Tyson Batino has spent 21 years in Japan, built five companies, and helped 30+ clients grow ranging from language schools to SaaS. In this episode, he breaks down Japan’s “longevity over hype” market, why translation ≠ localization, and how he scaled schools to multi-location chains (and even used meme ads to crush CAC). We also dig into Smart Start Japan, his one-stop shop for incorporation, visas, bank accounts, and more.

We get tactical: channel selection (Google Search/Maps, websites, cold email), pricing, converting with Japanese buyers, and building teams when you can’t afford senior hires yet plus how Tyson exports his know-how into AI workflows so juniors can execute at a higher level. He also shares a candid take on recent talk about stricter business manager visa capital requirements and why now may be the best window for founders considering Japan.

If you’re eyeing Japan or just want a masterclass on disciplined growth, this is your playbook.

⌛ Timestamps:

00:38 Show & guest introduction

02:18 From English teacher to founder: Tyson's career progression

07:35 Starting the English school: the origin story

10:45 Launching the Japanese language school

18:36 Product demo

21:43 Case studies of successful clients

26:06 Challenges facing foreign companies entering Japan market

33:47 New venture: Smart Start Japan

39:51 His plan to scale Smart Start Japan

41:28 Staying ahead: strategy & moat

43:33 New rules regarding business manager visa in Japan

50:51 Business challenges: team, ops, focus

58:00 AI Market: pay once, use for life marketplace

01:00:58 How to find the right co-founder(s) for a new business

01:03:48 Where to follow Tyson, Smart Start Japan & scaling your company

01:04:23 Episode outro and next episode preview

Follow Tyson & SmartStart Japan & Scaling Your Company:

Tyson's Twitter/X: https://x.com/Tysonbatino

Tyson's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tysonbatino/

SmartStart Japan's website: https://smartstartjapan.com/

Scaling Your Company's website: https://scalingyourcompany.com/

Our social media:

Crypto card guide: cryptocardguide.com

Twitter/X: x.com/ColorsofWeb3pod

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/colors-of-web3-entrepreneurship

If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

What happens when 98% of your treasury is in your own token and the market crashes? In this eye-opening episode, Lam Trinh breaks down the critical lessons DAOs need to learn from Traditional Finance and what TradFi can learn from the world of decentralized organizations.

From the shocking $77 million Beanstalk hack to treasury diversification strategies that could save DAOs from extinction, this talk reveals why most DAOs are one bear market away from a liquidity crisis. Lam explores the stark differences between TradFi's battle-tested risk management practices and the operational chaos many DAOs face today, while also highlighting the innovative advantages DAOs bring to the table such as transparent governance, modular composability, and borderless contributor networks.

Whether you're managing a DAO treasury, working in Web3, or curious about the future of organizational structures, this episode offers actionable insights on treasury diversification, risk management frameworks, and how the hybrid organizations of tomorrow will combine the best of both worlds. Featuring real-world examples like Nouns DAO and practical strategies for sustainable growth across crypto cycles.

⌛ Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction & Overview

01:30 What DAOs Can Learn From TradFi

02:00 Treasury Diversification in Traditional Finance

04:02 The DAO Treasury Problem: 98% Native Token Risk

05:41 Risk Management Lessons: The $77M Beanstalk Hack

07:30 Operational Chaos vs Established Standards

10:15 Web3's Advantages: Composability & Open Source

12:15 The Modern DAO Governance Stack

13:00 Fast-Moving Culture & Global Contributors

14:00 Case Study: Nouns DAO Model

17:00 Key Takeaways for DAOs: Treasury Strategy

18:30 What TradFi Can Learn From DAOs

19:10 Conclusion

Lam's social media:Twitter/X: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/LamWeb3⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/

If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

What does it take to build hit mini-games inside a billion-user messenger and actually grow them sustainably? In this episode, Koko Amin, Head of Growth & Marketing at Mighty Bear Games (makers of Goat Gaming on Telegram), unpacks her journey from finance → FMCG → TV acting → Web3, and why Telegram mini-apps flipped the distribution game for studios. We dig into community-led growth (Neo Tokyo), “vibe coding” with AI agents, and how the team rapidly ships titles like Kitty Solitaire, Waifu Clash, and Goat Wars plus a peek at Grab Gifts, their instant-gratification prize experience on TON. This conversation draws directly from the episode transcript .

Koko also gets tactical: Telegram UA, scrapers and automations for channel discovery, compliance-minded AI sub-agents, designing PVP for quick sessions, and the revenue mechanics behind crowns, leaderboards, and return-to-player models. We cover what worked, what didn’t (sunsetting Mighty Action Heroes), and why “distribution is destiny” for Web3 gaming in 2025.

⌛ Timestamps:

00:00 Episode trailer

00:33 Show & guest introduction

01:48 Koko's diverse career journey

08:51 Neo Tokyo gaming community

10:48 How to sustain community beyond rewards

12:19 Koko's hobbies

13:46 “Vibe coding” and an AI-native growth team

18:47 Mighty Bear Games origin story

23:48 Gameplay demo

29:34 Underground Pepe game on Telegram

32:12 Waifu Clash game demo

35:04 Goat Wars game demo

39:25 Explanation about GrabGifts on Telegram

48:36 Business models of the different games

49:07 How Koko thinks Telegram ecosystem will evolve

50:14 Where to follow Koko & GOAT gaming

51:00 Episode outro and next episode preview

Follow Koko (Komal) Amin & GOAT gaming:

Koko (Komal) Amin's Twitter/X: https://x.com/komalamee

GOAT gaming's Twitter/X: https://x.com/playgoatgaming

GOAT gaming's Website: https://goatgaming.com/

Our social media: Crypto card guide: https://cryptocardguide.comTwitter/X: https://x.com/ColorsofWeb3podLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/colors-of-web3-entrepreneurship

If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

From ICO lessons and a DeFi hack recovery to leading growth at EtherFi, Slater Heil shares how EtherFi’s on-chain cards aim to outcompete banks. We dig into borrow-as-you-swipe, instant cashback, Visa acceptance, Apple/Google wallet support, global availability, and the surprising travel perks crypto folks are raving about.

