Julian Au isn’t your typical crypto founder. In fact, he doesn’t even want the words “Web3” or “blockchain” plastered across his brand. What drives him instead is a practical obsession with solving real-world problems — and using emerging technology only when it genuinely makes things better.
Born and raised in Newfoundland, Canada, Julian’s journey into entrepreneurship began early and unconventionally. As a kid with ADHD, he found himself pulled toward constant creative stimulation — a force that would later define his career. At just 20, he built a low-cost cloud-streaming device using Raspberry Pi, giving underprivileged students access to virtual computers for a fraction of the price of a laptop. The project, which landed him on national news, wasn’t just a win for innovation — it was Julian’s first proof that impact and scalability could go hand in hand, as he put it during his live appearance in the recent episode of the Coinrock show:
“Ideas are never the issue, I got too many damn ideas. It’s more so actually, there’s a fine point in which you’re an idea person, but what distinguishes, I guess, a really good founder is that they’re also able to build the execution skills. And it’s thus having the balance or the synergy.”
Teaching PhDs and Building from Scratch
After dabbling in startup accelerators and Silicon Valley product ownership, Julian became the youngest ever graduate lecturer at Memorial University, teaching entrepreneurship and user experience design to PhD and Master’s students. His thesis-to-startup program helped students turn academic research into viable businesses. It was during this time that Julian stumbled across blockchain — not through hype, but through a student’s thesis.
“One of them actually wrote something about blockchain. And like at that time I was into stocks. Like I invested into that AMC thing, you know, before it became big on Wall Street Bets,” Julian narrated on the show.
“I read the blockchain white paper, I was like, Oh, actually, this crypto thing doesn’t sound like a scam like everyone always says, but it actually makes a lot of sense. I dove deep, really deep into that. And that’s when I decided, after that cohort was done, I just was like, I don’t want to teach anymore.”
Disillusioned by the traditional finance world (particularly after witnessing Robinhood halt trading during the AMC stock saga), Julian dove into crypto and never looked back. His early experiments in DeFi and cross-chain products would eventually evolve into something more ambitious.
Watch the full episode of Julian’s amazing story below:
DePINed: From Resource Sharing to Infrastructure Powerhouse
Julian founded DePINed, a decentralized infrastructure company, about a year and a half ago with no VC backing. What started as an internal tool for spinning up AI applications without relying on AWS eventually became a full-blown ecosystem. Today, DePINed connects users with idle computing power, offering GPU rental, AI servicing, and even a proprietary stablecoin system to support predictable, enterprise-grade transactions.
He calls it a “Ferrari engine” for AI — a high-performance layer that helps developers plug in and scale instantly. But unlike other GPU marketplaces, DePINed goes beyond raw provisioning. It abstracts complexity, tokenizes computing resources, and lets non-crypto users benefit without ever needing to understand the underlying blockchain rails.
“For DePINed, our vision is basically to be the place where anyone can go to and be able to build. All these AI applications, and not have to get locked up with anything. You’ll have all the tool sets, all the APIs, all the power to actually launch and empower any company-like product in the world,” Julian explained on the Show.
Scaling With Substance, Not Speculation
One of Julian’s biggest insights is around token utility — not just as a speculative asset, but as a functional part of the service model. DePINed’s tokenomics are intentionally designed to reduce friction: enterprise clients buy and burn DePINed to mint a stablecoin, ensuring predictable cost while preserving token value through supply reduction.
This practical, circular model reflects Julian’s wider ethos. He isn’t building for hype cycles or VC buzzwords. He’s building tools that he and his clients actually use.
“When they use one of the resources, for example, the GPU or CPU or server IP addresses, VPNs, etc. We give them a redemption token. And the redemption token then are used to add supply back to the DePINed token, allowing them to then either increase their stake into the servers to get passive income… That’s how you should be building your tokenomics models.”
What makes Julian Au unique is his refusal to get swept up in the trends. From bootstrapping startups and teaching doctoral candidates, to designing AI infrastructure that just works — his approach to crypto is grounded, execution-first, and deeply human.
In a space where speculation often overshadows substance, Julian is proof that people in crypto can still build with clarity, impact, and purpose.
Where You Can Find Julian Au
- X: @julianauxm
- Website: www.julianauxm.com
- LinkedIn: Julian Au on LinkedIn
