Gen C

Mike Winkelmann, aka Beeple, joins Sam Ewen on an episode of "CoinDesk Spotlight" with a conversation about the transformative potential of AI and the journey that led him from computer science to digital art and the NFT ecosystem. Beeple shares insights into the evolution of his artwork, the role of technology in his creative process, and the impact of AI tools in pushing the boundaries of digital art.-This content should not be construed or relied upon as investment advice. It is for entertainment and general information purposes.-Ledn is the leading platform for Bitcoin-backed loans, offering a secure and transparent way to unlock liquidity without selling your Bitcoin. Ledn has issued over $9 billion in loans since 2018 and has never lost a single satoshi of client assets, earning a reputation as the name you can trust in the crypto space.Visit https://www.ledn.io/ to learn more.-Timestamps:01:31 NFT Ecosystem Insights03:58 Journey into Digital Art06:56 Exploring Blockchain and NFTs13:12 Artistic Process and AI Integration15:07 Balancing Commentary and Creativity23:41 Daily Creative Practice31:47 The Evolution of Craft in the Age of AI36:54 The Impact of Financialization on Art41:45 Reflecting on Past Works and Changing Perspectives49:26 The Open Source Mentality and Its Benefits53:27 Rapid Fire Questions and Personal InsightsWatch this episode on video:YouTubeCoinDeskFollow us on Twitter: Sam Ewen, CoinDesk-"Gen C" features hosts Sam Ewen. Executive produced by Uyen Truong.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yield Guild Games founder Gabby Dizon breaks down the state of Web3 gaming, from Axie Infinity's cultural moment to building sustainable crypto-native games today.Gabby Dizon founded Yield Guild Games during the height of the Axie Infinity craze, helping players in developing markets access play-to-earn opportunities through innovative guild structures. In this conversation, he shares insights on what made Axie a watershed moment, why gaming guilds remain relevant despite market downturns and how his team is approaching casual crypto gaming with their new title LOL Land.Links mentioned from the podcast: YGG WebsiteGabby’s TwitterWatch this episode on video:YouTubeCoinDeskFollow us on Twitter: Sam Ewen, CoinDesk-"Gen C" features hosts Sam Ewen. Executive produced by Uyen Truong.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Melyn McKay of Coala Pay explains how blockchain rails are transforming humanitarian aid by enabling instant, secure payments to partners in the world's most challenging locations.Dr. Melyn McKay brings 15 years of humanitarian aid experience to her role as founder of Coala Pay, a blockchain-based payment platform revolutionizing how aid money moves globally. In this conversation, she shares her journey from carrying cash in war zones to building technology that enables instant, transparent aid disbursements through stablecoins and smart contracts. McKay discusses the massive inefficiencies plaguing the traditional aid sector, the trust challenges preventing more direct giving and how Coala Pay is scaling across conflict zones to ensure aid funding reaches local partners safely and efficiently.Links mentioned from the podcast: Melyn’s TwitterCoala Pay WebsiteWatch this episode on video:YouTubeCoinDeskFollow us on Twitter: Sam Ewen, CoinDesk-"Gen C" features hosts Sam Ewen. Executive produced by Uyen Truong.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ahmed Nimale, the Founder of KYD (KID), dives into his mission to disrupt the ticketing industry. He shares innovative strategies like a rewards system to empower fans and artists. The conversation highlights the complexities of ticketing while rethinking the fan-artist relationship through a Web3 app. Nimale discusses his journey in overcoming Ticketmaster's monopoly and presents a platform focused on data accessibility and enhanced profitability. He also explores using stablecoins for efficient transactions, promising a more equitable ecosystem for live events.

Maz ElJundi, Head of Crypto at Revolut, discusses how the financial app is creating a bridge between traditional banking and Web3, driving crypto adoption through education and intuitive user experiences.In this episode of Gen C, Avery comes back to join Sam and welcome Mazen ElJundi, who leads crypto at Revolut. With his global perspective from living across the Middle East, Europe and the US, Mazen shares insights on Revolut's growth to 52.5 million users and $4 billion in revenue. The conversation explores how Revolut is simplifying crypto for everyday users, the importance of education in driving adoption and why borderless payments represent one of the most promising use cases for cryptocurrency.Links mentioned from the podcast: Revolut’s TwitterRevolut’s Website Watch this episode on video:YouTubeCoinDeskFollow us on Twitter: Sam Ewen, CoinDesk-"Gen C" features hosts Sam Ewen. Executive produced by by Uyen Truong. