[Slush 2023 Exclusive] Decoding Brand Building, Cracking the Code, with ⁠⁠Rahul Vohra⁠⁠, Co-Founder & CEO at ⁠⁠Superhuman

Sylve Chevet⁠ is Co-Founder & CEO at ⁠Hylé⁠, the core layer for the modular Zero-Knowledge stack, a secure, decentralised, censorship-resistant settlement layer for all ZK proofs (ZKPs). --- This is a 15 minute excerpt. If you want to get the full experience with the 55 minute episode on our newsletter Venture Notes, enjoy a 50% discount for 12 months by redeeming it on this link: https://venturenotes.substack.com/hyle --- Hylé, a French startup, is viewing the zero-knowledge proof space from a fresh angle. Hylé is tackling one of the most pressing challenges in blockchain: how to make zero-knowledge proofs more accessible, efficient, and scalable. Their approach is fascinating, they're building a modular blockchain infrastructure that specializes in verifying these proofs, potentially opening up a whole new world of applications. But Sylve isn't just here to talk tech specs. He brings a unique perspective on the broader implications of this technology. From bridging the gap between blockchain purists and mainstream adoption, to envisioning a future where cryptographic privacy is as ubiquitous and invisible as HTTPS, Sylve's insights challenge us to think bigger about the potential of zero-knowledge proofs. We'll be diving into the technical details of Hylé's approach, exploring emerging trends in ZKP adoption, and discussing the philosophical questions that arise as this technology matures. --- Learn more about Hylé, their story and their fundraises: https://medium.com/@hyle-eu/hylé-raises-3-4m-to-build-the-future-of-zk-proof-verification-cc366c71b4d6 https://en.thebigwhale.io/article-en/blockchain-firm-hyl-closes-2-6-million-financing-round https://www.theblock.co/post/294187/framework-ventures-leads-2-6-million-funding-round-for-zk-proof-verification-project-hyle https://journalducoin.com/defi/defi-hyle-leve-26-millions-de-dollars-blockchain https://cryptoast.fr/france-blockchain-hyle-cloture-tour-table-2-6-millions-dollars-revolutionner-zkp/ --- The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠upcoming.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠olivecapital.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rapha.elgrie.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raphael-grieco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠).

Sylve Chevet is Co-Founder & CEO at Hylé, the core layer for the modular Zero-Knowledge stack, a secure, decentralised, censorship-resistant settlement layer for all ZK proofs (ZKPs). Hylé, a French startup, is viewing the zero-knowledge proof space from a fresh angle. Hylé is tackling one of the most pressing challenges in blockchain: how to make zero-knowledge proofs more accessible, efficient, and scalable. Their approach is fascinating, they're building a modular blockchain infrastructure that specializes in verifying these proofs, potentially opening up a whole new world of applications. But Sylve isn't just here to talk tech specs. He brings a unique perspective on the broader implications of this technology. From bridging the gap between blockchain purists and mainstream adoption, to envisioning a future where cryptographic privacy is as ubiquitous and invisible as HTTPS, Sylve's insights challenge us to think bigger about the potential of zero-knowledge proofs. We'll be diving into the technical details of Hylé's approach, exploring emerging trends in ZKP adoption, and discussing the philosophical questions that arise as this technology matures. This is a 30 second teaser. While a 15 minute excerpt will be publish later today, the full episode (55 minutes) will be available to our subscribers on VentureNotes.co. - The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠upcoming.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠olivecapital.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rapha.elgrie.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raphael-grieco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠).

With Ilan Nabeth⁠⁠, PlayMakers Co-Founder and CEO. - This is an excerpt of the full episode available on our newsletter called "Venture Notes". Enjoy a LIFETIME 50% discount (45€ per annum instead of 90€) if you use this link https://upcomingvc.substack.com/playmakers - PlayMakers⁠ aims to redefine the traditional developer-player relationship by turning players into creators. This shift is a new market practice in the video game industry, where historically, players were consumers of content. With the rise of social media and player vocalization, studios now consider player engagement metrics as key performance indicators. Players contribute content, influencing game success and shaping the relationship dynamics. As games digitalize, players actively participate in game creation, offering new characters, stories, environments, and more. The advent of generative AI tools empowers players further. However, ethical questions arise, such as ownership of game success, decision-making authority, intellectual property rights, and income distribution. Balancing fairness and transparency is crucial to establishing a model that rewards creators while leveraging audience creativity to enhance games. Let’s deep dive in three parts into UGC, gaming and understand what PlayMakers is building in that space, together with our guest, ⁠Ilan Nabeth⁠, PlayMakers Co-Founder and CEO. - The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠upcoming.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠olivecapital.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rapha.elgrie.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raphael-grieco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠).

