Cult DAO’s Moduluszk Makes Landmark Executive Appointments, Proving Community-Driven Projects Can Attract World-Class Talent
Fully Decentralized & Bootstrapped Protocol Secures Exceptional Technical Leadership for its zkEVM Layer 2 Solution
Modulus, the decentralized Ethereum Layer 2 scalability solution developed by Cult DAO, today announced three groundbreaking appointments to its leadership team in a move that validates the power of community-driven, truly decentralized projects to attract elite technical talent. Despite having anonymous deployers and operating without venture capital or private funding, Modulus has secured leadership that rivals traditionally-backed blockchain enterprises.
Dr. Murdoch Gabbay joins as Chief Technology Officer, Dr Tirath Virdee as Advisor for AI & Quantum Computing, and Mauro Grandinetti as Financial Ecosystem Strategist. These appointments represent an unprecedented achievement for a decentralized community project and signal Modulus’s transition from an ambitious community endeavor to a serious technical contender in the Layer 2 ecosystem.
“These appointments demonstrate that truly decentralized projects built by passionate communities can compete at the highest levels of blockchain innovation,” said a Modulus representative. “As ranked by LunarCrush and Santiment analytics, Cult DAO consistently ranks among the most engaged communities in the Layer 2 space. Now we’re pairing that community strength with world-class technical leadership to advance our vision of a decentralized zkEVM with opt-in/out privacy features.”
Dr. Murdoch Gabbay — Chief Technology Officer
Dr. Gabbay joins Modulus as Chief Technology Officer, where he will lead the technical development and architecture of the Modulus zkEVM. Dr. Gabbay is widely recognized for his groundbreaking work in theoretical computer science, particularly for inventing nominal techniques and nominal sets based on the Gabbay-Pitts model of naming and abstraction in Fraenkel-Mostowski set theory. For this pioneering research, he was awarded the prestigious 2019 Alonzo Church Award for Outstanding Contributions to Logic and Computation.
Dr Gabbay brings extensive experience in foundations of computer science, and critical expertise in blockchain technology. He has demonstrated his technical prowess through the development of formal models of blockchain systems, including the Idealised UTxO model, semitopological models of consensus, and through software including the Nominal Datatypes package for Haskell, and Cairo/Python development for Ethereum Layer 2 solutions. His work on the Cairo abstract machine — an Ethereum Layer 2 virtual hardware based on polynomials over finite fields — makes him particularly well-suited to advance Modulus’s zkEVM infrastructure.
“Modulus represents a remarkable achievement for a community-driven project,” said Dr. Gabbay. “What the Cult DAO has built without traditional backing is impressive, and I’m looking forward to collaborating to take this technology to the next level. The commitment to true decentralization, coupled with advanced cryptographic techniques, creates an opportunity to implement groundbreaking technology that could dramatically increase Ethereum’s scalability while maintaining its security guarantees.”
Dr. Tirath Virdee — Advisor for AI & Quantum Computing
Dr. Tirath Virdee joins Modulus as Advisor for AI & Quantum Computing, bringing exceptional expertise across artificial intelligence, blockchain, quantum computing, and cybersecurity. With a proven track record of delivering success in high-paced organizations at the forefront of technology and innovation, Dr. Virdee adds significant technical authority to the Modulus team.
As the Founder of Xenesis, DRE Digital, Data Alchemy, Sensory Intelligence Limited, and Neura Technologies Limited, as well as CTO at Data for Good Limited, Dr. Virdee has established himself as a leading innovator across multiple technology verticals. His primary interests focus on intelligent data, virtualization, and the environmental adaptation of intelligence, areas highly relevant to Modulus’s development of next-generation blockchain infrastructure.
With a distinguished career spanning both public and private sectors, Dr. Virdee serves as a permanent member of the UK All-Party Parliamentary Groups on AI and Blockchain and previously advised the Scottish government on AI strategy. His impressive professional trajectory includes roles as Director of Artificial Intelligence at Capita Plc, Director of Advanced Technology Group at Siemens AG, senior scientist at Oxford’s Numerical Algorithms Group, and physicist in the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s Breeder Reactor Programme.