We also cover the business side: interchange economics, staking performance fees, profitability, scaling pains (including a sudden 10× user surge), and why privacy + UX parity with TradFi are the next battlegrounds. If you’re building in Web3 or just want your money to be more useful this one’s packed with signal.

⌛ Timestamps:

00:00 Episode trailer

00:48 Show & guest introduction

01:50 Early life & career

05:29 His previous experience at Blueberry

08:20 Hobbies & interests

10:05 EtherFi's founding story

16:34 Product demo

21:53 How users can obtain their EtherFi cards

25:44 Different tiers of EtherFi cards

27:45 Simple model of how EtherFi cards function

31:27 EtherFi's business model

36:00 How Web3 can unlock operational efficiency

37:00 Challenges facing the EtherFi team

39:34 How crypto cards will evolve in the future

43:26 Advice for people who want to enter Web3

45:30 Where to follow Slater & EtherFi

47:33 Episode outro and next episode preview

Follow Slater & EtherFi:

EtherFi Website: https://www.ether.fi/

EtherFi Twitter/X: https://x.com/ether_fi

Slater's Twitter/X: https://x.com/SlaterHeil

Sign up for an EtherFi card and get some sign-up bonus points: https://www.ether.fi/app/cash/referral?ref_code=cbc56f16

Our social media:

Crypto card guide: cryptocardguide.com

Twitter/X: x.com/ColorsofWeb3pod

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/colors-of-web3-entrepreneurship

If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

From AAA stints at Cygames, tri-Ace, EA, and more to founding his own studio, Xanthos Vouldis joins Colors of Web3 & Entrepreneurship to unpack how great games are made and why his next title is an invitation-only real-time multiplayer dieselpunk airship battle game.

We dive into his design framework, team roles, and why he’s building an invitation-only game community with squad-based online battles and a single-player campaign for every ship. Expect deep systems (armor, firing angles, crew management), PC-first plans, and a release target sometime next year.

Xanthos also explains pricing (a premium buy-in), natural-language NPCs that can brief you mid-mission, and a wild perk: finish a campaign and they’ll ship you a physical model of your customized airship. At the end, he also shares how early players can snag invites.

⌛ Timestamps:

00:00:00 Episode trailer

00:00:35 Show & guest introduction

00:02:24 Why Japan & early career (Cygames, EA, Tri-Ace, DMM)00:04:05 A simple game design framework (the “chair” analogy)

00:09:30 Who builds a game? Roles, teams, and pipelines

00:13:29 Speedrunning solo dev: free assets & engine templates

00:15:58 D&D as the best game-design bootcamp

00:23:04 Founding Studio Vale; Houdini + selective AI for art

00:42:14 Fixing “multiplayer fatigue” & role clarity

00:46:49 Why early, ongoing player testing matters

00:54:54 The future: prioritize gameplay over spectacle

01:01:36 Episode outro and next episode preview

Follow Xanthos & Studio Vale:

Studio Vale's Website: https://stvale.com/about-us/

Xanthos's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xanthosvouldis/

For gamers that are interested in testing the real-time multiplayer airship game, you can book a meeting with Xanthos here: https://meetings-na2.hubspot.com/xanthos

Our social media:

Crypto card guide: cryptocardguide.com

Twitter/X: x.com/ColorsofWeb3pod

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/colors-of-web3-entrepreneurship

If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

The banking rails we all use were built for the 1970s yet money now moves at internet speed. In this episode of Colors of Web3 & Entrepreneurship, Stables co-founder & CEO Bernie Bilotta explains how his team is building a mobile-first stablecoin bank that lets anyone hold a “digital dollar,” send it globally, and spend it at 140M+ merchants with a card while abstracting away chains, gas, and wallet complexity. He argues Visa/Mastercard won’t kill stablecoins they’ll accelerate them and predicts a future where QR-based, 24/7 payments pressure banks to modernize.

Bernie walks through a live demo, shares traction, and discusses the rise of yield-bearing stablecoins and why a “one balance that goes up in real time” could unlock mass adoption. We also cover his fintech path, compliance headaches, competitors (Revolut/Wise), and founder lessons: play long-term games with long-term people.

⌛ Timestamps:

00:00 Episode trailer

00:50 Show & guest introduction

02:37 How his early life shaped his career

11:12 Lessons from his Web3 journey

14:16 The hobbies that help him stay balanced

16:09 Stables product demo

28:22 Stablecoin as a new yet potentially fragile innovation

32:40 Discussion about yield-bearing stablecoin

34:26 Stablecoin as a way to beat inflation in developing country

39:20 Explanation about Web2 credit cards and how it works

41:28 How Visa & Mastercard will accelerate the adoption of stablecoins

44:13 His company's traction

51:57 The people behind Stables

54:29 The challenges of running a startup

59:52 Bernie's prediction on the future of stablecoins

1:03:03 Advice for Web3 founders

1:06:02 Where to follow Bernie & Stables

1:07:10 Episode outro

Follow Bernie & Stables:

Bernie's Twitter/X: https://x.com/stablesbernie

Stables 's Twitter/X: https://x.com/stables_money

Stables 's Website: https://stables.money

Use our referral code "STABLES-7DVM62" when applying for a Stables card. By using this code when registering, you will get Stable Points to earn future rewards!

