Episode
21 in 21: Alex Pruden
- Podcast
- 21 in 21
- Published
- Aug 5, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 1412
- Processing state
not_requested
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Summary
This episode features Alex Pruden, the Chairman of Aleo and the CEO of Project Eleven, an applied R&D lab focused on the intersection of quantum computing and cryptography. In this conversation with Haley Berkoe, Alex discusses quantum computing, future-proofing bitcoin, user experience upgrades, and his journey from the Army Special Forces to becoming a cryptographer. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 00:50 Discovering bitcoin in the Middle East 01:42 Project Eleven & why quantum matters 02:46 What it means to be "quantum-resistant" 04:50 AI and cryptography 07:02 Learning cryptography from scratch 08:51 Book recommendation: Life and Fate 09:37 What self-sovereignty should look like 11:11 Zero-knowledge on bitcoin 14:05 Bitcoin’s price does not equal success 15:18 Bitcoin UX still needs love and innovation 19:39 Army lessons that shape his work 21:02 Final thought: celebrate, but contribute FOLLOW: Alex Pruden: @apruden08, https://x.com/apruden08 Project Eleven: @qdayclock, https://x.com/qdayclock Haley Berkoe: https://x.com/HBerkoe Presidio Bitcoin: https://x.com/PresidioBitcoin WATCH THE SHOW: https://www.youtube.com/@PresidioBitcoin