Founding Team of MANA: Decentraland’s Creators and Visionaries

MANA is the native cryptocurrency of Decentraland, a decentralized virtual reality platform built on the Ethereum blockchain. The project was founded by a team of developers with varied backgrounds across game development, blockchain technology, and software engineering.

Founders of Decentraland

Decentraland was co-founded by two individuals: Ari Meilich and Esteban Ordano.

Ari Meilich

Ari Meilich served as the initial project lead of Decentraland. Before entering the blockchain space, Meilich's career focused on data analytics and venture capital. He worked at a Silicon Valley-based venture fund and also co-founded a customer relationship management (CRM) software company prior to his involvement in blockchain. Meilich's business acumen played a crucial role in helping build strategic partnerships and ensuring Decentraland had the financial backing it needed to develop the platform. He stepped down from the day-to-day management of Decentraland but continues to serve as an advisor to the project.

Esteban Ordano

Esteban Ordano is regarded as the technical mastermind behind Decentraland. Prior to co-founding the project, he worked as a software engineer at BitPay, a cryptocurrency payment service. He also contributed to the development of the Bitcoin infrastructure, particularly working on developing scalable decentralized systems. Ordano's experience in blockchain and cryptography has been invaluable in establishing Decentraland’s core architecture. He also previously founded Zeppelin, a company that builds secure smart contract development infrastructure tools, further showing that he had the technical capabilities needed to oversee Decentraland's development. Like Meilich, Ordano has transitioned into an advisory role.

The Broader Development Team and Advisors

In addition to its co-founders, Decentraland has a broader development team and an extensive list of advisors that have helped grow the platform. Over time, professionals specializing in economics, UX/UI design, 3D rendering, and blockchain engineering have contributed to expanding Decentraland’s offerings.

Notably, the team has also received strategic advice from prominent figures in the blockchain industry. These advisors often focus on how to make Decentraland more accessible to the broader public while staying grounded in decentralized ideals.

Focus of the Team

Throughout the project's lifespan, the Decentraland team, including its advisors, has emphasized the importance of decentralized governance. This has culminated in the establishment of the Decentraland DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization), allowing MANA holders to vote on policy updates, subsidies, and other changes in the virtual world.