Boston Blockchain - Voices of Boston Blockchain Week 2024

Manuel Rinaldi, Director of QUBIC Labs shares his startup path from Italy to Silicon Valley and QUBIC Labs’ accelerator for bootstrapped founders. We explore pitch competition pressure tests, AI’s blockchain role, conversational vs. interview formats, and building traction without heavy funding. Manuel discusses Naples’ crypto scene and venture advice. Whether you’re a founder, accelerator fan, or...

Constantin Kogan, crypto pioneer from Ukraine, shares his2012 Bitcoin start on BTC-E and commodity trading roots. We dive into physical grain to blockchain, supply chain tokenization, stablecoins in emerging markets, NASDAQ’s ATS for asset tokenization, and crypto’s future. Constantin offers venture lessons and invites collabs. Whether you’re a trader, tokenization fan, or crypto historian, this e...

Amira Valliani, member of the Solana Foundation Growth team, shares her crypto journey from 2017 community-owned ideas to selling a podcast startup in 2021. We explore Solana’s DeFi and NFT boom, stablecoins’ role in emerging markets like Argentina, and blockchain’s remittance edge for affordability. Amira highlights Boston’s tech legacy and thanks Ian for fostering the ecosystem. Whether you’re a...

Hovanes Gavlakian from QuickNode shares his stormy first Boston Blockchain Week encounter and blockchain’s shift from hype to utility. From supply chain transparency to NFT authenticity, he explores AI’s role in crypto, stablecoins’ future for connected data, and why not all tech needs blockchain. Hovanes offers startup advice and invites superpowers for collabs. Whether you’re a crypto builder, A...

Sergey Khusnetdinov, founder of Gain Ventures, shares his approach to funding bootstrapped startups with resources over equity. From pitch competitions designed to test founders under pressure to lessons from five ventures, Sergey explores why VC dependency can break teams, Gain’s “gain of function” philosophy, and Airbnb house bonding for portfolio companies. He discusses exiting a healthcare sta...

Kyle Fugere, founder of Flipside Crypto, shares his path from Dunnhumby’s VC fund to blockchain analytics. From spotting stablecoins’ retail disruption in 2014 to Flipside’s AI tools for querying on-chain data, Kyle explores verifiable crypto insights, AI prompts for beginners, and Boston’s early crypto roots. He discusses payment margins at risk and Flipside’s generous free tier. Whether you’re a...

Lauren Wixom, the face of Boston Blockchain Week, shares her shift from Facebook’s “content police” to crafting AI-driven TikToks and posts for crypto events. From Decentral’s post-COVID hype to Boston Blockchain Week’s grassroots vibe, Lauren explores AI’s role in social media, event production, and building inclusive crypto communities. She offers tips for next year’s attendees and teases future...

Adam Swartzbaugh, founder of Almond Fintech, shares his mission to make global money movement accessible and affordable using AI and blockchain. From emerging markets in Southeast Asia to reducing remittance costs, Adam explores crypto bridges, stablecoins, AI routing for precision, and why blockchain outpaces traditional finance. He discusses Almond’s success and the variables impacting market dy...

Phu Styles, CEO of Blockchain PR and Decentral conferenceproducer, spills on crypto’s event scene—from Decentral Miami’s NFT galleries and Degen vibes to the Hydra Doom tournament with Charles Hoskinson. She shares emerging markets adoption in Vietnam, pushing the Clarity Act, and plans for a Las Vegas tech fest blending AI, fashion, and blockchain. Phu reflects on post-COVID crypto hype and regul...

Antonia Kolb, President of the Harvard UndergraduateBlockchain Club and co-founder of Remora, shares her dive into blockchain as a Harvard sophomore in electrical engineering and economics. We explore Remora’splatform for tokenizing real estate into fractional shares, prioritizing security, compliance, and high-quality investments. Antonia discusses educating students on crypto’s potential, collab...

Derek Yoo, CEO of Moonsong Labs, breaks down Web3’s “read, write, own” evolution and how AI agents can thrive on blockchain for verifiable trust. From his Boston tech roots to Algorand’s spark, Derek explores decentralization’s trade-offs, AI-blockchain hybrids for smart contracts, andwhy not everything needs to be on-chain. He shares insights on Boston’s crypto scene and the future of provable AI...

Yuri Cataldo, Founding Partner at Athenian Capital, AI Research Scientist at Autodesk, and Senior Fellow at The Digital Economist, returns to unpack AI agents’ hidden dangers and opportunities. From exploiting chatbots for free flights to corporate liabilities in cases like Microsoft’s Tay, Yuri dives into AI vulnerabilities, the rush to adopt without safeguards, and human-centric policy at The Di...

