Lightspeed

Illia Polosukhin, an AI expert turned crypto innovator, discusses NEAR's journey from AI to crypto, scaling via dynamic shards, chain abstraction and the blockchain operating system, NEAR's missing narrative, network value accrual, and crypto's biggest problem.

Crypto app developer Dan Romero discusses how Warpcast, a crypto-enabled social app built on top of the Farcaster protocol, could become the first mainstream app for crypto. They explore the business model, the technical process flow, the significance of 'Frames' as a developer unlock, and the go-to-market strategy. They also discuss the off-chain and on-chain components of Farcaster, the importance of starting small and narrow, and the frustration with influencers in the crypto space.

Mert Mumtaz and Garrett Harper discuss Solana's recent JUP token launch, the controversy, and the need for Solana to focus on product development. They also delve into user experience issues, the potential of Solana for various applications, and the importance of reliable blockchain platforms. Additionally, they propose a crypto fiction hackathon to promote storytelling in the industry.

Matty Taylor, Founder of Colosseum, the Y-Combinator of Crypto, discusses launching Colosseum to accelerate Solana's app ecosystem. They explore tactical tips for founders, the winning formula for startups, and why Solana is the best ecosystem. They also cover the significance of hackathons in the Solana ecosystem, the value of remote programs in the crypto industry, and Solana's potential for global adoption. They provide details on the upcoming hackathon and give advice on building with crypto.

Lucas Bruder and Liam Heeger, talented Solana developers, discuss Firedancer's impact on Solana, including transaction efficiency, client diversity, validator profitability, and the role of Jito's Stakenet. They also cover Solana's core challenges, network jitter, optimizing performance, client specifications, and predictions for the crypto space.

Anatoly Yakovenko, an expert on Solana's architecture and roadmap, joins the podcast for a masterclass exploration of Solana 2.0. Topics discussed include fee market optimizations, Jito and MEV, Solana's end game, validator profitability, token extensions, and more!

Santiago Santos joins us to discuss his crypto investment thesis and conviction in Solana's adoption flywheel. Santiago is a prolific investor, co-host of Empire and one of the most respected minds in crypto. In this episode, we discuss Santi's crypto thesis, Solana's incredible flywheel, scarcity vs abundance, if decentralization matters, Santi's favorite investment themes and more!- -(00:00) Introduction(1:19) Why Crypto Matters(4:42) How to Build and Keep Conviction(15:36) Santi’s Solana Thesis(23:30) Scarcity vs Abundance Mindset(36:57) DAS Promo(37:54) Solana vs Ethereum DeFi(42:27) Does Decentralization Actually Matter?(46:29) Predictions and Investment Themes(53:59) Crypto Banks and Coinbase’s Opportunity(58:58) Running and Life Lessons- -Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use LIGHTSPEED10 to get 10% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there!Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home- -Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroelFollow Mert: https://twitter.com/0xMert_Follow Garrett: https://twitter.com/GarrettHarper_Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/LightspeedpodhqSubscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3SykSubscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgVSubscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PDGet top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ - -ResourcesEmpire podcasthttps://spoti.fi/3vFsYh6The Summit by Santihttps://medium.com/@santiago.rs/the-summit-an-exploration-of-goals-and-values-17a7f782dccdHelius' blog post on Firedancerhttps://www.helius.dev/blog/what-is-firedancer- - Disclaimers:Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Garrett and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Ian Cummings, creator of Solana's race horsing game, Photo Finish, discusses the story behind the hit stick in Madden NFL, why he chose the horse racing market, customer retention secrets, winning strategies in Photo Finish, and the partnership with the Kentucky Derby.

Mert Mumtaz and Garrett Harper discuss the eagerly anticipated JUP airdrop, vertical integration on Solana, the size of the validator set, critical thinking, and why more Solana teams haven't released tokens.

Ryan Watkins and Wilson Withiam from Syncracy Capital discuss their Solana thesis and various topics including the Bitcoin spot ETF, Ethereum and LDO thesis, MakerDAO opportunity, Solana applications, DA Layer wars, and more. They explore the potential of Solana, concerns about smart contracts and governance, and the importance of feedback and in-house development.