Archebyte

Ash sits down with Archetype’s newest team member, Dmitriy Berenzon, for a wide ranging conversation. The two discuss the crypto ecosystems of NYC and SF, hardware becoming cool again, weird stuff at the intersection of AI and blockchain, and being both thesis and founder driven.

Dmitriy is the newest Partner here at Archetype, and will be driving research, investments, portfolio support, and fund strategy. He was previously a Research Partner at 1k(x), where he focused on research, investments, and working with founders on fundraising, business development, and token model design. 

📬 To keep up with the latest from Archebyte and receive articles and research from the rest of the Archetype team, subscribe to our newsletter: http://eepurl.com/iCApL2

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⌛ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

1:05 Dmitriy’s background

3:18 NYC vs. SF crypto ecosystems

8:30 What Dmitriy is on the lookout for in 2024

10:49 Today’s crypto infrastructure

12:46 UX and abstraction

15:17 Building for consumers and crypto-natives

19:13 DePIN, DeVIN, and hardware becoming cool again

23:47 Digiphysical

27:16 Modular vs. monolithic

30:34 Will Solana become modular?

32:46 ZK potential

39:16 AI meets crypto

44:31 Being thesis and founder driven

47:49 Outro

👋 FOLLOW US

Ash: https://twitter.com/AshAEgan

Dmitriy: https://twitter.com/dberenzon

Archetype: https://twitter.com/archetypevc

🌐 LINKS

Archetype: https://www.archetype.fund/

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DISCLAIMER: The information in this video is the opinion of the speaker(s) only and is for informational purposes only. You should not construe it as investment advice, tax advice, or legal advice, and it does not represent any entity's opinion but those of the speaker(s). For investment or legal advice, please seek a duly licensed professional.

Another rollercoaster of a year in crypto has come and gone. To kick off 2024, we reached out to some founders and builders to get their takeaways from 2023 and perspectives on where crypto is headed in the new year. 

Our guests for this episode are:

• Ash Egan, Founder of Archetype
• Asta Li, Co-founder of Privy
• Nick Johnson, Lead Developer of ENS
• Sheila Warren, CEO of Crypto Council for Innovation

There’s a lot to be excited about, but some common threads formed around web3 social, onchain gaming, continued progress on the UX front, and crypto finally reaching consumers in a meaningful way. 

📬 To keep up with the latest from Archebyte and receive articles and research from the rest of the Archetype team, subscribe to our newsletter: http://eepurl.com/iCApL2

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⌛ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

1:15 Biggest crypto developments

12:03 Themes we’re excited about

14:25 Predictions for this year’s crypto apps

15:18 What keeps us excited

👋 FOLLOW US

Ash: https://twitter.com/AshAEgan

Asta: https://twitter.com/asta_li

Nick: https://twitter.com/nicksdjohnson

Sheila: https://twitter.com/sheila_warren

Archetype: https://twitter.com/archetypevc

Katherine: https://twitter.com/katherineykwu

🌐 LINKS

Archetype: https://www.archetype.fund/

Privy: https://www.privy.io/

ENS: https://ens.domains/

CCI: https://cryptoforinnovation.org/

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DISCLAIMER: The information in this video is the opinion of the speaker(s) only and is for informational purposes only. You should not construe it as investment advice, tax advice, or legal advice, and it does not represent any entity's opinion but those of the speaker(s). For investment or legal advice, please seek a duly licensed professional.

On this episode of Archebyte, Katherine Wu and fellow Archetype team member, Nick Pai, are joined by the CEO and co-founder of Risk Labs, Hart Lambur, to talk bridges, L2s, and interoperability.

Hart and Risk Labs are best known for creating UMA, an optimistic oracle, and Across Protocol, a crosschain bridge. In the multichain future that is quickly becoming the present, infrastructure like oracles, bridges, and sequencers play crucial roles. But, these tools that are meant to facilitate interoperability between blockchains still have plenty of room for improvement.

During our conversation, we dig into the problems that bridges currently face, how Across is designed to mitigate them, and what a safer multichain ecosystem looks like. Hart and Nick give their thoughts on centralized, decentralized, and shared sequencers, intents, and the role aggregators play in regards to bridges. They also answer the loaded question - are bridges L2s?

📬 To keep up with the latest from Archebyte and receive articles and research from the rest of the Archetype team, subscribe to our newsletter: http://eepurl.com/iCApL2

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⌛ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

2:10  The bridging problem

5:30 How Across works

8:15 Making safe bridges

15:31 L2s and centralized vs decentralized sequencers

20:05 Sequencer misconceptions?

