Hey, I’m Steven Buccini (pronounced “boo-chee-knee”). I’m happiest when I am working with passionate and principled people on things that matter.

Previously, I worked as a software engineer at Affirm, Apple, and Uber. I also explored the tech policy space at the Aspen Tech Policy Hub, ran for the North Carolina House of Representatives, and started several failed companies.

Currently, I am primarily thinking about so-called “Advanced Persistent Threats”. I find them fascinating for several reasons. First, they are typically the most technically-sophisticated actors, forcing me to use all the tools my own engineering skill set. Second, since many members of this category are nation-state actors they sit at the intersection of technology, public policy, national security, and philosophy. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, it is one of the few areas of tech (and tech policy, more specifically) where there are bright lines between good and evil.

Some questions in particular that I am interested in thinking through: How does the mere existence of APTs impact long-term strategic planning? How will their capabilities be blended with kinetic operations? Are there no-go zones on the internet, and if so, where are they? How will power dynamics change as these capabilities become available to more and more actors, some (many? most?) of whom will not represent any formal organization? And perhaps most importantly, what technological and policy tools do we have at our disposal to deter and counter these threats?

Over the past few years, both software supply chain security and silicon manufacturing (more precisely, the lack thereof in the United States) have been the center of attention in both Silicon Valley and the Beltway. I’m most interested in a question that lies at the intersection of these two issues: is it even possible to build trustable hardware? Andrew Huang makes a convincing case that the answer is no. But if bunnie is right, does it even matter if we can build perfectly secure software if we can’t be absolutely sure that the hardware it’s running on is secure?

I studied Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at UC Berkeley. The best part about going to Cal was, without question, the people. I am fortunate to have met so many smart, driven, and principled folks who have gone on to work on a variety of truly interesting projects and problems. One of the great joys of my career thus far has been supporting and collaborating with my friends with Cal in a professional capacity, sharing their successes and defeats. The strength and success of this network is one of the main reasons I’m interested in risk pooling.

I was born and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina. I’m extremely proud to be a native North Carolinian and from Greensboro specifically. I am always looking to connect and work with other ambitious young folks in North Carolina to take advantage of the tremendous opportunity present throughout the state.