The Colosseum Podcast
by Colosseum
Founder stories from inside the crypto arena.
Podcast episodes
The Colosseum Podcast | Episode 3 with Proph3t of MetaDAO
Episode 3: Proph3t - MetaDAO In this episode of the Colosseum Podcast, host Chase Barker welcomes Prophet, Founder of MetaDAO, a groundbreaking project aimed at rethinking how governance is executed in the blockchain ecosystem. The conversation dives into the unique concept of Futarchy and how MetaDAO aims to replace traditional governance token voting with decision markets, the new Launchpad platform and its first project with mtnDAO, his experiences as a first-time founder, the challenges of gaining investor attention, and the importance of building a supportive community around innovative ideas. Key Insights: [00:02:06] Founder Experience & Challenges: Proph3t shares his journey as a first-time founder, transitioning from engineering to leading MetaDAO, securing backing from Paradigm and Colosseum, and how hiring was also a learning curve. [00:14:38] MetaDAO’s Launchpad & mtnDAO: as First Project MetaDAO’s Launchpad introduces a new model for rug-resistant capital formation, where funds raised are governed by the community instead of a centralized team. mtnDAO is the first project to use the platform, launching a Futarchy-governed investment fund where token holders vote on investments through prediction markets. [00:27:32] The Potential Impact of Futarchy: Futarchy replaces traditional token-based governance with decision markets, where markets determine the best course of action rather than voters. Proph3t sees this as a step toward rational decision-making for institutions that could become the standard model for decentralized capital formation and governance. [00:43:46] Advice for Aspiring Blockchain Founders: For new founders, Proph3t emphasizes the importance of finding the right co-founder and spending significant time on hiring early and engaging with the Solana developer community and prominent founders. Proph3t is the founder of MetaDAO, a pioneering governance platform on Solana that implements Futarchy-based decision-making. Before founding MetaDAO, he was a software engineer with a deep interest in decentralized governance, economic theory, and blockchain infrastructure, and has become a vocal advocate for rational decision-making in blockchain governance, frequently engaging with the Solana developer community. Proph3t - @metaproph3t Chase Barker is the host of The Colosseum Podcast, where he interviews founders and innovators in the Solana ecosystem. Chase has a keen interest in the growth of the Solana ecosystem, particularly in supporting and understanding the journeys of founders and startups, and combines his technical knowledge with a focus on the human side of entrepreneurship. Chase Barker - @therealchaseeb All builders signed up for the Colosseum platform will get notified about new episodes through email. However, we would appreciate it if you subscribe to our YouTube channel and RSS feed as well.
The Colosseum Podcast | Episode 2 with Hardhat Chad of Ore
In this episode of the Colosseum podcast, Chase sits down with Hardhat Chad, the founder of Ore, a project that brings "digital gold" to Solana. Chad shares the unique challenges and triumphs of building a Bitcoin-inspired protocol on a proof-of-stake chain, the strategic decisions behind choosing Solana, the impact of Ore's launch on Solana's network congestion, and the importance of community building in a crowded crypto space. Chad also reflects on his personal journey as a creator and entrepreneur, discussing the balance between ambition and practicality in startup life. He notes the necessity of staying connected with the community, and managing the responsibilities that come with being a founder. Key Insights: [01:45] Building vs. Bridging: Hardhat Chad discusses the rationale behind building Ore natively on Solana rather than bridging Bitcoin, citing concerns about bridge security, liquidity fragmentation, and limited DeFi integration with wrapped Bitcoin. [07:31] Network Congestion: Chad recounts the launch period for Ore, the network congestion resulting from high demand, and the decision to pause the mining process to re-evaluate their approach. [10:49] Community Building: Chad highlights the importance of community engagement in the crypto space, detailing the grassroots marketing strategies that helped grow Ore's user base. [14:45] Fair Launch and Fundraising: Chad details the complexities of raising capital for Ore, explaining the delicate balancing act required between maintaining a fair launch model and meeting investor expectations. [29:38] Founder Challenges: The conversation shifts to the broader challenges of being a founder, including balancing work and personal life, managing the constant influx of demands, and making difficult decisions about project viability. [35:02] Chad wraps up the conversation with advice for aspiring founders, emphasizing the importance of thorough market research, validating ideas with potential users, building a strong team, and choosing projects that align with one's passions and unique skills. Hardhat Chad - @HardhatChad Additional Resources: https://ore.supply/ Ore - @OREsupply Regolith Labs - @RegolithLabs The Mom Test MetaDAO Zeus Colosseum Accelerator Neil Shahani - @neil_shahani Jacob Creech - @jacobvcreech Matty Tay - @mattytay
