Meet the Team: Santiago Vázquez Enríquez, Senior DevOps Specialist

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We’re back with a fan favorite: VIA’s Meet the Team blog series! Through a Q&A-style interview, you will hear from our very own VIAneers about everything from a typical day at VIA to their favorite books, emojis, and activities outside the office. Now, let’s meet ‘em!

What does a typical day at VIA look like for you?

It usually starts with coffee and reviewing pull requests. After that, we have the usual agile ceremonies with the team and from there it all depends on the project I’m working on during each sprint. It could be more coding or design sessions, debugging, troubleshooting, and/or taking care of our deployments. To sum up, I am problem solving all day!

How has VIA’s adoption of flexible work locations impacted your work-life harmony?

I love remote work!

I’m close to our Montreal office and sometimes I choose to work from there. Days start easier with that level of flexibility, less rushing after dropping my son at school and more homemade meals for lunch. Speaking of lunch, sometimes that time of day could include jogging for an hour or a workout session, if time permits.

What’s something you have worked on at VIA that you are most proud of?

I’m proud to have been part of the team that achieved DoD’s Platform One accreditation. This was a big project that involved hardening our containerized application’s security, implementing DevSecOps pipelines, and configuring our Kubernetes clusters to run one of DoD’s hardened platforms on top of them. It was hard work, but felt good to be compliant with such a high level of cybersecurity!

What’s your favorite VIA memory?

When I joined VIA, remote work and lockdowns were already in place. Because of this, it was about a year before I met my teammates in person at the first Montreal office event. It was great to have offline chats and hang out! Since then, my favorite moments are from in-person events. A few weeks ago, we had an AWESOME in-person event, where we spent a couple of days learning and having fun together!

What’s something everyone may not, but should know about working at VIA?

From day one, you get to work on cutting-edge technology. The software that we build is complex to the point that it might feel like rocket science. It would be intimidating if it wasn’t for being surrounded by awesome teammates. Every one of them will help you succeed and it feels great to know that the leadership team has our backs with consistent feedback and support.

How does VIA’s Tech Stack compare to past experiences?

We are serious about maintaining our Infrastructure as Code, and automation is at the heart of our operations. To achieve this, we rely on orchestration systems such as Kubernetes to deploy and manage our applications. We are constantly building on top of the Kubernetes ecosystem to implement vendor agnostic tools such as the Istio service mesh to enable encrypted communications. As the ecosystem evolves, we bring in more features and tools that translate into more automation and a better developer experience.

Why is our VIAneer Experience Program (VXP) important to you?

I see the VXP as my best ally to avoid burnout. It’s a system that focuses on wellness and growth. It is also an open line of communication to address our goals and needs and align them with those of VIA.

Just for fun this time, what are your top favorite podcasts / books?

I like reading biographies and I loved “Just Kids” by Patti Smith. When it comes to fiction, I prefer Spanish and one of the latest horror novels I’ve read is “Nuestra parte de noche” (Our share of night) by Mariana Enriquez. I’m subscribed to a lot of podcasts (I bite off more than I can chew…) but one of my favorites is “Philosophize This!” There’s a lot of work behind each episode and it demands full attention from the listener, but it’s worth the effort!

What are 1-3 of your favorite emojis?

☕️ – 🤣 – 🙌

Interested in joining a team like Santiago describes? Check out our Careers page or contact us to learn more! 

Meet the Team: Maria Cesarini, Data Specialist

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We’re back with a fan favorite: VIA’s Meet the Team blog series! Through a Q&A-style interview, you will hear from our very own VIAneers about everything from a typical day at VIA to their favorite books, emojis, and activities outside the office. Now, let’s meet ‘em! 

What does a typical day at VIA look like for you?

Typically my day begins with coffee and the creation of my to-do list (which more often than not includes “make to-do list” as the top item), followed by a daily check-in with my team at 9:30 where we discuss what we hope to accomplish for the day and plan any potential pair programming sessions. 

I am on the JARVIS solution team, where I help ingest and visualize data pertaining to infrastructure. I usually spend my day either updating wrangling scripts, creating data visualizations in Tableau, or presenting our work to customers. Over the last few weeks, I have spent a lot of time designing a new database schema and mapping out wrangling scripts for one of our newest customers. It’s a lot of fun collaborating with my team to solve the wide variety of challenges that we encounter daily!

How has VIA’s adoption of flexible work locations impacted your work-life harmony?