Dr. Virdee holds a PhD in Engineering Mathematics, an MSc in Radiation and Immunology, and a first degree in Physics. He is the author of “Data Alchemy: The Genesis of Business Value” and a major contributor to “AI: Law and Regulation,” a reference work for the legal profession. He also serves as an advisor to numerous VCs and governmental bodies on issues related to data, sustainability, and the application and implication of AI-human hybrids.
“I’ve been following the development of decentralized technologies for years, and Cult DAO’s Modulus project represents a fascinating convergence of community-driven development and cutting-edge cryptographic technology,” said Dr. Virdee. “What’s particularly impressive is how this community has built sophisticated technology without traditional funding structures. I look forward to helping Modulus navigate the intersection of blockchain, AI, and quantum computing while maintaining its commitment to decentralization and privacy.”
Mauro Grandinetti — Advisor for Financial Ecosystem Strategy
Mauro Grandinetti joins Modulus as Financial Ecosystem Strategist, where he will lead efforts to develop Modulus’s financial ecosystem and integration with traditional finance. With 18 years of experience spanning corporate finance, private equity, hedge funds, and digital assets, Grandinetti brings deep expertise in both traditional financial markets and emerging Web3 technologies.
Grandinetti is a Partner at an investment manager focused on Artificial Intelligence and Web3. He previously served as Chief Investment Officer of hedge Fund of Funds firm Algo Capital PCC, where he specialized in investments in liquid VC managers dedicated to digital assets. His extensive experience includes roles as Managing Partner of Aleph Finance Group plc, a pan-European asset manager, and Executive Director for a €3bn AUM Single Family Office. Grandinetti also spent 12 years as Executive Director at J.P. Morgan Investment Bank in London.
Grandinetti holds two M.Sc. degrees in Engineering with honors from the Polytechnic of Milan and the Ecole Centrale Paris. His unique blend of traditional finance experience and digital asset expertise positions him perfectly to build strategic partnerships and develop the financial infrastructure needed for Modulus’s long-term success.
“What Cult DAO has accomplished with Modulus, building a sophisticated zkEVM Layer 2 solution through community efforts alone, challenges the conventional wisdom in blockchain development,” said Grandinetti. “This proves that decentralized communities can create cutting-edge technology without traditional funding structures. My focus will be on leveraging my experience across traditional finance and digital assets to create the financial ecosystem and institutional partnerships that will help Modulus achieve mass adoption while preserving its decentralized ethos.”
About Modulus and Cult DAO
Modulus is a decentralized Ethereum Layer 2 scalability solution developed entirely by the Cult DAO community. Unlike traditional blockchain projects that rely on venture capital funding or centralized leadership, Modulus was built by a decentralized autonomous organization and required no external funding or obligations. With this unconventional approach, Cult DAO has emerged as one of the most vocal and engaged communities in the Layer 2 space, consistently ranking high in social engagement metrics as tracked by LunarCrush and Santiment.
The protocol uses cryptographic zero-knowledge proofs to offer validity and quick finality to off-chain transaction computation. Built on top of Ethereum Mainnet, Modulus provides enhanced scalability while maintaining Ethereum’s security and decentralization. The protocol features opt-in/out on-chain privacy, opt-in/out block explorer, custom bridge and a fully decentralized zkEVM.
Cult DAO reflects the ethos outlined in its manifesto: “CULT serves to fast forward the collapse of the old financial system, to end the tyranny of sovereign nations and central banks.” Through Modulus, the DAO is implementing technically advanced solutions that align with this mission while meeting the demands of developers and users seeking privacy and scalability solutions.
Modulus is currently in testnet phase, with mainnet launch expected later this year.
Key Links:
- https://x.com/moduluszk
- https://x.com/wearecultdao
- https://moduluszk.io/
- https://cultdao.io
- Modulus Eye Explorer: https://eye.moduluszk.io
- Bridge: https://bridge.moduluszk.io
- Faucet: https://faucet.moduluszk.io
Press Contact: mro@moduluszk.io
