Chainlink Labs and its token LINK are surging after the platform announced that former Alphabet ($GOOGL@US) CEO, Eric Schmidt, has joined the team as a strategic advisor. In a statement, Schmidt noted, “Chainlink is a secret ingredient to unlocking the potential of smart contract platforms and revolutionizing business and society.” Additionally, Chainlink announced a Cross-Chain Compatibility Protocol which provides a universal and open standard for developers to build secure apps across any network. As part of the announcement, Chainlink said it wants to connect to “real world” systems. Currently, the Chainlink network consists of Deutsche Telekom’s T-Systems, Swisscom AG, and the Associated Press among others. At press time, LINK was trading at just over $22, up over 11% on the day after falling over 15% in the previous week.