I absolutely love having the option to work remotely! My apartment is only a 15 minute walk from the office and it is such a treat to have the option to start the day from home and head in a little later after my morning meetings. I walk along this really pretty path that leads directly into Davis Square, so the commute itself is quite pleasant. I’m originally from the Seattle area, so having the option to work from my parents house and not have to take time off when I travel out there is something I really appreciate.

What’s something you have worked on at VIA that you are most proud of?

I have been very proud to have ownership over the creation of various visualizations and data ingestion processes, especially this early on in my time at VIA! The responsibility can sometimes feel a little daunting, but I have an incredibly supportive team that I know I can turn to whenever I need help. I have also been proud to give several successful end-to-end demonstrations of our work to customers. As someone who never considered herself a strong public speaker, it is exciting and a little exhilarating to receive positive feedback on a skill I had always assumed I inherently lacked! 

What’s your favorite VIA memory?

I have two favorite VIA memories: the first is actually from my first day working here! I was going through a career change and was extremely nervous about making a good impression and living up to expectations. That day, a group of my coworkers took me out to lunch and made me feel so incredibly welcome that it put a lot of my anxieties to rest. My second favorite memory is from the company offsite – our first night there, the People and Operations and Marketing teams put together a game night at our office in Montreal! I’m not usually a big game person, but it was so much fun to see everyone let loose and have a good time!

What’s something everyone may not, but should know about working at VIA?

All the talk about mission and values is not just lip service! The mission and values are embodied not only in the work that our company chooses to pursue, but in the very culture that has been cultivated here at VIA. Never have I experienced such an uplifting, supportive environment where I am consistently encouraged to learn and grow. It makes me want to do a good job not only for myself, but for the people around me who have so much faith in what I am capable of.

In your role, you work and collaborate closely with Colin (CEO), Kate (COO), and VIA product owners. What’s that like?

Colin and Kate are the heart and soul of VIA, and they are a huge part of what makes VIA so special! It is a privilege to be able to work and collaborate with them. Not only do they do a phenomenal job managing the company, but they always make sure to be uplifting with their employees by giving shout-outs and acknowledging a job well done. It is inspiring to be a part of their vision and creation, and I am excited to continue to learn from them.

What potential do you see in VIA’s Web3 projects?

Web3 is still very mysterious to me! Jesus (SVP, Product Architecture) gave a wonderful, informational talk about it during our company offsite and it sounds like an interesting new direction for the field. It is exciting that VIA is steering into this change and is an active participant in shaping what Web3 will look like in practice.

Just for fun this time, what are your top favorite podcasts / books?

I am obsessed with the podcast Binchtopia – I think it has shaped at least 20% of my personality at this point. If you are interested in witty and interesting sociological and psychological perspectives on pop culture, you should give it a try! I recommend the episodes “Ben Franklin off the Percs”, “In My Old Hag Era”, and “Honey, I Monetized the Kids”. My two favorite books of all time are Pride and Prejudice (which I read so much my copy fell apart) and For Whom The Bell Tolls.

Interested in joining a team like Maria describes? Check out our Careers page or contact us to learn more! 

Swiss podcast Insider’s Guide to Energy interviews VIA’s CEO Colin Gounden to talk blockchain and energy

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Insider’s Guide to Energy, a Swiss-based podcast that explores topics such as innovation, disruptive technologies, and emerging trends in the energy space, invited VIA’s CEO Colin Gounden on the show to discuss anything and everything that is at the intersection of energy and blockchain. 

The hosts of the podcast, Chris Saas and Johan Oberg, are known for interviewing strong leaders across the globe, with other episodes that included GE Power, Fortum, and Enel North America, to name a few.

Since the interview clocks in at around 48 minutes, we’re breaking it down into bite-sized segments with timestamps to allow you to easily listen to your favorite topics (below).  

Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube (see video below).

5:00 – 8:38: What are the key components of energy and blockchain?

Do you drive an EV? Listen to Colin make the connection between EVs and energy access, and how closely it relates to VIA’s mission.

11:20 – 14:20: Is data the new oil?

The short answer is: it all has to do with MATH. Hear just how that’s possible in this clip.

14:35 – 16:55: Who are VIA’s customers?

Did you know that the U.S. government is the single largest consumer of energy on the planet? Keeping data private while enabling data analysis is what led VIA to working with the Department of Defense (DOD). Don’t miss hearing about other companies VIA proudly works with.

