The Rollup JZ’s Departure From Story Explained with S.Y. Lee
Aug 28, 2025
S.Y. Lee, the founder of Story Protocol and a former tech entrepreneur who sold his company to Kakao, dives deep into Jason's departure from Story and clarifies misconceptions around token unlocks. He discusses the surprising low revenue figures for Story amidst a booming $80 trillion IP market and hints at groundbreaking announcements from Korea. Lee emphasizes the need for a consumer-first crypto infrastructure and explores how innovative strategies can reshape the blockchain landscape while engaging creators and building trust.
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Founder Background And Early Team
- S.Y. Lee recounts selling a previous mobile IP company to Kakao and using that success to fund Story's vision.
- He describes hiring early co-founders like Jason Levy who joined as junior partners before launching the blockchain.
Jason's Role And Departure
- S.Y. Lee describes how Jason Levy joined as a young energetic contributor who wanted to learn zero-to-one.
- Jason later chose to leave to start his own company after the chain launch, by mutual agreement.
Scaling Requires Different Leadership
- Story replaced early-stage founders with seasoned C-level hires to scale from one to 100 users and products.
- S.Y. Lee argues this leadership evolution is common and beneficial for growth stages.