Our social media:

Crypto card guide: cryptocardguide.com

Twitter/X: x.com/ColorsofWeb3pod

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/colors-of-web3-entrepreneurship

If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

In the 75th episode, we sit down with Yusaku Numa, also known as "Nomad" on X to explore his journey from college entrepreneur to founder of Mind Palace , an innovative Web3 platform redefining how we trust information online. Yusaku shares how he was drawn into the crypto space, inspired by information overload and the difficulty of filtering trustworthy sources in Web3 ecosystems.Mind Palace uses AI agents, decentralized identifiers (DIDs), and on-chain + social media data to assign credibility scores and aggregate insights, helping users navigate trends, research projects, and avoid misinformation. Whether you’re a developer, investor, gamer, or just curious about how trust in decentralized ecosystems can be rebuilt this episode is for you.Yusaku also talks about his passion for travel, language learning, and how his experiences at FinLab and upcoming appearances at WebX and EdCon are helping shape the future of decentralized identity and social credibility scoring.⌛ Timestamps:00:00:00 Episode intro00:00:32 Show & guest introduction00:04:26 How Mind Palace started00:08:45 Dive deep into Mind Palace's recent Project00:13:46 The future of MindPalace and upcoming features00:27:33 Filtering trustworthy Web3 info with AI00:30:00 Mind Palace tech stack & UX demo00:33:22 Credibility scoring with SNS + on-chain data00:35:23 Memory chains & visual trust networks00:39:25 Business model: API & sponsorships00:45:13 Advice for Web3 founders00:47:18 Where to follow Yusaku & Mind Palace00:48:25 Episode outroFollow Yusaku & Mind Palace:Yusaku's Twitter/X: https://x.com/nomad_css Mind Palace's Website: https://mindpalace.jp/ Mind Palace's Twitter/X: https://x.com/MindPalace_ai My social media: Find the best crypto cards for you: https://cryptocardsguide.com/ Twitter/X: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/LamWeb3⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/⁠⁠If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

In the 74th episode of Colors of Web3 and Entrepreneurship, Heidi Christine, CMO and Head of Community at Pixels, joins us to talk about Pixels vibrant Web3 farming game with over 10 million users. Heidi takes us through her journey from studying electrical engineering to leading one of the most community-driven Web3 games in the space.

We dive deep into what makes Pixels unique, how it has cultivated a loyal and engaged user base, and the powerful role community plays in its ongoing success. Heidi also shares her views on the evolution of Web3 gaming, why retention trumps growth, and how experiments and user sentiment drive strategy in an industry that never sleeps.

⌛ Timestamps:

00:00:00 Episode trailer

00:00:31 Show & guest introduction

00:05:59 Leaving corporate life to find creative passion

00:09:52 Self learning: digital marketing and freelancing

00:11:50 Joining Pixels and early marketing work

00:17:36 Pixels gameplay walkthrough and live demo

00:30:10 Weekly AMA strategy and community culture

00:34:38 Building “farmer-friendly” values and scaling up

00:43:24 Challenges of Web3 gaming and evolving team dynamics

00:51:08 Advice for people who want to enter Web3

00:52:27 Where to follow Heidi & Pixels

00:53:21 Episode outro & brief announcement

Follow Pixels & Heidi:

Pixels's Website: pixels.xyz

Pixels's Twitter/X: https://x.com/pixels_online

Heidi's Twitter/X: https://x.com/heidichristne

Pixels' Discord: https://discord.com/invite/pixels

My social media:

Twitter/X: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/LamWeb3⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/⁠

Website: ⁠https://lamtrinh.xyz⁠

My old article about the 2-3 prevailing narratives of 2024-2025: https://substack.com/home/post/p-143541984

If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

In this episode, Taral Gurung, founder and CEO of Soundbeats, shares with us a groundbreaking platform at the intersection of AI, music, gaming, and Web3. Taral’s journey from finance student to serial entrepreneur is anything but ordinary. From launching an education center in Hong Kong to working on metaverse initiatives for Bollywood award shows, his story is filled with resilience, reinvention, and vision.

We explore the motivations behind Soundbeats and why the current creator economy is broken, and how blockchain, NFTs, and AI can empower both artists and fans through co-creation and ownership. Taral also dives deep into the platform's mechanics: gamified music experiences, AI-generated songs from photos, creator monetization, and their thoughtful approach to building utility-first music NFTs.

⌛ Timestamps:

00:00:00 Episode trailer

00:00:30 Show & guest introduction

00:05:40 Taral's journey: From Finance to Tech

00:09:59 How Taral discovered Web3

00:13:04 Taral's hobbies

00:14:52 Origin story of Soundbeats

00:18:51 Deep dive into Soundbeats

00:26:32 Soundbeats community building & traction

00:33:41 Ethical concerns around dopamine loops in game design

00:36:35 Soundbeats product demo

00:39:47 How gameplay works in Soundbeats

00:40:49 Challenges facing Soundbeats

00:42:13 Future of the creator economy: fan engagement via Web3

00:45:19 How Soundbeats utilizes AI models

00:47:04 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

00:50:00 Where to follow Taral & Soundbeats

00:50:43 Episode outro and next episode preview

Follow Soundbeats & Taral:

Soundbeats's Website: https://www.soundbeats.io/

Soundbeats's Twitter/X: https://x.com/Soundbeats_

Taral's Twitter/X: https://x.com/taralgrg

My social media:

Twitter/X: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/LamWeb3⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/⁠

Website: ⁠https://lamtrinh.xyz⁠

My old article about the 2-3 prevailing narratives of 2024-2025: https://substack.com/home/post/p-143541984

If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

In episode 72 of Colors of Web3 and Entrepreneurship, we chat with Leo Vigna, CEO and Co-founder of Veraswap. Leo shares his incredible journey into Web3, starting from his early days in crypto in 2017, winning third place at ETH Denver 2020, and scaling Chainlink node operations with Vulcan Link. He dives into the technical details of what it means to be a Chainlink node operator, providing critical data feeds for DeFi protocols like Aave, and how this infrastructure helps secure billions in collateralized lending.

