The Index Podcast

What happens when a computer science PhD specializing in AI pivots to blockchain technology? For Radha Dasari, Lead Technical Advocate at the Web3 Foundation, it was a journey fueled by a mission to combat digital misinformation and bring fairness to the internet.In this eye-opening episode of The Index, host Alex Kehaya sits down with Radha to explore how Polkadot has evolved since its early days of parachain auctions. He breaks down the move to Agile Coretime—a major innovation that dramatically lowers entry barriers for developers while keeping Polkadot’s integrated security model intact. Unlike other multi-chain ecosystems where chain security varies, Polkadot’s validator shuffling ensures uniform security across all parachains—a true differentiator in the blockchain space.The most fascinating part of our discussion emerges at the intersection of AI and blockchain. Drawing from his academic background in artificial intelligence, Radha explains how deepfakes and digital misinformation pushed him toward seeing blockchain as an “anchor for truth.” He shares exciting developments in content authenticity solutions built on blockchain technology and introduces us to Jam Protocol—a Gavin Wood project creating a decentralized supercomputer capable of running programs indefinitely.Radha’s vision for Web3 goes far beyond financial applications—his passion lies in designing digital spaces rooted in fairness, authenticity, and trust.👉 If you’re a developer, researcher, or just someone fascinated by the intersection of AI and blockchain, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.Website: https://web3.foundation/Polkadot: https://polkadot.com/Show LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

What happens when you combine addictive gameplay with blockchain technology? According to Rick Johanson and Dan Peng, Founding Partners at Arbitrum Gaming Ventures, the answer isn't simply "add a token and hope for the best." Their refreshing approach prioritizes the core gameplay experience first, with blockchain features thoughtfully layered in only when they truly enhance the player experience.The gaming landscape is undergoing a profound transformation at the intersection of Web3 and artificial intelligence. As Dan Peng explains, "The core loop is ultimately what matters about a game, and then features built on top that offer benefits attached to crypto could make sense." This player-centric philosophy marks an evolution from earlier crypto gaming efforts that often prioritized tokenomics over fun.Where blockchain truly shines is in enabling verifiable user-created content, cross-game asset ownership, and new collaborative models between publishers and players. Meanwhile, AI tools are dramatically accelerating development cycles—what once took months or years can now be prototyped in days or even hours. Alex shares his experience vibe-coding an entire game prototype and viral marketing system in mere days using tools like Codex, demonstrating how these technologies are democratizing game development.This technological democratization creates what Rick Johanson calls "a window of opportunity where anyone, regardless of their technical proficiency, can turn ideas into action." Yet with this new power comes a surprising shift in competitive dynamics: "It's all go-to-market," Alex Kehaya notes, "Distribution is really the only thing that matters." As creation barriers fall, reaching and engaging users becomes the primary challenge.Arbitrum Gaming is addressing these evolving needs through their "Project Easy Mode" initiative, providing tailored support to different developer personas. Whether you're an established Web2 developer exploring blockchain or an indie creator pushing boundaries, their unconventional venture model offers flexibility and resources beyond mere funding.Curious about the future of gaming, AI, and blockchain? This conversation offers valuable insights for developers, investors, and players navigating this rapidly evolving landscape. The winners of tomorrow will be those who can harness these powerful tools while staying laser-focused on creating genuinely compelling player experiences.Arbitrum Gaming: https://arbitrum.io/X; https://x.com/arbitrumShow LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

What happens when we can no longer trust the performance claims of AI model creators?That’s the challenge driving LayerLens, an innovative platform bringing transparency and practical evaluation to the rapidly evolving AI landscape.In this episode, host Alex Kehaya sits down with Archie Chaudhury, Co-founder of LayerLens, to explore how blockchain-powered benchmarking can cut through the hype and deliver verifiable, real-world AI performance metrics. Unlike traditional academic benchmarks focused on abstract intelligence scores, LayerLens enables practical evaluations that reflect the real use cases businesses care about.Archie explains how the platform’s integration with EigenLayer makes every step of the evaluation process transparent — every question, every answer, and whether the model got it right or wrong — removing the need to rely on self-reported claims from model creators.We also dig into LayerLens’ vision for democratizing benchmark creation, empowering subject matter experts across industries to design their own domain-specific evaluations. This community-driven model builds a diverse library of practical tests that can better reflect the complexity of real-world challenges.From decentralized evaluation to the broader “Open Intelligence” stack — decentralized data, compute, training, and inference — this conversation reveals how LayerLens is shaping the future of AI accountability at a critical moment in the technology’s evolution.Whether you’re building with AI, investing in the space, or simply curious about how we can trust the systems making decisions on our behalf, this episode pulls back the curtain on what’s really under the hood of your favorite AI models.🔗 Learn more: layerlens.ai | X (Twitter)Show LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

