6 Questions for…

We ask the buidlers in the blockchain and cryptocurrency sector for their thoughts on the industry… and throw in a few random zingers to keep them on their toes!

---

 

This week, our 6 Questions go to Lisa Fridman, the president and co-founder of Quadrata, a network that brings an identity and compliance layer to DeFi across existing public blockchains.

 

Lisa Fridman was previously the head of blockchain strategy at Springcoin (Spring Labs). Prior to joining Spring Labs, Lisa served as a co-head of strategy at Martlet Asset Management, CEO of PAAMCO Europe and the global head of research at PAAMCO. Lisa is an experienced investor and a business builder. Throughout her career, she has worked closely with institutions, delivering bespoke solutions. She received her Master of Business Administration and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles.

---

1 What does decentralization mean to you, and why is it important?

Decentralization, to me, means not having to depend on a single entity to continue operations. For example, creating a network where different parties can validate the data necessary for various use cases mitigates the potential risk of a single point of failure. We embrace this philosophy at Quadrata in the context of our passport ecosystem.

 

2 What is the main hurdle to gaining mass adoption of blockchain technology?

The main hurdle to mass adoption of blockchain technology is limited data availability on-chain and a lack of compliance-aware solutions. By understanding the need for identity, reputation and compliance on- and off-chain and creating products to address this gap in the market, we can help onboard more individuals and institutions to DeFi and Web3 overall. Its still technologically challenging, so for further retail adoption, more streamlined, easy-to-access solutions need to exist.

 

3 What do you think will be the biggest trend in blockchain for the next 12 months?

I think the biggest trend in blockchain for the next 12 months will be a reassessment of which products are solving a need that exists in the market today vs. the solutions which were lifted by the rising tide of the bull markets in crypto and cannot stand on their own during a downturn. At Quadrata, we believe that identity needs have not yet been addressed on-chain, and we expect to see more peers competing in this space.

 

4 Whats a problem you think blockchain has a chance to solve but hasnt been attempted yet?

Blockchain has the potential to improve a number of areas of day-to-day life. Its not that it hasnt been attempted yet, but theres a lot to cover. Being at the beginning of this journey is really exciting, and I look forward to contributing to future innovation.

 

5 Do you think governments will try and kill crypto?

No, I dont think governments will try to kill crypto. I do believe that for the digital asset markets to attract broader participation of institutions and individuals, a constructive regulatory framework would be necessary. For example, if a larger percentage of the population relies on DeFi for their financial needs, the governments would want to put protections in place to make sure people understand risks associated with these opportunities. The challenge is to put such a framework in place which creates the safeguards while still promoting innovation.

 

6 When you tell people youre in the blockchain industry, how do they react?

Anyone I tell that I am in the blockchain industry usually has a strong reaction. My friends who paved the way in transitioning to crypto years ago are welcoming me to the club of believers in the power of blockchain technology to transform our world. Many others are curious about what blockchain means in practice and what could be different ways to participate in the opportunities it creates. Almost uniformly, people are excited to talk about blockchain across settings, sharing perspectives on the value it brings and the hurdles to its adoption.

We ask the buidlers in the blockchain and cryptocurrency sector for their thoughts on the industry… and throw in a few random zingers to keep them on their toes!

---

 

This week, our 6 Questions go to Rene Reinsberg, a co-founder of Celo, an open platform that makes financial tools accessible to anyone with a mobile phone.

Rene Reinsberg is a co-founder of Celo and president of The Celo Foundation, a grant-giving organization supporting the carbon-negative Celo blockchain. He has been working at the intersection of finance, technology and development for the past 15 years, including at Morgan Stanley, McKinsey, General Catalyst Partners, the World Bank and TechnoServe. His previous company, Locu, was acquired by GoDaddy where he served as vice president of Emerging Products post-acquisition.

---

1 What is the main hurdle to mass adoption of blockchain technology?

For blockchain to achieve mainstream adoption, there must be a broader understanding of the technology, which requires better awareness and education for everyone from crypto novices to crypto natives and beyond. This responsibility falls largely on crypto to do the work when thinking about last-mile solutions and go-to market approaches.

