Connecting
Enterprises to Global Capital Markets
BUILDING TRUST AT THE EDGE OF DATA AND DECENTRALISATION
Alex Szomora on Secure Collaboration, AI, and the Future of Encrypted Economies
As Co-Founder and Chief Data Officer of EON Protocol, Alex Szomora is operating at the frontier where data privacy, decentralised infrastructure, and real-world digital transformation converge. With a career rooted in cybersecurity, cloud operations, and large-scale data strategy, Alex brings a rare combination of technical depth and principled leadership to one of the most complex challenges facing modern enterprises: how to collaborate on data without compromising trust.
Through EON Protocol, Alex is helping organisations unlock the value of sensitive data using technologies such as Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE), decentralised compute, and compliant real-world asset tokenisation. In this interview, she shares how EON is building the verification infrastructure for the next generation of AI, finance, and cross-border digital ecosystems, while balancing innovation, governance, and ethical responsibility in an increasingly decentralised world.
Career Journey & Leadership in Data Operations
Can you walk us through your career journey and what led you to assume the role of Co-Founder and Chief Data Officer at EON Protocol? What pivotal experiences shaped your leadership philosophy in the realms of operations and data strategy?
I have been focused on data security long before “data privacy” became a mainstream headline. My career began on the front lines of digital security, working with global organisations such as Lookout, McAfee, and Avast to protect sensitive information at scale. Those early roles grounded me in the realities of threat mitigation, trust, and the consequences of weak data governance.
I later helped manage and sell a cloud consulting business, where I gained a different perspective. The biggest challenge was not the technology itself, but convincing institutions to trust it. That experience became a defining moment for me. It highlighted that the future of innovation would be limited not by capability, but by confidence.
After completing the Entrepreneur in Residence programme with Antler Singapore, I met my co-founders. We were all grappling with the same fundamental question: how can organisations collaborate on data without exposing it? My work with the GSMA on anti-fraud solutions and digital identity had already demonstrated both the immense potential of data collaboration and the equally significant risks involved.
EON Protocol was born from that realisation. We did not create it simply because technologies such as Fully Homomorphic Encryption were exciting, but because we believed the next wave of digital innovation, spanning finance, AI, and even quantum computing, would require a foundation of verifiable trust.
My leadership philosophy is straightforward. Build tools at the intersection of intelligence and conscience, secure and thoughtful enough that progress becomes inevitable.
Mission-Driven Innovation
EON Protocol’s mission is to empower secure, encrypted data collaboration at scale using Fully Homomorphic Encryption and decentralised infrastructure. How do you translate that vision into operational and data frameworks that align with privacy, performance, and enterprise needs?
For decades, the digital world has forced organisations into an impossible choice: use data to generate insight and risk exposing it, or lock it away and render it useless. Our mission is to eliminate that compromise. At EON Protocol, we believe privacy and performance can, and must, coexist, and we are making that a practical business reality today.
A useful way to understand this is to imagine a locked safe that cannot be opened yet can still be queried. You might ask, “Is there fraudulent activity in this dataset?” and receive a yes or no answer without ever revealing the underlying information. That, in simple terms, is Fully Homomorphic Encryption. We have taken this concept and made it scalable, enterprise-ready, and operationally viable. It enables organisations to validate identities, detect fraud, or even train AI models on encrypted data, all while keeping sensitive information fully protected.
Beyond encrypted computation, we are extending this capability into real-world use cases through our Runway platform, which brings real-world assets into compliant digital ecosystems. This creates a new financial bridge, allowing organisations, including those operating in highly regulated environments, to securely manage assets and payments across jurisdictions using tokenised, regulation-aligned structures.
In doing so, EON Protocol moves beyond being a privacy solution alone. We are building a privacypreserving gateway that connects the regulatory discipline of Web2 with the efficiency, transparency, and innovation of Web3. The result is an operational framework where data collaboration becomes both secure and commercially scalable, without compromise.
Data Marketplace & AI Platform Integration
EON offers a Data Concierge and Data Marketplace designed for secure, scalable AI model training and operations. How do these offerings complement decentralised compute resources and on-chain AI pipelines, and how do you operationalise that integration?