What if staking could be seamless, secure and DeFi-friendly? In this episode of The Index, host Alex Kehaya talks with Michael Repetny, Co-founder and CEO of Marinade Finance, the largest staking protocol on Solana with over $1.5 billion in crypto assets under management.Michael shares the remarkable journey behind Marinade—from a scrappy Solana hackathon project to a cornerstone of Solana’s infrastructure. Built by a team that turned down VC funding and acquisition offers, Marinade’s community-first ethos helped it scale organically while staying aligned with Solana’s mission of decentralization.To help demystify staking, Michael breaks it down with an easy-to-grasp analogy: Solana is a representative democracy—validators act as political parties processing transactions, while token holders are citizens who delegate their voting power. Marinade leveled up this system with liquid staking, empowering users to earn staking rewards while staying active in DeFi. It’s like earning yield without locking up your assets—having your cake and eating it too.The conversation also dives into Marinade’s evolving product suite:mSOL – the OG liquid staking tokenMarinade Native – a no-smart-contract solution that stakes directly with validatorsMarinade Select – tailored for institutions prioritizing compliance and transparencyThese innovations are positioning Marinade as the go-to staking partner as Solana matures, financial institutional interest grows, and ETF discussions heat up.Whether you’re building in Solana, buying tokens, or just want your assets to work harder—this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.🎧 Listen now to unlock the next chapter of crypto staking.🔗 Marinade: marinade.finance 🐦 Marinade X: @MarinadeFinance Ready to make your crypto assets work harder? Listen now to understand the future of digital asset yield generation.Show LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

What’s stopping DeFi from going mainstream—and how can better UX, infrastructure, and automation unlock its full potential? In this episode of The Index, host Alex Kehaya talks with Vikram Arun, Co-founder of Superform, about building the future of on-chain wealth management. After managing a $100B DeFi book at BlockTower, Vikram saw a clear problem: if even institutional investors struggled with yield strategies, how could everyday users stand a chance?That insight led to Superform, a cross-chain platform now offering over 1,000 yield opportunities across 60 protocols and 12 chains. Vikram explains why many experienced users now prefer to delegate yield decisions—SuperVaults alone make up 60–70% of SuperForm’s TVL—and how simplifying this process opens DeFi to a wider audience. He also shares the story behind “Piggy,” their AI Telegram assistant that started as a meme and evolved into a real tool for portfolio monitoring and personalized yield recommendations.The conversation dives into the tech stack behind Superform’s growth, including how Ethereum standards like ERC4626 enabled composability, and what it would take to expand to ecosystems like Solana. Vikram also shares his take on the regulatory landscape, especially the momentum around stablecoin clarity and what that could mean for developers building in the space.Looking ahead, Vikram previews Superform V2—featuring smart accounts with email logins and passkeys, one-click DeFi actions, upgraded SuperVaults, and new "super assets" like SuperUSD and SuperBTC that automatically optimize yield across chains.If you're building in DeFi, thinking about composability, or looking for real-world insights on scaling cross-chain infra, this episode is for you. 🌐 Explore Superform: superform.xyz 🐦 Follow Superform on X: https://x.com/superformxyz 📺 Subscribe: youtube.com/@theindexpodcastShow LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

How do you build a DePIN network with 2.7M+ devices, zero CAC, and data streams optimized for AI—without draining batteries or compromising user trust?In this episode of The Index, Alex Kehaya sits down with Jesse Adams, serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Uprock, to unpack how they’re building the world’s first mobile-first DePIN for AI.Jesse’s journey spans building an adult app store, launching an encrypted browser (Tenta, acquired), and now scaling Uprock—a decentralized physical infrastructure network designed to deliver real-time, geo-distributed data for AI/ML. Instead of relying on always-on proxies, Uprock’s task-based architecture wakes mobile devices only when needed, performs lightweight actions (like scraping or uptime checks), and puts them back to sleep—keeping performance high and energy use low.We explore:Why location-specific data is critical for LLMs and autonomous agentsHow Uprock scaled to 2.7M devices with zero paid acquisitionTheir crypto micropayment model for rewarding bandwidth contributionAI-driven dev workflows for code review, QA, and marketing at speedIf you're building in DePIN, Web3 infra, or AI tooling—this convo is packed with ideas from the frontier.🔗 Open beta: uprock.com 🐦 Follow Jesse: @jesseshappyhourShow LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

