Artium

artium

After founding multiple successful startups such as Twitch, Justin Kan is now revamping the archaic legal experience for high growth startups with Atrium. Davis Baer : What’s your background, and what are you working on? My name is Justin Kan and I’ve been an entrepreneur and investor for the last 13 years. I’ve started multiple companies, beginning with an online calendar company in 2005 called Kiko. After that, I cofounded Justin.tv, which turned into Twitch and Socialcam. I was also a founder at a startup called Exec in the home services space, which we sold to Handy in late 2013. Then in 2014, we sold Twitch to Amazon and I became a partner at Y Combinator, a seed fund that’s invested in over 1,900 startups including Airbnb, Dropbox, Stripe, and Twitch. Fast forward to 2017, when I started to solve my own problems in legal. Atrium is a full-service corporate law firm for high-growth companies that use technology to delivers fast and transparent legal services with fixed, predictable fees. As a long-time entrepreneur, I really appreciate it when people are able to give me expert legal advice, but I always felt like the efficiency and transparency of legal services could be improved. That’s become our working mission at Atrium. Atrium Today, Atrium has over 250 clients who have collectively raised over $500 million in funding. What motivated you to get started with your company? I am what I like to call an “involuntary power user” of legal services. Working with many startups, legal was always a necessity — but the experience and deliverability varied widely. I was talking to a partner at Wilson Sonsini (one of the big law firms in Silicon Valley) who was a friend of a friend. Turns out, she actually didn’t even know that Twitch had been a client of Wilson’s for quite a while. I asked why she didn’t look me up in their CRM — and it turns out, they didn’t have a CRM. I thought that was super weird for such a big business. Then, I started asking her about other things. I’d just helped a company raise $17 million and we really needed to close the deal. Getting basic status updates from legal was tough, and it ended up taking nine full weeks to close. I asked this attorney, “Why don’t you guys use some sort of project management software like Trello or Asana so all parties can monitor the status of a project.” She mentioned that they tried to use Trello, but it was just really hard to get people to adopt it at the firm. That’s when I really started thinking seriously about this space. I started talking to founders, investors, and attorneys to try and understand why there is such little technology innovation in this market. I probably talked to a couple dozen people. Lots of people seemed very open to the idea that the space could be improved. At the time, I was also considering alternative company ideas such as launching my own startup studio. Instead, I decided I would go all in as the CEO of this new legal company because it would be the highest personal growth path for me. Once I committed, I put together a founding team, raised money, and we started building. How have you attracted users and grown your company? We raised a $10.5M round from over 90 investors, led by General Catalyst and many other big names in the Valley such as 500 Startups, Greylock, Thrive Capital, and many more (a ). The goal with this fundraising strategy was to get a funnel of people who would be interested in potentially referring clients and interim users because our initial customers would all be technology companies. bigger list is here We had another tactic to talk to more potential customers and learn about the market. I offered to help people with raising their Series A, including the pitch narrative and other parts of the process. That got the conversation going with a lot of companies who turned out to be customers. This was so successful that we spun it off into a dedicated program that we still do today: (you can apply to the next one!). Atrium Scale These tactics worked in our specific situation given our target market (startups) and what we had to offer (the advice of my founding team and I). For other entrepreneurs, I think the big takeaway here — and my number one piece of advice — is to hone in on a) your customer segment and b) when they’re receptive to messaging. One thing we did really well was realize that our early customer segment was early startup founders. Within that, we knew that they are receptive to messaging when they really need help with something that’s very critical — and fundraising was one of those things. So one of our first major product offerings was to first provide free advice and then offer legal services to help close the round. It’s really important for people to think about , but even more importantly when they’ll be receptive to your messaging. who their customer is What are your goals for the future? The goals for Atrium are to continue to build a technology platform that facilitates the execution of legal work. We want to make the whole process a lot more painless, for clients and attorneys alike. By doing that, we’re able to help more and more startups in a variety of ways, which is really important to us. It helps our business and aligns with the company mission. For further growth, we’re continuing to invest in content marketing and event marketing because those are the things that have worked really well for us from the beginning. We’ve hosted a number of panels with successful founders and investors which are attended by the founders of potential customers. These channels allow us to reach founders with practical advice and great content when they need it. What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced and obstacles you’ve overcome? If you had to start over, what would you do differently? We made some bad tech choices in the beginning. It’s pretty much always a good idea to go with the default — Ruby and React — but we made other choices that we had to undo. We also tried to build our own billing system, which was a really bad idea. There are so many things to focus on at the early stage of a startup that you shouldn’t try to replicate something that already works. For billing, just use Zuora. Lastly, I would have taken the time to ensure better alignment from day 1. We grew so quickly and then had to go back to define the mission and vision. If I had to do it over again, I would have invested more time into that earlier on. Have you found anything particularly helpful or advantageous? As a multiple-time Y Combinator (YC) alum and former partner, I know how amazing that community is. YC has a new growth program for later stage startups which is really good. It’s designed for growth stage companies, with a focus on scaling management and dealing with other growing pains of a scaling startup. Additionally, I love to read and believe it is very important to find time for myself to get outside my daily context and reflect on how to improve. Two great books I always recommend are and by Andy Grove. Elad Gil’s High Growth Handbook High Output Management Some of my own personal habits include working out every day, meditating, and using a gratitude journal. Those habits all give me context and serve as a healthy reminder that the daily ups and downs shouldn’t rule your life. These firestorms aren’t as important as they feel in the moment. What’s your advice for entrepreneurs who are just starting out? Just get started. You want to get out there and get started. It’s simple but really important. The first step is always the hardest. I think people often get trapped in a career that they don’t like because they were not willing to make the change early enough. Oftentimes, you just have to get out there and get some initial momentum. People always underweight how important momentum is. Momentum is very, very important. Where can we go to learn more? You can find out more about Atrium at , where we’ve written a couple great posts about fundraising and advice for startup founders: https://www.atrium.co How to Raise a Seed Round How to Raise Your Series A What We’ve Learned Helping Startups Raise Over $500M You can also follow me on Twitter — . Feel free to ask me any questions about this interview and I’ll do my best to respond to you. Thanks, Hacker Noon! @justinkan This interview is brought to you by , a tool to schedule and automatically repeat your posts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Google My Business OneUp