The conversation then pivots to Veraswap, Leo's current venture, a cross-chain DEX that allows users to seamlessly buy any cryptocurrency from any chain, leveraging Uniswap and Hyperlane. He demonstrates Veraswap's one-button swap functionality, discusses the intricacies of bridging protocols like Hyperlane, and offers insights into the future of user experience in DeFi, including intent-based bridging and the potential for "basket" purchases of assets. Leo also delves into the significant improvements brought by Uniswap V4, such as Hooks and native Ethereum pools, and the groundbreaking advancements in account abstraction with features like session keys and multi-chain user operations.

⌛ Timestamps:

00:00:00 Episode trailer

00:01:06 Show & guest introduction

00:04:49 ETH Denver, Chainlink hackathon & early crypto days

00:07:29 What it takes to be a Chainlink node operator

00:12:47 Building and pivoting: Owl Protocol to Veraswap

00:14:53 Living nomadically & work setup

00:15:53 Leo’s hobbies

00:21:20 Demo of Veraswap

00:27:24 Intent-based systems vs. Veraswap architecture

00:29:44 Veraswap’s UX philosophy & token baskets

00:33:45 Uniswap v4 vs. v3: Hooks, upgrades & design

00:35:45 Future of AMMs & Uniswap

00:39:19 Account abstraction & multi-chain smart wallets

00:45:27 Competitors & differentiation in cross-chain DeFi

00:49:46 Veraswap’s business model & sticky UX strategy

00:56:34 Team structure, hackathons & building lean

01:01:58 The future of Web3 DEX and integration with TradFi

01:07:30 Advice for aspiring Web3 entrepreneurs

01:11:21 Where to follow Leo & Veraswap

01:12:16 Episode outro and next episode preview

Follow Veraswap & Leo:

Veraswap's Website: https://www.Veraswap.io/

Veraswap's Twitter/X: https://x.com/verabridge_io

Leo's Twitter/X: https://x.com/ProofOfLeo

My social media:

Twitter/X: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/LamWeb3

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/⁠

Website: ⁠https://lamtrinh.xyz⁠

My old article about the 2-3 prevailing narratives of 2024-2025: https://substack.com/home/post/p-143541984

If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

Kevin Rusher, founder and CEO of Regnum Aurum Acquisition Corp (RAAC), joins us in episode 71 of Colors of Web3 and Entrepreneurship. Kevin, a Web3 native with a background in accounting and finance, shares his fascinating journey from writing a fintech paper about Bitcoin to becoming a power user in DeFi and eventually leading RAAC. He recounts his early experiences moonlighting for a crypto exchange doing KYC/AML checks and helping build a medium-scale GPU mining facility, managing one of the largest Ravencoin and ETH miners in the world at the time. This deep dive into the practical side of crypto laid the foundation for his current innovative ventures.

RAAC's core mission is to provide the most seamless bridge between TradFi (Traditional Finance) and DeFi. Kevin explains that RAAC is built on four main pillars: lending, borrowing, collateral liquidity, and rewards. The company addresses the inherent volatility in DeFi by offering stable collateral, starting with one-to-one backed real estate NFTs that are redeemable for the underlying title. Beyond real estate, RAAC has secured commitments for $3 billion in assets, primarily gold, to mint stablecoins, turning traditionally illiquid assets into revenue-producing ones pre-production. RAAC’s approach is unique, being a DeFi product built by DeFi natives for DeFi natives, yet harnessing traditional finance.

⌛ Timestamps:

00:00:00 Episode trailer

00:00:31 Show & guest introduction 

00:05:38 How GPU Mining Works

00:14:32 Crypto’s growth and institutional involvement

00:15:33 Kevin's hobbies

00:17:06 Introducing RAAC

00:21:48 Integrating real estate with stablecoins in DeFi

00:27:16 Chainlink and oracle solutions powering RAAC

00:33:02 Understanding institutional interest

00:36:02 Bringing RWA on chain via stablecoins

00:38:51 Bridging TradFi and DeFi

00:40:51 Highlighting the core offering: Real estate meets NFTs

00:43:12 Closed loop ecosystem in DeFi

00:44:42 Legal challenges in real estate tokenization

00:47:03 What is Section 8 real estate

00:49:02 Risk management for RAAC's business model

00:52:06 Analyzing competitors in the RWA market

00:55:02 RAAC’s revenue model and business strategy

00:57:16 Team dynamics and operational agility

00:59:50 Challenges in articulating complex idea

01:02:21 Reputation issues in the Web3 space

01:05:36 Where RWA are headed in Web3

01:10:51 Advice for aspiring Web3 entrepreneurs　

01:15:28 Episode outro and next episode preview

Follow RAAC & Kevin:

RAAC's Website: https://raac.io/

RAAC's Twitter/X:  https://x.com/RegnumAurum

Kevin's Twitter/X: https://x.com/kkrusherr

My social media:

Twitter/X: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/LamWeb3⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/⁠

Website: ⁠https://lamtrinh.xyz⁠

My old article about the 2-3 prevailing narratives of 2024-2025: https://substack.com/home/post/p-143541984

If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

In this episode, we talk with Victor Lee, co-founder and CEO of MAIGA, about his journey from a fintech and banking background into the world of crypto and Web3 since 2018. He shares valuable insights from building machine learning startups, navigating DeFi cycles, and emphasizes the importance of creating monetization models that go beyond hype in Web3.

