May 27, 2024

On the Road

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Taking the Show on the Road

Something had to give…

Leading the Techstars Web3 accelerator program means that I put some things on ice during the program, and this newsletter was one of them. However, with the program now coming to a close on June 6th, I wanted to give all of our loyal readers the details on the big Techstars Web3 Demo Day!

We’ll be in NYC for the week of June 3rd-7th as part of NY Tech Week, and we’ve got some upcoming opportunities to meet and hear from the Techstars Web3 Class of 2024 (Lookbook).

Join us online, or if you happen to be in NYC during Tech Week, it would be awesome to see you at any of these events in person.

Either way, please also feel free to share with your colleagues and your network!

For Everyone:

For Investors:

After the accelerator winds down after Demo Day, I’ll be back with the newsletter on a more regular basis!

This Week’s Podcast

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Building the Alpeh Zero Ecosystem

This week, we dive into Aleph Zero, a privacy-enhancing layer one blockchain renowned for prioritizing scalability, security and speed, with co-founder Antoni Zolciak and Head of Investments Piotr Saczuk.

Antoni discusses his transition from technology marketer to blockchain, emphasizing the humanist aspect of technology and the broad scope of blockchain's potential applications. Piotr shares his journey from TradFi to blockchain investments, highlighting the importance of values and adaptability in the fast-paced crypto industry.

The discussion explores the challenges and strategies involved in building the Aleph Zero community, driven by transparency, support, and a user-focused approach. We also talk about the nuances of ecosystem investing, the importance of UX, and the integral role of a strong community in fostering innovation and adoption. Additionally, we look inside Aleph Zero’s relationship with the Techstars Web3 accelerator, and the related benefits to web3 founders.

00:24 Introducing Aleph Zero: A Privacy-Enhancing Blockchain

01:16 The Journey to Aleph Zero: Antoni’s and Piotr’s Stories

01:24 Building a Thriving Ecosystem and Community in Web3

05:30 The Art of Keeping Up with Blockchain's Pace

10:48 From Concept to Ecosystem: The Growth of Aleph Zero

21:27 Investing in the Future: The Ecosystem Funding Program

25:05 The Importance of UX and Security in Web3 Development

32:34 Finding the Right Founders to Build on Aleph Zero

38:33 Closing Thoughts and Personal Revelations

Antoni Zolciak is co-founder of the Aleph Zero Foundation and Cardinal Cryptography, the core developer of the Aleph Zero blockchain. Antoni is a technology marketer with over 10 years of professional experience in public relations and content creation projects for global brands such as ING, Samsung, Sony, Olympus and Nikon. But now, he’s here to tell the story of incredibly smart people working on decentralized innovations.

Piotr Saczuk is the Head of Investments at the Aleph Zero Foundation. After university, Piotr had a short spell in TradFi before going down the crypto rabbit hole with Finoa, Unmind DAO, Soonami, and then finally to Cardinal Cryptography and Aleph Zero, first as ecosystem investments manager and then into his current role as Head of Investments.

Follow Antoni & Piotr on X/Twitter: Antoni Zolciak | Piotr Saczuk

Learn more about and follow Aleph Zero: X-Twitter | Linktree

Connect with Antoni & Piotr on LinkedIn: Antoni Zolciak | Piotr Saczuk

Listen to the podcast

Don’t forget to follow MoneyNeverSleeps on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to get each episode freshly delivered to your podcast queue!

X-Post (Tweet!) of the Week

Writing a forwardable blurb/email is a skill not to be taken for granted. Thanks to our Techstars Web3 Mentor-in-Residence Adrian Grant for sharing this post from Elizabeth Yin (The Hustle Fund) on how to do it right!