Tenderly’s Visual TestNets allow developers to build dApps with real network data, bypassing traditional public testnets for faster, safer development.
Andrej Bencic is a Serbian software engineer and entrepreneur, serving as co-founder and CEO of Tenderly, a full-stack platform that supports Web3 developers in building, testing, and monitoring Ethereum-based applications. With broad experience in creating and scaling development tools, he specializes in improving developer workflows and infrastructure for the Ethereum ecosystem.
Andrej Bencic earned his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Software Engineering from PMC in Belgrade, Serbia, in 2020. He began his professional journey in December 2013 as a backend developer at Norm in Belgrade, where he gained foundational experience in server-side systems until mid-2015.
From July 2015 to September 2016, Bencic worked at Devana Technologies, a Serbian startup behind the ManageWP platform for managing WordPress sites. He contributed to the platform’s second version, focusing on site analysis tools, core features, and backup infrastructure.
Following GoDaddy’s acquisition of ManageWP, he continued at GoDaddy Belgrade from September 2016 to September 2018, integrating ManageWP into GoDaddy’s infrastructure while maintaining the standalone product. During his final year, he led a small team exploring new ManageWP components using GoDaddy’s internal technology stack.
Between October 2018 and June 2019, Bencic joined MVP Workshop, a blockchain-focused development agency. He initially worked in research on a decentralized book marketplace, balancing privacy, ownership, and content distribution. He later focused on backend development for a decentralized borrowing and lending platform and led a project to build a managed wallet solution, along with a decentralized affiliate and payment processing system on Ethereum.
In August 2018, Bencic co-founded Tenderly and currently serves as CEO. He has overseen the development and maintenance of Tenderly’s cloud infrastructure, enabling developers to monitor, analyze, and optimize Ethereum smart contracts, and has played a key role in shaping the platform’s growth and impact in the Web3 ecosystem.
In a February 2022 Chair Podcast interview, Andrej Bencic talked about his engineering background and early blockchain experience, explaining how gaps in developer tools inspired Tenderly. He shared how the team shaped the platform through user feedback and focused on building trust and long-term relationships rather than traditional sales. He also touched on Tenderly’s growth from seed funding to Series A, which allowed the company to expand its product and operations.
Bencic highlighted how developer intuition and customer input guided innovation, including tweaking features that didn’t initially catch on. As the team grew, challenges shifted from technical execution to maintaining culture. He also reflected on blockchain as an evolving technology and shared the story behind Tenderly’s name.
Tenderly has introduced Visual TestNets, a next-generation Web3 infrastructure that lets developers build dApps without relying on traditional public testnets. By using Virtual TestNets, teams can now develop and test applications with real mainnet data, streamlining the development process and making it easier to experiment and iterate in a safe, realistic environment.
Andrej Bencic’s vision is to make blockchain development simpler and more accessible for developers. With Tenderly, he’s building tools that let teams test, monitor, and optimize decentralized applications using real network data, overcoming the limits of traditional workflows. He focuses on learning from users, iterating on feedback, and fostering trust, creating an ecosystem where developers can confidently experiment and grow in the fast-evolving Web3 landscape.
Andrej Bencic’s story shows how passion, vision, and hands-on experience can shape the future of Web3. From his early days as a backend developer to leading Tenderly, he has focused on making development tools that truly help creators build, test, and grow their projects with confidence. With innovations like Visual TestNets and a focus on learning from users, Bencic is helping make the blockchain space more accessible, practical, and exciting for developers everywhere. His journey is a reminder that combining curiosity, trust, and innovation can drive real change in the fast-moving world of decentralized technology.