Victor introduces MAIGA, an AI agent for DeFi designed to simplify crypto trading using AI signals and automated execution via a Telegram bot. He explains their unique "Proof of Trading" token model that ties token release to trading volume, which helps to solve the problem of token dumping and enabling sustainable revenue. With over 100k organic users and growing traction, MAIGA is paving a new path for user-friendly DeFi tools.

⌛ Timestamps:

00:00:00 Trailer

00:00:24 Intro & Victor’s intro

00:05:28 First steps in crypto, mining & data analytics

00:08:02 Lessons learned from early startups

00:10:19 Pivoting into DeFi: Recognizing Market Opportunities

00:15:31 Hobbies of Victor

00:17:35 What is MAIGA?

00:19:56 The role of AI agents in simplifying DeFi

00:22:53 What MAIGA's AI agent actually does

00:25:41 The innovation behind Proof of Trading

00:28:30 What’s next for MAIGA and where it’s heading

00:33:39 How Proof of Trading really works

00:39:36 How AI is shaping tokenomics

00:46:15 Revenue model and monetization strategy

00:53:15 Comparison of Web3 AI agents

00:58:06 The future of AI agents

01:03:55 Advice for aspiring Web3 builders

01:06:06 Episode outro and next episode preview

Follow Victor Lee and MAIGA:

MAIGA's Website: https://www.maiga.ai/

MAIGA's Twitter/X: https://x.com/Maiga_AI

Victor Lee's Twitter/X: https://x.com/victorleejw

My social media: Twitter/X: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/LamWeb3⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/⁠

Website: ⁠https://lamtrinh.xyz⁠

My old article about the 2-3 prevailing narratives of 2024-2025: https://substack.com/home/post/p-143541984

If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

In this 69th episode of Colors of Web3 and Entrepreneurship, we sit down with Joel de Jesus & Naomi Honda to uncover the hidden world of Maximum Extractable Value (MEV) on Solana. MEV is generating hundreds of millions in fees monthly—yet remains elusive and inaccessible to most traders and validators. That’s where Catscope comes in.

Naomi and Joel share their unconventional journey into the crypto world—Naomi from fashion and sociology, and Joel from Bitcoin mining—and how they joined forces to build the first decentralized MEV marketplace. You’ll learn about the technical and business challenges of building in the Solana ecosystem, their unique validator-trader model, and how their tooling aims to democratize high-frequency trading.

⌛ Timestamps:

00:00:00 Episode trailer

00:00:27 Intro: Joel De Jesus & Naomi Honda

00:06:15 Naomi’s entry into tech and Solana ecosystem

00:07:10 How Joel and Naomi met and launched Catscope

00:08:27 Pivoting Catscope after Radar hackathon

00:09:33 Hobbies of Joel & Naomi

00:12:05 What is Catscope?

00:12:33 MEV explained and why it matters

00:15:04 Catscope’s unique approach to MEV

00:17:09 Validator costs and Catscope’s accessibility

00:18:18 Marketplace model: linking traders & validators

00:25:55 Why Solana is the best chain for this solution

00:29:56 Geyser plugin and Catscope’s custom setup

00:33:31 Bandwidth allocation via on-chain auctions

00:37:56 Catscope's business model

00:39:20 Catscope’s challenge on Solana

00:45:03 Go-to-market and community engagement

00:51:35 Advice for new Web3 founders

00:53:15 Where to follow Catscope

00:53:55 Episode outro and next episode preview

Follow Catscope, Naomi Honda and Joel de Jesus :

Catscope's Website: https://catscope.io/

Catscope's Twitter/X: https://x.com/catscope_io

Joel de Jesus's Twitter/X: https://x.com/Molo81419714

Naomi Honda's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-honda-83062522b/

My social media:

Twitter/X: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/LamWeb3⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/⁠

Website: ⁠https://lamtrinh.xyz⁠

My old article about the 2-3 prevailing narratives of 2024-2025: https://substack.com/home/post/p-143541984

If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

In Episode 68 of Colors of Web3 & Entrepreneurship, we dive into the Bitcoin ecosystem with Sebastian Guaqueta, software engineer at Rootstock. Sebastian’s story is inspiring—from mechanical engineer in Colombia to game dev, to Web3 hacker, and now helping bring DeFi to Bitcoin through Rootstock.

We explore how Rootstock brings smart contract functionality to Bitcoin using an EVM-compatible Layer 2, powered by merge mining. Sebastian breaks down how the protocol works, the innovative Hacktivator program for developers, and the unique DAO-powered grants for builders. For those curious about real Bitcoin use cases beyond store of value, this is an episode packed with technical depth and real-world applications.

Whether you’re a Bitcoin OG, an Ethereum dev, or someone curious about where DeFi is headed, this episode is your bridge between the chains.

