From Minnesota’s blockchain advocacy organization, host Brandon Ferdig sits down with guests to discuss their work in blockchain and Web3. These are Minnesotans pioneering this new industry through their companies, community development, thought leadership, art, and more. Come learn about the people behind this industry of tomorrow, one conversation at a time.
MN Blockchain Conversations
Blockchain OG David Johnston takes us on an enlightening journey, starting back in the early days of Ethereum being born out of Bitcoin and looking ahead to how smart contracts and cryptocurrency are laying the groundwork for an AI-integrated future. This author of the Dapps whitepaper shares his experience developing on Bitcoin, then Ethereum, and now his AI platform Morpheus (Mor.org).
While attending the Crypto Cities Summit on Roatan Island, Honduras, I sat down with Max Borders, author of The Social Singularity and Underthrow. We discussed how today’s technology doesn’t just change how we communicate or conduct finance. It’s having us restructure our societies altogether. The question is: Which path will we take in our restructure?
We go into the belly of the cybercrime beast, guided by a Minnesota police sergeant stepping up to take on these crime rings—and saving Minnesotans victimized by these frauds. Officer Jake Tuzinski of the Brooklyn Park Police Department shares how he started looking into cold cybercrime cases involving cryptocurrency. He explains these scams, who these scammers are, and—in some cases—what it’s been like corresponding with them. Finally, he talks about what it’s been like helping the victims—and what you can do to not become one.
Perhaps no other industry was as impacted by the election as cryptocurrency. To break down this impact, the election in general, and the world of government affairs, we spoke with Jason Frye, founder of Terrapin Strategy, a firm specializing in regulatory advocacy in the tech industry. From the Quantum Lex Studio, it’s Conversation #6.
Longtime EOS community member and now Head of Community Relations for the EOS Foundation, Brandon Lovejoy sat down with us for this episode of MNblockchain Conversations. EOS is an old-school blockchain with a legendary start (most money ever raised in an ICO), a well-publicized split (with the community taking over control from founders), and now, a hopeful future with the advent of new leadership and some groundbreaking projects on the platform. So, for some history of the crypto space, the story of one of its most storied blockchains, and a look at some cutting edge developments, here’s our conversation Brandon Lovejoy.
D’Narius’s unfettered ambition saw him rise up from homelessness to the CMO for the exciting startup, CornerMarket. Starting from the bottom in St. Cloud, MN, D’Narius ventured out to Chamber of Commerce meetings, booked Country Club speaking gigs, and then started engaging in community activism. Then came crypto… Enjoy this conversation about being proactive in life and about this new company in the crypto-retail space!
St. Cloud Financial Credit Union (SCFCU) is building a first-of-its-kind crypto custody platform. From the Quantum Lex Studio in Minneapolis, we sit down with SCFCU’s Exec. VP and Chief Lending Officer Chase Larson. “We’ve been leading edge with this,” he stated. Chase described the product and the process of building it: ► How it works, who holds the keys ► Working with the regulators ► The reception from the banking world and from their clients In all, Chase and SCFCU see this as preparing for the financial world to come. “We’re getting our core ready for the streaming of finance,” he said. Learn about the nuts and bolts of building the blockchain infrastructure right here in Minnesota for Episode #3 of “MNblockchain Conversations.”
“I wanted to capture the juxtaposition of being human—the emotional, the soulful—versus the analytical, the computer side of A.I.” From the Quantum Lex Studio in Minneapolis, it’s Episode #2 in our series of conversations with Minnesotans working in Web3. And this one offers an array of enlightening moments on the fields of A.I., blockchain, and other technologies (and how they work together). David Espindola is a Twin Cities author, consultant, and expert on technological integration. First, he shares his big picture view of various technologies’ effects on the world (and the world to come). This is the topic of his first book “The Exponential Era,” which highlights the overlapping and collaborative influence of eight particular technologies. “I talk about a potential future where not only can we produce abundance, but we can distribute that in a way that’s fair to everybody,” David says in this conversation. Then, we really open things up by zeroing in on the topic of his recent book, “Soulful: You in the Future of Artificial Intelligence.” Here, we discuss: ► The eye-opening big picture effects of A.I. ► How we might best integrate A.I. to maximize its benefits ► How technology’s deflationary effects are offset by monetary inflation ► What society needs to do to best address this technological revolution “We need to think of society as a united front,” David concludes. In all, this discussion offers a high-level view of nothing less than a world-shaping revolution of technologies on our doorstep. Enjoy our one-hour conversation with David Espindola!
Introducing: MNblockchain Conversations! This is a series where we go one-on-one with Minnesotans working in blockchain and Web3-related fields. In this first episode, from the Quantum Lex Studio in Minneapolis, host Brandon Ferdig sits down with Evergreen Miner co-founder Grant Cermak. Providing hardware for mining on the Chia blockchain, Grant’s company has been an instant success, selling many units and expanding into digital products. In addition to talking about his company, we talk blockchain technology and the industry today. Finally, we share a blast from the past: Brandon pulls up the old YouTube video of his interview with Grant 15 years ago. Back then, it was Brandon’s Minneapolis cable access program talking to Grant about his run for local office. This time, he speaks to Grant as a successful startup founder in Web3.