Founder Interviews: Justin Kan of Atrium

“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.”
Steve Jobs Having worked at Pixar in Systems, I know that Steve practiced what he preached. My boss reported directly to Steve, so he communicated with Jobs at least two to three times a month. Erik would occasionally call me into his office with a scowl on his face. I would usually mutter, "Hey Erik, what's up?" In what seemed like a temporary tantrum, he spun his computer screen at me and said in a fit, "James it took me months to develop this idea, three days to write and finally send Steve the email. Look at his damned reply," he barked. I saw two words and a period. Quotes added by me. “No. Steve” Steve was pointing to a reality many of us find ourselves in if we aren’t careful. Yup, overwhelm. You know that feeling when your to-do list is a mile long, and you're drowning in a sea of tasks? It's like trying to eat an entire pizza by yourself – overwhelming and kind of scary. But guess what? You don't have to do this alone. If you ask for help, you might be surprised at the willingness of others to help. I recall during  my time working for Pixar, that my boss and I had lunch every Friday at the Pixar cafe. It was located next to the giant atrium that divides the main building into two separate areas. On one of those Fridays, I asked my boss about the design of the building and was particularly interested in the football field-sized atrium. He said, “Oh the atrium was Steve’s idea.” I came to understand later that since Steve wasn’t a part of the filmmaking process, he made it a point to take charge of the design of the Emeryville campus. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pixar_Animation_Studios_Atrium.jpg?embedable=true Having worked for both of his companies, I can say this with confidence. There were two areas in which Steve Jobs was brilliant. He picked the best humans for the task at hand and surrounded himself with them, and he believed that when talent meets collaboration the result is beyond anything mere mortals can imagine. The atrium was there to make this possible. Almost every day I would randomly bump into a fellow employee from another department and we would swap stories about what we were working on and the triumphs and challenges faced. Almost assuredly out of that exchange solutions were shared and something magical occurred. The particular problem I was facing changed because I had new information. I can’t tell you how many times I would return to my desk, sit down, hop on the computer, and with this new information in hand, I would solve the problem in 5 minutes. This happened all the time and it blew my mind. Adam B. Varey, in an article on BuzzFeed, writes, “Ed Catmull, one of the founders of Pixar, was quoted as saying, 'Since Steve didn't make our movies, the building itself became his project.' Craig Payne, who happens to be a good friend of mine, said about Jobs, 'He was involved in every detail of this building, down to the door handles of the offices.'" Prioritizing isn’t just about checking boxes; it’s about focusing on what truly matters. Imagine being a superhero – you can’t save the world all at once, right? You have to pick your battles. That’s where prioritization comes in.Let’s break it down.The 80/20 Rule: Your Secret Weapon Ever noticed that a tiny part of your work gives you the biggest results? That’s the 80/20 rule in action. It’s like finding that one amazing pair of jeans that makes you feel confident – you wanna wear ‘em all the time. So, focus on the tasks that pack the biggest punch. It's gonna feel tough at first, but trust me, the payoff is huge.One Thing at a Time: Your Superpower We live in a world that screams “multitask!” But let’s be honest, trying to do everything at once is like juggling chainsaws. Instead, pick one thing, give it your full attention, and crush it. It’s like meditating with a purpose. You’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish when you’re not distracted by a million other things. Remember, you’re not alone in this. We’re all trying to figure it out.  Celebrate small wins. Practice and learn to say No. “People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.” Steve Jobs “People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.” Steve Jobs Having worked at Pixar in Systems, I know that Steve practiced what he preached. My boss reported directly to Steve, so he communicated with Jobs at least two to three times a month. Erik would occasionally call me into his office with a scowl on his face. I would usually mutter, "Hey Erik, what's up?" In what seemed like a temporary tantrum, he spun his computer screen at me and said in a fit, "James it took me months to develop this idea, three days to write and finally send Steve the email. Look at his damned reply," he barked. I saw two words and a period. Quotes added by me. “No. Steve” Steve was pointing to a reality many of us find ourselves in if we aren’t careful. Yup, overwhelm. You know that feeling when your to-do list is a mile long, and you're drowning in a sea of tasks? It's like trying to eat an entire pizza by yourself – overwhelming and kind of scary. But guess what? You don't have to do this alone. If you ask for help, you might be surprised at the willingness of others to help. I recall during  my time working for Pixar, that my boss and I had lunch every Friday at the Pixar cafe. It was located next to the giant atrium that divides the main building into two separate areas. On one of those Fridays, I asked my boss about the design of the building and was particularly interested in the football field-sized atrium. He said, “Oh the atrium was Steve’s idea.” I came to understand later that since Steve wasn’t a part of the filmmaking process, he made it a point to take charge of the design of the Emeryville campus. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pixar_Animation_Studios_Atrium.jpg?embedable=true https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pixar_Animation_Studios_Atrium.jpg?embedable=true Having worked for both of his companies, I can say this with confidence. There were two areas in which Steve Jobs was brilliant. He picked the best humans for the task at hand and surrounded himself with them, and he believed that when talent meets collaboration the result is beyond anything mere mortals can imagine. The atrium was there to make this possible. Almost every day I would randomly bump into a fellow employee from another department and we would swap stories about what we were working on and the triumphs and challenges faced. Almost assuredly out of that exchange solutions were shared and something magical occurred. The particular problem I was facing changed because I had new information. I can’t tell you how many times I would return to my desk, sit down, hop on the computer, and with this new information in hand, I would solve the problem in 5 minutes. This happened all the time and it blew my mind. Adam B. Varey , in an article on BuzzFeed, writes, “Ed Catmull, one of the founders of Pixar, was quoted as saying, 'Since Steve didn't make our movies, the building itself became his project.' Craig Payne, who happens to be a good friend of mine, said about Jobs, 'He was involved in every detail of this building, down to the door handles of the offices.'" Adam B. Varey article Prioritizing isn’t just about checking boxes; it’s about focusing on what truly matters. Imagine being a superhero – you can’t save the world all at once, right? You have to pick your battles. That’s where prioritization comes in. Let’s break it down. The 80/20 Rule: Your Secret Weapon Ever noticed that a tiny part of your work gives you the biggest results? That’s the 80/20 rule in action. It’s like finding that one amazing pair of jeans that makes you feel confident – you wanna wear ‘em all the time. So, focus on the tasks that pack the biggest punch. It's gonna feel tough at first, but trust me, the payoff is huge. One Thing at a Time: Your Superpower We live in a world that screams “multitask!” But let’s be honest, trying to do everything at once is like juggling chainsaws. Instead, pick one thing, give it your full attention, and crush it. It’s like meditating with a purpose. You’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish when you’re not distracted by a million other things. Remember, you’re not alone in this. We’re all trying to figure it out.  Celebrate small wins. Practice and learn to say No.

