Ivangbi is a developer, researcher, and coordinator within the Ethereum ecosystem, known for founding the community group LobsterDAO and for co-founding the Gearbox Protocol. In February 2026, he joined the Ethereum Foundation as its DeFi Coordinator to lead a new initiative focused on providing dedicated support for protocol-level development within the decentralized finance (DeFi) space. He is also known within the community by the moniker "defipunk". ^{[1] [2]}​

Career and Contributions

Ivangbi has been an active contributor to the Ethereum ecosystem for several years, with his involvement tracing back through key periods of DeFi's growth, including the "DeFi Summer." His career is marked by the creation of influential community platforms and technically-focused DeFi protocols before taking on a formal role at the Ethereum Foundation. ^[1]​

LobsterDAO

In 2018, Ivangbi founded the community group known as LobsterDAO. He is often described as having "summoned" the organization, identifying him as its originator. This initiative marked his early roots within the Ethereum and DeFi communities, establishing a platform for discussion and collaboration among developers and researchers. ^[1]​

Gearbox Protocol

In 2021, Ivangbi co-founded Gearbox Protocol, a modular lending and leverage infrastructure project built on Ethereum. The protocol was designed to provide advanced leverage capabilities within the DeFi ecosystem and has been noted for its technical resilience. ^{[3] [1]}​

Ethereum Foundation

On February 23, 2026, the Ethereum Foundation (EF) officially announced that Ivangbi had joined its App Relations team as the DeFi Coordinator. In this capacity, he co-leads a strategic initiative to formalize and expand the Foundation's support for the DeFi ecosystem, working alongside DeFi Protocol Specialist Charles St. Louis. ^[1]​

Protocol-DeFi Support Initiative

Ivangbi was appointed to lead a new team, referred to in media reports as the Protocol-DeFi Support Team, which was formed to create a more robust and effective feedback loop between the builders of DeFi applications and Ethereum's core protocol developers. The formation of this team was widely interpreted by industry observers as a significant strategic move by the Ethereum Foundation to "double down" on its commitment to what has become the largest and most active sector of its ecosystem. The initiative aims to address a long-standing informal gap between the rapid, application-focused innovation in DeFi and the more methodical pace of core protocol development. ^{[4] [2]}​

The mission of the initiative is to ensure that Ethereum's base layer continues to evolve in a way that supports the complex and growing demands of decentralized finance. Ivangbi described his vision for the role as being an "essential glueing piece" between the cypherpunk origins of DeFi and its increasing institutional adoption. In an official announcement, he stated:

"As TradFi and institutional adoption on Ethereum - accelerate, we must not forget the core principles that built DeFi in the first place. Pragmatism is necessary, but our mission is to scale cypherpunk values alongside market growth. We see ourselves as the essential glueing piece between these two worlds. We are ready to listen and adapt; you know where to find us!" ^[1]