Zac Williamson is the co-founder and CEO of Aztec, a privacy-first Layer 2 solution on Ethereum. 

Aztec Network is a privacy-centric Layer 2 (L2) solution built on Ethereum, aiming to enhance user confidentiality and transaction scalability within the blockchain ecosystem. By leveraging zero-knowledge proofs, specifically zk-SNARKs (Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge), Aztec enables encrypted transactions that maintain the transparency and security inherent to Ethereum.

Traditional blockchains like Ethereum operate with full transparency, where all transaction details are publicly accessible. While this openness ensures trustlessness and verifiability, it compromises user privacy, exposing sensitive financial data and potentially deterring broader adoption. Aztec addresses this issue by introducing a privacy layer that conceals transaction details without sacrificing the integrity of the blockchain.

A key component of Aztec's technology is its zkRollup architecture, which aggregates multiple transactions into a single proof, thereby enhancing scalability and reducing gas fees. This batching process allows Aztec to offer up to 100 times cost savings compared to standard Ethereum transactions, making private transactions more economically viable.

Aztec Connect is a platform that integrates privacy features into existing Ethereum DeFi protocols such as Lido, Curve, and Element Finance. This integration allows users to engage in private staking, lending, and other DeFi activities without exposing their financial data. Developers can utilize Aztec's SDK and bridge contracts to seamlessly incorporate privacy features into their applications, promoting a more secure and user-friendly DeFi ecosystem.

Aztec's commitment to privacy extends to its development of Noir, a universal language for zero-knowledge proofs. Noir simplifies the creation of private smart contracts by abstracting complex cryptographic concepts, enabling developers to write code without deep expertise in zero-knowledge technology. This initiative broadens the accessibility of privacy-preserving applications within the blockchain space.

The network's vision for a trustless, scalable, and decentralized L2 solution has garnered significant attention and investment. Aztec secured $100 million in a Series B funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), underscoring the industry's recognition of the importance of privacy in blockchain technology.

By integrating privacy features directly into Ethereum's infrastructure, Aztec Network empowers users with enhanced security and confidentiality, paving the way for broader adoption of decentralized applications. Its innovative approach ensures that users can transact and interact within the Ethereum ecosystem without compromising their personal data, marking a significant advancement in the evolution of blockchain technology.

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Georgios Vlachos is the co-founder of Axelar Protocol and director at Axelar Foundation. He received his BSc and MS Eng. in computer science at MIT. After graduation, he became part of the Algorand founding team. Axelar is a Web3 interoperability platform, delivering the shortest path to scale: an open stack to connect all blockchains.

Axelar is a decentralized network designed to seamlessly connect various blockchain ecosystems, enabling secure cross-chain communication for Web3 applications. By acting as an overlay network, Axelar allows developers to build decentralized applications (dApps) that can interact with assets and functionalities across multiple blockchains, simplifying user experiences and broadening access to decentralized economies. 

In 2024, Axelar introduced the Mobius Development Stack (MDS), comprising:

Interchain Amplifier: A tool that allows for the permissionless connection of new blockchains to the Axelar network, enhancing scalability and flexibility.

Interchain Token Service (ITS): Enables the minting and management of tokens across multiple blockchains, maintaining their fungibility and custom functionalities.

Axelar Virtual Machine (AVM): Provides a programmable layer for cross-chain logic, allowing developers to deploy smart contracts that operate across different blockchain ecosystems.

These innovations aim to establish new interoperability standards, facilitating the development of dApps that can seamlessly operate across various blockchain networks.

The native utility token of the Axelar network, AXL, plays a crucial role in maintaining network security through staking, enabling governance participation, and serving as a medium for transaction fees. This tokenomics model incentivizes active participation and ensures the network's robustness and scalability.

By providing a comprehensive solution for cross-chain communication, Axelar is contributing to the unification of blockchain ecosystems, promoting greater accessibility, and driving the adoption of decentralized applications across the Web3 landscape.

