At the end of 2024, Starknet entered a phase many never imagined. Diego Oliva’s departure from the CEO position wasn’t just a name change in the organizational structure; it marked a pivotal moment that left the entire ecosystem wondering: Where will Starknet go from here?

In that lull, a new figure emerged: James Strudwick. He arrived not as a mere replacement, but as a figure with a more open, flexible perspective and a bolder approach to pushing Starknet beyond its old boundaries.

His presence brought a different dimension, like a breath of fresh air breaking the deadlock during this transitional period.

Who is James Strudwick?

Amidst Starknet’s transition period in 2024, James Strudwick’s name suddenly emerged as a figure considered capable of taking this ecosystem into a new phase.

His journey at the Starknet Foundation demonstrates how he emerged as a figure who not only understands technology but is also deeply focused on building a community and making life easier for developers. Here’s his profile.

Career Journey before Starknet

Before joining the Starknet Foundation, Strudwick had been involved in Web3 and DeFi for many years.

This experience shaped his belief that blockchain technology can only advance if developers are given clear access, tools, and support.

This background immediately drew attention when he joined SNF in January 2024.

His Initial Role as Head of Ecosystem

Upon his arrival, Strudwick assumed a crucial role as Head of Ecosystem. From this position, he expanded the tiered grant program and strengthened educational initiatives for developers.

In addition, he also opened doors to communities in regions such as Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.

He also encouraged the use of Starknet’s core technology, including ZK-STARKs, while ensuring its ecosystem remained welcoming to newcomers.

Why is his name starting to be talked about?

His name really rose to prominence after Diego Oliva stepped down as CEO in 2024. In early August, Strudwick was appointed Executive Director of the Starknet Foundation.

His vision is simple but firm: to make Starknet more accessible to developers, expand its global reach, and build a more intuitive user experience.

This balanced approach between technical innovation and community building makes him a fitting leader at this crucial moment for Starknet.

Starknet CEO Resigns and the Emergence of a New Leader

As Starknet entered a period of major change in 2024, its internal dynamics shifted. This is where the story of leadership transition and the emergence of a new leader begins.

CEO Diego Oliva’s Decision to Resign

All these changes began when Diego Oliva chose to step down as CEO. His decision was quite surprising, especially as it came at a time when Starknet was establishing a strong foothold as a Layer-2 in the Ethereum ecosystem.

Challenges Starknet faced at that time

During that period, Starknet still faced several significant challenges, including reducing transaction fees, encouraging developer adoption, and aligning technical vision with user experience. Essentially, the ecosystem was moving, but not yet fully stable.

James’ Appointment as Executive Director

Amidst this fragile phase, James Strudwick stepped in as Executive Director. His appointment was a turning point, bringing new energy.

This was because he was closer to the community, more developer-focused, and able to provide a clearer direction for Starknet during this transitional period.

James Strudwick’s New Vision and Direction

After officially assuming the leadership role, James Strudwick began to outline how he intends to take Starknet to the next phase. His new vision and direction include:

Focus on Developer Adoption

James is placing developers at the center of the ecosystem. He is expanding grant programs, strengthening education, and encouraging the use of ZK-STARKs to provide developers with easy access and robust technology to build on.

Expanding Global Access (Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe)

He sees Web3 growth spreading across multiple regions, so Starknet is strengthening its presence in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, while maintaining a strong base in Europe. This approach is known for being built through regional partnerships and community initiatives.

Transparency, Openness, and Community Collaboration

James is pushing for more open communication, from roadmaps to technical decisions, as well as UX improvements such as account abstraction to make the blockchain more intuitive for non-technical users.

Starknet Foundation’s Short-Term and Long-Term Priorities

In the immediate future, his focus is on strengthening the foundation, including grants, education, UX, and network stability. In the long term, he wants Starknet to become a platform for real-world applications, from DeFi to health and the creator economy.

James’ Approach to Building the Starknet Ecosystem

James’ approach became more apparent after he began re-prioritizing the ecosystem, from strengthening the technical foundation to clarifying developer support to make Starknet more accessible and relevant to the global community.

Here are some of James’s approaches to building the Starknet ecosystem.

