Databases are the workhorses behind everything we interact with on the web, and in this episode we dive deep into WeaveDB - a NoSQL database as a smart contract. While that is quite the combination of words for those unfamiliar with databases, we go through the basics and build from there.  In short, SQL databases are similar to spreadsheets in design - you have to reference columns and cells and relate the database in that type of format. This isn't always ideal when handling "unstructured data" like images and videos which may not fit well into this table structure. NoSQL databases thrive on unstructured data and can process massive amounts of data very efficiently - especially important when scaling up operations with servers located all over the world. WeaveDB levels up the whole game of NoSQL by being built with Arweave and leveraging Smart Contracts to manage data indexes and more. The team has already built out their own language with a massive course to learn how to utilize this database to it's full potential. Learn more about WeaveDB at https://weavedb.dev/And of course, follow @onlyarweave for all things Arweave and Permaweb related :)

Speaking with Sam Williams, Founder of Arweave protocol is always full of energy, ideas, and a great sense of purpose. In this episode, we explore some of the emotional side of the process of building a community, along with some great stories on invention and perseverance. It really is a fun episode with a mix of tactics and wild imaginative landscapes of what may become in the years to come and what is intriguing and top of mind for builders to create from Sam's perspective. Sam speaks to the topic of both ecosystem decentralization and protocol decentralization with the upcoming Arweave 2.6 and more. We dive into the topic of "inventors", along with Sam's ideal "meeting" (let's just say it's not a typical style).There is so much happening in the ecosystem, it really is inspiring to reflect a bit on where Arweave started and what it has become today - we touch on this and get some of Sam's thoughts on the process and tips for builders looking to start the next big thing on the Permaweb. Enjoy this ride as we traverse topics and travel through Sam's mind a bit in this conversation. Follow the Arweave Ecosystem on Twitter: @ArweaveEcoAnd keep in the loop with @onlyarweave

Hansa.network invests, incubates, and accelerates networks that power the future of open societies on web3. We speak with Hansa Founder Anthony Ryan and explore his philosophies on investing, vision for Arweave, and what's to come for 2023. This conversation explores ideological frameworks, to practical takes on what is happening in our digital civilization and what Hansa is doing to create a more prosperous and equitable future. With name origins from the Hanseatic League from around the 13th century, there is an emphasis on creating strong connections between the founders Hansa invests in - creating alignment mechanisms for all involved. Hansa appears to be ramping up their Arweave investments on all fronts, and a soon to be released Accelerator will further this mission. Anthony has a kind demeanor with a focus on what may become our civilizations greatest asset -> and open society. We speak to the topic of "sponsoring" abundance and what a world may/will look like where the Permaweb shines as the grand "data lake" that is accessible to all. It's an inspiring conversation, with great one liners that will keep you thinking well beyond the episode itself. On that note, be sure to have a look at their site and be in touch, they are always open to conversations: Hansa.networkFollow @OnlyArweave on Twitter for all things Arweave related.  

Permafacts is building the world's first provably neutral journal on Arweave. We discuss Founder Justin Shaw's background in the insurance, his composable-first development process, and his vision for what may become the standard for fact checking and high quality journalism, reporting, and more. Justin's story is both extraordinary and surprisingly common within the Arweave community - it started with a concept shared openly and has become a fully fledged product currently in ALPHA at the time of the recording. He's gone on to become a Founder In Residence with Forward Research and has sparked a whole new world of assertion-based journalism.It's always great to hear about new developers to the ecosystem share their experience - via Justin, "what I've noticed about Arweave is it's the least drama and the most how do we work together to build things?". It's great to have another builder that represents the ethos of openness and integrity. Tech stack: Account Protocol (Metaweave) Stamps Protocol ReactArConnectBe sure and check out Permafacts.Arweave.dev and follow @OnlyArweave for all things Arweave related!

With a mission of blurring the line between web2 and web3, EXM.dev has already made strides by making easy-to-use developer tools to connect with the Permaweb. Adding layers of abstraction can go a long way in the onboarding process for many things, and that is also the case for EXM - devs don't even need to interact directly with a wallet or any crypto. A builder looking to use EXM doesn't even need to know how to create a smart contract, once again demonstrating the elegance of what this platform is going for - simplicity and accessibility. Born in Venezuela, Andres Pirela is the first 'Founder' via Community Labs - an Arweave focused venture studio. You can hear his enthusiasm and dedication to this project as a means to unlock blockchain development for just about any developer. It may prove to be an important tactic to enable growth of the Permaweb and Arweave. Andres first collaborated on Verto.exchange, then 3em.dev, and now of course EXM. While it's an audacious project, Andres is committed to seeing it through and the developer community reaping the benefits. Keep in the loop with EXM on Twitter @exmbuildFollow @onlyarweave for all things Arweave! 

