Meet the team - Alex Stoicescu
Alex Stoicescu
Aug 10, 2023
7 min.
In the ever-changing landscape of the internet, some individuals possess an innate ability to thrive in the virtual realm, forging vibrant communities that bring people together. Today, we explore the journey of one such person – Alex Stoicescu, in charge of Communications & Community for Request Network.
Alex grew up in Bucharest, Romania, and greatly benefited from the fall of the Iron Curtain – Internet access was very cheap, and all infrastructure was upgraded with fiber optics. When a family friend gifted Alex a US Robotics 14.4kbps modem, it did not take long for him to find his way into IRC chatrooms, especially on Undernet (one of Europe’s most popular IRC networks then). Discovering a haven of connection, collaboration, and friendship, Alex spent countless nights building bridges between communities (channels), which landed him his first job as a teenager – a volunteer gig for the Documents Committee of Undernet, writing and maintaining all documentation related to the IRC network and its operations. This early experience cultivated a deep understanding of technology, laying the foundation for Alex’s future endeavors.
The next chapter of Alex’s online adventures starts as the age of IRC chatrooms begins to fade. Social networks were just popping up (remember hi5 and its’ profile customization options?). Still, something was gaining more traction in Europe – P2P filesharing networks, with Direct Connect as a clear winner in the battle of protocols & clients. With determination and dedication, Alex cultivated a vast network of Direct Connect hubs, creating the largest P2P filesharing network in the world, boasting over 30,000 users at any given point across the hubs. It was his first time seeing petabytes of shared, real data in one place. Obviously, non-copyrighted material *wink*
While excelling in the virtual world, Alex recognized the importance of tangible, real-life connections. Venturing into various communities (he was one of the first members in lots of anime-themed communities in Romania) while working his first full-time job at a bank in the Cards & Settlement department, he received exposure to different spheres of life, broadening his perspective and enriching his understanding of community dynamics.
Wishing for more profound connections and authentic experiences, Alex took a leap of faith and started organizing events under his own brand – from club nights to forest festivals and warehouse raves, this new venture required a diverse skill set. He was exposed to the entire entrepreneurial process of setting up and managing a business (bonus points for doing it in Eastern Europe), doing everything from artist & venue bookings, event management, writing press releases, and social media (at its dawn nonetheless) to negotiating contracts with brands such as Red Bull or Smirnoff. Some of his coolest bookings are Dub FX, Baauer, and Borgore.
After a tragic incident in one of Bucharest’s most popular clubs, Alex leveraged his passion for technology, events, and communities to get hired at Ubisoft (the one and only game developer and publisher), in their Bucharest development studio, with almost 2000 employees. He handled employee engagement, events, and internal communications – basically community management and engagement for many hardcore gamers and developers.
The world of cryptocurrencies piqued Alex’s interest way back when VICE was (still) doing quality journalism. It was not until accessibility improved that he took the plunge, which coincided with the top of the 2017 bull run. Being surrounded by developers and tech-savvy folk at Ubisoft meant that someone was always talking crypto in the office, so over the years, he’s used the popular DCA strategy, initiating a transformative journey into the web3 space.
We’re now moving into the present time, starting with Alex’s relocation to Berlin. A new role as a community manager for the Engineering & Product Management department at AUTO1 (the biggest car digital marketplace in Europe) brought fresh opportunities. Still, it was during the pandemic when Alex’s passion for crypto and web3 tech truly flourished. Immersing himself in crypto communities on all platforms, Alex found a sense of belonging and purpose, taking another leap of faith and quitting their job to pursue a future within the web3 world, with Request Network, one of the OG protocols of the industry.
As he continues to pave his way in the web3 space, our community superhero inspires all those willing to take risks and embrace the transformative power of decentralized technologies. The future is in the hands of those who dare to explore the uncharted and embrace the possibilities of tomorrow!
Want to talk to Alex Stoicescu? It’s as simple as joining our Discord – see you there!
