GRTiQ Podcast

Today I’m speaking with Connor Howe, Founder at Enso Finance, a platform providing financial infrastructure for developers seeking to integrate DeFi interactions into their dapps. Enso equips developers with tools to execute and retrieve all relevant metadata of DeFi protocols, empowering them to create the next generation of financial applications.Connor's journey into web3 began in the Bitcoin community in 2012, followed by Ethereum in 2016, providing him with invaluable insights into the industry's roots and evolution. In addition to talking about the origins of Enso, Connor shares his unique perspectives on the web2 versus web3 debate, the state and future of DeFi, and the key themes and innovations shaping the future of the industry.  Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com 

Today I’m speaking with Meher Roy, CTO and Co-Founder at Chorus One and show host at Epicenter.tv. The opportunity to meet and interview Meher was an incredible honor - as you’ll hear, he’s one of the most thoughtful and insightful people ever to be featured on this podcast. Whether for his work on Epicenter or the amazing growth of Chorus One, Meher is justifiably recognized as a true thought leader in crypto. During this interview, we explore Meher's early education and career, his journey into crypto, and the origins of Chorus One and Epicenter. Throughout the conversation, Meher gives his perspective on a variety of topics, such as his thoughts on the future of validators, technology and vaccines, applying the Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger lens to the crypto industry, his vision for the future of the industry, and his experience as a validator supporting The Graph. I am also deeply humbled that Meher opens up about his leukemia diagnosis in 2021 and how it has influenced his life.Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com 

Today I am speaking with Matthieu Di Mercurio, VP of Product and Strategy at StreamingFast. In a recent blog post released on April 15, 2024, Matthieu and his team, alongside collaborators Yaniv Tal from Geo and Sam Green from Semiotic, explored the intersection of The Graph, AI, and Geo.In this special episode, I invited Mat to discuss the inspiration behind the blog post, the insights shared by the StreamingFast team, and why the convergence of AI and The Graph represents a tangible advancement rather than mere hype. As you're about to hear, Mat provides compelling arguments for the evolving platform nature of The Graph and its implications for the future of the protocol.Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com 

Today I am speaking with Ariel Barmat, Vice President of Engineering at Edge & Node. Ari has been featured on the podcast before during Ep. 105 where he joined as a panelist to talk about The Graph’s move to Arbitrum. I first asked Ari to come onto the podcast two years ago! At the time, I noticed that the depth and intellect behind Ari’s  Forum and Discord posts were distinct - he’s a brilliant person.So I am thrilled to have this chance to interview Ari and to shine a light on his story. As you will hear, Ari’s got a unique understanding and experience with technology. He’s also an OG, having gone to work on The Graph in the early days. During this interview, you will hear Ari’s journey into web3, his perspectives on the early days of Graph, his vision for the future of the protocol and what he’s most excited about, and so much more!Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com 

Today I am speaking with Zubin Pratap, Software Engineer and Developer Relations Engineer at Chainlink Labs. Chainlink is renowned for pioneering how blockchains connect with the real world! Ever since launching the podcast, I have sought to have someone from the Chainlink community on, and I am very happy it was Zubin!During our discussion, Zubin shares his remarkable journey, transitioning from a career in law to entrepreneurship, then making his way into tech, including a stint at Google, before joining Chainlink Labs. Along the way, Zubin offers valuable insights into his career and career management, developments at Chainlink, and his vision for the future of web3.Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com 

Today I am speaking with Red Sheehan, Protocol Research Analyst at Messari. If you’re a long-time listener of the podcast, then you know that I have featured several other members of the Messari team on the podcast, including CEO and Founder Ryan Selkis, Engineer Manager, Vincent Wen, and Director of Research, Mihai Grigore. During our conversation, Red talks about his journey into web3 and how he got started in the industry. We then talk about his research on protocols and explore many interesting themes related to protocols, networks, and the future of web3. Along the way, Red shares some amazing insights on cryptography, what’s happening in the Bitcoin community, and his perspectives and experience on The Graph.  Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com 

Today I'm speaking with Kirsten Pomales, Co-Founder of TalentLayer, an innovative open protocol and developer toolkit revolutionizing service marketplaces. Kirsten and the TalentLayer team have received a lot of attention in The Graph community recently because of what they’ve built and how it leverages The Graph.During our conversation, Kirsten shares insights into her early passion for politics, including her experience working in the industry, and her journey into entrepreneurship. We then discuss her introduction to crypto and blockchain, some of her unique perspectives on entrepreneurship and blockchain, and the origin story of TalentLayer - including a discussion of how important The Graph is for TalentLayer and web3. Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com 

Today I am speaking with Daniel Keyes, Co-founder and CEO at Pinax, one of the core dev teams working on The Graph. If you’re a long-time listener of the podcast, then you know that I interviewed Matthew Darwin from Pinax last year, but I am excited to welcome Daniel to the podcast and learn more about his background and the Pinax team. During this interview, Daniel talks about his early career in broadcast journalism, following by a decade working in the banking industry. We then talk about how he discovered crypto, got started working full time in web3, and the origins or Pinax. Along the way, Daniel will share some of the initiatives the Pinax team is working, his vision for new data services at The Graph (including a discussion on Firehose and Substreams), and the recent blog post on EIP-4844 and blobs.Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com 

