DiffuseTap Podcast

Do investors misunderstand what makes a climate tech investment successful? Last time on DiffuseTap, we ask  Michael Luciani , Managing Partner at  Climate Capital , about where great climate tech deal flow comes from, why liquidity opportunities are few and far between, and how to work with other funders to pool investment capital for higher potential exits.

Are financial advisors ready to ride the crypto wave? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Sarah Morton , Chief Strategy Officer at  MeetAmi Innovations Inc. , about how advisors are recommending crypto to clients, how advisors are looking at the development of the crypto industry, and what needs to happen for advisors to confidently recommend crypto in the future.

How can fintechs market themselves more effectively to prospective customers? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Seth Gordon , VP of Private Capital Marketing at  WealthBlock , about the difference between effective marketing for fintech and tradfi products, some promotional mistakes that fintechs make that puts them in legal hot water, and how to build an institution-grade brand and prospect funn...

Can ETFs become your every-day cash wallet, while staying invested at all times? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Fred Phillips , CEO of  Investor Cash Management , about how to use ETFs to pay for everyday items, how the liquidation infrastructure for this payment method works, and how Visa and other payment systems are implementing this new and innovative solution.

Is Blockchain a buzzword in the corporate world or does the tech get put to use? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Grant Cermak , CEO at  Evergreen Systems , about how corporates are already implementing blockchain in their operations, what issues they are trying to solve with the technology, and which implementations are successes or failures.

What are the best ways to save on crypto taxes? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Austin Wilcox , Founder and CEO at  AQ Capital  and The Bitcoin Endowment, about how to get Bitcoin tax deductions, what makes endowments an attractive way to structure Bitcoin assets, and why some people pay 3x taxes on their Bitcoin.

Is the Lightning Network the future of energy trading? Next on DiffuseTap, we ask  Austin Mitchell , CEO of  Synota , about how the Bitcoin Lightning Network is paving the way for a more efficient and accessible energy market, how much back-office inefficiencies add to the price of energy, and what would happen if the world settled energy instantly.

Is the U.S. losing its competitive edge in the crypto industry? If so, how can it regain its advantage? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Gerald Gallagher , COO and General Counsel at  NATION , about what happened behind the scenes in Congress crypto regulation, the underlying motives driving these regulatory changes, and what happens to crypto should the U.S. decide to step away from it.

Does the internet actually exist? Does anyone own or control it? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  J. Scott Christianson , a faculty member at the  University of Missouri , about how the world connects to the internet, who is not connected, the restricted access that billions experience, and why it matters for our future.

Structured crypto products may be a game-changer for risk-conscious investors. What hurdles might they face on the way to mass adoption? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Anestis Arampatzis  and  Patrick Baker , Co-Founders of  Centaur Markets , about how structured products in crypto were invented, who the main players are in offering structured crypto products, and how these financial instrumen...

How can investors identify and capitalize on the value of an ecosystem? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Ryan Terribilini , Executive VP of  Algorand Ventures  at  Algorand Foundation , about what is ecosystem ROI, which investments thrive in an ecosystem and which ones fall flat, and how long it takes to see returns when your investment depends on a vibrant ecosystem.

What unique risks are associated with crypto loans, and how can they be mitigated to ensure a safe lending environment? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Aya Kantorovich  and  Alexandre Elkrief , Co-founders of  Fractal , about why crypto lending is perceived as “unsafe”, what regulators have to say about lending, and how technology can help legitimize crypto lending for institutional investors.

Can startups still get D&O insurance even though startup valuations have cratered? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Dan Ross  and  Ben Davis  of  Superscript  about when and why emerging tech D&O/E&O came about, what underwriters look for and avoid in potential clients, and how the startup cycle and insurance market cycle affect the availability of insurance.

If you could start your own country, would you do it? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Johnny Chang , Managing Director at  RNS-ID , about the reasons why people might want to start a new country, what new countries have been recently created, and how to do it yourself.

In Q1 2023, private funding for crypto startups plunged 80% YOY. What happened? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Ben Lakoff ,  General Partner at  Bankless Ventures , about why seed stage funding in crypto has significantly declined, who acquires crypto startups after their exit, and what needs to happen in the industry to turn the luck of crypto startups around.

In a crypto winter, what factors influence the outcomes and performance of a hedge fund? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Ben Jacobs , Managing Partner at  Scenius Capital , about the drivers behind the biggest winners and losers in the crypto hedge fund space, which managers were able to turn around the ship mid-collapse, and what lessons can be applied to the next bull run.

Is crypto mining still profitable in 2023? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Matt Williams , Head of Derivatives at  Luxor , about how Bitcoin mining has evolved in recent years, what new business models have emerged to accommodate market volatility, and what it will take for bitcoin mining companies to survive in 2023.

Are all tokens actually crypto and if not… what’s the difference? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Maggie Sklar , Partner for Banking and Financial Services at  Davis Wright Tremaine LLP , about where the confusion between tokens and crypto comes from, what assets are tokenized aside from crypto, and which tokens are most commonly mistaken for crypto.

Monetizing intellectual property can be a complex process. But what if we could turn IP into NFTs? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Pamela Norton , Founder and CEO of  TitleChain , to talk about how IP into NFTs can help monetize your IP, how the legal structure of an IP NFT works, and what the regulatory concerns of turning IP into NFTs are.

Staking is a pain in the butt. Which staking products make life easy and which increase risk? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Robert Ellison , a staking veteran , and  Alison Mangiero , Executive Director at  Proof of Stake Alliance , about how staking business models work, who the main players are in staking, and some of the loopholes staking platforms take advantage of to scam users.

The sudden collapse of three major banks sent shockwaves across the U.S. financial industry. Could crypto be partly to blame? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Howard Krieger ,  CAO of Aegis Trust Company , and  Scott Christianson , Director of  University of Missouri Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation , about what caused the banking collapse, how much crypto played a role in it, and the...

How do different risk structures impact the stability, liquidity, and value of new stablecoins? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Davis Hart ,  CEO and Founder of  Public Key Financial , about different stablecoin implementations and the risks associated with them, the purpose and mechanisms of non-USD stablecoins, and whether CBDCs will be taking over the stablecoin industry.

How do you spot a 10x return in crypto venture investing? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Peter Wokwicz , CEO of  Positron Capital Management , about what has changed in crypto company investing in the last 12 months, the best way to structure a deal (tokens or equity?), and how to match your crypto startup investment to your risk appetite.

NFT prices can be highly speculative and volatile. So how can you assess their true current or future value? Last time on DiffuseTap, we asked  Layne Nadeau , Founder and CEO at  NVAL , about how NFTs are priced, the biggest wild cards in NFT valuation, and how to spot potential investment opportunities in the NFT market.

Is shorting a great way to take advantage of a bear market or is it an evergreen investment opportunity to tap? Last time on DiffuseTap, we ask  Andrew Woodruff , Chief Investment Officer  at  Black Lotus Capital , about the opportunities in shorting some crypto projects, how to easily spot coins that are destined for failure, and how to use short positions as hedges.