Offchain Labs Taps Former Head of Nasdaq Digital Assets Ira Auerbach to Lead 'Tandem' Division

Market leader appointed to accelerate Tandem, Offchain Labs' partner studio and venture capital arm

NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Offchain Labs, the team of initial core developers behind Arbitrum, and the Ethereum consensus client Prysm, today announced the appointment of Ira Auerbach as Head of Tandem, the company's partner studio and venture capital arm. Auerbach joins Offchain Labs from Nasdaq, where he served as Senior Vice President and Head of Digital Assets.

In his new role, Auerbach will lead Tandem, a division of Offchain Labs that focuses on supporting select projects building innovative blockchain applications and infrastructure solutions. Auerbach and team will be equipped to provide projects with valuable resources specific to their needs, including technical expertise, research, financing, and/or go-to-market strategy. Projects under Tandem's purview will have direct access to Offchain Labs, working in line with the company's executive team, core developers, and vertical experts to continue pushing the blockchain ecosystem forward.

"I'm thrilled to join Offchain Labs and lead Tandem at this pivotal moment in blockchain innovation," said Auerbach. "Tandem's unique position to leverage Offchain Labs' deep technical expertise and ecosystem relationships creates an unparalleled opportunity to support and accelerate projects that will define the future of blockchain technology."

Auerbach brings extensive experience in digital assets and financial technology to Offchain Labs. Prior to Nasdaq, he held several leadership positions at Gemini, including Global Head of Gemini Prime and Head of Product, where he played a critical role in accelerating the company's growth. His earlier experience includes roles at Palantir Technologies, BGC Partners, and BNP Paribas. Auerbach holds a Bachelor of Science in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering from Cornell University.

"Ira's success in growing both traditional finance and crypto-native companies makes him the ideal leader to drive Tandem's mission forward," said Steven Goldfeder, CEO and Co-Founder of Offchain Labs. "His experience scaling digital asset initiatives, combined with his understanding of institutional requirements, will be invaluable as we work to empower the next generation of blockchain innovators."

As blockchain technology matures, Offchain Labs has seen significant growth and adoption across its ecosystem, particularly through Arbitrum and its expansive suite of solutions. Through initiatives like Tandem, the company continues to drive innovation and support teams building the future of blockchain technology. To learn more about Offchain Labs and its initiatives, visit https://www.offchainlabs.com/.

About Offchain Labs

Offchain Labs is a venture-backed, Princeton-founded company that has dedicated over six years to blockchain research and development. As the original contributors to Arbitrum, the leading Ethereum scaling solution, and Prysm, the leading consensus client for Ethereum, Offchain Labs has been instrumental in revolutionizing the industry through groundbreaking advancements in blockchain scalability and efficiency. The team continues to build upon this foundation by innovating and enhancing products such as Arbitrum Orbit, Stylus, Prysm, and Arbitrum Nitro.

SOURCE Offchain Labs