Proof of Coverage

In the first episode of our new podcast, Connor and Nic Carter explore the implications of the upcoming Trump presidency and recent political shifts on the crypto industry. Nic shares insights from his recent trip to Washington, where he met with key members of Congress to discuss their legislative priorities with respect to crypto and technology broadly. The episode explores the implications of ending "Chokepoint 2.0," the potential for a stablecoin bill, and the need for crypto-friendly legislation. Nic also touches on challenges with the SEC, the Strategic National Bitcoin Reserve, and the future of Bitcoin and the broader crypto market. They discuss the role of corporate investments, the evolution of CoinMetrics, the founding of Castle Island Venture along with Nic’s personal journey in faith and combat sports.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

05:43 - Key Priorities for Crypto Regulation and Banking Access

08:52 - Critique of the Hagerty Bill and Discussion on Financial Thresholds

13:57 - Assessing Bitcoin's Future Amid Political Discourse

16:14 - Future of Crypto Regulation and Priorities

18:27 - Shifting Sentiments in Crypto Regulations

20:13 - Tax Incentives and Global Bitcoin Mining Dynamics

23:07 - Bitcoin Mining and Sovereign Nations' Strategies

24:53 - Startups, Bitcoin, and Market Dynamics: Insights on Crypto Trends

34:28 - Building Crypto Infrastructure: The Genesis of Castle Island

38:48 - Startups and Wiffio Moments

39:45 - Evolution of Coinmetrics: From Small Funds to Institutional Focus

41:36 - Finding Purpose Through Bitcoin and Venture Capital

43:15 - Maintaining Focus with a Small Team in VC

46:39 - Supporting Founders: The Evolving Role of Venture Capitalists

50:58 - Building a Career Through Media and Writing

53:18 - Finding Your Voice in the Digital Age: The Power of Content Creation

55:42 - Specialization and Evolution in Crypto Investing

01:00:06 - Impact of Real-Time Payments on Stablecoin Adoption

01:16:10 - From Fanboy Moments to Faith and Future Ventures

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

Follow Building in Public Podcast:

Follow Building in Public Podcast: https://x.com/builtnpublicpod

Connor and Sal sit down with Sandeep Nailwal of Polygon. Sandeep reflects on challenges faced by founders, including tough decisions around layoffs, project management, and preserving company culture during rapid growth, emphasizing the importance of character-building in difficult times. The conversation explores the Polygon ecosystem's evolution, addressing regulatory hurdles, market shifts, and the critical role of the AggLayer in enabling a trustless internet with up to a million interconnected chains. Sandeep also shares insights on the potential of decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN) and their place within Polygon’s strategy, expressing optimism about their future despite industry challenges. This episode offers an in-depth look at blockchain’s dynamic landscape, adaptability in leadership, and Polygon’s vision for a decentralized future.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

01:14 - Reflections on Building Character Through Adversity

01:45 - The Impact of Regulatory Changes on the Crypto Ecosystem

03:40 - Polygon's Journey and Internal Challenges

05:46 - Leadership Transition: Finding the Right CEO

12:13 - Focusing on Growth: The Role of the Chairman

13:44 - The Evolution of Polygon's Product Strategy

19:09 - Understanding Polygon's Core Products

29:29 - The Vision for a Trustless Internet

36:37 - Competition Landscape: Who is Polygon Up Against?

41:24 - The Future of DePIN and Its Importance to Polygon

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

Follow Building in Public Podcast: https://x.com/builtnpublicpod

Mahesh and John Wu, President of Ava Labs, are joined by J. Paul Meyer, founder of Collar Network, to explore innovative solutions in decentralized finance (DeFi). J. Paul shares how Collar Network, a smart contract-based lending protocol, helps crypto investors borrow against their holdings in a hedged, non-liquidatable manner—addressing challenges like tax implications and liquidity. Drawing from his Goldman Sachs background, J. Paul discusses the need for financial services tailored to crypto's emerging wealthy class and the risks of replicating traditional finance's mistakes. They also touch on regulation, market behavior, and the future of Bitcoin, AI in finance, and Web3 value capture.

Check out Collar's beta platform at beta.collarprotocol.xyz 

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

01:16 - The Role of ETFs in Tokenization

03:10 - Discussion on Goldman Sachs and Its Relevance

06:35 - The Impact of Technology on Financial Services

08:51 - The Consolidation of the Banking Sector

10:19 - Competing with Large Financial Institutions

13:27 - Weaknesses of Large Financial Institutions

17:02 - Overview of Collar Networks and Its Mission

20:32 - Comparison with Traditional Margin-Based Borrowing

22:44 - User Experience in Financial Products

24:51 - Future Product Development at Collar

26:20 - Finding Liquidity in DeFi Markets

28:10 - Working with Major Financial Institutions

30:57 - Concerns About Repeating Past Financial Mistakes

33:02 - Future Strategies for Collar Network

36:54 - Political and Regulatory Considerations

38:27 - Lightning Round: Quickfire Questions

41:02 - Closing Remarks 

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

Follow Building in Public Podcast: https://x.com/builtnpublicpod

Mahesh welcomed back Ash Ahmed, founder of Axal, to discuss exciting developments at his company and the broader implications of AI agents in crypto. Ash highlighted Axal’s rapid growth, the launch of their new product, Gekko—a virtual agent for trading—and its integration with the Autopilot platform to simplify crypto portfolio management. He emphasized the importance of a "fair launch" for the Gekko token, with no team allocation, to build trust and align value with functionality. The conversation also explored AI agents as a new asset class, the role of community engagement in Axal's growth, and Ash’s advice for founders to act boldly and prioritize transparency.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

