The inception of Ethereum on June 7, 2014, marked a pivotal moment in the history of blockchain. Eight co-founders gathered in a Swiss rental house nicknamed "The Spaceship" to witness the birth of a project that would eventually grow to a peak market capitalization exceeding $150 billion. This initiative not only sparked a storm within the cryptocurrency sector but also fueled successive waves of trends in the Web3 realm—from ICOs and NFTs to DeFi and IDOs. Even the concept of Web3 itself is credited to one of Ethereum's co-founders.
At the heart of this revolution, Ethereum represented a consensus on decentralization built by idealists. However, internal storms were inevitable. The original list of founders was long; as described by Anthony Di Iorio, one of the founders, there were five initial creators in December 2013: Vitalik Buterin, Anthony Di Iorio, Charles Hoskinson, Mihai Alisie, and Amir Chetrit. In 2014, three more joined as co-founders: Joseph Lubin, Gavin Wood, and Jeffrey Wilcke.
Eventually, the group disbanded, leaving only Vitalik Buterin, commonly known as V神 (V-God), actively working on Ethereum. The primary rift arose from a heated debate over whether Ethereum should become a for-profit company or remain non-profit. Although Ethereum began with eight co-founders, irreconcilable differences in vision and philosophy led to community fragmentation and the departure of team members as the project advanced.
While Vitalik Buterin remains widely recognized, the other founders are less known. This article explores their journeys after Ethereum.
Those Who Became Competitors
1. Charles Hoskinson: The Community Challenger
Charles Hoskinson, one of the original five founders, was born in Hawaii. Initially aspiring to be a mathematician, he found Bitcoin more fascinating and pivoted to blockchain.
In December 2013, Hoskinson was appointed CEO, responsible for the Swiss Foundation and its legal framework. He laid crucial groundwork in Ethereum's early days, particularly in establishing the foundation and legal structures.
However, his tenure ended within months, partly due to reported interpersonal conflicts with other founders. Hoskinson advocated for a for-profit model, while Vitalik favored a non-profit platform. Accounts of his departure vary: some claim he left voluntarily, others say he was fired by Vitalik. Regardless, it's known that the two occasionally exchanged criticisms.
The 2016 DAO incident led to Ethereum's fork, and Hoskinson supported Ethereum Classic (ETC). He later founded Cardano (ADA), a smart contract platform aiming to be a next-generation foundational public chain. Cardano distinguishes itself with a research-first, conservative approach, potentially making it more acceptable to traditional industries. The ADA cryptocurrency surged in 2021, and Cardano now stands as a formidable competitor to Ethereum.
2. Gavin Wood: The Protocol Competitor
Gavin Wood is renowned for his exceptional engineering skills, particularly his ability to translate ideas into code through robust architecture and programming. Many blockchain developers regard him as a legendary programmer and technical leader.
In 2013, Wood met Vitalik through a mutual friend. Intrigued by the idea of a programmable blockchain, he joined to help code Ethereum. In 2014, he became Ethereum's first CTO, authoring the "Ethereum Yellow Paper," which defined the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)—the first formal technical specification for a blockchain state machine.
Wood dedicated two years to Ethereum's development, including building the general platform architecture, contributing to the C++ client, and designing Solidity, the programming language for Ethereum smart contracts.
He also coined the term "Web3" in 2014, envisioning a decentralized web that returns data and privacy to users, reducing reliance on trusted intermediaries. In late 2015, Wood left Ethereum and founded EthCore, which evolved into Parity Technologies. He led the development of the Parity client and later created Polkadot, a blockchain protocol seen as a potential Ethereum successor. Polkadot has emerged as a strong competitor, driven by Wood's vision for a more scalable and interoperable Web3.
Those Who Became Partners
1. Joseph Lubin: The Resourceful Supporter
Joseph Lubin, the most experienced among the co-founders, graduated from Princeton in 1987 with a degree in electrical engineering and computer science. He pursued diverse careers in software engineering, music production, business, and finance before developing an interest in cryptocurrency.
Through the Bitcoin Alliance of Canada, Lubin connected with Anthony Di Iorio. In 2014, he met Vitalik, was impressed by the whitepaper, and joined the co-founders. Lubin proposed using C++ for Ethereum's architecture and provided significant financial backing alongside Di Iorio.
When Ethereum opted for a non-profit model, Lubin left due to differing visions. He founded ConsenSys, a for-profit Ethereum development company that launched numerous projects, including the widely-used MetaMask wallet. ConsenSys focuses on building applications and incubating blockchain startups, not limited to Ethereum but also supporting platforms like Filecoin and Polkadot.
Today, ConsenSys collaborates with traditional companies like JPMorgan, UBS, BP, Intel, and Microsoft, solidifying its role as a key player in the blockchain ecosystem.
2. Mihai Alisie: The Bitcoin Believer
Mihai Alisie, from Romania, graduated in cybernetics, economic informatics, and statistics in 2010. He met Vitalik through online forums where both wrote about Bitcoin. In late 2011, they co-founded Bitcoin Magazine, with Vitalik as lead writer and Alisie as editor.
When Vitalik created Ethereum, Alisie actively supported establishing the Swiss base, merging initial startups, and leading the business infrastructure and legal framework for the crowdfunding campaign. He handled challenges like opening a bank account for the crypto startup and negotiating with lawyers and Swiss officials.
