padgettOS

research laboratory

Projects & Research

Selected case studies from ZenChain, NIZK and four years of production engineering — each with the problem, my role, and the measured result.

01Blockchain Protocols

ZenChain

ZenChain Layer 1 — concept to public launch

Dec 2023 – Present

ZenChain · Employee #1 → CTO

57M+
transactions
7.4M
wallets
516M
ZTC staked
200K
users in 21 days
Problem
Take a new Layer-1 network from concept to testnet and a public exchange launch, and keep it running under real load.
My role
Led protocol architecture (consensus, staking, validator coordination), then as CTO directed engineering, product and ecosystem operations.
Evidence
  • ›Binance IDO and multi-exchange listing
  • ›~$200M launch valuation (FDV)
Architecture, trade-offs & build log

Architecture

  • – Consensus architecture.
  • – Staking infrastructure.
  • – Validator coordination.
  • – Technical architecture and systems integration.

Interactive demo

V1

V2

V3

V4

Blocks propagate between validators, who attest to reach consensus.

Build log

  1. 01Consensus architecture.
  2. 02Staking infrastructure.
  3. 03Validator coordination.
  4. 04Blockchain protocol development.
  5. 05Ecosystem infrastructure.
  6. 06Core product releases.
  7. 07Technical architecture and systems integration.
  8. 08Architected and launched ZenChain Layer 1 from concept to testnet.
  9. 09Scaled from zero to 200,000 users within 21 days.
  10. 10Recorded more than 57 million transactions.
  11. 11Reached 7.4 million wallets.
  12. 12Recorded daily volume ranging from 40,000 to 3 million, as reported in the CV.
  13. 13Reached 516 million ZTC staked.
  14. 14Directed cross-functional engineering, product, and ecosystem operations.
  15. 15Managed vendor relationships.
  16. 16Negotiated with stakeholders.
  17. 17Oversaw technical and operational priorities.
  18. 18Reduced infrastructure expenditure from approximately $1.3 million to $180,000 through restructuring, contract negotiations, and technology optimization.
  19. 19Led ZenChain's Binance IDO and multi-exchange listing process.
  20. 20Managed exchange onboarding and listing documentation.
  21. 21Supported a launch valuation of approximately $200 million.
  22. 22Served as an Investment Committee Member of the ZenChain Foundation.

Infrastructure cost restructuring

2025

ZenChain · CTO

~86%
lower spend ($1.3M → $180K)
Problem
Infrastructure spend was running at roughly $1.3M.
My role
Restructured infrastructure, renegotiated vendor contracts and optimised the technology stack.
Evidence
  • ›Restructuring, contract negotiations, technology optimisation

02Zero-Knowledge Systems

NIZK

Early zkEVM Layer-1 prototype

Jul 2021 – Dec 2024

NIZK (formerly Cipherem) · Technical Cofounder

$200K
pre-seed raised
Problem
Assess whether an EVM-compatible Layer 1 could be secured with zero-knowledge proofs at acceptable cost.
My role
Architected and prototyped the design: Circom constraint circuits, Poseidon hashing and Merkle-tree state commitments.
Evidence
  • ›Working prototype of the zkEVM L1 design
  • ›Proving-system evaluation across Groth16, PLONK, Halo2
Architecture, trade-offs & build log

Trade-offs evaluated

  • – Groth16 vs PLONK vs Halo2.
  • – Trusted setup assumptions.
  • – Recursion feasibility and proof sizes.
  • – On-chain verification costs.
  • – SNARK vs STARK scalability.

Interactive demo

Edit a leaf and rebuild — watch the root change. That's why a single root can commit to all state.

Build log

  1. 01Architected and prototyped an early zkEVM Layer-1 design.
  2. 02Explored Poseidon-based hashing.
  3. 03Implemented Merkle-tree state commitments.
  4. 04Developed Circom constraint circuits.
  5. 05Evaluated Groth16, PLONK, and Halo2.
  6. 06Studied trusted setup assumptions.
  7. 07Investigated recursion feasibility and proof sizes.
  8. 08Evaluated on-chain verification costs.
  9. 09Compared SNARK and STARK scalability implications.
  10. 10Secured $200,000 in pre-seed funding.

03Software Engineering

Software Engineer & Technical Lead, 2019–2023

Production systems & delivery pipeline

Apr 2019 – Jul 2023

Software Engineer → Technical Project Lead

−70%
release lead time
−40%
production errors
8
production systems
Problem
Ship and maintain production systems for education and enterprise clients with distributed teams.
My role
Built backend services (PHP, Node.js), databases and auth; introduced CI/CD with GitHub Actions and Docker; led teams across SG, VN and MY.
Evidence
  • ›4–6 month architecture-to-deployment cycles
Architecture, trade-offs & build log

Interactive demo

commit ─► GitHub Actions ─► test ─► docker build ─► deploy ☁
 release lead time  ▼ 70%
 production errors  ▼ 40%

Build log

  1. 01Delivered eight production systems across education and enterprise sectors.
  2. 02Managed architecture-to-deployment cycles of approximately four to six months per release.
  3. 03Developed backend services using PHP and Node.js.
  4. 04Designed relational databases and authentication systems.
  5. 05Implemented cloud deployment workflows.
  6. 06Introduced CI/CD using GitHub Actions and Docker.
  7. 07Reduced release lead time by 70%.
  8. 08Reduced production error rates by 40%.

Now — building for fun

Updated Nov 2026

  • > RoboticsBuilding a complete InMoov humanoid · Open-source humanoid · Servos · Assembly
  • > 3D PrintingPrinting the InMoov parts · FDM · Fabrication