{"id":"uri-kolodny","version":1,"language":"en","title":"Uri Kolodny","hidden":false,"content":"**Uri Kolodny** is a Co-Founder, Board Member & Ex-CEO at StarkWare[\\[3\\]](#cite-id-cueaipf895), the developer of the permissionless Validity-Rollup ([ZK-Rollup](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zk-rollup)) [Layer 2](https://iq.wiki/wiki/layer-2) network operating on [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum), [Starknet](https://iq.wiki/wiki/starknet). Kolodny stepped down as CEO of StarkWare in January 2024. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-i6wjbtt43ws)[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-s8pax4jhvvh)  \n$$widget0 [YOUTUBE@VID](ww0dBNLc1yQ)$$  \n  \n# Education  \n  \nUri Kolodny attended The Hebrew University of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2001 where he earned a B.Sc., in Computer Science (Magna cum Laude). In 2000, he earned an MBA at MIT Sloan School of Management. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-s8pax4jhvvh)  \n  \n# Career  \n  \nUri Kolodny is a serial entrepreneur, who has co-founded several technology companies, among them OmniGuide (an MIT spinoff developing optical fibers for endoscopic surgery), Timna (developer of an ultrasound-based therapeutic product for the cardiovascular market), and Mondria Technologies (developer of tools for visualization of big data). [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-s8pax4jhvvh)  \n  \nPreviously, Uri also served as an Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR) with two Israeli VC firms including Greylock & ICV. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-s8pax4jhvvh)  \n  \nHe has served as an Advisor and Angel investor in multiple companies including Certora, Mesodyne, Anthro, Aclarity, and Newmetrix. [\\[4\\]](#cite-id-l4h5n7d6j6e)  \n  \n## StarkWare  \n  \nIn 2018, Uri Kolodny co-founded StarkWare alongside [Eli Ben-Sasson](https://iq.wiki/wiki/eli-ben-sasson), [Michael Riabzev](https://iq.wiki/wiki/michael-riabzev), and [Alessandro Chiesa](https://iq.wiki/wiki/alessandro-chiesa). He served as the CEO of the company until January 2024 when he stepped down due to a family health issue. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-cueaipf895)[\\[5\\]](#cite-id-8ln0pj25fp9)  \n  \n> “I remain utterly STARK-pilled, but I’m leaving the CEO post to meet the health needs of my family,” Kolodny said. [\\[6\\]](#cite-id-h2jwl24sd2e)  \n>   \n> “The company, and the tech stack it has built, are more advanced after six years than I could have ever dreamed. Led by Eli and the team of 150+ gigabrains, I’m positive that StarkWare will continue to push boundaries of what is possible in scaling Ethereum.”[\\[5\\]](#cite-id-8ln0pj25fp9)  \n  \nIn his statement, Kolodny expressed confidence in the company’s future under [Eli Ben-Sasson’s](https://iq.wiki/wiki/eli-ben-sasson) leadership.  \n  \n> “I am sure he will lead Starkware forward with talent and devotion, to great heights,” he remarked.[\\[6\\]](#cite-id-h2jwl24sd2e)  \n  \nStarkWare Industries Ltd. is a [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) technology company based in Israel, focusing on developing ZK-Rollup technology and building products to solve the challenges of the [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum) network. Besides the technology infrastructure, Its main two products are StarkEx and [StarkNet](https://iq.wiki/wiki/starknet). [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-cueaipf895)  \n  \n### StarkEx  \n  \nStarkEx is the Validium L2 scaling engine on Ethereum [mainnet](https://iq.wiki/wiki/mainnet) that is modified (tailored) to fit specific permissioned [Dapps](https://iq.wiki/wiki/decentralized-application), used for projects to deploy their ideas (mostly for trading use cases) [dYdX](https://iq.wiki/wiki/dydx), ImmutableX, DeversiFi, and