Shane Deconinck

A decade of building trust

Shane Deconinck

Freelance consultant · AI Engineering · Decentralized Trust

I've spent the past decade researching how systems can trust each other. First with blockchain and digital identity, now with AI agents. Along the way, I've been building community around these topics, connecting researchers, developers, and industry. I help teams demystify what's new, navigate complexity, and build systems that work across organizational boundaries.

Current Focus

Trusted AI Agents

How do AI agents prove who they are, what they can do, and act within boundaries, especially when crossing organizational lines?

Verifiable Credentials MCP
🏆

LFDT Community Award 2025

Top 10 community leader in decentralized trust

16+

Conference talks

LF summits, EBSI, EthCC

10

Research projects

EU & national funding

Experience

Independent Expert

2026 – Present

Consulting on decentralized trust and trusted AI agents.

Web3 Lead

Howest · 2019 – 2026

Architecture & development for EU/national blockchain research. Leading team, mentoring.

LFDT European Chapter Co-founder

2024 – Present

Interim Research Manager

Howest · 2022 – 2023

Managed 13 researchers across AI, Cyber, Immersive Tech, Web3.

Community

LFDT Belgium Meetup Host

2022 – Present

Connecting researchers, students & industry around decentralized trust.

Tech Lead – Afrodidact vzw

2017 – Present

EdTech for schools in underserved contexts.

Deep Dive

🎤 Speaking Engagements 16 talks

LF Open Source Summit Europe

Aug 2025 · Zero Trust at the Edge

AI & BC Conference Tokyo

Sep 2025 · Decentralized Identity for Industrial Robotics

LFDT Meetup: Trusted AI Agents

2024 · Watch recording

LF Member Summit Tokyo

2023 · EBSI presentation

+ more notable talks

ID Collective

May 2025 · Self-Sovereign Identity

EthCC Side Event

2024 · Hyperledger Besu implementations

DAO Brussels Crypto Wednesday

Apr 2024 · Blockchain governance

LFDT Webinar

2023 · Deploying EBSI nodes with Besu

EBSI Demystifying Seminar

2022 · VC adoption for municipalities

Interreg BC in Government

2022 · Blockchain use cases in government

BLING Token Conference

2022 · Blockchain in government processes

PropTech Lab

2021 · Blockchain in construction & real estate

🔬 Research Projects at Howest 10 projects

TETRA DPP InZicht

2025 · SSI for Digital Product Passports

Interreg SecuWeb

2024 · SSI, Solid pods, Industry 4.0

Digital Credentials for Europe

2023–25 · Public sector VCs

EBSI Early Adopters

2022 · Municipal VC portal

+ 6 more projects

EBSI Node Expansion · ICON Future Flemish Pig · Blockchain4Prosumers · Blockchain IN Government · Blockchain4SME

🎓 Education & Certifications

Education

BA Blockchain Developer & Architect

Howest · 2020–22 · Highest distinction

BA Applied Computer Science

Howest · 2015–17 · Distinction

Certifications

Languages

Dutch (native) English (proficient) French (professional) Japanese (novice, ready for the challenge)
🛠 Hackathons Organized
DAO AI Hackathon 2024 ETH Brussels 2023 DAO Energy 2023 Anna Ridler 2022 BLING 2021
📰 Media

Work with me

Consulting, workshops, and expertise in decentralized trust and trusted AI agents.