Alisie served as vice-chairman of the Ethereum Foundation, contributing to strategic planning. By late 2015, diverging from Ethereum's direction, he shifted focus to Akasha, a social framework leveraging Ethereum and IPFS. He aims to expand Akasha with Ethereum 2.0 and Filecoin.
Those Who Left the Crypto Space
1. Anthony Di Iorio: The Exit Strategist
Anthony Di Iorio, from Toronto, had a background in marketing and venture capital. As executive director of the Bitcoin Alliance of Canada, he organized Toronto's first Bitcoin summit and met Vitalik at a Bitcoin event in 2012.
A wealthy individual with substantial family resources, Di Iorio co-funded Ethereum in late 2013. His motivation was primarily financial gain. When Ethereum adopted a non-profit model, he gradually withdrew, later serving briefly as chief digital officer of the Toronto Stock Exchange.
In 2016, he founded Decentral, developing the Jaxx digital wallet. By 2018, he was listed among Forbes' top 20 wealthiest in crypto, with an estimated net worth of $750 million to $1 billion. In summer 2021, citing personal safety concerns, Di Iorio announced his exit from crypto, planning to sell Decentral for "hundreds of millions" and divest from blockchain projects to focus on philanthropy and other fields.
2. Amir Chetrit: The Investment Pragmatist
Amir Chetrit, from Israel, studied computer science but made his first fortune in real estate. After dropping out in 2008, he grew skeptical of traditional finance and turned to Bitcoin as a lucrative opportunity.
He met Vitalik at a Bitcoin event in Amsterdam in 2013. Chetrit was working with Colored Coins, a project for managing real-world assets as tokens on Bitcoin. Invited by Vitalik, he joined Ethereum's creation in December 2013.
Lacking deep technical passion, Chetrit faced criticism from developers and co-founders for insufficient commitment. He resigned in June 2014 and moved to other industries.
3. Jeffrey Wilcke: The Family-Focused Developer
Jeffrey Wilcke, a Dutch programmer, encountered Ethereum while working on Mastercoin, the first ICO. Intrigued, he independently implemented Ethereum in Google's Go language.
Joining the founders in early 2014, Wilcke developed Go Ethereum, or "Geth," a crucial client alongside Gavin Wood's C++ implementation. This set a precedent for blockchain development.
After Ethereum's hard fork, hacker incidents, and the birth of his son, Wilcke handed Geth oversight to Peter Szilagyi. He now runs Grid Games, a game development studio, with his brother Joey, having sold some ETH to fund recruitment.
The One Who Stayed: Vitalik Buterin
Vitalik Buterin, dubbed "V神" by Chinese fans, is often portrayed as a legendary figure. A prodigy excelling in math and programming, he won a bronze medal at the International Olympiad in Informatics in 2012.
His unassuming appearance—slight build, simple attire, and introverted nature—contrasts with his brilliance. Stories abound, from wearing mismatched Hello Kitty socks to carrying all his possessions in a suitcase, though some are debunked by his father.
Vitalik's interest in crypto sparked from gaming. An avid World of Warcraft player since 13, he quit in 2010 after a game update altered his character, realizing the perils of centralized services. This led him to Bitcoin's decentralization.
As a writer, he sought to improve Bitcoin but faced indifference. Instead, he authored a whitepaper for a new platform—Ethereum, a "world computer" for decentralized applications.
With Ethereum's市值 exceeding $500 billion, Vitalik admitted he never anticipated such scale and complexity. He initially planned to finish Ethereum in months and return to university.
Today, he remains the only co-founder actively involved, focusing on Ethereum 2.0.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did most Ethereum co-founders leave?
Primary disagreements over Ethereum's direction—for-profit vs. non-profit—caused rifts. Additionally, personal ambitions and differing visions for decentralization led to departures.
What is Ethereum's biggest technical challenge?
Scalability remains a key hurdle. Ethereum 2.0 aims to address this with proof-of-stake and sharding to increase transaction throughput and reduce fees.
How does Ethereum compare to competitors like Cardano and Polkadot?
Ethereum pioneered smart contracts but faces scalability issues. Cardano emphasizes research-driven development, while Polkadot focuses on interoperability between blockchains. Each has unique strengths.
What is Web3, and how is Ethereum involved?
Web3 envisions a decentralized internet where users control data. Ethereum, as a programmable blockchain, is a foundational platform for building Web3 applications.
Is Ethereum still a good investment?
As with any cryptocurrency, investments carry risk. Ethereum's ongoing upgrades and ecosystem growth potential make it prominent, but market volatility requires careful consideration.
How can I start developing on Ethereum?
Begin by learning Solidity, Ethereum's smart contract language. Use tools like Remix IDE and explore resources for building decentralized applications to get hands-on experience.
Conclusion
Among Ethereum's eight co-founders, only Vitalik Buterin remains directly involved. Others became competitors, left the industry, or built supportive companies. Vitalik expressed regret over the rushed selection and dispersal of co-founders, noting the difficulty of aligning visions amid incentives.
Ethereum is often called Web3's "training ground," with its alumni founding top projects and public chains. This exemplifies blockchain's unique charm: decentralization fostering innovation and resilience, showcasing vitality beyond traditional industries.