Focus and Innovation: Insights from Steve Jobs and Pixar's Systems Team

Back in February at ETHDenver 2024, Decentralised Confidential Computing (DeCC) emerged from a grassroots movement to become a new Web3 category through a coalition of more than twenty privacy-focused blockchain networks. After several weeks of open discussion, the group moved to a formal vote, in which the overwhelming consensus was to adopt the term DeCC as the broad category name for all projects that operate in the space. DeCC projects take the concept of privacy to new levels. Previously, Web3 projects working in the area of data protection and confidential execution of smart contracts were often labeled as “privacy coins” or “privacy chains.”  This bundled these organizations into early generations of solutions focused solely on transactional privacy, like Monero or Zcash. However, DeCC projects provide the ability to create smart contracts with encrypted data, which is far more powerful than simply sending a token privately. Lisa Loud, executive director of Secret Network Foundation, one of the founding projects, explains: “Ethereum changed the world when it introduced the concept of smart contracts running on a blockchain. This made it possible to not only create decentralized payment systems like Bitcoin, but also decentralized computing applications. However, since that time, most blockchain technology has required all data to be fully transparent and public. While this is fine for some applications, it’s a massive limitation for others. “DeCC solves this, unlocking new possibilities for Web3 by enabling smart contracts to utilize encrypted data, paving the way for mainstream adoption. Secret Network aims to provide DeCC to all of Web3,” she says. “For the first time in Ethereum's history, we have practical and easy privacy solutions. No new languages for developers to learn. No new tooling required. The work done by DeCC projects will set a new standard for Web3 applications," said Gavin Thomas, co-founder of Obscuro Labs and contributor to TEN "The TEN team, like the other DeCC projects, have worked tirelessly to bring this innovation to life, and we're excited to see how it will empower developers and users alike." In another analogy, DeCC members compare Bitcoin to Ethereum. Bitcoin provides a ledger of token transfers, but Ethereum can provide that and far more through the use of smart contracts. DeCC is addressing the whole privacy issue. Alessandro De Carli, Co-Founder of Acurast, says: “Centralized trust is ubiquitous in today's interconnected world, from computational resources to data storage and its underlying infrastructure. Large-scale data leaks and breaches have shed light on these implicit trust assumptions and highlighted the need to evolve toward a permissionless, confidential, and universally decentralized cloud future, powered by blockchains. “One major challenge facing blockchains of today is the effectiveness and confidentiality of the execution layer, and DeCC is the solution to this,” says De Carli. The projects involved in the movement so far include (in alphabetical order): Acurast, Aleo, Aleph Zero, Anyone Protocol, Arcium, Automata, Aztec, COTI, Fairblock, Fhenix, iExec, Inco, Integritee, Intmax, Marlin, Mind Network, Oasis, Partisia Blockchain Foundation, Phala, Secret Network, Sunscreen, Swisstronik, TEN, Ternoa, and Zama. Additional projects are welcome to contact this organization and add their voices and resources to the effort. IExec CEO Gilles Fedak adds, “In most platforms, data is processed out of reach of its owners. Those who truly own the data are not the ones who get to decide how it is protected, used, or who benefits from it. iExec Dev Tools use privacy-enhancing technologies like confidential computing to solve this problem, making it easy to leverage the power of DeCC without the complexity. iExec is proud to be a pivotal force in DeCC by allowing users to maintain complete ownership of their data, encrypting it end-to-end, and benefiting from the value their data creates.” DeCC encompasses multiple types of encryption technologies and solutions aimed at improved data protection, secure and confidential calculations, and verifiable computing. Some of the technologies used by the companies in the field include TEE (Trusted Execution Environment), ZKP (Zero-Knowledge Proofs), MPC (Multi-Party Computation), Garbled Circuits (GC) and FHE (Fully Homomorphic Encryption). Many DeCC projects share the overarching goal of making blockchains more suitable for conducting business by ensuring confidentiality and protection of sensitive or owned data. In contrast, most leading blockchain networks today are radically transparent, making mainstream adoption difficult to achieve. Jernej Kos, Director of the Oasis Foundation, shares his perspective on why privacy is important to Web3 and how the Oasis Network plays a strategic role in reshaping a more privacy-centric digital future. “Decentralized Confidential Computing (DeCC) represents a significant evolution in blockchain technology, moving beyond mere transactional privacy to enable secure, confidential execution of smart contracts. Oasis Foundation is proud to be part of this pioneering coalition, as we believe DeCC will revolutionize data protection and computation in the Web3 space, allowing us to engineer more sophisticated smart contracts, expand to new use cases, and create better user experiences. This initiative underscores our commitment to advancing privacy technologies and fostering innovation that can drive mainstream adoption of blockchain solutions.” he says. The DeCC Alliance plans to raise awareness of this technology through “DeCC Day” events at major blockchain conventions worldwide. They have already hosted events at Futurist, NFT.NYC, Consensus, EthCC, and are now planning for Token2049, DevCon, and others. DeCC Alliance projects are also working together to further develop their associated technologies through research and collaboration. Mike Antonuk, Founder of Swisstronik, points to compelling cost reduction in DeCC:  “Most Web3 product builders find it hard and costly to keep up with the ever-changing, fragmented crypto regulations. Moreover, they’re forced to choose between user privacy & decentralization and compliance. App users also have a hard choice to make. They have to either rely on centralized parties and risk their personal data while passing identity checks, or stay in the gray area of the crypto industry, which is filled with fraudsters and numerous risks. Swisstronik solves this through DeCC, providing a set of tools that strike a balance between user privacy, regulatory compliance, and decentralization.” Back in February at ETHDenver 2024, Decentralised Confidential Computing (DeCC) emerged from a grassroots movement to become a new Web3 category through a coalition of more than twenty privacy-focused blockchain networks. After several weeks of open discussion, the group moved to a formal vote, in which the overwhelming consensus was to adopt the term DeCC as the broad category name for all projects that operate in the space. Back in February at ETHDenver 2024, Decentralised Confidential Computing (DeCC) emerged from a grassroots movement to become a new Web3 category through a coalition of more than twenty privacy-focused blockchain networks. After several weeks of open discussion, the group moved to a formal vote, in which the overwhelming consensus was to adopt the term DeCC as the broad category name for all projects that operate in the space. DeCC projects take the concept of privacy to new levels. Previously, Web3 projects working in the area of data protection and confidential execution of smart contracts were often labeled as “privacy coins” or “privacy chains.”  