{"id":"dan-mgbor","title":"Dan Mgbor","content":"**Dan Mgbor** is the co-founder of [BENQI](https://iq.wiki/wiki/benqi), a suite of [decentralized finance](https://iq.wiki/wiki/defi) (DeFi) protocols built on the [Avalanche](https://iq.wiki/wiki/avalanche) [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain). His work has focused on enhancing liquidity and yield opportunities within the DeFi ecosystem, particularly through BENQI's lending and [liquid staking](https://iq.wiki/wiki/liquid-staking) platforms. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-4TCbKOh7c9)\n\n## **Education**\n\nDan Mgbor earned a Master’s degree in Business Analytics and Management Sciences from the University of Southampton in 2012. Prior to that, he completed a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic and Computer Engineering at the University of Nottingham, graduating in 2006. [\\[10\\]](#cite-id-ToFVldH3BC)\n\n## Career\n\nDan Mgbor began his professional trajectory in 2007 as a Network Engineer at Pipex Communications in London. Between 2008 and 2011, he held the position of Incident Manager at Easynet Global Services. In 2012, he served as an Analytics Consultant at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. The following year, he joined Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in London as a Risk Consultant, which served as a basis for later work with [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) technology.\n\nFrom 2013 to 2015, Mgbor worked as a Technology Consultant at BBC TV Licensing. He continued in this capacity at MBDA in Stevenage between 2015 and 2017. In 2017, he transitioned into project management, taking on a role at Royal Berkshire Hospital. Shortly after, he joined DXC Technology in a similar position. Between 2018 and 2021, he was a Project Manager at Plan International UK, where he coordinated technology-focused initiatives.\n\nIn 2021, Mgbor co-founded [BENQI](https://iq.wiki/wiki/benqi), a [decentralized finance](https://iq.wiki/wiki/defi) protocol built on the [Avalanche](https://iq.wiki/wiki/avalanche) [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain). The protocol launched a suite of financial tools, including a [liquid staking](https://iq.wiki/wiki/liquid-staking) mechanism allowing AVAX holders to receive [sAVAX](https://iq.wiki/wiki/benqi-liquid-staked-avax) tokens, which are compatible with [decentralized applications](https://iq.wiki/wiki/decentralized-application) and designed to accumulate staking rewards. BENQI also introduced lending and borrowing markets, organized into Core and Ecosystem segments to address different risk and liquidity profiles. Additional components include the Ignite program, intended to support the onboarding of Avalanche [validators](https://iq.wiki/wiki/validator) and Subnets, and [Node](https://iq.wiki/wiki/node) Voting, a system that facilitates delegation and rewards for AVAX validator operators through the BENQI Miles framework.\n\nThroughout BENQI’s development, Mgbor has engaged publicly with topics related to the [Avalanche](https://iq.wiki/wiki/avalanche) network and digital asset infrastructure. In 2020, he commented on technical updates expected to impact Avalanche adoption, including cross-chain compatibility and reduced finality times. In 2021, he referenced early usage metrics of [BENQI](https://iq.wiki/wiki/benqi) following its [mainnet](https://iq.wiki/wiki/mainnet) launch, citing user numbers, [total value locked](https://iq.wiki/wiki/tvl) (TVL), and exchange integrations.\n\nIn 2023, Mgbor reiterated BENQI’s alignment with [Avalanche’s](https://iq.wiki/wiki/avalanche) broader ecosystem, noting its timing in launching lending and [staking](https://iq.wiki/wiki/staking) services during phases of increasing activity. He has also made comparisons between [BENQI](https://iq.wiki/wiki/benqi) and existing protocols within other [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) ecosystems, referencing similarities in utility and function.