Willem Schroé, a talented individual from Belgium, and his team are creating a groundbreaking "spiderchain" network that combines the stability of bitcoin with the technological advancements of Ethereum.

Schroé showed exceptional mathematical skills at a young age when he placed third in a national math competition in Belgium. Inspired by a book on botanics, he realized the vastness of physics and mathematics. Now, Schroé is focused on revolutionizing Bitcoin by developing a Layer 2 solution for the network. Before delving into this project, let's take a look at his background.

With a bachelor's and master's degree in engineering from KU Leuven, Schroé specialized in cryptography, focusing on authenticated encryption and forward secrecy. Despite struggling to find a tech job in Belgium, he gained experience in chemical engineering. Witnessing the impact of hyperinflation in Lebanon prompted him to work towards building a better financial system using Bitcoin.

Schroé's interest in Bitcoin grew during his time at Harvard Business School, where he noticed the rise of NFTs and decentralized exchanges. This led him to conceive Botanix, a Bitcoin Layer 2 that combines bitcoin as money with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) through a unique structure known as "the spiderchain." The name Botanix pays homage to the book that inspired his passion for mathematics.

As of late 2023, the Botanix testnet is up and running. Schroé is optimistic about the potential of Botanix, aiming to cater to both the Bitcoin and Ethereum communities. He believes that deploying smart contracts on Botanix, with access to a vast liquidity pool, is a more strategic choice than the saturated Ethereum market.

Schroé envisions a bright future for Botanix, foreseeing it as a game-changer for developers interested in leveraging both Bitcoin and Ethereum's capabilities. As Bitcoin remains a dominant force in the cryptocurrency space, Schroé is confident that Botanix will play a significant role in shaping the industry over the next decade.