cI got one of the lower quality computers at the time with one of those huge monochrome monitors. My eyes were bloody red after one day of using it,\u201d he laughs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes on weekends, Stadelmann would lose track of time entirely, immersed in the world of gaming and scripting. His family would be gone for the day and leave a meal behind for him to eat, but upon returning they\u2019d see the food was untouched. Obsession had taken hold.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fortunately for Stadelmann, his family recognized the deep curiosity and affinity he had for mathematics and computers. He relished the feeling of seeing parallels \u2014 related patterns from one topic to another \u2014 and perceiving the overarching picture \u2014 connections between the physical world and mathematics.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a teenager, he read books voraciously. He craved learning \u2014 physics, mathematics, algebra, astrophysics, anatomy, biology and more. He was particularly inspired by historical figures like Archimedes and Pythagoras, along with Renaissance counterparts like Leonardo da Vinci.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These figures saw parallels between everyday nature and transformed them into the language of mathematics, Stadelmann says. They were often polymaths, seeking to have a broad range of understanding and connectedness between subject areas that are segmented in the modern educational system.<\/span><\/p>\n

Escape to Cyberspace<\/b><\/h4>\n

Wrestling with the loss of his father, Stadelmann found comfort online. \u201cCyberspace was like a second world,\u201d he explains. \u201cI really felt comfortable there\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was also a place Stadelmann could turn his energy into something productive. He was fascinated by the concept of building applications that control computers. He even managed to break his own computer with coding experiments, messing up his hard drive and operating system. But failure didn\u2019t deter him. The experience revealed the great power of coding: that one could control \u2014 and even break \u2014 machines through code. This gave him \u201ca huge boost of excitement, happiness and fulfillment,\u201d he explains. It also gave him a deepening obsession with programming.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stadelmann attended a tech-focused high school in Austria where he developed an educational foundation in active coding, micro-board building, engineering and building computers. He even learned to build computers that could themselves build computers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He began to learn about decentralized technologies. At the time, disruptive solutions like Napster and Kazaa were all the rage, offering peer-to-peer networking and file sharing that had previously been impossible on such a grand scale. \u201cI was truly privileged to have the chance to go to that high school.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stadelmann continued his education in Vienna, studying at a technical university. \u201cIt was an essential part of my life,\u201d he says. There he developed long-lasting friendships that he refers to as brotherhoods. The connections he established in Vienna remain with him to this day, as he continues to meet and collaborate with close friends from that period of his life.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis one specific professor \u2014 he was a pure anarchist,\u201d Stadelmann says. \u201cHe taught us so much. Things you wouldn\u2019t learn in any book or tutorial or any other course.\u201d\u00a0 This professor described a future where decentralized technologies would eventually revolutionize the entire world, he explains. Although society will continue to have central actors, Stadelmann learned that one should always strive to build decentralized technologies. \u201cThe central infrastructure problem will eventually be resolved,\u201d the professor often insisted.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Bitcoin white paper<\/b><\/h4>\n

As a part of his learning experience in Vienna, Stadelmann was assigned a scientific, peer-reviewed research project. He chose to focus his research on the Bitcoin white paper. It was during his research into this project that Stadelmann began to recognize the problems of the modern financial system. \u201cI wasn\u2019t aware,\u201d he says. \u201cUp until that time, I was just following the illusion and trusting the system. That changed heavily during that time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Concerns about the system continued to haunt Stadelmann into his early career as a cybersecurity expert and penetration tester. He questioned societal assumptions about the modern financial system and what he saw as the illusion of personal freedoms and rights. \u201cBut I didn\u2019t have the guts to confront anyone about it,\u201d he remembers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Around the time his first child was born, his dilemma reached a critical point.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He felt compelled to take a big risk and depart from the safety and security of his government job.<\/span><\/p>\n

His family was unimpressed with the news. \u201cThat’s when I told myself, \u2018just do your own thing.\u2019 Leave, do something I can identify with, and more importantly, something I\u2019m sure could change the world for my kids. Even if I cannot change the world for my kids, I\u2019m going to promise myself that I\u2019m going to spark the brain that will change the world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMany family members were disappointed that I was wasting my talent,\u201d Stadelmann explains. Even when he began experiencing some financial success, family members continued to doubt his decision. \u201cThey\u2019d say, \u2018Yeah, but what if it collapses tomorrow? You don\u2019t have a reliable, regular income.\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stadelmann says he would try to explain how the technology works, what it meant from an eco-financial and technical perspective, and how it could change society. But it was tough convincing anyone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Luckily, he didn\u2019t have to convince himself. He knew he would be depressed if he went back to a traditional job. \u201cI\u2019d rather be homeless and happy than end up burned out, depressed, 80 or 90 years old in my deathbed, questioning myself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mining Bitcoin<\/b><\/h4>\n

