Matt Henderson is Founder, Investor, BJJ Blackbelt. Helping with product at NEAR Protocol and Aurora. Originally from the United States, my career began as an engineer, tracking satellites at the European Space Agency. I later founded an engineering company in Germany called MakaluMedia GmbH, working in the European aerospace industry with the European Space Agency, EUMETSAT, EUTELSAT and BAE Systems. In 2012, we sold the company to SciSys GmbH. My passion has always been product design, and I currently run a small agency - Makalu Interactive that has done critically acclaimed work for brands like Google, Virgin America, Live Nation, National Writing Project, Pearson, Mimosa and O’Reilly. My current interest is advancing cryptocurrency and blockchain innovation through user experience. We’ve also created some products of our own, including RaceSplitter, an app for timing sport events, ChessDrop, a platform for storing chess games online, and Crypto Email Alerts, a service for getting crypto price alerts. 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 hiking, mountain biking, and most recently, rock climbing. I enjoy living off the beaten path, and value simplicity and authenticity. I love exploring the diverse experiences and cultures the world has to offer. I enjoy living off the beaten path, and exploring the diverse experiences and cultures the world has to offer. I share time between southern Spain and the United States.