beta.OLTA.art is platform and marketplace for interactive Dynamic NFTs, built with Polygon and Arweave as the storage layer. Founders Terence Reilly and George Baldwin have created a place for developers to express themselves through code. The opportunities are essentially endless, leaving a massive canvas open for the next great generative artist to come by and "wow" the world. What's especially cool about OLTA is the interactive component to the pieces. There are parameters that both collectors and viewers can play with, bringing a game-like experience within abstract and conceptual pieces. The interplay between games and art is a place where George in particular resides. As the lead developer on the project, there's a keen interest that the pieces be exploratory, up for interpretation and interaction. Of course, all assets are uploaded to Arweave, which provides an elegant experience for full websites that run on code and generate beautiful pieces of art. The duo that is Terence and George are inspiring - they have a vision in mind for enabling technologists to express themselves freely, while also respecting the artwork by enabling massive experimentation to occur and storing all contents on the Permaweb for very long term storage. Check out beta.OLTA.art to learn more and experience the world of interactive and experiential NFTs.Also, be sure and follow @onlyarweave for all things Arweave related.

To paraphrase one of the Co-founders of Metaweave, if you're thinking of making something then "it must be built". These thoughts among many factors led Cromatikap to the Open Web Foundry (visit forward.arweave.dev) to go and build social utilities specifically designed for the Permaweb. The journey has not be straightforward, especially the formation of their legal entity which is now based in Portugal, also known as "Silicoin Valley" or the "Silicon Valley of Europe". Like many founders, it can be overwhelming to start a new company, manage legal needs, and sort out investments. They've adapted and now have operations up and running, becoming defacto "Arweave Ambassadors" as they connect with all of the web3 builders in Portugal. In our conversation, we discuss the Account Protocol, Permatweet,and the Twitter Bridge. These tools make it easy to both explore the dApps on the Permaweb as well as connect web2 platforms with web3. Check out Metaweave.com to learn more and experience the discussed tools first hand.Also, be sure and follow @onlyarweave for all things Arweave related.

Tate started building on the Permaweb while in high school during the middle of the first wave of COVID. His foray into Arweave began with storing study guides that were being repeatedly deleted from the students' shared drives. He subsequently built nest.land, where developers can store code modules on the Permaweb for safe-keeping. In short, this was just the beginning. After creating both Verto Exchange and ArConnect (the popular browser extension), his latest venture is Community Labs.Community Labs, also referred to as "CLabs" just raised $30 million to fund their efforts in creating fundamental technology and protocols geared towards the Arweave ecosystem at large. This is a significant raise (possibly the largest to date in the Arweave ecosystem), and one that represents the opportunity available for both developers and entrepreneurs looking to build the next web. With an emphasis on both "structured" and "unstructured" time throughout his day, Tate continues to actively invent and collaborate with his growing and distributed team. Considering the fact that most of what is being built has never been done before, the model of unstructured time can enable more creativity and freedom to think differently. While the company is relatively new, those involved via investments/advisors and beyond have a lot of experience that they are bringing to the table. CLabs already has four ventures underway, three of which are protocols enabling further enhancements for the developer experience. Enjoy this episode, Tate shares his story, philosophy on building, and the path forward for the Arweave ecosystem and CLabs. Check out CommunityLabs.com, in addition to ArConnect.io.Also, be sure and follow @onlyarweave for all things Arweave related.

There are some individuals who have shown both a level of commitment and innovation within the Arweave that is next-level, Phil Mataras, Founder of ArDrive and AR.io, is an exemplar of this. His journey into Arweave started back in 2018, after having explored (and mining) Ethereum for 8 months. He needed to change direction, to get closer to utility at a fundamental level. After discovering the Permaweb, he quickly realized it's potential, building first versions of ArDrive.io; a Dropbox-like service that massively levels up the experience, providing decentralized and permanent storage. After growing his team and bringing in a total of almost 20 individual investors and just about $20 million USD, the mission has grown to provide decentralized (and incentivized) gateways for the Permaweb with AR.io. Gateways are the "front door" to the Permaweb and currently the arweave.net gateway is subsidized and in need of decentralization - something that is already happening with AR.io infrastructure!We cover a ton in this episode, and Phil is truly a Permaweb Pioneer having been one of the early internet explorers to find out about this technology and subsequently build a widely used app that is ArDrive.io. Follow @onlyarweave for all things Arweave related :)

Co-founders William and Aaron provide a deep look into their inspiration for creating Releap, a Solana and Arweave based music NFT platform created to "empower emerging and major artists with new ways of gaining exposure, engaging with fans, and monetizing their work". When building a service, it can be a major benefit to intimately know the issues with the status-quo that the founders are looking to improve upon. In Releap's case, this is part of the genesis for creating the service. As a band member playing gigs in Hong Kong, it just wasn't enough to financially sustain the group's efforts - and that's where William became inspired to look to an entirely new model of music - NFTs. Releap has done an amazing job with their UI/UX, and they're continually making improvements to lean into the social components of listening to music. Borrowing from the likes of SoundCloud with timestamped comments, it does feel inherently social while enjoying a fresh track. Be sure and listen to some tracks at Releap.ioAlso, follow @onlyarweave for all things Arweave related :)