Today I'm speaking with Baki Er, Co-founder of Clave, an innovative new wallet garnering attention for its novel approach to enhancing the user experience with crypto wallets. As you're about to discover, Clave aims to streamline wallet usage through features like account abstraction and biometric authentication.During our conversation, Baki shares insights into his educational background in Turkey and his journey from being merely curious about web3 to becoming a prominent figure in his local community with the launch of DeFi Library. We then talk about the inception of Clave (at an online hackathon) and explore its vision for revolutionizing the future of wallets. Additionally, we discuss topics ranging from the evolving landscape of crypto in Turkey to entrepreneurship and Baki's forward-looking perspective on the future of web3. Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com 

Today I'm speaking with Chris Were, CEO and Co-Founder of Verida, a team pioneering a new era of hyper-personalization, where user data is utilized privately and consensually to innovate products and services.During our conversation, Chris shares insights into his early fascination with technology and coding, his entrepreneurial journey through several startups, and his immersion into the world of crypto. We also explore the origins of Verida and explore the distinction between private and public data in the context of web3. Additionally, Chris reflects on the lessons learned from entrepreneurship and discusses the evolving landscape of technology. We also touch upon the intersection of Verida and The Graph during Graph Hack in 2022. Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com 

Today I'm speaking with Ayoola John, or "AJ" for short, the CEO and Co-Founder of Astronaut, an innovative AI assistant designed specifically for community managers. In addition to introducing this powerful AI tool for enhancing community engagement and insight, AJ brings a diverse professional background, having worked for multinational corporations in the energy sector and tech giants like Facebook and Coinbase.During our conversation, AJ shares insights into his journey from growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, to pursuing education and career opportunities in the United States. We also explore AJ's entrepreneurial mindset, the main lesson he learned while working at Facebook, and his impactful role at Coinbase Wallet. Additionally, toward the end of the interview, we draw connections between AJ and a prior guest of the GRTiQ Podcast that long-time listeners of the GRTiQ Podcast are sure to enjoy! And don't forget to check out the show notes for a special discount related to today’s guest, exclusively available for GRTiQ Podcast listeners! Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com 

Today I am speaking with Pablo Carranza Velez, Principal Software Engineer at Edge & Node. Pablo previously joined the podcast in February 2023 for a panel discussion on The Graph's transition to Arbitrum One during Episode 105.In this episode, we take a more in-depth look into Pablo's personal journey, tracing his educational pursuits and early fascination with the space industry. Pablo shares insights into his evolution as a developer, from learning to program to his eventual foray into startups. Our conversation then navigates towards Pablo's transition into the dynamic landscape of web3 and his role at Edge & Node.We also talk about two significant initiatives Pablo has been working on. First, we discuss the highly successful L2 migration, which Pablo played a pivotal role in orchestrating. Second, we discuss Graph Horizon, an ambitious proposal from Edge & Node that Pablo has been instrumental in shaping. Recently, he authored a comprehensive Forum post detailing the proposal, providing The Graph community with a lot of important context.Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com 

Today I am speaking with Juan Manuel Rodriguez Defago, Blockchain Developer at GraphOps. Long-time listeners of the GRTiQ Podcast may recall Juan's insightful conversation back in April 2021 for Episode 4, where he provided a glimpse into his personal background and journey into web3 and The Graph.Since then, Juan has embarked on a new chapter of his journey by joining GraphOps, a core dev team dedicated to advancing The Graph ecosystem. There are myriad reasons why I was eager to reconnect with Juan. Not only is he widely regarded and actively engaged within The Graph community, but his transition to working on a core dev team presents a fascinating narrative worth exploring. Despite assuming different roles across various teams within The Graph ecosystem over the years, Juan has remained steadfastly committed to the protocol, a testament to his unwavering dedication.In this interview, Juan shares anecdotes from the early days of The Graph, offering unique insights into his work at GraphOps and shedding light on pivotal initiatives such as Graph Horizon and New Era that are shaping the trajectory of the ecosystem. Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com

Today I am speaking with Rodrigo Coelho, Chief Spirit Officer at Edge & Node. This is Part 2 of our captivating two-part series, recorded at The House of Web3 in San Francisco, California, during The Graph's recent 3rd birthday celebration. For those interested, a video recording of this interview is available on The House of Web3’s YouTube channel. I extend my apologies for any audio issues; some sections of this interview may be challenging to hear.For those well-versed in the history of The Graph ecosystem, Rodrigo requires no introduction. He holds the distinction of being the first hire made by Yaniv, Brandon, and Jannis when they launched The Graph. Since those early days, Rodrigo has played an important role in nurturing The Graph's ecosystem and growth.In Part 2 of our conversation, Rodrigo takes us back in time. He shares anecdotes of serendipitous encounters, recounting the memorable meeting with Yaniv at a San Francisco co-working space before The Graph launched. Rodrigo's unique perspective as employee #1 provides valuable insights into The Graph's early days, shedding light on the challenges, triumphs, and pivotal moments that laid the foundation for its incredible growth.Just as I mentioned last week, I've eagerly anticipated this interview with Rodrigo, and I'd like to express my heartfelt appreciation for his time and I also thank the House of Web3 for providing the space and equipment necessary to record this interview.Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com

