CloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverCloverClover

hey, i'm kirsten!

i do ai, decentralized systems, and sometimes lobbying.

I lead the Movement team at Logos, where we're building a parallel society operating on a sovereign tech stack.

I lead Recursive, a software development studio working with clients like Dragonfly Capital, EthersJS, and others.

Allegedly, I run a cult of racoons.

Based in Prague. Most likely to be found at a shisha lounge or on the crypto hackathon circuit.

/startups

I'm a 2x venture backed founder who loves multi-sided marketplaces decentralized systems, and AI.

I've been building software startups since I was 16. I've tried a lot, failed a lot, and learned a lot.

Project logo

TalentLayer Protocol, CEO

a blockchain-based decentralized marketplace infrastructure with 10k users

pre-seed backed by Outlier Ventures, The Graph founders, Kleros, other angels

grants backed by European Commission

🟡 July 2022 - Sept 2024

Project logo

Facings, COO

a white-label NFT marketplace working with US sports personalities, gaming companies, and music labels.

pre-seed backed by EOS Detroit, other angels

🟢 June 2021 - July 2022

/decentralized tech

I've spent the past 8+ years in crypto, building VC backed protocol networks, enterprise blockchain systems, & open-source software communities with groups like the IEEE, European Comission, and others. Read my work bio here.

I ran a 200 person IEEE standards group on Blockchain Governance from 2019 to 2021. You can listen to my lectures on blockchain governance and ecosystem design, hosted by INATBA (European Commission blockchain association), The IEEE, Fedex Institute of Technology, Hyperledger Foundation and others. I also consulted multiple enterprise blockchain projects during that time.

My 1st crypto transaction was buying a pocket knife with $DASH during PorcFest 2018.

Kirsten Pomales on stage at ETHPrague 2026 next to her slide: Part 1, A Brief History of Tokens. Every major trend in token economics has been a reaction to SEC pressure, not what projects actually need.
Good Profit, Good Token: Building the Next Era of Crypto BusinessesETHPrague 2026

/lobbying & government relations

Before getting into tech, I spent 5+ years working in US politics on free-market issues like promoting innovation, reducing corporate cronyism, tax reform, criminal justice reform, immigration, and more. My work has impacted the passage of dozens of bills on the state and federal level.

Teams I worked with: Senator Rob Portman, Americans for Prosperity, American Petroleum Institute, Concerned Veterans of America, Libre Initiative, and others.

After moving to Europe in 2022, I've secured my teams Certificate of Excellence in Innovation and major European Union grant funding.

/personal stuff

My most fundamental belief is that humans are autonomous; that is, they are able to take action to impact their environment and circumstances. Anything can be done by anyone with enough willpower and grit. We make our own reality. When we realize this, we are free.

Dropout and self-taught dev.

I'm a Cryptoanarchist. The future is decentralized, democratized, and censorship resistant.

Unabashed techno-optimist.

Above all, I'm building a tribe.

hackathon projects

I've averaged 10+ hackathons per year since 2023, winning prizes at most of them. I like building crazy experiments with frontier tech. Check out some of my favorites below.

Lortnoc Tahc

encrypted messaging on unencrypted platforms. a browser extension that hides real messages inside ordinary Telegram chats using steganography.

ETHGlobal Lisbon 2026

The Box

a peer to peer mail delivery service based on the Polish Paczkomat system. hardware hack where we set the venue on fire.

ETHGlobal Brussels 2024

DeadAss

an audio-based life-alert system that protects your crypto if it senses you're in danger based on ambient noise.

ETHGlobal Bangkok 2024

Kirsten's X post about building Lortnoc Tahc at ETHGlobal Lisbon: 6 days ago the EU passed the Chat Control Act, enabling tech cos and governments to scan your messages. The video shows the team presenting on the ETHGlobal Lisbon finalist stage. 103 likes.ETHGlobal Finalist

latest writing

I write occasionally about tech, startups, and the future of work.