Built on the founding pillar of #StartupsFirst, \"Startup Réseau\" is an ecosystem of Enterprises, Capital, Markets, and Services – for Startups, by bringing in various types of structured interface for enabling unique linkages between startups (our core), and our business pillars (enterprise, capital, markets and services)

Startup Réseau

This interview peels back the layers of HyperCycle's ambitious mission to weave a decentralized web of artificial intelligence (AI) that promises to revolutionize our interaction with technology and each other. In the digital era where innovation paves the path for the future, HyperCycle, under the visionary leadership of CEO Toufi Saliba, stands at the forefront of a technological renaissance in AI and decentralization. Navigating the AI Revolution: An Insightful Journey with HyperCycle's Toufi Saliba Ishan Pandey: Hi Toufi, great to have you here for our "Behind the Startup" series. Please tell us about your background, and your journey as CEO of HyperCycle? Toufi Saliba: Certainly, I’m the co-author of the Toda/IP protocol and I currently serve as the Global Chair for International Protocols for AI Security for the IEEE, the world's largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of all humanity. I have a history of building various AI projects, either cryptography or cybersecurity-centric. Naturally, I have experienced both failures and successes in my career, starting with my first AI exit occurring in my early 20s in 2002. Then several successes continued a couple of decades later in October 2022 when I  took on the leadership of Hypercycle.ai and helped grow  500 software licenses sold to over 300,000 in one year. We also saw the valuation growth of over 60X reaching a unicorn status in less than a year from inception, and yet we still expect bigger growth to come. Today I continue to work across many states around the world towards creating a secure Internet of AI and benevolent AGI for the benefit of all of humanity. Ishan Pandey: Can you provide an overview of HyperCycle's mission and the specific problem it aims to address in the field of AI? Toufi Saliba: Our mission is to enable the Internet of AI using HyperCycle’s decentralized distributed network. Although it may sound simple on paper it does involve moving a lot of tiny pieces together in order to make this happen. It is crucial that there is no single entity controlling AGI as it would be very detrimental for us homo-sapiens. Think of us as the company building the global AI brain in a pure peer-to-peer (p2p) design. Ishan Pandey: How do you see the current landscape of AI collaboration, and what inspired HyperCycle to focus on addressing the limitations in the cooperation of AI machines? Toufi Saliba: We believe that the internet of AI will outsmart and outperform any single AI. Currently, there is little to no collaboration between AI systems. Some might say GPTs are somehow AI-to-AI communication but this is not really the case as it only mirrors how current Web2 apps communicate with each other in a centralized network. They share data but they don’t learn from the data and certainly do not share the knowledge between each other. In reality, the current AI landscape is completely siloed and AI is not truly getting “smarter” but only more powerful. What good is a super powerful AI if it fails at reasoning properly and if it is controlled by a single big corporation? That’s not beneficial to humanity, that is simply dangerous. If you study the anatomy of the brain you realize how beautiful, yet, how complex and important it is for homo-sapiens or any living species for that matter. This is why HyperCycle is leveraging very efficient technologies like TODA and Earth64, which I co-authored, to bring this global brain to reality. In essence, we are solving this with HyperCycle, allowing efficient communication between all network AI agents and execution of the communication in sub-second finality, enabling machines to grow in intelligence and become more profitable in the process. So far we’ve seen tremendous traction, with a lot of actors willing to partake in the construction of this network worldwide and B2B clients asking to migrate part of their AI computing on HyperCycle. Ishan Pandey: In your view, what makes HyperCycle a rare breakthrough in Computer Science, and how does it contribute to the advancement of AI? Toufi Saliba: If you’ve followed what was previously said you understand that there is no other company doing what we do which is providing a General Purpose Technology securing an Internet of AIs. By 2026, we believe that 90% of machine-to-machine communications will be involved in all transactions. In addition, HyperCycle will be a solution that makes efficient use of these communications by ensuring each machine on our network becomes smarter. There’s hardly anything that will prevent AI from being continuously developed, therefore we might as well ensure that it will properly learn and grow as a decentralized AI to benefit not only one or two major companies but humanity as a whole. Ishan Pandey: Could you highlight some of HyperCycle's notable achievements, both in terms of business/revenue and technological advancements? Toufi Saliba: Certainly. To this day we’ve sold more than 300,000 software licenses, which gives users lifetime access to run their AI machines on our network. Each single license has to be paired with 1024 HyPC which corresponds to a current demand for more than 300,000,000 HyPC tokens.  We’ve already fulfilled part of this demand by liberating 100,000,000 HyPC on our network, currently paired with licenses and activated within real hardware machines that are building their Uptime using an immutable monitoring process called “Tilling”. On the hardware side, we’ve secured many B2B clients that will provide AI computation for all network consumers. These clients are facilities and hardware providers in Paraguay, Finland, and many other places around the globe. On the B2C side, we’ve already sold out all our HyperAiBox via a satellite company called HyperAppliance. Those machines are plug-and-play hardware devices purposed to run AI computing on the HyperCycle network and it’s our way to deliver AI sovereignty directly to the hands of the people. These are very cool devices that you only have to plug it in once and then, it can even cover your entire electricity bill, all because the network is using the HyperAiBox's hardware capabilities to resolve tasks requested by AI consumers. Based on the amazing feedback we’ve received we are now pushing a newer version of the HyperAiBox with partners in Korea and we expect to sell many this year. On the technological side, our network has been operational since November last year. We're in the process of deploying the Computation on our network which will allow any network participant to take part in AI-related tasks on HyperCycle and earn a share of the revenues generated there. Lastly, and because HyperCycle is a software company, we are working hand in hand with HyperPG to find clients already spending more than 100K$/month on AI Compute and making them save money by migrating part of (or the totality of) their activity onto our network to contemplate how beneficial it is for them to. Ishan Pandey: How does HyperCycle's business model provide low-cost, high-efficiency computing power for clients and opportunities for hardware owners? Toufi Saliba: Our secret lies in the efficiency of our design and this is the result of a decade of research in AI, cryptography, and security. Our clients are very aware of how costly AI computation currently is and how inevitable AI usage is becoming in order to stay competitive in the market. HyperCycle allows any machine to operate efficiently in collaboration with other AI machines on the HyperCycle network and that is what allows us to offer very competitive pricing to our clients. We know we wouldn’t be successful on ideas alone, so decentralized AI needs to be cheaper than the current siloed AI solutions one can find on the market, otherwise progress will slow down. HyperCycle is providing a smarter, cheaper, and decentralized AI computing service for everyone so this recipe is a no-brainer. Ishan Pandey: What are the near-term plans for HyperCycle, especially regarding the conversion of fiat to crypto for AI computations and the efficiency of deploying the platform for B2B clients? Toufi Saliba: We’re not exposed to this issue since our requesters can propose payments in fiat. HyperCycle operates as a B2B-oriented software entity catering to AI compute demand. To service this demand, we are supported by both global B2B and B2C contributors on the supply side. This includes energy or hardware providers, license owners, HyPC token suppliers, AI developers, all of which part a large role in helping to expand and secure our decentralized network. The near-term plan is to provide irrefutable proof of concepts to our current clients when Compute is deployed on our network. It’s very exciting, so far at every stage of our development we have been under-promising and over-delivering and nothing is stopping us from continuing to do so. On the hardware side, we have gigantic ambitions. As I mentioned earlier, we managed to sell out our first batch of HyperAi Boxes within a couple of days and we are preparing a second batch already. Ultimately we hope to deploy seven figures of HyperAi Boxes around the world. Don’t forget to like and share the story! This author is an independent contributor publishing via our brand-as-author program. Be it through direct compensation, media partnerships, or networking, the author has a vested interest in the company/ies mentioned in this story. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR Vested Interest Disclosure:

Toufi Saliba: The Architect Behind HyperCycle's Decentralized Network of AI

তৌফি সালিবা: হাইপারসাইকেল এর বিকেন্দ্রীকৃত নেটওয়ার্কের AI এর স্থপতি

Toufi Saliba: Der Architekt hinter dem dezentralen KI-Netzwerk von HyperCycle

Toufi Saliba: el arquitecto detrás de la red descentralizada de IA de HyperCycle

Toufi Saliba : l'architecte derrière le réseau d'IA décentralisé d'HyperCycle

तौफी सलीबा: हाइपरसाइकल के एआई के विकेंद्रीकृत नेटवर्क के पीछे के वास्तुकार

Toufi Saliba: HyperCycle の AI 分散ネットワークを支えるアーキテクト

Toufi Saliba: HyperCycle의 분산형 AI 네트워크 뒤에 있는 설계자

Toufi Saliba: o arquiteto por trás da rede descentralizada de IA da HyperCycle

Туфи Салиба: архитектор децентрализованной сети искусственного интеллекта HyperCycle