19:36 -22:40: The price of blockchain

In this segment Colin talks about VIAsecurechain, Polygon, and the value of cryptography.

22:45 – 25:00: Managing a global company 

Learn about VIA’s team located around the globe including offices in Boston, Montreal, and Switzerland.

28:40 – 32:20: The near future of blockchain

Smart contracts. Selling back electricity. This segment is not to be missed!

34:20 – 36:25: The impact of the Inflation Reduction Act

This act is a BIG deal. VIA even published a blog about it – check it out!

37:55 – 39:50: So, what’s next for VIA?

Colin shares insights on how VIA stays current in a fast-moving world. 

45:30 – 46:40: Data regulations in energy and big tech

Colin briefly reflects on government regulations.

The hosts wrap up by inviting Colin to come back for a conversation around data science. Don’t want to miss it? Follow VIA on social (Linkedin and Twitter) and check our news page for the latest updates!

Decrypted Unscripted interviews VIA CEO Colin Gounden for recent podcast

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Decrypted Unscripted, a podcast that explores the “privacy landscape, from regulatory developments to litigation trends”, invited VIA’s CEO Colin Gounden on the show to discuss the role AI and blockchain have in the energy industry. Hosts David and Deb of Perkins Coie, have had numerous guests on the podcast including leaders from Uber, Stanford University, and the Financial Times, to name a few. 

In the 45-minute interview, Colin talks about a range of topics including VIA’s mission, Zero Knowledge Proofs, and Ted Lasso! Since 45 minutes tops the list for quality on-air time, we’ve taken the liberty to break down the interview and provide timestamps of hot topics covered below.

7:03 – 8:45: What the heck is Blockchain?

After reminiscing on the days when people were skeptical about the internet, host Deb asks Colin, so “What the heck is blockchain?” Hear Colin’s explanation along with some great analogies.

8:46 – 13:45: Tell them how VIA makes it work in energy.

David asks Colin how VIA landed on energy being the industry to transform with VIA’s technology, including highlights from the HBS case studies about VIA.

13:46 – 17:05: Let’s talk about VIA’s mission.

What can VIA do to make communities cleaner, safer, and more equitable? Listen to Colin’s response on how our mission will make an impact.

17:25 – 25:10: Zero Knowledge Proofs, you’ve got to tell us about that.

Colin gives a description of ZKPs, calling it one of the “biggest innovations we’ll see in the next 20 years.”

26:05 – 31:18: How does privacy and transparency work together?

Privacy is a concern for blockchain and transparency is the differentiator. How do these work together? Colin explains and covers how smart contracts are involved.

31:20 – 34:48: How does VIA help disadvantaged communities?

Listen to Colin’s thoughtful response on VIA’s initiatives here.

34:50 – 36:20: Beef up infrastructure security with VIA.

Infrastructure data is important to VIA. Colin talks about the value and importance of GDAC™.

36:25 – 40:45: The Crypto Valley

The future is now, just unevenly distributed. This is Switzerland. Listen to hear about the importance of data privacy for the country.

40:45 – 42:20: What did Colin do during the COVID lockdown?

Ted Lasso. Enough said.

To wrap, Colin suggests reading VIA’s Skylight whitepaper to get a better grasp of what VIA is doing in the Web3 space.

Meet the Team: Angelica Novoa, People and Operations Partner

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We’re back with a fan favorite: VIA’s Meet the Team blog series! Through a Q&A-style interview, you will hear from our very own VIAneers about everything from a typical day at VIA to their favorite books, emojis, and activities outside the office. Now, let’s meet ‘em!

What does a typical day at VIA look like for you?

At VIA, my typical day is my ideal work day! I get to work with the most talented, thoughtful, and competent teammates while contributing to the goal of making sure VIA continues to be the best place to work. My daily tasks range from leading components of our VXP program to spending some time researching best-in-class ways to keep our hard working team motivated and happy. There are always lots of one-on-one meetings with VIAneers in between!

How has VIA’s adoption of flexible work locations impacted your work-life harmony?

I have an elementary school-aged child and most of my family lives in South America, so work location flexibility has had a huge, positive impact on my life. I appreciate having the option of working from home or from our gorgeous office in downtown Montreal. In addition, I had the ability to work from my hometown during the summer this year. My friends could not believe my work not only allowed this, but encouraged it (I thought this practice was more widely spread). It made me even more proud to be working at VIA!