This bundled these organizations into early generations of solutions focused solely on transactional privacy, like Monero or Zcash. However, DeCC projects provide the ability to create smart contracts with encrypted data, which is far more powerful than simply sending a token privately. Lisa Loud, executive director of Secret Network Foundation, one of the founding projects, explains: “ Ethereum changed the world when it introduced the concept of smart contracts running on a blockchain. This made it possible to not only create decentralized payment systems like Bitcoin, but also decentralized computing applications. However, since that time, most blockchain technology has required all data to be fully transparent and public. While this is fine for some applications, it’s a massive limitation for others. Ethereum changed the world when it introduced the concept of smart contracts running on a blockchain. This made it possible to not only create decentralized payment systems like Bitcoin, but also decentralized computing applications. However, since that time, most blockchain technology has required all data to be fully transparent and public. While this is fine for some applications, it’s a massive limitation for others. “ DeCC solves this, unlocking new possibilities for Web3 by enabling smart contracts to utilize encrypted data, paving the way for mainstream adoption. Secret Network aims to provide DeCC to all of Web3 ,” she says. DeCC solves this, unlocking new possibilities for Web3 by enabling smart contracts to utilize encrypted data, paving the way for mainstream adoption. Secret Network aims to provide DeCC to all of Web3 “ For the first time in Ethereum's history, we have practical and easy privacy solutions. No new languages for developers to learn. No new tooling required. The work done by DeCC projects will set a new standard for Web3 applications, " said Gavin Thomas, co-founder of Obscuro Labs and contributor to TEN For the first time in Ethereum's history, we have practical and easy privacy solutions. No new languages for developers to learn. No new tooling required. The work done by DeCC projects will set a new standard for Web3 applications, "The TEN team, like the other DeCC projects, have worked tirelessly to bring this innovation to life, and we're excited to see how it will empower developers and users alike." "The TEN team, like the other DeCC projects, have worked tirelessly to bring this innovation to life, and we're excited to see how it will empower developers and users alike." "The TEN team, like the other DeCC projects, have worked tirelessly to bring this innovation to life, and we're excited to see how it will empower developers and users alike." In another analogy, DeCC members compare Bitcoin to Ethereum. Bitcoin provides a ledger of token transfers, but Ethereum can provide that and far more through the use of smart contracts. DeCC is addressing the whole privacy issue. Alessandro De Carli, Co-Founder of Acurast, says: “Centralized trust is ubiquitous in today's interconnected world, from computational resources to data storage and its underlying infrastructure. Large-scale data leaks and breaches have shed light on these implicit trust assumptions and highlighted the need to evolve toward a permissionless, confidential, and universally decentralized cloud future, powered by blockchains. “Centralized trust is ubiquitous in today's interconnected world, from computational resources to data storage and its underlying infrastructure. Large-scale data leaks and breaches have shed light on these implicit trust assumptions and highlighted the need to evolve toward a permissionless, confidential, and universally decentralized cloud future, powered by blockchains. “One major challenge facing blockchains of today is the effectiveness and confidentiality of the execution layer, and DeCC is the solution to this,” says De Carli. “One major challenge facing blockchains of today is the effectiveness and confidentiality of the execution layer, and DeCC is the solution to this,” The projects involved in the movement so far include (in alphabetical order): Acurast , Aleo , Aleph Zero , Anyone Protocol , Arcium , Automata , Aztec , COTI , Fairblock , Fhenix , iExec , Inco , Integritee , Intmax , Marlin , Mind Network , Oasis , Partisia Blockchain Foundation , Phala , Secret Network , Sunscreen , Swisstronik , TEN , Ternoa , and Zama . Additional projects are welcome to contact this organization and add their voices and resources to the effort. Acurast Acurast Aleo Aleo Aleph Zero Aleph Zero Anyone Protocol Anyone Protocol Arcium Arcium Automata Automata Aztec Aztec C OTI C Fairblock Fairblock Fhenix Fhenix iExec iExec Inco Inco Integritee Integritee Intmax Intmax Marlin Marlin Mind Network Mind Network Oasis Oasis Partisia Blockchain Foundation Partisia Blockchain Foundation Phala Phala Secret Network Secret Network Sunscreen Sunscreen Swisstronik Swisstronik TEN TEN Ternoa Ternoa Zama Zama contact contact IExec CEO Gilles Fedak adds, “In most platforms, data is processed out of reach of its owners. Those who truly own the data are not the ones who get to decide how it is protected, used, or who benefits from it. iExec Dev Tools use privacy-enhancing technologies like confidential computing to solve this problem, making it easy to leverage the power of DeCC without the complexity. iExec is proud to be a pivotal force in DeCC by allowing users to maintain complete ownership of their data, encrypting it end-to-end, and benefiting from the value their data creates.” “In most platforms, data is processed out of reach of its owners. Those who truly own the data are not the ones who get to decide how it is protected, used, or who benefits from it. iExec Dev Tools use privacy-enhancing technologies like confidential computing to solve this problem, making it easy to leverage the power of DeCC without the complexity. iExec is proud to be a pivotal force in DeCC by allowing users to maintain complete ownership of their data, encrypting it end-to-end, and benefiting from the value their data creates.” DeCC encompasses multiple types of encryption technologies and solutions aimed at improved data protection, secure and confidential calculations, and verifiable computing. Some of the technologies used by the companies in the field include TEE (Trusted Execution Environment), ZKP (Zero-Knowledge Proofs), MPC (Multi-Party Computation), Garbled Circuits (GC) and FHE (Fully Homomorphic Encryption). Many DeCC projects share the overarching goal of making blockchains more suitable for conducting business by ensuring confidentiality and protection of sensitive or owned data. In contrast, most leading blockchain networks today are radically transparent, making mainstream adoption difficult to achieve. Jernej Kos, Director of the Oasis Foundation, shares his perspective on why privacy is important to Web3 and how the Oasis Network plays a strategic role in reshaping a more privacy-centric digital future. “Decentralized Confidential Computing (DeCC) represents a significant evolution in blockchain technology, moving beyond mere transactional privacy to enable secure, confidential execution of smart contracts. Oasis Foundation is proud to be part of this pioneering coalition, as we believe DeCC will revolutionize data protection and computation in the Web3 space, allowing us to engineer more sophisticated smart contracts, expand to new use cases, and create better user experiences. This initiative underscores our commitment to advancing privacy technologies and fostering innovation that can drive mainstream adoption of blockchain solutions.” he says. “Decentralized Confidential Computing (DeCC) represents a significant evolution in blockchain technology, moving beyond mere transactional privacy to enable secure, confidential execution of smart contracts. Oasis Foundation is proud to be part of this pioneering coalition, as we believe DeCC will revolutionize data protection and computation in the Web3 space, allowing us to engineer more sophisticated smart contracts, expand to new use cases, and create better user experiences. This initiative underscores our commitment to advancing privacy technologies and fostering innovation that can drive mainstream adoption of blockchain solutions.” The DeCC Alliance plans to raise awareness of this technology through “DeCC Day” events at major blockchain conventions worldwide. They have already hosted events at Futurist, NFT.NYC, Consensus, EthCC, and are now planning for Token2049, DevCon, and others. DeCC Alliance projects are also working together to further develop their associated technologies through research and collaboration. Mike Antonuk, Founder of Swisstronik, points to compelling cost reduction in DeCC: “Most Web3 product builders find it hard and costly to keep up with the ever-changing, fragmented crypto regulations. Moreover, they’re forced to choose between user privacy & decentralization and compliance. App users also have a hard choice to make. They have to either rely on centralized parties and risk their personal data while passing identity checks, or stay in the gray area of the crypto industry, which is filled with fraudsters and numerous risks. Swisstronik solves this through DeCC, providing a set of tools that strike a balance between user privacy, regulatory compliance, and decentralization.” “Most Web3 product builders find it hard and costly to keep up with the ever-changing, fragmented crypto regulations. Moreover, they’re forced to choose between user privacy & decentralization and compliance. App users also have a hard choice to make. They have to either rely on centralized parties and risk their personal data while passing identity checks, or stay in the gray area of the crypto industry, which is filled with fraudsters and numerous risks. Swisstronik solves this through DeCC, providing a set of tools that strike a balance between user privacy, regulatory compliance, and decentralization.”