Toufi Saliba: HyperCycle'ın Merkezi Olmayan Yapay Zeka Ağının Arkasındaki Mimar

Toufi Saliba: Kiến trúc sư đằng sau Mạng lưới AI phi tập trung của HyperCycle

Toufi Saliba：HyperCycle 去中心化人工智能网络背后的架构师

Have you ever thought about what a nation or state really is? Maybe the first thing that comes to your mind is an established area of land. But wait there: without people, the USA or Japan would be just another patch of dirt, plants, and animals, wouldn’t they? So, people and all that they imply (minds, traditions, culture, laws, language, etc.) are also key to defining a nation. When talking about network states, they might be all that matters. In 2022, the Indian-American entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan published the book “ ” As the second part of the title implies, , and formed by like-minded people distributed all around the world. The Network State: How to Start a New Country. he’s proposing to create a new nation from scratch, independent from others, with its own money and systems This new type of nation would start online and then would evolve into “physical nodes” funded and governed by its members. He described it like this: “A network state is a social network with a moral innovation, a sense of national consciousness, a recognized founder, a capacity for collective action, an in-person level of civility, an integrated cryptocurrency, a consensual government limited by a social smart contract, an archipelago of crowdfunded physical territories, a virtual capital, and an on-chain census that proves a large enough population, income, and real-estate footprint to attain a measure of diplomatic recognition.” As an individual, anyone could choose to join a certain network state and abide by its rules and benefits, written and shared via smart contract. For Srinivasan, this system could be better than the alternative: be governed by the left or right global powers, which will always ensure the control and surveillance of the population while competing against each other. How to Build a Network State? It may sound nice, but it requires a lot of work. As the author mentioned, a network state just doesn’t come to exist without previous steps or stages. Therefore, he describes seven points to build a network state, and they don’t even need significant resources in the beginning. One person from their computer at home could start a network state. They can begin by founding a startup society: an online community of like-minded people with ambitious aspirations. Then, organize this community into a purpose-driven network union, fostering collective action. The third phase involves building trust offline through physical meetups and concurrently developing an online economy through the creation and promotion of their own cryptocurrency. from apartments to entire towns, creating real co-living communities. The fifth step is connecting these physical nodes digitally to form a network archipelago, linking territories worldwide. Employ web3 crypto-passports for physical access and utilize mixed reality to seamlessly integrate the online and offline realms. With growing trust and accumulated funds, they can initiate crowdfunding campaigns to secure physical spaces, As the society expands, conduct a cryptographically auditable census, showcasing population, income, and real estate growth. Finally, seek diplomatic recognition from existing governments, gradually attaining increased sovereignty to evolve into a fully recognized network state. As the network state's population and economy grow to rival that of legacy states, achieving recognition from established sovereign entities, including the United Nations, becomes a foreseeable milestone. The core concept revolves around populating land from the cloud, fostering a geographically decentralized but ideologically aligned community globally. Why Build a Network State? Because the current global landscape doesn’t seem very amicable or open to free innovation. That’d be the short answer, at least. Srinivasan put it this way in the book: “We want to be able to peacefully start a new state for the same reason we want a bare plot of earth, a blank sheet of paper, an empty text buffer, a fresh startup, or a clean slate. Because we want to build something new without historical constraint.” He also talked about how the world is facing a “ ,” where three main powers and visions are competing to win more influence: The first one is described as “capitalism that enables decentralized censorship,” the second one would be fully centralized capitalism, and the last one is stateless capitalism, the decentralized and neutral sector. Tripolar Moment the American Establishment (symbolized by the paper NYT), the Communist Party of China (CCP), and the Global Internet (symbolized by BTC). In CCP-like societies, you must submit to their government's will; while in NYT-like nations you must sympathize. In the decentralized world, you must be sovereign —but that’s good only to some extent. No one wants to submit to undesirable or unjust laws, and it’s not always possible to “sympathize” with others’ ideas. On the other hand, an excess of sovereignty would mean that every person is alone with their needs, with only them to help themselves. Not only “one” network state is meant to exist, but multiple of them, destined to different groups with diverse ideas. It’s said in this way: “… rather than trying to impose preferences on everyone, what we really want are a variety of points in between these three undesirable poles: different fusions for different groups.” The concept of a network state tries to fuse the best of these three visions, in different flavors and communities. Potential Issues of Network States The concept of network states carries both opportunities and challenges. On the positive side, it enables global collaboration and democratizes participation. However, navigating legal complexities, regulatory hurdles, and the risk of widening digital inequalities poses significant challenges. To add some perspective, Bitcoin didn’t achieve “diplomatic recognition” ( ) soon after its creation, but 12 years later. And only by a couple of countries, so far. Not to mention the logistics, promotion efforts, funding, and mere years it would take to achieve something like this. legal tender status Looking deeper, unforeseen consequences could emerge. Digital nomadism offers freedom but about dependence on technology. New social norms and a potential financial revolution bring opportunities but also introduce challenges, including increased cyber threats —as we’ve often seen in DeFi apps. The network state presents a mix of promises and uncertainties, demanding careful consideration of its potential impacts on our world. raises concerns In addition to the optimistic outlook, there may be . Prioritizing financial gains over genuine connections may commodify relationships. The risk of reinforcing cult-like echo chambers, marginalizing diverse opinions, and potential ethical concerns in inhabited areas require thoughtful consideration. As we explore the concept of network states, it's crucial to remain aware of both the possibilities and the challenges they may bring to the forefront. notable risks Current Network States Initiatives Despite everything, some parties have already started their own version of this futuristic concept. aims to build cities as hubs of technological progress, emphasizing the importance of measurable economic and cultural capital. PRAX Credits, their own cryptocurrency, seeks to fund this new city in the Mediterranean. We can mention three running projects: Praxis, Afropolitan, and Epoch Island. Praxis envisions a digital nation, uniting Africans globally through a curated network. This initiative addresses issues of scarcity, weakness, and poverty experienced by Africans, proposing a Network of Abundance. The strategy involves building awareness, providing utility through the Afropolitan Super App, preparing for a transition to the physical world, and ultimately acquiring land for physical districts governed by the Afropolitan Network. Afropolitan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shFHD4KDYls&embedable=true Finally, sets forth a mission to create a Network State by 2030, introducing a unique country governed by Islanders and Elders. It leverages a cryptocurrency, EPOCH, allowing ownership of land and treasury, and contributing to the growing economy. Intending to acquire diplomatic recognition, Epoch Island envisions becoming the Crypto Capital of the World, providing an alternative space for crypto users seeking refuge from centralized governments. Epoch Island These ventures reflect the diverse paths toward building network states, ranging from creating cities grounded in technological progress, fostering an ethnic bond, or just establishing a new country with its own cryptocurrency. Each project navigates the complex landscape of community, governance, and economic structures in the pursuit of redefining societal models. Obyte for Network States , as a decentralized platform, While it was not explicitly designed for creating network states, its decentralized nature and capabilities could facilitate the development of innovative social structures. Obyte possesses unique features that could potentially contribute to the realization of network states or similar decentralized communities. Known for its DAG ( ) structure, Obyte provides a censorship-resistant platform. This architecture aligns with the concept of network states, where governance, decision-making, and participation are distributed among community members rather than concentrated in a central authority or a small number of central authorities — block producers in blockchains. It can foster a more inclusive and participatory model for building and governing communities. Directed Acyclic Graph Besides, the network supports smart contracts and (AAs), allowing for the creation of self-executing agreements without the need for intermediaries. It's also possible , with or without coding. Autonomous Agents to create custom tokens This feature allows communities to establish their own tokens with specific functionalities, use cases, or governance mechanisms. Economy of Network States Any country needs an economy, and the economy needs safe, properly enforced contracts. Obyte’s provide that, and Obyte is the only crypto network where they’re available. Likewise, any country needs a justice system. Obyte’s and its arbiters provide a kind of autonomous justice for commercial relationships. contracts with arbitration ArbStore Contracts with arbitration, available through the , offer secure decentralized escrow protection for two-party agreements, eliminating the need for mutual trust. Obyte wallet They can work for individuals as well as businesses, and they’re particularly well-suited for international operations —like the ones a network state would need for its members. These contracts can lock the funds until pre-set conditions are met by the parties. However, if one of the parties misbehaves, the other can call an expert arbiter to solve the dispute. They’re (human) professionals registered in the ArbStore platform with their real names and are available to solve certain types of disputes in exchange for a reasonable fee. All of these opportunities are available with a strong emphasis on privacy and security — only the contract parties and, in case of a dispute, the arbiter, can see the contract text. This focus aligns with the need for secure and private communication within network states. To explore the possibility of building an Obyte-based network state, community leaders and developers could leverage the platform's existing features and potentially customize certain aspects to suit the specific needs of their envisioned community. Whether it involves establishing a digital society, coordinating economic activities, or fostering collaborative projects, Obyte's decentralized infrastructure could serve as a foundation for innovative experiments in governance and community building. Featured Vector Image by photoroyalty / Freepik

