Crypto Hipster Podcast

About informed.nowinformed.now is your news concierge to beat information overload. It provides minimal, concise, and factual daily news briefings via SMS to keep you informed without the influence of bias, sensationalism, or advertisements. Know more, read less. Get www.informed.nowAbout Kira ShishkinKira Shishkin is the CEO of informed.now, the news concierge service to beat information overload. Kira is a 4-time serial entrepreneur, strategic advisor, and investor in the technology industry. His experience spans investment banking, corporate strategy, and private equity investments in category-defining ventures. His education includes University of Chicago, Booth School of Business, and Stanford. Kira was in Forbes 30 Under 30. Connect with Kira Shishkin: https://l.informed.now/kiraGet www.informed.now

About informed.now⁠informed.now is your news concierge to beat information overload. It provides minimal, concise, and factual daily news briefings via SMS to keep you informed without the influence of bias, sensationalism, or advertisements. Know more, read less. Get www.informed.nowAbout Kira ShishkinKira Shishkin is the CEO of informed.now, the news concierge service to beat information overload. Kira is a 4-time serial entrepreneur, strategic advisor, and investor in the technology industry. His experience spans investment banking, corporate strategy, and private equity investments in category-defining ventures. His education includes University of Chicago, Booth School of Business, and Stanford. Kira was in Forbes 30 Under 30. Connect with Kira Shishkin: https://l.informed.now/kiraGet www.informed.now

This is the sixteenth episode in the Crypto Hipster's Curtain Calls Series, which includes 3–4-minute clips from Seasons 6-8. This compilation draws upon my conversations with:David Schwartz, Board Director @ Litecoin Foundation (3/30/2025, Season 8)Alon Muroch, CEO and Founder @ SSV Labs (5/2/2025, Season 8)Ganesh Swami, co-founder @ Covalent (10/1/2024, Season 8)Spring Dunn, Director of Marketing @ SKALE Labs (4/28/2024, Season 7)

Gleb Kurovskiy, Luminary Chief Digital Officer (PhD)Gleb Kurovskiy is a leading fintech innovator and Chief Digital Officer at Luminary Bank, specializing in blockchain, AI, and payments. With 8 years of experience in finance, including a tenure as Lead Economist at the Central Bank, and a PhD from EPFL, one of the world's top technical universities, Gleb combines deep academic expertise with hands-on experience in building high-impact financial systems.As a forward-thinking leader, Gleb has successfully driven the implementation of crypto lending, staking, and blockchain protocol integrations, achieving in months what traditional banks often take years to build. He believes in leveraging the best of traditional finance and blockchain to create efficient, interoperable systems, redefining the way modern financial infrastructure is designed and operated.Gleb is widely recognized for his vision at the intersection of finance and technology. A finalist of the Econometric Game — World Championship in Econometrics, he continues to shape the future of digital finance, exploring the programmability of money and building next-generation financial systems that are fast, yield-bearing, and reliable.Gleb has a publication at the Swiss National Bank FinTech Conference on Crypto assets and Financial Innovation: “How algorithmic stablecoins fail”.LinkedINTwitter

Gleb Kurovskiy, Luminary Chief Digital Officer (PhD)Gleb Kurovskiy is a leading fintech innovator and Chief Digital Officer at Luminary Bank, specializing in blockchain, AI, and payments. With 8 years of experience in finance, including a tenure as Lead Economist at the Central Bank, and a PhD from EPFL, one of the world's top technical universities, Gleb combines deep academic expertise with hands-on experience in building high-impact financial systems.As a forward-thinking leader, Gleb has successfully driven the implementation of crypto lending, staking, and blockchain protocol integrations, achieving in months what traditional banks often take years to build. He believes in leveraging the best of traditional finance and blockchain to create efficient, interoperable systems, redefining the way modern financial infrastructure is designed and operated.Gleb is widely recognized for his vision at the intersection of finance and technology. A finalist of the Econometric Game — World Championship in Econometrics, he continues to shape the future of digital finance, exploring the programmability of money and building next-generation financial systems that are fast, yield-bearing, and reliable.Gleb has a publication at the Swiss National Bank FinTech Conference on Crypto assets and Financial Innovation: “How algorithmic stablecoins fail”.LinkedINTwitter

Chris Kim is the Co-Founder and CEO of Axis. Prior to Axis, Chris co-founded Alphanonce in 2018, growing it into a leading quantitative hedge fund with $400 million in AUM. Chris entered the digital asset industry as the first hire at QCP Capital, where he ran the firm's most profitable arbitrage book, specializing in cross-currency arbitrage strategies. He was a leading early market maker for stablecoins in regional markets and among the first to trade non-USD stablecoins. Before transitioning to digital assets, Chris built his foundation in FX and cross-border payments, developing deep expertise in currency markets and international financial flows that would later inform his approach to digital asset trading.

