Hello there!

My name is Matt Henderson, and this website is where I’ve been writing since 2003. You’ll also find me on Twitter, and LinkedIn.

My story…

My career has been spent at the intersection of innovation, technology and design.

Originally from the United States, I studied electrical engineering at Georgia Tech. A girlfriend from Spain, and time spent at the school’s campus in France, sparked a lifelong interest in exploring the world’s cultures.

My first job was tracking satellites in Germany at the European Space Agency. Wanting to experience the business side of the industry, I started an aerospace engineering company in 1997, which I grew to about 35 people, and sold in an industry roll-up in 2012.

I fell in love with design—everything from user interfaces, to typography, to copywriting—and started an agency, Makalu, hoping to create products even Apple would be proud of. That little business, which I ran for 20 years from the southern coast of Spain, created some critically acclaimed work for brands like Google, Virgin America and Live Nation.

Among our achievements included a marketing campaign for Google & Virgin America that Ogilvy execs declared to be, “A glimpse into the future of digital marketing”, a web application that onboarded a million users, an app used to time three million participants of sport events, and an app featured by Apple, that went viral in Brazil—because its name there means, “butt crack”.

All these interests converged in the world of crypto, which I discovered in 2012 and later became a builder, working as a founding member, Head of Product, and Chief Strategy Officer at Aurora Labs—an EVM blockchain, running on the NEAR Protocol.

There, my team created Rainbow Bridge, responsible for transferring more than $2B in assets, Aurora+, one of the first web2 apps in the web3 space, and the Aurora Cloud website. I was also affectionately accused of impersonating Tim Cook in this keynote video :)

In 2023, I transitioned out of a full-time work, and into part-time advisory roles—including a Dubai-based crypto exchange and Haltia, an AI startup.

Over the years, I’ve created a number of personal projects, most of which are still active, on my own initiative. These have been applications of personal interest, things I found missing in other projects of interest, or educational materials I wanted to make publicly available.

Outside of work, I’m a three-time European gold medalist in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a martial art in which I received my black belt in 2011. I also enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, cycling, rock climbing, and skiing.

I value simplicity and authenticity, and love exploring the diverse experiences and cultures the world has to offer.

Questions or comments? — Feel free to email me using the contact form below, or reach out on Twitter.