Crypto-Powered Communities: Exploring the Era of Network States

ক্রিপ্টো-চালিত সম্প্রদায়: নেটওয়ার্ক রাজ্যের যুগ অন্বেষণ

Kryptobetriebene Communities: Erkundung der Ära der Netzwerkzustände

Comunidades impulsadas por criptomonedas: explorando la era de los estados de red

Communautés alimentées par la cryptographie : explorer l'ère des états de réseau

क्रिप्टो-संचालित समुदाय: नेटवर्क राज्यों के युग की खोज

暗号化を活用したコミュニティ: ネットワーク国家の時代を探る

암호화 기반 커뮤니티: 네트워크 상태 시대 탐구

Comunidades alimentadas por criptografia: explorando a era dos estados em rede

Крипто-сообщества: исследование эпохи сетевых состояний

Kripto Destekli Topluluklar: Ağ Durumları Çağını Keşfetmek

Cộng đồng được hỗ trợ bằng tiền điện tử: Khám phá kỷ nguyên của các trạng thái mạng

加密社区：探索网络状态时代

Hey Hackers, has been nominated in HackerNoon's annual Startup of the Year awards in Tel Aviv, Israel! Otterize Please vote for us here. Read more about us below to understand why we deserve your vote. Are you also participating in SOTY 2023? If so, click here to fill out this interview. Meet Otterize At Otterize, we're dedicated to tackling one of the most daunting challenges developers encounter in the cloud landscape: building secure connections. In an environment where options are limited and solutions are complex, we've set out to simplify the norm. Currently, developers are burdened with teaching users, handling manual connections, or even compromising security due to a lack of viable alternatives. Otterize steps in with a transformative approach—automating security configuration to create an entirely new paradigm for service-to-service and infrastructure connections. Our seamless solution isn't just about reducing friction faced by engineers connecting multiple services; it’s about eliminating it entirely! My Role Hey there, I’m Tomer Greenwald, the Co-Founder and CEO of Otterize. As a software developer myself, I've been down that road of building and setting up software authentication and authorization over and over again. And let's face it, doing it differently each time with a new tech stack is a major headache. The frustration just kept building up, and I thought, "Enough is enough!" So, here's the scoop: I teamed up with my awesome Co-Founders, Uri Sarid, and Ori Shoshan, and we decided it was high time to change the game. We wanted to build something that lets developers like you do what you're best at—write code—without constantly wrestling with server permissions. Our mission was clear: create a platform that takes the pain out of configurations and lets you focus on the cool stuff. And that's how Otterize was born! So, whether you're into APIs, authentication, or just making your software connect seamlessly, we're here to make your life easier. Here’s to coding without the configuration chaos! How We're Disrupting the Identity and Access Management Industry Picture this: Developers should be able to focus on their code and simply say, “Hey, I want a secure connection to these services.” That’s it. No need to sweat over obtaining credentials, including generating secrets, coordinating with the server team, and handling mTLs and JWTs. We’re all about taking care of the nitty-gritty for them through automation—and shaking things up in our industry by doing so! Standing Out from The Crowd Our focus is on the end user, the platform engineer. While other solutions out there are all about complex integrations and dragging out deployment, we’re here to simplify your life. No need for integration teams or months of setup—we’re talking about you, the platform engineer, making the call to use Otterize and getting your production workloads locked down in just . No need to be a C-level exec to get things rolling. We’re developers too, so we get it. That’s why our product is a breeze to install and use. We’re in the trenches with you, using it day in and day out—and honestly, we’re pretty smitten with it! one day Our Thoughts on the Identity and Access Management Industry in 2023 As the need for developer empowerment keeps on growing, we’re all about embracing new tools and turbo-charging our engineering teams. Think about it: platform teams are on the brink of diving into more automated solutions to give developers the keys to manage infrastructure. And trust me, it’s not just about the infrastructure anymore. Take Otterize, for instance—it’s all about helping configure secure infrastructure as code (I just coined that term). Developers will crave these kinds of solutions as they give them the reins to resources that were once a bit of a mystery, or mostly owned by the platform team. And let’s be real, who doesn’t want more control? What word defines the state of Identity and Access Management Industry in 2023? Consolidation. With tools multiplying like rabbits in today’s tech world, engineering leaders are on the hunt for ways to bring everything under one roof. It’s all about having the right toolkit for the job, and then having the right toolkit to manage them all (fingers crossed that the toolbox is way smaller!). Why we decided to participate in HackerNoon's Startup of the Year awards Jumping into HackerNoon's Startup of the Year awards was a no-brainer for Otterize. We're big fans of HackerNoon—it's our daily tech fuel. Those stories from fellow technologists? They keep us sharp, inspired, and in the loop with the latest buzz. But hey, there's more to it than just soaking up knowledge. We're here to tackle some real challenges. Otterize isn't just a neat name (how “authorize” sounds in a Hebrew accent)—it's a solution that's out to make life easier for developers. So, being part of this spotlight gives us a megaphone to shout out about the neat things we're up to. Raising awareness is key. We want to get the word out about how we're slicing through the complexity of network policies and making secure connections a breeze. The more folks who know about Otterize, the more teams we can help. And that's what keeps us going—solving problems and making coding smoother for everyone. Final Thoughts We’re flipping the script in our industry. Developers get to keep their focus on code while saying, “I need a secure connection to these services.” No more headaches over rules, standards, or security specs. Together, let’s pave the way for a future where secure access isn’t just a choice, but the simplest and most intuitive path. Otterize handles the heavy lifting with automation. Otterize is nominated as Startup of the Year in Tel Aviv Isreal, Vote for us today!

Streamlining Network Policy Management - Interview with Startups of the Year Nominee, Otterize

Simplificación de la gestión de políticas de red: entrevista con Otterize, nominada a Startups del año

Rationalisation de la gestion des politiques de réseau - Entretien avec le candidat aux startups de l'année, Otterize

नेटवर्क नीति प्रबंधन को सुव्यवस्थित करना - वर्ष के नामांकित व्यक्ति, ओटराइज़ के स्टार्टअप के साथ साक्षात्कार

ネットワーク ポリシー管理の合理化 - Startups of the Year ノミネート企業 Otterize へのインタビュー

Simplificando o gerenciamento de políticas de rede - Entrevista com o indicado para startups do ano, Otterize

Hợp lý hóa quản lý chính sách mạng - Phỏng vấn các công ty khởi nghiệp của năm được đề cử, Otterize

