In this episode, I speak with Roger Sader, a systems architect turned robotics engineer whose journey from war-torn Lebanon to the West offers a unique perspective on blockchain technology. Roger shares how growing up in a village where rebuilding after destruction was normal shaped his view of blockchain as something far beyond a speculative vehicle. He explains how this technology could empower villages to maintain their own records - from land deeds to birth certificates to agricultural production - without centralized authorities.
Roger's story takes us from Lebanon to Belgium to Canada, exploring the intersection of culture and technology. His vision extends to preserving cultural heritage, language, and traditions through AI, ensuring elders' wisdom can be passed directly to future generations. Whether discussing avocado farming, music as pure expression, or how AI might transform creative workflows, Roger challenges us to look beyond Western frameworks and imagine technology as a tool for cultural preservation rather than disruption.
The episode features references to previous guests including Lawrence Ley (professor and community organizer), Noak Lindqvist (on monetary theory), and the Bitcoin Bay meetups hosted by Jerry Qian - highlighting the interconnected nature of Toronto's crypto community that brought Roger and Marvyn together.
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Episode Description
In this episode, Marvyn Paul chats with Noak Lindqvist, a Swedish-born consultant turned tech entrepreneur now based in Toronto. Noak shares his journey from corporate consulting to becoming a passionate advocate for blockchain technology and regenerative economics. His work focuses on solving critical Web3 friction points, particularly through Cubid - a protocol that addresses the challenge of proving unique human identity online (proof of personhood), which is essential for preventing manipulation in voting systems and enabling fair distribution of resources. Noak also discusses T-Coin (Toronto Coin), a local cryptocurrency designed to fund charities. The conversation covers universal basic income, the challenges of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), and how blockchain technology can create positive social impact. This episode is essential for anyone curious about how crypto and blockchain technologies fit into everyday life and their potential to address societal challenges.
Noak’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/noak-lindqvist/
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TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@newinternetpodTwitter - https://x.com/newinternetpodYoutube - https://www.youtube.com/@newinternetpodcastBluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/newinternetpod.bsky.socialRumble - https://rumble.com/user/NewInternetPod
Music generated by Mubert https://mubert.com/render
- Regenerative economics and crypto for social good
- Toronto DAO https://x.com/dao_toronto
- Chain Crew https://chaincrew.xyz/ (platform for creating DAOs)
- Cubid https://linktr.ee/cubidprotocol (proof of personhood protocol)
- T-Coin https://www.tcoin.me/ (Toronto Coin)
- Green Pill Toronto https://greenpill.to/
- Various regenerative finance projects
Chapters
00:00:00 - Introduction to Noak Lindqvist00:07:00 - Background and move from Sweden to Canada00:12:00 - Life before crypto and first crypto exposure00:15:00 - What is money? Bitcoin vs. digital currency00:21:00 - What crypto has proven it can do well00:25:00 - Introduction to DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations)00:31:00 - What makes a successful DAO00:34:00 - Toronto DAO and membership verification00:38:00 - Improving crypto user experience00:42:00 - Universal Basic Income (UBI) and regenerative economics00:47:00 - The Sybil attack problem - proving humanity online00:54:00 - Overcoming crypto's negative baggage00:58:00 - Measuring success in regenerative initiatives01:02:00 - Green Pill Network and regen projects01:07:00 - Introduction to T-Coin (Toronto Coin)01:14:00 - Communicating T-Coin's value proposition01:18:00 - Cubid: solving the proof of personhood problem01:27:00 - Privacy-preserving identity verification01:31:00 - Cubid development roadmap and team01:36:00 - Closing thoughts and where to find Noak online
Projects Mentioned
In this episode of "Is This The New Internet," Marvyn Paul sits down with Jerry Qian, a key figure in Toronto's crypto scene and founder of Bitcoin Bay, the city's longest-running crypto meetup series. Jerry shares his journey from a biology graduate who discovered Bitcoin during the Mt. Gox era to becoming a community builder and crypto wallet developer.
The conversation explores Jerry's vision for his OPTN wallet project that embraces both Bitcoin Cash and covenants as vital features, offering users unprecedented control over their crypto transactions. Jerry provides insight into the history of the Bitcoin/Bitcoin Cash split, the current limitations of wallet technology, and his philosophy of building tools that empower users rather than restricting them. Whether you're a crypto veteran or newcomer, this episode offers valuable perspective on community building, wallet development, and the practical utility of blockchain technology.
Show Notes
Jerry's Links & Socials
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-qian-4ba2a79a/
Twitter - https://x.com/Lightswarm
OPTN Labs Website - https://www.optnlabs.com/
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction to Jerry and Bitcoin covenants04:00 - Marvyn's introduction and podcast supporters06:00 - Jerry's background and first Bitcoin purchase09:00 - The Cyprus banking crisis and early Bitcoin awareness10:00 - Joining Toronto's early crypto meetups13:00 - Starting Bitcoin Bay meetups16:00 - Early Toronto crypto scene and businesses19:00 - Bitcoin Bay's evolution and hosting philosophy22:00 - Advice for starting your own crypto meetup26:00 - Bitcoin Bay's vision and incremental adoption approach30:00 - Bitcoin Bay coworking space32:00 - Introduction to Nostr and decentralized social media35:00 - Bitcoin network utility beyond store of value39:00 - Bitcoin Cash vs Bitcoin Core development43:00 - History of the Bitcoin block size debate47:00 - Building applications on Bitcoin Cash49:00 - Evolution of wallet functionality and limitations53:00 - Adding DApp functionality to Bitcoin wallets56:00 - UI/UX philosophy for crypto wallets59:00 - Early user feedback on Opt-In wallet01:02:00 - What real crypto adoption looks like01:04:00 - Opt-In wallet development and resources01:05:00 - Upcoming events and closing thoughts