Dan Boneh

Today, we are excited to announce that Dan Boneh has joined a16z crypto as a Research Partner.

Dan is a professor at Stanford University where he leads the Applied Cryptography group and co-leads the Computer Security Lab. He is a distinguished computer scientist, teacher, and entrepreneur.

As a researcher, Dan is recognized for the groundbreaking development of pairing-based cryptography, which has become a mainstream building block in the field. Dan has also made countless other contributions to applications of cryptography and computer security including: compact digital signatures, password protection, and phishing defenses. In 2014, Dan was awarded the ACM Prize in Computing.

At Stanford, Dan teaches some of the most popular and cutting-edge courses at Stanford, including an introduction to cryptography; machine learning; and cryptocurrencies, blockchains, and smart contracts. Earlier this year, he co-founded Stanford’s Center for Blockchain Research.

I first met Dan over a decade ago when he was kind enough to help me out with my internet security startup. Since then, we’ve worked together on many projects — including, most recently, when he was a professor-in-residence at a16z. Dan will now be transitioning over to a16z crypto and deepening his relationship with us.

Besides his obvious technical brilliance, Dan is someone we love working with because of his deep optimism about the future, and his passion for learning and teaching. We are thrilled to welcome him to the team.