GRTiQ Podcast

Leave feedback!Today I am speaking with Mickey Negus, the Senior Engineering Manager at Edge & Node who oversees Engineering Operations and Customer Success. This is Mickey's second appearance on the GRTiQ Podcast, having first joined us in November 2023 (Ep. 143) where she shared her journey into web3 and initial work at Edge & Node.After joining Edge & Node in 2022, Mickey has focused on revolutionizing how decentralized protocols provide technical support – transforming what was once a seven-day response window into a remarkably efficient three-minute median response time. Her approach goes beyond traditional support models, employing highly-skilled technical experts in frontline roles and coordinating support efforts across multiple organizations, time zones, and communication channels to meet the unique needs of a decentralized network.During our conversation, Mickey shares insights about The Graph's successful transition to Sunrise (moving all traffic from hosted services to the decentralized network), explains the critical differences between web2 and web3 support paradigms, and outlines her three-pillar support playbook for decentralized protocols. She also discusses how they've implemented AI tools for sentiment analysis, documentation improvement, and streamlining support operations across hundreds of concurrent conversations.Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com

Leave feedback!Today I am speaking with Holger Arians, the Chairman and CEO at Banxa. Holger leads Banxa, a global crypto payment infrastructure provider that enables users to convert their fiat currency to crypto through integrated solutions with major platforms like Binance, OKX, and MetaMask, handling all regulatory compliance and KYC requirements for partners reaching over a billion people worldwide.Growing up in Germany, Holger developed his business acumen early by working in his father's car dealership during school holidays. After studying business in the Netherlands, he embarked on his entrepreneurial journey by launching juice bars in Germany before moving to Australia, where he discovered Bitcoin in 2013 when his business partner received mining machines from China. This serendipitous introduction to crypto led to founding Banxa in 2014.In our conversation, Holger shares insights about Banxa's evolution from a B2C crypto retailer to a B2B2C infrastructure provider, the transformative potential of stablecoins for global remittances, and the challenges of navigating banking relationships as a crypto company. He also discusses their "embedded crypto" vision, which mirrors what Stripe did for payments, and his excitement about applying blockchain technology to real-world financial use cases. Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com

Leave feedback!Today I am speaking with Isha Varshney, Head of Ecosystem at Celo. With roots in India and Kenya, Isha brings a unique global perspective to blockchain adoption in emerging markets. I’m excited to welcome Isha to the podcast - and long-time listeners know that I previously featured one of Celo’s founding members, Marek Olszewski during Ep. 131 back in August 2023.  After earning her Chartered Accountancy and working at KPMG in cross-border taxation, she founded WealthBoost Investments to help India's young professionals build wealth. Her passion for impact-driven work led her to Oxford Business School, where a transformative encounter with Vitalik Buterin's vision for blockchain technology sparked her journey into web3. Now at Celo, she leads ecosystem development for their mobile-first blockchain platform, focusing on bringing financial access to emerging markets through stable coins and innovative payment solutions. During our conversation, Isha shares insights on blockchain adoption in developing economies, the power of community-driven development, and real-world impact stories. Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com

Leave feedback!Today I am speaking with Mathieu Baudet, Founder at Linera. With a PhD in cryptographic protocols and security, Mathieu has been at the forefront of distributed systems innovation for over two decades.After serving as a security consultant for the French government, he joined Facebook in 2012, where he led developer tools, machine learning infrastructure, and spearheaded the early development of the Libra/Diem blockchain project. Today at Linera, he's pioneering a revolutionary blockchain architecture that overcomes scalability limitations through an innovative microchain approach. His work combines deep academic expertise with practical engineering experience aimed at reshaping blockchain infrastructure.During our conversation, Mathieu shares fascinating insights on his journey from studying cryptographic protocols in pre-Bitcoin academia to building infra to power web3's future, including his perspective on how Bitcoin's singular focus helped pave the way for broader blockchain innovation.Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com

Leave feedback!Today I am speaking with Alexei Zamyatin, Co-founder of Build on BOB, a pioneering hybrid Layer 2 solution that combines Bitcoin's security with Ethereum's programmability, aiming to create an open financial ecosystem that enables Bitcoin utility beyond simple payments while maintaining trust-minimized principles through technologies like BitVM.Born in Moscow but raised in Austria, Alexei has focused on Bitcoin security and interoperability since 2015. His research at Imperial College London, where he earned his PhD in Computer Science, led to interesting work on non-custodial Bitcoin bridges, cross-chain light clients, and mining pool security. Prior to BOB, he co-founded Interlay, building decentralized infrastructure for Bitcoin interoperability across blockchain networks.During our conversation, Alexei discusses the challenges of building cross-chain infrastructure, the development of trustless Bitcoin bridges, and his vision for expanding Bitcoin's role in decentralized finance. He also shares insights on mining pool centralization and the future of merged mining.Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com