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Sid, Co-founder of Nirvana Finance, shares insights into the evolution of the Nirvana DeFi protocol, and the resilience demonstrated after a significant hack in 2022. He discusses the innovative features of the just launched Nirvana Version 2, including enhanced security measures and the introduction of the Market Driven Mint, which aims to stabilize liquidity and pricing. Sid emphasizes the importance of transparency and accountability in DeFi governance, highlighting how Nirvana's approach sets a new standard in the industry.

Nirvana Finance has relaunched as Nirvana V2. In July 2022, the protocol was targeted in a high-profile hack, resulting in the loss of customer funds. Following legal action, Nirvana achieved a historic victory with the conviction of the hacker—the first U.S. legal case involving DeFi hacking. Nirvana V2 is a revitalized platform, celebrating not only its restitution efforts but also advancements in security, governance, and tokenomics.

Setting a new precedent in the DeFi space, Nirvana V2 has reimbursed all funds stolen during the 2022 hack. This achievement underscores the protocol’s community-first ethos, further exemplified by the introduction of a perpetual recovery model. Through an innovative revenue-sharing mechanism, all protocol-generated revenue will be distributed continuously to hack victims.

To address vulnerabilities exposed during the hack, Nirvana V2 introduces a single-collateral reserve system designed to enhance the protocol’s security and stability. This isolated approach eliminates the risk of cascading failures and provides robust protection against external shocks. With these measures, Nirvana V2 positions itself as a safer and more resilient platform for users navigating the dynamic DeFi landscape.

Governance in Nirvana V2 takes a step forward with its Automated Token-Managed Adjustments (ATMA) system. Unlike traditional governance structures, ATMA relies on token-based voting to enable continuous, incremental adjustments to protocol parameters. Importantly, governance tokens are earned solely through organic protocol use, with no insider allocations, ensuring fairness and aligning participants’ interests with the protocol’s long-term success. These tokens also serve as revenue-sharing assets, directly linking governance activity to the protocol's financial performance.

Central to Nirvana V2’s value proposition is the Market-Driven Mint (MDM), an advanced framework for token price stability. The MDM ensures that all liquidity remains protocol-owned, fostering durability, predictability, and fairness in tokenomics. The ANA token, Nirvana’s flagship asset, features a reserve-backed rising floor price mechanism that adjusts automatically with demand. This ensures a minimum exit value, limiting downside risk while offering unlimited upside potential, making ANA a highly reliable collateral asset within the ecosystem.

Nirvana Finance was established to challenge systemic flaws in traditional DeFi protocols, including insider allocations, opaque operations, and unstable liquidity solutions. Nirvana V2’s combination of decentralized governance, robust security, and pioneering tokenomics aims to set a new standard for fairness, transparency, and resilience in DeFi.

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Bam Azizi is the CEO & Co-Founder of Mesh Connect, Mesh securely enables safer and easier crypto deposits, payments, and on-ramping from 300+ leading exchanges and wallets, all without leaving your platform.

In this conversation, Bam Azizi, CEO and co-founder of MeshConnect, discusses the challenges and opportunities in the crypto space, particularly focusing on user experience and the importance of stablecoins. He explains how MeshConnect aims to bridge the gap between complex crypto transactions and everyday usability, enabling businesses to offer seamless crypto payment solutions. The discussion also touches on market trends, the future of tokenization, and the need for clearer regulations in the crypto industry.

Mesh, founded in 2020 by CEO Bam Azizi and COO Adam Israel, is revolutionizing the financial technology landscape by simplifying cryptocurrency transactions. Their platform enables seamless crypto deposits, payments, and on-ramping from over 300 leading exchanges and wallets, all within a single, unified API.

The company's suite of products includes Mesh Deposit, Mesh Pay, and Mesh Ramp, each designed to enhance user experience and security. By eliminating the need for API keys and manual address entries, Mesh allows users to connect their preferred exchanges or wallets directly to a platform, facilitating direct wallet-to-wallet transfers without leaving the host application.