We can build a protocol, but were also responsible for explaining our infrastructure and championing inclusivity. By presenting onboarding as a solution, dedicating resources to developing a simple or fun gamified user experience, and building quality ramps between crypto and fiat currencies, we make the industry more approachable and easier to navigate. Accessibility, which has always informed Celos mobile-first approach, is also key. With 6 billion smartphone users globally, easily accessible, decentralized financial building blocks are necessary for building long-term, real-world adoption.

Lastly, we should shift mainstream conversations around Web3 toward real-world applications and use cases that serve everyday people around the world. As Web3 can be used as a transformative tool to help uplift historically disenfranchised communities, such as the un- and under-banked, sharing how blockchain has benefited farmers in Kenya to at-risk environments like the Amazon rainforest will further illustrate its impact.

 

2 What do you think will be the biggest trend in blockchain for the next 12 months?

As early DeFi protocols mature, we are seeing a big push toward ReFi (regenerative finance) models, which align with the Celo Foundations values of recognizing individuals as unique and connected. Whereas classical economic models defined success by unfettered, exponential growth, they didnt consider the extractive nature of the industry, viewing our environment as an empty world with unlimited resources.

ReFi, however, acknowledges that we live in a full world, to quote economist Herman Daly, with planetary boundaries, carrying capacities and tipping points. ReFi aims to course-correct this exploitation, better intertwining our economic and ecological systems. By using money as a tool to ascribe value to natural capital-backed assets, ReFi places a price on externalities, charging those who create negative externalities and rewarding those who create positive externalities.

Projects such as ReSource, a bankless infrastructure for circular trade and mutual credit networks that benefit small businesses, and Flow Carbon or Toucan Protocol, which are tokenizing carbon offsets, are indicative of these efforts, among other ReFi leaders within the Celo ecosystem.

 

3 Whats a problem you think blockchain has a chance to solve, but a solution hasnt been attempted yet?

Blockchain has the potential to help solve the worlds wicked problems, from environmental degradation to deep poverty. Combining blockchain technology with Web3s ability to accelerate action is what inspired the creation of both Celos Climate Collective and the Alliance for Prosperity, designed to raise awareness for issues impacting individuals and communities throughout the world. We invite founders and builders to align with our shared purpose, leveraging Web3s mass-coordination tools to tackle these mass-coordination problems.

 

4 What would you like to see tokenized? When, if ever would you expect this to happen?

Bringing land and property on-chain would open up many interesting opportunities in creating use cases for DeFi beyond payments. Moss is a great example of restorative land-tokenization NFTs of the Amazon rainforest happening now, where one NFT represents one hectare of forest. Not only are owners bestowed with real estate rights, they are compelled to participate in the conservation process by digitally monitoring their biodiverse land via satellite.

 

5 What has been the toughest challenge youve faced in our industry so far?

While market downturns, like the one were currently experiencing, come with significant challenges, they also present significant opportunities. Celo was built during a bear market, launching its mainnet on Earth Day 2020. Despite this, our community has continuously demonstrated its resilience and commitment to innovation. Navigating todays market conditions is no exception for Celos ecosystem partners. Theres a palpable, new energy and optimism that has surfaced around Buidling our way out and returning back to the core mission: creating prosperity for all.

 

6 What is the single most innovative use-case for blockchain youve ever seen? It doesnt have to be the one likeliest to succeed!

Jonathan Ledgards Interspecies Money proposes the establishment of the Bank of Other Species to issue a CBDC that disburses billions of dollars annually to nonhuman life-forms (or their digital twins) and correctly pricing natural capital, called L-Marks. This would help finance ecological conservation by paying local communities for services that improve species life outcomes. Since many of the poorest countries have the richest biodiversity, financial incentives for these countries to benefit their surrounding ecosystems can reduce extreme poverty while protecting the environment and its inhabitants. Ledgards proposal aligns with the primary principles of ReFi, highlighting the potential to solve the worlds cascading crises.

We ask the buidlers in the blockchain and cryptocurrency sector for their thoughts on the industry… and throw in a few random zingers to keep them on their toes!

---

 

This week, our 6 Questions go to Alyssa Tsai, founder and CEO of Panony an incubator, investor and adviser for blockchain and Web3 business.

