In this episode of The Slow Hunch, I spoke with Juan Benet, the founder and CEO of Protocol Labs. Juan is best known for creating IPFS and Filecoin—two foundational technologies in the decentralized web. Through Protocol Labs, Juan wants to use decentralized protocols to unlock new ways of organizing capital, governance, and research. 

This conversation was recorded more than a decade after we first met, when USV seed funded Protocol Labs. Juan is one of the deepest thinkers I know, so naturally this conversation has a wide aperture. We touched on internet history, crypto network design, public goods funding, and the future of intelligence itself.

Hope you enjoy!

Chapters:

• 00:00 Cold open
• 00:07:39 Discovering the power of P2P tech
• 00:11:10 Decentralization versus central planning
• 00:17:44 Juan’s slow hunch
• 00:21:16 Protocol Labs as a way to plug the R&D funding gap
• 00:24:03 The genesis of IPFS and Filecoin
• 00:30:45 Layering protocols for success
• 00:33:18 New frontiers in governance
• 00:41:09 The role of public utilities
• 00:47:39 Juan’s thoughts on the future of work
• 00:52:41 Blockchains as a governance layer for AI agents
• 01:01:32 Evolving into a new species