What’s something you have worked on at VIA that you are most proud of?

I got the privilege of working with Emma, our VP, People and Operations and Kate, our COO on improvements to the VXP during my first couple of months here. I was able to contribute in a visual way to connect VIA’s values and organizational principles to the robust processes and outcomes that are possible for any team member. More than pride, I feel honored and valued when I remember being given this opportunity to contribute to something that is so important to VIA’s leadership and so meaningful to the entire team.

What’s your favorite VIA memory?

There are SO many! No, really… It’s hard to pick one. I would have to say last week’s Power Up is a major highlight for me (pictures below!). The whole company got together in person for the first time in years. The energy was incredible! All of us at VIA are comfortable working virtually, but there is no doubt everyone enjoyed connecting with colleagues and having discussions about our vision and strategy in person. Because we have team members in locations around the world, many of us got to meet colleagues in person for the first time. It is great seeing the team energized as a result of this time together!

Using teamwork and collaboration to bring a stick down to the ground together without falling.
Being awarded “Most Likely to Help a Colleague” at the end of our Power Up.

Our CEO Colin kicking off Day 2!

What’s something everyone may not, but should know about working at VIA?

VIA exemplifies how businesses can drive positive social and environmental change! 

In your role, you work and collaborate closely with Colin (CEO), Kate (COO), and VIA product owners. What’s that like?

It’s one of my favorite things about working at VIA. It’s an incredible opportunity to interact with not only founders, but key leadership on almost a daily basis. Working with such brilliant and kind individuals is the best professional challenge I’ve had in years. So much to learn from each and every one of them!

Why is our VXP program important to you?

VXP is important because it’s the foundation for how VIA ensures that every VIAneer is getting what they need in order to do their best work and feel good about it.

Just for fun this time, what are your top favorite podcasts / books?

My top two favorite podcasts have to be No Stupid Questions and Coaching for Leaders. When it comes to books, I have to recommend the book Grit by Angela Duckworth.

What are your favorite emojis?

🥳 – 👏🏼 – 🙌🏻

Curious about what the VIAneer’s Experience program includes? Apply here and find out more!

Mastery Monday: Extra! Excerpt! 90 second summary of VIA CEO’s presentation at Chainlink SmartCon 2022

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VIA’s CEO Colin Gounden was hand selected to present at this year’s “must attend” Web3 event, SmartCon 2022, held in New York City, NY. Though most of our dedicated Mastery Monday blog readers may not have been in attendance, we’re bringing you a 90 second video of Colin’s talk in this summary blog. 

Check out the video and transcript below!

Transcript of the summary video above:

War in the Ukraine, extreme weather in western Europe and throughout the United States, waning grid infrastructure are three of the Ws that are driving skyrocketing energy prices and causing food prices, transportation prices, and your home energy bill to soar.

At VIA, we’re using Web3 to help solve and address these issues.

Your energy data is a digital asset. It may not necessarily be as pretty or as fun to look at as your screensaver, but it’s probably much more valuable.

At VIA, we’re using Web3 in three specific ways.

One, we’re using NFTs to help give consumers clear and definitive ownership of their energy data.

Two, we’re using smart contracts to be able to compensate consumers for the insights from their data and for taking actions that contribute to mitigating climate change.

And three, we’re using zero-knowledge proofs to validate and verify that consumers took the actions they said they would, whether that’s turning down the thermostat or selling back their rooftop solar.

Reach out on Telegram or Linkedin or on even good ol’ email to join us in our efforts.

Transformer Tuesday: How Annie the Asset Manager ensures reliable service for ABC Power customers

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For the tenth installment of our “Transformer Tuesday” series we’re taking our dedicated readers along on a journey with Annie the Asset Manager from ABC Power as she discovers how to provide the stronger supporting evidence required to approve rate case changes.

Read more

Tim Gitau, VIA’s Energy Solutions Lead, attending NYCHA Electrification Summit at Climate Week NYC

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Are you traveling to NYC for Climate Week? VIA’s Tim Gitau, Energy Solutions Lead, sure is! Tim will be making his way to NYC on Thursday, September 22nd to attend NYCHA Electrification Summit. The event, which is limited to just under 50 attendees, has a goal of developing a one year plan that includes ways to accelerate teamwork, funding, and project execution across the NYC energy ecosystem. For more information, visit the event website.

