Y-Axis Podcast

In this conversation, Mert, co-founder and CEO of Helius, shares his journey from working at Coinbase to founding a developer platform for the Solana ecosystem. He discusses the challenges of building a startup, the importance of hiring passionate individuals, and the unique culture at Helius that fosters remote work and team dynamics. Mert emphasizes the significance of risk-taking in entrepreneurship and the need for a strong written culture in a remote-first company. He shares insights on integrating AI into workflows, the importance of building a company culture from the ground up, and his approach to writing that fosters engagement. Mert also delves into the technicalities of Solana, explaining why he believes in its potential and addressing the incentive problems prevalent in the crypto space.

In this conversation, Tristan Yver and Akshay BD discuss the evolution of stablecoins, the role of foundations in blockchain development, and the characteristics of successful founders. They explore the intense startup culture, strategies for breaking into the scene, and the technological innovations within Solana. The discussion also touches on universal basic ownership, the future of tokenized assets, and how individuals can contribute to the Solana ecosystem.

In this episode, Tristan Yver interviews Kevin McCordick, the director of growth at Monad. They discuss Kevin's journey from an intern at CMS to leading growth efforts at Monad, the current state of Monad's testnet, and the unique approach Monad takes to scale EVM. The conversation also looks into the importance of community building in the crypto space and how Monad is positioning itself to impact Ethereum positively.

In this conversation, Tristan Yver interviews Austin Federa, co-founder of Double Zero, discussing the limitations of the current internet for distributed systems and how Double Zero aims to create a new internet optimized for blockchain technology. They explore the challenges of data transfer, the role of hardware, and the importance of decentralization in building trust within the network. Austin shares insights on the target customers for Double Zero, the innovative business model for value capture, and the future steps for the project. 

In this conversation, Tristan Yver interviews Arnold Lee, co-founder and CEO of Sphere, discussing the evolution of cross-border payments, the role of stablecoins in emerging markets, and the challenges of compliance and risk management in the payments industry. Arnold shares insights on how Sphere differentiates itself in the market, the importance of education around stablecoins, and the future of digital currencies. The discussion also touches on the personal motivations behind starting Sphere and the impact of their work on clients' lives.

In this conversation, Tristan Yver interviews Yannick Schrade, CEO of Arcium, about their innovative approach to privacy in computing through the use of secure multi-party computation. They discuss the concept of Privacy 2.0, which allows for encrypted computations without the need for data sharing, and explore various applications in industries such as finance and healthcare. The discussion also covers the security mechanisms in place, the role of nodes in the Arcium network, and the future developments of the platform as they transition to public testnet.

In this conversation, Tristan Yver interviews James Hunsaker, co-founder and CTO of Monad, discussing the recent launch of Monad's Testnet, the transition from trading systems to blockchain engineering, and the dynamics of managing a startup team. James shares insights on the challenges of maintaining uptime in blockchain technology, the importance of community engagement, and his management philosophy that emphasizes flat organizational structures and the value of being a devil's advocate. The discussion also touches on the role of intuition in engineering and the balance between deep focus work and necessary communication.

Dan Matuszewski, co-founder of CMS Holdings and a crypto trading expert, shares insights on the current crypto market landscape. He discusses the challenges in cryptocurrency lending and the cautious behavior of traditional finance in the sector. The conversation highlights Bitcoin's dominance and the rise of meme coins, alongside the debate between self-custody and ETFs for investing in Bitcoin. Matuszewski reflects on the evolving nature of the crypto space and the social media dynamics that influence investor sentiment.

Lucas Bruder (@Buffalu) is co-founder and CEO of Jito Labs, a pioneering force in Solana's blockchain ecosystem. Under his leadership, Jito has grown with Solana through MEV innovations and liquid restaking solutions, with the Jito Block Engine now processing 94% of network stake. Jito has generated an additional $750m in revenue for validators in the Solana network. Jito tips accounted for around 50% of revenue on the network in 2024.

Welcome to Episode 7 of the Y-Axis Podcast, featuring our esteemed guest, Mike Cahill, CEO of Douro Labs, the innovative team behind Pyth Network. I'm your host, Tristan Yver.In this episode, we engage in an in-depth exploration of the Pyth Network with Mike, focusing on Douro Labs' endeavors to enhance blockchain oracle services. Mike brings a wealth of practical knowledge about market structures, which plays a pivotal role in guiding this project. This is a pivotal moment in the blockchain sector, marked by significant growth opportunities for pioneering developers and their respective communities.