Chris Kim is the Co-Founder and CEO of Axis. Prior to Axis, Chris co-founded Alphanonce in 2018, growing it into a leading quantitative hedge fund with $400 million in AUM. Chris entered the digital asset industry as the first hire at QCP Capital, where he ran the firm's most profitable arbitrage book, specializing in cross-currency arbitrage strategies. He was a leading early market maker for stablecoins in regional markets and among the first to trade non-USD stablecoins. Before transitioning to digital assets, Chris built his foundation in FX and cross-border payments, developing deep expertise in currency markets and international financial flows that would later inform his approach to digital asset trading.

Ivan co-founded Fortytwo, a planetary-scale intelligence network designed for next-generation AI applications and services. Fortytwo connects nodes running on consumer hardware with small AI models that collectively can outperform the reasoning capabilities of frontier AI (e.g.,centralized large models by OpenAI and Anthropic), creating a permissionless, scalable layer of community-driven intelligence free from intermediaries.Ivan graduated from DePaul University and, early in his career, co-founded Temporal Games, where he served as CEO, focusing on AI projects in games and entertainment. He led the creation of autonomous, self-learning AI agents using Genetic Algorithms and Reinforcement Learning, which outperformed humans in classic games. In 2018, he developed a Conversational AI service leveraging some of the earliest LLMs to enhance game character interactivity. In 2023, he collaborated with NEOM to develop a state-of-the-art generative 3D graphics model and the industry's first LLM capable of spatial reasoning. His more recent workincludes research on Animated Gaussian Splatting for capturing and reconstructing volumetric video content, followed by ongoing efforts in AI decentralization, which led to the research on swarm inference and the creation of the Fortytwo network.

Ivan co-founded Fortytwo, a planetary-scale intelligence network designed for next-generation AI applications and services. Fortytwo connects nodes running on consumer hardware with small AI models that collectively can outperform the reasoning capabilities of frontier AI (e.g.,centralized large models by OpenAI and Anthropic), creating a permissionless, scalable layer of community-driven intelligence free from intermediaries.Ivan graduated from DePaul University and, early in his career, co-founded Temporal Games, where he served as CEO, focusing on AI projects in games and entertainment. He led the creation of autonomous, self-learning AI agents using Genetic Algorithms and Reinforcement Learning, which outperformed humans in classic games. In 2018, he developed a Conversational AI service leveraging some of the earliest LLMs to enhance game character interactivity. In 2023, he collaborated with NEOM to develop a state-of-the-art generative 3D graphics model and the industry's first LLM capable of spatial reasoning. His more recent workincludes research on Animated Gaussian Splatting for capturing and reconstructing volumetric video content, followed by ongoing efforts in AI decentralization, which led to the research on swarm inference and the creation of the Fortytwo network.

Justin Hughes serves as the General Manager of Shareland, bringing deep expertise in fintech and real estate technology to the project. As a co-founder of RealtyMogul.com, he helped build one of the world's first and largest real estate crowdfunding platforms, pioneering digital access to the asset class. At Shareland, Justin leverages this background to oversee operations and product strategy, translating complex real estate models into scalable, user-friendly software solutions.

Justin Hughes serves as the General Manager of Shareland, bringing deep expertise in fintech and real estate technology to the project. As a co-founder of RealtyMogul.com, he helped build one of the world's first and largest real estate crowdfunding platforms, pioneering digital access to the asset class. At Shareland, Justin leverages this background to oversee operations and product strategy, translating complex real estate models into scalable, user-friendly software solutions.

