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You Better Have a 30-Year Goal (with Eigen Labs)

32 snips
Mar 25, 2025
Sreeram Kannan, Founder of Eigen Labs and former associate professor at the University of Washington, shares insights from his transition from academia to tech startups. He explores the concept of blockchains as 'commitment engines' that enhance human coordination, emphasizing the importance of long-term goals. Kannan discusses the necessity of compelling narratives in crypto to foster community engagement and highlights lessons learned in leveraging relationships and creating win-win investment scenarios in the fast-evolving blockchain landscape.
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INSIGHT

EigenLayer's Innovation

  • EigenLayer allows developers to build their own consensus and execution environments.
  • This unlocks broader design space than Ethereum, which only allows application development.
ANECDOTE

Teen DeFi Prodigy

  • A 13-year-old built a DeFi trading program and secured $7 million in funds.
  • This demonstrates the power of trustless blockchain systems.
ADVICE

30-Year Goal

  • Consider your 30-year goal when choosing your life's work.
  • This question, posed during Sreeram Kannan's Caltech interview, changed his perspective.
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