Proof of Coverage

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Today we’re breaking DePIN news about a partnership between Daylight and Natix, with founders Jason Badeaux and Alireza Ghods joining the show to share the news. Jason explains how Daylight transforms homes and buildings into power plants, creating a clean and resilient energy system, while Alireza highlights Natix's AI-driven camera infrastructure, which supports autonomous driving and dynamic mapping. Together, they aim to integrate electric vehicles (EVs) into the energy grid, enabling users to share energy from their homes and cars. This episode showcases the innovative strides both companies are making in decentralized energy and mobility and the transformative potential of their collaboration.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

00:19 - Overview of Daylight's Mission

00:51 - Introduction to Natix and Its Vision

02:39 - Details of the Partnership Between Daylight and Natix

03:20 - How Daylight Integrates with Existing Energy Devices

05:02 - The Importance of Electric Vehicles in the Energy Market

06:05 - Call to Action for Listeners

07:20 - 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.

Connor and Sal sat down with Cynthia Huang, founder of DTravel, a peer-to-peer vacation rental platform that offers a low 3% fee structure compared to the 20-30% typically charged by traditional platforms. Cynthia explained DTravel’s three key products: DTravel Direct, for host-managed direct bookings; DTravel Search, a listing discovery platform; and the Night Protocol, a decentralized data layer standardizing rental data. She shared insights into her journey into Web3 and the value of tokenization in fostering community and engagement. The discussion also covered DTravel’s role in decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN) and announced a $150 million TRVL token program to incentivize community growth.

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Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

00:33 - Overview of DTravel Ecosystem

03:03 - Cynthia's Founder Journey

08:22 - Connecting the Dots in Web3

10:59 - DePIN Ecosystem and Market Dynamics

15:18 - Tokenization and Community Focus

18:50 - Data Ownership and Migration

23:38 - Future Plans and Partnerships

24:44 - Building Through Market Cycles

27:47 - Community Growth Incentive Program

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

In today's episode, Mahesh sat down with Neuratic, COO of Anyone, to discuss internet privacy and how current solutions lag behind growing awareness. Neuratic explained "privacy washing," where companies claim to protect data while exploiting it for profit, with Google as an example. We explored how the Anyone Network tackles these issues through decentralization, fragmenting user data across relay operators for enhanced privacy, unlike traditional VPNs. The team also shared insights into their unique pseudonymous structure, their rebranding from ATOR after tensions with the Tor Project, and plans for the Anyone Router hardware. We wrapped up with thoughts on tokenomics, Bittensor, OpenAI, and the cultural impact of The Matrix, highlighting Anyone’s commitment to a safer online world.

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Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

00:30 - Sponsor Message

01:00 - Guest Introduction

01:40 - Importance of Privacy

05:30 - Privacy Washing

06:30 - Global Privacy Rights

07:30 - Founders' Qualifications

08:30 - Anonymity in the Team

09:30 - Anyone Network Overview

11:40 - Protocol and VPN Use

13:30 - Emerging Applications

15:30 - Relationship with Tor

18:30 - Rebranding to Anyone

20:30 - Community and Trust

22:30 - Token Utility

24:30 - Fair Launch Concept

26:30 - Hardware Introduction

36:00 - Lightning Round

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

In this episode, Sal interviews Leonard from Peaq, a layer-1 blockchain aimed at revolutionizing global infrastructure through decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN). Leonard shares Peaq’s journey from a Berlin-based IoT consultancy in 2017 to a vast ecosystem with millions of onchain devices and $25 million in tokenized machines. They discuss Peaq’s appeal to DePIN builders, driven by its scalable architecture, enterprise connections, and a robust toolbox supporting machine IDs, data access, payments, rewards, and more. With over 50 projects on Peaq, Leonard envisions a community that emphasizes real-world applications over speculative projects, tackling trillion-dollar industries like energy, mobility, and robotics. Key timestamps cover topics such as Peaq’s DePIN toolbox, modular architecture, and an upcoming token 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.

