Editor's note: This article is from Misha, a Japanese blogger and entrepreneur. Recently, in order to find out the true status and thoughts of blockchain practitioners, he interviewed more than 30 blockchain industry CEOs around the world, trying to draw a true portrait of the industry and its practitioners. The following is the full text of the compilation.
I tried to contact the CEOs of more than 30 blockchain startups around the world, and I planned to ask them a few small questions.
1. What excites you the most right now?
2. What advice do you have for young people who want to get involved in this industry?
The emergence of these ideas may be somewhat selfish. I am a "chain fan" myself, a young man who wants to join this industry.
I didn't think about whether anyone responded, but in fact, almost all company CEOs have responded to me. Perhaps it is not surprising that, as pioneers in an emerging industry, they are open-minded and willing to share their experiences and ideas.
The replies from the big guys may be short or long, but they are all well thought out. In addition to answering my questions, I also received some thoughts that kept me thinking. These replies mixed with some unfamiliar words made people clear the fog and suddenly see the light.
Admittedly, these replies are just the "experiences" of a small group of people who are working hard to change the world on their lonely journey. And for someone like me who craves a smattering of knowledge, it might be a glimpse into the future.
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I. What stage is the blockchain in?
"After the long and difficult 2017 bull market out of control and the collapse in early 2018, the chain circle may usher in spring. Trust is returning, and a number of blockchain projects are in full swing. As the blockchain ushers in global pilot trials and various With the promulgation of regulations and policies, the blockchain has emerged. Traditional financial giants such as banking institutions continue to enter the market, and some famous institutions (Yale University, MIT), venture capital funds (Silicon Valley leader Andreessen Horowitz) are not to be outdone, and have get involved.
Recently, Pundi X released its first blockchain smartphone. It is not difficult to imagine that there will be more disruptive innovations in the future.secondary title”——Pierre Picard，PredicoinCo-founder
Keywords: a hundred flowers bloom
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Keywords: grounded in reality
"Industry leaders, innovators, and regulators must work together to create an industry standard that everyone agrees to abide by.We cannot be completely isolated from the economy, politics, etc., and the blockchain should be rooted here. But if we (mainly referring to innovators) don't care about economic policies, etc., the consequence of working behind closed doors will only be that we cannot survive.Before blockchain technology embraces more traditional industries, businesses may die halfway. ” – Yassine Anadam,secondary title
Keywords: seek progress while maintaining stability
"The adoption of Segregated Witness (segwit) and Lightning Network can reduce the transaction costs of Bitcoin; sharding, plasma projects, and side-chains can basically realize the expansion of Ethereum. But from economics From a perspective, there is still a lack of proper incentives. Therefore, what excites me the most is to provide better incentives for crypto users." - Pedro Febrero,@Bityond (recruitment blockchain)first level title
II. How is success defined?
(Hint: it's not just about the money)
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industry success
It’s not so much an industry success as a vision for the future of blockchain.
This seems to have struck a chord with this group of blockchain gold diggers. Blockchain has a long journey, what is success?
1. a global currency. It has both the stability of a fixed fiat currency and the absence of inherent inflation. This kind of currency can be used as a measure of price and exchange, that is, the ability to maintain a fairly stable price, allowing the currency to be used for loans, mortgages, wages, invoices, etc.
2. Currency used as electronic cash, not taxed with transaction fees。
3. Wallets, benefiting the world's unbanked. Because it is a savings account that accrues interest income, allowing it to obtain credit and transact with other users.
4. Since it is hosted on the user's (dual environment, biometric) device,Therefore, it is a secure wallet that can resist attacks。
5. distributed operating environment. On this basis, developers can easily develop distributed applications without being limited by the amount of data exchanged, and without considering the cost of smart contracts.