\n\nIn early 2025, he addressed developments such as the Avalanche9000/Etna upgrade, which was projected to reduce gas fees and lower deployment costs for developers. He also highlighted governance-related roles held by Ava Labs’ co-founders, referencing their regulatory engagement in the United States . Beyond [Avalanche](https://iq.wiki/wiki/avalanche), Mgbor has occasionally shared commentary on [decentralized finance](https://iq.wiki/wiki/defi) strategies involving emerging protocols and infrastructure, including participation in systems associated with the Eigenlayer ecosystem. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-4TCbKOh7c9) [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-GuWQUs3RHI) [\\[8\\]](#cite-id-fVj36SGZY4) [\\[4\\]](#cite-id-17wFxmheF2) [\\[5\\]](#cite-id-vrJ1Q2UH1G) [\\[10\\]](#cite-id-ToFVldH3BC)","summary":"Dan Mgbor is a blockchain engineer and entrepreneur, best known as the co-founder of BENQI, a premier suite of DeFi protocols on the Avalanche blockchain. His expertise focuses on enhancing liquidity and yield opportunities within the DeFi ecosystem.","images":[{"id":"QmdiU2vYakpNwunwbHjZPTmx7rchiyfKC1k3xjobYKmrVL","type":"image/jpeg, image/png"}],"categories":[{"id":"people","title":"people"}],"tags":[{"id":"Founders"},{"id":"PeopleInDeFi"},{"id":"Developers"}],"media":[],"metadata":[{"id":"references","value":"[{\"id\":\"4TCbKOh7c9\",\"url\":\"https://www.rzlt.io/avalanche/benqi\",\"description\":\"RZLT - BENQI on Avalanche\",\"timestamp\":1752802584619},{\"id\":\"GuWQUs3RHI\",\"url\":\"https://x.com/born2hodl/status/1462553453604003845\",\"description\":\"Dan's X post on AVAX growth\",\"timestamp\":1752802584619},{\"id\":\"QuSneHXyUC\",\"url\":\"https://x.com/born2hodl/status/1732209815739314530\",\"description\":\"Dan's X post on BENQI's TVL\",\"timestamp\":1752802584619},{\"id\":\"17wFxmheF2\",\"url\":\"https://x.com/born2hodl/status/1740565022093222003\",\"description\":\"Dan's X post comparing BENQI to other DeFi protocols\",\"timestamp\":1752802584619},{\"id\":\"vrJ1Q2UH1G\",\"url\":\"https://x.com/born2hodl/status/1486296059206852609\",\"description\":\"Dan's X post on Avalanche C-chain UX\",\"timestamp\":1752802584619},{\"id\":\"CRKqh0UXIF\",\"url\":\"https://x.com/born2hodl/status/1879863732400263222\",\"description\":\"Dan's X post on Avalanche and CFTC\",\"timestamp\":1752802584619},{\"id\":\"3xF29ZAFkQ\",\"url\":\"https://x.com/born2hodl/status/1868363716825329794\",\"description\":\"Dan's X post on Avalanche upgrade\",\"timestamp\":1752802584619},{\"id\":\"fVj36SGZY4\",\"url\":\"https://x.com/born2hodl/status/1771703316986118201\",\"description\":\"Dan's X post on ezETH and LineaBuild\",\"timestamp\":1752802584619},{\"id\":\"FFdWG0AusV\",\"url\":\"https://x.com/born2hodl\",\"description\":\"Dan's X profile\",\"timestamp\":1752802584619},{\"id\":\"ToFVldH3BC\",\"description\":\"LinkedIn: Dan Mgbor\",\"timestamp\":1752803134841,\"url\":\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmgbor\"}]"},{"id":"linkedin_profile","value":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmgbor/"},{"id":"twitter_profile","value":"https://x.com/born2hodl"},{"id":"previous_cid","value":"\"https://ipfs.everipedia.org/ipfs/QmWkMPUKrMYGqhr5wJs8a93jTvwDzx1t4bPNHKyNmdULaw\""},{"id":"commit-message","value":"\"Update Dan Mgbor article: Expanded career history, removed media and tags.\""},{"id":"previous_cid","value":"QmWkMPUKrMYGqhr5wJs8a93jTvwDzx1t4bPNHKyNmdULaw"}],"events":[],"user":{"id":"0x8af7a19a26d8fbc48defb35aefb15ec8c407f889"},"author":{"id":"0x8af7a19a26d8fbc48defb35aefb15ec8c407f889"},"language":"en","version":1,"linkedWikis":{"blockchains":[],"founders":[],"speakers":[]}}