In this podcast, Sal interviewed Carlos Herrera, co-founder of Petastic. They discussed how Petastic’s decentralized identity network for pets aims to transform the pet care industry through a tokenized ecosystem. He highlights the platform’s ability to predict pet owners’ needs, streamline customer engagement, and support shelters with sustainable revenue models, ultimately benefiting pets and their owners. Carlos also shares his vision for expanding personalized pet care and enhancing animal welfare worldwide.

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Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

00:32 - Introduction to Petastic and Market

Overview

02:05 - Petastic's Vision and Unique Approach

07:17 - Building Relationships with Shelters and Rescues

11:00 - Understanding Customer Needs and Predictive Analytics

14:41 - Future Goals and Expansion Plans

17:27 - Upcoming Initiatives 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.

In this podcast, Connor and Sal spoke with David Vorick, co-founder of Glow, about the company's innovative model for funding new solar infrastructure using donations to build solar farms that generate revenue for further projects. Focused on large-scale solar installations in cost-effective regions like India, Glow emphasizes the additionality of carbon credits, ensuring contributions actively reduce emissions. David also highlighted Glow’s robust audit system for carbon credits and discussed its growth trajectory, hinting at future government interest in Glow’s decentralized, sustainable energy approach.

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Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Glow and Its Mission

00:30 - Explaining Glow to the Unfamiliar

02:11 - Focus on Large-Scale Solar Farms

03:51 - The Shift from Residential to Industrial Solar

04:41 - Cost Efficiency and Competitive Advantage

05:45 - New Solar vs. Existing Solar

06:27 - The Importance of Additionality in Carbon Credits

08:30 - Carbon Credits as a Revenue Model

10:42 - Why Solar is a Good Fit for Crypto

12:18 - Low Operational Costs of Solar Farms

13:23 - DePIN Verification and Audit Process

20:18 - Scaling the Supply Side and Incentives

24:14 - Demand Side and Revenue Insights

26:30 - Revenue Accrual to Token Holders

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

In today’s episode, Connor is joined by Mark Rydon, a key figure in the decentralized infrastructure space, particularly focusing on Aethir and its innovative approach to DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks). They discussed how Aethir has built a robust revenue-generating model centered around enterprise-grade AI and gaming solutions.

Mark shared insights into the growing importance of GPUs in the AI landscape, highlighting the global compute scarcity and how Aethir addresses this challenge by allowing enterprises to reconnect idle compute resources. This model is akin to Airbnb, where companies can monetize their unused GPUs, creating a win-win situation for both suppliers and consumers.

They also discussed the recent success of Aethir's checker node sale, which generated nearly $130 million, showcasing the strong community support and the utility of these nodes in maintaining trust within the network. Mark explained how these nodes act as the "police" of the network, ensuring that contributors are providing the resources they claim.

Additionally, they explored Aethir's focus on enterprise clients, which has led to impressive revenue growth, with $36 million in annual recurring revenue and a steady month-over-month increase. Mark emphasized the importance of this enterprise focus, contrasting it with the challenges faced by other DePIN projects that target consumer equipment.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Building a Revenue-Generating Machine

00:35 - Understanding DePIN

00:57 - The Evolution of DePIN

04:49 - Aethir's Value Proposition

09:15 - Tapping into Latent Supply

10:04 - AethirEdge Devices

14:37 - Checker Node Sale Success

20:13 - Revenue Growth and Customer Profiles

26:56 - Keeping Up with Aethir

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

Connor sat down with Alec Wilson, the COO of Spexi Network, a groundbreaking drone mapping company that is revolutionizing the earth imaging space. They spoke about how Spexi is leveraging the vast number of underutilized drones to create an ultra-high-resolution base layer of earth imagery, which is significantly more detailed than what satellites and planes can provide.

Alec explained the mechanics of the Spexi Network, where drone pilots can easily capture imagery by using a mobile app that guides them through a hexagon-based system called "Spexagons." This innovative approach not only allows for high-quality data collection but also provides an opportunity for drone enthusiasts to earn money while doing something they love.

They discussed the current state of the network, including the onboarding process for pilots and the demand from various sectors, such as municipalities, government agencies, and even metaverse and AI companies. Alec shared insights into how they are currently compensating pilots with cash and points, with plans for a future token distribution.