'Colorful Carl' Cleanthes, artist and advocate, returns to share his vibrant world of NFTs, live streams, and AI-driven art. Carl explores how AI LoRa models amplify his creative process, champions artists’ rights through the Graphic Artists Guild, and reveals blockchain’s power to ensure authenticity in a generative AI era. Whether you’re an artist, NFT creator, or AI curious, this episod...

Billy Sebell, Executive Director of XDC Network, shares his path from manufacturing and receivable financing to blockchain innovation. In this episode, he breaks down how XDC tokenizes RWAs for efficient trade finance, the Genius Act’s boost to stablecoins, and why regulatory clarity is unlocking capital for businesses. Billy discusses XDC’s ecosystem, from private credit to global trade, and the...

Matt Walsh, Founding Partner at Castle Island Ventures, dives into the explosive world of stablecoins and their pivotal role in blockchain’s future. From his early days with Fidelity’s crypto pioneers to backing cutting-edge startups, Matt unpacks why stablecoins power 70% of crypto transactions, the impact of the Clarity Act, and how regulatory clarity is fueling innovation. He also shares VC wis...

Joel Valenzuela, aka TheDesertLynx from Dash.org, shares how Dash is pioneering crypto as true digital cash—fast, private, and usable for everything from coffee to remittances. In this episode, we explore New Hampshire’s hidden crypto history, Dash’s evolution from Bitcoin’s roots, and how AI is turbocharging blockchain development for massive efficiency gains. Joel breaks down real-world crypto a...

Josh Deems, a crypto veteran with a decade in the game, takes us from Boston’s early Bitcoin days to leading the charge in staking infrastructure. In this episode, he unpacks the mechanics of non-custodial staking, its role in powering proof-of-stake blockchains, and hot trends like liquid staking and crypto ETPs. Josh also dives into regulatory wins, Boston’s slept-on crypto legacy, and how staki...

Keli Callaghan, a driving force at Arrington Capital, takes us through her crypto journey—from tackling Algorand’s early days and a 72-page whitepaper to backing the future of digital assets. In this episode, she dives into the crypto landscape, from her role in the Celsius bankruptcy bid to Arrington’s bets on DeFi, stablecoins, and AI-driven crypto tools. Keli shares why Boston Blockchain Week 2...

Scams in crypto aren’t always what they seem. In this episode, Kyle sits down with Aleks Ring of Operation Shamrock to talk about the darker side of fraud in the cryptocurrency space — and the disturbing reality that many of these scams are being run by people who’ve been trafficked and forced into digital crime. From fake profiles and romance scams to AI-generated scripts and burner wallets, Alek...

In a world where your digital footprint can make you a target, Alec Harris of Haven-X is on a mission to help people stay one step ahead of the bad guys. From crypto executives to everyday Bitcoiners, Alec’s work at Haven-X blends digital and physical security to protect against sophisticated attacks—think SIM swaps, virtual kidnappings, and even home invasions. In this episode, Alec pulls back th...

We’ve all heard the headlines about Bitcoin. But what about the people behind the movement? Filmmaker Alana Mediavilla set out to tell the whole story — not just the hype, not just the headlines, but the human side of crypto. Her documentary Dirty Coin weaves together deeply personal perspectives from those living in, building on, and questioning the world of decentralized finance. In this episode...

Get an insider’s look at the vibe and energy powering Boston Blockchain Week with Ian Cain, the dynamic founder behind this must-attend event . Ian shares how the community has grown into a vibrant, welcoming hub where blockchain meets real people and real innovation. From the behind-the-scenes hustle to the ripple effect on startups and creators, this episode captures the pulse of a thriving ecos...

Ian Cain, discusses the vibrant blockchain community in Quincy, MA and highlights QUBIC Labs’ efforts to drive innovation and collaboration. They explore how blockchain intersects with local politics, focusing on impactful projects like the first blockchain-based municipal bond, which aims to increase transparency and efficiency in local governance. Ian also reflects on his recent Senate race, sha...

Entrepreneur and educator Yuri Cataldo shares his journey from launching successful businesses to becoming a leader in blockchain and AI education. A 2023 MIT MBA graduate, Yuri dives into the intersection of technology and creativity, offering insights into how AI can enhance innovation rather than replace it. Yuri explores the transformative potential of blockchain and AI in healthcare, particul...

Carl Cleanthes , aka Colorful Carl , shares his inspiring journey of building a personal brand and navigating the dynamic world of NFTs . Carl emphasizes the importance of authenticity in creativity , the intersection of art and business , and how he is preserving his father's artistic legacy through digital art . The conversation delves into the significance of community and collaboration in the...