6. Create a solid foundation for the application of blockchain in the future。
7. Achieving a "hyper-connected" worldsecondary title
—— Giuseppe Gori，Gorbyte CEO
personal success
"If I can manage to convince others that it's time to change our monetary system, then consider my project a success. We finally have the tools to change the world and help everyone create a better future." -Graeme Conradie,DNX Community CEO
"When I look around and see that through the efforts of the URAllowance team, partners and community, the world has changed a little bit. That's my success." - Chris Butler,URallowance CEO
“Focus on the long-term impact instead of short-term price fluctuations and speculative profits.- Simon Zhu, Co-Founder and CEO, BitMovio
"Don't rush for success. Before learning to run, learn how to walk. Breaking out of the cocoon is a natural evolution, and success is the result of hard work. Don't blindly follow others, but walk out a path you want to go. Follow your own rules, The world needs doers, and it will take care of itself.”—Paulo Rodrigues, CEO of Stealth Mode, a blockchain startup
“The road to success is paved by the joint efforts of all parties. Here are the secrets of success: desire, belief, expertise, imagination, logical planning, and of course perseverance.”——Bogdan Maslesa, Founder and CEO, UniversalCrypto.org
"Blockchain technology is a powerful enabler for the financial services industry. Whether it is a small business or a large multinational corporation, it treats everyone equally and is committed to bringing benefits to a wider range of people and large financial institutions. Of course, what excites me the most is Over security tokens, bringing new opportunities for local and international businesses." - Michael Kessler,Tokenise.io CEO
secondary titleMickaël Fourgeaud，Primablock CEO
Challengers hold the future of blockchain
"Blockchain technology is similar to other technological foundations such as the Internet, and this scalable high-trust, low-friction technology will undoubtedly reshape the future market.The established companies do not have the right to speak in the future of this field. The status quo, inequalities, and frictions are of no interest to these traditional players, but not to this new group of challengersfirst level title
III. Blockchain Enterprises in Business
Building a company is never a dream on paper, and most startups die. Almost all the people I talked to talked about financial success (as important as it is), but also highlighted the various conditions that go into running a full-fledged business.
While we’ve witnessed some ridiculous valuations and ICOs over the past few years, when the dust finally settled, there wasn’t much left. Everything needs to be overwhelmed, and there is no myth of making a fortune overnight.Even though blockchain technology has the potential to subvert the future, it is still bound by various frameworks at the moment. It needs to dig out outstanding talents, establish a strong cultural ecology, and make some moves in practical applications.
"In the field of blockchain, most experts lack business foundations, such as the construction of evaluation models, skills in personnel management, best practices in agile project management, etc. To a certain extent, this hinders a company's commercial success. "— DARA,Daniel SantosCo-founder
"In today's world, every entrepreneur wants immediate results from their investment, especially in new technologies. The reality is that even if the technology develops rapidly and can even replace the original ecology (such as blockchain), we must not forget several The basics that have served business for centuries. In other words, success doesn’t happen overnight. In my opinion, the success of a business needs to be supported by a sustainable business. This kind of business does not rely on hype, nor is it keen on speculation. game."--David Honeyman，Lendo CEO
"Remember, the blockchain is not a panacea. It is just an underlying enabling technology, and other aspects need to be considered,That is to look at the concept of blockchain as a whole, rather than peeking at it.”—— Michael Kessler, Tokenise.io CEO
“It's better to try to work with financial/commercial institutions rather than against them. Some 'crypto-anarchists' might argue against my point, but once you solidify your opinion on anything, that usually limits your opportunities.”—— David Honeyman，Lendo CEO
"Opportunities are always reserved for those who are prepared. Standing at the forefront of the industry, you must ensure that you have the materials in your hands. Once put into action, we will no longer discuss 'how the blockchain develops', but 'our own development'. How to occupy a high ground in the blockchain wave, first of all, you must have enough support.” ——Mike Scott,Founder and CEO of NONA
"The Internet has been a double-edged sword since the birth of the Internet, and blockchain technology also has both advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is necessary to use blockchain technology rationally. Take its essence and take its dross. While paying attention to various emerging technologies , to use the blockchain with new technologies such as the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, and this is the key to the real power of the blockchain. For example, as long as the RFID tag (a non-contact automatic identification technology) is integrated into the sensor In the device driven by the blockchain, the blockchain can become the carrier of the data bit.”——Dr. Oji Kikanifirst level title
IV. Is there a future at dawn?
ETH will never expand; BTC fluctuates too much and has little effect; governments have different attitudes... It seems that the future of this industry is bleak. On this pilgrimage road, there are still many devout believers, and they are all trying to reach the "Kang Rinpoche" in their hearts.