William Vogt is a subject matter expert in China affairs. Heis a former Senior Fellow at the Digital Economist, a technology-centered policy think tank, where he produced timely research on the AI market in today's China. He has worked as a consultant supporting government andinsurance companies with insights related to Beijing's domestic and foreign policies. He is the author of Foundations of the Chinese Internet: Calculations, Concepts, Culture, a textbook designed for his former courses as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and the Catholic University of America. He also teaches an online course at Udemy about digital authoritarianism which features content about China's macroeconomy. He is a two-time graduate of Georgetown University, with a Bachelor of Science from theWalsh School of Foreign Service and a Master of Arts from the Communication, Culture, and Technology program.

William Vogt is a subject matter expert in China affairs. Heis a former Senior Fellow at the Digital Economist, a technology-centered policy think tank, where he produced timely research on the AI market in today's China. He has worked as a consultant supporting government andinsurance companies with insights related to Beijing's domestic and foreign policies. He is the author of Foundations of the Chinese Internet: Calculations, Concepts, Culture, a textbook designed for his former courses as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and the Catholic University of America. He also teaches an online course at Udemy about digital authoritarianism which features content about China's macroeconomy. He is a two-time graduate of Georgetown University, with a Bachelor of Science from theWalsh School of Foreign Service and a Master of Arts from the Communication, Culture, and Technology program.

Joris Delanoue is the CEO and co-founder of Fairmint. He builds programmable-equity infrastructure for private markets, extending beyond cap-table software to connect ownership, compliance, and capital formation on smart-contract rails. An 18-year builder, he previously founded and sold Nexteem and has launched multiple SaaS and marketplace products. He has managed and mentored large engineering teams and today oversees Fairmint and its SEC-registered transfer agent. Trained at the intersection of finance, AI, and blockchain—and a three-time International Mathematical Olympiad finalist—Joris focuses on turning private equity operations into code so companies can raise, manage, and distribute ownership with precision.  

Joris Delanoue is the CEO and co-founder of Fairmint. He builds programmable-equity infrastructure for private markets, extending beyond cap-table software to connect ownership, compliance, and capital formation on smart-contract rails. An 18-year builder, he previously founded and sold Nexteem and has launched multiple SaaS and marketplace products. He has managed and mentored large engineering teams and today oversees Fairmint and its SEC-registered transfer agent. Trained at the intersection of finance, AI, and blockchain—and a three-time International Mathematical Olympiad finalist—Joris focuses on turning private equity operations into code so companies can raise, manage, and distribute ownership with precision.  

Joseph Onorati is CEO of Defi Development Corp (DFDV), the first Solana treasury company listed on NASDAQ. DFDV was the best performing US stock in 2025. Previously, Joseph was Chief Strategy Officer at Kraken, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, where he worked for nearly 9 years. He started working in the crypto space in 2013, when he joined CaVirtEx, the first bitcoin exchange in Canada, where he became interim CEO and sold the company to Coinsetter, which was later acquired by Kraken.Website: www.dfdv.com

Joseph Onorati is CEO of Defi Development Corp (DFDV), the first Solana treasury company listed on NASDAQ. DFDV was the best performing US stock in 2025. Previously, Joseph was Chief Strategy Officer at Kraken, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, where he worked for nearly 9 years. He started working in the crypto space in 2013, when he joined CaVirtEx, the first bitcoin exchange in Canada, where he became interim CEO and sold the company to Coinsetter, which was later acquired by Kraken.Website: www.dfdv.com

This is the fifteenth episode in the Crypto Hipster's Curtain Calls Series, which includes 3–4-minute clips from Seasons 6-8. This compilation draws upon my conversations with:Jonathan Padilla, CEO and co-founder @ Snickerdoodle Labs (5/11/2024, Season 7)Jerry Li, CEO and co-founder @ Artela Network (6/24/2024, Season 7)Dr. Alan Tominey, Director of Product and Technology @ Gorki (12/24/2023, Season 6)Joshua Scigala, co-founder @ The Standard (3/24/2024, Season 7)

Dave Borsh is the Founder & CMO of Giga-Mint, a Michigan-based startup making NFTs simple and accessible for everyday people. With 25+ years of experience in IT operations supporting automotive, finance, and retail customers, he brings a customer-first mindset to Web3. Dave is focused on redefining NFTs as personal digital keepsakes—not speculation—through Giga-Mint's easy-to-use minting platform.