many other partners. This Specific L2 is where most protocols are built on, generating real trading volume and conducting transactions. [\\[7\\]](#cite-id-cx3ejkzuv46)  \n  \n### Starknet  \n  \n[Starknet](https://iq.wiki/wiki/starknet) is built based on STARK as the decentralized L2 Zk-rollup. The layer is responsible for executing transactions while scaling without the security sacrifice of [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum). STARK developers can write [smart contracts](https://iq.wiki/wiki/smart-contract) and run them permissionlessly on Starknet. [\\[8\\]](#cite-id-k1hrkvqoj4q)  \n  \nStarknet aims to achieve secure low-cost transactions and high performance by using the STARK cryptographic proof system. Starknet contracts and the Starknet OS are written in Cairo, a custom-built and specialized programming language. [\\[8\\]](#cite-id-k1hrkvqoj4q)  \n$$widget0 [YOUTUBE@VID](MyNzEUqHEQg)$$  \n  \n<br>  \n<br>  \n","summary":"Uri Kolodny is a serial entrepreneur, most known as the co-founder and former CEO of StarkWare, and an alumnus of The Hebrew University and MIT Sloan.","categories":[{"id":"people","title":"People in crypto"}],"promoted":0,"tags":[{"id":"Founders"}],"metadata":[{"id":"references","value":"[{\"id\":\"i6wjbtt43ws\",\"url\":\"https://twitter.com/ukolodny?lang=en\",\"description\":\"twitter profile\",\"timestamp\":1713455310094},{\"id\":\"s8pax4jhvvh\",\"url\":\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/urikolodny/?originalSubdomain=il\",\"description\":\"linkedin profile\",\"timestamp\":1713455317534},{\"id\":\"cueaipf895\",\"url\":\"https://starkware.co/\",\"description\":\"starkware website \",\"timestamp\":1713455418229},{\"id\":\"l4h5n7d6j6e\",\"url\":\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/urikolodny/details/experience/\",\"description\":\"experience\",\"timestamp\":1713456292943},{\"id\":\"8ln0pj25fp9\",\"url\":\"https://www.coindesk.com/business/2024/01/11/starkware-ceo-uri-kolodny-steps-down-due-to-family-health-issue/\",\"description\":\"StarkWare CEO Uri Kolodny Steps Down Due to Family Health Issue\\n\",\"timestamp\":1713456666355},{\"id\":\"h2jwl24sd2e\",\"url\":\"https://x.com/ukolodny/status/1745427929952133351\",\"description\":\"stepping down tweet\",\"timestamp\":1713456868402},{\"id\":\"cx3ejkzuv46\",\"url\":\"https://starkware.co/starkex/\",\"description\":\"Starkex\",\"timestamp\":1713457040967},{\"id\":\"k1hrkvqoj4q\",\"url\":\"https://starkware.co/starknet/\",\"description\":\"Starknet\",\"timestamp\":1713457108203}]"},{"id":"website","value":"https://starkware.co/"},{"id":"twitter_profile","value":"https://twitter.com/ukolodny?lang=en"},{"id":"linkedin_profile","value":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/urikolodny/?originalSubdomain=il"},{"id":"previous_cid","value":"QmVUa3NAkuiQukpFKpG3qvYvgX4h9jmLJdf7V2uiFP8MxS"}],"user":{"id":"0x212Cb3F4aE6611054637f9f78F18fB628AD258bb"},"author":{"id":"0x212Cb3F4aE6611054637f9f78F18fB628AD258bb","profile":{"username":"zainab","avatar":"QmZzhTxNPnCKWpsPJtS1YeZUiZ5vFSNHCeStpigLs2pRNt"}},"media":[{"name":"MyNzEUqHEQg","id":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyNzEUqHEQg","size":"0","type":null,"source":"YOUTUBE"},{"name":"ww0dBNLc1yQ","id":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww0dBNLc1yQ","size":"0","type":null,"source":"YOUTUBE"},{"name":"RvR18snO8Ew","id":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvR18snO8Ew","size":"0","type":null,"source":"YOUTUBE"}],"views":5,"events":[],"linkedWikis":{"founders":[],"blockchains":[]},"ipfs":"QmVUa3NAkuiQukpFKpG3qvYvgX4h9jmLJdf7V2uiFP8MxS","transactionHash":"0xe05819f8487234ce5d2855a841d8eca5fc26d404ebf15fc5a0fb0c61ad193a1a","created":"2024-04-18T16:23:33.926Z","updated":"2024-04-18T16:23:33.926Z","images":[{"id":"QmTgD7eudmjF21RYhpGTqPxfu2UzJX7ScbJSy8BNP31d69","type":"image/jpeg, image/png"}]}