Hello! My name is Gareth and I'm a 30-year-old electrical engineer from Wigan, UK. After completing a National Diploma in General IT studies, I joined the Royal Navy as a Marine Engineer. My time with the Navy took me all over the world, discovering new places, and meeting new friends. Following 10 years in the Navy, I found my way home as an electrical engineer in a recycling factory. This change allowed me the time to explore and learn about the crypto-world and, through my research, it was clear that Algorand has the most potential due to its speed, cost, and security. At this point I realized my own background and experience would be a natural fit and so with that – and a group of talented and skilled individuals – the Akira project was born.