Dave Borsh is the Founder & CMO of Giga-Mint, a Michigan-based startup making NFTs simple and accessible for everyday people. With 25+ years of experience in IT operations supporting automotive, finance, and retail customers, he brings a customer-first mindset to Web3. Dave is focused on redefining NFTs as personal digital keepsakes—not speculation—through Giga-Mint's easy-to-use minting platform.

Deep Shah is leading the consumer business at Gnosis and is part of the Founding team at Gnosis Pay, where he led distribution ahead of the product passing $50 million in payment volume in its first year of operation. Founded in 2015, Gnosis has evolved into a full-stack ecosystem bridging decentralised technology with everyday finance. Gnosis' mission is to empower every person with greater financial agency and access, while supporting the creation of an open and collectively-owned financial system that benefits all. From its origins in decentralised prediction markets, Gnosis has grown into a full-spectrum provider spanning asset management, decentralised trading, and payments. Its industry-leading innovations include Safe, securing over $58 billion in assets; CoW Protocol, which has protected more than $130 billion in trades; and Gnosis Pay, enabling over $100m in payments to date, via crypto-native cards, for a growing ecosystem of wallets. Gnosis delivers a seamless, collectively-owned financial experience that puts accessibility and ownership at its core.

Deep Shah is leading the consumer business at Gnosis and is part of the Founding team at Gnosis Pay, where he led distribution ahead of the product passing $50 million in payment volume in its first year of operation. Founded in 2015, Gnosis has evolved into a full-stack ecosystem bridging decentralised technology with everyday finance. Gnosis' mission is to empower every person with greater financial agency and access, while supporting the creation of an open and collectively-owned financial system that benefits all. From its origins in decentralised prediction markets, Gnosis has grown into a full-spectrum provider spanning asset management, decentralised trading, and payments. Its industry-leading innovations include Safe, securing over $58 billion in assets; CoW Protocol, which has protected more than $130 billion in trades; and Gnosis Pay, enabling over $100m in payments to date, via crypto-native cards, for a growing ecosystem of wallets. Gnosis delivers a seamless, collectively-owned financial experience that puts accessibility and ownership at its core.

Art Abal is co-founder of Vana. Art is an expert in data systems, with a career dedicated to unlocking the value of human data across AI, governance, and global supply chains. He holds a Master in Public Policy from Harvard, where his research at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs focused on human data collection in corporate supply chains.At Appen, one of the world's largest providers of AI training data, Art led global impact data sourcing—managing a crowd of over 8 million contributors across 160+ countries. He helped design and operate data pipelines for some of the most widely used AI products in the world, including Google Search, Facebook Feed, and ChatGPT. His work focused on responsible data sourcing at massive scale, ensuring high-quality human signal for next-generation AI systems.Art has also completed extensive human data studies for Fortune 500 companies and national governments, translating psychometric and behavioral data into measurable economic and social insights. His work spans data collection methodology, human-centered research, data markets, and AI training pipelines—making him a leading voice in DataFi, data economics, and the future of human-AI interaction.Earlier in his career, Art served as Senior Legal and Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, where he supported data gathering and institutional design to support the development of the world's fourth-newest nation. He began his professional journey as a corporate lawyer at DLA Piper, working on cross-border transactions and sovereign governance.

Art Abal is co-founder of Vana. Art is an expert in data systems, with a career dedicated to unlocking the value of human data across AI, governance, and global supply chains. He holds a Master in Public Policy from Harvard, where his research at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs focused on human data collection in corporate supply chains.At Appen, one of the world's largest providers of AI training data, Art led global impact data sourcing—managing a crowd of over 8 million contributors across 160+ countries. He helped design and operate data pipelines for some of the most widely used AI products in the world, including Google Search, Facebook Feed, and ChatGPT. His work focused on responsible data sourcing at massive scale, ensuring high-quality human signal for next-generation AI systems.Art has also completed extensive human data studies for Fortune 500 companies and national governments, translating psychometric and behavioral data into measurable economic and social insights. His work spans data collection methodology, human-centered research, data markets, and AI training pipelines—making him a leading voice in DataFi, data economics, and the future of human-AI interaction.Earlier in his career, Art served as Senior Legal and Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, where he supported data gathering and institutional design to support the development of the world's fourth-newest nation. He began his professional journey as a corporate lawyer at DLA Piper, working on cross-border transactions and sovereign governance.

