Ape Unit GmbH is a Berlin-based digital studio known for its innovative work in blockchain, decentralization, and climate-tech. Working here was my first international experience and a formative chapter in my career.
The Blockchain Explorer
My primary project was building the Aeternity Blockchain Explorer — a sophisticated web application that lets users explore the Aeternity blockchain in real time. The explorer allows users to:
- Browse transactions, mined blocks, and account balances
- Search for specific transactions, blocks, or addresses
- View network statistics and chain health
- Inspect smart contract deployments and interactions
🔗 Links:
Technical Decisions
We built the explorer using Vue.js with a component-based architecture. The key technical challenges included:
- Real-time data: WebSocket connections to blockchain nodes for live block/transaction updates
- Search performance: Implementing efficient search across millions of blockchain records
- Data visualization: Clean, intuitive displays for complex blockchain data structures
Building a Team in India
Beyond coding, I took on a leadership role by establishing and managing a new tech team of four developers in India. This involved:
- Recruiting and onboarding developers remotely
- Setting up Agile workflows (sprints, standups, retrospectives)
- Coordinating across time zones between Berlin and India
- Overseeing the complete product development lifecycle
Technologies Used
Vue.js · JavaScript · SCSS · HTML · WebSockets · REST APIs
This role taught me that building software across continents is as much about communication and process as it is about code.