{"id":"jason-zhao","title":"Jason Zhao","content":"**Jason Zhao** is a co-founder of Story Protocol (now rebranded as [Data Foundation](https://iq.wiki/wiki/story-protocol)), a platform focused on using [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) to simplify intellectual property management. With a background in AI at DeepMind, Zhao transitioned into [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) technology, aiming to create more transparent and efficient IP ownership and licensing systems. \n\nIn August 2025, he stepped down from his full-time role to launch a new AI venture, Poseidon, while remaining a strategic advisor to the protocol. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-mBSN3ALeXX) [\\[5\\]](#cite-id-90mPglX5IJ)​\n\n## Education\n\nZhao studied Philosophy and Tutorial at the University of Oxford. He later graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Philosophy and an MS in Computer Science. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-PyBI2cKwlu)​\n\n## Career\n\nZhao was the Head of Protocol and a co-founder of [Story Protocol](https://iq.wiki/wiki/story-protocol). He previously worked as a product manager at DeepMind, focusing on AI model deployment for industrial and enterprise use. Zhao has design education experience and contributed to publications exploring storytelling and technology. \n\nHe transitioned from AI research to [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) during the [DeFi](https://iq.wiki/wiki/defi) boom, founding [Story Protocol](https://iq.wiki/wiki/story-protocol) to create a decentralized system for managing intellectual property. Zhao identified IP as a significant yet complex asset class and sought to simplify its ownership, licensing, and monetization through [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) technology, particularly in response to AI's growing influence on content creation. In August 2025, Zhao announced he was stepping away from his full-time position at [Story Protocol](https://iq.wiki/wiki/story-protocol) to launch Poseidon, a new venture focused on applying AI to industries such as science and space. He continues to serve as a strategic advisor to [Story Protocol](https://iq.wiki/wiki/story-protocol). [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-iHx464wiAz) [\\[4\\]](#cite-id-pXO2zt5Vdy) [\\[6\\]](#cite-id-V5CDa9GOCg) [\\[5\\]](#cite-id-90mPglX5IJ)​\n\n[YOUTUBE@VID](W22k0gL2BMQ)\n\n## Departure from Story Protocol\n\nIn August 2025, approximately six months after the launch of [Story Protocol](https://iq.wiki/wiki/story-protocol)'s native IP token, Zhao announced he was stepping down from his full-time role after three and a half years with the project. He transitioned to a strategic advisor position to focus on a new AI initiative, Poseidon, aimed at applying artificial intelligence to fields like science, biopharma, robotics, and space. [\\[5\\]](#cite-id-90mPglX5IJ) [\\[7\\]](#cite-id-afjZfIr99Q)​\n\nThe announcement drew significant backlash and criticism from the crypto community. Commentators expressed concern over the pattern of founders from heavily venture-backed projects exiting soon after launch. Critics pointed to Story Protocol's low usage and revenue—generating only 130 million—as a point of contention. Adam Cochran, a partner at Cinneamhain Ventures, criticized the project as an example of a \"tier 1 backed VC company\" that raises large sums with little to show in terms of users or revenue before founders \"step back.\" Others speculated that Zhao was \"lowkey pushed out gracefully to avoid a larger problem.\" Following the news, the protocol's native token, IP, fell over 11% in a week. [\\[8\\]](#cite-id-lofVgILOKe) [\\[7\\]](#cite-id-afjZfIr99Q)​\n\n## Interviews\n\n### Story Protocol (now Data Foundation)\n\nOn the [Epicenter Podcast](https://iq.wiki/wiki/epicenter-podcast), Zhao discussed inefficiencies in the intellectual property (IP) market and the potential for [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain)-based solutions. He highlighted how high transaction costs, legal complexities, and opacity make IP deals inaccessible to most creators, benefiting only large corporations with extensive legal resources. Zhao emphasized that AI-driven content creation will further strain the current system, increasing the need for more efficient IP licensing. [Story Protocol](https://iq.wiki/wiki/story-protocol) aimed to address this by introducing a programmable IP framework that links smart contract terms directly to legal agreements, enhancing transparency and [liquidity](https://iq.wiki/wiki/pol-protocol-owned-liquidity). He connected this initiative to broader [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) trends, noting its potential to restructure outdated institutions like [decentralized