Strengthening the Grant Program and Developer Tooling

James expanded the grant scheme to be more gradual and targeted, allowing teams and individuals to progress from initial idea to product launch. He also restructured the tooling, from SDKs and documentation to testing modules, so that building on Starknet would no longer be time-consuming due to basic technical hurdles.

Support for the ZK-Rollup & zkEVM Projects

He prioritized research and development of core technologies, ensuring Starknet remains a leader in ZK-STARKs innovation. This support includes funding for research teams, cross-project collaboration, and strengthening the ZK-Rollup and zkEVM infrastructure, making the network faster, more secure, and more scalable.

How he simplifies developer onboarding

James is pushing for updated documentation, creating more concise learning guides, and providing a clear educational path for beginners. His goal is simple: developers don’t need a cryptography background to start building.

The onboarding process is simplified so people can start with small experiments and then naturally progress to serious projects.

Encouraging ZK (Zero-Knowledge) Research

He places a special emphasis on ZK research because this technology is the core differentiation of Starknet. Through funding, academic collaboration, and experimentation space, James is pushing Starknet to become a breeding ground for Zero-Knowledge breakthroughs, from data privacy to large-scale verification.

The Impact of James’ Leadership on the Starknet Community

James’ arrival as Executive Director has brought about a shift in the Starknet ecosystem. This transition is felt not only at the management level, but also directly in how the community interacts, builds, and views Starknet’s future direction.

Below are some important impacts of James’ leadership on the Starknet community:

Community Response to the Leadership Transition

The transition from Diego to James initially sparked curiosity, but quickly turned to optimism.

James’ more open and communicative style has led many developers to feel that Starknet is entering a more inclusive and community-focused phase.

The Emergence of New SNF-Supported Projects

James’ expanded grant program has led to the emergence of new projects from diverse backgrounds, from sustainability to healthcare. SNF support now feels more clearly defined and bolder in addressing real-world use cases beyond DeFi.

Improved Communication and Engagement

Under James, the SNF has provided more consistent updates, been more transparent about priorities, and more actively engaged with emerging markets like Africa and Southeast Asia. The global community feels a greater sense of participation.

Impact on the Starknet Brand in 2025

The combination of technical innovation, a vibrant grant program, and more streamlined communications makes the Starknet brand appear more mature in 2025. Its identity is shifting from simply a fast L2 platform to a truly “developer-first” ZK ecosystem relevant to real-world applications.

Challenges Starknet Still Faces in the New Era

While James brings new energy and direction, Starknet remains amidst a challenging competitive landscape and industry dynamics. Here are some of the challenges Starknet still faces in the new era, including:

Fierce competition in Ethereum’s L2 (zkSync, Arbitrum, Base)

Starknet has a technical advantage through ZK-STARKs, but the Ethereum L2 landscape is increasingly crowded. Arbitrum already has a large user base, zkSync is pushing the ZK narrative early, while Base is growing rapidly thanks to Coinbase’s support.

The challenge is to make Starknet appear not only “technologically unique,” ??but also relevant to developers looking for a platform with active users and real adoption.

Performance & Transaction Fee Issues

While Starknet continues to invest in performance improvements, UX issues such as speed, stability, and transaction fees remain a concern.

James himself emphasized that an intuitive user experience is the first hurdle to overcome if you want to attract a non-technical audience.

Features like account abstraction are helpful, but the journey to a truly seamless UX is still a long way off.

Long way to mass adoption of ZK technology

Zero-Knowledge has been recognized as the future of blockchain scalability, but its real-world implementation remains uneven. Many developers are interested, but not all feel ready to build on this complex technology.

While Starknet is leading ZK-based innovation, the challenge is bridging this advanced technology to make it easier, more “human,” and more directly usable in everyday applications.

The challenge of turning momentum into real-world use cases

Under James, many new projects have emerged, from Carbonable to Starkfit, but the L2 ecosystem needs more than just interesting ideas.

The biggest challenge is turning the community spirit, grant program, and global vision into an application that has regular users, not just a showcase project.

The coming years will determine whether Starknet can translate the ZK hype into truly impactful adoption.

What Makes James Strudwick’s Story Worth Telling?

James Strudwick’s story is worth highlighting because his role opened a new phase for Starknet, not only technically, but also in how the ecosystem is shaped, led, and directed. The following four points will explain why this transition is relevant for Indonesian readers.