简化网络策略管理 - 采访年度初创公司提名者 Otterize

Diving into the intricacies of crypto onboarding and the vision behind one of the industry's most impactful startups, Ishan Pandey welcomes Szymon Sypniewicz, the co-founder of Ramp Network, for our "Behind the Startup" series. From discussions about bridging the fiat-crypto divide to addressing regulatory challenges, this interview provides a comprehensive look into Ramp's mission to democratize crypto access and its ongoing efforts to make the crypto world accessible and user-friendly for all. Beyond Exchanges: Szymon Sypniewicz Discusses Ramp Network's Unique Vision for the Future of Cryptocurrency Ishan Pandey: Greetings, Szymon Sypniewicz. It's a privilege to feature you in our "Behind the Startup" series. Can you shed light on your professional journey and what catalyzed your decision to co-found Ramp Network? Thank you, Ishan, for having me. My journey began in Warsaw during my university years where I met my co-founder, Przemek Kowalczyk. We both had diverse academic backgrounds - I studied law while Przemek delved into physics. Our shared interest in the potential of cryptocurrency brought us together at a meeting of the Polish libertarian party. From the outset, we saw cryptocurrency not just as a financial tool, but as a means of social change and a way to increase an individuals’ agency. Szymon Sypniewicz: Our initial foray into the crypto world involved working on several projects and startups, most of which didn't take off as we hoped. However, these experiences were invaluable as they paved the way for the inception of Ramp. The core idea behind Ramp was to bridge the gap between users operating in the fiat world and the applications native to the crypto world. We envisioned a platform that would act as a gateway, or a "ramp", facilitating seamless interactions between these two realms. Our goal was to ensure that cryptocurrencies could function in a truly decentralized manner. As we developed Ramp, we faced skepticism and questions about why we didn't simply create another crypto exchange. But our vision was clear - we wanted to offer something fundamentally different. We aimed to provide a platform that would enable crypto wallets, exchanges, NFT marketplaces, and gaming companies to integrate crypto payment infrastructure seamlessly. This would allow users to purchase crypto assets without the need to switch between multiple apps. Looking back, our journey has been filled with challenges that have taught us invaluable lessons which made each milestone reached that much more satisfying. From our humble beginnings in a windowless office in Warsaw to the challenging environment for crypto in recent months, our commitment to our vision has never wavered. We've always believed in the transformative power of blockchain and the potential of decentralized systems and as we move forward, we remain dedicated to making the crypto world more accessible and user-friendly for everyone. Ishan Pandey: Ramp Network stands as a beacon for democratizing crypto access. In an ecosystem riddled with technical hurdles, how has Ramp ensured an intuitive user experience while simplifying integration processes for enterprises? At Ramp, our mission is clear: make crypto as easy to use as any other online service. We've built a full-stack payment infrastructure that allows brands and partners to seamlessly and swiftly integrate crypto-enabled services using the Ramp SDK. In fact, integration can be as quick as a few hours. Szymon Sypniewicz: For users, we aim for a one-click experience. No more jumping through hoops or navigating complex interfaces. For developers, we envision a world where adding crypto to their apps is as simple as copy-and-paste, or even drag-and-drop. Our partnerships with hundreds of developers, including the likes of Metamask, Opera Browser, Dapper Labs, Aave, Argent, and Trust Wallet, have been instrumental in refining our approach. Through these collaborations, we've been able to tailor our solutions to the real-world needs of the crypto community. : Vested Interest Disclosure This author is an independent contributor publishing via our . Be it through direct compensation, media partnerships, or networking, the author has a vested interest in the company/ies mentioned in this story. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR brand-as-author program We are stripping away the complexities for both end-users and enterprises. Our goal is to facilitate and support broader crypto adoption through simplicity and efficiency. We won't stop until we achieve it. Ishan Pandey: The Ramp SDK is a pivotal element of your service suite. Can you expound on its multifaceted capabilities and how it fortifies businesses in seamlessly embedding crypto on/off-ramp solutions? Ramp’s SDK is designed to empower businesses, enabling them to effortlessly integrate crypto on/off-ramp solutions into their platforms. Ramp is not just about making transactions easy for the end-users, for developers our SDK is a dream come true. We have refined the integration process, making it more simple and efficient. With Ramp you are able to embed a robust crypto solution with just a few lines of code. Szymon Sypniewicz: And the best part? Our partnerships with top-tier industry leaders such as Metamask, Ledger and Brave means that users can effortlessly buy crypto directly within their favorite apps, sending it right to their non-custodial wallets. It's all about creating a seamless, direct route to the crypto universe, without the usual roadblocks. Ishan Pandey: With Ramp's footprint spanning over 150 countries, how do you believe this extensive coverage accelerates the universal embracement of cryptocurrencies? Being in 150 countries is our way of tapping into the global heartbeat of the crypto movement. Web3 products burst onto the scene with a global mindset from the get-go. When a web3 developer dreams up a product, they're not just thinking of their backyard. They are  picturing a user base that spans continents and are looking for partners like Ramp to help them realize that global ambition. Szymon Sypniewicz: At Ramp we think global and act local, for us supporting over 40 fiat currencies isn't just a number; it's our commitment to that global vision. It ensures that a user in Berlin or Buenos Aires can dive into crypto using their local currency. In line with our goal to make web 3 easily accessible for everyone, we have gone that extra mile to integrate local payment methods. We want to make sure your entry into crypto feels familiar and is straightforward. Catering to this worldwide ambition is exhilarating and is definitely challenging. But it's also what drives us, making sure that the global essence of web3 is not just a vision but a lived reality. Ishan Pandey: In an era where security breaches are rife, how does Ramp Network ensure robust security amidst the intricacies inherent to cyberattacks and a theft-prone environment? At Ramp, we've taken a different route to most. Instead of holding onto users' assets, we've championed the self-custodial approach. When users buy crypto through our platform, it's sent directly to their self-custodial wallets. This means there's no central pot of funds for hackers to target and users always maintain control over their assets. Szymon Sypniewicz: Our partnerships with leading self-custody solutions like Metamask, Ledger, and Brave Browser ensure that users have top-tier security without sacrificing user experience. Plus, with our focus on providing a comprehensive exchange infrastructure we've baked in robust security measures at every step, from compliance to payment processing. Ishan Pandey: The regulatory environment for crypto remains in flux. What preemptive strategies and adaptations has Ramp Network incorporated to stay abreast of evolving regulations? Szymon Sypniewicz: Our approach to navigating the dynamic regulatory environment is both strategic and technologically driven. We recognize the importance of adhering to the highest standards, especially in an industry where trust is essential to its long term success. Being registered with the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and FinCEN in the US is not just a testament to our commitment but also a reflection of our ability to meet the rigorous demands of two of the world's strictest regulatory bodies. These registrations are more than just badges, they represent our dedication to ensuring that our operations are transparent, secure, and trustworthy. Our technological edge plays a pivotal role in this. We've integrated advanced financial crime compliance platforms to enhance our oversight capabilities. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, we can proactively detect potential financial crimes, ensuring a safer and more reliable environment for our users. This integration is a clear example of how we employ technology to not only meet but exceed regulatory requirements. Furthermore, our recent FCA approval has enabled us to roll out our off-ramp solution globally. This expansion is not just about reaching more users; it's about providing a seamless, safe and compliant service to users across different jurisdictions. It underscores our commitment to making crypto more accessible while ensuring that we operate within the bounds of local and international regulations. Looking ahead, we're not resting on our laurels. We are in the advanced stages of securing additional licenses which will further expand our regulatory footprint. This proactive approach ensures that as the crypto industry evolves, Ramp Network remains at the forefront setting standards and building trust. Ishan Pandey: Striking a balance between user-centricity and blockchain's decentralized ethos is a tall order. How does Ramp Network navigate this dichotomy? At Ramp Network, we've always believed that the true potential of blockchain can only be realized when it's accessible and user-friendly. While we champion the decentralized ethos, we're acutely aware of the challenges it can pose from a user experience standpoint. Szymon Sypniewicz: Our approach is tailored to this very challenge. By providing infrastructure that emphasizes non-custodial crypto products, we ensure users maintain control over their assets. But control doesn't have to come at the cost of simplicity. Our platform is designed with ease of use at its core. Through partnerships with leading self-custody solutions, we've been able to offer a seamless and intuitive interface, making transactions straightforward even for those new to the crypto world. Furthermore, our integrations allow users to purchase crypto directly within their apps and receive it in their non-custodial wallets. This bypasses the often cumbersome processes associated with traditional crypto exchanges, streamlining the user journey. In essence, Ramp Network is striving to redefine the balance between decentralization and user-centricity. Our goal is to offer a platform where the principles of blockchain and top-tier UX coexist, making the crypto experience both empowering and effortless. Ishan Pandey: The journey of procuring investments is rarely linear. Could you share some pivotal moments and collaborations that have been instrumental in catapulting Ramp Network's ascent? Ramp's growth has been strategic and deliberate. Key to our ascent has been our licensing in both the UK and US, which underscores our commitment to compliance and trust. This has enabled us to expand globally, offering local payment methods tailored to diverse markets. All of the above have been instrumental in building trust with our investors. Szymon Sypniewicz: Our pioneering efforts in the gaming space have been particularly noteworthy. By forging strong partnerships with industry leaders like Sorare and Axie Infinity, we've positioned ourselves at the forefront of on-ramping in this rapidly growing sector. Our dedication to blockchain technology is evident in our unparalleled coverage of layer 2 solutions, ensuring faster and more efficient transactions for our users. Moreover, our off-ramp capabilities are best in class, allowing users to sell in over 130 countries, further emphasizing our global reach and commitment to accessibility. In short, our focus remains on innovation, global expansion and fostering trust within the crypto community and with the regulatory bodies across the globe have been integral to building a company that many believe in and want to partner with. Ishan Pandey: In what ways can cryptocurrencies unlock untapped markets for SMEs beleaguered by exorbitant cross-border transaction fees? How do you envision businesses capitalizing on crypto transactions to sidestep steep currency conversion and card charges on an international scale? Our long-term vision at Ramp is to enable a seamless global financial ecosystem powered by crypto. By implementing on and off-ramping solutions across the world, we're laying the groundwork for businesses to bypass traditional financial bottlenecks. Imagine a future where a user can effortlessly use a cost-effective onramp in one country, transfer their crypto to another country, and then off-ramp using another affordable method, all in a single and efficient move. Szymon Sypniewicz: This not only sidesteps the exorbitant currency conversion and card charges but also democratizes access to financial systems. It's a future where borders don't dictate financial efficiency, and businesses can truly capitalize on the global nature of crypto to drive their international operations. Ishan Pandey: The blockchain cosmos is in perpetual flux. How does Ramp Network keep its finger on the pulse of this rapid evolution, and what's the roadmap to infuse emergent blockchain trends and technologies into your platform? At the heart of Ramp lies a team of crypto natives, passionate about the space and deeply understanding of its nuances. However, we don't operate in a vacuum, we actively listen to the feedback from millions of our users and insights from our hundreds of partners. This collective intelligence shapes our roadmap and informs our next steps. Szymon Sypniewicz: Recently, we've recognized the importance of Layer 2 solutions in the crypto ecosystem. With the challenges of scalability and high transaction fees on mainnets, L2s offer a promising solution. Guided by our commitment to user-centricity and the feedback loop we've established, our latest focus has been on enabling users to onboard directly to L2s. This not only ensures faster and cheaper transactions but also a smoother user experience. For a deeper dive into our L2 initiatives, I'd recommend checking out our . It's all about staying agile, listening to the community, and continuously innovating to serve them better. recent blog post Don’t forget to like and share the story!

