Sishir Varghese is the Co-Founder and CEO of Spectral Finance, a company focused on verifiable machine intelligence and decentralized credit scoring in Web3. Varghese has a background in architecture and experience in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space.

Overview

Sishir Varghese is an entrepreneur and technology leader in the blockchain and decentralized finance (DeFi) space. He is primarily known as the CEO and Co-Founder of Spectral Finance, a company developing tools for on-chain credit risk assessment and decentralized credit scoring. Spectral Finance aims to provide a marketplace for verifiable machine intelligence, ensuring accuracy, verification, and IP protection for modelers.

Varghese's work is centered around leveraging machine learning (ML) and blockchain technology to create decentralized and transparent systems for credit scoring and risk assessment. Spectral's initial challenge involves building a decentralized credit score in Web3, offering cash and revenue share incentives to participants. The company's Multi-Asset Credit Risk Oracle (MACRO) Score is designed to function as an on-chain equivalent to a traditional FICO score, enabling users to check their creditworthiness using on-chain data.

Prior to Spectral Finance, Varghese gained experience in architecture and also worked with blockchain projects like Loopring and Gitcoin, contributing to his understanding of both traditional and decentralized systems. His educational background includes studies at Columbia University and Macaulay Honors College at The City University of New York. ^{[1] [3] [4]}

Education

• Columbia University: Varghese attended Columbia University, though the specific degree and field of study are not specified.
• Macaulay Honors College at The City University of New York: Varghese also attended Macaulay Honors College, but details regarding his degree and field of study are not available. ^{[1] [2] [5]}

Career

Sishir Varghese's career path is a compelling narrative of diverse experiences converging to shape a leader in the decentralized finance space. His journey began with a foundation in architecture, where he cultivated analytical and design skills as an architect at The Jerde Partnership from October 2015 to November 2017. This role provided him with a unique perspective on structure and system design, skills that would later prove invaluable in the world of blockchain.

Seeking new challenges and driven by an interest in emerging technologies, Varghese transitioned into the blockchain space in February 2018. He joined Loopring as a Strategic Partner, a position he held until August 2020. During this period, he immersed himself in the intricacies of blockchain technology, gaining hands-on experience and a deep understanding of its potential. This experience at Loopring was pivotal, providing him with the technical and strategic insights necessary to navigate the complexities of decentralized systems.

In 2020, Varghese's career trajectory took another significant step forward when he was selected as a Kernel Fellow at Gitcoin from August to October. This fellowship offered a collaborative environment where he could connect with like-minded individuals and further refine his understanding of open-source development and decentralized communities. The Kernel Fellowship allowed Varghese to explore the intersection of technology and community, solidifying his vision for a more inclusive and transparent financial system.

The culmination of these diverse experiences and a growing passion for decentralized finance led Varghese to co-found Spectral Finance in June 2020. As the CEO and Co-Founder, he now leads a team dedicated to pioneering innovative solutions in on-chain credit risk assessment and decentralized credit scoring. Under his leadership, Spectral Finance is building the Multi-Asset Credit Risk Oracle (MACRO) Score, aiming to revolutionize credit scoring in the Web3 space. Varghese's journey from architecture to blockchain and decentralized finance showcases his adaptability, entrepreneurial spirit, and commitment to building a more transparent and accessible financial future. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]}

Interviews

AI Agents and Intent-Centric Web3 #01

On September 5, 2024, Sishir Varghese participated in an episode of The Blockcrunch Podcast with Jason Choi, where he discussed the future of user and developer experience (UX/DX) in Web3, with a particular focus on the use of AI agents to support mass adoption. The conversation highlighted Spectrum’s evolving approach—shifting from decentralized credit scoring to the creation of an on-chain AI agent economy designed to simplify blockchain interactions.

According to Varghese, the central concept is “intent-centric design,” where users can express goals in natural language and have AI agents—powered by Large Language Models (LLMs)—autonomously execute tasks such as financial transactions and trading. These agents would operate on an "Infer Chain," a decentralized infrastructure that standardizes their behavior and enables ownership and revenue generation.

The discussion acknowledged technical and ethical challenges. Key concerns included the difficulty of achieving deterministic AI outputs in financial contexts, the gas costs associated with AI operations on-chain, and the importance of building user interfaces that reduce friction for non-technical users. Varghese emphasized the necessity for transparent agent logic, distinguishing Spectrum from opaque platforms like Numerai, while also recognizing the need to preserve elements of proprietary knowledge.

The vision outlined during the podcast extended beyond financial automation. Varghese alluded to a broader collaborative economy where AI agents could task-share across domains, provided ethical governance frameworks evolve alongside technological capabilities. As Spectrum prepared for launch, the conversation underscored the importance of democratizing access and prioritizing user-friendly design to onboard a wider audience into the AI-agent-enabled Web3 space. ^[12]

On-Chain Credit and Financial Reputation #02

On March 8, 2023, Sishir Varghese appeared on the ETHDenver channel to discuss the role of financial reputation in decentralized finance (DeFi). In the talk, he emphasized the growing importance of developing a native credit assessment system tailored for Web3, arguing that the absence of a robust reputation layer is one of the core gaps in DeFi’s current infrastructure.

According to Varghese, a “Web3 credit score” would rely on users’ on-chain transaction histories to evaluate creditworthiness, eliminating the need for traditional credit bureaus and allowing for more inclusive access to financial services. This approach, he suggested, could particularly benefit individuals in emerging markets and populations historically excluded from conventional financial systems.

He critiqued the monopolized structure of existing credit scoring institutions and highlighted the inefficiencies and errors frequently found in traditional models. In contrast, a decentralized credit reputation system could introduce transparency, reduce reliance on centralized gatekeepers, and improve capital efficiency in DeFi lending by allowing lenders to adjust terms based on borrower-specific risk profiles.

The presentation also addressed broader implications, including the integration of DeFi financial histories into traditional finance (TradFi), the customization of credit assessment models per protocol, and the possibility of extending credit scores to DAOs based on collective treasury behavior and governance patterns. Through this lens, Varghese positioned on-chain financial reputation as a foundational element for advancing equitable and efficient financial infrastructure within decentralized ecosystems. ^[13]