New innovation and investment firm, Skafold signed former Blockchain Australia CEO Steve Vallas as its new senior technology advisor.

The role is responsible for exploring and advising on all Skafold activities related to blockchain, digital currencies, digital regulation and technology in general. Skafold’s diverse innovation and investment ecosystem works closely with innovators and entrepreneurs to discover, unlock and realize value and impact.

Skafold CEO Adam Jacoby said the company was looking forward to working with Vallas to explore a range of next generations.

“Skafold was founded to create a unique end-to-end innovation ecosystem that nurtures and develops scalable, sustainable and impactful start-ups and supports impact-driven founders,” he said.

“Steve’s market-leading expertise and networks will help tremendously in what we want to achieve. Having his ideas and network as part of our team allows us to discover new opportunities and refer to his knowledge when we come into contact with companies that have a particular technology focus.”

Brisbane-based Skafold aims to “create the next generation of scalable, sustainable and impactful startups through a market-leading ecosystem of integrated innovation platforms”.

Vallas continues to provide input to a number of industry advisory groups, including Blockchain APAC, NFT Fest Aus and the ASEAN Blockchain Consortium, after resigning from his position as CEO of Blockchain Australia in July after a two-year stint.

He said he was excited to work with a new innovation and investment model,

“Blockchain technology plays an important and increasingly relevant role in technology and commercial infrastructure in Australia and abroad, but its full potential is not always recognized in the early stages of a new idea or business,” he said.

“Skafold’s innovation and investment ecosystem will empower the Australian technology and start-up environment with focused expertise, capital and operational support, and contributing my industry knowledge to Skafold’s is a natural continuation of my passion for this space.”