In finance and treasury, trust is not simply a principle; it is the foundation of every transaction. Yet collaboration across organisations, or between traditional finance and digital assets, often introduces friction, opacity, and risk. EON addresses this challenge by transforming encrypted data into a verifiable business asset, enabling secure collaboration without compromising confidentiality.
Our Data Concierge and Data Marketplace are designed to allow enterprises and startups to safely activate data for AI-driven use cases such as risk modelling, compliance checks, and cross-border validation, while remaining fully aligned with regulatory frameworks like GDPR. This approach unlocks value from data that was previously siloed or too sensitive to share, creating entirely new revenue and innovation opportunities.
Operationally, these capabilities are tightly integrated with decentralised compute and on-chain AI pipelines, allowing models to be trained and executed directly on encrypted datasets. This ensures data sovereignty is preserved at all times, while still enabling advanced analytics, automation, and intelligence at scale.
A tangible example of this integration can be seen through our work with partners across APAC and Greater China on the EON Runway treasury platform. Here, we are enabling real-world assets, including invoices, supply-chain contracts, and digital intellectual property, to be brought into compliant, tokenised structures. These assets can then be managed, validated, and transacted within regulatory-aligned digital ecosystems, such as those governed by MAS standards in Singapore.
Ultimately, EON is merging the intelligence layer with the asset layer. By embedding verifiable encryption into both data collaboration and financial infrastructure, we are creating a trusted, automated bridge between Web2 financial systems and the emerging Web3 ecosystem, enabling compliant, cross-border capital flow powered by secure data.
Looking Ahead, The Future Impact of FHE and Real World Assets
Looking ahead 5 to 10 years, how do you see technologies like Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) and Real World Assets (RWA) fundamentally reshaping industries, and what role does EON Protocol aim to play in that transformation?
We are approaching a fundamental shift where data privacy moves from being a regulatory obligation to a true competitive advantage. As regulation, compute power, and infrastructure mature, Fully Homomorphic Encryption will no longer be viewed as a niche capability. Within the next decade, it is likely to become the default standard for any collaboration involving sensitive data, particularly in areas such as AI development, healthcare, financial services, and ultimately quantum computing.
Imagine multiple hospitals training highly accurate diagnostic AI models without ever pooling or exposing raw patient data. Or global institutions collaborating on fraud detection, identity verification, or risk modelling without compromising confidentiality. That is the future FHE enables, unlocking collaboration at scale while preserving absolute data privacy.
At the same time, Real World Asset tokenisation is already beginning to fundamentally rewire global finance. Illiquid assets such as real estate, private equity, supply chain receivables, and even intellectual property are becoming programmable, fractionalised, and globally tradable digital instruments. This transformation is not simply about operational efficiency; it is about democratising access to value, increasing liquidity, and creating entirely new financial products and markets.
EON Protocol is positioning itself as the critical infrastructure underpinning both of these transformations. We see our role as the verification infrastructure of the future digital economy.
Whether enabling privacy-preserving AI collaboration through FHE or providing compliant, secure rails for tokenised RWAs to move seamlessly between traditional financial systems and decentralised ecosystems, EON is building the foundational technology that makes this next era possible.
Our ambition is to ensure that as industries evolve, they do so responsibly, securely, and at scale. Power without trust is unsustainable. EON exists to make trust programmable, verifiable, and embedded at the core of the digital economy’s next chapter.
Enterprise Use Cases in Finance & Treasury
EON also powers enterprise workflows such as stablecoin integrations, real-time synchronisation, and smart-contract-driven supply chain finance. What are the key operational challenges in supporting these use cases, and how is EON positioned to address them?
At EON, our core objective is to turn encrypted data into a business asset rather than a legal liability. One of the biggest challenges in enterprise finance and treasury workflows is enabling collaboration, automation, and intelligence without compromising data privacy, regulatory compliance, or corporate control.
Our Data Concierge and Data Marketplace are designed specifically to address this challenge. The Data Concierge acts as a secure orchestration layer for AI-driven use cases, sourcing, validating, and enriching datasets while ensuring every interaction complies with PDPA, GDPR, and cross-border regulatory requirements. It enables enterprises to safely use data for AI model training, risk analysis, and decision support without exposing raw information. The Marketplace then connects these verified data flows to decentralised compute environments and on-chain AI pipelines, allowing collaborative model training and execution while keeping sensitive data fully encrypted. This creates new revenue opportunities from data that was previously siloed or unusable.
