Técnico Alumni is a platform that allows former students of Instituto Superior Técnico to reconnect, relive, and reminisce their time at Técnico through access to a network of contacts with other Alumni. It is within the context of this platform’s activities that this interview with João Vasques, a former student of DEI (Department of Computer Science and Engineering), originally took place, and is now being republished in full.  

To learn more about Técnico Alumni and join the network, click HERE.

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João Vasques completed his degree in Telecommunications and Informatics Engineering in 2012. He contributed to the creation of several national startups (Uniplaces, Talkdesk, and Unbabel) through his work as an engineer — and beyond. His journey eventually led him to Chainlink Labs, where he is helping to build the future global standard for blockchain-based financial systems.

• Why Técnico?

There are many engineers in my family, all of them from Técnico. I’ve always enjoyed building things — back then, a lot of Legos. I wanted to understand how the internet worked, so going to Técnico felt like a natural choice.

• Can you tell us a bit about your studies at Técnico?

I studied Communication Networks; the program changed its name and I believe it’s now called Telecommunications and Informatics. At the end of my first year, I was quite tempted to switch to Applied Mathematics, but a professor from the department advised me to stay in the program, telling me that Mathematics would “find me later on.” I say this because I hated programming in my first year, though I was good at math and physics. Then, in the second year, something clicked, and everything started to make sense. I vividly remember a networking project where we developed a very simple Skype-like application, and I thought, *“that math professor was right.”

By the end of my Bachelor’s and during my Master’s, I discovered that I really enjoyed Distributed Systems and ended up writing my thesis in that area. I still read papers and books about the topic today.

• What do you take most from your time at Técnico, inside or outside the classroom?

The certainty that life goals can be achieved with determination, discipline, good humor, and a good night’s sleep (though those were rare).

• At Técnico, did you have any inspiring figures? Who and why?

Yes, Professor Miguel Abreu, who taught me Calculus and mastered — and made simple — things that to us seemed like magic.

• Can you tell us a bit about the start of your professional journey?

When I finished my Master’s, I went to several interviews at companies where everyone wanted to work (consulting, telecommunications, etc.). I didn’t like any of them and ended up joining a startup, Uniplaces, as the second employee. Back in 2012, the startup ecosystem was just emerging, and many professors and friends didn’t understand why I hadn’t gone for a “real job.” Looking back, that decision — and the fact that I later tried to start my own business (which didn’t go well) — were two of the best choices I ever made.

• Tell us a bit about the work you’re doing now.

I’m working at Chainlink Labs, one of the leading companies in data services and connectivity in the Web3/Blockchain world. My work is quite diverse: from processing and indexing data from more than 20 blockchains to understand what’s happening with our products, to developing internal solutions using artificial intelligence. At the moment, I’m integrating our most complex product into a new blockchain.

• How did you enter the professional field you’re in now?

I’ve always loved distributed systems and mathematics. Even when I was working at Unbabel, a company in the field of Artificial Intelligence, I found myself reading scientific papers about consensus algorithms and blockchains. So when the invitation from Chainlink appeared on LinkedIn, it just felt natural.

• What makes you proud to be a Técnico alumnus?

Técnico gave me the foundation for the life I’ve built so far. Being at an international company alongside the best of the best is largely due to what Técnico taught me: “learning how to learn.”

• What advice would you give to current students?

Just two:

• Don’t worry about making the right choice or connecting all the dots. Follow your instincts and move forward.
• The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.

• What word or phrase would you use to describe Técnico alumni?

Navigators of the 21st century.

(original image: João Vasques)