My name is Alyssa Tsai, and Im the founder and CEO of Panony. There are three pillars of businesses under our group umbrella. PANews is one of the earliest crypto media outlets in Greater China and South Korea. It has published over 20,000 articles, with an average of over 5 million page views per month. At Panony, we invest in blockchain projects worldwide and consult Fortune 500 companies for integration and expansion into the industry, spanning the entire spectrum of the blockchain industry from solution providers and exchanges to public chains, protocols and DApps. Im also a limited partner of NGC Ventures, the Animoca Metaverse Fund and the Delta Fund.

Before falling down the rabbit hole of crypto, my prior work experience included Cond Nast, Isentia, Ogilvy and a high-tech law firm. I also actively speak at and moderate global blockchain conferences.

 

---

1 What is the main hurdle in the way of the mass adoption of blockchain technology?

The industry is still in its infancy. We should be aware of the many challenges, though its already a buzzword in the tech world. The scalability problem is directly related to adoption and blockchain implementation. This question is about whether the system can operate smoothly as demand increases, which inevitably determines mass integration.

Its also important to address that the complexity of blockchain technology limits mass markets ability to appreciate the benefits. The entry barrier is high, so people need to make an effort to understand, not to mention having to keep up with the rapid changes and disruptions. Now they might as well use an adequately good solution for their needs, like regular financial services.

Thats why I feel like Im doing a meaningful job every day. Its early for blockchain and never too early for us. There are so many things to do and so many people we can support through education. The future is now.

 

2 Which countries are doing the most to support blockchain, and which ones will be left behind?

Since Im based out of Greater China, I can share whats happening here from my perspective.

Chinese President Xi Jinping once stated that the country needs to seize the opportunities given by blockchain technology. Following that principle, China has been developing a platform, known as the Blockchain-based Service Network, aimed at making blockchain technology implementation easier for businesses. Many governments are experimenting with a CBDC a central bank digital currency, which has blockchain at its core and China is piloting its digital yuan.

In recent years, the nation has issued statements supporting the development of blockchain tech across several sectors, with an ambition to consolidate the technology into its financial and growth strategies. We also appreciate its intention to build up industrial norms, or tariff incentives to support blockchain-based businesses.

Hong Kong has a robust system that has given birth to Animoca Brands, Crypto.com, BitMEX and many other exceptional companies in the industry. And on a global scale, Switzerland has SEBA Bank, the first regulated crypto bank in the country. In 2016, Zugs local government became the first municipality in the world to accept taxes in Bitcoin; and in 2020, the Swiss authorities allowed citizens and companies based in Zug to pay their taxes in either Bitcoin or Ether.

Other countries such as the United States, Singapore, Japan, South Korea and South Africa also play significant parts in the blockchain ecosystem.

 

3 What would you like to see tokenized? When, if ever, do you expect this to happen?

The history of art in museums, like the Dunhuang Murals. I visited years ago and learned that many experts and scientists are working tirelessly to discover a solution to slow down the oxidation of wall paintings caused by light and air exposure. Tokenizing these could help bring in more money for research and democratize art investment by making art pieces accessible to the general public. It could happen at any time.

In addition, charity work and support for research would be great to see tokenized, especially under the shadow of COVID-19.

 

4 What makes sense to you, and what makes no sense whatsoever?

Gender equality. As a young female entrepreneur who originates from the East and connects to the West, I plead for more investment and education around women. I have met so many powerful women of diverse backgrounds, and they are just as smart and hard-working as men. In reality, challenges remain: There is discriminatory legislation, societal practices persist, and women continue to be underrepresented in leadership at all levels.

Speaking of education, children being taught to learn for the sake of their parents pride does not make sense to me. We should pay attention to personal growth.

 

5 Which alternate movie universe would you most like to live in, and why?

Marvels. It dawned on me at the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that we really could have a mighty superhero who could save thousands of lives. Furthermore, the films are about incredible, exciting voyages through time and space. Id love to discover new worlds. For the time being, Ill have to settle on crypto as my wild new world to explore.