Security is a cornerstone of Mesh's offerings. The platform employs a zero-trust architecture and is SOC 2 Type II certified, ensuring that no personally identifiable information or user credentials are stored at rest. This commitment to security not only protects users but also streamlines the integration process for businesses, with most integrations completed in under a week using Mesh's developer-friendly APIs and SDKs.

Mesh's innovative approach has attracted significant investment, including a $22 million Series A funding round in September 2023.

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Tom Trowbridge is an advocate for decentralized systems. Tom is a co-founder of Fluence Labs, and Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR) where he was President from Inception. He co-founded Fluence Labs in 2019 to revolutionize cloud computing by offering decentralized, serverless solutions that reduce reliance on traditional providers like AWS.

Fluence Network is an open, decentralized platform designed to revolutionize how applications and services operate on the internet. It provides a peer-to-peer network that enables developers to build, deploy, and scale decentralized applications (dApps) without the need for centralized infrastructure. Unlike traditional cloud-based solutions, Fluence leverages a network of independent nodes to provide computation and storage, making it highly resilient, secure, and censorship-resistant.

At its core, Fluence is built on Aqua, a unique programming language tailored for distributed systems. Aqua allows developers to write composable, modular workflows that seamlessly interact with multiple services across the network. This design enables the creation of sophisticated dApps that can interact with various APIs, blockchain protocols, and traditional systems. Aqua’s ability to orchestrate services on decentralized infrastructure removes reliance on centralized servers, making applications more robust and transparent.

The network itself is powered by a decentralized marketplace of computing resources. Node operators provide storage and computational power to the network and are compensated through Fluence’s native economic model. This incentivizes participants to maintain the network’s efficiency and reliability. Developers, in turn, benefit from flexible pricing and the ability to scale their applications as demand grows without locking themselves into proprietary ecosystems or platforms.

Fluence distinguishes itself through its emphasis on composability and collaboration. The platform enables developers to share and reuse application components, fostering a community-driven ecosystem of reusable modules and services. This not only accelerates development but also reduces duplication of effort, making the network an efficient environment for innovation. The open-source nature of Fluence further aligns with its goal of democratizing access to decentralized computing resources.

A significant application of Fluence is in Web3, where it acts as a critical infrastructure layer for decentralized finance (DeFi), NFTs, and other blockchain-powered services. By integrating seamlessly with blockchain networks, Fluence can provide scalable, off-chain computation that complements the strengths of on-chain operations. This hybrid approach opens up new possibilities for complex dApps that require high-performance computing alongside blockchain security and transparency.

Fluence Network represents a shift toward a more open and decentralized internet. It empowers developers to build applications that prioritize user autonomy, data privacy, and resistance to censorship. With its innovative technology and community-first ethos, Fluence is poised to become a foundational layer for the next generation of the internet.

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Pablo Castillo is CEO and CTO of Chain4Travel. Chain4Travel is the lab building the Camino Network, a Layer 1 blockchain designed for the needs of the travel industry. It provides travel-related businesses with web3 technology. The ecosystem has unified data standards for seamless communication, decentralized payments/settlements infrastructure, KYC/KYB for security. The CAM token powers it.

Chain4Travel aims to revolutionize the travel industry by integrating blockchain technology to create a more efficient, secure, and interconnected ecosystem. At the heart of this transformation is the Camino Network, a blockchain platform tailored specifically for the travel sector.

Today's travel industry is hindered by outdated systems and fragmented supply chains, with some standards and protocols exceeding 40 years in age. This antiquated infrastructure results in sluggish product development and technical enhancements, impeding innovation and efficiency.

Chain4Travel envisions a decentralized and collaborative travel ecosystem. By leveraging blockchain, the Camino Network facilitates seamless connections across a distributed network, enabling rapid transactions and significantly reducing costs. This approach fosters collaboration among travel technology systems, establishing a single source of truth and paving the way for new business models, including B2C2B and C2C interactions.

