We are writing to share some significant news regarding the Electric Coin Company (ECC) and our path ahead. We are opening a new chapter in our story, with a new strategic roadmap, under new leadership.
Since 2015, when ECC (then known as the Zcash Company) was formed, Zooko has been our leader — and one of the most important and revered figures in the crypto and blockchain universe. Under his leadership, ECC launched Zcash in 2016 and since then has contributed groundbreaking technology that underpins Zcash — and a majority of respected crypto projects that exist today.
A few highlights:
- In Zcash, ECC delivered the first real-world application of zero-knowledge proofs, a novel method by which one party (the prover) can prove to another (the verifier) that a statement is true, without revealing any information beyond the validity of the statement itself. This is one of the most important contributions to blockchain tech since 2008.
- The Sapling upgrade for Zcash made mobile-wallet shielded transactions possible for the first time, paving the way for broader adoption of private money.
- Halo, a cryptographic breakthrough, is a zero-knowledge proving system that enables recursion without a trusted setup in an efficient way. Halo on Zcash made trustless, private digital cash payments on mobile phones possible for the first time.
Now, it’s time to start a new chapter. Josh Swihart, formerly SVP of Growth at ECC, will return to ECC and take over the reins from Zooko as CEO. He will be responsible for all strategic and tactical decisions. Zooko will remain in his role as a director on the board of the Bootstrap Project, the parent company of ECC. And first, he will take some much-deserved time off. Together, we will fully support and enable Josh to lead ECC into a new chapter of service to humanity.
Fulfilling our mission of economic freedom requires not just groundbreaking technology, but also great products that bring joy to the people who use them. So today we’re excited to redouble our focus on the Zcash user, and we feel confident in Josh’s leadership — in finding product-market fit, unlocking new partnerships and collaboration, improving Zcash usability, and increasing adoption.
In addition to a vision for ECC and an optimistic passion for Zcash, Josh has a strong entrepreneurial, technical, and product background. He is committed to fostering broad inclusivity within the Zcash community, and he’ll share more on that with you shortly.
We have challenging but exciting days ahead. We’re here for it. Thank you for standing with us.
Warm regards,
The Bootstrap (ECC parent) Board of Directors: Alan Fairless, Christina Garman, Michelle Lai, Zooko Wilcox, and Zaki Manian