 

6 Think of a favorite poem or musical lyric. What is it, and why does it speak to you?

From Bring in the Wine by Li Bai of the Tang Dynasty: When hopes are won, oh, drink your fill in high delight; And never leave your wine cup empty in the moonlight! Heaven has made us talents; were not made in vain. A thousand gold coins spent; more will turn up again. For people who might be interested in the original version

I learned this classical Chinese poem during middle school, and it was eye-opening for me at the time how people living thousands of years ago could live their life to the fullest even when excluded from a position working for the emperor. I guess thats how I learned about resilience and not being afraid of challenges.

Even today, I still remember every single word of this poem that inspires and empowers me its like Im encouraged to be someone like Li Bai, who continues to push forward despite the difficulties and stay truthful. I just keep on doing things I believe in, even when feeling down.

 

A wish for the young, ambitious blockchain community:

Be aggressive and inclusive. Get to know your community, and listen to your community. Lift and add value to one another through collaboration and fair competition.

We ask the buidlers in the blockchain and cryptocurrency sector for their thoughts on the industry… and throw in a few random zingers to keep them on their toes!

---

 

This week, our 6 Questions go to Alex Wilson, co-founder of The Giving Block a crypto donation solution that provides an ecosystem for nonprofits and charities to fundraise Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Alex is a co-founder of The Giving Block, a Shift4 company. The Giving Block is a leading crypto philanthropy platform that makes accepting and fundraising cryptocurrencies easy for nonprofits and empowers donors to give crypto to their favorite causes. Alex oversees The Giving Blocks growth in several areas, including technological innovation, crypto and financial partnerships, and institutional giving.

Alexs background is in management consulting, where he worked with Fortune 500 companies to develop strategies for emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, blockchain and cryptocurrency. As he went down the cryptocurrency rabbit hole, he and co-founder Pat Duffy discovered a need for nonprofits to tap into the growing crypto donor demographic.

Alex graduated from Wake Forest University School of Business with a Bachelors Degree in Business and Enterprise Management specializing in International Business.

 

---

1 What has been the toughest challenge youve faced in our industry so far?

The biggest challenge is educating those we speak with about the benefits of the industry. I believe that cryptocurrency is one of the greatest forces of good on the planet, but there are many people we speak with who have misconceptions about crypto from its impact on the environment to the quasi anonymity behind it.

 

2 When you tell people youre in the blockchain industry, how do they react?

Ive found that most people are really receptive to what we are doing at The Giving Block. All too often, people hear that you work in crypto, and they have a preconceived idea of what that looks like. Then I go on to tell them what it is that we do and that weve raised over $100 million in cryptocurrencies for nonprofits, and their reaction softens. I think our use case is much more tangible to people than many others, which makes it easier than most to understand and relate to.

 

3 Have you ever bought a nonfungible token? What was it and if not, what do you think will be your first?

Yes, but only ones that benefit charities. The first I bought were from Nifty Gateway as part of a COVID relief campaign called COVID Heroes.

 

4 Which two superpowers would you most want to have, and how would you combine them for good or evil?

If I had to choose two superpowers, they would probably be teleportation and flying that way I can have more face-to-face time with the nonprofits we work with without having to wait in TSA lines.

 

5 Tell us about a hidden talent and give us a link to prove it!

Im bilingual I grew up speaking both English and German equally.

 

6 What talent do you lack, and wish you had? How would you use it if you had it?

Ive always wished that I could speak a third language. I think speaking fluent Spanish would be a really helpful talent to have.

We ask the buidlers in the blockchain and cryptocurrency sector for their thoughts on the industry… and throw in a few random zingers to keep them on their toes!

---

 

This week, our 6 Questions go to Nikki Farb an active investor and advisor to technology companies who is currently a venture partner at Headline, a venture capital firm.

I invest in consumer tech (with a real love for marketplaces) and Web3. Ive invested in Consensys (MetaMask), AfterParty, Fractal, Aloft, Wander, MarketerHire, SudShare and a few others I cant share just yet.

Before investing, I co-founded Darby a video shopping app that connected creators and their fans. It was such a journey. We built Darby up to 50,000 creators making videos for 5 million viewers. Working with the team at Darby was one of my greatest privileges. We were acquired by Grove Collective.

Prior to Darby, I was at Goldman Sachs in the Investment Banking Group. I learned quite a bit. Especially because I was an English teacher right out of college.