⏳ Timestamps:

00:00:00 Trailer

00:00:28 Intro & Sebastian’s intro

00:01:24 Sebastian’s background: engineer to Web3

00:02:40 How Sebastian got into freelancing

00:06:18 Big gaming project in Singapore

00:09:23 Why Sebastian loves Hackathons

00:11:21 First hackathon win

00:12:35 Carbon offset project on Celo

00:15:13 ETHGlobal finalist story

00:18:39 Sebastian's Hobbies: FIFA & soccer

00:24:18 Deep dive on Rootstock

00:26:18 Merged mining concept explained

00:27:03 RBTC bridge

00:30:18 Some statistics of Rootstock

00:30:55 Some ideas to build on Rootstock

00:31:59 Dev tools & Hacktivator

00:34:55 Rootstock DAO grants

00:37:39 POWpeg bridge

00:39:05 Potential apps that can be built on Rootstock

00:41:17 Leveraging Bitcoin in DeFi use case

00:43:06 Rootstock Collective - Governance

00:48:39 People and team behind Rootstock

00:50:59 Team communication challenge

00:52:24 ZK integration challenge

00:54:25 Competition in Bitcoin L2s

00:55:53 Future of Bitcoin ecosystem

00:58:53 Limitations due to Bitcoin architecture

00:59:43 Mining reward sustainability

01:02:52 80% of Bitcoin hash rate go into merge mining

01:05:16 Breaking into Web3 advice

01:07:14 The importance of networking

01:09:13 Where to follow Sebastian

01:10:06 Outro & next episode preview

Follow Sebastian Guaqueta and Rootstock:

Rootstock's Website: https://rootstock.io/

Rootstock DAO: https://rootstockcollective.xyz/

Rootstock hacktivator: https://dev.rootstock.io/resources/contribute/hacktivator/

Sebastian's Twitter/X: https://x.com/scguaquetam

Rootstock's Twitter/X: https://x.com/rootstock_io

Rootstock Github: https://github.com/rsksmart

My social media:

Twitter/X: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/LamWeb3⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/⁠

Website: ⁠https://lamtrinh.xyz⁠

My old article about the 2-3 prevailing narratives of 2024-2025: https://substack.com/home/post/p-143541984

If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

In the 67th episode of Colors of Web3 and Entrepreneurship, Jon Jones, co-founder and CBO of Supra, shares his fascinating and unconventional journey, starting from his upbringing in upstate New York to a transformative two-year experience in Cameroon, Africa. He recounts how this unique period shaped his perspective and ultimately led him to the dynamic world of Web3.Dive deep into the story behind Supra as Jon discusses its mission and the team's focused approach. He elaborates on the importance of zero optionality in achieving ambitious goals and building a resilient company in the rapidly evolving Web3 landscape. This episode offers valuable insights for entrepreneurs and anyone curious about the diverse paths that lead to innovation in the decentralized web.⌛ Timestamps:00:00:00 Episode trailer00:00:34 Show intro & Jon’s self-intro 00:03:13 Jon's background 00:06:07 Moving to Taiwan and building community00:08:42 How Supra began, founding story and vision00:11:26 Exploring the technology and infrastructure of Supra00:14:20 The importance of open source in blockchain00:16:56 Web3 through the lens of political economy00:19:48 Personal interests and hobbies 00:25:50 What makes Supra stand out00:33:22 Supra mainnet goes live with multi-virtual machine support00:36:30 Seamless blockchain integration powered by Supra Nova00:37:36 The rise of dapps and novel solutions on Supra00:41:54 Gaming and blockchain00:48:11 Stablecoins and the future of payments in Web300:52:03 Building a remote-first company culture00:56:57 The role of research in advancing blockchain technology00:59:54 Supra's business models 01:04:45 Future aspirations and advice for web3 entrepreneurship01:09:38 Episode outro and next episode previewFollow Jon and Supra:Supra's Website: https://supra.comSupra's Twitter/X: https://x.com/SUPRA_Labs Jon's Twitter/X: https://x.com/JonEvansJones My social media: Twitter/X: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/LamWeb3⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/⁠Website: ⁠https://lamtrinh.xyz⁠My old article about the 2-3 prevailing narratives of 2024-2025: https://substack.com/home/post/p-143541984 If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

In the 66th episode of Colors of Web3 and Entrepreneurship, host Lam Trinh is joined by Kee Jefferys, the technical co-founder of Session. Kee shares his journey from university dropout to building a decentralized, censorship-resistant messaging network with over 2,200 global nodes and 1.2M+ monthly users. We dive deep into onion routing, proof-of-stake infrastructure, the economics behind Session’s token incentives, and how privacy-focused tools are crucial in the age of surveillance and AI.⌛ Timestamps:00:00:00 Episode trailer 00:00:28 Intro & Kee’s self-intro 00:01:53 Kee’s background 00:02:56 Privacy tech & Session idea 00:04:13 Internship & company launch 00:05:27 Why degrees matter less 00:07:11 Getting into Web3 without CS degree 00:08:32 How Kee first learned about Web3 (Mt. Gox) 00:10:57 Early Bitcoin education 00:12:51 Market cycles in crypto 00:13:42 Kee's hobbies: Coding & rock climbing 00:15:01 Favorite programming language & AI tools00:17:29 AI's role in developer work 00:20:00 What is Session? 00:21:44 Decentralized network architecture of session 00:25:35 Censorship resistance property of Session 00:27:24 How metadata is stored in Session 00:29:47 Onion routing explained 00:32:55 Tor vs. Session 00:34:12 Privacy in routing 00:35:40 Spam protection 00:37:37 Token farming issues in messaging apps 00:39:11 Organic user growth 00:40:15 Who uses Session? 00:45:06 Consensus mechanism for the nodes00:47:31 Why Session decided to fork Monero 00:48:25 Technical challenges in early days building Session 00:49:53 Rewards on the node network 00:52:13 Node economics 00:55:05 Tokenomics over time 00:56:26 Team & contributors 00:57:38 How Session co-founders meet 01:00:55 Business model: Session Pro 01:03:02 Name system & monetization 01:04:27 Scaling challenges 01:07:02 Growth comparison to Web2 messaging apps 01:08:14 Web3 messaging apps' future 01:10:31 Possible future of AI in messaging apps 01:12:57 Kee's advice for Web3 founders01:14:54 Where to follow Session01:16:17 Episode outro and next episode previewFollow Kee and Session:Session Website: https://getsession.org/ Session Twitter/X: https://x.com/session_app Kee's Twitter/X: https://x.com/JefferysKee My social media: Twitter/X: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/LamWeb3⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/⁠Website: ⁠https://lamtrinh.xyz⁠My old article about the 2-3 prevailing narratives of 2024-2025: https://substack.com/home/post/p-143541984 If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