23:35 Aggregators in bridging

27:03 L2 metrics for success

👋 FOLLOW US

Hart: https://twitter.com/hal2001

Nick: https://twitter.com/mountainwaterpi

UMA: https://uma.xyz/
Across: https://across.to/

Archetype: https://twitter.com/archetypevc

Katherine: https://twitter.com/katherineykwu

🌐 LINKS

UMA: https://uma.xyz/ 
Across: https://across.to/

Risk Labs: https://risklabs.foundation/

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DISCLAIMER: The information in this video is the opinion of the speaker(s) only and is for informational purposes only. You should not construe it as investment advice, tax advice, or legal advice, and it does not represent any entity's opinion but those of the speaker(s). For investment or legal advice, please seek a duly licensed professional.

On this episode of Archebyte, Ash Egan is joined by Lagrange’s founder and CEO, Ismael Hishon-Rezaizadeh to talk zero knowledge, storage proofs, and unlocking blockchain data.

Today, blockchains have a difficult time leveraging data from other chains, but Ismael and Lagrange are working to fix that. Leveraging ZK and storage proofs, Lagrange enables blockchains to better utilize blockchain data itself, removing the need to leverage offchain sources and the security risks that come with doing so.

Ismael walks us through using blockchains as databases, shifting trust from provers to verification layers, crosschain data access, and what all of this means for the future of crypto and onchain applications. 

📬 To keep up with the latest from Archebyte and receive articles and research from the rest of the Archetype team, subscribe to our newsletter: http://eepurl.com/iCApL2

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⌛ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

2:00 Crosschain data

3:05 Storage proof unlocks and limitations

6:40 Future storage proof use cases

10:34 Zero knowledge and inheriting trust

12:34 Advancements in ZK

14:45 Lagrange’s focus? State of crosschain data, block headers

18:56 How Ismael thinks around building a team

20:15 Where to learn more

👋 FOLLOW US

Ismael: https://twitter.com/Ismael_H_R

Lagrange: https://twitter.com/lagrangedev

Archetype: https://twitter.com/archetypevc

Ash: https://twitter.com/AshAEgan

🌐 LINKS

Lagrange Site: https://www.lagrange.dev/

Rec Proofs: lagrange.dev/recproofs

Lagrange Docs: ​​https://lagrange-labs.gitbook.io/lagrange-labs/overview/what-is-the-lagrange-protocol

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DISCLAIMER: The information in this video is the opinion of the speaker(s) only and is for informational purposes only. You should not construe it as investment advice, tax advice, or legal advice, and it does not represent any entity's opinion but those of the speaker(s). For investment or legal advice, please seek a duly licensed professional.

Until now, we have had almost no way of evaluating Ethereum validator performance. This lack of accessible data around nodes and their operators has been keeping users, builders, investors, and other validators in the dark about the very health of the Ethereum network. But Elias Simos and the Rated team have created a solution.

Elias joins us today to shed light on the state of Ethereum infrastructure. He explains the importance of accessible blockchain infrastructure data, how Rated turns that data into usable performance ratings, and how the idea came about in the first place. We also discuss the challenges that come along with building a product like Rated in a multichain world, and Elias sends us off with some advice for staying sane while working in crypto.  

📬 To keep up with the latest from Archebyte and receive articles and research from the rest of the Archetype team, subscribe to our newsletter: http://eepurl.com/iCApL2

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⌛ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

2:39 Actors in proof of stake 

9:52 Rating onchain performance 

17:21 Node, validator, and operator reputation

23:08 Multichain reputation

29:18 Health of the network

32:08 Staying sane as a crypto founder

👋 FOLLOW US

Elias: https://twitter.com/eliasimos

Rated: https://twitter.com/ratedw3b

Archetype: https://twitter.com/archetypevc

Katherine: https://twitter.com/katherineykwu

🌐 LINKS

Rated Explorer: https://www.rated.network

Elias’ Personal Site: https://eliasimos.xyz/about

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DISCLAIMER: The information in this video is the opinion of the speaker(s) only and is for informational purposes only. You should not construe it as investment advice, tax advice, or legal advice, and it does not represent any entity's opinion but those of the speaker(s). For investment or legal advice, please seek a duly licensed professional.

Welcome back to Archebyte! We’re kicking off Season 4 with a deep dive into the MEV supply chain, SAUVE, order flow auctions, and the future of programmable privacy with Shea Ketsdever from Flashbots ⚡🤖 There has been A LOT of excitement around the MEV world lately, and Flashbots is one of its biggest contributors.