A Rarely Discussed Leadership Transition

The shift from Diego Oliva to James Strudwick was more than just a change of position. Oliva left a strong foundation through programs like Catalyst, Propulsion, and developer partnerships, and then stayed on to guide the transition.

It was on top of this established structure that Strudwick stepped in, marking a strategic shift toward a more global growth phase and a greater focus on innovation.

A Human-Centered Vision Prominence

Since joining, Strudwick has championed a vision that is more closely aligned with the needs of developers and users.

He expanded the tiered grant program, strengthened education, and emphasized a more intuitive user experience, from access for newcomers to features like account abstraction that make crypto wallets easier to use.

This approach demonstrates leadership that puts people, not just technology, at the center of the ecosystem.

Industry Interest in the Figure Behind a Major L2

Strudwick’s focus on developers, innovation in ZK-STARKs, and expansion into emerging regions (Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America) have led to increased industry attention.

His communicative and inclusive nature has sparked curiosity about where Starknet will go under the leadership of someone who is pushing for global reach and more open access.

His Influence on Starknet’s Direction in 2025

Strudwick is pushing Starknet to move beyond DeFi and gaming platforms to real-world applications.

He highlighted projects like Carbonable, Starkfit, and solutions for the music and coffee industries as evidence that Starknet can play a role in a wider range of sectors.

This new direction provides a glimpse into how Starknet will evolve throughout 2025, becoming more practical, more applicable, and more relevant to a wider user base.

What Can You Learn from James Strudwick’s Story?

The leadership change at Starknet isn’t just about who sits in the executive chair, but how the direction of an ecosystem can change through a new vision. Here are some lessons to learn:

Leadership in a New Industry

Strudwick’s arrival in place of Oliva demonstrates how a new figure can breathe fresh life into the still-evolving L2 space. He immediately shifted the foundation’s focus to innovation, developer access, and building a more focused ecosystem.

The Importance of Understanding the Foundations of the L2 Ecosystem

By laying the foundation for ZK-STARKs and its phased grant program, Strudwick emphasizes that understanding the underlying technology is crucial to understanding why Starknet holds a unique position in the L2 competition.

How a Change in Figures Can Change the Direction of Technology

This leadership change demonstrates how a new vision can shift strategy, from expanding into emerging markets like Africa and Southeast Asia to focusing on improving the user experience through features like account abstraction.

Strudwick’s approach has made Starknet feel more inclusive and accessible.

Relevance for Web3 Beginners

For beginners, Strudwick’s leadership style demonstrates that Web3 adoption isn’t just about advanced technology, but also about making it easy for people to join.

Community support, funding, and user-friendly user interface (UX) are concrete examples of how L2 can grow and be studied closely.

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Conclusion

So, that was an interesting discussion about the story of James Strudwick, the CEO replacement who brought a new direction to Starknet. You can read more about it in the INDODAX Academy’s Crypto Academy.

In conclusion, James Strudwick’s story comes at a crucial time for Starknet, a time when its technological foundation is already strong, but its long-term direction still awaits someone who can unite its vision, community, and strategy.

The transition from Diego Oliva to Strudwick is not just a change of position; it represents a shift in perspective regarding how an L2 ecosystem should grow.

Under Strudwick’s leadership, Starknet has shifted its focus to developer access, global reach, and a more humanized user experience.

His approach demonstrates that leadership in the blockchain world isn’t just about understanding the technology, but also about making it relevant and usable for many.

This transition reminds us that an ecosystem thrives not only because of its innovation, but also because of its leader’s clear direction and sensitivity to the needs of the community.

And from this journey, we can see that a change in leadership can sometimes be the starting point for a larger evolution.

FAQ

1.Is James Strudwick the CEO of Starknet?

No. He serves as Executive Director, a position he assumed after the Starknet Foundation CEO stepped down.

2.Why did the Starknet Foundation undergo a leadership change?

The previous CEO stepped down, sparking a new direction for the organization.

3.What are James’s primary focuses in leading Starknet?

Strengthening the developer ecosystem and expanding global adoption.

4.Does this change have a significant impact on Starknet?

Yes, particularly in terms of the developer program and the strategic direction of the SNF.

5.Why is this figure important to study?

Because he has a direct impact on the development of Layer-2 technology.

Author: Boy