In episode 65 of Colors of Web3 & Entrepreneurship, we sit down with Joshua Owoyemi, PhD and co-founder of Modastera, to explore how AI is being used to improve medical diagnostics, reduce healthcare costs, and empower doctors.From his early beginnings in Nigeria and a PhD in Japan to building Modastera, Joshua’s story is packed with hustle, vision, and purpose. He shares lessons from his edtech startup, the realities of healthtech adoption, and how Modastera is helping medical device companies develop AI tools 60% faster and at a fraction of the cost.Whether you're curious about AI in medicine, entrepreneurship across borders, or the future of healthcare innovation, this episode will keep you inspired and informed.⌛ Timestamps:00:00:00 Episode trailer00:00:24 Introduction and self-introduction of Joshua 00:01:05 Joshua’s background and how he got into health tech00:05:43 His gig as a studio engineer00:07:01 his journey to Japan for higher education00:10:43 Joshua's Edtech platform business00:14:05 Joshua's early entrepreneurial lessons in Japan00:19:31 Joshua's stint as a saxophonist00:20:53 His PhD in System Information Science00:23:03 His first job in Japan working in autonomous driving00:27:03 How Joshua got into the healthcare industry00:30:32 The inefficiencies that the healthcare industry in Japan face00:34:07 His time at Antler Japan as an entrepreneur00:36:31 The unique characteristic of Antler00:38:12 His existing idea when joining Antler Japan00:43:22 An important question that every entrepreneur needs to answer00:45:45 How long did it take Joshua to find the co-founder?00:53:25 Details leading to Antler's graduation day00:55:16 Building trust and navigating Japanese corporate culture00:55:54 Joshua shares Modastera’s vision and medical AI solution01:00:41 Pain points around annotation and data handling01:01:47 The long-term vision for automated model training01:05:13 Modastera product demo01:07:40 The market size that Modastera is aiming at01:09:33 Global competition of Modastera01:11:44 The 5x improvement that Modastera aims to bring to medical device companies01:15:22 Modastera business model01:16:18 Modastera's upcoming roadmap01:18:01 The importance of data in AI model training01:19:27 Challenges in deploying AI models in production01:21:15 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs01:22:54 Where to follow Joshua and updates from Modastera01:23:36 Closing thoughts and episode outroFollow Joshua and Modastera:Joshua's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-owoyemi/Modastera website: https://modastera.com/My social media: Twitter/X: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/LamWeb3⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/⁠Website: ⁠https://lamtrinh.xyz⁠My old article about the 2-3 prevailing narratives of 2024-2025: https://substack.com/home/post/p-143541984 If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

In Episode 64 of Colors of Web3 and Entrepreneurship, host Lam chats with Sebastien, the co-founder and CEO of Sophon, a consumer-oriented blockchain shaking up the Web3 space. Sebastien shares his fascinating journey—from studying history and philosophy to working in finance and eventually diving deep into crypto during the 2018-2019 boom. He walks us through his time at Rocket Internet, a prestigious bank, Nervos, and Matter Labs (ZK Sync), before founding Sophon with a mission to make crypto accessible to everyone. With a $10M seed round and a $65M node sale, Sophon launched its mainnet in December 2024 and has already processed 50 million transactions in just three months!This episode dives into Sophon’s innovative approach, including its seamless user experience, the Sophon Home platform, and the groundbreaking Sophon Data Hub powered by ZKTLS technology. Sebastien explains how Sophon aims to onboard the next billion users by bridging Web2 and Web3, offering features like account abstraction and gasless transactions. Whether you’re a crypto newbie or a seasoned builder, this conversation offers insights into the future of blockchain and entrepreneurship. Tune in to hear Sebastien’s advice for aspiring Web3 founders and get a sneak peek at Sophon’s exciting ecosystem, from on-chain gaming to ticketing.⌛ Timestamps:00:00:00 Episode trailer00:00:27 Show introduction and quick self-introduction of Sebastien00:01:33 Seb’s professional career before Web300:03:37 How Seb first broke into Web300:07:01 The origin of Sophon 00:09:50 His experience working at a prestigious Web2 bank00:12:53 His time at Nervos blockchain00:15:44 His time at Matter Labs (core contributor of ZKSync)00:16:35 Elastic chain of ZKSync and Interoperability plan00:18:31 Sebastien's hobbies outside of work00:20:48 Deep dive into Sophon, a Layer-2 zk blockchain00:24:30 The features that make Sophon consumer-friendly00:28:22 Sophon portal, the place where users can tap into everything00:29:30 Sophon Data Hub using zkTLS that helps to prove existing (Web2) consumer data onchain 00:32:48 Some example applications on Sophon: games, AI agents, onchain ticketing00:35:42 How Sophon distinguishes from other general-purpose blockchains00:38:04 Challenges facing Sophon team00:39:01 Seb’s advice for aspiring Web3 entrepreneurs00:40:17 Where to follow Sebastien and stay updated on Sophon00:40:48 Episode outro and final thoughtsFollow Sebastien and Sophon: Sebastien's X/Twitter: https://x.com/0xsebastiena Sophon website: https://sophon.xyz/ My social media: Twitter/X: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/LamWeb3⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/⁠Website: ⁠https://lamtrinh.xyz⁠My old article about the 2-3 prevailing narratives of 2024-2025: https://substack.com/home/post/p-143541984 If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