Robert Grzesik is the founder and CEO of LumiWealth and BotSpot—an AI-powered platform that turns plain-English trading ideas into executable strategies, then lets users backtest, tune, and deploy with integrated broker connections. The ecosystem includes education, live workshops, and an algorithm marketplace to share and use strategies. He previously worked at Voyager Digital and Greystone and has led large software teams building secure, high-scale trading systems. Robert holds a Master of Finance and has 25+ years of software development experience.

Robert Grzesik is the founder and CEO of LumiWealth and BotSpot—an AI-powered platform that turns plain-English trading ideas into executable strategies, then lets users backtest, tune, and deploy with integrated broker connections. The ecosystem includes education, live workshops, and an algorithm marketplace to share and use strategies. He previously worked at Voyager Digital and Greystone and has led large software teams building secure, high-scale trading systems. Robert holds a Master of Finance and has 25+ years of software development experience.

Wes Kaplan is the CEO of G-Knot, bringing next-gen biometrics to crypto with the world's first finger vein-secured wallet. Wes has over a decade of experience across fintech, digital assets, and traditional finance. Most recently, he served as CEO of Cointelegraph, where he led a global team of 270+ and launched new revenue streams, podcasts, and mobile apps that drove the platform to 18 million monthly visitors. Prior to that, he was Chief Business Development Officer at Cointelegraph, overseeing products, partnerships, and revenue teams. Wes also held leadership roles at AscendEX as Director of Marketing and Operations, and at Tradewind Markets leading product and corporate marketing. He began his career at J.P. Morgan in mortgage advisory and BNY Mellon in marketing. He holds a Finance degree from American University.

Wes Kaplan is the CEO of G-Knot, bringing next-gen biometrics to crypto with the world's first finger vein-secured wallet. Wes has over a decade of experience across fintech, digital assets, and traditional finance. Most recently, he served as CEO of Cointelegraph, where he led a global team of 270+ and launched new revenue streams, podcasts, and mobile apps that drove the platform to 18 million monthly visitors. Prior to that, he was Chief Business Development Officer at Cointelegraph, overseeing products, partnerships, and revenue teams. Wes also held leadership roles at AscendEX as Director of Marketing and Operations, and at Tradewind Markets leading product and corporate marketing. He began his career at J.P. Morgan in mortgage advisory and BNY Mellon in marketing. He holds a Finance degree from American University.

ALEXIS SIRKIA, CHAIRMAN & CO-FOUNDERAlexis Sirkia is the Chairman of Yellow Network, where he oversees the strategic direction of the entire ecosystem. A recognized pioneer in blockchain, he previously co-founded GSR, a leading cryptocurrency market-making firm that played an essential role in Ripple's early growth. Alexis holds degrees in mathematics and computer science from Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III. He seamlessly blends work and adventure, circumnavigating the world as the captain on his sailing catamaran, all while staying connected 24/7 via Starlink.

ALEXIS SIRKIA, CHAIRMAN & CO-FOUNDERAlexis Sirkia is the Chairman of Yellow Network, where he oversees the strategic direction of the entire ecosystem. A recognized pioneer in blockchain, he previously co-founded GSR, a leading cryptocurrency market-making firm that played an essential role in Ripple's early growth. Alexis holds degrees in mathematics and computer science from Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III. He seamlessly blends work and adventure, circumnavigating the world as the captain on his sailing catamaran, all while staying connected 24/7 via Starlink.

This is the fourteenth episode in the Crypto Hipster's Curtain Calls Series, which includes 3–4-minute clips from Seasons 6-8. This compilation draws upon my conversations with:Mohd Kifa, compliance lead @ Flipster (11/30/2024, Season 8)Michael Wasyl, co-founder at Bracket (2/2/2025, Season 8)Mukarram Mawjood, CIO at Blackstone Commodity Group (6/2/2025, Season 8)Mathias Beke, co-founder and CTO at Kairon Labs (6/4/2024, Season 7)

