Martin Kleppmann

Dr. Martin Kleppmann is an Associate Professor at the University of Cambridge, specializing in local-first software and security protocols. He leads research in distributed systems, focusing on decentralized architectures, collaborative editing tools, and cryptographic methods. As a key contributor to the Automerge open-source project, he bridges academic innovation with real-world applications. Formerly a research fellow at TU Munich (2022–2023) and Cambridge (2015–2022), he has also worked as a software engineer and startup founder, including LinkedIn (acquired 2012).

Research Interests span Distributed Systems Security, Conflict-Free Replicated Data Types (CRDTs), Collaborative Software, and Cryptography. His work addresses challenges in decentralized social networks, privacy-preserving protocols, and efficient data synchronization. Recent projects include Kintsugi (end-to-end encrypted key recovery) and Pudding (private user discovery for anonymity networks).

Publications emphasize

• Collaborative text editing (2025: Eg-walker, 2023: The Art of the Fugue)
• CRDTs for JSON and trees (2021, 2017)
• Privacy in decentralized systems (2024: Pudding, 2025: Emission Impossible)

Scientific Awards include

• Gilles Muller Best Artifact Award (EuroSys 2025)
• Distinguished Paper & Artifact Awards (OOPSLA 2017)
• Best Presentation Awards (Security Protocols Workshop 2018, PaPoC 2025)