{"id":"zaki-manian","title":"Zaki Manian","content":"**Zaki Manian** is a prominent software engineer, entrepreneur, and contributor in the [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) industry, best known for his foundational work within the [Cosmos](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cosmos) ecosystem, particularly in leading the development of the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol. He is the co-founder of the [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) infrastructure and advisory firm iqlusion and Sommelier Finance, a [decentralized finance (DeFi)](https://iq.wiki/wiki/defi) protocol.  [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-lOeTvc3VKTe8KrOp) [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-quZ0g2zAuSswQd4P)​\n\n## Education\n\nZaki Manian earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Sociology of Science from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied from 2000 to 2005. He completed his secondary education at Pinewood High School between 1996 and 2000.  [\\[4\\]](#cite-id-kjlvsmixDonVJmVC) \n\n## Career\n\nZaki Manian’s career began outside the [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) sector, with early work in scientific instrumentation and systems engineering. From 2009 to 2017, he held engineering roles at ReaMetrix, where he served as a technical lead on imaging and instrumentation platforms involving real-time data acquisition, control systems, and analytical software. During this period, he also worked in broader software and technical operations roles, gaining experience across product development and system deployment.\n\nHis transition into [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) began in 2014 with the founding of SKUChain, an enterprise-focused project that explored the use of cryptographic ledger technology for supply-chain verification. Around this time, Manian became involved in open-source [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) development and contributed to projects including [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin), [Zcash](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zcash), [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum), and [Tendermint](https://iq.wiki/wiki/tendermint), while independently developing expertise in cryptography and distributed systems.  [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-lOeTvc3VKTe8KrOp)  [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-ftWU7MNlykSvUS7L)  [\\[4\\]](#cite-id-kjlvsmixDonVJmVC) \n\nIn 2017, Manian co-founded both the Trusted IoT Alliance, an open-source foundation focused on trusted Internet of Things infrastructure, and iqlusion, a company providing advisory, infrastructure, and validator services for [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) networks, including [Cosmos](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cosmos). Through iqlusion, he supported the development of validator tooling and security-related projects, including open-source hardware security initiatives. He later co-founded Sommelier Protocol in 2021, which focuses on automated strategies for [decentralized finance](https://iq.wiki/wiki/defi) participants.\n\nManian has been closely associated with the [Cosmos](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cosmos) ecosystem since its early stages. He contributed to validator tooling, helped launch early public testnets, and supported the development of the validator ecosystem. Between 2018 and 2021, he worked with [Tendermint](https://iq.wiki/wiki/tendermint) (All in Bits), serving as Director of Tendermint Labs and later Director of Research, where his work centered on network reliability and interoperability, including efforts related to the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol. After leaving All in Bits in 2020, he participated in community-led coordination to continue IBC development with other ecosystem organizations.  [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-ftWU7MNlykSvUS7L)  [\\[4\\]](#cite-id-kjlvsmixDonVJmVC) ","summary":"Zaki Manian is a self-taught engineer and co-founder of iqlusion and Sommelier Finance. A core contributor to the Cosmos ecosystem, he was instrumental in developing the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol and has advised projects like Zcash.","images":[{"id":"QmdLrpXGjcsZbsJgrWcEcoFLQdacurwwLY4znyJs7pNV1Z","type":"image/jpeg, image/png"}],"categories":[{"id":"people","title":"people"}],"tags":[{"id":"PeopleInDeFi"},{"id":"Founders"},{"id":"Developers"},{"id":"Protocols"},{"id":"Ethereum"}],"media":[],"metadata":[{"id":"references","value":"[{\"id\":\"lOeTvc3VKTe8KrOp\",\"description\":\"Blockworks: Zaki Manian\",\"timestamp\":1770435737783,\"url\":\"https://blockworks.co/speaker/zaki-manian\"},{\"id\":\"quZ0g2zAuSswQd4P\",\"description\":\"Zaki Manian's X Profile\",\"timestamp\":1770435746150,\"url\":\"https://x.com/zmanian?lang=en\"},{\"id\":\"ftWU7MNlykSvUS7L\",\"description\":\"Zaki Manian's Official Website\",\"timestamp\":1770435760716,\"url\":\"https://zaki.manian.org/\"},{\"id\":\"kjlvsmixDonVJmVC\",\"description\":\"LinkedIn: Zaki Manian\",\"timestamp\":1770435729921,\"url\":\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmanian/\"}]"},{"id":"twitter_profile","value":"https://x.com/zmanian"},{"id":"website","value":"https://zaki.manian.org/"},{"id":"commit-message","value":"\"Added wiki page for Zaki Manian.\""}],"events":[{"id":"2cd5742c-9699-42f9-9361-7b74cd786a69","date":"2005-05","title":"Graduated from University of Pennsylvania","type":"DEFAULT","description":"Graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2005 with a degree in the History of Science.","link":null,"multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null,"continent":null,"country":null},{"id":"a0e4486d-1546-4e06-9340-f51f1245b303","date":"2014-01","title":"Founded Skuchain","type":"DEFAULT","description":"Founded the enterprise blockchain company Skuchain and began self-studying cryptography, contributing to projects like Bitcoin, Zcash, and Ethereum.","link":null,"multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null,"continent":null,"country":null},{"id":"04ec7d5f-1955-435b-b62d-3d8cc9ae8943","date":"2017-01","title":"Co-founded iqlusion","type":"DEFAULT","description":"Co-founded iqlusion, a company that advises and supports blockchain projects, and increased his contributions to the Cosmos project.","link":null,"multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null,"continent":null,"country":null},{"id":"22664667-1ee2-4578-969a-93621b7a82fc","date":"2019-03","title":"Joined All In Bits as Director of Research","type":"DEFAULT","description":"After the Cosmos Hub launch, he joined All in Bits full-time as Director of Research to focus on completing the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol.","link":null,"multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null,"continent":null,"country":null},{"id":"ca6f902f-6470-49b6-ba02-a72951ce3f24","date":"2020-02","title":"Resigned from All In Bits","type":"DEFAULT","description":"Resigned from All In Bits, stating the company was 'too unstable to finish the work' on IBC, and continued its development with community contributors.","link":"https://zaki.manian.org/","multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null,"continent":null,"country":null}],"user":{"id":"0x8af7a19a26d8fbc48defb35aefb15ec8c407f889"},"author":{"id":"0x8af7a19a26d8fbc48defb35aefb15ec8c407f889"},"operator":{"id":"0x4a2bC97afBF41a2Cbf4b4628F63420682Ff4CF2a"},"language":"en","version":1,"linkedWikis":{"blockchains":[],"founders":[],"speakers":[]}}