For episode 755 of the BlockHash Podcast, host Brandon Zemp is joined by Andrew Nalichaev, a systems-level blockchain expert who serves as CEO of Haia — an AI-powered, non-custodial operating system for digital assets — and CTO of Haust Network, a ZK Layer 2 protocol built with Polygon CDK. He is also the Blockchain Domain Expert at Innowise, where he leads architecture and strategic engagements for fintechs, banks, exchanges, and institutional crypto clients — covering custody design, tokenization, DeFi infrastructure, custom blockchain builds, and the emerging class of AI-native financial products. Innowise architected and shipped the full engineering stack for both Haia and Haust Network, and Andrew's dual role bridges deep product ownership on the founder side with hands-on client delivery on the consulting side. Andrew combines a background in software engineering, applied mathematics, and securities and cryptocurrency markets to evaluate blockchain systems across five dimensions — architecture, incentives, resilience, market fit, and execution. Over 8+ years in finance, economics, and blockchain, he has evaluated 600+ blockchain business concepts, contributed to the launch of 4 L1/L2 ecosystems, and helped startups and established companies navigate the crypto space with sharp tech insight and hands-on business sense. Andrew is the author of unique strategies for working with DeFi protocols, and has designed and taught blockchain courses to 3,500+ students. Learn more about Andrew's work at andrewnalichaev.com, and about Innowise's blockchain and AI development expertise at innowise.com. 📣 This episode is brought to you by Sumsub. Sumsub is a leading full-cycle verification platform purpose-built for the crypto industry, chosen by 8 out of 10 of the biggest global exchanges. It helps VASPs, exchanges, and DeFi platforms prevent fraud, stay compliant, and scale globally. From instant KYC and KYB to automated crypto transaction monitoring, as well as full Travel Rule compliance. With over 1,800+ VASPs in their Travel Rule ecosystem, their no-code platform adapts to evolving threats, market demands, and global regulations. Trusted by over 4,000 clients in fintech and crypto, Sumsub combines blockchain intelligence, identity verification, and behavioral fraud detection in a single orchestration layer. This allows you to screen, score, and monitor at every step of the customer journey without adding friction for trusted users. You can learn more about Sumsub at https://sumsub.com Check out Sumsub’s YouTube channel here: https://bit.ly/SubscribeToSumsub ⏳ Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction (2:21) Who is Andrew Nalichaev? (5:02) What is Haia and Haust network? (9:46) Opportunities for AI in DeFi (14:37) Why blockchain projects fail chasing innovation (18:33) Sumsub (19:17) How to determine Web3 product market fit (22:30) How to approach token launches (26:08) Advice to Founders in Web3 (30:53) Roadmap for Andrew, Haia & Haust (32:53) Website and socials 🎙 Andrew Nalichaev Links: 🔗 Website: https://innowise.com/authors/andrew-nalichaev/ 🔗 Website: https://andrewnalichaev.com/ 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrei-nalichaev/ 🔗 X: https://x.com/nalichaev 📢 Disclaimer: None of our content constitutes, nor is intended to act as financial advice. It’s important to always do your own research and due diligence before making any investment decision. Digital Assets and Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile and carry a considerable amount of risk.
