TechFlow News, April 13: According to The Block, zero-knowledge proof scaling developer StarkWare announced layoffs and an internal restructuring. In an all-hands meeting, co-founder and CEO Eli Ben-Sasson stated the company had “grown too large” and needed to revert to a “startup mode” to accelerate product-market fit. The specific number of employees to be laid off and the timeline have not yet been disclosed, though the company pledged severance packages exceeding legal requirements.
Following the restructuring, StarkWare will split into two independent business units: First, an application-focused, revenue-oriented unit led by current Chief Product Officer (CPO) Avihu Levy as General Manager, dedicated to developing monetizable products built on StarkWare’s own technology stack; and second, the Starknet development unit, led by current Head of Product Tom Brand. Each unit will have its own dedicated engineering, product, and marketing teams.
Strategically, StarkWare plans to take full ownership of its entire blockchain proof technology stack—including Cairo, Sierra, and quantum-resistant STARK cryptography—reducing reliance on external Layer 1 blockchains and application teams. Ben-Sasson said the company will shift from “doing many things well” to “doing a few things exceptionally well,” focusing exclusively on high-potential, high-value directions that only StarkWare can deliver. Additionally, COO Oren Katz has tendered his resignation and will officially depart at the end of April.