Leave feedback!Today I am speaking with Arik Galansky, the Vice President of Technology at Fireblocks, which provides critical infrastructure that enables companies to securely build and operate blockchain-based businesses. The platform offers a unique combination of self-custody technology and security features that allow organizations to maintain control of their digital assets while simplifying operations.Growing up in Israel, Arik developed an early passion for technology, beginning with programming games and solving computer problems. After serving eight years in the IDF, he went on to work in AI and machine learning, spending nearly a decade leading engineering teams at HiredScore before joining Fireblocks in 2021.During our conversation, Arik shares insights on the challenges of blockchain security, the delicate balance between user experience and decentralization, and his perspective on the intersection of AI and blockchain technology. He also discusses Fireblocks' approach to self-custody and their role as "invisible infrastructure" enabling the next generation of blockchain businesses. Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com

Leave feedback!Today I am speaking with Turan Sert, a prominent blockchain advisor, author, and educator based in Istanbul, Turkey. A graduate of Harvard Business School, Turan has a successful career in investment banking and consulting before becoming one of Turkey's leading voices in web3 education and adoption.Drawing from his unique perspective bridging traditional finance and decentralized systems, Turan has authored many articles and books making blockchain technology accessible to Turkish audiences. His latest books, currently in print, explores web3's evolution, examining everything from DeFi primitives to AI integration. During our conversation, Turan shares fascinating insights into Turkey's emergence as a global crypto hub, the intersection of traditional finance with DeFi, and his journey from skeptic to blockchain educator. He also discusses his perspective on The Graph and his vision for web3's future.Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com

Leave feedback!Today I am speaking with Aya Kantorovich, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of August. Long-time listeners will recognize Aya - this is her second appearance on the GRTiQ Podcast. Since her first appearance on Ep. 66 in May 2022, Aya has launched two innovative platforms: August, an institutional-grade DeFi platform, and Upshift, its retail counterpart, both focused on providing transparent, real-yield opportunities in decentralized finance.Drawing from her extensive experience in institutional crypto markets, Aya has shaped August's vision of bridging traditional finance with DeFi through robust infrastructure and risk management. The platform now supports over $300 million in TVL and integrates with 12 blockchains and 70+ protocols, making institutional-grade DeFi more accessible than ever.During our conversation, Aya shares great insights on ETF adoption, institutional DeFi infrastructure, and the evolution of crypto markets. She discusses the critical role of transparency in DeFi, the challenges of cross-chain composability, and her vision for democratizing access to real yields. Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com

Leave feedback!Today I am speaking with Tristan Frizza, the Founder of Zeta Markets. Zeta Markets is revolutionizing decentralized derivatives trading on Solana, building high-performance infrastructure that combines centralized exchange speed with DeFi security. Through their innovative Layer 2 solution, they're working to make institutional-grade trading accessible to all users.With a background in robotics engineering and machine learning, Tristan previously developed AI models serving millions of users at Atlassian. His unique experience combining distributed systems and deep learning has proven invaluable in tackling DeFi's technical challenges. In our conversation, Tristan shares insights on scaling through market cycles, the evolution of decentralized infrastructure, and his vision for the future of on-chain trading. Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com

Leave feedback!Today I am speaking with Brianna Migliaccio, Developer Relations at Solana. At Solana, Brianna works to empower developers, helping teams leverage Solona’s speed and scalability. Her role involves creating developer resources, from comprehensive bootcamps to practical guides for building decentralized applications.With degrees in mechanical engineering and nuclear physics from NYU, Brianna brings a unique technical perspective to blockchain development. Her journey began at Accenture as a consultant, where she discovered her passion for software engineering before transitioning to web3 through Delphi Digital, where she developed smart contracts in the Cosmos ecosystem.In our conversation, Brianna shares insights on the evolution of blockchain technology, Solana's growing developer ecosystem, and the importance of user-friendly tools for web3 adoption. She discusses the development of new validator clients like Fire Dancer, improvements in blockchain infrastructure, and her excitement about seeing web3 applications with familiar web2 interfaces. Show Notes and TranscriptsThe GRTiQ Podcast takes listeners inside web3 and The Graph (GRT) by interviewing members of the ecosystem.  Please help support this project and build the community by subscribing and leaving a review.Twitter: GRT_iQwww.GRTiQ.com