Ever wondered what happens to those domain names gathering digital dust in your GoDaddy account? In this episode of The Index, host Alex Kehaya sits down with Michael Ho, Co-founder of D3, to explore how blockchain technology is transforming the overlooked world of domain trading and ownership.The domain industry hasn’t changed much since the ’90s. Selling a valuable name still involves clunky escrow services, manual transfers, and broker fees that can eat up 25% or more of your sale. D3 is changing that—by tokenizing domains as programmable digital assets on-chain.What makes D3’s approach unique is its seamless integration. Instead of building a new siloed system, they’re bringing Web3 functionality directly to where domain owners already are—through familiar registrar interfaces. Soon, you’ll be able to tokenize, trade, lease, or fractionalize your domains with just a few clicks.At the heart of it all is Doma, the first DNS-compliant blockchain network. D3’s DomainFi platform runs on Doma, bridging traditional Web2 domains with Web3 ecosystems. The result? New sources of liquidity, distribution, and innovation—unlocking value in what’s currently a $350B+ real-world asset class.The biggest surprise? Half of all domains aren’t even being used—just sitting idle. D3’s technology brings those names to life, enabling domain holders to tap into new financial use cases, from collateral to leasing and beyond. And with the recent launch of .sol as an official top-level domain on Solana, the bridge between Web2 and Web3 is getting stronger by the day.Whether you’re a domain investor, builder, or simply curious about the next wave of internet infrastructure, this conversation reveals what’s possible when the world’s original digital assets go decentralized.🌐 Learn more at: https://d3.inc/ 🐦 Follow D3 on X: https://x.com/d3inc🎧 Subscribe to The Index for more founder-led conversations at the frontier of Web3, AI, and open internet innovation.Show LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

What if you could rebuild telecom from the ground up—open, decentralized, and powered by crypto? In this episode of The Index, host Alex Kehaya chats with Frank Mong, COO of Nova Labs, the team behind Helium Mobile—the decentralized wireless network now partnering with AT&T and Telefónica.Helium started with a bold idea: replace legacy cell towers with a community-powered network. The key unlock? Blockchain incentives. After years of experimentation, they figured out how to bootstrap real wireless coverage—starting indoors, where traditional carriers fail.Frank breaks down how modern buildings kill cell signal, and how Helium turns everyday Wi-Fi routers into indoor cell towers using open-source tools and a crypto-powered incentive model. Now users and businesses can earn rewards while improving service—no billion-dollar infrastructure required.Even more interesting? Helium’s data lives on Solana. That transparency gives enterprise partners real-time visibility into network quality—something they can’t get from legacy providers.And for users, the payoff is real: free phone plans (3GB/month, no credit card), plus affordable upgrades that save families hundreds.We also dive into:Why blockchain is the missing link for decentralized wirelessHow Helium’s staking and incentive model worksWhat it means to build infrastructure at startup speedIf you're building in Web3, care about real-world utility, or just want better phone service, this one’s for you.Helium Mobile: https://heliummobile.com/X Channel: https://x.com/helium_mobileShow LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

What if you could bring Solana’s speed to every major blockchain—and onboard millions of new users with zero friction?In this new episode of The Index, host Alex Kehaya welcomes back Joanna Zeng, Co-founder & CEO of SOON, for an exciting update on how her team is breaking down the walls between blockchain ecosystems and building the infrastructure for a more unified Web3.Soon is pioneering a decoupled SVM architecture—separating Solana’s execution layer from its consensus layer—to deliver Solana-level performance on Ethereum, BNB Chain, Base, and beyond. The result? Developers can build once and deploy everywhere, while users get high-speed dApps without switching ecosystems.Joanna also shares how Soon has evolved from pure infra to application builder. Their new platform, Simp for Fun, brings together AI-powered copy trading and livestreaming to create an experience that feels like Twitch for traders—a smart, user-friendly entry point for onboarding the next wave of users into Web3.We also cover:Three SVM rollups live in productionOver 40 applications deployed on mainnet (half incubated by the Soon team)A 51% token allocation to the communityEmerging market traction and grassroots growthFrom technical breakthroughs to real-world adoption, this episode shows how Soon is executing at startup speed while building for long-term impact.Subscribe to The Index for weekly interviews with builders pushing the edge of crypto, AI, and Web3 infrastructure. 🔗 Learn more about SOON: https://soo.network/ 🐦 Follow Soon on X: https://x.com/soon_svmShow LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube

The future of AI needs a new internet. Coinbase is laying the foundation. In this episode of The Index, host Alex Kehaya talks with Nemil Dalal, Head of Coinbase’s Developer Platform, about how Coinbase is building crypto-native infrastructure to power the next generation of applications, starting with autonomous AI agents.Nemil shares his background in crypto, from meeting Brian Armstrong at Y Combinator to helping scale USDC from $10 million to $1 billion in market cap. Today, he's focused on making blockchain development more accessible by reducing friction around payments, APIs, and onboarding.A key part of that effort is X402—Coinbase’s implementation of the long-dormant HTTP 402 "Payment Required" status code. X402 allows AI agents and applications to autonomously pay for API access using cryptocurrency, without the need for API keys, credit cards, or manual account setup.We break down how X402 works under the hood:API requests return a 402 response when payment is requiredAgents can immediately respond with a signed crypto transaction to unlock accessJust one line of JavaScript is needed to enable itThis simple standard opens the door to a wide range of use cases—from AI agents accessing paid services to developers integrating crypto-powered paywalls with minimal overhead.If you're building in Web3, working with AI, or developing APIs, this episode offers a practical look at how Coinbase is creating tools that make decentralized development more seamless and scalable.🔗 Learn more about Coinbase: https://www.coinbase.com 🐦 Follow Coinbase Dev on X: https://x.com/coinbaseDevShow LinksThe Index X ChannelYouTube