# Founder and CEO, Digital Bazaar

Source: https://startwithidentity.com/experts/manu-sporny/
Last updated: 2026-09-20
License: content by Start with Identity. Cite the source URL.

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## Bio

Manu Sporny founded Digital Bazaar and helped start the W3C work that became Verifiable Credentials, Decentralized Identifiers, and JSON-LD. Verifiable Credentials 2.0 reached W3C Recommendation in 2025.

Profile built from public W3C and company records.

## Where their work shows up

[Verifiable credentials](https://startwithidentity.com/standards/verifiable-credentials/) and [DIDs](https://startwithidentity.com/standards/decentralized-identifiers-did/) are the data model under nearly every wallet-based identity scheme now being deployed, including the [EUDI wallet](https://startwithidentity.com/standards/eidas-2-eudi-wallet/) and mobile driving licences. The design goal is selective disclosure: proving you are over eighteen without handing over a birth date, address, and document number. See [what is decentralized identity](https://startwithidentity.com/guides/fundamentals/what-is-decentralized-identity/) and the [best verifiable credential platforms](https://startwithidentity.com/rankings/best-verifiable-credential-platforms/) ranking.