Building Institutional DeFi on Bitcoin: Interview with Startups of the Year 2024 Nominee, Torram

Hey Hackers!

Torram has been nominated in HackerNoon's Startups of The Year 2024 awards in Toronto, Canada under the Web3 category.

Read more about us below to understand why we deserve your vote.

Meet Torram

Torram is revolutionizing decentralized finance (DeFi) by building Bitcoin-native infrastructure designed to unlock trillions in value on the Bitcoin blockchain. Our secure and scalable frameworks are creating the foundation for institutional-grade DeFi and real-world asset tokenization on Bitcoin Layer 1 (L1).

For those who might not be deeply familiar with blockchain, can you explain why it's so crucial in today’s digital age?

Blockchain transforms the digital world by replacing trust with truth. It allows for transparent, peer-to-peer transactions without intermediaries—critical in an era where confidence in centralized systems is eroding. By combining the security of the Bitcoin blockchain with our Bitcoin-native decentralized toolkit – Torram is making institutional adoption of blockchain a reality.

What are some of the most innovative projects or products your company is working on right now? How do they address current market needs?

Up until recently, Bitcoin has been looked at primarily as a store of value—but 2024 marks a turning point. With groundbreaking innovations like the Taproot upgrade and Casey Rodarmor’s inscriptions and Runes protocols, Bitcoin is unlocking new possibilities and Torram is positioning itself by building the infrastructure needed to transform Bitcoin into a thriving ecosystem for DeFi and beyond.

Here’s what we are building:

• Decentralized Oracle Network: Reliable, real-time data is the backbone of DeFi. Torram is pioneering decentralized oracles optimized for the Bitcoin ecosystem, ensuring seamless integration of off-chain and on-chain data while maintaining trust and transparency.
• Decentralized Indexer Network: Accessing and organizing blockchain data can be complex. Our Bitcoin-native indexer network will simplify this process, enabling faster analytics and integrations for institutions and developers building on Bitcoin L1.
• Decentralized APIs: One of the biggest challenges in the blockchain space is the lack of standardized APIs that allow for easy data integration. Our decentralized API aims to bridge this gap, providing developers with a consistent and reliable way to access data.

What are the biggest challenges your company faces in the crypto/blockchain space, and how are you planning to overcome them?

The biggest hurdles are regulatory uncertainty and lingering skepticism about Web3’s real-world applications. As the financial world starts to adopt Bitcoin, we’re extremely confident that these hurdles will be resolved sooner rather than later, but for now, we’re tackling them head-on.

• Regulatory clarity: We work closely with legal experts and policymakers to foster solutions that comply with evolving frameworks while staying true to decentralization principles.
• Education and transparency: By simplifying our messaging and publishing open-source components of our decentralized toolkit, we’re helping investors and institutions understand how Bitcoin DeFi works — and why it’s worth their trust.

How do you envision the Bitcoin ecosystem transforming Web3 as we know it? What are the key benefits and potential drawbacks of this transition?

As the most secure and decentralized blockchain, Bitcoin serves as the backbone for a transparent, equitable Web3. Torram enhances this by offering tools like a decentralized oracle network and indexer network to enable scalable, secure decentralized solutions.

The key benefits include:

1. Enhanced security: Bitcoin’s proof-of-work ensures unparalleled reliability.
2. Censorship resistance: A trustless system for a free, open financial future.
3. Equitable access: Real-world asset tokenization and programmable money for global inclusion.

However, the challenges lie in overcoming scalability limitations and ensuring seamless developer adoption—but with recent innovations in the Bitcoin ecosystem and Torram’s breakthrough decentralized toolkit, these hurdles are rapidly being addressed.

Can you explain some of the technical advancements that are making Web3 possible? How can developers get involved in this space?

Recent innovations in the Bitcoin ecosystem like the Taproot upgrade, BRC20s, the Ordinals and the Runes protocols have brought programmability to Bitcoin, unlocking possibilities for DeFi and Web3. Torram is leveraging these advancements to build critical infrastructure that will bridge the gap between TradFi and the Bitcoin DeFi ecosystem.

Developers interested to build in the Bitcoin ecosystem can join our growing community. In 2025, we will start hosting our own hackathons to help push Bitcoin innovation forward. If you have an idea, we would love to collaborate. Sign up to our early access list here and we’ll be in touch!

What advice would you give to someone who is just starting to explore the world of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology?

It all starts with Bitcoin. We recommend studying the Bitcoin ecosystem and downloading a Bitcoin wallet, sending a transaction, and seeing it in action. Follow Bitcoin and crypto thought leaders and communities on platforms like X, YouTube, and Discord. For beginners, resources like The Bitcoin Standard and YouTube channels like The Defiant, a DeFi/Web3 channel are great starting points. You can also follow Torram on X to learn more about what we’re doing and how we envision the future of the Bitcoin ecosystem. Our CEO, Vakeesan Mahalingam is also an emerging leader in the Bitcoin space and often drops timely alpha on his X or LinkedIn channels – don’t miss it!

Why we decided to participate in HackerNoon's Startups of The Year awards

We are driven by the unwavering belief that Bitcoin DeFi is not just the future—it’s a financial revolution in the making. The integration of TradFi with blockchain technology and Bitcoin DeFi represents a monumental shift that the world needs to understand and embrace. It's a transformation that will redefine how finance operates on a global scale.

HackerNoon’s community is a vibrant hub where tech enthusiasts and innovators converge—a place where groundbreaking ideas are celebrated and amplified. We saw an opportunity to connect with like-minded visionaries who appreciate the profound impact of technological advancements. By participating in the Startups of the Year Awards, we aim to showcase how Torram is poised to disrupt TradFi and power the future of finance.

Final Thoughts

At Torram, we’re building for the long game—and the recognition from HackerNoon as a Startup of the Year nominee is a testament to our vision and momentum. This is more than a milestone; it’s validation that we’re on the right path to redefine what’s possible with Bitcoin.

Torram is here to prove that Bitcoin isn’t just digital gold—it’s the cornerstone of a decentralized, open financial system set to transform the future of global finance. The revolution is just getting started, and we’re part of a core group of Bitcoin players leading the charge.

Vote for Torram today!

Let’s build the future of Bitcoin DeFi together 🚀