finance](https://iq.wiki/wiki/defi), which transformed banking. [\\[9\\]](#cite-id-VAbGCUIACP)​\n\n[YOUTUBE@VID](oEiJr-hWEeY)\n\n### Growing Creativity\n\nIn an interview with [CoinDesk](https://iq.wiki/wiki/coindesk), Zhao discussed [Story Protocol’s](https://iq.wiki/wiki/story-protocol) aim to build open intellectual property (IP) infrastructure on the [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) to address challenges in tracking and licensing digital content. He described the platform as a system enabling creatives to register their digital or physical IP in a scalable data structure. The protocol facilitated [permissionless](https://iq.wiki/wiki/permissionless) licensing with automated royalty tracking, leveraging [blockchain’s](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) neutrality and composability to ensure transparent attribution and revenue distribution. [\\[10\\]](#cite-id-0JZqUGtsT4)​\n\n[YOUTUBE@VID](6eDVJQMzKVM)\n\n### Onchain Creator IP\n\nOn the Coinage podcast, Zhao, a former product manager at DeepMind, discussed co-founding [Story Protocol](https://iq.wiki/wiki/story-protocol) to create a decentralized platform where creators could maintain ownership of their IP and easily license or monetize it. [Story Protocol](https://iq.wiki/wiki/story-protocol) raised $140 million to address the challenges of intellectual property (IP) in the digital age, particularly for creators in the [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) and AI landscape. \n\nDrawing from his experience in AI and [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain), Zhao recognized that while [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) revolutionized finance, it had yet to impact IP, which is central to creative industries. By leveraging [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) technology, [Story Protocol](https://iq.wiki/wiki/story-protocol) aimed to empower creators by providing tools to manage their IP without relying on complex legal frameworks, thus enabling a more collaborative and profitable environment for creators and their audiences. \n\nThe platform seeks to transform the traditional model where creators are often sidelined, allowing them to set terms and incentivize others to build on their work, fostering a more open and efficient IP ecosystem. [\\[11\\]](#cite-id-r7JSLCqB7L)​\n\n[YOUTUBE@VID](plkRhxbsE6c)\n\n## Presentations\n\n### Onchain IP\n\nAt Pragma San Francisco 2024, Zhao discussed the challenges and opportunities of managing intellectual property (IP) in the age of AI, focusing on how [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) could address these issues. \n\nHe explained that IP, which extends beyond traditional entertainment content to include things like personal likeness, software, and AI models, is a multi-trillion-dollar asset class that remains highly fragmented. Zhao emphasized the need for a system that enables creators to retain control over their work while reducing the friction and cost associated with licensing and enforcing IP rights. \n\nHe outlined [Story’s](https://iq.wiki/wiki/story-protocol) approach to embed IP rights directly into software, enabling automatic enforcement through [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) technology. By doing so, Story seeks to empower creators to monetize their work more efficiently and engage with AI in a way that benefits both creators and consumers, ultimately fostering a more sustainable and collaborative creative ecosystem. [\\[12\\]](#cite-id-DEYzmpQQWK)​\n\n[YOUTUBE@VID](gLyiC4MiBoY)\n\n### Programmable IP\n\nAt [ETHDenver](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethdenver) 2024, Zhao discussed the challenges of content creation and IP attribution in the digital age, where generative AI and social media have made it easier for people to create and remix high-quality content. Despite the growing abundance of content, creators often struggle to monetize their work due to outdated IP frameworks and copyright laws. Zhao argued that the internet needs a new, programmable IP infrastructure to address these issues. [Story Protocol](https://iq.wiki/wiki/story-protocol) aims to build this by creating an on-chain IP layer that allows creators to set programmable rights for their content, enabling [permissionless](https://iq.wiki/wiki/permissionless) remixing and royalties. The protocol aims to transform IP from a static, legal concept into a dynamic, digital asset that can transcend platforms and mediums, allowing creators to share and monetize their work more easily. [\\[13\\]](#cite-id-c8Wqf8A2wo)​\n\n[YOUTUBE@VID](iRWdG-jyl5Q)","summary":"Jason Zhao is a co-founder of Story Protocol (now rebranded as Data Foundation), focusing on blockchain and IP management. 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