Meltem Demirors

Meltem Demirors is serving as the Founder and General Partner of Crucible, an early-stage investment firm focused on the digital future. 

She also held the position of Chief Strategy Officer at CoinShares, Europe’s largest digital asset investment firm, which manages over $7 billion in assets. Meltem's crypto journey began in 2015 as part of the founding team at Digital Currency Group (DCG), where she played a key role in expanding the company from 40 to 200 portfolio companies and from 2 to 4 subsidiaries.
 

She has had an extensive career in both the cryptocurrency and oil and gas industries. Meltem worked in corporate treasury at ExxonMobil and later as a strategy consultant at Deloitte before transitioning to the blockchain industry. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Mathematical Economics from Rice University and an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management.
 

She has lectured at MIT and Oxford and is an angel investor in over 100 startups across various sectors. Meltem is also a founding member of the World Economic Forum’s Blockchain Council. Her social media presence is significant, with over 230K followers on Twitter.
 

Her accolades include being named in Fortune’s "Ledger 40 Under 40" list in 2018 and being recognised in Hackernoon’s “5 Notable Women in Blockchain and Crypto” list the same year. Meltem serves as an advisor to several prominent blockchain companies, including Blockdaemon and Ocean Protocol. She has appeared in leading financial media outlets, such as CNBC, Bloomberg, and Barron’s, offering her insights into the future of digital assets and blockchain technology.

Meltem Demirors was born on May 14, 1987, in the Netherlands to Turkish immigrant parents. Her father completed his PhD from The Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) and later worked in a chemical company, while her mother studied accounting at Aegean University. In 1997, Meltem's family moved to Michigan, USA, where she completed her high school education in 2004.
 

She pursued higher education at Rice University in Houston, Texas, where she graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematical Economic Analysis. After completing her undergraduate studies, she worked briefly in Corporate Treasury at ExxonMobil. She then moved into strategy consulting at Deloitte, where she worked from 2009 to 2013. During her time at Deloitte, Meltem was offered a sponsorship for an MBA program but chose to pursue the degree independently through a student loan.

In 2013, Meltem began her MBA at the MIT Sloan School of Management, graduating in 2015. During her time at MIT, she co-founded the MIT FinTech Club and joined the MIT Bitcoin Club, where she began her journey into the cryptocurrency space. After graduating, Meltem worked briefly as a Marketing Consultant at Elsen Inc. in 2015 before joining Digital Currency Group (DCG) as Director of Development.

Meltem played a key role in DCG’s growth, helping to build a portfolio of 120 companies and four subsidiaries. She worked at DCG from 2015 to 2018, advancing to the role of Vice President. At DCG, she helped shape the early success of major companies like Coinbase and Ripple. Following her time at DCG, Meltem founded her personal investment fund, Athena Capital, focused on pre-seed and seed-stage companies in the blockchain and digital assets sectors.
 

In 2018, she joined CoinShares, a leading digital asset management firm, as Chief Strategy Officer. At CoinShares, she became a key player in the development of their digital asset investment strategies and later managed CoinShares Ventures. She also became a partner at 3.0 Capital, a prominent crypto fund, and has been a member of the World Economic Forum's Blockchain Council.
 

Meltem is also an angel investor in over 100 startups, supporting innovative projects in sectors like blockchain, NFTs, DeFi, and AI. She has been involved in various public speaking events, sharing her insights on the future of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.
 

In addition to her professional work, Meltem has lectured at both MIT and Oxford University and has become a significant figure in the digital assets and cryptocurrency space. She has been featured in numerous media outlets, including CNBC, Bloomberg, and Barron’s, providing her expertise on the evolution of blockchain and digital currencies.

Currently, Meltem is the Founder and General Partner at Crucible, a venture firm focused on investing in the foundations of the digital future. She continues to drive the development of the blockchain ecosystem through her leadership and investments, shaping the future of technology and finance.

Meltem Demirors envisions a future where blockchain and digital assets create sustainable, equitable systems that benefit all participants. She is committed to driving the widespread adoption of these technologies, ensuring that they empower individuals and institutions alike. By investing in early-stage startups and leveraging her extensive network, Meltem aims to support the development of innovative solutions in sectors such as AI, NFTs, and DeFi. Her goal is to shape a digital ecosystem that is inclusive, transparent, and built on principles of privacy, security, and fairness for all stakeholders.

She was listed in Fortune’s "Ledger 40 Under 40" in 2018, alongside other influential women in the crypto space. She was also featured in Hackernoon’s "5 Notable Women in Blockchain and Crypto." In 2021, Meltem was nominated for the "City AM Outstanding Industry Contribution Award" at the Crypto AM Summit & Awards. Her influence extends beyond her corporate roles, as she serves as an advisor to several leading blockchain companies and a partner at Crucible, an early-stage investment firm.