Tommy Alastra and Hugo McDonaugh Balances Each Other Out To Create Cryptograph, Utilizing Digital Scarcity Like Never Before

Welcome to another episode of Action & Ambition with your host, Phillip Lanos. Today’s guests are Tommy Alastra and Hugo McDonaugh. Tommy Alastra is a producer and actor, known for The Iceman (2012), Dallas in Wonderland, and Jackals (2017). Tommy is the co-founder of Cryptograph.  Hugo McDonaugh graduated from Warwick University back in 2013. He went on to work in wealth management at the C. Hoare & Co. private bank in London. After a year of working there, he decided to pursue a master’s at ICBS, which is where he met fellow Cryptograph co-founders. Hugo is a big believer in the idea of sustainable philanthropy, and he is the Director of an Education technology and consultancy business that works between the UK and China. You’re going to love this episode. Let’s get to it! How did Cryptograph come to be? (0:37) Back in late 2017, NFT tokenization on unique content was getting started on Aetherium.  Hugo and two of his co-founders were looking at the space and decided they had to do something there.  They had an incredible opportunity and level of innovation that was happening in the space.  The concept of NFT’s and the ability to create digital scarcity was a huge part of the opportunity.  They looked at what they could take from the physical world, what people could not collect digitally with this layer of scarcity. They started this idea of autographs.  People used to collect autographs physically, so Hugo and his co-founders brought them to the digital world.  That was why Cryptograph was created; it then morphed into different beasts.  After a year of development, they raised their seed, and they got the idea on paper out there.  The technology was built, and they had the platform ready, but they needed to find the supply side of the market.  They had to find the content and the creators. Hugo and the other co-founders had a tech background but not an entertainment background, so they needed to find the missing link.  Through a relative of Hugo, who was in London at the time. Hugo met with him and told him the idea behind Cryptography and what they were missing. Hugo’s relative had said he needed to speak to a friend of his.  From that connection came Tommy, and that was where Hugo and Tommy’s relationship started.  What piece were they missing to make Cryptograph Succesful? (6:08) Hugo and Tommy met and Tommy’s guys in the domain space kind of vetted the tech which was something they needed. As an entrepreneur, we often put people in the room who can answer questions we don’t often have the answers to.  Being a successful entrepreneur is largely based on bringing in people for your weaknesses.  As an executive producer, part of T%ommy’s job is bringing elements in and allow them to do their respective duties and give them the dignity of the experience.  Tommy wanted the best answer about this auction system the guys had invented.  Tommy thought they could license it outside of the domain space and domain world. Because they loved technology, they wanted to participate in the parent company and close their round essentially.  They got more than a licensed partner; they got a partner and some significant assets to go along with their business.  They are excited for the next phase of Cryptograph to launch in about nine months. Cryptograph and digital scarcity and snackfood content, people can connect with their favourite icons and artists and have a little piece of their idols.   Cryptograph was born to be cryptology with autographs. Cryptograph Cryptograph Technologies is committed to helping clients solve their business challenges and drive value with comprehensive IT solutions and digital services. Since its inception in 2010 as a Middleware support provider, Cryptograph has come a long way in the technology business—expanding its operations overseas and proliferating service capabilities across more than 16 industries. We now have a growing workforce of over 1500 and are present in 6 countries, including the USA, South Africa, and India.  Resources Connect with Tommy: IMDB Connect with Hugo: LinkedIn Cryptology: Website Connect with Phillip: LinkedIn