A mathematician, software engineer, inventor, metaverse pioneer, and cybersecurity advisor, Keir has spent years exploring the intersections of technology, cryptography, and economic theory. He also happens to be a father of eight children and once executed the largest NFT drop in history, gifting every Ethereum wallet an NFT representing a plot of land in his virtual world. I sat down with Keir to discuss his unique journey, his love for blockchain, the future of the metaverse, AI security concerns, and how he thinks we might just save the world.
From the Netherlands to Cambridge, with a stop in Austria (or was it Australia?)
Keir’s upbringing was anything but conventional. Born in Australia to an English father and a New Zealander mother, his early years were spent moving between Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands before settling in Holland at age eight. As a child, one of his earliest confusions was geographical: "I thought Austria was just another part of Australia. The names sounded the same, so I didn’t question it."
His academic journey took him to Cambridge University, where he studied mathematics, his lifelong passion. However, he is refreshingly humble about his skills: "I wouldn’t call myself a professional mathematician. I know what professional mathematicians do, and I can’t get anywhere near that. It’s like opera singing—there’s a massive gap between being good and being world-class."
After earning a PhD in mathematics and education, Keir moved into the software industry, working on satellite navigation and cryptography before making the leap into blockchain – and Finland with his Finnish wife.
Discovering Bitcoin: 'A short paper that changed everything'
Keir’s first encounter with blockchain came in the early 2010s when a colleague handed him a copy of Satoshi Nakamoto’s whitepaper. "Somebody at work spotted the Bitcoin paper and said, ‘You might find this interesting. It’s full of the kind of stuff you like.’ And they were right."
Fascinated by the cryptographic and economic principles behind it, he dived into the technical details, running a Bitcoin miner for a day—though without much financial gain. "I ran a miner, didn’t find any blocks, thought ‘stuff that,’ and turned it off. I didn’t buy any either. That was a financial mistake, but the technology was the real attraction for me."
His interest deepened over the years, and by 2015, when his employer Qualcomm shut down its Finland office, Keir saw an opportunity. "I thought, this is the universe telling me to go full-time into blockchain. So I did."
The Metaverse: A promising Idea... but not yet ready
Keir’s relationship with the metaverse has been both pioneering and sceptical. He famously conducted the largest NFT drop in history, distributing an NFT to every Ethereum address. These NFTs corresponded to virtual land in a metaverse he built himself, which still runs on a server in his basement.
Yet, despite being a metaverse creator, he acknowledges the industry's struggles: "The problem isn’t the concept—it’s the technology. Right now, the metaverse is like early cars: clunky, unreliable, and requiring constant tinkering. Until VR is lightweight, ultra-responsive, and immersive, it won’t reach mainstream adoption."
He believes we’re decades away from a true metaverse revolution. "When a VR headset is as light as a pair of glasses and ten times as responsive as today’s tech, then we’ll see whether people really want to live in the metaverse. Until then, it’s a fascinating but unfinished experiment."
Patents, inventions, and the art of thinking differently
Keir is also a prolific inventor, with 16 granted patents to his name. His love for invention started at EDS, where he discovered the company’s patent incentive program. "They were offering £200 per invention. I thought, ‘I can do that,’ and filed one. It got accepted, and I got my check. That’s when I realized I enjoyed the process."
Over time, this hobby turned into an obsession. While working at Qualcomm, he took advantage of a redundancy package that paid employees for filing invention disclosures. "In my final months, I submitted as many ideas as I could. Some were useful—some were just quirky, like a lawnmower with counter-rotating blades to suck up grass better."
One of his patents sold for the price of a house, but after taxes and broker fees, he walked away with only about a third of that sum. He admits the patent industry is tough and geared toward big corporations. "Most patents are considered worthless unless you have a huge portfolio. It’s a game for the wealthy."
Cybersecurity and AI: An endless arms race
Keir now works as an advisor for Resonance Security, a company founded by Charles Dray—whom he met in the metaverse. Their shared interest in cybersecurity led to a partnership. On the future of cybersecurity, he warns: "It’s an arms race. Defenders must get it right every time. Attackers only need to succeed once."
AI presents both opportunities and threats. "AI lowers the barrier for attackers. You no longer need deep expertise to launch a cyberattack—you can ask AI to tweak existing malware for you. That’s scary."
He recalls his own teenage curiosity about hacking, which once got him suspended from Cambridge’s computer system: "I was fined £5 and banned from using university computers for a term. I had to write my entire project on paper and type it in on the last day."
Now, he channels that curiosity into ethical hacking, security consulting, and advising startups on how to stay safe.
How do we save the world?
When asked about how to make the world a better place, Keir’s response is simple yet profound: "I’m probably not the best person to save the world. But if I had to suggest something? We all need to be more empathetic."
He believes society is becoming too divided and that people must make an effort to see things from different perspectives. "The problem today is that people are entrenched in their views. ‘I’m right, you’re wrong, and that’s it.’ If we could just stop and consider why someone holds a different opinion, we’d have much better conversations."
Keir sees this not only as a way to improve society but also as a critical skill in business, negotiation, and conflict resolution. "Whenever you’re frustrated with someone, ask yourself: Why do they think this way? You don’t have to agree with them, but understanding their perspective makes you a better leader, a better innovator, and, frankly, a better human."
Final thoughts
Keir Finlow-Bates is a rare blend of mathematician, inventor, blockchain visionary, and philosopher. Whether he’s walking through the woods thinking about blockchain, building in the metaverse, or hacking security systems for the greater good, his insights challenge us to think bigger. And if he’s right, maybe the key to all of this—technology, business, and even saving the world—is simply a little more empathy.