Redefining Decentralization: How Ramp Network Balances User-Centricity with Blockchain's Core Ethos

Redefiniendo la descentralización: cómo Ramp Network equilibra la orientación centrada en el usuario con el espíritu central de Blockchain

Redéfinir la décentralisation : comment le réseau Ramp équilibre l'orientation utilisateur avec la philosophie fondamentale de Blockchain

विकेंद्रीकरण को पुनर्परिभाषित करना: रैम्प नेटवर्क ब्लॉकचेन के मूल लोकाचार के साथ उपयोगकर्ता-केंद्रितता को कैसे संतुलित करता है

分散化の再定義: Ramp Network がユーザー中心性とブロックチェーンの中核精神のバランスを取る方法

Redefinindo a descentralização: como a Ramp Network equilibra a centralização no usuário com o espírito central do Blockchain

Xác định lại sự phân quyền: Cách mạng Ramp cân bằng việc lấy người dùng làm trung tâm với đặc tính cốt lõi của Blockchain

重新定义去中心化：Ramp Network 如何平衡以用户为中心与区块链的核心精神

Ever heard the phrase, "Your network is your net worth?" I totally get the sentiment – but at the same time, I think networking should be so much more than the prospect of cash in the bank. If we're honest, networking is far more complex and demanding than a simple monetary exchange. It takes time. It takes trust. It takes vulnerability. When networking just isn't working for us, usually, the reason is a lack of authentic connection. Cold outreach messages are often forced; conversations at networking events are awkward and clearly transactional. Don't even get me started on LinkedIn! I propose we take a new approach to networking. If you really want your authentic self to shine through – if you truly want to make helpful connections that last – it's time to reframe networking and take a more meaningful approach. Let's talk about it. Our Flawed View of Networking Networking, as you know, is the art of building relationships for professional gain. A powerful connection can hook you up with your best job yet, on your highest salary to date. The right referral can get you much-needed VC funding to launch your startup off the runway. As an entrepreneur, networking is your lifeblood; it's your gateway to greater success. In Ronald Burt's words: "Instead of better glasses, your network gives you better eyes." But here's the problem – and I know you're thinking it – networking is freaking hard. It's like this strange social dance where you know you're being obvious, but you don't know how else you can do it. really Why is it so awkward? Let's unpack some of the warps in our perception of networking. Misconception 1: You Are the Product I'm convinced that one of our biggest barriers to networking is the way we try to 'market' ourselves. You aren't a product, you're a person, and the mindset of ‘selling yourself’ will only strip away your authenticity. For example: when you network on a regular basis, it's easy to find yourself rattling off the same script about your work or your experience. You might copy-paste the same blurb from one LinkedIn conversation to the next. But a sales script runs the risk of looking disingenuous – especially a copy-and-paste job. The reality is that networking isn't about selling yourself; it's about forming a connection first and foremost. Misconception 2: It's All About the Benefits “If we create networks with the sole intention of getting something, we won’t succeed. We can’t pursue the benefits of networks; the benefits ensue from investments in meaningful activities and relationships.” Adam Grant hits the nail on the head here – intentions are everything, and if you're networking only for the benefits, you're going to struggle. It's easy to get caught up in the idea of what someone can do for us. The messaging around networking is very much benefits-focused, so it's no wonder we approach it that way. But it's one of the worst things we can do for ourselves. In the social world, you'd be frowned upon for making friends with someone just to get something from them. So why do we network that way and pretend it'll work in our favor? Misconception 3: You Need to Be Interesting No, you don't need to be interesting – you need to be interest . ed Our problem with networking comes from our overly inward focus. We spend so much time and energy stressing about how we'll come across to the other person. Is our pitch nailed down? Are we dressed professionally for the meetup? Did we use too many exclamation points in our outreach? But in ruminating over all of these tiny details, we forget the most important factor: taking an interest in the other person. said Bob Burg. That's the skill we need to be honing. “The single greatest "people skill" is a highly developed & authentic interest in the other person,” People can very easily tell whether you're interested in what they have to say; there's a certain energy in genuine interest that can't be faked. What's the Fix? Believe it or not, aren't published on boards or via the main application portals. Investors don't walk around with 'VC money!' tattooed on their foreheads. 70 percent of jobs Opportunities don't always slap you in the face. That's why networking is so important: when you're connected to your industry, you're tapping into support and opportunities and advice most people don't even know is there. But as I said, our big misconceptions about networking are holding us back from success. It's time to take the unscripted and unconventional approach (aka, it's time to build real relationships!). Strategy 1: Ditch the Scripts and Take an Interest The reason that networking can feel so 'yucky' or 'salesy' is because, as I mentioned earlier, we're often taught to approach it with a script. We're taught to get our pitch sorted, and then send it to as many people as possible. "Hi, I hope you're well! I just wanted to reach out and introduce myself – I'm a business owner in LA, and I am looking to make new connections within my niche. Would you be interested in meeting up?" Bleh. Even the most oblivious person can tell what you're trying to do here, and it'll only make you feel like a salesperson. This is the moment – before reaching out, before making a connection and a time investment – to think about the person you're connecting with. really What do you have in common? What work are they doing? How are they innovating in their space, and what values do they seem to prioritize? Your network should be made up of people who you truly respect and admire and whose work inspires you. An interesting person will prompt you to naturally write a more authentic opening message – you'll be expressing your genuine interest in the person and their work rather than shoehorning a sales pitch. Strategy 2: Accept the Commitment While a casual conversation on LinkedIn is , networking is rarely a one-time effort. Building meaningful connections takes time, just like any other friendship. You need to build mutual trust. proven to be pretty effective Studies show it takes to properly build trust with people. (It takes a split second to lose it, so keep that in mind, too!) around seven months That means you're really playing the long game when it comes to networking. Again, it's in your best interests to connect with people you genuinely resonate with – because you're building a real relationship, not just a one-time exchange. It goes without saying that networking isn't the same as job hunting. You should be forming connections with like-minded people and developing your network over time (not looking for a quick fix). Strategy 3: Strive for Generosity – Keith Ferrazzi “The currency of real networking is not greed but generosity.” Let's completely flip the narrative. What if you were to approach networking with the mentality of 'what do I have to offer?' When you network with the intention of giving, it's incredibly freeing. Know your worth and your experience, and find people who could benefit from connecting with you; more often than not, the pure act of giving will unlock a new level of opportunities. Going back to strategy two, there's no better way to build trust than to give before you receive. You're saying it loud and clear: I'm not here to gain, I'm here to connect. Strategy 4: Be Unconventional There's no rulebook for networking, and yet, we all act as though we're bound to certain customs or etiquette. You don't need to confine your outreach to LinkedIn (even though it's a great place to start). Follow your prospects on social media to stay up-to-date on their latest accomplishments. Respond to a story that resonates with you – leave a casual note, and see if it blossoms into a conversation. When you're writing messages to potential connections, throw out everything you know about the typical outreach script and follow your instincts. Based on their personality and interests, what's going to spark their curiosity? If someone is clearly down-to-earth and super friendly, the last thing you want is to lead with 'dear [name], I hope this finds you in excellent health!' Speak their language – but more importantly, let your own authentic personality shine through. Are you a contractions person? Use contractions. Is your sense of humor intact? Throw in a joke or two if they come naturally. Drop little hints as to the kind of person you are. Wrap Up When it comes to networking, I'm a firm believer in forming honest, authentic relationships – not transactional ones. It's all about your approach. Network for the sake of meeting people and expanding your knowledge of the world; don't just network to get a free ride. Some of the most incredible connections I've made in my life were through networking efforts, and I've made my fair share of blunders, too. I know from experience that being authentic is your greatest weapon. Taking a vested interest in others is your ticket to success. Any other thoughts on how to network well? Drop a comment below or reply to my email – I'd love to hear more! If you enjoyed this article, I’d love to hear from you. Reply to this email or at me and I’ll do my best to get back to everyone! tweet @ScottDClary

