Inside the Hutt

In this episode of Inside the Hutt, host Brooke Pollack welcomes Jakub Rusiecki and David, co-summoners of Social Graph Ventures (SGV), a Web3 social investment vehicle. They discuss their personal journeys into crypto investing, the formation and structure of SGV, and the unique opportunities in Web3 social. The conversation covers SGV’s investment thesis, the evolution of blockchain-powered social platforms like Farcaster and Lens, and how open social graphs can disrupt existing incumbents. Jakub and David also explore how SGV operates as a community-driven investment DAO, their experience in early-stage investing, and the future of Web3 social applications.Key Points From This Episode:Introduction to SGV – Jakub and David share their backgrounds and how they formed Social Graph Ventures.What is Web3 Social? – Explanation of how decentralized social platforms function and their potential impact.Investment Focus of SGV – Discussion on why SGV prioritizes Web3 social apps, middleware, and social protocols.Challenges in Web3 Social Adoption – Why competing with Web2 incumbents is difficult and how SGV sees new opportunities.Farcaster and Lens as Flagship Platforms – The role of these decentralized social networks in the ecosystem.The Community-Driven Investment Model – How SGV operates without LPs, using a member-based structure.Motivating Member Participation – Reward-based incentives to keep contributors engaged and active.The Future of SGV – Potential expansion, additional vehicles, and staying disciplined in investment strategy.Highlighting Portfolio Investments – Overview of SGV-backed startups like Neynar, and Rodeo.Long-Term Vision for Web3 Social – How open social graphs and blockchain-based social networks might evolve.LinksJakub Rusiecki on Twitter: https://x.com/jakub_rusieckiDavid on Twitter: https://x.com/clujsoSocial Graph Ventures: https://www.socialgraph.vc/Brooke Pollack on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhpollackBrooke Pollack on LinkedIn: https://twitter.com/bhpollackHutt Capital: https://www.huttcapital.com/

In this episode of Inside the Hutt, Brooke Pollack welcomes Vishwa Naik, co-founder of Anera, a DeFi-focused prime brokerage. Vishwa shares his journey from finance and traditional startups to the world of blockchain, explaining how Anera provides inventory and execution services to institutional traders. They explore the complexities of cross-chain liquidity, arbitrage opportunities between CeFi and DeFi, and the future of capital-efficient trading. Vishwa also discusses the technical and security challenges of building a DeFi protocol, the role of tokenized assets, and how Anera is positioning itself to scale within both DeFi and traditional financial systems.Key Points From This Episode:Vishwa’s background – from finance to blockchain entrepreneurship.The vision for Anera – building a DeFi-focused prime brokerage.Why interoperability between chains is critical for market efficiency.How Anera helps institutional traders access capital-efficient arbitrage.The evolving role of DeFi prime brokerage and its relationship with existing players like FalconX.Why Anera transitioned away from servicing retail users to focus on institutions.How DeFi protocols and CeFi traders interact in arbitrage markets.Challenges in scaling a prime brokerage for DeFi and key liquidity trends.The role of tokenized yield-bearing assets in Anera’s future.The importance of hiring domain experts from prop trading and market-making firms.Regulatory considerations and the impact of a new U.S. administration on crypto markets.Anera’s upcoming product launch in March 2025 and expansion plans.LinksVishwa Naik on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vishwa-naik-4748a3137Anera Labs: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anera-labsBrooke Pollack on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhpollackBrooke Pollack on LinkedIn: https://twitter.com/bhpollackHutt Capital: https://www.huttcapital.com/

Kyle Samani, co-founder of Multicoin Capital, dives into the fascinating world of blockchain investing. He reflects on his journey from tech startups to his current role, sharing lessons from launching a fund in 2017. The conversation explores Solana’s architecture, the rising importance of stablecoins, and DeFi's evolving capital efficiency. Kyle discusses innovative concepts like zero-employee companies and the growing intersection of AI with decentralized finance. He also provides insights on crypto legislation and emerging trends in the market.