The conversation also touched on the challenges of coordinating a decentralized network of drone pilots and the importance of regulatory clarity as they navigate the evolving landscape of crypto economics. Overall, it was an enlightening discussion about the potential of Spexi Network to create a new data set that can benefit both drone pilots and customers seeking high-resolution earth imagery.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

00:28 - Sponsor Message

01:02 - Explaining Spexi to the Average Person

01:30 - The Earth Imaging Market

02:43 - The Role of Drones in Earth Imaging

03:48 - How the Spexi Network Works

05:01 - Benefits of Spexi for Drone Pilots

06:17 - Creating New Data Sets

07:32 - Growing the Supply Side

09:13 - Spexi’s Pilot Selection Process

10:57 - Payment Structure for Spexi Drone Pilots

12:36 - Integrating Token Economics into the Spexi Network

14:55 - Demand Side Overview

16:00 - Customer Segments

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

Connor welcomes back old co-host Sami Kassab (now a Partner at OSS Capital) and guest Josh Benaron, founder of Irys, a next-generation data provenance and storage L1. They delved into the evolution of Irys from its origins as Bundlr, an L2 solution for Arweave, to its current status as a programmable data chain. Josh shared his insights on the importance of storytelling and writing for founders, emphasizing how effective communication can significantly impact hiring, fundraising, and overall success.

They explored Josh's unique journey, including his decision to drop out of university to pursue his entrepreneurial ambitions in the crypto space. He discussed the vision behind Irys, which aims to unify data services on-chain and support applications that rely heavily on data. Josh also addressed the differences between Irys and other projects like Filecoin, highlighting how Irys enables programmability at the data level, which he believes is crucial for mass adoption.

As they wrapped up, they touched on the future of decentralized applications (dApps) and the potential of DePIN networks. Josh expressed his bullish outlook on the DePIN space, noting its significant market fit despite being less hyped compared to other sectors like AI. They also discussed the upcoming token for Irys, with Josh hinting at a thoughtful approach to tokenomics that prioritizes community strength and sustainability.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

01:23 - The Importance of Writing and Storytelling for Founders

04:11 - Josh's Decision to Drop Out of University

06:54 - Transition from Bundler to Irys

10:04 - Irys vs. Filecoin: Differentiating Approaches

14:05 - Incentivizing Builders on Irys

16:57 - The Future of DeFi and Deepin

19:32 - Unified Layer for Permanent and Non-Permanent Data

21:14 - Tokenomics and Future Plans for Irys

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

Co-hosts Connor and Mahesh discuss the rapidly evolving world of DePIN and the broader implications for the crypto sector. They discuss whether they should be concerned about the proliferation of projects labeling themselves as DePIN and whether it's time to create more specific subcategories within the sector.

Connor shares insights from a recent real-world DePIN event hosted by IoTeX, highlighting the excitement and attendance that reflects the growing interest in this space. They explore the current landscape, noting that while the number of projects is booming, the quality of founders entering the space is becoming more varied. This shift is reminiscent of the early days of DeFi, where the barrier to entry lowered, leading to a surge of new projects.

They also touch on the importance of maintaining a big tent approach for the DePIN community, allowing for inclusivity and self-definition among founders. As DePIN transitions from subculture to pop culture, they recognize the need for a unified term like DePIN to attract attention and investment.

The conversation shifts to the physical versus digital aspects of DePIN projects, with a debate on the merits of hardware-based solutions versus software-centric models. They agree that both have their advantages and that the future will likely see a blend of both approaches.

Finally, they discuss the upcoming election and its potential impact on the crypto landscape. While there are concerns about the political climate, they remain optimistic about the future of DePIN and crypto as a whole, emphasizing the importance of innovation and community support.

00:00 - Introduction

00:26 - Sponsor Message: Polygon Labs

00:45 - The Boom of DePIN

02:08 - Quality and Quantity in DePIN Projects

03:34 - DePIN’s Transition from Subculture to Pop Culture

04:05 - IoTeX's Real World DePIN Event

05:30 - DePIN Terminology

07:56 - The Big Tent Philosophy10:03 - Physical vs. Digital DePIN

15:07 - Market Dynamics and Token Launches

16:10 - Election Concerns and Market Impact

17:32 - Political Predictions and Crypto

20:52 - The Future of Governance and Crypto