You Need Authentic Connections: How to Reframe Your Network Narrative

আপনার প্রামাণিক সংযোগ প্রয়োজন: আপনার নেটওয়ার্ক বর্ণনাটি কীভাবে রিফ্রেম করবেন

Sie brauchen authentische Verbindungen: So gestalten Sie Ihre Netzwerkerzählung neu

Necesita conexiones auténticas: cómo reformular la narrativa de su red

Vous avez besoin de connexions authentiques : comment recadrer le récit de votre réseau

आपको प्रामाणिक कनेक्शन की आवश्यकता है: अपने नेटवर्क नैरेटिव को कैसे रीफ़्रेम करें

本物の接続が必要です: ネットワークの説明を再構築する方法

진정한 연결이 필요합니다: 네트워크 내러티브를 재구성하는 방법

Você precisa de conexões autênticas: como reformular sua narrativa de rede

Otantik Bağlantılara İhtiyacınız Var: Ağ Anlatımınızı Nasıl Yeniden Çerçevelendirebilirsiniz?

Bạn cần các kết nối xác thực: Cách điều chỉnh lại tường thuật mạng của bạn

你需要真实的联系：如何重构你的网络叙事

Astar Network's Plan for Seamless Interoperability in the Blockchain Space Welcome to "Behind the Startup," a series where we delve into the journey and vision of the pioneers revolutionizing the tech landscape. In this edition, we had the opportunity to speak with Greg Luneau, the Senior Integration Developer of Astar Network. With a rich background in cryptography and blockchain, Greg sheds light on Astar Network's inception, its role as a smart contract hub for Polkadot, and the unique features that set it apart from other blockchain projects. Join us as we explore the inner workings of Astar Network and discuss its ambitious plans for the future. Fueling Astar Network's Growth and Developer Incentives Ishan Pandey: Hi Greg, welcome to our series “Behind the Startup.” Please tell us about yourself and your journey to becoming the Senior Integration Developer of Astar Network? Greg Luneau: It all started with the integration of public and private key cryptography into the e-commerce platform of the Smithsonian Institute. This led me to register a US patent for transferring credit card numbers over the Internet. Jump 20 years and I'm working with blockchains first with Steem/Hive, then with EOS and finally with Polkadot. I had the opportunity to work with Acala and connect most chains at the time with HRMP channels for the goal of composability through XCM. And now, with Astar, I have the opportunity to realize that vision of integrating the very best that every para chain has to offer. Ishan Pandey: How did the Astar Network team come up with the idea of developing a "smart contract hub" for Polkadot, and what motivated you to pursue this project? Greg Luneau: For a nascent ecosystem like polkadot, developer tooling is essential. We saw that Wasm was the future and developed tools like Swanky & Sumi. Polkadot, as a relay chain only does security, it needs an L1 for smart contract execution and that's us. Think of solidity as the language for the EVM, and now ink! is the language for building smart contracts on Wasm. We're bridging the gap between the EVM and Wasm, figuratively and literally, with the XVM project. Ishan Pandey: Can you explain how Astar Network functions as a parachain for Polkadot and how it enhances the capabilities of the Polkadot ecosystem? Greg Luneau: We're a smart contract platform. Both EVM virtual machine and Wasm are supported; we're the glue between the Polkadot ecosystem and continuously work on the proof of concepts to connect with other para chains through XCM and execution transactions remotely. Ishan Pandey: The native token of Astar Network is "ASTAR." Could you elaborate on its utility and the role it plays within the ecosystem? Greg Luneau: ASTR tokens are required to pay for network resources and use decentralized applications on Astar Network. More importantly, Astar has a unique and innovative incentive mechanism for developers called dApp Staking, which leverages ASTR token inflation to maintain the ecosystem's growth while rewarding builders and participants simultaneously. We have a program called Astar SpaceLabs to support developers building on Astar Network. Our community leaders and members of the Astar team lead it. Ishan Pandey: With the growing concerns surrounding data privacy, how does Astar Network ensure user data remains secure while maintaining the efficiency of its blockchain? Greg Luneau: Being connected as a parachain means we inherit all the security of Polkadot for block production. Astar is working hard to develop and promote the light clients for developers and users. IP harvesting, for example, is a privacy issue that RPC could be doing by choice or edict. Developers could, through smart contracts and XCM, connect to other para chains that offer roll-ups or off-chain workers and utilize those privacy-enhancing features for their dApps. Ishan Pandey: How does Astar Network plan interoperability, which is a problem often faced by other blockchain projects? Greg Luneau: Traditionally, blockchains were isolated from one another due to technical limitations. However, with the progress made in bridge technology and layer 0 interoperability protocols, it is now possible to transfer tokens between blockchains, which has led to a greater variety within the ecosystem. Additionally, we have our Cross Virtual Machine (XVM). It is a new feature that our team is working on because we believe EVM is a great tool, but we also want to create something new with Wasm smart contracts. We’ll introduce how we will expand ‘Web3’ to the larger digital landscape at our upcoming event: . Wasm Launch Day Ishan Pandey: What partnerships and collaborations has Astar Network established to help expand its ecosystem and adoption across various industries? Greg Luneau: We continue to integrate with many advanced projects that can help us create a multi-chain ecosystem–cross-chain communication, new applications, and gaming. Recently we’ve had three important collaborations that will incubate the next wave of blockchain adoption: our web3 Hackathon sponsored by Toyota, Web3 Incubation Program with Sony Network Communications, and ink!ubation program with Polkadot. This means our developers have access with ample funding and close connections with different industries. Ishan Pandey: Can you share some insights into the future roadmap of Astar Network, and what new features or developments users can expect in the coming years? Introducing new tools to Astar mainet is on the short-term roadmap. This includes fully functional XVM, more cross-chain integrations, and making it possible for any developer to build a decentralized application. Astar is the first parachain that allows developers to build ink! smart contracts. Over the coming years, we will improve opportunities for blockchain developers with new on-chain features and add an ecosystem of dApps that anyone can use. You can follow our progress on . Greg Luneau: Astar homepage Starmap Ishan Pandey: Recently, the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank has sent shockwaves through the financial industry. What is your perspective on this event, and how do you think it will impact the blockchain and cryptocurrency space moving forward? Greg Luneau: It is essential that we decentralize everything in the blockchain space. As Gavin Wood mentions, otherwise, we will face greater regulatory scrutiny to say it lightly. We need to strive to remove all single points of failure, avoid all centralized traps and follow the footsteps of our cyberpunk forefathers to bring freedom to all. Don’t forget to like and share the story! : Vested Interest Disclosure The author is an independent contributor publishing via our . Be it through direct compensation, media partnerships, or networking, the author has a vested interest in the company/ies mentioned in this story. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR brand-as-author program

Bridging the Gap: How Astar Network Enhances the Polkadot Ecosystem

Cerrando la brecha: cómo Astar Network mejora el ecosistema de Polkadot

Combler le fossé : comment le réseau Astar améliore l'écosystème Polkadot

गैप को पाटना: कैसे एस्टार नेटवर्क पोलकाडॉट इकोसिस्टम को बढ़ाता है

ギャップを埋める: Astar Network が Polkadot エコシステムを強化する方法

Preenchendo a lacuna: como a Astar Network aprimora o ecossistema Polkadot

Thu hẹp khoảng cách: Mạng lưới Astar tăng cường hệ sinh thái Polkadot như thế nào