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Razorfish President, Dani Mariano, explores how brands can build authentic connections through emerging technologies and explains why Gen Alpha is reshaping the future of marketing and commerce.In this episode of Gen C, host Sam welcomes Dani Mariano, President of Razorfish, a 30-year-old creative agency known for innovation in the marketing world. Dani discusses how Razorfish has evolved from a digital agency to a "marketing transformation agency" helping brands navigate emerging technologies like blockchain, Web3 and AI. She shares insights on the shift from points-based loyalty programs to creating authentic emotional connections with consumers and reveals research about Gen Alpha's sophisticated digital behavior and their surprising influence on household purchasing decisions.Links mentioned from the podcast: Razorfish’s TwitterRazorfish’s WebsiteWatch this episode on video:YouTubeCoinDeskFollow us on Twitter: Sam Ewen, CoinDesk-"Gen C" features hosts Sam Ewen. Executive produced by by Uyen Truong. Our theme music is "1882” by omgkirby x Channel Tres with editing by Doc Blust. Artwork by Nicole Marie Rincon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rebecca Barkin discusses Lamina1's mission to create a decentralized platform that empowers creators with more control and direct audience engagement, showcasing their partnership with "Owen Nowhere," a new animated series about a teen influencer with vampire parents created by Chris Jammal and Jaclynn Demas of We Ghosted Media.Rebecca Barkin, CEO of Lamina1, joins Sam to discuss her journey from Magic Leap to developing the MSG Sphere and now leading a Web3 company focused on empowering creators. They're joined by Chris Jammal (Bob’s Burgers) and Jaclynn Demas (Peg+Cat, Wonder Pets) of We Ghosted Media to discuss their new animated series "Owen Nowhere" about a teen influencer with vampire parents and how Web3 technologies enable new forms of audience engagement and creative control that traditional entertainment models lack.Links mentioned from the podcast: A new kids’ show will come with a crypto wallet when it debuts this fallRebecca’s TwitterLamina1 WebsiteWatch this episode on video:YouTubeCoinDeskFollow us on Twitter: Sam Ewen, CoinDesk-"Gen C" features hosts Sam Ewen. Executive produced by by Uyen Truong. Our theme music is "1882” by omgkirby x Channel Tres with editing by Doc Blust. Artwork by Nicole Marie Rincon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Returning for another season of ‘Gen C’, Sam sits down with Kyle and Jay to learn how they transformed Milk Road into a leading crypto media brand and why they believe media should be the foundation of every business.Kyle and Jay, co-owners of Milk Road and co-founders of marketing agency Impact3, discuss their journey from meeting in a Toronto bar to building successful crypto-focused businesses. They explain their philosophy of using media to grow communities, simplifying crypto for everyday investors and their expansion plans beyond crypto into macro economics and AI. The pair also share insights on the current market dynamics and why they believe personalities will become increasingly important in differentiating brands in an AI-dominated future.Links mentioned from the podcast: Kyle’s TwitterJay’s TwitterMilk Road WebsiteImpact3 WebsiteWatch this episode on video:YouTubeCoinDeskFollow us on Twitter: Sam Ewen, CoinDesk-"Gen C" features hosts Sam Ewen and Avery Akkineni. Executive produced by by Uyen Truong. Our theme music is "1882” by omgkirby x Channel Tres with editing by Doc Blust. Artwork by Nicole Marie Rincon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this farewell episode, Avery and Sam reflect on her journey as co-host and share insights on the evolving digital landscape and what’s next for the pod. Avery Akkineni, Chief Marketing Officer at VaynerMedia, records her final episode as co-host of the Gen C podcast after a two and a half year run spanning 112 episodes. They discuss the evolution of Web3 adoption among brands, from the initial NFT boom to today’s landscape and the valuable lessons learned during her time as co-host. Watch this episode on video:YouTubeCoinDeskFollow us on Twitter: Sam Ewen, Avery Akkineni, CoinDesk, Vayner3From our sponsor: Friends, DeFi is having a moment — Uniswap Labs' web app and wallet connect you to the excitement. Swapping and bridging are simple, low cost, and lightning fast across 13 chains, including Base, Arbitrum and Unichain, the new Layer 2 network designed for DeFi. Thanks to deep liquidity on Uniswap Protocols, you get minimal price impact on every trade, now with even greater efficiency through Uniswap v4. Swap, send, on-ramp, off-ramp, and bridge into a bright future — get started at https://app.uniswap.org/.-"Gen C" features hosts Sam Ewen and Avery Akkineni. Executive produced by by Uyen Truong. Our theme music is "1882” by omgkirby x Channel Tres with editing by Doc Blust. Artwork by Nicole Marie Rincon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Christina Smedley of Lightspark, live from Consensus HK, to discuss how their technology enables cross-border payments without high fees and serves both developed and emerging markets.Christina Smedley, who has previously worked at Amazon, PayPal, Facebook, and Robinhood, discusses her current role at Lightspark where she's helping to revolutionize payments through Bitcoin's Lightning Network. She explains Lightspark's Universal Money Address (UMA) solution that allows people to send money as easily as emails and talks about Spark, their open-source Layer 2 blockchain designed specifically for payments and stablecoin transactions. Links mentioned from the podcast: Lightspark WebsiteChristina’s Twitter Watch this episode on video:YouTubeCoinDeskFollow us on Twitter: Sam Ewen, Avery Akkineni, CoinDesk, Vayner3From our sponsor: Friends, DeFi is having a moment — Uniswap Labs' web app and wallet connect you to the excitement. Swapping and bridging are simple, low cost, and lightning fast across 13 chains, including Base, Arbitrum and Unichain, the new Layer 2 network designed for DeFi. Thanks to deep liquidity on Uniswap Protocols, you get minimal price impact on every trade, now with even greater efficiency through Uniswap v4. Swap, send, on-ramp, off-ramp, and bridge into a bright future — get started at https://app.uniswap.org/.-"Gen C" features hosts Sam Ewen and Avery Akkineni. Executive produced by by Uyen Truong. Our theme music is "1882” by omgkirby x Channel Tres with editing by Doc Blust. Artwork by Nicole Marie Rincon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.