Amir Haleem, the founder of Nova Labs and creator of the Helium decentralized wireless network, is no longer CEO. Mario Di Dio took over the role on Thursday, as announced in a blog post on the Helium website. Haleem will remain with the company as chairman.
A change in leadership
The transition was detailed in a post written by Di Dio himself. He wrote that handing over the CEO duties was a decision that had been in the works for some time. Haleem, who founded the company nearly a decade ago, will now focus on the board-level strategy and long-term vision for both Nova Labs and the Helium network. Di Dio, previously Nova Labs' chief operating officer, takes the helm at a critical moment. The company's flagship token, HNT, has lost 99% of its value since its peak.
The state of Helium and HNT
Helium promised a new kind of wireless network — one built and run by users who deploy hotspots and earn tokens for providing coverage. At its height, the project attracted tens of thousands of participants and billions in market capitalization. But HNT's collapse mirrors a broader crypto winter and questions about adoption. The network has struggled to attract paying customers for its 5G and IoT services, even as thousands of hotspots sit idle. HNT currently trades for pennies, down from an all-time high above $50.
What comes next
Di Dio inherits a company with a clear technological vision but uncertain revenue. The new CEO has stressed building real-world utility for the Helium network, including partnerships with mobile carriers and IoT device makers. Whether the token can recover as the network expands remains an open question — one that will define Nova Labs' next chapter.
