Hello World! Before 2018 began, our spartan team at Komodo (KMD) made impressive technological progress with limited resources, establishing KMD as a leader in blockchain freedom and security. Here is a brief review of our achievements until now:

Achievements (Pre-2018)

1. World’s First Fully Independent Blockchain Generator (CLI): We have developed a simple, four-step process to deploy your own secure, independent blockchain through CLI (Command Line) in minutes. We are currently working on an Alpha for a web-based app with a user-friendly interface to automate blockchain generation.

2. Developed dPoW: World’s Leading Security Solution for Independent Blockchains dPOW is our delayed Proof of Work consensus mechanism that backs up your independent blockchain and insert its history into the Bitcoin network, protecting you from all forms of attack.

3. Launched BarterDEX, the World’s First DEX powered by Atomic Swaps: BarterDEX (beta), the world’s first fully decentralized exchange, is available for testing now, and is expecting even greater updates. Perform your own Cross Chain Atomic Swap on BarterDEX today! Feel free to join our Slack for any questions or support.

4. World’s First dICO System: dICO is a decentralized Initial Coin Offering that allows you to choose between flexible, crowdfunding models that enable investments without 3rd party risks, powered by cross chain atomic swaps.

5. Established Leadership in Atomic Swap Technology: Most Cross Chain Atomic Swaps Completed Worldwide: 70,000+! (Counter & Explorer Here) This included the world’s largest atomic swap stress test (2,000 swaps in 7 hours.)

6. Released Agama Multi-Coin Wallet: Agama (download here) is a multi-coin wallet that grants 5% KMD rewards to KMD coin holders. (reference guide for how to gain rewards)

7. Most Active Github Repo in 2017: The Komodo Platform has the most active developer team and is #1 in Code Commits on github.

8. Fully Customizable Suite of Blockchain Solutions: Komodo offers end-to-end blockchain solution coverage enabling all people to launch & secure your own blockchain, crowdfund & scale your projects, and integrate & exchange with our ecosystem and the rest of the blockchain industry.

Amongst our incredible innovations and standing technology, KMD enthusiasts have asked: Why doesn’t the world know the good news about Komodo?

When planning for 2018, we listened to your feedback and conducted a full audit to identify areas that required additional resources for us to fulfill our vision of cultivating a free, flourishing, and decentralized world by building the world’s largest and most interoperable open blockchain network. Today, we are thrilled to announce that we have addressed our need areas in the first two months of 2018 and are advancing at full-speed to fulfill our vision!

KMD Team Growth, Achievements, And Outlook (2018 - ∞)

I. Team Expansion:

Meet the newly added members of our Management, Marketing, Dev, and HR/Operations Teams.

MANAGEMENT

Ben Fairbank - General Manager
Over 20 years of global experience in the Telecommunications, Customer Experience and Contact Centre industry and more than 12 years experience in Senior Management. Experienced in UK, Asia Pacific, Middle East and South African markets. Proven CEO and C level Executive.

Steve Lee - Chief Marketing Officer
Over a decade of experience working for fortune 500 technology companies in the enterprise space. Held a wide range of roles including executive marketing strategy, executive and corporate communications management, product marketing, global sales enablement, global solution sales and marketing, and account management. Recently left Hewlett-Packard Enterprise to join the Komodo team full-time.

MARKETING

Adrian Pante - Creative Director & Brand Manager
After earning a Bachelor’s in Design & Communications, Adrian gained experience working for Quiksilver Clothing. He went on to own and operate 2 successful international, Australian clothing labels for 10 years. After selling shares in the clothing labels, he founded a Creative Digital Agency, In10tion.com.au, which now has hundreds of clients who depend on the company’s website and graphic skills.

Ben O’Hanlon - Head of Social Media
Digital Marketing Guy with 10+ years of expertise in engaging and growing online communities, events and market research. People can contact me with ideas, suggestions or feedback through social media or slack. I chose to work for Komodo because I believe the centralisation of power is a bad thing, and I see a team who want to give power back to people through their tech.

Glen Pearce - Social Media Manager & Market Strategist
Glen has traveled to over 30 countries and has developed a natural ability to engage communities around the world. With 15+ years of sales and marketing experience, as well as degrees in Commerce and Finance, Glen has joined Komodo as a cross-functional team member that is dedicated to the Komodo team’s core value of freedom for everyone.

Bryan Matthews - Video & Motion GFX Manager
Specializing in design driven creativity, Bryan uses storytelling, animation and visual effects to create exceptional visual experiences for his audience. With a concentration in Motion Design and 3D animation, he brings over 15 years of experience working with international brands in multiple formats (advertising, film, TV and athletics.) Bryan is pleased to partner with Komodo to deliver informative and entertaining media that can educate the world in what we have to offer.

Charis (Bob) Rafailidis - Market Research Analyst
Bob brings over a decade of experience in startup consulting, growth, and business development. He is passionate about online entrepreneurship, tech startups and platforms, and he is always up to date with fresh information about what is going on in the world of technology.