Beyond AI, we are actively piloting enterprise treasury and finance use cases across APAC and Greater China. Through EON Runway, our RWA and treasury infrastructure layer, we support enterprises in bringing real-world assets into compliant, tokenised frameworks as they expand into Singapore and other regulated markets. This includes assets such as invoices, supply chain contracts, and digital intellectual property, all structured to meet MAS and international regulatory standards.
The combination of encrypted data collaboration and compliant asset tokenisation allows enterprises to unlock cross-border liquidity, automate settlement, and introduce smart-contract-driven financing models, while maintaining full visibility, governance, and data sovereignty. For our partners, this is not simply about adopting new technology. It is about enabling secure, compliant access to global markets and capital flows without increasing operational or regulatory risk.
In essence, EON is building the rails for trusted, cross-market collaboration. A system where privacy is not a constraint but a yield-generating advantage, and where intelligence can scale securely across borders, institutions, and ecosystems.
Scaling & Developer Engagement
As COO and CDO, how are you balancing product scale, developer engagement, and ecosystem growth, particularly through platforms such as EON Marketplace, CryptoVolt Exchange, and the upcoming wallet and staking ecosystem?
At EON, scaling is not simply about increasing user numbers. It is about delivering better, more intuitive experiences as the ecosystem grows. Our focus is on making highly advanced technology feel effortless, whether the user is a developer, an enterprise partner, or an individual engaging with staking for the first time.
The EON Marketplace is designed as an app store for secure data collaboration. It combines intuitive dashboards, clean user interfaces, and one-click deployment of privacy-preserving APIs. The objective is to remove friction and lower the barrier to experimentation, enabling developers and businesses to build and integrate without requiring deep cryptographic expertise.
The same philosophy underpins CryptoVolt Exchange and our upcoming wallet and staking ecosystem. Simplicity, transparency, and security are embedded by design. Interfaces are built for clarity and confidence, from gas-free transactions to realtime risk indicators and regulatory-grade encryption. Security is not layered on after the fact; it is foundational.
By prioritising usability alongside trust and compliance, we create an environment where developers can innovate quickly, enterprises can scale responsibly, and users can engage with confidence. That is how we believe real, sustainable scale is achieved: when security is seamless, and complexity is hidden behind thoughtful design.
Startup Investing & Ecosystem Support
You’re active as an angel investor and supporter of early-stage companies. How does your investing ethos and sector engagement influence your operational strategy at EON, and do those startup learnings shape how EON innovates, or vice versa?
My investing ethos has always been simple: back ideas that make life better, not just richer. I’ve long been drawn to optimisation and utilitarian design, where every element has a clear purpose and nothing exists without reason. As an angel investor, I’ve focused on impact-driven ventures across financial inclusion, femtech, healthtech, and longevity, sectors where technology has a direct and meaningful impact on human wellbeing. A recent exit from a digital twin AI company reinforced a core lesson for me: innovation only scales sustainably when it creates tangible, real-world value.
That mindset is deeply aligned with how we operate at EON. From the outset, the founding team shared a common belief that infrastructure should enable trust, access, and inclusion. Whether we are building privacy-preserving data collaboration systems or compliant real-world asset frameworks, the objective is always to solve fundamental problems rather than chase novelty for its own sake.
This perspective is also shaping how we think about the next wave of opportunities. We are currently evaluating cleantech companies for real-world asset tokenisation, helping translate climate-positive assets into compliant, investable digital instruments. It is impact investing, but at an infrastructure level, where the reach and multiplier effect are significantly greater.
The relationship between investing and operating is symbiotic. My exposure to startups and venture ecosystems continuously informs EON’s strategic direction, while EON’s progress reinforces my conviction that ethical, responsible technology can also be commercially powerful. When innovation is grounded in purpose, scale and sustainability naturally follow.
