Rikard Hjort Joins FirstBlock Labs as a Mentor, Bringing Expertise in Blockchain Security and DeFi Architecture to Projects

“Think of security like legal services: it takes an expert to understand what is relevant.”

Renowned industry expert Rikard Hjort has joined FirstBlock Labs as our first mentor, fortifying our commitment to security and innovation. Rikard's extensive experience in blockchain security, smart contract auditing, and development adds powerful guidance to FirstBlock Labs' projects.

Rikard's professional career boasts diverse roles that display his proficiency in safeguarding blockchain ecosystems. He is a technical leader and auditor at Runtime Verification, where he brings his mastery of validating the accuracy of blockchain protocols and smart contracts. He acted as developer and advisor to imbuedart.com, a groundbreaking cyberphysical NFT project, and further cemented his reputation as a knowledgeable and trustworthy professional consultant.

One of Rikard's prominent strengths lies in his mastery of DeFi security. By auditing projects with Total Value Locked (TVL) in the hundreds of millions USD, he prevents potential thefts and vulnerabilities. This is something that Rikard showed during his presentation at Devcon 6, which added a layer of certainty to the ever-evolving realm of decentralized finance.

As part of FirstBlock Labs, Rikard's mentorship will play a key role in supporting projects by providing guidance on security. Together with Rikard, FirstBlock Labs will be able to offer its partners and project unique perspectives that uncover hidden security gaps and ensure robust blockchain solutions. In essence, Rikard's inclusion signifies a substantial leap for FirstBlock Labs, and his vast experience amplifies the precision and foresight in FirstBlock Labs' projects, guiding them towards heightened success and resolute security, while shaping the future of blockchain innovation.”

Rikard's own words:

“Many projects don't know what they need to know about security. Think of security like legal services: it often takes an expert to even understand what is relevant. Make time to at least consult with an expert and let them give you guidance on what you need to be secure, what you need to be careful about, and what your technical risks are. 

Don't wait until it's time to get an audit: mistakes from earlier in the process can be very costly if it means you need to remake your business model or rewrite your stack. Even if you are familiar with software engineering and traditional software security, smart contracts are a special domain and it's important to get your assumptions right and think through a number of edge cases.”