Nkechi, "Charis" Enebeli is a community builder, content creator, and tech host obsessed with connecting people, opportunities, and technology across Africa.Currently, she leads the community development efforts at UGLYCASH, an American stablecoin app that's changing how people move money globally. From onboarding new users, cultivating a trust environment, to leading growth campaigns, her focus is simple: transforming crypto from a concept into a lifestyleBefore this, she co-founded Base Africa (now Onchain Global), a community that drove Base adoption across Africa by helping builders and creators use Onchain tools to build real, scalable impact. The focus was on bridging the gap between Base and Africa's growing Web3 scene through education, collaboration, campaigns, and inclusion.Over the years, Charis has: Managed and scaled communities of 3,000+ active members across different Web3 projects.Hosted and spoken at leading tech and blockchain events across Africa, such as, AirDAO, SailsJS, Web3Ladies, Lagos DevCon, and Web3Lagos Con.Organized growth campaigns and educational programs that drive both adoption and retention.Built content, PR, and community strategies that turned casual users into believers.More than anything, Charis loves seeing people win, especially when they find freedom and purpose through tech - and why she's passionate about making Web3 more inclusive, accessible, and exciting for everyone.

Nkechi, "Charis" Enebeli is a community builder, content creator, and tech host obsessed with connecting people, opportunities, and technology across Africa.Currently, she leads the community development efforts at UGLYCASH, an American stablecoin app that's changing how people move money globally. From onboarding new users, cultivating a trust environment, to leading growth campaigns, her focus is simple: transforming crypto from a concept into a lifestyleBefore this, she co-founded Base Africa (now Onchain Global), a community that drove Base adoption across Africa by helping builders and creators use Onchain tools to build real, scalable impact. The focus was on bridging the gap between Base and Africa's growing Web3 scene through education, collaboration, campaigns, and inclusion.Over the years, Charis has: Managed and scaled communities of 3,000+ active members across different Web3 projects.Hosted and spoken at leading tech and blockchain events across Africa, such as, AirDAO, SailsJS, Web3Ladies, Lagos DevCon, and Web3Lagos Con.Organized growth campaigns and educational programs that drive both adoption and retention.Built content, PR, and community strategies that turned casual users into believers.More than anything, Charis loves seeing people win, especially when they find freedom and purpose through tech - and why she's passionate about making Web3 more inclusive, accessible, and exciting for everyone.

Nokkvi Dan Ellidason is the CEO of GAIMIN. GAIMIN is building the future of cloud computing—a model that moves away from expensive, centralized data centers and instead leverages a global network of personal devices. A mathematician and statistician by training, Nokkvi brings a strong background in applied mathematics, data science, and ethical data use to his leadership. Before joining GAIMIN, he worked in software engineering at a Fortune 500 company and as a senior data specialist at the Icelandic Association of Local Authorities. Holding degrees from the University of Iceland and Yale University, Nokkvi combines deep technical expertise with a passion for sustainable, transparent, and data-driven innovation—helping GAIMIN unlock new efficiencies in how the world powers, processes, and rewards digital activity.

Nokkvi Dan Ellidason is the CEO of GAIMIN, which is building the future of cloud computing—a model that moves away from expensive, centralized data centers and instead leverages a global network of personal devices. A mathematician and statistician by training, Nokkvi brings a strong background in applied mathematics, data science, and ethical data use to his leadership. Before joining GAIMIN, he worked in software engineering at a Fortune 500 company and as a senior data specialist at the Icelandic Association of Local Authorities. Holding degrees from the University of Iceland and Yale University, Nokkvi combines deep technical expertise with a passion for sustainable, transparent, and data-driven innovation—helping GAIMIN unlock new efficiencies in how the world powers, processes, and rewards digital activity.

Billy Luedtke is a blockchain veteran with over a decade of experience in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and decentralized identity. At ConsenSys, he helped establish the Bay Area consulting practice, led internal R&D, founded the Developer Relations team, and worked as a Senior Token Mechanism Engineer. He served as Enterprise Lead at uPort, Ethereum's first decentralized identity product, co-chaired the EEA Digital Identity Working Group, and was a founding member of the Decentralized Identity Foundation. Billy also launched the 1 Million Developers initiative and is a special advisor to MetaMask. He is now the CEO of Intuition Systems. 

Billy Luedtke is a blockchain veteran with over a decade of experience in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and decentralized identity. At ConsenSys, he helped establish the Bay Area consulting practice, led internal R&D, founded the Developer Relations team, and worked as a Senior Token Mechanism Engineer. He served as Enterprise Lead at uPort, Ethereum's first decentralized identity product, co-chaired the EEA Digital Identity Working Group, and was a founding member of the Decentralized Identity Foundation. Billy also launched the 1 Million Developers initiative and is a special advisor to MetaMask. He is now the CEO of Intuition Systems. 