When I asked them "what are they most excited about", I heard almost unanimous voices - cross-chain atomic swaps, greater scalability, more institutional support, stablecoins, user onboarding, STOs, etc. .
"Cross-chain atomic swap technology allows instant peer-to-peer transactions between different types of digital assets without trust. At the same time, if one party withdraws midway, the funds will be returned to the other party within the specified time. Cross-chain atomic swap technology can Make traditional cryptocurrency transactions a thing of the past." - Lucy Louis, BTCP
“Non-fungible tokens and tokenized assets are the most exciting thing right now. Although blockchain is still in its early stages, it is developing all the time. For example, the ERC1155 project, whose new token standard integrates all tokens /Items are stored in a single contract, which means that developers only need a minimal amount of data to distinguish items, and no longer rely on repeated, identical code in smart contracts, which in turn saves the money required to launch a single contract.” —Mark Couzic,Field Couin CEO
"In the blockchain field, the most exciting thing is the gradual acceptance and application of blockchain technology in the financial services sector. We have seen the British regulator (FCA) put aside its hostility to the blockchain, in the "sandbox" Test various new financial products such as smart bonds in the environment."——David Honeyman , Lendo CEO
“Stablecoins. There are so many talented people emerging in this field, which makes me look forward to the new products that will be released in the next 5 years.” ——Paulo Rodrigues, CEO of blockchain start-up Stealth Mode
"I hope that the whole world will accept cryptocurrencies in the future. Today, blockchain technology has gradually been recognized, and now it is the turn of cryptocurrencies." ——Rashid Yussup，Taklimakan Network CEO
“I am passionate about the development of infrastructure, which can improve speed and scalability so that the blockchain can cope with large-scale network usage, and then solve real-world problems. Although I am often surprised, there are too many genius souls in this circle, But it gets me excited every day.” —Jess Houlgrave, Co-founder of Codex Protocol
“What excites me the most is the tokenization of assets, especially in the area of intellectual property. By tokenizing IP addresses and enabling efficient transactions for these tokens. This can happen in several ways:
Allow everyone to have access by relinquishing fractional ownership and opening up a global market for 24/7 transactions.
Unbundle and tokenize ownership and utility rights to unlock value. In the entertainment industry, for example, intellectual property owners of movies and music don't have any way of flagging those rights easily. Smart contracts enable the ownership, distribution and usage rights of movies, music and other values to be programmed through marking.
—— Jeffrey Huangfirst level title
VI. What advice do you have for young people who want to join the blockchain industry?
Heroes see the same thing. The bigwigs agree that learning how to code will get you going. Even so, a technical background is not a requirement, but you must be passionate, open-minded, and willing to reinvent yourself in a new industry. Technology is constantly updated and iterated, and blockchain practitioners need to constantly "recharge" themselves.
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Shut out? nonexistent
“It’s still early days for the industry, and anyone can learn and quickly build a great career in blockchain.” ——Sangjin Hong, Co-founder of Chain Cabinet
"The wave of blockchain innovation is global. It is not centered on Silicon Valley in the United States, and anyone who is curious about it can make a move." ——Bruce Pon, Co-founder of Ocean Protocol
"It's humbling to work with such talented minds, but I'm also delighted to see the globalization of this industry. It touches almost every continent and the scale of cooperation is constantly expanding." -Tory Reis, @TrustToken, 2x Fintech Co-Founder, Angel Investor
secondary titleSavio Gomez，Christek IO CEO
The threshold is not high, but it is not easy
"Developing a career in the blockchain industry is not easy, especially with the current bear market and negative emotions. However, if you are optimistic about the prospects of this technology, then your motivation is: If I have become an Internet expert before the explosion of the Internet Expert, what then?"—Pedro Febrero, Founder of Bityond (Blockchain Recruitment)
"Now is the best time to embrace the blockchain, but you still need to maintain a curious heart and a humble attitude. At the same time, don't resist the projects you are very interested in, and keep this interest."——Tory Reis
"Always be ready for a roller coaster ride." -Anson Zealltext
Step 1: "Recharge" Yourself
“First, make sure you are really interested in the blockchain; second, be curious, learn, research, and ask some critical questions; third, don’t wait, just do it. I’m also a young man in his 20s, and this The three principles are also my professional motto.”——Angel Versetti，Ambrosus CEO
"Before going deep into the blockchain industry, you should first receive a solid education in information science. Technology is changing rapidly, but there are three thousand weak waters, and one scoop is enough. The intuition cultivated through solid basic education and experience can make you You clearly broaden your horizons amidst technological change.” —Giuseppe Gori，Gorbyte CEO
“First, you need to understand some basic economic concepts: what is money? How does it work? Liberal outlook; understand organizational theory, how companies are organized? What is community and the masses? Incentives and externalities.”—Pedro Febrero, Founder of @Bityond
“I would encourage young people who want to join the blockchain to learn as much as possible, participate in blockchain events, and communicate with others as much as possible. Educating yourself is the best investment, and it will help you in the blockchain field. Find the right work area.” —Alpesh Doshi，Fintricity Group CEO
"Look for an institution that provides professional training, and try to communicate with big names. Frequently participate in various blockchain activities, and establish a strong and efficient communication network with professionals from all over the world."——Paulo Fagundes, CEO @Datawiz
Step 2: Prepare well, enter the circle!
