Warsaw, Poland · Startup Aleph Zero is a Warsaw-founded layer-1 blockchain project focused on privacy-enhancing technology and scalable consensus, using a peer-reviewed proof-of-stake protocol combined with secure multi-party computation. The company was co-founded by Polish researchers Adam Gągol and Antoni Żółtowski. It raised early backing from notable angels including Balaji Srinivasan and operator-angel Piotr Smoleń, and built one of the most active developer communities in Polish web3.
Vilnius, Lithuania · Startup Nord Security is a Vilnius-based cybersecurity company founded in 2012 that builds a family of privacy and security products including NordVPN, NordPass (password manager), NordLocker (encrypted file storage), and NordLayer (business network security). NordVPN is one of the most recognized consumer VPN brands globally with tens of millions of users. The company employs over 2,000 people and has grown into one of the highest-valued private technology companies in the Baltic region. Nord Security represents Lithuania's strongest global consumer cybersecurity brand and a major anchor of the Vilnius tech ecosystem.