Around this time, Stadelmann got deeply into mining Bitcoin and altcoins. He reinvested his mining profits into building a more powerful mining infrastructure, but it ended up being a frustrating experience. \u201cIt took a lot of time and I was very stressed.\u201d Keeping up with altcoin instamines meant staying up late at night, resulting in a chaotic life cycle. \u201cI should have just hodled. It would have been worth a few million dollars!\u201d he laughs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stadelmann became more engaged with Bitcointalk and a number of altcoin communities where he got to know many of the people he works with to this day. He posted ads offering freelance coding services and received so many inquiries that he was able to make a better income than he had earned from his previous state-backed job. \u201cI felt so relaxed. It was just great.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A year later in 2013, Bitcoin\u2019s first major pump to around $80 was enough to convince Stadelmann that he had made the right decision, \u201cIt was a wow effect. I told myself, \u2018This is the future.\u2019\u201d He revealed to his family that he was moving fully into crypto for work. \u201cIt will revolutionize our financial system in the next twenty, thirty years. That\u2019s going to happen. One hundred percent,\u201d he told them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt all started on Bitcointalk,\u201d Stadelmann says. He still regards the forum as the best place to go for crypto novices. It\u2019s a resource with reams of information on the topic, he explains. Much of the best content was generated before it became so focused on financial ups and downs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stadelmann advises, \u201cDon\u2019t invest a penny unless you understand what this is and what the vision is. If you get into crypto, read Satoshi\u2019s paper. Read posts on Bitcointalk from 2011 to 2012. Then you\u2019ll have a good solid base to continue in this industry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Komodo CTO<\/b><\/h4>\n

After working as a freelance coder for some time, Stadelmann received a job offer from one of the founders of Komodo, James Lee. \u201cIt was a great offer, to be head of security.\u201d He promptly accepted the role. In 2017, it was announced that Stadelmann would head up the tech layer for the Komodo platform, becoming chief technology officer for the project.<\/span><\/p>\n

While Stadelmann continues his work as CTO for Komodo, his daily routine has changed significantly. He is focusing more on his health. \u201cI\u2019m waking up earlier. I\u2019ve stopped working through the night.\u201d He was in the habit of doing \u201cmessed up workshifts, working all night, 16 hour shifts.\u201d Over the past couple months, he has lost weight with daily workouts, a better diet and a healthier schedule. It has increased his efficiency and productivity with fewer work hours.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now he starts the day looking for vulnerabilities, coding and reviewing. Later on in the day, as it becomes harder to concentrate on more intense tasks, Stadelmann switches to communications \u2014 emails, interviews and engaging with the community.<\/span><\/p>\n

He is making a more concerted effort to set time aside for himself, meditating regularly and living a better work\/life balance. He heartily recommends regular exercise: \u201cTake one or two hours a day for yourself. You will increase your efficiency and produce more in less time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Atomic DEX<\/b><\/h4>\n

The next big thing in Stadelmann\u2019s sights is the completion and full launch of AtomicDEX. Current decentralized exchange competitors are not really decentralized, he explains. \u201cKomodo is providing a true DEX wallet. It\u2019s the most exciting technology Komodo has built. It\u2019s my baby. I\u2019m getting an Atomic DEX tattoo next month.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

What sets Atomic DEX apart, Stadelmann says, is its ease of use and true decentralized nature. It will be fully integrated into browsers, allowing users to launch a node from within a browser, which can then directly connect to DEX peers without any intermediaries. \u201cIt\u2019s easy, accessible and permissionless. You click download, you install and you\u2019re attached to a blockchain.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a dream, and we made the dream reality. I\u2019m pushing my main focus into this layer. I want to see major financial services and institutions using this technology. It is compatible, even with the traditional financial sector.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stadelmann cautions that we still have a long journey to decentralization: \u201cOur whole internet is based on a centralized infrastructure. The whole underlying layer is owned by central entities who can shut the internet off with a click. All this decentralization is useless as long as the underlying structure is heavily centralized. We\u2019re trusting the underlying structure to remain operational, which is not guaranteed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He believes the world already has the technology to build a truly decentralized internet. Even rudimentary technology like amateur radio could be used \u201cto send each other bits and bytes.\u201d He has plans to build a small decentralized internet, independent of currently centralized network infrastructures, for colleagues to work on the Komodo platform and to communicate with each other.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not all about money<\/b><\/h4>\n

Despite years of success, Stadelmann still encounters many doubters, including a few in his own family. <\/span>\u201c<\/b>I have some cousins who still tell me this is a bubble. I still say, \u2018I don\u2019t care.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Other family members seem to finally be getting the picture, though. \u201cCloser family members have told me I’ve been completely right.\u201d Older relatives who faced opportunities thirty or forty years ago, but timidly stayed with their safe jobs, have come forward and admitted their regrets to him. \u201cThese same people who were saying to me, \u2018What is this? This isn\u2019t real,\u2019 now tell me I absolutely did the correct thing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It shouldn\u2019t be all about the money, Stadelmann insists. \u201cEven if Bitcoin didn\u2019t have these crazy pumps, I know I\u2019ve made the right choice. This is the big problem with our societal model. It\u2019s based on a monetary, financial foundation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy mother, my family, they didn\u2019t tell me this is bad because I wouldn’t be happy or because it wouldn\u2019t fulfill my dreams or my potential. No, it was because they thought I wouldn\u2019t earn reliable money from it and be a part of this financial system.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stadelmann looks forward to a different future for his children. Ultimately, he hopes his choice of work can build a better society, contributing to the causes of freedom of speech and permissionless networking.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEven if it helps one human,\u201d he says, \u201cthen I\u2019ve changed the world for one human.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The CTO of Komodo Platform explains the impetus behind his drive for decentralized systems, and the upcoming Atomic DEX he describes as “my baby”.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":4510,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"mc4wp_mailchimp_campaign":[],"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[154,156],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4509"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4509"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4509\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5089,"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4509\/revisions\/5089"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4510"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4509"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=4509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}