About

Hey, I'm Drew. I spent my twenties in engine rooms, first as a merchant mariner, then aboard nuclear submarines. I maintained secondary systems on Virginia-class boats (everything from the toilet up to and not including the reactor), eventually moved into test engineering, and ended up doing R&D inventions for submarines unexpectedly. A few of my inventions have been included in the Virginia and Columbia class block. I love complex, distributed, and asymmetric systems.

I got into crypto as a protocol specialist at Blockdaemon, then as a contributor at Lido DAO. Two of the biggest staking operations. I figured out what I wanted to build and left to do it with people I trusted.

Now I run xochi.fi and axol.io. Xochi (pronounced: 'So-Chee') is a private exchange on Ethereum, it's meant to be a more friendly dark pool experience you can use to trade without exposing your orders. ZK proofs handle compliance instead of handing over your data. I believe economic and digital privacy must be embedded as first class citizens in a product. Where others find dichotomy, axolotls combinate and collaborate. We wrote an ERC/EIP to formally define our approach. axol.io runs the infra underneath: staking, an ETH client, sequencers, Builder.

I'm also building a Gundam. Not a metaphor. Raxol is the terminal framework behind it. It started as a TUI project, but now it's the agent commerce layer for Xochi: wallets that can act on their own.

The open infrastructure underneath Xochi (Mana, the ZK compliance standard, the stealth address primitives, the whitehat research) is funded through Giveth.

Stack

Rust MATLAB Python Elixir Go JavaScript Move Nix Noir Solidity TypeScript

Experience

BDFL / Protocol Director
xochi.fi
2026-04 - Present

Dark pool DEX solving the compliance-privacy problem on Ethereum. Intent-based trading settled into stealth accounts or Aztec shielded notes across five chains. ZKP compliance oracle proves AML/sanctions compliance without revealing transaction data.

3 key contributions
  • Designed and authored ERC for the Xochi ZKP Compliance Oracle with six proof types in Noir
  • Built Riddler, a cross-chain intent solver with <6s latency across Ethereum, Optimism, Base, Arbitrum, and Polygon
  • Architected privacy tier system combining trust scores with stealth addresses (ERC-5564) and account abstraction (ERC-4337)
ERC-5564 ERC-4337 Aztec Foundry Barretenberg UltraHonk Noir Solidity TypeScript Rust
CEO
axol.io
2024-05 - Present

Open-source blockchain infrastructure company supporting xochi.fi. Building production-grade FOSS tooling for staking, Ethereum clients, and terminal frameworks.

3 key contributions
  • Running sequencers and nodes on Aztec, Base, Optimism, and Ethereum mainnet
  • Built mana (Ethereum client) and raxol (terminal UI framework) as open-source tools
  • Operating validator infrastructure for transaction ordering and state transitions
Ansible Terraform Elixir Python Rust Nix Sequencer MEV Searcher Builder Solvers Validators RPCs APIs
NOM Protocol Specialist
LidoDAO
2023-03 - 2024-05

Node Operations Mechanisms (NOM) strategy for LidoDAO, the largest liquid staking protocol. Competitive intelligence and ecosystem research.

3 key contributions
  • Wrote 60+ weekly competitive analysis reports tracking protocol developments
  • Built beachpatrol, a competitive intelligence tool for monitoring protocols using OSINT
  • Analyzed node operator economics and performance across multiple networks
Python OSINT
R&D Protocol Research Specialist
Blockdaemon
2022-01 - 2023-03

Technical evaluation of blockchain protocols for venture investment and node infrastructure deployment.

2 key contributions
  • Built governance framework and voting system using Cosmos SDK authz module (Go, Ansible, Bash)
  • Evaluated blockchain protocols through code analysis and prototype deployment
Ansible Terraform Docker Grafana Prometheus JavaScript Rust Go Move Cosmos SDK
Mechanical & Electrical Test Engineer
General Dynamics Electric Boat
2020-10 - 2022-01

Engineering Lead for nuclear submarine PSA projects.

3 key contributions
  • Accelerated engineering deliverables by 11% vs previous PSA projects
  • Led Program Management & QA for Sea Trials testing and certification
  • Managed high-risk re-entry controls and liability tracking for nuclear submarines
Git MRPII ELCADD LabView AutoCAD Figma Teamcenter MATLAB
R&D Engineer
General Dynamics Electric Boat
2018-12 - 2020-11

Technical Lead for rapid prototyping (mechanical/electrical), managing 5-10 person teams for US warfare component development.

3 key contributions
  • Developed calibration and repair process for precision instruments, avoiding replacement costs
  • Invented mechanical/electrical system reducing submarine weapon launch cycle by 14% (timing classified)
  • Designed tooling reducing personnel exposure in radioactive zones by 34%
Git MRPII ELCADD LabView AutoCAD Figma Teamcenter MATLAB
Shipyard Test Organization Specialist
General Dynamics Electric Boat
2017-06 - 2018-12

Field engineering and troubleshooting of mechanical and electrical submarine systems, material strength, and operation.

3 key contributions
  • Performed QA/QC for classified, NOFORN, DSS-SOC, and SUBSAFE systems
  • Led operational programs and maintained relationships between US Navy customer, private vendors, and shipyard personnel
  • Conducted hydrostatic tests, Lockout/Tag-out, shipboard troubleshooting, high-risk operations, and material strength tests
Quality Assurance Quality Control Hydrostatic Testing Lockout/Tag-out SUBSAFE Material Testing Hydraulics HVAC

Education

Bachelor of Science , Marine Operations (Engineering)
SUNY Maritime College
2013-09 - 2017-05

Minor: Pre-law & Management

Achievements
Leadership:
  • SGA & Student Body Vice President 2013
  • SGA & Student Body Secretary 2012
Academic:
  • Licensed USCG Deck Officer, Third Mates Unlimited Tonnage Program
  • Tutor & Coach for all Navigation and Seamanship classes during tenure
Athletics:
  • All-American Skipper/Crew for Competitive Dinghy and Offshore Sailing

Certifications

Secret Security Clearance
United States Government
Active
Steam & Electric Plant S9G Reactor Qualified
US Navy Nuclear Program
Active
USCG Third Mate Unlimited Tonnage License
United States Coast Guard
Inactive