Blockchain developer StarkWare is reducing its headcount and reorganizing its corporate structure to sharpen its focus on profitability. CEO Eli Ben-Sasson informed employees of the change during an all-hands meeting on Monday, citing a need for the company to return to a "startup mode" of operation.
Ben-Sasson told staff that the firm had become "simply and sadly too big" to execute its new strategy effectively. While he did not disclose the specific number of departing employees or a timeline for the layoffs, he noted that the company would provide severance packages exceeding legal requirements in most jurisdictions.
A new operational structure
The company is splitting its operations into two primary units. The first will focus on revenue-generating applications, while the second will handle the continued development of the Starknet ecosystem. Each unit will maintain its own dedicated teams for engineering, product, and go-to-market strategies.
Avihu Levy, currently the chief product officer, will lead the new applications unit as general manager. Tom Brand, the existing head of product, will step in as general manager of the Starknet development unit.
"We're going to shift from doing many things well to doing fewer things excellently," Ben-Sasson stated in a transcript of the meeting. He emphasized that the company intends to take "full ownership" of its core proving stack, including Cairo and quantum-secure STARK cryptography, to minimize reliance on external partners.
Internal leadership adjustments accompany the restructuring. Chief Financial Officer Ran Grinshtein will now oversee human resources, security, and IT, in addition to his financial duties. Gideon Kaempfer, the current head of core engineering, is moving into the role of chief architect, reporting directly to the CEO.
StarkWare also confirmed that Chief Operating Officer Oren Katz has requested to leave the company, though he will remain in his position through the end of April. General Counsel Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos will retain her current role, reporting to Ben-Sasson.