Illia Polosukhin

Illia Polosukhin is a computer scientist and software engineer with a background in artificial intelligence and machine learning research. Before founding NEAR Protocol, he worked on advancing AI technologies and gained experience in computational systems design. His expertise spans both cutting-edge machine learning methodologies and distributed systems architecture, combining two domains that would inform his later blockchain work.

Polosukhin's early career focused on exploring how emerging technologies could solve real-world problems. His interests in scalability, efficiency, and accessibility in software systems shaped his vision for what blockchain infrastructure could become. These formative experiences underscored his belief that existing blockchain platforms faced significant hurdles in user accessibility and developer experience.

In 2018, Polosukhin co-founded NEAR Protocol with the mission to create a more accessible and scalable blockchain platform for developers. NEAR was designed as a Layer 1 blockchain incorporating sharded architecture to improve throughput and reduce transaction costs. The protocol emphasised developer experience from inception, aiming to lower barriers to entry for building decentralised applications compared to earlier blockchain platforms like Ethereum.

The NEAR Foundation was established to support ecosystem development, funding projects, and fostering a community of builders around the protocol. Under Polosukhin's leadership, NEAR attracted significant attention for its technical innovations and grant programmes designed to accelerate adoption. The foundation has supported numerous projects in decentralised finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and other blockchain use cases, positioning NEAR as an infrastructure provider for the broader decentralised ecosystem.

Polosukhin has consistently articulated a vision for blockchain technology as a platform for mass adoption rather than a niche financial system. His approach emphasises pragmatic engineering solutions to scalability and usability challenges, including account abstraction and simplified onboarding mechanisms. NEAR Protocol's design reflects this philosophy, incorporating features intended to make blockchain development and usage more intuitive for mainstream audiences.

As CEO of both NEAR Protocol's development efforts and the NEAR Foundation, Polosukhin continues to guide the ecosystem's strategic direction. His focus remains on fostering developer communities, supporting innovative projects, and advancing the technical capabilities of the platform. The broader vision centres on making decentralised applications genuinely accessible to ordinary users, viewing this as essential for cryptocurrency's long-term viability and impact.