Governance, Compliance & Decentralisation
With initiatives such as on-chain governance and tokenised assets, including the issuance of A100 chips, how do you manage compliance, ethical transparency, and community trust while scaling decentralised operations?
At EON, we believe decentralisation does not have to mean complexity or loss of control. In fact, when designed correctly, it can simplify compliance and strengthen trust. For initiatives such as our A100 chip tokenisation and broader real-world asset programmes, we operate a closed, permissioned investor model. This creates a controlled environment for qualified participants, where all stakeholders are fully verified through KYC, AML, and audit-ready processes.
Once inside this trusted perimeter, transactions are able to move quickly, transparently, and securely. Smart contracts automate many of the functions that traditionally introduce risk and friction, including reporting, reconciliation, and compliance documentation. Alongside this, our compliance nodes act as digital governance layers, continuously validating that activities align with regulatory frameworks such as MAS guidelines, PDPA requirements, and FATF standards.
Transparency is equally important. We provide real-time dashboards, clearly defined governance structures, and traceable decision logs that can be reviewed by both investors and regulators. This ensures accountability without sacrificing operational efficiency.
Our approach is best described as federated trust supported by transparent automation: decentralised where efficiency and scale matter most, and permissioned where accountability and regulatory integrity are essential. We believe the future of finance should not be opaque or difficult to navigate. It should be a system that stakeholders can clearly understand, trust, and confidently participate in.
Talent, Culture & Multidisciplinary Teams
EON Protocol sits at the intersection of AI, blockchain, and privacy technology. What operational and cultural strategies do you lead to attract, retain, and align engineering, data science, and operations teams across these interdisciplinary domains?
When we founded EON, we deliberately wrote our credo before our code. Our ambition was never just to build a product, but to build a culture where people can think boldly, speak openly, and work with a strong sense of purpose. Just as importantly, we wanted to create an environment where we genuinely enjoy working with one another, people we respect, challenge, and are energised by every day. That human chemistry is what ultimately fuels innovation.
Operating at the intersection of AI, blockchain, and privacy technology requires more than managing specialist silos. It demands active orchestration across disciplines. Our mantra is simple: no politics, just progress and constant iteration. We hire first and foremost for curiosity, empathy, and integrity. Skills can be developed, but mindset and attitude shape culture.
Alignment comes through shared values, clear objectives, and trust. We give teams autonomy to explore and take ownership, while creating structured opportunities for cross-functional collaboration. Open forums and working sessions allow engineering, data science, and operations teams to collide creatively. Sometimes that produces immediate breakthroughs, sometimes it creates healthy chaos, but it always drives learning and growth.
At EON, we believe the best technology is built on trust, respect, and a sense of shared purpose, with a bit of everyday joy along the way.
Advice for Aspiring Tech & Data Leaders
What advice would you offer to emerging tech leaders, particularly CDOs and COOs working in frontier technologies such as AI, crypto, or Web3? What skills or mindsets are essential to navigate fastevolving, decentralised landscapes?
Frontier technology is a moving target. AI, crypto, and Web3 evolve faster than most industries can regulate or even fully understand. Above all, my advice is to stay relentlessly curious.
First, network with intent. Not for status, but for perspective. Some of the most valuable insights come from outside your immediate field. Build relationships with scientists, founders, policymakers, artists, and investors alike. These diverse viewpoints will help you anticipate change and see around corners before others do.
Second, always lead with value. Offer knowledge, connections, or encouragement before asking for anything in return. Ecosystems remember generosity, and trust compounds faster than influence.
Third, learn to enjoy the process, not just the milestones. Frontier tech rewards adaptability over perfection. Some days you are building the future; other days you are debugging it. Both are equally important, and resilience comes from embracing that rhythm.
Finally, think long-term in a short-term world. The leaders who succeed in decentralised environments play the infinite game. They align technology with trust, ambition with purpose, and innovation with responsibility. Real leadership is not about predicting the next big thing. It is about helping to build it.
EON Protocol is a Singapore-based technology company that helps enterprises connect to global capital markets through tokenisation, structured financing and decentralised solutions. The company combines blockchain and Web3-enabled infrastructure with scalable, compliant tools that support secure data collaboration, investor engagement and access to international financing opportunities.
Alex Szomora Chief Data Officer