Davion Ziere - Global Creative Strategist & Writer
A graduate of Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, College of the Arts, and Stanford University’s International Relations summer certificate program, Davion has a proven record of founding and managing startups that empower freelancers and independent creators. He also has 8+ years of experience creating effective content, strategies, and market implementation plans for entities ranging from Tesla and the U.S. House of Representatives to international media outlets, artists, and non-profits.

Daniel Pigeon - Technical Writer
Daniel has 8+ years of experience in English Literacy Instruction, and he has been a freelance writer and content marketer for 5+ years. He graduated Cum Laude from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with degrees in Economics and Philosophy, and he has joined Komodo to spread the word about what Komodo has to offer the world.

DEVELOPMENT

Jonathan Pullinger - Senior Blockchain Developer (C/C++)
Jonathan brings over a decade of programming experience, and he has a diverse coding background with a strong understanding of cybersecurity, bitcoin, lightning networks, and full-stack development. Jon is focused on helping improve the already-strong security and privacy solutions that Komodo offers.

Eliezio Oliveria - Senior Software Developer (C/C++/Java)
Eliezio has been working as an architect and developer for 15+ years. His experience ranges from enterprise to embedded systems, including communications, security and business services for payment and transport industries. He is an expert in Java and C programming languages, and he is competent on many others (Groovy, Python, JavaScript, C++). He has vast experience in network protocols like TCP/IP, SSL/TLS, and Cryptographic systems.

Artem Pikulin - Senior Software Developer (Solidity/C/C++/Ethereum)
Artem brings strong experience in Solidity and Ethereum, which are newer coding languages, and since joining Komodo this year, he has already helped us successfully complete BTC-ETH atomic swaps. Going forward, he plans to help Komodo integrate support for Smart Contracts.

Ahmad Pouladzadeh - Head of QA Testing (C/C++/QT)
Ahmad has 10+ years of programming experience, and he will be responsible for testing our core blockchain systems, reviewing and refactoring codes, and he has joined Komodo because it has been known for its commitment to the blockchain community.

HR/OPERATIONS

Julio Soares - Head of HR
Julio is fluent in English, French and Portuguese, and he brings 20+ years of experience in IT & Business Management to the Komodo team. He spent most of his years in the Telecommunications industry, and he is passionate about bringing the best talent to Komodo’s team in order to provide Komodo with the resources it needs to excel.

Christopher (Mylo) Mylonas - Engineering Consultant & Workspace Manager
Mylo has 15+ years of freelance experience in the IT/Telco industry mentoring and advising support staff, business owners, and C-level execs. He built the first open source project linking nurse call systems to telecom networks in 2003, has managed retail stores, and has built and operated a range of systems from e-learning platforms to telco infrastructure for ISP & ITSP.

II. 2018 Achievements + Our Outlook Beyond

1. Komodo 1.5 Website Refresh: The 1.5 Website upgrade and launch was originally scheduled for March 31st, but with our new expanded team we reduced our 7 week timeline down to 2 weeks. This demonstrates how quickly we can execute with the proper resources. The site is not complete, this is an ongoing process, and we will continue to listen to feedback and make improvements.
   

2. 2.0 Full Rebrand: As we reviewed and prepared our 2018 marketing and brand strategy, we learned that we needed to plan our roll out in two stages. Step 1 was to keep our existing brand and give it a modern update along with a refreshed website which we have labeled as 1.5. Step 2 will be to implement a complete rebrand, which will include new color palette, new logo, new design language, visual identity, and a modern web experience, all built from the ground up.

3. Videos + Content Upgrades: With the hire of Bryan, our new video and graphics manager, we can deliver more video content. Bryan was able to produce a teaser video for our 1.5 website in just two days. We have plans for a full explainer video of Komodo, along with more visual content that is brand consistent and features high production value.
   

4. Improved Social Media Engagement: With the additions to our social media team, we will be a lot more engaging via social media. We will be presenting weekly updates via our Five-Bullet Friday e-mails, regular AMAs on Reddit, consistent Twitter, Slack, and Telegram engagement, and updates from Steve Lee, our new Chief Marketing Officer.

5. Development-Related Updates: Prior to this year, most of our technology was developed exclusively by jl777 and ca333. With the addition of four new experienced blockchain developers in 2018, we have already completed Etomic swaps, expanded our Atomic Swap network, and are on schedule to complete the tasks outlined in our Tech Roadmap, such as Smart Contract integration. With our new additions, you can expect more frequent development updates and roadmap improvements.
   

You Gave Feedback. We Listened.

Even prior to the expansion of our team, most of our technology goals had already been completed. Now that we have upgraded our roster, we are prepared to grow the Komodo ecosystem, accelerate our development schedule, and develop more technology that leads us closer to a fully decentralized world where all people can flourish.

Future Updates

To stay up to date with Komodo, Sign Up for our 5 Bullet Friday e-mail list here. By signing up, we will begin sending weekly Komodo newsletters and official updates directly to you.

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