弥合差距：Astar Network 如何增强 Polkadot 生态系统

Established brands and startups around the world are discovering the power of live interactive video – from and , to , , , and beyond. RushTix Codices DeNA BeLive GoPro Using Amazon Interactive Video Service (Amazon IVS), these innovative companies are transforming the future of ecommerce, fitness, user-generated content, and more by optimizing the live streaming experience for creators and audiences. A managed live streaming solution designed for developers to add live video and enable interactivity with video in their app or site without investing in streaming infrastructure, Amazon IVS was formally introduced in , but its development history traces much further back, with an origin shared with one of the world’s most widely used streaming platforms. July 2020 At any given moment, more than 2.5 million viewers are tuned into Twitch, with the site averaging 31 million daily viewers. In 2021, more than of live streamed video were watched on Twitch, a sizable bump from the more than 1 trillion minutes watched on the site in 2020 and 600 billion minutes watched in 2019. 1.3 trillion minutes Streaming live video on a massive global scale is a notoriously difficult process due to the unpredictable nature of both the Internet and live events. Live streams must be delivered in as close to real-time as possible, especially for the kind of interactive content that runs on Twitch. Today, more than 98-percent of all Twitch traffic remains on its network, one of the largest in the world dedicated exclusively to live streaming. However, its beginnings are far more humble. Launching ‘lifecasting’ Born as Justin.tv in 2007, Twitch was founded by Emmett Shear, Justin Kan, Kyle Vogt, and Michael Seibel. Initially only available in the US, the site’s first iteration featured a 24/7 live stream of Kan doing everyday tasks. Justin.tv was later opened up for other creators to live stream, while a section dedicated to video game streaming was launched as Twitch Interactive in 2011. Early infrastructure encompassed a few computers in a co-located facility delivering video via a third-party content delivery network (CDN), which quickly racked up massive bills. Looking for a more economical approach to their venture and to expand audience reach, the founders searched out a way to deliver video directly to save money; their solution was to hire Jon Shipman, a networking expert who launched Twitch down the road of building its own infrastructure. As an event-driven platform, Twitch traffic has always fluctuated, often spiking significantly, which could be stressful in the early startup days. Co-founder Shear explained, “Kyle and I used to wake up super early on Saturday mornings so that we could oversee the servers during peak viewing events. After a solid nine months of this, Kyle took a much-deserved vacation, but he was totally off the grid and our servers started to experience failure. Someone on our team called a pizza place near where he was staying and got them to deliver a pizza with a message on the box written in Sharpie, something to the effect of: ‘The servers are down. We need you to fix it.’ Needless to say, he did.” Laying the foundation for growth Twitch eventually began hosting almost all of its own traffic, to ensure video quality, and minimize reliance on CDNs. “It would be challenging to serve a global audience well using only the public Internet because Twitch would be susceptible to bottlenecks,” noted Martin “Marty” Hess, the General Manager of Amazon IVS who is responsible for the video infrastructure that Twitch uses. “For example, if a video originates in San Jose, California and the viewer is in Berlin, Germany, there are many places the video can get delayed. Maintaining a private network of backbone links and PoPs [Point of Presence] provides far better control over the quality and global delivery of the stream.” Along with adding capacity throughout the years, Twitch expanded its dedicated network and data center team with its acquisition by Amazon in 2014. The specialized team ensures its software works across thousands of servers globally and at the lowest latency possible, automatically working around component failures, so that problems in one location don’t affect the system around the world. The team became hyper-focused on developing unified media streaming software that would never fail and optimize streams. “We have local PoPs in every major market. On top of this, we have our software layer that’s constantly making micro adjustments to deliver the highest quality video for the available bandwidth. Our network is only used for live video, which is pretty unique,” said Hess. Developing with an eye on user experience With live streaming its core offering, stability was (and remains) paramount to Twitch. “In the early days, we relied on third-party software for taking video from broadcasters and preparing it for distribution, but a single failed instance would take down multiple streams, so we became focused on never letting our system crash, ever. Then, one of our developers wrote distribution software, basically over a weekend. It was quite a technical flex, but it got a lot of attention and showed us that it was possible,” recalled Shear. “It took us about a year to fine-tune the software and get it ready for production, and after rigorous testing, we rolled it out across the network,” added Hess. “A version of this software is also now publicly available through Amazon Interactive Video Service (Amazon IVS), which was launched in July 2020. Amazon IVS allows users to harness the power of Twitch’s live video streaming technology and spin up channels in minutes.” Prioritizing a dedicated global video network One reason Twitch has been able to keep up with a historic peak in demand throughout the pandemic is because of a dedicated global video network. Shear shared, “Thankfully we had the additional capacity in place to continue delivering a high-quality, interactive live streaming experience as our audience grew beyond even what we expected. We also further optimized video quality for reliability on available bandwidth, including offering only SD streaming options when public Internet infrastructure was particularly constrained in the early days of lockdowns.” Noted Hess, “Twitch has dealt with unique challenges, like managing live streams that jump from ten viewers to more than a million viewers in seconds. Solving these problems has resulted in rock solid video technology that now other customers can use too.” Building for the future There is no magic formula to account for Twitch’s enduring success, but the company’s unrivaled focus on live video experiences and technologies has been key to facilitating growth. “I think we’re still at the beginning of what you can do with live video. Amazon IVS is meant to let everyone else do what we got to do with Twitch, and make it easy to wire up live video,” said Shear. To learn more about building interactive live video experiences with Amazon IVS, visit: https://aws.amazon.com/ivs/

How Twitch Built the Global Live Streaming Network That Powers Amazon IVS

Cómo Twitch construyó la red global de transmisión en vivo que impulsa Amazon IVS

Comment Twitch a construit le réseau mondial de diffusion en direct qui alimente Amazon IVS

कैसे ट्विच ने ग्लोबल लाइव स्ट्रीमिंग नेटवर्क का निर्माण किया जो अमेज़ॅन आईवीएस को शक्ति देता है

Twitch が Amazon IVS を強化するグローバル ライブ ストリーミング ネットワークを構築した方法

Como o Twitch construiu a rede global de transmissão ao vivo que impulsiona o Amazon IVS

