Proof of Coverage

Connor welcomes back old co-host Sami Kassab (now a Partner at OSS Capital) and guest Josh Benaron, founder of Irys, a next-generation data provenance and storage L1. They delved into the evolution of Irys from its origins as Bundlr, an L2 solution for Arweave, to its current status as a programmable data chain. Josh shared his insights on the importance of storytelling and writing for founders, e...

Co-hosts Connor and Mahesh discuss the rapidly evolving world of DePIN and the broader implications for the crypto sector. They discuss whether they should be concerned about the proliferation of projects labeling themselves as DePIN and whether it's time to create more specific subcategories within the sector. Connor shares insights from a recent real-world DePIN event hosted by IoTeX, highlighti...

Connor had the pleasure of speaking with Shaan Chaudhari, his college friend and Chief Growth Officer at XNET. They reminisce about their early days in the DePIN space, particularly during the challenging bear market when investor interest was low and token prices were down. Shaan shared his journey and his pivot from potentially attending dental school to fully committing to the crypto industry,...

In today’s episode, Sal and Connor had an insightful discussion with Mike from Geodnet about their recent move to become a multi-chain platform. They explored the motivations behind this decision, particularly how it allows Geodnet to tap into different Web3 communities and enhance adoption of their utility token, GEOD. Mike shared that Geodnet is already wrapped on IoTeX and is set to expand onto...

Connor had the pleasure of sitting down with Omar Ramadan, a former big tech entrepreneur who transitioned into the world of crypto and DePIN. They delved into the concept of Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) and how they play a crucial role in enhancing user experience by caching website data closer to users geographically. Omar shared his background, including his involvement in projects like Mag...

Today Connor and Dave Grantham dive deep into the concept of real-world verification and its critical role in scaling DePINs. Dave shares insights on how AI can enhance the governance and reputation systems within these networks. They discuss the importance of functional verification, which allows us to build a reputation graph that helps distinguish reliable nodes from newcomers. Dave explains Re...

Connor had the pleasure of speaking with Adam Feiler from Minima, a pioneering company in the blockchain space. They delved into the evolving landscape of technology, particularly the shift from cloud-based solutions back to on-device processing. Minima positions itself as an embedded blockchain that allows for data attestation at the source, which is crucial for ensuring the integrity of informat...

Connor is joined by Jiahao Sun of Flock, a project that aims to revolutionize the AI landscape through decentralization. They discussed the growing trend of open-source AI models catching up to their closed-source counterparts, raising the question of whether closed-source AI is becoming obsolete. Jiahao emphasized the importance of community-driven development and the need for individuals to have...

Connor welcomes Samer Bishay, founder of Karrier One, who recently acquired Cellular Spectrum in Canada. This acquisition marks a significant milestone for Karrier One, allowing them to transition from a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) to a mobile network operator (MNO). This change not only gives them a seat at the table among major players in the telecom industry but also enhances their a...

In this episode, Connor had the pleasure of speaking with Garrett of Nodle, a groundbreaking startup that utilises smartphones to create a decentralized network for various applications. They discussed how Nodle began its journey seven years ago, initially focusing on building mesh networks to facilitate communication in areas without internet access. Today, Nodle has evolved into a powerful tool...

In this episode, Mahesh sits down with Rushi Manche, the founder of Movement Labs, to explore the dynamic world of decentralized physical infrastructure (DePIN) and the Move programming language. The conversation begins with a look at the innovative work of the Solana team, particularly the unexpected success of the Solana Saga phone, which has piqued interest in Web3 products. Rushi offers his in...

In today’s episode we welcome back co-host John Wu and introduce Ash Ahmed, a recent Harvard College graduate and co-founder of Axal. Ash shares his fascinating journey from being a competitive debater to the world of startups and cryptocurrency. We discuss the unique bond between Ash and his twin brother, who is also making waves in the venture space with a non-invasive Neuralink startup. Ash dis...

In this episode, Connor talks to John Dogru of 3DOS about the evolving landscape of 3D printing and its implications for manufacturing and entrepreneurship. John, a seasoned veteran in the 3D printing industry, discusses how the expiration of key patents in the mid-2010s has led to increased competition, driving down costs and improving quality. This democratization of technology has made 3D print...