Meet the Team: Sam Cruickshank, Market Strategy Specialist

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We’re back with a fan favorite: VIA’s Meet the Team blog series! Through a Q&A-style interview, you will hear from our very own VIAneers about everything from a typical day at VIA to their favorite books, emojis, and activities outside the office. Now, let’s meet ‘em! 

What does a typical day at VIA look like for you?

There is no typical day for me at VIA! My days are a mix of business development, go-to-market planning, and sales strategy related activities. These activities can range from partner management to constructing government proposals to figuring out how to optimize our sales tools in order to drive efficiency and organization across the commercial team. 

How has VIA’s adoption of flexible work locations impacted your work-life harmony?

I really enjoy VIA’s flexible work arrangement. I’m usually in the office a few days per week. I enjoy the collaborative nature of in-person meetings with my colleagues. My role is one that requires constant collaboration with my teammates, and although we function well working remotely, some things are just easier in-person!

Plus, I’m known for being a connoisseur of the office snack drawer…but don’t tell anyone! If anyone asks, it was Will Chapman 🙂

What’s something you have worked on at VIA that you are most proud of?

A lot of the work I do for VIA is covered under customer confidentiality. So, although I can’t comment on the specifics, I’m proud of the government proposals we have submitted as well as the partner management strategies that I have developed collaboratively with my colleagues. Additionally, I am proud of the workflow processes that our team has created through our tech stack to optimize the relationships with our partners. We consistently set a high bar for ourselves, and as many know, the first step in reaching such standards is having an organized process. Now, we’re on to the next steps!

What’s your favorite VIA memory?

This is a tough one – probably a mix of the late nights working on proposals, a prank that my teammates pulled on me, and company related trips!

What’s something everyone may not, but should, know about working at VIA?

The VXP and company values are real! It is very impactful to hear and watch leadership stick to these values on a daily basis.

What is your favorite customer success story at VIA?

Generally speaking, I find it very exciting to watch how VIA’s technology can be uniquely tailored to fit customer needs through a combination of the dynamism and flexibility of our technology and the agile software development approach. I have enjoyed watching the transition of the work that we compose in proposals to the technical implementation of that work by our fantastic and incredibly skilled technical team. One example that comes to mind is VIA’s current work with USAF’s AMC (Air Mobility Command).

What potential do you see in VIA’s Web3 projects?

I think there is a lot of potential here – it is very exciting to be part of a software company that is at the cutting edge of web development, and doing so while holding true to our mission and values. My time at VIA has opened my eyes to the distributed data reality that many companies across industries face, and it is exciting to be part of a team that provides a unique solution to these challenges. 

Just for fun this time, what are your top three favorite podcasts / books?

I’m a big fan of historical fiction and non-fiction – A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles is one of my favorites. Currently, I’m reading a non-fiction book by Jimmy Soni titled “The Founders: Elon Musk, Peter Thiel and the Company that Made the Modern Internet “. Always looking for new suggestions though!

In terms of podcasts, I’ve started to listen to the WSJ What’s News podcast recently.

What are your favorite emojis?

😂 – 🐐 – 🐿

Are you interested in joining a team like Sam describes? Read more about our cutting-edge technology and values here.

Chainlink invites VIA’s CEO Colin Gounden to speak at groundbreaking Web3 event, SmartCon 2022

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Calling all Web3 Visionaries and Builders! We’re proud to share that VIA’s CEO Colin Gounden has been invited to speak at the exclusive event, SmartCon 2022 hosted by Chainlink. Colin’s talk at the two-day event in New York City, which some consider the must-attend Web3 event this year, will cover how VIA’s Skylight is leveraging smart contracts, tokens for incentives, and zero knowledge proofs to support energy self-sufficient communities. Visit the event page for more info!

VIA’s Energy Solutions Lead, Will Chapman, hosting booth at Oklahoma’s Electric Cooperatives’ Superintendent’s and Engineer’s Conference

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Mark your calendars! VIA’s Energy Solutions Lead, Will Chapman, will be attending and hosting a booth at Oklahoma’s Electric Cooperatives’ Superintendent’s and Engineer’s Conference in Oklahoma City. The two-day annual event held on September 28th and 29th will gather individuals from local electric utilities to discuss new technologies, regulations, and standards. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for updates.