Today I am speaking with Rodrigo Coelho, Chief Spirit Officer at Edge & Node. This is Part 1 of an intriguing two-part series recorded at The House of Web3 in San Francisco, California, during The Graph’s recent 3rd birthday celebration. For those interested, a video recording of this interview is available on The House of Web3’s YouTube channel (link in show notes). I must also extend my apologies in advance for any audio issues, as certain parts of this interview may be challenging to hear.For those well-versed in the history of The Graph ecosystem, Rodrigo requires no introduction. He holds the distinction of being the first hire made by Yaniv, Brandon, and Jannis when they launched The Graph. Since those early days, Rodrigo has played an important role in nurturing The Graph's ecosystem and growth.In Part 1 of our conversation, Rodrigo talks about his background, sharing pivotal life experiences and challenges that have shaped his journey. These formative experiences ultimately guided him towards web3 and his current role at Edge & Node. Be sure to tune in next week for Part 2, where Rodrigo reflects on memorable encounters, including the serendipitous meeting with Yaniv at a San Francisco co-working space before The Graph project's official launch. Rodrigo also shares insights into being the project's first employee, recounts the early days and pivotal moments that set the direction for The Graph's remarkable journey.I've long anticipated recording an interview with Rodrigo, and I'd like to express my gratitude for his time and to the House of Web3 for providing the space and equipment necessary to record the interview. Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com

Today I am speaking with Uri Kolodny, Co-Founder at StarkWare, the pioneering team behind Starknet, a Layer 2 solution designed to tackle Ethereum's scalability challenges. Starknet is a Validity Rollup that offers boundless scalability while upholding Ethereum's security and decentralization principles.It's important to note that Uri has been serving as StarkWare’s CEO, though he recently shared his decision to step down from this role, as mentioned in his public statement on social media and other platforms. I'd like to clarify that this interview with Uri was conducted prior to his announcement. During our conversation, Uri displayed remarkable kindness and thoughtfulness, and I extend my best wishes to him and his family during this time.My motivation for this interview stems from the fact that, much like last week's conversation with Maarten Henseksns at Astar, Starknet is actively pursuing support on The Graph Network through the Chain Integration Process. Similar to Astar, support for Starknet is expected sometime soon!This interview proved to be both insightful and enjoyable. Uri's brilliance shines through as we explore topics such as entrepreneurship, the significance of Layer 2 solutions, an in-depth understanding of Starknet and its distinctive features, and, of course, the eagerly anticipated integration with The Graph.Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com

Today I am speaking with Maarten Henskens, Head at the Astar Foundation, Japan’s leading blockchain, renowned for its robust support for EVM, Substrate, WebAssembly, and ink! environments, which collectively form a scalable, cross-layer, and cross-machine protocol.Exciting news awaits as Astar has embarked on a journey using The Graph’s cutting-edge Chain Integration Process to seek integration with the network. The highly anticipated announcement of full support on The Graph is on the horizon. Astar is poised to become the second chain, following Optimism, to join The Graph via this innovative integration process, with more chains eagerly following suit.During our conversation, Maarten will unveil his personal voyage into the realm of web3, which commenced with a career in primary education. We'll delve into his passions, including biking and wine, and discover his lifelong dedication to the pursuit of knowledge. Maarten will then introduce us to the vibrant Astar network and its thriving community, shedding light on what sets Astar apart and the compelling narrative behind their decision to seek support for their chain within The Graph Network.Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com

Episode 150: This episode is The Best from 2023 (Part 2), where we're featuring highlights from Episodes 123-148.The GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of The Graph's community and ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com

Episode 149: This episode is The Best from 2023 (Part 1), where we're featuring highlights from Episodes 98-122.https://www.grtiq.com/grtiq-podcast-149-the-best-of-2023-part-1/ The GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of The Graph's community and ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com

Today I am speaking with Zac Burns, Principal System Architect at Edge & Node, one of the core dev teams working on The Graph. Long-time listeners of this podcast will likely recognize Zac from a comprehensive interview we conducted during Episode 9 back in May 2021.In this episode, we welcome Zac back for an fascinating conversation, with our focus squarely on Graph Horizon - an intriguing initiative outlined in The Graph's new roadmap, called New Era. While Graph Horizon has quietly made its way into community discussions, and Zac has made several presentations on the subject, today provides a special opportunity for us to take a closer look into Horizon's origins, its visionary purpose, and the far-reaching implications it holds for The Graph protocol and the many contributors within the ecosystem. Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com