What Every Blockchain Needs: Confidentiality

THE BATTLE FOR DELIVERANCE FROM THE MOTHER

THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE LIBIDO. A POSSIBLE SOURCE OF PRIMITIVE HUMAN DISCOVERIES

Nimes: A Crucible of Convulsions - From Religious Rivalry to Martyrdom

This year marked a significant milestone for Travancore Analytics (TA). As the VP of Engineering, I was honored with an invitation to attend the highly anticipated event, Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). In this piece, I am sharing my experience after attending the highly anticipated WWDC event and witnessing the unveiling of Apple's groundbreaking product, Vision Pro. I played a pivotal role in spearheading numerous exciting and challenging projects as the leader of our VR/AR and Mobility team at , including VR live media streaming of prestigious sporting events like the NFL, NBA, and Winter Olympics of 2018, as well as pioneering advancements in WebAR technology. With an impressive career spanning over two decades, I possess extensive expertise in various fields such as Web and Mobility, IoT, and AR/VR. Throughout my career, I actively contributed to the development and implementation of a diverse range of software solutions, catering to businesses of all sizes across the globe. Travancore Analytics Unveiling the Future: My Firsthand Experience at WWDC and Apple's Vision Pro I've just returned from my inaugural journey, and a barrage of messages from friends and colleagues worldwide immediately greeted me. Their burning question? "Did you get a chance to experience the Vision Pro spatial computer?" While I was able to feast my eyes on Apple's Vision Pro in person, the opportunity to touch this innovative device remained just out of reach. Apple's directive was clear: "Capture as many photos as you like but hands off." Only a select group of journalists and influencers were granted the privilege of hands-on experience. Despite this being my first WWDC, my third visit to Apple Park was just as exciting. WWDC Allow me to share three unique experiences from my WWDC adventure: the architectural marvel of Apple Park, the vibrant energy of WWDC, and the mesmerizing allure of Vision Pro. Apple Park: A Masterpiece in Glass and Greenery Apple Park is a testament to the confluence of architecture and design, much like any other Apple product. The entire park, a project spanning nearly a decade, boasts large, curved glass pieces crafted in Germany and shipped to California. The vertical glass doors, colossal in size, take eight minutes to open fully and only do so under specific weather conditions. The rainbow stage in the park's heart, initially built for a Lady Gaga concert, has been retained as a striking monument. Interestingly, it sports the color scheme of the old Apple logo, starting with green rather than red. Apple Park, powered by 100 percent renewable energy, features 17 - megawatts of rooftop solar installations and four megawatts of biogas fuel cells. During low occupancy, it even feeds clean energy into the public grid. Apple Park's design reflects Steve Jobs' vision of fostering human connection over isolated cubicles. It boasts 80% open space, with the remaining 20% dedicated to enclosed offices. The vast atrium, peppered with trees, elegantly blends nature with architecture. The park is home to 9,000 trees, whose fruits contribute to Cafe Macs' offerings, with a surplus shared with the community. The Steve Jobs Theater, a cylindrical glass building with an underground theater, exemplifies Apple's commitment to simplicity and innovation. Despite the initial disappointment of the keynote presentation not taking place there, unveiling the new Vision Pro device within its confines washed away any lingering regret. WWDC: A Developer’s Dream Come True Attending WWDC was a dream I'd nurtured since my early days of at Travancore Analytics. The invitation from Apple felt surreal, a secret I kept until I was sure of its authenticity. I've attended various developer events, but WWDC had a distinct aura. iOS app development The check-in process, conducted at the old Apple campus (Infinity Loop), was incredibly smooth. When I set foot on the campus, I was greeted by smiling Apple employees and a warm welcome that made me feel significant. The check-in process concluded with a celebration in the atrium, filled with lively music, refreshments, and clapping Apple employees. The main event unfolded in Apple Park's outer circle, on a stage close to Cafe Macs. Despite my anticipation of the keynote at the Rainbow Stage or the Steve Jobs Theater, the vibrancy and excitement were infectious. Developers from around the globe enthusiastically discussed their creations, fostering an atmosphere of camaraderie and shared passion. When Tim Cook and Craig Federighi graced the stage with their iconic "Good Morning," the energy level soared. The event was a mix of live and pre-recorded presentations, keeping everyone on their toes. The announcement of , Mac Studio, and Mac Pro, and the introduction of the latest Mac OS, Sonoma, Watch OS, iPad OS, and iOS 17, added to the excitement. The features may not have been groundbreaking, but the personalized contact posters and StandBy feature were well received. Apple's new MacBook Air The crowd's anticipation reached a fever pitch as the scheduled presentations wrapped up 30 minutes early. When Tim Cook returned to the screen with the infamous 'One more thing...' tagline, the attendees were electrified. We all knew that an XR device was about to be unveiled, but the excitement of witnessing history unfold firsthand was palpable. Apple Vision Pro: A Game-Changer At Travancore Analytics, we've had the privilege of experiencing and developing apps for numerous VR and AR headsets and glasses. However, the Vision Pro ignited a desire in me unlike any other. This device represented a symphony of clean design and innovative problem-solving. If the showcased application videos are anything to go by, no other device on the market could match its crystal clear and immersive display. Interestingly, throughout the event, the terms 'Virtual Reality,' 'XR,' and 'Metaverse' were notably absent. Instead, Apple introduced a new paradigm: 'Spatial.' The message was clear - Apple is dedicated to delivering only the best to its users. There were a few aspects that left room for improvement. Firstly, the 2-hour battery life, extendable only with an external battery pack, falls short of a full-day usage expectation. The device's size could also be more compact for all-day wearability. Lastly, its price point is significantly high, akin to the 'Ferrari of XR headsets,' as one Apple employee put it. A more affordable version, perhaps a 'Vision' variant, would be more accessible to a broader audience. That being said, . The futuristic design, the seamless integration with Mac screens, the ability to develop and test on the same device, and the exciting introduction of Facetime avatars all contribute to its allure. The decision to forgo traditional controllers in favor of hand gestures is a bold step towards an enhanced user experience. The built-in 3D camera promises to revolutionize the way we perceive the world. the Vision Pro certainly has its thrilling aspects In summary, the Vision Pro is an engineering marvel that sets new standards in the tech industry. These past few weeks have been incredibly remarkable for me. One of our apps was showcased at Google IO, I had the honor of speaking at AWE (the world's largest AR/VR event), and I was one of the privileged few to witness the Vision Pro in person. I have achieved all of these personal milestones because of my sincere passion for my job and the backing of my organization and colleagues. The future is spatial, and I can't wait to see where it takes us next!!!