In today’s episode Connor was joined by Logan Jastremski, an investor and co-founder of Frictionless Capital. They delved into the evolving landscape of venture capital in crypto, particularly focusing on the DePIN sector, which has gained significant traction over the past six months. Logan shared his insights on the importance of conviction in the face of skepticism, especially during challengin...

In today's episode, Connor interviews Shayon Sengupta, an early investor in DePIN. They discuss the rapid growth and potential of DePIN as a business model innovation enabled by crypto. Shayon highlighted the importance of both supply and demand sides in the DePIN space, emphasizing the need for pragmatic approaches to onboarding demand. They also touched upon the unique blend of applications...

In this episode, Connor welcomed back Sami Kassab, a DePIN OG and former PoC podcast co-host. Connor and Sami discussed the growing relevance and popularity of DePIN in the current market, with a focus on real-world value creation. Sami shared insights on the latest developments in the Bittensor ecosystem, highlighting its role as a decentralized AI project producing tangible results. We delved in...

In today’s episode, Connor discusses the importance of real-world verification in the DePIN network with Raullen Chai from IoTeX. They explore the challenges of ensuring devices in the network perform as expected and provide minimum levels of service. Raullen highlights IoTeX's approach to addressing this issue through device integrity, data privacy, and verification processes. The conversatio...

In today’s episode Connor interviews Ben Schiller, a crypto journalist from CoinDesk, about the recent launch of a DePIN vertical on their platform. Ben discusses the importance of covering DePIN as a separate topic due to its unique focus on physical infrastructure and tangible services. They also touch on the evolution of the DePIN industry, the need for real revenue and profitability, and the p...

In today’s episode, we had Jonathan from SkyTrade as our guest, discussing the current state and future of air rights in the drone industry. Jonathan highlighted the use cases of air rights in real estate, views protection, and overhangs. He also emphasized the importance of drones and cargo drones in the future of low-altitude transit. Jonathan shared insights on how SkyTrade is revolutionizing t...

In this episode, Connor, Sal, and Mahesh discussed the recent DePIN Summit and reflected on the highs and lows of the event. They talked about the importance of bringing the DePIN community together in person to foster collaboration and innovation and shared their experiences with recording the podcast in-person and the overall success of the Summit. We also touched on the feedback from other foun...

In this episode, Connor and Mahesh are joined by Karam Lakshman, the founder of the Dabba Network, a wireless network project in India. Karam shared the journey of Dabba, starting from a software consulting company to the deployment of Wi-Fi hotspots across India. The unique model of decoupling hotspot ownership and deployment was highlighted, allowing for foreign investment and scalability. The f...

In this episode, Connor & Sal are joined by Jason from Daylight. They delve into the world of energy and blockchain technology with a focus on the Daylight Network. The conversation touched on various topics, including the concept of energy as a commodity, the challenges and opportunities in the energy industry, and the evolution of the Daylight Network from its inception to its current state....

In this episode, Mahesh and guest host John Wu are joined by Kaledora Fontana Kiernan-Linn, Co-Founder of Ostium Labs. Ostium is committed to delivering solutions around stablecoin settlement, low-latency oracle-based pricing, minimal liquidity provider exposure, and a disintermediated and unbiased trading environment. We discuss the world of Ostium, finance, and various platforms like Interactive...

Sal is joined by Tom Trowbridge, Co-Founder of Fluence Labs. Fluence’s DePIN platform frees developers from centralized clouds by offering natively decentralized, low cost, and verifiable compute. In today’s episode, we dive deep into the world of decentralized networks with real-world utility. We discuss the trade-offs of decentralization, share personal experiences transitioning into the crypto...

In this episode, Sal is joined by ZX and Sylvan from Parasail - the leading restaking protocol for DePIN. Parasail is the first restaking protocol to provide onchain economic guarantees for DePIN services, helping drive DePIN adoption and onchain revenues. Discover how they’re connecting established crypto assets with emerging DePIN services to backstop on-chain refunds and boost staking rewards....