Amira Valliani, Head of DePIN at the Solana Foundation and former Obama White House adviser, discusses her transition from government to the forefront of blockchain innovation. She shares her insights on Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks, highlighting projects like GeoNet, which is shaking up agriculture with precise mapping technology. Amira also explores the intriguing intersection of robotics and environmental data collection, as well as initiatives tracking satellites in space. Her passion for bridging policy and crypto shines through, urging builders to engage with lawmakers for a brighter future.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
From White House To Crypto Week
Amira started in government and transitioned to startups before discovering crypto during a 'crypto week' in 2021. She began with a six-week Solana contract to map D.C. and ended up staying three and a half years.
insights INSIGHT
Four Pillars Of Crypto Policy Work
Effective policy work blends mapmaking, technical policy, education, and advocacy. Early Solana policy efforts focused most on mapping and educating rather than direct advocacy.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Bring Builders To Policymakers
Bring builders into DC to humanize technology and explain use cases to policymakers. Meet staffers in rapid fly-ins and walk them through tangible problems your product solves.
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What happens when blockchain technology moves beyond finance to reshape the physical world around us? In this episode of The Index, host Alex Kehaya sits down with Amira Valliani, Head of DePIN at the Solana Foundation we explore the revolutionary potential of Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks and their impact on everything from telecommunications to satellite tracking.
Amira's journey from the Obama White House to crypto advocacy offers a unique perspective on bridging the worlds of policy and blockchain innovation. What started as a simple "crypto week" to become conversant at dinner parties blossomed into a three-year mission to help policymakers understand the technology's potential while helping builders navigate Washington's complex landscape.
The conversation takes us deep into the world of DePIN projects transforming multiple industries. We discover how GeoNet provides centimeter-precise mapping for agricultural applications, disrupting monopolistic players like John Deere who charge farmers tens of thousands annually for similar services. We explore companies deploying robots through gaming competitions to collect valuable environmental data for future autonomous systems. Perhaps most intriguingly, we learn about "Space DePIN" projects creating decentralized networks for tracking the rapidly growing constellation of satellites orbiting our planet.
Beyond the technical innovations, Amira shares valuable insights about engaging with policymakers in Washington DC. She challenges the crypto community to move beyond skepticism and actually visit the Capitol, where they'll find many legislators genuinely curious about blockchain's potential. As she notes, the divide on crypto policy is "much more generational than partisan," with bipartisan support growing as more officials understand the technology's practical applications.
If you’re a dev working in Web3, exploring DePIN, or building real-world applications on Solana, this conversation offers insight into where the space is headed—and what still stands in its way.
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