Nicolas Kokkalis, born on March 19, 1984, in Athens, is a Greek computer scientist and entrepreneur, a key figure in the development of blockchain technology. He is best known as the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of the Pi network.

Raised in the suburb of Glyfada, Kokkalis showed an aptitude for computer science early on. His academic journey began with a bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Athens in 2006. He then continued his studies in the United States, obtaining a master's degree in computer science from Stanford University in 2008, followed by a Ph.D. in 2012. His doctoral research focused on distributed systems, human-computer interaction, and social computing, notably developing an early framework for fault-tolerant "smart contracts" programming.

Kokkalis's career blends academic rigor and entrepreneurial innovation. At Stanford, he contributed to research on scalable computing and communication systems. He co-founded Callinica, a software company creating mobile applications for healthcare professionals. His expertise in designing viral social applications also manifested during this period, with projects attracting over 20 million users.

In 2011, Kokkalis co-founded StartX, a non-profit startup accelerator affiliated with Stanford, where he served as Chief Technology Officer until 2018. However, his most notable project began on March 14, 2019 - symbolically on Pi Day - when he launched the Pi Network with his colleagues Dr. Chengdiao Fan and Vincent McPhillip. The Pi Network is a decentralized cryptocurrency designed to be mined on mobile devices, aiming to democratize access to digital currency.

Beyond Pi, Kokkalis is recognized as a thought leader in blockchain and cryptocurrency. He taught Stanford's first course on decentralized applications in 2018 as an adjunct professor. His accolades include a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in Technology in 2020 and membership in the World Economic Forum's expert network.

Kokkalis's work reflects a commitment to harness technology for the benefit of society, combining academic insight with concrete impact. Although details about his personal life remain poorly documented, his professional legacy continues to evolve as the Pi Network approaches significant milestones such as its open mainnet phase. If this project succeeds, it could cement his status as a transformative figure in the global cryptocurrency landscape.

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