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From land record digitization in rural Dantewada to reimagining Web3 advertising: Ava Labs’ Devika Mittal on Scaling Avalanche in India
The next frontier for blockchain isn’t crypto hype, but it’s infrastructure that solves real-world challenges, from rural land digitization to reimagining how we advertise, transact, and build in the Web3 era.
When blockchain shifts from buzz to real infrastructure, leaders like Devika Mittal, Regional Head, Ava Labs, are at the helm. As the first Regional Head of Ava Labs in India, the company behind Avalanche, she is driving real-world adoption across enterprises, developers, and government systems. With a global background spanning Okcoin, Microsoft, Yale, and Wharton, Devika is leading Avalanche’s expansion in India through projects like land record digitization in Dantewada and innovations in Web3 advertising.
In this interview, Devika opens up about Avalanche’s enterprise roadmap, the upcoming Avalanche9000 upgrade, and how Ava Labs is scaling its developer ecosystem for India’s Tier-2 towns and beyond. She shares eye-opening thoughts on cross-border compliance, the urgent need for blockchain policy clarity, and why bringing more women into decision-making roles is essential to crypto’s future.
From FIFA partnership to land record digitization in rural Dantewada to Web3 advertising, Avalanche is touching real-world systems. What’s next in Ava Labs' roadmap to deepen institutional adoption in India and globally?
Avalanche is making waves well beyond the crypto space, with its technology now driving real-world applications - from FIFA's blockchain initiatives to digitizing land records in rural India and revolutionizing Web3 advertising.
Looking ahead to 2025, Avalanche's enterprise strategy hinges on major performance upgrades. Our Avalanche9000 upgrade aims to process transactions in less than a second - a game-changer for businesses and regulated industries that need lightning-fast processing.
Ava Labs is rolling out practical solutions for industries like finance, supply chain, real estate, advertising, and healthcare. We are tackling the issues that matter most to big organizations: handling massive transaction volumes, keeping data private, and staying compliant with regulations.
To make our platform more accessible, Avalanche plans to slash transaction fees, making it more affordable for both businesses and government agencies to jump on board. We are also investing heavily in our developer community through the Multi Grants Program and user-friendly platforms like build.avax.network, helping fund promising startups, research, and innovative use cases.
It's clear that Avalanche is going all-in on building a platform that's fast, connected, and flexible enough to attract serious institutional players from around the globe.
How is Ava Labs tailoring its blockchain infrastructure to suit the unique constraints, like low internet penetration or local language support of India's tier-2 and rural developer communities?
Ava Labs is working aggressively to make Avalanche's blockchain technology more accessible to developers in smaller Indian cities and rural areas. We deeply understand the real challenges these communities face - from spotty internet connections to the need for solutions in local languages.
To make things easier for developers just starting out, we have launched AvaCloud, a user-friendly platform that lets you build custom blockchains without needing deep technical knowledge. Think of it as training wheels for blockchain development - it's affordable and straightforward, perfect for developers in smaller towns who want to dive into blockchain innovation.
Ava Labs has built a dedicated team right here in India, staffed with people who really get the local context. We have also set aside funding specifically for Indian projects. By keeping our team local and nimble, we can actually respond to the day-to-day challenges developers face, whether it's dealing with unreliable internet or varying levels of tech experience.
With cross-border blockchain transactions gaining momentum, what are the biggest security and compliance challenges you see, and how can global standards evolve to keep pace with decentralized innovation?
Cross-border blockchain transactions are reshaping how we think about global finance and trade, but let's be real - there are some major hurdles we need to tackle before this technology can really take off. Trust me, I've seen these challenges firsthand.
The biggest headache? Every country seems to have its own rulebook when it comes to blockchain and crypto. What's perfectly fine in one country might get you in hot water in another. That's why organizations like FATF are stepping up to create some common ground rules that everyone can work with, while still letting countries maintain their own specific requirements.
Then there's the whole KYC/AML concern. It's tricky to verify who's who in blockchain transactions while keeping them anonymous - kind of like trying to shake someone's hand while wearing a blindfold. Digital ID solutions and DIDs are helping bridge this gap, making it possible to verify identities without exposing sensitive information.
Privacy is another big concern, especially with strict laws like GDPR in play. Nobody wants their sensitive data floating around where it shouldn't be. And don't even get me started on the interoperability issues - right now, different blockchain networks are like people speaking different languages without a translator. We're seeing some promising solutions emerge, though, with new protocols that help these networks talk to each other.
These aren't just theoretical problems - they're real challenges that need practical solutions if we want blockchain to become a mainstream part of global finance.
What are the biggest challenges still holding women back from becoming decision-makers in the crypto industry, and how can we overcome them?
Breaking into crypto as a woman isn't easy - I've witnessed how gender bias and old-school thinking can hold talented people back. It's frustrating to still deal with stereotypes about women in tech and finance in 2025, especially when you look at the leadership stats and see how few women are in decision-making roles.
But things are starting to change. More companies are getting serious about diversity, setting up mentoring programs, and actively recruiting women leaders. It's inspiring to see successful women in crypto sharing their stories and showing what's possible. Currently, women make up about 35% of the tech workforce. This is a significant improvement from the early 2000s, when women only made up 9%.
The bigger challenge is getting more women access to crypto education and training. While there are some great programs out there offering scholarships and workshops specifically for women to learn blockchain tech, we need more of them. The knowledge gap is real, but it's fixable with the right resources and support.
The tech world in general is becoming more welcoming to women in STEM, which gives me hope for crypto's future. We're not where we need to be yet, but I'm seeing more women break through and succeed in this space every day. The momentum is building - we just need to keep pushing forward.
Blockchain has entered government systems in India, but at a micro scale. What regulatory clarity or public-private action is needed to scale these initiatives nationally?
India's journey with blockchain in government has been fascinating to watch, especially at the local level. But let's be real - taking these initiatives nationwide isn't going to be a walk in the park. We need to work at a war level to make things happen.
First, we urgently need clear rules of the game. Right now, India lacks solid blockchain regulations, which leaves everyone second-guessing themselves. Think about it - how can any organization confidently invest in blockchain when they're not sure if they're playing by the right rules? We need a national policy that spells out exactly how blockchain can be used across different sectors, while tackling the thorny issues of privacy and security.
Then there's the money question. The government can't foot the entire bill alone, nor should it. This is where partnerships with private companies come in handy. Private firms bring the technical know-how and funding, while the government provides the framework and oversight. It's a win-win situation that could really speed things up.
Lastly, we need to test the waters before diving in. Rolling out pilot projects across different states makes perfect sense - it's like a dress rehearsal before the main show. Creating safe spaces for experimentation (what the tech folks call "sandboxes") lets us iron out the kinks without fear of penalties.
Get these pieces in place, and India could really transform how it governs using blockchain. The potential is huge - we just need to get the basics right first.