 

---

1 What has been the toughest challenge youve faced in our industry so far?

There are two challenges that come to mind. The first is that its a noisy industry. Its challenging to face the tough questions: What is the fundamental reason that this industry is thriving? Whats a novel use case of the tech? Finding the signal through the noise is the most important thing you can do as an investor, since it impacts how you use both your time and money. I have that answer now; without it, you run the risk of losing a lot of money.

The second is the pitfall of rallying around a negative message. One of the quickest ways to succeed in this space as a female investor is to scream that its a boys club. That sort of negativity thrives on social media, where lots of crypto conversations take place. If I wanted to be self-serving, I would say that and build up my platform, but I dont believe it and its not the path I want to choose. If you say the message enough times, it could become a truth, and then we later hurt ourselves by being excluded from one of the most important technological innovations and the fastest way to even economic outcomes. If you fall into a negative message, it only hurts outsiders, not the insiders. We, as part of this industry, get to choose how this phenomenon plays out. Why would we choose to call it a boys club?

 

2 Do you subscribe to the idea of Bitcoin as a means of payment, a store of value, both… or neither?

For Bitcoin as a store of value. While there was a battle four or five years ago on what it would become, it has played out to be a store of value, and I think thats the right outcome. I do see some other cryptocurrencies like Ether and Solana as a means of payment.

 

3 Do you think governments will try to kill crypto?

What a spicy question! I think yes because crypto degrades governments power, and anyone that has power is susceptible to wanting to reclaim it though not everyone will pursue that path. So, I think its inevitable that some governments somewhere will try to kill crypto. As for which government and how far they take it who knows? Thats a movie, right there. I think some will embrace it wholeheartedly and try to make it fly, especially those with volatile currencies. But for now, its way too early to assume. Whats incredible about crypto is that it has the potential to decentralize power and give rise to economies that are struggling. Theres good and evil in it, just like with any other technological innovation. It will all depend on how people use it, and I want to steer in that direction, which is why I choose to invest in the space.

 

4 What were you like in high school?

Confused, but I made it through! I graduated high school in three years because my mom made a deal with me that if I graduated early, I could be an actress for my fourth year instead of going to school. I was also kicked out of two schools in my freshman year because I wasnt very well behaved, so I ultimately ended up at night school, where I later realized I wanted to change my behavior. I made another deal with my mom that if I got a 4.0 GPA in my sophomore year, I didnt have to go to school on Mondays, and I did it.

I loved rap and hiphop culture, and I was also very into punk music (my roots are in Orange County). I was happy with my social scene and the amount of friends I had. My little sister went everywhere with me. Shes three years younger and my partner in crime.

I had about 30 jobs in high school because if I didnt like something, I would just quit. The only job Ive ever been fired from is Dennys, and my favorite job was being the perfume spray girl in Bloomingdales. I came from a wealthy family but they later lost all of their money. In high school, I still wanted to live the life I grew up in, so I definitely had a hustler mentality and made my way. I probably skated the line of criminal behavior a few times.

 

5 Thinking of a favorite poem or musical lyric, what is it, and why does it speak to you?

There are two that come to mind. The first is a saying that only boring people get bored. Its my philosophy for life. I truly believe that most people get to be the captain of their own ship, so if youre bored, go fix it.

The second is really any line from the movie The Royal Tenenbaums two of my personal favorites are: Did you say you were on mescaline? I did indeed. Very much so, and Ive had a rough year, dad.

Its such an honest, humble and creative movie. Ive watched it 100 times and always seem to find something new. The pursuit of individuality, creative risk all of the characters take creative risks and building personality is something I am attracted to.

 

6 What is the book that influenced you the most and why?

I would say Pride and Prejudice. My grandmother actually gave me an original copy of the book. Its one of the first novels I ever read in high school. I was a very avid reader as a kid, and this is one of the most grown-up pieces I can remember reading at that age. To me, it was about the power of womanhood and the unique traits we have, and how much power that gives us in the world. Those traits are also different from the ones men have. It helped me realize that I was a different human from my dad or other guys, but how that could be powerful. I used to read it every year. I also loved how theyre all sisters and that dynamic.

 

A wish for the young, ambitious blockchain community:

If I share my wish, it may not come true!