Marcello Mari is the CEO and founder of SingularityDAO, a blockchain protocol designed to manage portfolios of crypto assets in a non-custodial fashion using AI. He was also part of the original founding team of SingularityNET (ASI), the project that first pioneered the intersection between AI and blockchain in 2017. Under his leadership, SingularityDAO scaled to a 40+ member team, shipping two product iterations within one year. He spearheaded the company’s fundraising efforts, securing over $5.8 million from institutional VCs, driving SingularityDAO to a peak valuation of $600 million. Previously, Marcello served as PR director at SingularityNET, overseeing global crypto PR campaigns and elevating Sophia the Robot to worldwide celebrity status. His campaign was hailed by Cointelegraph as one of the most innovative in blockchain history, helping SingularityNET raise $36 million in under 60 seconds. Marcello also coordinated the first-ever NFT artwork collaboration between a human (Andrea Bonaceto) and an AI (Sophia the Robot). The collection, featuring his portrait, generated over $1.4 million in sales. He began his career in London, contributing to TechCrunch, Wired Italy, and other startup publications. His research has been featured by The Guardian and other notable outlets. Marcello has spoken at TEDx twice and has been highlighted by CNN, FT, Forbes, The Guardian, Real Vision, and Entrepreneurs.com for his work in blockchain and AI. Most recently, he received the prestigious AIBC award as the Top AI Voice of 2024.