This is the thirteenth episode in the Crypto Hipster'sCurtain Calls Series, which includes 3–4-minute clips from Seasons 6-8. This compilation draws upon my conversations with:David Materazzi, CEO at Galileo FX (4/5/2025, Season 8)Aakash Athawasya, head of research at PYOR (4/8/2024, Season7)Phillip Alexeev, Chief Growth Officer at CrossFi (5/4/2024,Season 7)Casey Stubbs, founder of Global Prop Trader (3/9/2024,Season 6)

Tobias is Head of BD at TOP, the largest VC in Telegram, whose portfolio includes Wallet, the crypto platform built into the app's settings menu. Fluent in Russian and English, he has a background in corporate due diligence and previously worked at the TON Foundation.

Tobias Lewis is Head of BD at TOP, the largest VC in Telegram, whose portfolio includes Wallet, the crypto platform built into the app's settings menu. Fluent in Russian and English, he has a background in corporate due diligence and previously worked at the TON Foundation.

Edwin Mata is the CEO and Co-Founder of Brickken, a leading multi-chain tokenization platform that has already pioneered the tokenization of over $300 million in real-world assets across 16 countries. Under his leadership, Brickken was ranked #28 on Sifted's Top 100 Fastest-Growing Startups in France & Southern Europe 2025, one of only two blockchain-native companies featured, proving that Web3 infrastructure is no longer theoretical—it's being built, adopted, and deployed by real institutions.Edwin, a Mexican-Spanish blockchain lawyer, entrepreneur, and keynote speaker, is at the forefront of real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. He has shaped academic and legal programs on emerging technologies and continues to advocate for clear regulatory standards and scalable frameworks across Web3.He was recently recognized by Forbes Argentina as one of the “40 Under 40 Tech Leaders Revolutionizing the Digital Future,” highlighting his role among innovators driving the next wave of technology and finance globally.At Brickken, Edwin is creating compliant Web3 infrastructure that empowers institutions to tokenize, manage, and scale real-world assets efficiently, helping usher in a new era of global liquidity through decentralized finance.

Edwin Mata is the CEO and Co-Founder of Brickken, a leading multi-chain tokenization platform that has already pioneered the tokenization of over $300 million in real-world assets across 16 countries. Under his leadership, Brickken was ranked #28 on Sifted's Top 100 Fastest-Growing Startups in France & Southern Europe 2025, one of only two blockchain-native companies featured, proving that Web3 infrastructure is no longer theoretical—it's being built, adopted, and deployed by real institutions.Edwin, a Mexican-Spanish blockchain lawyer, entrepreneur, and keynote speaker, is at the forefront of real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. He has shaped academic and legal programs on emerging technologies and continues to advocate for clear regulatory standards and scalable frameworks across Web3.He was recently recognized by Forbes Argentina as one of the “40 Under 40 Tech Leaders Revolutionizing the Digital Future,” highlighting his role among innovators driving the next wave of technology and finance globally.At Brickken, Edwin is creating compliant Web3 infrastructure that empowers institutions to tokenize, manage, and scale real-world assets efficiently, helping usher in a new era of global liquidity through decentralized finance.

This is the twelfth episode in the Crypto Hipster's CurtainCalls Series, which includes 3–4-minute clips from Seasons 6-8. This compilation draws upon my conversations with:Seamus Rocca, CEO at Xapo Bank (10/7/2023, Season 6)Edward Mehrez, co-founder at Arrow Markets (4/27/2024,Season 7)Sheldon Bennett (CEO) and Steve Eliscu (COO) at DMGBlockchain Solutions (1/13/2024, Season 6)Clem Chambers, founder of aNewFn (3/10/2025, Season 8)

This is the eleventh episode in the Crypto Hipster's Curtain Calls Series, which includes 3–4-minute clips from Seasons 6-8. This compilation draws upon my conversations with:Colin Fitzpatrick, Director of Business Development at Griffin AI (11/25/2024, Season 8)Andrew Hill, CEO and co-founder at Recall (5/12/2025, Season 8)Bullet Bulat, Web3 Product Lead at ReDeFi (12/16/2024, Season 8)Max Giammario, CEO and Founder at Kindred (3/31/2025, Season 8)

Vadim Rozov, CEO at Simplify Labs (⁠https://simplifylabs.io/en/⁠). Simplify Labs specializes in developing crypto platforms that comply with European regulatory frameworks. Founded by the creators of Kyrrex, a MiCA-compliant cryptocurrency exchange, the company provides solutions that meet EU regulatory standards. It also offers legal, marketing, and customer support services to crypto projects. Its core expertise includes building crypto exchanges, OTC platforms, crypto Telegram bots, and liquidity hubs.