Exploring the Excitement: My Unforgettable Experience at WWDC and Apple's Vision Pro

উত্তেজনা অন্বেষণ: WWDC এবং অ্যাপলের ভিশন প্রো-এ আমার অবিস্মরণীয় অভিজ্ঞতা

Die Aufregung erkunden: Mein unvergessliches Erlebnis auf der WWDC und Apples Vision Pro

Explorando la emoción: mi experiencia inolvidable en WWDC y Vision Pro de Apple

Explorer l'excitation : mon expérience inoubliable à la WWDC et au Vision Pro d'Apple

उत्साह की खोज: WWDC और Apple के विजन प्रो में मेरा अविस्मरणीय अनुभव

興奮の探求: WWDC と Apple の Vision Pro での忘れられない経験

즐거움 탐구: WWDC와 Apple Vision Pro에서의 잊지 못할 경험

Explorando a emoção: minha experiência inesquecível na WWDC e no Vision Pro da Apple

Heyecanı Keşfetmek: WWDC'deki ve Apple'ın Vision Pro'daki Unutulmaz Deneyimim

Khám phá sự phấn khích: Trải nghiệm khó quên của tôi tại WWDC và Vision Pro của Apple

探索兴奋：我在WWDC和Apple Vision Pro的难忘经历

This is by (source: ). Dashinky is a designer building indie products. Twitter thread Artiom Dashinsky @hvost 06-08-2023 https://twitter.com/hvost/status/1666475298911670273?s=46&t=hLXLvA2wSOmlARX4ZS1fvA&embedable=true&thread=true The lead image for this article was generated by HackerNoon's via the prompt "Designer” AI Image Generator

