Yannik Schrade is recognized as the co-founder and CEO of Arcium, a decentralized computing network specializing in secure multi-party computation (MPC). He has been instrumental in developing the Cerberus MPC protocol and previously established the productivity app shiftscreen, which gained significant traction on the Apple App Store.
Background and Education
Originating from Germany, Schrade pursued a law degree at Heidelberg University from 2018 until 2020. He then transitioned to studying Computer Science and Mathematics at the Technical University of Munich. Despite enrolling in the program until 2024, he opted to drop out in 2022 to focus entirely on developing Arcium.
Professional Journey
Before founding Arcium, Schrade created shiftscreen in February 2020, a popular iOS application that allowed users to connect their iDevice to external displays for enhanced productivity. The app supported various functionalities, such as multi-window support for web browsing and PDF viewing. It reached over 100,000 paying users and was recognized as a top-seller in the Apple App Store, with recommendations from The Wall Street Journal as a “must-have app.” Schrade managed shiftscreen until January 2022.
In 2022, he launched Arcium, initially branded as Elusiv, which focused on zero-knowledge privacy solutions before rebranding in May 2024. He co-founded Arcium alongside a dedicated team, including Nico Schapeler (CTO), Julian Deschler (CSO), and Lukas Steiner (COO). Schapeler specializes in cryptographic research and protocol execution, Deschler oversees strategic growth, and Steiner manages operational aspects of the firm.
Arcium's Vision and Ventures
Arcium aims to be the backbone of encrypted internet execution, proposing a framework for privacy-focused applications without compromising performance or decentralization. The company has successfully secured over $15 million from various investors and assembled a skilled team of engineers and cryptographers. They have also acquired Inpher, which specializes in privacy-preserving technologies.
In addition to Arcium, Schrade is involved in ZKurve AG, another venture he co-founded. Outside of his tech focus, he is dedicated to wildlife conservation efforts, showcasing a commitment to both technological progress and environmental sustainability.