In this episode of Inside the Hutt, host Brooke Pollack interviews Spencer Bogart, General Partner at Blockchain Capital. Spencer shares his journey into venture capital, transitioning from sell-side equity research to joining Blockchain Capital nearly a decade ago. The conversation delves into Blockchain Capital’s history, investment strategy, and how the firm has remained a leading player in blockchain venture investing. Spencer also provides insights on navigating market cycles, evaluating investment opportunities, and the evolving dynamics within the crypto and blockchain ecosystem. Key Points From This Episode: Spencer Bogart’s career journey, from economics undergrad to General Partner at Blockchain Capital. Blockchain Capital’s history, starting with a $1M fund and scaling to billions in assets under management. The firm’s focus on pure venture investments and its disciplined approach to liquid assets. Importance of maintaining team integrity, transparency, and low turnover in a venture setting. Investment philosophies and how Blockchain Capital identifies opportunities uniquely enabled by blockchain. Notable investments in projects like EigenLayer and Worldcoin, and the rationale behind these decisions. The impact of market cycles on investment strategies and how Blockchain Capital prepares for bull and bear markets. Insights into the future of DeFi and its nearly infinite design space for financial innovation. Discussion on the regulatory environment and its impact on blockchain startups and innovation in the U.S. Perspectives on differentiating as a blockchain-focused venture fund and sustaining a competitive edge. How allocators are realizing that the liquidity profile of crypto venture funds is becoming strictly superior to general venture funds and why.Links Spencer Bogart on LinkedIn Blockchain Capital Brooke Pollack on Twitter Brooke Pollack on LinkedIn Hutt Capital 

In this episode of Inside the Hutt, host Brooke Pollack welcomes Simao Cruz, founding partner of Lightshift Capital. Simao shares insights on building Lightshift as a venture firm and engineering platform focused on early-stage blockchain projects. The discussion delves into Lightshift's origin story, its engineering-driven investment strategy, and how the firm acts as a "third co-founder" for portfolio companies. They also explore the challenges and rewards of contributing hands-on technical expertise, discuss Lightshift’s strategic focus on decentralized technologies, and examine how Lisbon is becoming a hub for blockchain innovation. Key Points From This Episode: Introduction to Simao Cruz and Lightshift Capital’s founding team Lightshift’s engineering-centered approach and “third co-founder” philosophy Focus on low-level infrastructure and high-growth market applications Differentiation through early-stage support in product development and engineering Role of Lightshift in project incubation and the firm’s approach to incubating startups Strategic investments in decentralized health data sharing and tokenized domain name services The importance of tokenization and the overlooked impact of decentralized data Lightshift’s engineering diligence process and alignment with portfolio founders The growing prominence of Lisbon as a blockchain ecosystem hub Regulatory contrasts between the U.S. and Portugal’s stance on blockchain  Links Simao Cruz on LinkedIn Lightshift Capital Brooke Pollack on Twitter Brooke Pollack on LinkedIn Hutt Capital 

In this episode of Inside the Hutt, Brooke Pollack sits down with Nicolas Priem, co-founder of Tioga Capital Partners, to discuss the evolving landscape of blockchain venture investing in Europe. Nicolas shares his background in private equity and his transition to the crypto space, along with insights into Tioga’s strategies in early-stage crypto investing. They explore key topics such as the rise of real-world assets (RWA), the opportunities in tokenizing corporate bonds, and the growing European crypto startup ecosystem. Nicolas also reflects on the unique challenges and benefits of investing in crypto, the importance of founder-driven investment strategies, and the influence of the MiCA regulatory framework in Europe.Key Points From This Episode:Overview of Tioga Capital Partners and their investment focus on early-stage crypto startups in Europe.Tioga’s strategies around real-world assets (RWAs) including insights into tokenizing corporate bonds and other areas ripe for disruption such as the opaque art world.The growing European crypto ecosystem with Lisbon and London serving as key hubs.The impact of the MiCA framework on crypto regulation in Europe.Core emphasis of founder-driven investment strategies and long-term relationships with exceptional entrepreneurs.Tioga’s focus on providing value to portfolio companies through extensive product testing and market feedback.The importance of discipline during market cycles and the growing role of traditional finance players in the crypto space.LinksNicolas Priem on LinkedIn: https://be.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-priem-01648a58Tioga Capital Partners: https://tioga.capital/Brooke Pollack on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhpollackBrooke Pollack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brookepollack/Hutt Capital: https://www.huttcapital.com/