“While it takes time, effort and skill to be a good pioneer in the blockchain industry, the industry is growing fast and the demand is greater than the supply. No matter what your background or experience, there are opportunities for everyone. These Experience includes some math, science ability, and language proficiency including English. When you dive into a blockchain project, you will gain these abilities by immersing yourself in them." - Pacio Core CEO and Chief Architect
"Find a promising start-up company, join it and learn as much as possible. After gaining enough capabilities, then consider your own entrepreneurial plan."——Krzysztof Piech，Polish Accelerator CEO
"Be creative and be fearless in the face of new opportunities and challenges. Use your dreams to make a difference in the blockchain world. Believe in yourself." -Jarno Eerola, Blockchain Enterprise Serial Jarno Eerola
"To study the more successful cases of blockchain technology application so far. Although it is not a panacea, it is a technology with great potential in specific fields. For example, there is waste and high cost in the supply chain. It may be mitigating." - Larry Bridgesmith,Ory.ioChief Academic Strategist
“One year of experience working full-time in the blockchain sector is no less than four years of experience in a traditional industry. After two years, you’re already known as an ‘industry veteran.’ As a blockchain practitioner, be smart, adaptable Strong, don't count hours worked. Most importantly, be passionate about the technology!" -Mark Couzic，@Fieldcoin CEO
Vendible CEO Douglas Broughton also made three suggestions:
1. If you are already in a blockchain enterprise, you can try to build a blockchain solution for the enterprise. While bringing value to the company, it can also gradually build a collaborative team. And a specific application case is the magic weapon for you to be rooted here.
2. If you want to join a programming start-up, then make sure you can crack the password challenge; if you want to join a marketing, sales, PM start-up, then make sure you are deeply involved in the blockchain industry, which can be called a half a connoisseur.
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stay innocent
"It's good to be alive and have big dreams, and it's really cool to do something big. After all, that's what a great innovator who thinks outside the box does. But, for you, to propose A solution that is too early or too old is meaningless. The key is to be agile, adaptable, willing to accept change, and find the right moment." -Yassine Anadamfirst level title
VII. There is no turning back arrow
In the next period of time, blockchain technology or cryptocurrency will be at the forefront. From the financial industry to the supply chain, from manufacturing to healthcare, traditional industries have set foot in.
Of course, the future of cryptocurrency is still unknown, and the speed of development of blockchain technology is also unpredictable.
But the consensus is that this nascent industry has taken shape and has reached a point of no return.
“We can no longer stop. Now it's our turn to shape the future.”—— Graeme Conradie, CEO of DNX Community
In the blockchain industry, these 30 start-up CEOs are just the epitome of thousands of practitioners. From these 30 entrepreneurs, I feel the vitality of this industry and I am more excited than before. Now, after listening to these answers, I am determined to follow in his footsteps and become a believer in the blockchain.
I am Yuan Huiteng, the author of Odaily. I am exploring the real blockchain. If you are looking for reports, please add WeChat 18366138810. Please note your name, company, and position.
