S4E26 VanEck Ventures: The State of Web3 VCs w. Juan Lopez
Time to pay attention when one of the world's largest Investment Managers leans into Crypto ETFs, Digital Assets and creates its own VC arm: VanEck Ventures. But what's their current outlook on the market and the technology?Juan Lopez, an experienced Web3 investor, is General Partner at VanEck Ventures (and formerly of Circle Ventures) and is looking to make 25-35 investments of tickets between $500k to $1M. As such, he has to understand the current industry requirements, investment narratives, and be able to sort the quality projects from the hype... He's also looking at the intersection between Fintech and AI to better observe how Blockchain and Digital Assets can offer transformation in TradFi and 'traditional' industries.On this show we cover:- Juan’s background and experience in Blockchain and Digital Assets- The VanEck story, and their involvement in Web3- VanEck Ventures - the investment thesis, where they have invested to-date, and what else they are looking to invest in- How traditional financial institutions are looking at Digital Assets today (e.g. Bitcoin, Blockchains, Stablecoins)- What more is needed to see widespread adoption of Digital Assets and Web3 technology
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49:13
S4E25 Celo: Using Blockchain for Everyday Payments w. Isha Varshney
Why aren't a billion people using Blockchains and Crypto everyday? We explore use cases, particularly payments, with Isha from Celo - an Ethereum L2 focused on 'real world adoption'...You wouldn't pay for coffee with your pension... So assuming that Bitcoin (cited by many as a 'digital gold') doesn't fit for everyday usage, what else can we use to get the benefits of Blockchain technology?Celo has been focusing on this particular problem since inception, and in this episode we're going to zoom in specifically on:- Why Ethereum needs L2s- The mission and vision of Celo to drive 'real world' adoption- Use cases that are gaining traction today: In Africa and beyond- Whether Blockchain is a good 'fit' for everyday payments- And what more is needed to see wider adoption
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50:35
S4E24 MultiversX: How to Build the Perfect Blockchain w. Beniamin Mincu
Why does the world need another Blockchain when we have Ethereum? This is the exact question Beniamin and the Elrond (now MultiversX) team pondered in 2017. And have been comprehensively answering ever since.'First Generation' Blockchains like Bitcoin have managed to pass the test of time due to their simplicity. However smart contract chains have evolved, and different protocols have started offering improvements on early-stage designs,In this episode, we cover:- An objective view on the current state of Layer 1 (and Layer 2) Blockchains- What it takes to drive REAL adoption of decentralised technology- An unscripted deep dive into the world of AI for Blockchains- What MultiversX does differently in terms of developer experience, user experience and performance- Learnings from Beniamin's own content creation journey with the Full Shard Podcast- The road ahead - what's next for the MultiversX roadmap
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54:31
S4E23 TON: Bringing 1Bn Blockchain Users to Telegram w. Jack Booth
Is this (finally) 'Mass Adoption'? TON may have finally cracked how to put Blockchain and Crypto into the hands of Billions, but how did they get there? And how do you build a blossoming community in the process?Jack Booth, Co-founder of TON Society, a grassroots movement supporting the TON Blockchain community, will share his insight and experience on how we grow vibrant and meaningful communities with Web3 technology. As well as sharing an insider's view into the rapid rise of the TON network.On this show we'll cover:- Introduction to TON and TON Society- The importance of communities for Blockchains projects- What TON Society is doing differently to attract developers and drive engagement- What more is needed to see wider use of Blockchain and DApps
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49:55
S4E22 Supra: From Oracles to Interoperability w. Josh Tobkin (CEO, Supra.com)
We may be entering the 'end game' for Blockchain and Web3, with different chains being connected seamlessly. But what happens next in this interoperable, connected world?
Supra have been working to provide Web3 with trusted data for 4-years, and now are moving to the next stage of their evolution: 'MultiVM'.
On this podcast, Josh takes us through:
- The history of Supra
- The importance of Oracles
- Why we have failed to deliver meaningful interoperability so far - What is a 'MultiVM'?
- If we've solved for connectivity between chains, what more is required to see widespread adoption of Web3
Note: Sorry for the poor audio quality on Anthony's mic. Still some teething issues with the new recording setup!
Cutting through the hype, telling inspiring stories from people and organisations who are creating real change in the world with Blockchain and Exponential technologies.
Listened to in 150+ countries worldwide.
Hosted by: Anthony Day, Blockchain Leader at Midnight
Brasil