In this episode of Inside the Hutt, host Brooke Pollack speaks with Tracy Li, Managing Partner of Istari Ventures. Tracy shares her journey from being a startup founder in Silicon Valley to building her career in the crypto space with roles at Coinbase and Circle. The conversation explores Istari Ventures’ focus on blockchain-based payments and fintech strategies, particularly in emerging markets, and examines the unique challenges and opportunities within the crypto industry. Tracy also provides insights into the evolving role of crypto in global payments, the potential for M&A activity, and the importance of building strong relationships within the venture community.Key Points From This Episode:Tracy’s background from Silicon Valley tech to crypto ventures.Founding Istari Ventures and its focus on blockchain-based payments and fintech.The role of blockchain in improving speed, cost, and programmability of payments.Emerging market opportunities, particularly in Latin America and Southeast Asia.Institutional adoption of blockchain and the potential for future M&A in the sector.The significance of stablecoins in crypto payments and their future role.Challenges in DeFi adoption, particularly among institutions.Building a venture firm’s brand and ecosystem in the blockchain space.LinksTracy Li on LinkedInIstari VenturesBrooke Pollack on TwitterBrooke Pollack on LinkedInHutt Capital

In this episode of Inside the Hutt, host Brooke Pollack speaks with David Feiock, GeneralPartner at Anagram Ventures. David shares his journey from traditional finance to blockchain venture investing, discussing the unique structure and strategy of Anagram Ventures. The conversation explores key topics such as modular blockchains, the intersection of crypto and AI, and the importance of privacy in decentralized applications. David also provides insights into Anagram's investment focus and how the firm supports its portfolio companies.Key Points From This Episode:Background of David FeiockThe Fundamentals Of MoneyAnagram Ventures BackgroundGalileo Ventures Merging With Anagram VenturesHow The Intersection Of Tech Verticals Improve The Application LayerComparing Cosmos And SolanaUnderstanding Chain AbstractionPayFi, DePIN, Crypto AI ApplicationsHow Crypto Assists Emerging MarketsWhat Makes Anagram Ventures SuperiorThe Dynamic Behind Low Float High FDVExciting Port Cos For Anagram VenturesLinksDavid Feiock on Twitter Anagram VenturesBrooke Pollack on Twitter Brooke Pollack on LinkedIn Hutt Capital 

In this episode of Inside the Hutt, host Brooke Pollack sits down with Mahesh Ramakrishnan, co-founder of Escape Velocity (EV3), an early-stage venture firm focused on the Deepin sector. Mahesh shares his journey from traditional finance at Apollo to launching EV3, driven by a passion for decentralized infrastructure networks. The conversation explores the concept of Deepin, the potential of community-driven infrastructure, and how Escape Velocity navigates this emerging space. They also delve into the challenges and opportunities within the Deepin sector, from decentralized telecom to compute networks, and the future of venture capital in this niche.Key Points From This Episode:How The Incentives In Religion Extend To EconomicsBackground On Escape VelocityWhat Is Interesting About DePINThe Duration Mismatch Seen In TelecommThesis Behind DePIN & Crowdsourcing Infrastructure NetworksWhy DePIN Is Superior To Traditional InfrastructureHow Blockchain & Crypto Are Used In DePINThe Sectors Of DePINEmerging DePIN EcosystemsThe Progression & Usage Of DePINDecentralized Compute & Wireless NetworksDeal Curation Process At Escape VelocityCapital Inflows Into DePINLinksMahesh Ramakrishnan on LinkedinEV3Brooke Pollack on TwitterBrooke Pollack on LinkedInHutt Capital

In this episode of Inside the Hutt, Brooke Pollack interviews Baek Kim, a partner at Hashed. Baek shares his journey from robotics and hackathons to blockchain and discusses Hashed's growth, investment strategies, and the dynamics of the blockchain venture capital landscape across different regions. The conversation also covers Hashed’s focus areas, including infrastructure and gaming investments, and their initiatives in emerging markets like India and Africa.Key Points From This Episode:Baek Kim’s backgroundThe genesis of Hashed venturesSector focus on remittance layers, RWAs, & metaverseBuilding incubators & communities for India & AfricaPortfolio construction & companies Crypto Interest in Southeast Asia Conglomerate alliances in Southeast AsiaEvaluations & regulations in East vs WestIntrospection on Hashed & portcos like ZKsyncLinksBaek Kim on LinkedInHashedBrooke Pollack on TwitterBrooke Pollack on LinkedInHutt Capital