VIA hosting largest ever company-wide in-person power up in Montreal

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For the first time in three years, VIAneers from across the globe will get together for a two-day company-wide in-person meeting we call, Power Up! Through an “unconference” inspired approach, the meeting, taking place in our beautiful downtown Montreal office, will emphasize creativity and collaborative group discussions. Be on the lookout for lots of photos and updates next month!

VIA participates in third consecutive Energy Data Hackdays event in Brugg, Switzerland

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For the third year in a row, VIA has been invited to participate in Hightech Zentrum Aargau AG’s Energy Data Hackdays in Brugg, Switzerland. Swiss Expansion Manager, Ray Neubauer will represent VIA over the two day event (September 16 and 17) and propose a challenge developed by VIA’s Skylight team. Stay tuned for creative solutions!

Top Burning Questions Q1: What’s the connection between the DoD and Web3?

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With all the buzz around Web3 and our soon-to-be officially launched Skylight application, it’s no wonder customers and partners have asked some incredibly thoughtful questions. So, we’re sharing our answers in a multi-part series with the best readership out there: YOU! 

Let’s get right to it!

Question: You do a lot of work with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). That seems at odds with Web3’s decentralized and individual value. What’s the connection between the DoD and Web3?

That’s a fair question. It turns out that a lot of what is happening in the Web3 world is directly related to defense and vice versa. 

In short, both consumers and the DoD have increasing data privacy and anonymity concerns. The DoD accepting our technology is great validation for consumers. If you can make the technology work for consumers, you can make it easy to use and scalable for the DoD.

People forget that the “crypto” in “cryptocurrency” is short for cryptography. So instead of thinking of a peer-to-peer financial transaction (e.g., you and me trading bitcoin directly) think of data as the asset using many of the same technologies.

A blockchain can store the record of the transaction. Smart contracts control under what conditions data is exchanged or analyzed. Zero-knowledge proofs verify anonymously that the data is what people say it is.

So, any time you want to keep data private and compartmentalized but also verify that it’s real, Web3 technologies have a huge advantage here.

An example is: you have 30 countries in NATO all of whom, now more than ever, need to share information about a conflict right on their doorstep … but … they don’t have integrated systems and, frankly, don’t even want to share all information with each other.

If you can securely share insights across 30 million users anonymously with Web3 technologies, then 30 intelligence agencies is not an issue at all.

In summary, we’re leveraging Web3 technologies to help consumers and validating the security and privacy elements with our DoD customers.

Appreciate the summary, but need to know more? Check out our Skylight page or better yet, send us a note: info@solvewithvia.com.

 

The Merge and what it means for clean energy

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As we outlined in our most recent blog post, there’s massive pressure across the board to reduce energy costs and prevent power blackouts. For governments, utilities, industry, and many consumers, improving how we consume and manage energy has become a number one priority to maintain grid reliability.

One area that’s about to do its part to relieve this pressure is blockchain. Colloquially called “The Merge,” a long awaited change in the validation (or “consensus”) mechanism on Ethereum will be finalized in September.

By most calculations, the new upgrade will use roughly 2000x less energy than the current consensus mechanism. Like most innovations these days (e.g., speech recognition, file compression, self-driving cars), math is at the heart of this improvement.

The key change is in the “proofs.” In a completely decentralized and anonymous network, how can you verify that a transaction between two parties actually happened, when there’s no intermediary? For example, if you and I are trading bitcoin and one of us disagrees on the amount that got transferred, who do we go to as an arbiter? Different mathematical proofs are used to verify which transactions are real. In short, the current proof (proof-of-work) is greedy for energy and the new proof (proof-of-stake) has the same level of validity but is much more energy efficient.

This is good news for everyone. Not only will one of the most popular blockchain mechanisms significantly reduce its carbon footprint, transactions (e.g., minting NFTs, smart contracts) will be significantly cheaper as well. The timing couldn’t be better. As we’ve written about, the use of smart contracts and Zero-Knowledge Proofs have huge potential to support the transition to clean energy.

You’ll have seen a lot of blogs and posts from VIA recently about our work in Zero-Knowledge Proofs. We also use an energy efficient proof-of-stake approach, although our work is focused on creating proofs for energy data. Connections to Ethereum through oracles were in our original 2018 white paper and part of our roadmap. Until The Merge, however, VIA has had a private blockchain dedicated to a few users (e.g., U.S. DOD) for secure, digital asset custodial tracking. With the changes to a cheaper, more energy efficient Ethereum, we plan on leveraging EVMs post-Merge, for our newest applications.