01:11 - Overview of Axal's Vision and Team Growth

02:49 - Diverse Team and Guerrilla Marketing Strategies

03:41 - Podcasting and Content Creation Efforts

05:25 - Introduction of Gecko and Its Purpose

08:34 - Understanding the Value of Agents

09:22 - Fair Launch Concept Explained

10:16 - Community Engagement and Investor Reactions

12:15 - Utility and Future Plans for Gecko

14:21 - The Future of Agent Tokens in the Market

17:06 - Launching Gekko: Technical Insights

20:28 - Advice for Founders Considering Token Launches

22:46 - Navigating Investor Relations and Legalities

25:50 - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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

Follow Building in Public Podcast: https://x.com/builtnpublicpod

Connor spoke with Harry Dewhirst, CEO and co-founder of 375ai, formerly known as Zeppelin, about his journey from founding a data company sold to Singtel to leading 375ai’s efforts in building decentralized networks for data collection. Harry shared insights into the company’s ambitious goal of identifying over 10 million vehicles daily through their AI-powered hardware, the 375 Edge, and their partnership with Outfront Media. They also discussed the launch of 375ai’s incentivized testnet, allowing users to earn tokens through the 375Go app by contributing passive data. Harry explained the significance of the company’s name, linked to Nevada’s extraterrestrial highway, and how the data could be used by hedge funds for market analysis. Additionally, they explored 375ai’s decision to build on the Solana blockchain and their tokenomics.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

01:00 - Harry's Background and Entrepreneurial Journey

02:40 - Transition from Zeppelin to 375ai

04:20 - Zeppelin's Initial Mission and Partnerships

06:30 - Deployment Strategies and Learning Experiences

08:40 - Significance of the Name 375ai

09:50 - Testnet and Community Engagement

12:00 - 375 Edge Devices and Their Functionality

15:00 - Future Plans for 375 Street Devices

17:00 - Real-World Applications of Collected Data

19:00 - Building on the Solana Ecosystem

21:00 - Tokenomics and Incentive Structures

24:00 - Quality Control and Data Demand Strategies

25:30 - Call to Action and Community Engagement

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

Follow Building in Public Podcast: https://x.com/builtnpublicpod

Connor and Sal spoke with Robin from Wingbits, a company revolutionizing the aviation and drone industries with advanced flight data solutions. Robin discussed the $22 billion ADS-B market, Wingbits' innovative hardware for tracking flights and drones, and plans for a token-incentivized model to enhance data quality. With 2,000 live stations globally and an upcoming mainnet launch, the conversation also highlighted their partnership with Geodnet to improve location data and their vision of integrating Web3 principles into a sustainable business model.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

01:38 - Exploring Productivity with Wearable Tech

02:28 - Winter Sports Brand and VC Discussions

04:54 - Understanding Wingbits Impact on Aviation Data

07:40 - Advanced Flight Data Technologies

11:09 - Incentivizing Flight Data Contributions

15:40 - Targeting the Web3 Community in Flight Tracking

21:47 - Future of ADS-B Technology in Aviation

26:00 - The Wingbits Network Expansion

27:12 - Update on Wingbits Network and Upcoming Launch

Disclaimer:

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

Follow Building in Public Podcast: https://x.com/builtnpublicpod

Follow Building in Public Podcast: https://x.com/builtnpublicpod

Sal sits down with Alexandra from Staex, a company redefining IoT through a trusted, decentralized network. They discuss the inefficiencies of traditional network protocols for modern IoT and how Staex’s approach re-architects infrastructure to reduce overhead and enhance security. Alexandra highlights Staex’s impact, including saving a U.S. client with 2,000 charging stations $100,000 annually by optimizing data transmission. She also shares use cases like anchoring battery data on-chain for regulatory compliance and using drones to measure electromagnetic fields. The conversation reveals Staex’s shift from a decentralization-first pitch to a focus on efficiency and cost savings, and Alexandra invites builders to join the evolution of DePIN and the machine economy. This episode offers a compelling look at how IoT, blockchain, and regulatory compliance are converging to reshape industries.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

00:31 - Overview of Staex and IoT Challenges

01:40 - Alexandra's Background in IoT Networking

05:26 - The Monolithic Approach of Staex

08:09 - Evolving the Pitch to Enterprises

10:33 - Understanding Cost Savings in IoT

12:12 - Industrial Use Cases for Staex

15:19 - Regulatory Challenges and Opportunities

17:19 - Current Stage and Future Plans for Staex

20:16 - Alexandra's Aspirations Beyond Staex

21:47 - Call to Action for Builders and Collaborators

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

Follow Building in Public Podcast: https://x.com/builtnpublicpod

Connor welcomes Sami, former co-host of the Building in Public podcast, to explore Bittensor, a decentralized AI platform revolutionizing how intelligence is developed and shared. They discuss Bittensor’s potential to challenge centralized AI models like OpenAI, its unique decentralized approach with specialized subnets, and the importance of financial incentives for open-source innovation. Sami highlights the challenges of emission distribution and the community's dedication to improving the protocol, expressing optimism about Bittensor’s future.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

01:19 - Recap of Previous Bittensor Episode

02:05 - Sami's Experience with Bittensor

03:03 - What Bittensor Means for the Average Person

05:17 - Importance of Decentralized AI

06:36 - Open Source and Financial Incentives

08:43 - The Power of Open Source Innovation

10:07 - Crowdsourcing Intelligence in AI

12:33 - Comparing Kaggle and Bittensor

14:32 - Incentives for Contributors in Bittensor

15:14 - Challenges and Improvements in Bittensor

18:00 - Community Commitment to Bittensor

20:16 - The Future of Bittensor and AI

21:11 - Sami's Journey and Conviction in Bittensor

25:47 - Closing Remarks and Resources

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