Cách Twitch xây dựng mạng phát trực tiếp toàn cầu tạo sức mạnh cho Amazon IVS

Twitch 如何构建支持 Amazon IVS 的全球直播流媒体网络

The Bitcoin blockchain is notorious for its slow transaction processing times, and it was this reality that led to the development of the first Layer-2 networks. Realizing that Bitcoin could never hope to reach the scale required to supplant fiat currency, its developer community hit upon the concept of offloading transactions to other networks, which can. But Bitcoin's Layer-2s can do much more than just speed up transaction processing times. They also enable decentralized finance, or DeFi, on the Bitcoin network, and they're paving the way for the creation of an ecosystem of innovative dApps that significantly enhance Bitcoin's utility. Growing Fast A recent report from the cryptocurrency exchange Bybit shows that Bitcoin's ecosystem has grown to encompass 74 Layer-2 networks, including sidechains, rollups and state channels, with the majority of them launching in the last year. And they're handling an increasing amount of Bitcoin's network traffic. With Bitcoin Layer-2s, transactions can be settled much faster and at much lower costs than is possible on the traditional Bitcoin network. They're gaining in popularity as a result. Rootstock, one of the oldest Bitcoin Layer-2s, has processed more than 13 million transactions in its lifetime, with 670,000 of them occurring in the last three months. Rootstock's appeal is not just its faster settlement times. The sidechain also acts as a base layer for Bitcoin-native decentralized applications. During that three-month period, more than 25 dApps have launched on Rootstock, giving users many different ways to put their Bitcoin to work so they can earn a passive income. In June, the popular decentralized exchange platform SushiSwap made its debut on Rootstock, enabling its community of more than 438,000 active monthly users to provide liquidity on the network that leverages the unparalleled security of Bitcoin's blockchain. More importantly, SushiSwap's users can now leverage BTC itself in DeFi applications. Solving Challenges Other prominent Bitcoin Layer-2s are also striving to boost liquidity in the Bitcoin ecosystem. For instance, Merlin Chain's Merlin DEX platform has seen its Bitmap and Rune token liquidity grow to more than $10 million. However, the rise of so many Bitcoin Layer-2s has created challenges around liquidity fragmentation, where digital assets and trading volumes are spread so thinly across multiple networks that they lead to higher trading costs, slippage, slower transaction processing times and reduced opportunities. Fortunately, more innovative Layer-2s are looking to solve this challenge. exSat is building what it likes to call a "docking layer" that aims to streamline interoperability between Bitcoin's L2 ecosystem, so they can interact seamlessly. It acts as a kind of bridge between Bitcoin and every other L2, so users can quickly and easily transfer assets across them. To do this, exSat has built a decentralized state data indexing platform that increases data availability on the Bitcoin network. It leverages RAM resources on the EOS blockchain as the foundation of this data availability layer, and utilizes a hybrid consensus -- Bitcoin's proof-of-work and its own, novel proof-of-stake -- to synchronize block data across Bitcoin and its ecosystem of Layer-2 networks. In this way, it enables Bitcoin itself to scale while uniting liquidity across every Layer-2. It's also EVM compatible, which means it can tap liquidity from Ethereum's vast DeFi ecosystem. Accelerating Innovation Fixing liquidity fragmentation will remove one of the key impediments to growth within Bitcoin's DeFi community, which continues to innovate at breakneck speed. This month, the interoperability protocol ZKM unveiled the newest Bitcoin Layer-2 on the block, called GOAT Network. Its major innovation is a decentralized sequencer model, which aims to counter growing fears of centralization within the L2 landscape. ZKM points out that the majority of Bitcoin L2s are controlled by their foundations. GOAT Network will instead be controlled by its community of sequence node operators, who are incentivized to secure its network with sustainable yield on their BTC collateral. It sees itself as the first truly decentralized Bitcoin Layer-2, and aims to foster the growth of a "dynamic ecosystem" of Bitcoin-native dApps. "GOAT Network's launch of a Bitcoin L2 is a powerful first step in ZKM's quest to unite the fragmented Web3 universe," said GOAT Network's Core Contributor Kevin Liu. Meanwhile, the crypto startup Hamilton has just announced the launch of the first tokenized U.S. Treasury bonds on Bitcoin Layer-2s like Stacks, Core and Build on Bitcoin. Hamilton CEO Mohamed Elkasstawi said that its tokenized Treasury bills will provide traditional financial institutions with a more efficient way to manage their treasuries, avoiding the inefficiencies of traditional finance. It represents one of the first instances of tokenized "real-world assets" landing on Bitcoin, and underscores the incredible pace of innovation that's breathing new life into the world's most valuable crypto asset. Don’t forget to like and share the story! Vested Interest Disclosure: This author is an independent contributor publishing via our business blogging program. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR. The Bitcoin blockchain is notorious for its slow transaction processing times, and it was this reality that led to the development of the first Layer-2 networks. Realizing that Bitcoin could never hope to reach the scale required to supplant fiat currency, its developer community hit upon the concept of offloading transactions to other networks, which can. But Bitcoin's Layer-2s can do much more than just speed up transaction processing times. They also enable decentralized finance, or DeFi, on the Bitcoin network, and they're paving the way for the creation of an ecosystem of innovative dApps that significantly enhance Bitcoin's utility. Growing Fast A recent report from the cryptocurrency exchange Bybit shows that Bitcoin's ecosystem has grown to encompass 74 Layer-2 networks, including sidechains, rollups and state channels, with the majority of them launching in the last year. And they're handling an increasing amount of Bitcoin's network traffic. report report With Bitcoin Layer-2s, transactions can be settled much faster and at much lower costs than is possible on the traditional Bitcoin network. They're gaining in popularity as a result. Rootstock , one of the oldest Bitcoin Layer-2s, has processed more than 13 million transactions in its lifetime, with 670,000 of them occurring in the last three months. Rootstock Rootstock processed processed Rootstock's appeal is not just its faster settlement times. The sidechain also acts as a base layer for Bitcoin-native decentralized applications. During that three-month period, more than 25 dApps have launched on Rootstock, giving users many different ways to put their Bitcoin to work so they can earn a passive income. In June, the popular decentralized exchange platform SushiSwap made its debut on Rootstock, enabling its community of more than 438,000 active monthly users to provide liquidity on the network that leverages the unparalleled security of Bitcoin's blockchain. More importantly, SushiSwap's users can now leverage BTC itself in DeFi applications. made its debut made its debut 438,000 active monthly users 438,000 active monthly users Solving Challenges Other prominent Bitcoin Layer-2s are also striving to boost liquidity in the Bitcoin ecosystem. For instance, Merlin Chain's Merlin DEX platform has seen its Bitmap and Rune token liquidity grow to more than $10 million. Merlin Chain's Merlin Chain's However, the rise of so many Bitcoin Layer-2s has created challenges around liquidity fragmentation, where digital assets and trading volumes are spread so thinly across multiple networks that they lead to higher trading costs, slippage, slower transaction processing times and reduced opportunities. Fortunately, more innovative Layer-2s are looking to solve this challenge. exSat is building what it likes to call a " docking layer " that aims to streamline interoperability between Bitcoin's L2 ecosystem, so they can interact seamlessly. It acts as a kind of bridge between Bitcoin and every other L2, so users can quickly and easily transfer assets across them. exSat exSat docking layer docking layer To do this, exSat has built a decentralized state data indexing platform that increases data availability on the Bitcoin network. It leverages RAM resources on the EOS blockchain as the foundation of this data availability layer, and utilizes a hybrid consensus -- Bitcoin's proof-of-work and its own, novel proof-of-stake -- to synchronize block data across Bitcoin and its ecosystem of Layer-2 networks. In this way, it enables Bitcoin itself to scale while uniting liquidity across every Layer-2. It's also EVM compatible, which means it can tap liquidity from Ethereum's vast DeFi ecosystem. built built Accelerating Innovation Fixing liquidity fragmentation will remove one of the key impediments to growth within Bitcoin's DeFi community, which continues to innovate at breakneck speed. This month, the interoperability protocol ZKM unveiled the newest Bitcoin Layer-2 on the block, called GOAT Network . Its major innovation is a decentralized sequencer model, which aims to counter growing fears of centralization within the L2 landscape. ZKM points out that the majority of Bitcoin L2s are controlled by their foundations. GOAT Network will instead be controlled by its community of sequence node operators, who are incentivized to secure its network with sustainable yield on their BTC collateral. It sees itself as the first truly decentralized Bitcoin Layer-2, and aims to foster the growth of a "dynamic ecosystem" of Bitcoin-native dApps. ZKM ZKM unveiled unveiled GOAT Network GOAT Network "GOAT Network's launch of a Bitcoin L2 is a powerful first step in ZKM's quest to unite the fragmented Web3 universe," said GOAT Network's Core Contributor Kevin Liu. Meanwhile, the crypto startup Hamilton has just announced the launch of the first tokenized U.S. Treasury bonds on Bitcoin Layer-2s like Stacks, Core and Build on Bitcoin. Hamilton CEO Mohamed Elkasstawi said that its tokenized Treasury bills will provide traditional financial institutions with a more efficient way to manage their treasuries, avoiding the inefficiencies of traditional finance. Hamilton Hamilton announced announced It represents one of the first instances of tokenized "real-world assets" landing on Bitcoin, and underscores the incredible pace of innovation that's breathing new life into the world's most valuable crypto asset. Don’t forget to like and share the story! Vested Interest Disclosure: This author is an independent contributor publishing via our business blogging program. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR. Vested Interest Disclosure: This author is an independent contributor publishing via our business blogging program . HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR. Vested Interest Disclosure: business blogging program business blogging program

How Bitcoin's Layer-2 Networks Are Transforming The World's Oldest Digital Asset

বিটকয়েনের লেয়ার-2 নেটওয়ার্কগুলি কীভাবে বিশ্বের প্রাচীনতম ডিজিটাল সম্পদকে রূপান্তরিত করছে

Wie Bitcoins Layer-2-Netzwerke das älteste digitale Asset der Welt verändern

Cómo las redes de capa 2 de Bitcoin están transformando el activo digital más antiguo del mundo

Comment les réseaux de couche 2 de Bitcoin transforment l'actif numérique le plus ancien au monde

बिटकॉइन के लेयर-2 नेटवर्क कैसे दुनिया की सबसे पुरानी डिजिटल संपत्ति को बदल रहे हैं

ビットコインのレイヤー2ネットワークが世界最古のデジタル資産をどう変えるのか

비트코인의 레이어-2 네트워크가 세계에서 가장 오래된 디지털 자산을 어떻게 변화시키고 있습니까?

Como as redes de camada 2 do Bitcoin estão transformando o ativo digital mais antigo do mundo

Как сети второго уровня Биткойна трансформируют старейший в мире цифровой актив

Bitcoin'in 2. Katman Ağları Dünyanın En Eski Dijital Varlığını Nasıl Dönüştürüyor?

Mạng lớp 2 của Bitcoin đang biến đổi tài sản kỹ thuật số lâu đời nhất thế giới như thế nào

比特币的第二层网络如何改变世界上最古老的数字资产

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