In the 63rd episode of Colors of Web3 and Entrepreneurship, Lam sits down with Marco van den Heuvel, co-founder of Beam Labs, to discuss the evolving landscape of Web3 gaming. Marco shares his fascinating journey—from discovering Bitcoin during college to co-founding Beam Labs—and highlights the incredible innovations driving the future of gaming and blockchain integration.Together, they dive into the challenges and breakthroughs in Web3, including building decentralized gaming infrastructures, fostering vibrant communities, and creating ecosystems that empower developers and gamers alike. Marco also unveils exciting announcements for 2025: Beam Layer 1 upgrades, Beam Ventures, and the role of AI in gaming.Whether you're a Web3 enthusiast, an entrepreneur, or simply curious about the intersection of gaming and blockchain, this episode is packed with insights you won't want to miss!⌛ Timestamps:00:00:00 Episode trailer00:00:28 Introduction and self-introduction of Marco van den Heuvel00:02:00 Marco’s journey into Web3 and early Bitcoin discovery00:03:06 Building communities in Web3 and lessons learned00:09:05 How Marco discovered about Bitcoin00:10:59 Marco's fascination with terrarium00:16:32 Background of Beam Labs from Merit Circle days00:20:00 What Beam does: a 360-degree overview00:23:55 The significance of Beam Nodes and validator rewards00:26:00 Origin of the name Merit Circle and the rebrand to Beam00:31:04 Transition from an Avalanche subnet to Beam’s Layer 1 blockchain00:36:24 Web3 tech requirements for games00:39:05 Beam’s tech stack: NFT marketplace, wallet, and SDK00:40:59 Beam Ventures: $150M gaming and AI investment fund in Abu Dhabi00:44:31 Marco discusses competition and Beam’s unique approach00:46:05 Beam's business models00:50:24 Challenges facing Beam Labs00:52:46 Evolution of Web3 gaming and the need for mainstream adoption00:54:45 The people behind Beam Labs00:59:30 Marco's take on a multi-chain world01:01:30 How Web3 gaming will evolve in the future01:04:16 Marco's favorite Web3 games01:08:02 Marco’s advice for Web3 founders building gaming infrastructure01:09:57 Where to follow Marco and stay updated on Beam Labs01:11:01 Episode outro and final thoughtsFollow Marco and Beam: Beam Labs X/Twitter: https://x.com/buildonbeam Beam Foundation X/Twitter: https://x.com/BeamFDN Marco's X/Twitter: https://x.com/Marco_Beam Beam website: https://onbeam.com/ Beam telegram: t.dot/buildonbeam My social media: Twitter/X: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/LamWeb3⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/⁠Website: ⁠https://lamtrinh.xyz⁠My old article about the 2-3 prevailing narratives of 2024-2025: https://substack.com/home/post/p-143541984 If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!

In the 62nd episode of Colors of Web3 & Entrepreneurship, Lam chats with Charlie Feng, co-founder of Agora.xyz, an end-to-end governance platform for leading Ethereum protocols like Optimism, Uniswap, and ENS. Charlie shares his journey from early coding projects and FinTech ventures to building a platform that helps internet-first businesses coordinate and make decisions.Charlie dives into the world of Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs), explaining how they function as organizations with governance mechanisms that are becoming increasingly programmatic. He discusses the lifecycle of a DAO governance proposal, from ideation and discussion to temperature checks, voting, and execution. Charlie also touches on the challenges and opportunities DAOs face, including the importance of progressive decentralization and the potential impact of AI on governance.⌛ Timestamps:00:00:00 Episode trailer00:00:28 Introduction and self-introduction of Charlie Feng00:01:43 Charlie’s background: From finance to Web300:02:39 Building AI chatbots before modern AI advancements00:03:36 Charlie’s first fintech startup and scaling to $100M revenue00:08:54 Charlie shares how he first learned about Web300:10:16 Charlie shares his hobbies and what he enjoys outside of work00:13:46 Building Agora for Web3 Governance00:15:31 Understanding DAOs and decentralized governance00:15:59 Why Web3 governance matters for decentralized ecosystems00:18:38 Charlie explains Agora’s on-chain voting system00:19:55 The role of smart contracts in automating decisions00:21:15 Lifecycle of a DAO proposal00:28:03 Role of Agora in DAO Governance00:30:26 Competition of Agora in the DAO Governance landspace00:33:05 How many people are working in Agora00:37:03 Charlie's Take on DAO Governance Participation00:40:57 Charlie explains the benefits of decentralization00:43:14 Challenges Charlie’s team faces in building Agora00:52:16 Charlie’s take on AI's Impact on Work and DAO Governance01:01:11 Upcoming innovations and roadmap for Agora01:02:09 Advice for Web3 founders looking to build governance solutions01:04:25 Where to follow Charlie and learn more about Agora01:05:26 Episode outro and closing remarksFollow Charlie and Agora: Charlie's Twitter: https://x.com/charliecfeng Charlie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliecf/ Agora platform: https://agora.xyz My social media: Twitter/X: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/LamWeb3⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/⁠Website: ⁠https://lamtrinh.xyz⁠My old article about the 2-3 prevailing narratives of 2024-2025: https://substack.com/home/post/p-143541984 If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!