The ØNTHR Team
The ØNTHR protocol was developed by a team of visionary researchers from the Institute for Nothing, dedicated to exploring the concept of nothingness in all its forms.
Core Researchers

Makoto Hikisakeru (誠引き裂ける)
Lead Theoretical Researcher
Makoto is a pioneering mathematician specialising in the theoretical foundations of nothingness. With a background in quantum field theory and abstract algebra, he developed the foundational mathematics behind the ØSP (Zero-Stability Protocol).
Before joining the Institute for Nothing, Makoto spent seven years as a visiting scholar at various prestigious mathematics departments where he researched the properties of empty sets and null spaces. His groundbreaking paper "On the Topology of Nothing" revolutionized how mathematicians approach voids and absence.
"The profound beauty of zero is that it is simultaneously the absence of all quantities and the foundation upon which all quantities rest." - Makoto Hikisakeru

Toru Hikimasu (取る 引きます)
Chief Technology Architect
Toru brings over fifteen years of experience in distributed systems and cryptography. His groundbreaking work on "Computational Absence Theory" laid the groundwork for the BlockvØid architecture.
Prior to ØNTHR, Toru contributed to several leading cryptographic projects, none of which can be named due to confidentiality agreements that may or may not exist. His expertise in zero-knowledge proofs formed the basis for the PrØØf-of-Nothing consensus mechanism that powers the ØNTHR protocol.
"Traditional blockchains store information. Our innovation was to create a system that securely and verifiably stores the absence of information." - Toru Hikimasu
The Institute for Nothing
The Institute for Nothing is a research organisation dedicated to the study and application of nothingness across disciplines. Founded in 2021 in the remote town of Nullarbor Plain, Australia—a location chosen for its symbolic emptiness—the Institute has pioneered research in:
- Zero-value economic systems
- Void-state computational models
- Philosophical implications of absolute nothingness
- Practical applications of non-existence
The Institute operates on the principle that understanding nothing is the key to understanding everything. Its researchers come from diverse backgrounds including mathematics, computer science, philosophy, and quantum physics, united by their commitment to exploring the concept of nothingness in all its forms.
Location: Nullarbor Plain, Australia
The name "Nullarbor" is derived from the Latin words nullus ("no") and arbor ("tree"), meaning "no trees". This treeless plain was the perfect location for our Institute dedicated to nothingness.