Sal is joined by Tom Trowbridge, Co-Founder of Fluence Labs. Fluence’s DePIN platform frees developers from centralized clouds by offering natively decentralized, low cost, and verifiable compute. In today’s episode, we dive deep into the world of decentralized networks with real-world utility. We discuss the trade-offs of decentralization, share personal experiences transitioning into the crypto space, and explore the changing landscape of talent and innovation in the crypto industry. The conversation delves into Fluence's unique approach to attracting utility-focused compute providers to power a decentralized, fault- tolerant, low-cost cloudless computing platform. This episode is filled with valuable insights covering the benefits and challenges of decentralized governance in token economies.

00:00 - Balancing institutional background with entrepreneurial experience.

05:48 - Sal's crypto-interest sparked by the first dedicated Crypto VC funds in 2018.

11:30 - Fluence’s new-generation Aqua programming language for distributed systems.

19:00 - Approximating demand for FLT through CPU staking.

25:31 - Drawbacks against community-run governance and centralization.

38:05 - Governance-minimized DePIN protocols.

42:40 - Sal discusses decentralized energy projects he’s excited about.

49:57 - AI model training, e.g. Grass for text and Frodobots for robotics.

56:30 - Complex crypto network economics impact crypto cycles.

Disclaimer: The hosts and the firms they represent may hold stakes in the companies mentioned in this podcast. None of this is financial advice.