Shea demystifies the MEV supply chain, walks us through each of its steps and actors, and explains just how important it has become to Ethereum (around 95% of all transactions currently pass through it). 

Zooming out, Shea breaks down the MEV supply chain’s key ingredients of privacy and commitments, how they are used to create programmable privacy, and how they might be leveraged for other uses in the future. 

We also talk about SUAVE, MEV centralization risks, the privacy-efficiency frontier, and more!

📬 To keep up with the latest from Archebyte and receive articles and research from the rest of the Archetype team, subscribe to our newsletter: http://eepurl.com/iCApL2

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⌛ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

1:34 The “right” way to pronounce MEV

2:00 Shea’s background

2:32 The MEV supply chain

9:14 What is MEV? 

13:30 Privacy-Efficiency Frontier

18:19 Programmable privacy

20:10 MEV-Share and Order Flow Auctions

22:53 Evolution of the MEV landscape

27:35 SUAVE

37:53 Other use cases for SUAVE

40:45 Follow Shea and Flashbots!

40:58 Outro

👋 FOLLOW US

Shea: https://twitter.com/SheaKetsdever

Flashbots: https://www.flashbots.net/

Archetype: https://twitter.com/archetypevc

Katherine: https://twitter.com/katherineykwu

🌐 LINKS

Flashbots Docs: https://docs.flashbots.net/

Flasbots Writing: https://writings.flashbots.net/

Flashbots Protect https://docs.flashbots.net/flashbots-protect/overview

Flashbots Forum: https://collective.flashbots.net

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DISCLAIMER: The information in this video is the opinion of the speaker(s) only and is for informational purposes only. You should not construe it as investment advice, tax advice, or legal advice, and it does not represent any entity's opinion but those of the speaker(s). For investment or legal advice, please seek a duly licensed professional.

On this episode of Archebyte we are joined by SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce. 

Prior to joining the SEC, Commissioner Peirce conducted research on the regulation of financial markets at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. She was also a Senior Counsel on the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, where she advised Ranking Member Richard Shelby and other members of the Committee on securities issues.

Hester joins us today to give us some insight into the SEC and the regulatory world. She explains the many challenges that come along with trying to regulate the crypto industry, including lack of time and resources, a potential desire to push the industry abroad, and navigating the US’s complicated existing financial regulations. Hester also agrees that regulatory progress is failing to keep up with crypto while reinforcing the idea that the industry requires new regulations outside of existing securities laws. 

We later discuss Hester’s Token Safe Harbor proposal, which lays out a potential path for new crypto projects to gradually work towards decentralization without fearing SEC enforcement. We also touch on fostering innovation, the pros and cons of decentralization, and the best ways of communicating with the SEC and Hester herself.

🔗 FOLLOW US

Archebyte: https://twitter.com/archebyte

Katherine: https://twitter.com/katherineykwu

Hester: https://twitter.com/HesterPeirce | https://www.sec.gov/about/commissioners/hester-m-peirce

🌐 LINKS

Hester’s Token Safe Harbor Proposal - https://github.com/CommissionerPeirce/SafeHarbor2.0

⌛ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

2:10 Crypto regulation issues

6:18 Is the US falling behind?

9:20 No one wants frauds and scams

12:05 Hester’s Token Safe Harbor proposal

16:55 “Come in and register”

20:00 Communicating with the SEC

22:00 How 2022 changed the perception of crypto

24:20 Decentralization pros and cons

26:27 SEC proposals

28:20 What regulators and the crypto industry should know about each other

33:32 Reaching out to Hester

34:03 Outro

DISCLAIMER: The information in this video is the opinion of the speaker(s) only and is for informational purposes only. You should not construe it as investment advice, tax advice, or legal advice, and it does not represent any entity's opinion but those of the speaker(s). For investment or legal advice, please seek a duly licensed professional.

On this episode of Archebyte we are joined by Justin Melillo, co-founder and CEO of Mona. Mona is an infinite network of immersive experiences with a focus on openness, decentralization, and creator/developer ownership.

A lifelong artist with a focus on computer animation, visual FX, and immersive content, Justin has worked at companies like DreamWorks and Magic Leap, designed tour sets for artists like Drake and Sia, and worked on various AR experiences. When he found blockchain and NFTs several years ago, he saw it as a real alternative for digital artists outside of design work, freelancing, or working for a studio. He then combined these worlds, alongside friend Matt Hoerl, to bring Mona to life.