Vadim Rozov, CEO at Simplify Labs (⁠https://simplifylabs.io/en/) Simplify Labs specializes in developing crypto platforms that comply with European regulatory frameworks. Founded by the creators of Kyrrex, a MiCA-compliant cryptocurrency exchange, the company provides solutions that meet EU regulatory standards. It also offers legal, marketing, and customer support services to crypto projects. Its core expertise includes building crypto exchanges, OTC platforms, crypto Telegram bots, and liquidity hubs.

Kelvin Tersoo Jiraji is a trained Electrical and Electronics Engineer from the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, a builder, an innovation entrepreneur, Agtech expert, AI enthusiasts, and Blockchain Innovator.He is an alumnus of LEAP Africa (LEAP Africa is a youth-focused leadership development organization committed to raising leaders who will transform Africa; through interventions for young people, that bridges the gap in five areas: Education, Entrepreneurship, Employability, Active Citizenship and Health and Wellbeing (https://leapafrica.org/))Kelvin is a Tony Elumelu Fellowship fellow.He has served as the Head of Communications and Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa for the Africa Chamber of Digital Commerce (ACOFDC), a non-profit headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA with the goal of accelerating the adoption of emerging technology in Africa and diaspora communities.He is the Visioner behind the Africa Digital Economy Summit (AfriDES). Jiraji is leveraging Blockchain through Project Tembekasua: Agriculture on Chain, Africa's First Blockchain as a Service(BaaS) food distribution platform.Jiraji is currently undergoing an executive fellowship with the Digital Economists (https://www.thedigitaleconomist.com/), a New York based Think and Do Tank, also serving as the Webinar Project Manager.

Kelvin Tersoo Jiraji is a trained Electrical and Electronics Engineer from the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, a builder, an innovation entrepreneur, Agtech expert, AI enthusiasts, and Blockchain Innovator.He is an alumnus of LEAP Africa (LEAP Africa is a youth-focused leadership development organization committed to raising leaders who will transform Africa; through interventions for young people, that bridges the gap in five areas: Education, Entrepreneurship, Employability, Active Citizenship and Health and Wellbeing (https://leapafrica.org/))Kelvin is a Tony Elumelu Fellowship fellow.He has served as the Head of Communications and Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa for the Africa Chamber of Digital Commerce (ACOFDC), a non-profit headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA with the goal of accelerating the adoption of emerging technology in Africa and diaspora communities.He is the Visioner behind the Africa Digital Economy Summit (AfriDES). Jiraji is leveraging Blockchain through Project Tembekasua: Agriculture on Chain, Africa's First Blockchain as a Service(BaaS) food distribution platform.Jiraji is currently undergoing an executive fellowship with the Digital Economists (https://www.thedigitaleconomist.com/), a New York based Think and Do Tank, also serving as the Webinar Project Manager.

Reeve Collins is a serial tech entrepreneur. He co-founded Tether in 2013 — the world's largest stablecoin to date. He is currently the co-founder and chairman of Stable | WeFi, and the incoming chairman of ReserveOne.

Reeve Collins is a serial tech entrepreneur. He co-founded Tether in 2013 — the world's largest stablecoin to date. He is currently the co-founder and chairman of Stable | WeFi, and the incoming chairman of ReserveOne.

Fehmi Fennia drives the strategic vision at VS1 as its Chief Strategy Officer (CSO). He is a true industry veteran, having entered the cryptocurrency and blockchain space in 2013, bringing over a decade of rare insight to the team.Throughout his career, he has played an instrumental role in the development of pioneering Web3 and DeFi projects. At VS1, Fehmi leverages this invaluable experience to drive protocol growth, scale operations, and expand crucial ecosystem partnerships, architecting the company's long-term success.