The Camino Network is a blockchain platform designed for the global travel industry, promoting seamless integration of travel offerings. It incorporates Know Your Business (KYB) and Know Your Customer (KYC) processes, self-custodial wallets, and supports a variety of use cases. 

Complementing the Camino Network is Camino Messenger, a decentralized network that connects travel suppliers and distributors for efficient trade. By mapping existing systems to Camino Messenger, businesses can easily access new partners, such as hotels, airlines, and car rentals. This tool streamlines API management, standardizes communication, and unlocks innovative monetization opportunities.

Founded by industry veterans Ralf Usbeck, Thomas Stirnimann, and Pablo Castillo, Chain4Travel leverages decades of experience in travel technology. Their vision is to build a collaborative network that enables digital innovation for the global travel industry, positioning Chain4Travel as a pioneer in this transformative journey.

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David Pinger is the co-founder of Warden Protocol. Warden brings AI to web3, enabling any application, protocol or smart contract to integrate trustworthy AI.

Warden Protocol is a blockchain platform designed to bring artificial intelligence (AI) into the Web3 world. It allows developers to easily add AI capabilities to their applications, smart contracts, and protocols. By combining blockchain and AI, Warden Protocol ensures that AI predictions are trustworthy and secure.

At the heart of Warden Protocol is the AI Blockchain Interface (AIBI). This tool helps integrate AI into blockchain systems by verifying that AI models are producing accurate results. The verification process uses a unique method involving cryptographic proofs and blockchain consensus to ensure reliability.

Warden Protocol has two main layers. The Verification Layer ensures that AI outputs are accurate and secure using cryptographic validation. The Execution Layer helps developers integrate AI into apps and smart contracts across different blockchains, automating processes efficiently.

One of the standout features of Warden Protocol is its user-friendly design. Developers can integrate AI easily, without needing to understand complex cryptographic systems. It also enables smooth interactions across blockchains by aggregating multiple accounts, making it easier to sign transactions on different networks.

Developers can use Warden Protocol for several purposes. They can build applications with embedded AI for enhanced functionality. The platform also supports creating Omnichain Applications (OApps), which work across multiple blockchains. Additionally, Warden introduces Keychains, which handle secure key storage and transaction signing, simplifying cross-chain coordination.

Warden Protocol supports running validator nodes. These nodes help secure the network and allow participants to earn rewards. This feature ensures the stability and security of the blockchain ecosystem.

Comprehensive documentation is available to help developers get started. The guides cover everything from basic information about the protocol to instructions for creating applications, managing Keychains, and running validator nodes. Warden Protocol also provides details about its tokens, WARD and WARP.

Warden Protocol is a cutting-edge solution for integrating AI into blockchain systems. It simplifies AI adoption for developers and creates opportunities for innovative Web3 applications. With its secure, flexible, and user-friendly design, it is set to play a significant role in the future of decentralized AI.

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Amitt Mahajan is the Co-Founder of Proof of Play. Proof of Play’s mission is to create fun, accessible onchain games and, in the process, develop novel technology that makes onchain game development easier for everyone.

Founded by leaders from Epic Games, Zynga, EA, Riot Games, Activision, Google, Facebook, Disney, and Warner Brothers, Proof of Play’s mission is to create fun, accessible onchain games and, in the process, develop novel technology that makes onchain game development easier for everyone. 

The company’s flagship game, Pirate Nation, is a fully onchain RPG where players battle monsters, build their pirate crew, and compete to become number one on the captain leaderboard. 

The team has raised $33M in funding and is supported by a16z, Greenoaks, and other investors.

Pirate Nation is a fully onchain free-to-play pirate-themed roleplaying game (RPG). Pirate Nation is live on Proof of Play’s Apex chain.

Pirate Nation is a fully onchain game. This is a new type of game that's only possible using blockchain technology. The game and all of its functionality is running on the blockchain using hundreds of smart contracts. Onchain games have a lot of unique characteristics that distinguish them from traditional, centralized games: All player items, actions, and achievements are publicly viewable and auditable. 

