Head of London FinTech Hub Steps Down to Lead Blockchain Lab

The head of Level39, one of Europe's biggest FinTech hubs, is stepping down to lead the development of a blockchain lab.

AccessTimeIconOct 1, 2015 at 12:30 p.m. UTC
Updated Sep 11, 2021 at 11:54 a.m. UTC
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

The head of one of Europe's biggest FinTech hubs is stepping down to lead the development of a blockchain lab.

Eric van der Kleij, who led London-based Level39 for three years, is returning to Entiq, an innovation consultancy he co-founded in 2013, to explore the real-world applications of blockchain technology.

The lab, van der Kleij said, will seek to help organisations gain a better understanding of distributed ledgers, smart contracts and related technologies.

He told CoinDesk:

"The Entiq Lab has undertaken testing of fundamental financial services functions such as territoriality, finality, delivery versus payment and is developing proof of concepts. We are exploring the capabilities of distributed ledger technology and have been approached by a number of financial institutions to see if we can help them develop prototypes."
Eric van der Kleij
Eric van der Kleij

Van der Kleij, a serial entrepreneur and former CEO of the UK Government's Tech City Investment Organisation, is credited with playing a pivotal role in helping Level39 become one of the most prominent accelerators in the European FinTech scene.

The accelerator, located in London's business district, made headlines earlier this year when Swiss investment bank UBS announced the opening of a blockchain research lab to explore the application of distributed ledgers in the wider financial services industry.

Canary Wharf image via IR Stone / Shutterstock.com

Disclosure

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.