ReFi Generation

Greetings and welcome back to ReFi Generation! Thank you listeners for your patience, after I got married last year, I took a break for a bit. Have no fear, we are back at it and will be releasing episodes regularly again! Today we talk local currency with Chris Hewitt, founder of Hudson Valley Current. We discuss the nuanced topic of money, and why local currencies matter. If you live in the Unit...

Today we get REC’d, and explore the innovative way Jasmine Energy is pairing the renewable energy credit market, aka RECs, with blockchain technology. Nathalie brings a wealth of knowledge around the renewable energy space and is an excellent bridge between the traditional and the cutting edge. With her electrical engineer degree she has a broad set of skills, from working in energy compliance mar...

Today we go into the forest with Jeremy Epstein, head of growth for Open Forrest Protocol. To put it simply, Open Forrest Protocol is a registry and issuer of carbon credits. Jeremy has a background as a lawyer and gives an inspiring take on how blockchain technology is applicable for solving the climate crisis, biodiversity crisis, really any sort of any of the ecological crises we face. Jeremy r...

Welcome back from our summer break! Marcus Aurelius from Klima DAO joins us to discuss how blockchain technology can revolutionize the carbon offset market. Marcus has a background in data science and data engineering and is passionate about leveraging data to solve problems and make better decisions. Marcus sets the stage for us by sharing how nearly 2 trillion tons of CO2 have been emitted since...

In today’s episode we talk with Scott Morris, AKA the Token Jedi. Scott graduated from college with an interdisciplinary degree in political economics amidst the great financial crisis of 2008. What followed is a captivating story of Scott researching and implementing place-based initiatives, because as he puts it, “Place-based organizing in real communities, changing patterns, with real people, w...

In today’s episode we talk with Maex Ament of  WithEarth.xyz & Centrifuge. Having vast experience leveraging technology to  fundraise and create positive impact, Maex is a bridge between web3 and the climate space. Centrifuge tokenizes real world assets and puts them on the blockchain. Some examples are invoices,  music royalties, mortgages, consumer debt, and all the way into carbon credits a...

In today’s episode we talk with Alessandro Mazzi from Sovereign Nature Initiative. Ale was a joy to talk with and is a wealth of knowledge. He is getting his PHD researching the influence of law on the capacity of human and wildlife to coexist. Sovereign Nature Initiative works in biodiversity conservation and is sitting in the middle between philanthropic giving & conservation projects. Sover...

I love this episode with Will T. from Kingfishers Media LLC because Will is passionate about regenerative knowledge around community building initiatives. Kingfishers Media provides educational tools and resources for starting a business in Web3. They are a bridge to help onboard people and to make sure people have the knowledge needed to engage in the space in a positive way. Will seeks to democr...

In today’s episode, QZ gives us a refreshing look at the ETH London conference, what the blockchain space is like in Singapore, and the quadratic funding mechanism of Clr.fund Clr.fund has a permissionless quadratic funding tool, primarily focussed now on retroactive public goods funding, QZ discusses how it can also be leveraged to fund what specific communities want. This allows for a more forwa...

Today we dive into different economic models with Guilio Quarta from Crypto Commons association. Guilio, having a background in sociology, has been studying alternative practices of organizing and assigning value. This has caused Guilio to lean into the “Blockchain for good” space. What I especially resonated with was Guilio’s narrative agnostic approach, where his work seeks to be the narrative b...

In today’s episode I have the pleasure of interviewing TMO of BASIN Protocol for a third time. TMO, AKA Thomas Morgan, having spent the majority of his career in commercial real estate, is the bridge we need for real world assets coming on chain. TMO discusses the nuances of nature being on the balance sheet, versus nature having its own balance sheet. The former is the old extractive mentality, w...

Join us as Will Masters from Ogallala Life discusses how regenerative finance can breathe life back into landscapes. Will doesn't just talk theory, he and his team are  actively building methods of landscape hydrologic restoration on the ground at the Wildcat Bluff Nature Center in the Texas panhandle. Ogallala Life is at the intersection of nature, technology, and finance, navigating the rol...

