James Strudwick on Innovation, Growth & Global Outreach

In early August this year, the Starknet Foundation appointed James Strudwick as Executive Director following Diego Oliva’s departure. Since joining the foundation in January, Strudwick has brought a renewed vision centered on Starknet’s technological advancement, accessibility for developers, and global outreach.

In an exclusive interview with BeInCrypto, Strudwick shared insights into his roadmap for Starknet’s future, focusing on establishing Starknet’s unique position in the Web3 industry and adoption.

Unlocking Starknet’s Potential: Strudwick’s Strategy for a Builder-Centric Ecosystem

Under his leadership, Strudwick outlined a clear vision focused on three pillars. His first goal centers on making Starknet the most accessible ecosystem for Web3 builders.

Innovation is also at the heart of Starknet’s mission. Strudwick highlighted the platform’s focus on Zero-Knowledge Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge (ZK-STARKs) as an essential advancement that enhances blockchain scalability and security. This technology, developed by the Starkware team, positions Starknet as a leader in cryptographic innovations, offering an edge over competing Layer-2 solutions.

He told BeInCrypto

“At the Starknet Foundation, we’ll keep pushing this concept of innovation by investing in our core technology and enabling more complex, innovative applications by dedicating time and resources to our ecosystem”.

To drive innovation within its community, The Starknet Foundation established a multi-stage structured grant program that Strudwick has significantly expanded. These tiered grants provide funding and resources for both emerging and mature projects, supporting developers from concept through to market launch.

He elaborated:

“Over the next year, two years, and three years, we’ll continue to expand our developer partnerships, grant programs, and educational initiatives to ensure that whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a newcomer, you can easily bring your ideas to life on Starknet. This focus on accessibility will ensure that Starknet becomes the top choice for those looking to build the next generation of ideas and applications”

Addressing User Experience Challenges to Boost Blockchain Adoption

Beyond technological innovation, Strudwick sees the development of a global, inclusive community as essential to Starknet’s mission. Recognizing that adoption is critical to Starknet’s success, the Starknet Foundation  has spearheaded initiatives to engage emerging markets, particularly in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.

He added:

“We also have a lot of initiatives focused on developer acquisition in places like Africa. While Europe has always been a stronghold for us, the Middle East and Africa are among the fastest-growing communities for developers in the Starknet ecosystem. There are multiple ways for people to engage with us on the foundation side”

By expanding its presence in these markets, Starknet seeks to create a community-driven ecosystem that transcends geographic boundaries. Strudwick’s global outreach strategy also involves partnerships with regional organizations, ensuring that Starknet’s growth resonates with a broad, inclusive audience.

Despite Starknet’s technical strengths, Strudwick acknowledges that user adoption remains an industry-wide challenge. He highlighted the need to create an intuitive user experience that simplifies blockchain interactions for non-technical users.

He noted:

“The first barrier to adoption we need to overcome is creating an intuitive user experience that makes it easy for non-blockchain-native users to engage with decentralized applications”

Features like account abstraction, which allows users to pay transaction fees in any token, exemplify Starknet’s commitment to improving user experience. Strudwick believes these incremental improvements are vital for attracting a broader audience and increasing blockchain engagement.

Looking ahead, Strudwick sees potential for Starknet’s technology to support real-world applications beyond typical crypto use cases. Starknet already hosts projects in the DeFi and gaming spaces, but emerging applications in carbon offset management, wellness, and personal development showcase the platform’s versatility.

For instance, Carbonable leverages Starknet to enhance transparency in sustainability efforts. Meanwhile, Starkfit and Focus Tree bring unique applications to health and wellness.

Strudwick concluded:

“These projects showcase some of Starknet’s unique capabilities. […] They have created engaging applications with impressive social features that promote healthier lifestyles and habits. And I could go on—we also have examples in the coffee industry, music industry, and the creator economy. This is why developers are choosing to build on Starknet”