During our talk, we dive into Justin’s view of the metaverse and its many challenges, opportunities, and misconceptions. Justin also tells us about building for a metaverse-native generation, we look at the future of AR and VR, and we talk about how much we love Tears of the Kingdom.

🔗 FOLLOW US

Archebyte: https://twitter.com/archebyte

Katherine: https://twitter.com/katherineykwu

Archetype: https://twitter.com/archetypevc

Justin: https://twitter.com/justinmmelillo

Mona: https://twitter.com/monaverse

⌛ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

1:48 Justin’s Background

5:20 How Justin sees the metaverse

8:41 What is Mona?

11:23 Creating unique and immersive experiences

16:35 The future of the metaverse, VR, and AR

18:03 The metaverse-native generation

20:16 Games can be art (and we nerd out over Tears of the Kingdom)

26:05 Metaverse misconceptions

26:41 Check out Mona!

27:26 Outro

DISCLAIMER: The information in this video is the opinion of the speaker(s) only and is for informational purposes only. You should not construe it as investment advice, tax advice, or legal advice, and it does not represent any entity's opinion but those of the speaker(s). For investment or legal advice, please seek a duly licensed professional.

On this episode of Archebyte we are joined by Jonathan Kau, Co-founder of Satsuma, a blockchain indexing and query platform.

We begin our conversation with Jonathan walking us through his founder journey and a 101 lesson on blockchain data. We discuss the unique challenges that web3 developers face and explore how Satsuma can ease some of those challenges. 

We also touch on the challenges of selling to DAOs and navigating their unique decision making processes. We discuss the importance of giving customers a voice in shaping the product, while still maintaining a strong sense of direction and opinion about the solutions being offered.

🔗 FOLLOW US

Archebyte: https://twitter.com/archebyte

Katherine: https://twitter.com/katherineykwu

Archetype: https://twitter.com/archetypevc

Jonathan: https://twitter.com/jonathankau

Satsuma: https://twitter.com/satsumaxyz

⌛ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

1:03 Founding Satsuma 

3:12 Blockchain data 101

6:46 Challenges for web3 developers

8:07 EVM compatibility

9:19 Satsuma

10:38 How Satsuma works

11:22 Centralized vs. decentralized data providers 

14:57 Building Satsuma in a bear market

16:57 Satsuma’s building strategy

19:48 Doing business with DAOs

23:57 Jonathan’s advice for aspiring founders

25:24 Outro

DISCLAIMER: The information in this video is the opinion of the speaker(s) only and is for informational purposes only. You should not construe it as investment advice, tax advice, or legal advice, and it does not represent any entity's opinion but those of the speaker(s). For investment or legal advice, please seek a duly licensed professional.

On this episode of Archebyte we are joined by Aya Kantorovich, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Fractal, to discuss crypto’s history, what it’s like to be a founder in the industry, and the importance of building institutional grade crypto infrastructure.

As a former founding member of FalconX and current Co-CEO of Fractal Clearing, Aya deeply understands the role that institutions play in the world of crypto. She begins our conversation by highlighting exactly that before giving us a quick (but fantastic) history lesson on the crypto industry as a whole.

As Aya explains, institutions have been playing a major role in the space for several years now. They bring with them not only capital and knowledge of the traditional financial world, but needs around privacy and quality assurance that require more robust tools to be created.

While we have certainly seen some less savory companies give cefi a bad rap, Aya believes that we are beginning to see a new wave of robust, institutional grade crypto tooling that will more strongly honor crypto’s fundamentals of transparency and self custody. We close out our talk by exploring how Fractal is helping bring this vision to reality, explaining the need for disintermediation, and discussing the many hats that founders wear.

🔗 FOLLOW US

Archebyte: https://twitter.com/archebyte

Katherine: https://twitter.com/katherineykwu

Archetype: https://twitter.com/archetypevc

Aya: https://twitter.com/aya_kantor

Fractal: https://twitter.com/fractalclearing | https://www.fractalprotocol.org/

⌛ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

0:49 Welcome Aya

1:23 Institutional crypto adoption

3:39 Does crypto need institutions?

5:24 Bringing crypto to the mainstream user

6:47 History of crypto infrastructure

19:10 Fractal

21:40 Onboarding users

23:57 Building for institutions in a crypto-native way

26:16 Aya’s experience as a founder

DISCLAIMER: The information in this video is the opinion of the speaker(s) only and is for informational purposes only. You should not construe it as investment advice, tax advice, or legal advice, and it does not represent any entity's opinion but those of the speaker(s). For investment or legal advice, please seek a duly licensed professional.