Onchain games are "forever games" and will continue to operate as long as the blockchain they are running on exists. It is possible for onchain games to be able to be remixed. Meaning players can add their own features or even create fully derivative works from the game. Onchain games are more secure and transparent. They are enforced with the same security that protects other assets on blockchains.

The Proof of Play engine, which powers Pirate Nation, isn’t just another gaming chain—it’s a cutting-edge onchain game engine designed to enable developers to build games onchain faster than offchain. They are developing a powerful, decentralized foundation for the next generation of onchain games, starting with Pirate Nation.

On November 14th, Proof of Play launched Pirate Nation Season 3, adding a refreshed crafting system, two new leaderboards, and an enhanced staking experience, deepening player engagement.

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Charles d'Haussy is CEO of dYdX Foundation. The dYdX Foundation is an independent not-for-profit foundation headquartered in Zug, Switzerland. dYdX Foundation’s purpose is to support the dYdX protocol and to foster community-driven growth in the dYdX ecosystem.

dYdX Unlimited has launched, marking one of the most significant upgrades to the dYdX exchange since the launch of the dYdX Chain in 2023. With dYdX Unlimited, users can instantly list and trade new markets with liquidity, earn passive yield through MegaVault, benefit from enhanced trading rewards, and earn lifetime commissions through the new Affiliate Program. 

Key highlights of Unlimited include:

• Instant Market Listings: list any market with immediate liquidity. Anyone can launch a new leveraged market to trade crypto, prediction markets, and more with up to 20x leverage on dYdX.

• MegaVault Global Liquidity Pool: provide liquidity across all dYdX markets through automated market-making. Depositors have a potential passive income strategy by sharing in MegaVault’s P&L.

• Revamped Trading Rewards Program: A redesigned incentive structure that rewards both traders and market makers with DYDX tokens, encouraging engagement and liquidity over a 4-month period.

• Affiliate program: enable users to earn referral commissions, offering rewards up to $1,500/month per referral with a VIP program for high-performing affiliates. 

Together, MegaVault and Instant Market Listings let users trade anything, instantly, with liquidity.

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Mihai Alexandru Radu is Head of Investor Relations at SphereX, a pioneering perpetual decentralized exchange (DEX) in the decentralized finance sector, aiming to redefine digital asset trading with unmatched freedom and innovation.

SphereX is a decentralized exchange (DEX) aiming to democratize finance by making trading accessible to everyone. Drawing inspiration from Robin Hood, SphereX emphasizes fairness, accessibility, and empowerment within the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector. The platform combines the efficiency of centralized exchanges (CEXs) with the security and transparency of DeFi, offering an order book mode and a user-friendly interface reminiscent of traditional CEXs. SphereX enables seamless cross-chain and cross-asset trading, ensuring high liquidity and minimal slippage. It also leverages Layer 2 Zero-Knowledge Rollup (L2 ZK Rollup) technology to enhance transaction speed, reduce costs, and address scalability challenges while maintaining robust security and risk controls.

SphereX is governed through the TraderDAO Round Table, an exclusive decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) for professional traders. This invite-only group plays a pivotal role in shaping the platform's governance and future developments, including decisions on trading pairs, ecosystem deployment, and new DeFi features. By introducing this governance model, SphereX addresses fragmentation and centralization concerns within the DeFi space and ensures that its community remains at the heart of decision-making.

To foster user engagement, SphereX offers several incentives and rewards. These include trading fee deductions, commission sharing, and competition jackpots, which encourage active participation on the platform. Additionally, staking and validator rewards incentivize users to contribute to the governance process. SphereX also builds community engagement through referral bonuses, copy trading rewards, and social trading initiatives, creating a vibrant and supportive ecosystem for traders.

SphereX is redefining the DeFi trading experience by combining user-friendly interfaces, advanced security measures, and community-driven governance. Its focus on empowering individual financial freedom, paired with a transparent and innovative approach, positions SphereX as a transformative force within DeFi.

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