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Hey Jane, an online abortion pill provider, performs a service that pro-choice advocates say has become critically important since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last week. “Get fast, safe and affordable abortion pills shipped to your home,” reads . Hey Jane’s homepage “Consult with a medical provider within 24 hours. Medications are shipped daily.” Hey Jane, which only operates in states where abortion is legal and says it has served nearly 10,000 patients, promises customers “discreet care on your schedule.” But an with The Markup’s tool showed the site employed a series of online trackers that follow users across the internet. analysis of Hey Jane’s website Blacklight privacy inspector The trackers notified Google, Facebook’s parent company Meta, payments processor Stripe, and four analytics firms when users visited its site. The Markup also found personally identifying information of customers in the data powering Hey Jane’s reviews section, including one reviewer’s Instagram handle and the hometowns of others. The reviews were served by a third-party service called Reviews.io. Shortly after The Markup notified Hey Jane of our findings, all user reviews were removed from the main site. Reviews were still visible on a Hey Jane Google search results ad landing page and on Reviews.io’s Hey Jane page, but the sensitive data did not appear to be public in these reviews. Hey Jane also removed Meta’s tracking code and four analytics trackers. Kiki Freedman, CEO of Hey Jane, told The Markup in an emailed statement, “As the regulatory environment has become increasingly hostile, we have chosen to remove the Meta Pixel from the site as we determine how to best mitigate potential risks to our patients and providers.” Freedman said, “Patients can rest assured that Hey Jane provides safe, private, legal, and compassionate care. We take data security and our patients’ safety and privacy incredibly seriously.” Reviews.io did not respond to a request for comment. Online tracking is legal and a widespread e-commerce practice. Companies may include third-party trackers to measure website traffic and the effectiveness of ads on social media platforms. These tools are free to use, and the companies that build the trackers, like Google and Meta, keep the data. But in the case of people seeking abortions—which are so far following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization—tracking and sharing personally identifying information could become a critical privacy issue. illegal in seven states Privacy advocates say there could be unanticipated consequences in allowing personal data of people who’ve sought abortions to flow from medical providers, like Hey Jane, to ad tracking companies and social media platforms. Police and anti-abortion groups could feasibly subpoena or buy that data and then use it to target people—even those . who live in states where abortion is still legal “Sexual and reproductive health and abortion pills makes it feel like [tracking] should be more private. But, legally, it’s no different than your potato chip preference or what shoes you like to buy,” said India McKinney, director of federal affairs for the Electronic Frontier Foundation. “There is nothing that they are doing that is illegal. That is the problem.” Other companies and nonprofits that provide reproductive health care and assistance . For example, period-tracking apps have been found . have also tracked users collecting, storing, and sharing data with third parties And last October, The Markup discovered that Planned Parenthood had tracking visitors to its website. It currently still has , according to our Blacklight tool. 28 ad trackers and 40 third-party cookies 26 ad trackers and has increased its third-party cookies to 58 Planned Parenthood told The Washington Post on Thursday that it . plans to remove ad trackers on its search pages related to abortion The health care provider did not immediately respond to a request for comment when asked by The Markup for specificity on which trackers are to be removed and the timeline for removal. Now, in a newly fractured landscape with diminished access to abortion providers across the U.S., reproductive health advocates say abortion pills such as the FDA-approved drugs misoprostol and mifepristone could offer private and safe abortion care. And being able to order the medications online and have them delivered through the mail . could offer access in states where abortion is now illegal Hey Jane says on its website that it’s “putting the power back in people’s hands” and describes itself as a “virtual clinic.” The startup was founded in 2019 by Gaby Izarra and Freedman, both of whom have worked at Silicon Valley companies like Uber, Webflow, and Autodesk. Based in New York, Hey Jane has raised $3.6 million in venture capital funding and is from investors and expand its offering by providing customers with birth control pills. seeking to raise more The Trackers Hey Jane’s stated policy is that it provides services to patients who are at least 18 years old, up to 10 weeks pregnant, and otherwise medically eligible, and who reside in California, Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, New York, or Washington—some of the states where abortion continues to be legal. It also offers through partners to help with the $249 price tag for the two-drug regimen. financial assistance The company says in its that it allows third parties to “collect information about your online activities” and then use that data for tailored advertising. It adds that it’s “not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties.” privacy policy Using Blacklight, The Markup detected five ad trackers on Hey Jane’s website, including Meta’s tracking pixel, which was removed after we emailed the company with our findings. The number of trackers is lower than the average found on . websites that we measured using Blacklight The purpose of the requests to Meta’s servers was to track page views. Such tracking data can be used by other websites to target Hey Jane’s visitors with ads on Facebook and to measure the effectiveness of ads on the platform. Freedman confirmed the company had used the Meta Pixel for running ads on Facebook and Instagram. Meta’s policies from sending sensitive health data to Meta’s servers, and in response to scrutiny from multiple investigations in 2019, the company created a tool it said automatically identifies and filters out incoming sensitive health data. prohibit businesses However, a from The Markup and Reveal showed how Meta’s tracking tools are still collecting information from abortion seekers visiting websites with Meta’s pixel code. recent investigation In response to a request for comment, Meta spokesperson Dale Hogan sent us a link to the company’s . sensitive health policy Tracking requests from Hey Jane were also sent to Alphabet’s Google Analytics servers for page views. Freedman said, “The vast majority of Hey Jane patients discover our service through Google ads” and that the company follows Google’s recommended to protect personally identifiable information, such as anonymizing users’ IP addresses. best practices Google did not respond to a request for comment. Tracking page views is a common way to measure and understand website traffic, but the type of website a person clicks on could reveal personal details. In the case of Hey Jane, when someone visits webpages like “How to get an abortion” and clicks on button texts like “Get Started,” it could reflect an interest in having an abortion—and, with trackers, that visitor information can be sent to Meta and Google. Using Mozilla’s project (a collaboration between Mozilla Rally and The Markup that tracks data sent to Facebook for use in ad targeting), we found that Meta collected this type of information from a visitor to Hey Jane’s website in March. Pixel Hunt A user in our anonymous panel clicked on Hey Jane’s homepage, which is titled “Abortion Pill Delivery | Hey Jane | Online Abortion Clinic,” and Meta’s tracker reported the data from that visit to its servers for potential ad targeting. Shortly after we contacted Hey Jane, tracking scripts from Meta and four analytics firms were removed from its site, though Alphabet’s Google Analytics and a tracking script from payment processor Stripe remained. Stripe uses a technique called , which can evade third-party cookie blockers. canvas fingerprinting Freedman said Hey Jane’s use of Stripe is part of Stripe’s fraud prevention effort and that the website has a business agreement with the payments provider to ensure HIPAA compliance and that any data collected cannot be shared with third parties. Stripe spokesperson Stephen Carter confirmed that this use of its tracker was for fraud protection. Freedman said Hey Jane has also removed user reviews from its main site to “further mitigate the potential risks for our patients and providers.” But she defended the use of reviews as a method to allow patients to share their experiences. “The reviews reassure patients that they’re not alone—others have shared their same experience. They can opt out of the review altogether, or remain anonymous at the tap of a button. But for many, providing a name humanizes the story—it’s a small way for our patients to demonstrate that they’re not ashamed of their choice, if they want,” Freedman said. This appeared to be the case for the Hey Jane customer we found in the reviewer data. The Markup reached out to her using the Instagram profile we found, and she said she hoped sharing her name and identifying information would allow others to reach out to her with questions about the process. Freedman in her statement called for big tech companies such as Alphabet and Meta to “… publicly commit to responsible use of this data, given the essential nature of their platforms in spreading critical information to patients who need it.” When people see that sensitive information has been shared, “they say, ‘oh my god, this is really creepy and really scary.’ But it doesn’t have to be that way,” EFF’s McKinney said, adding that she believes federal privacy laws could fix a lot of these issues. “Privacy is a fundamental human right. And it’s critically important to have federal legislation to protect that right.” By and Jon Keegan Dara Kerr Also published here Photo by on Arteum.ro Unsplash

This Online Abortion Pill Provider Used Tracking Tools That Gave Powerful Companies Your Data

Este proveedor de píldoras abortivas en línea utilizó herramientas de seguimiento que proporcionaron sus datos a empresas poderosas

Ce fournisseur de pilules abortives en ligne a utilisé des outils de suivi qui ont fourni vos données à de puissantes entreprises

यह ऑनलाइन गर्भपात गोली प्रदाता ट्रैकिंग टूल का उपयोग करता है जो शक्तिशाली कंपनियों को आपका डेटा देता है

このオンライン妊娠中絶薬プロバイダーは、強力な企業にあなたのデータを提供する追跡ツールを使用していました

Este fornecedor de pílulas abortivas online usou ferramentas de rastreamento que forneceram seus dados a empresas poderosas

Nhà cung cấp thuốc phá thai trực tuyến này đã sử dụng các công cụ theo dõi đã cung cấp dữ liệu của bạn cho các công ty hùng mạnh

这家在线堕胎药供应商使用跟踪工具为强大的公司提供您的数据

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