Crypto Hipster Podcast

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.

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.

This is the tenth 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:Daniel Steeves, advisor/consultant and founder at tudaBirds(2/27/2024, Season 6)Caitlin Moore, Sustainability Data Partnerships Manager at Filecoin Green (11/12/2023, Season 6)Owen O'Driscoll, Co-founder and CEO at Trrue (9/17/2023,Season 6)Andrew Forson, Head of Ventures and Investments at theHashgraph Association (9/2/2024, Season 8)

Roman Cyganov is a serial entrepreneur and AI strategist with 10 years of experience turning frontier ideas into investor-backed ventures. As Founder & CEO of Antix, creator of the hyper-realistic, AI-driven digital-human and content engine AIGE, he is redefining how brands such as Warner Bros., HBO, EA Sports, and Tencent deliver immersive content and personalized experiences. Under his leadership, Antix has:Earned #2 in Machine Learning and #3 in Generative AI at the 2024 Startups of the Year awards.Showcased its flagship digital human “Helisa” on billboards from Times Square to Tokyo.Been named among the Top 10 innovators shaping metaverse avatars and digital fashion.

Roman Cyganov is a serial entrepreneur and AI strategist with 10 years of experience turning frontier ideas into investor-backed ventures. As Founder & CEO of Antix, creator of the hyper-realistic, AI-driven digital-human and content engine AIGE, he is redefining how brands such as Warner Bros., HBO, EA Sports, and Tencent deliver immersive content and personalized experiences. Under his leadership, Antix has:Earned #2 in Machine Learning and #3 in Generative AI at the 2024 Startups of the Year awards.Showcased its flagship digital human “Helisa” on billboards from Times Square to Tokyo.Been named among the Top 10 innovators shaping metaverse avatars and digital fashion.

This is the ninth episode in the Crypto Hipster's Curtain Callsseries, which includes 3–4-minute clips from Seasons 6-8. This compilation draws upon my conversations with:Jamie Goldblatt, Founder at Mind Chill 360 (5/3/2025, Season8)Mohamed El-Masri, Management Partner at Hodler (12/20/2024, Season 8)Joy Schoffler, Founder and Principal at Distinctive EdgePartners (11/18/2023, Season 6)J.D. Seraphine, Founder at Raiinmaker (7/4/2024, Season 7)

Jin Kwon is Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Saga.xyz, a Layer-1 protocol for launching other Layer-1s, focused on web3 game development. With experience spanning engineering, investment banking, and blockchain, Jin leads Saga's long-term strategy, including token economics and exchange integrations. His career includes roles at Intel, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Centerview Partners before becoming Vice President of Corporate Development at Tendermint, where he played a key role in productizing Cosmos technology. Jin excels at simplifying complex blockchain concepts for developers and end-users. At Saga, he's focusing on providing scalable, low-cost infrastructure for web3 developers, comparing their service to AWS's impact on cloud computing. Jin aims to enable mainstream adoption of blockchain technology, especially in gaming and high-volume, low-value transactions. His ability to connect advanced technology with practical applications drives Saga's mission to create the future developer environment.

Jin Kwon is Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Saga.xyz, a Layer-1 protocol for launching other Layer-1s, focused on web3 game development. With experience spanning engineering, investment banking, and blockchain, Jin leads Saga's long-term strategy, including token economics and exchange integrations. His career includes roles at Intel, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Centerview Partners before becoming Vice President of Corporate Development at Tendermint, where he played a key role in productizing Cosmos technology. Jin excels at simplifying complex blockchain concepts for developers and end-users. At Saga, he's focusing on providing scalable, low-cost infrastructure for web3 developers, comparing their service to AWS's impact on cloud computing. Jin aims to enable mainstream adoption of blockchain technology, especially in gaming and high-volume, low-value transactions. His ability to connect advanced technology with practical applications drives Saga's mission to create the future developer environment.

Alexander Kalankhodzhaev is Core Engineer Lead at Raiku.Blockchain Architect & Tech Lead with a strong track record in building high-load, distributed transaction systems that ensure guaranteed execution, predictable latency, and resilience under extreme workloads.Currently Core Engineer Lead at Raiku, where I've designed regionally distributed clusters and integrated validator pipelines with Solana to deliver real-time feedback and prioritized transaction execution.Active in the community as a Polkadot developer speaker, contributor to the Programming Academy for Silicon Valley, and co-maintainer of the go-linq library. Passionate about advancing blockchain infrastructure and open-source development.Technical expertise: Solana, Polkadot, Substrate | Rust, C#, Java, Scala

Alexander Kalankhodzhaev is Core Engineer Lead at Raiku.Blockchain Architect & Tech Lead with a strong track record in building high-load, distributed transaction systems that ensure guaranteed execution, predictable latency, and resilience under extreme workloads.Currently Core Engineer Lead at Raiku, where I've designed regionally distributed clusters and integrated validator pipelines with Solana to deliver real-time feedback and prioritized transaction execution.Active in the community as a Polkadot developer speaker, contributor to the Programming Academy for Silicon Valley, and co-maintainer of the go-linq library. Passionate about advancing blockchain infrastructure and open-source development.Technical expertise: Solana, Polkadot, Substrate | Rust, C#, Java, Scala