Atlanta Startup Podcast Coinbase Venture's Jonathan King On Atlanta's Crypto Ecosystem
Dec 6, 2022
Join Jonathan King, Principal at Coinbase Ventures, who guides investment strategies in Web3 and blockchain tools. He shares insights on how Coinbase became a leading VC in crypto. Discover the booming crypto scene in Atlanta and what 2023 holds for it. Jonathan discusses challenges faced by crypto founders, the need for robust infrastructure, and the potential of decentralized applications. He highlights Atlanta's rising role as a crypto hub, emphasizing innovation and inclusivity in the local startup ecosystem.
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Coinbase Ventures: An Ecosystem-Focused Fund
- Coinbase Ventures began in 2018 to invest in founders advancing crypto and Web3 aligned with Coinbase's mission.
- The fund has grown to ~400 portfolio companies and focuses on early-stage ecosystem building.
Jonathan King's Journey Into Crypto VC
- Jonathan joined Coinbase Ventures six months prior to the interview to lead Web3 infrastructure and developer tooling investments.
- He previously worked at Microsoft and started his career as a software engineer before moving into energy and product roles.
Early-Stage Focus On Developer Primitives
- Coinbase Ventures primarily invests from pre-seed through Series A, often pre-product when teams show demand signals.
- Jonathan focuses on developer tooling, data infrastructure, node services, and security to simplify building on-chain.