Join us live at the Ethereum Denver conference! The pulse of the conference is vibrant, and there is a resounding narrative of regerneration. We are joined with Alan Ransil of Filecoin Green & William Skinner of Helios. A thing to note, the ETH Denver podcast studio had software to mute the background noise, which at times makes the audio not 100%, please excuse that for this episode, as the c...

Let's Grow! This episode is an exploration of purpose, passion, and planting. I sit with Jimi Cohen to discuss the monumental vision of Let's Grow DAO and Treegens, aiming to integrate positive environmental actions with blockchain tools for onboarding.  This conversation explores the encouraging reforestation movement as well as inspires listeners that Jimi's goal of planting more...

This episode just might blow your mind and cause a massive paradigm shift in your concept of gold mining. Jose Santiago & Noach Kettler join us from Alternun, and share with us the potential of "digital exploirtation" for gold mining. Alternun is a Columbia based ReFi project that is leveraging blockchain technology to collatoralize unmined gold, thus negating the need to mine it. Th...

Today we get inspired by the global reforestation initiative with Djimo Serodio of Silvi. Djimo shares how his journey through agricultural technologies and environmental science education has culminated in the Silvi Protocol. This episode sheds light on the critical role of indigenous tree stewardship, and also the sophisticated methods Silvi Protocol employs, using blockchain technology to foste...

In this episode we showcase the potential of regenerative finance with none other than Kevin Owaki, the trailblazing founder of Gitcoin and host of the Green Pill podcast. We dive into how blockchain can redefine our economic landscape and impact environmental and humanitarian efforts. Gitcoin's implementation of quadratic funding has directed over $55 million towards public goods! As we navi...

Today we explore a regenerative finance token, $Earth, with Utkarsh Patel , whose expertise in environmental sciences and economics helps us dissect the transformative potential of digital currencies.  Utkarsh was at COP28 in Dubai and shares his insights from the conference, one being that there was a resounding narrative throughout COP28 that carbon is the trojan horse that got people thinking a...

In this episode with Douglas Gayeton of The Lexicon we explore the nuances of regenerative agriculture and the lessons gleaned from the organic movement's pitfalls. We discuss The Lexicon's forward-thinking activator model, developed alongside Google, to create a universal framework for ecological benefits.  This "Ecological Benefits Framework" is at the integration of sustaina...

In this episode we discuss the potential of blockchain for social good with Teresa Bízková, ecosystem communications manager at Topl and the founder of ReFi Medellín.  Tereza and I disucss how blockchain is not just about cryptocurrencies, but a tool for real-world impact, fostering financial inclusion, and supporting environmental causes. Teresa recounts her transformation from blockchain skeptic...

In today's episode we explore the future of public goods funding with Beth McCarthy, my old UC Berkeley comrade and a big player in the regenerative finance space. Our dive into Funding the Commons illuminates creative infrastructure being built that is helping secure funding and reward impact in nontraditional ways. We discuss how the merging of on-ground MRV data with on-chain data is a piv...

In today's episode with Sophia Dew we dive into the future of public goods funding and explore the Public Goods Network, Gitcoin, and Funding the Commons. Sophia illuminates their collective efforts to develop a more transparent and efficient system for funding public goods.  We discuss retroactive funding models and the role of hypercerts, a tool that has the power to verify and reward impac...

Ever dreamt of a world where finance fuels regeneration instead of depletion? That's what our guests TeRex, Sam, and Sophia Dew aim to create and we’re lucky enough to hear about their innovative projects on today's episode. We delve into the intriguing world of the Traditional Dream Factory, a groundbreaking endeavor to build a network of provable regenerative villages powered by blockc...

Ever wondered how blockchain technology can support regenerative farming? Join us as we explore the fascinating intersection of regenerative agriculture and innovative tech with our guest, Kyle Sullivan, Director of Marketing and Communications at White Buffalo Land Trust. Kyle takes us on a captivating journey through their unique approach to land stewardship, illuminating innovative practices at...