PlayMakers aims to redefine the traditional developer-player relationship by turning players into creators. This shift is a new market practice in the video game industry, where historically, players were consumers of content. With the rise of social media and player vocalization, studios now consider player engagement metrics as key performance indicators. Players contribute content, influencing game success and shaping the relationship dynamics. As games digitalize, players actively participate in game creation, offering new characters, stories, environments, and more. The advent of generative AI tools empowers players further. However, ethical questions arise, such as ownership of game success, decision-making authority, intellectual property rights, and income distribution. Balancing fairness and transparency is crucial to establishing a model that rewards creators while leveraging audience creativity to enhance games. Let’s deep dive in three parts into UGC, gaming and understand what PlayMakers is building in that space, together with our guest, Ilan Nabeth, PlayMakers Co-Founder and CEO. - The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠upcoming.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠olivecapital.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rapha.elgrie.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raphael-grieco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠).

Many catalysts are in place for the MINA ecosystem to flourish in 2024 and beyond. Back in April 2023, I recorded with Kurt Hemecker a ⁠Runway Series (venture capital, crypto/web3 podcast, runwayseries.co)⁠ episode about the ⁠Mina Foundation⁠ and how it serves the MINA Protocol. Learn why the tech is unique on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://apple.co/41aUQEP⁠ Spotify: ⁠https://spoti.fi/41dFyiH⁠ -- Big crypto announcement for the Swiss / Geneva #crypto ecosystem. The Mina Foundation, a major crypto Foundation which serves the #zeroknowledge MINA Protocol, becomes a Swiss Foundation 🇨🇭, as it officially relocates from the US to Switzerland.. And for once, not headquartered in Zug but in Geneva! A rare occurrence, when usually Zug takes the lion share in the country when it comes to crypto attractivity and headquarters. Taking a step back, I even think that it is a strong signal for the benefit of the European crypto market vs. the US. Read more (in 🇫🇷) from Joan Plancade for Bilan Magazine: https://lnkd.in/ecKCw3BV Also, Kurt Hemecker (ex-PayPal, ex-Libra/Diem) is promoted from COO to CEO, taking over from MINA Founder Evan Shapiro who becomes President of the MINA Foundation. In 2022, MINA has raised more than $90M for its unique zero-knowledge protocol, notably for its constant size... of only 22kb. But there is much more to learn from the thriving MINA ecosystem and protocol. As a global pre-seed web3 investor focusing 100% on ZK with Olive Capital, and based in Geneva, I am really excited by this news for our ecosystem and about what Mina is building. - The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠upcoming.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠olivecapital.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rapha.elgrie.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raphael-grieco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠).

Slush 2023 Exclusive! Cracking the Code: Decoding Brand Building with ⁠Rahul Vohra⁠, Co-Founder & CEO at ⁠Superhuman⁠. --- "BUILD YOUR BRAND" EBOOK! This episode comes up with a 9-page step-by-step framework (ebook in PDF) to build your brand as an early stage startup founder, whether you're building in web2 or web3, based on Rahul's experience building Superhuman, the fastest email experience. This ebook in PDF will be available for our paid subscribers on our newsletter "Venture Notes". End of year 2023 offer!! Get 50% off and pay €45 instead of €90 for 12 months. Redeem link:⁠https://upcomingvc.substack.com/superhuman⁠ --- Founders often grapple with the stark realities of building a brand, achieving product-market fit, and nowadays integrating AI into their products. Rahul Vohra (⁠⁠linkedin.com/in/rahulvohra⁠⁠), Co-Founder & CEO at Superhuman (⁠⁠superhuman.com⁠⁠), provides pragmatic answers to these critical questions. In a world where success is measured not just in innovation but in practical execution, Rahul shares his insights from Superhuman's journey. Get ready for a no-nonsense exploration of the challenges and strategies that define the intersection of technology, business, and user experience, where Rahul delves into the philosophy of product design, emphasizing the early importance of building a brand for growth. In this episode, Rahul guides startups on crafting their ideal, positioning, and brand attributes before delving into names. Drawing on Superhuman's success, Rahul highlights the symbiotic relationship between brand building and achieving product-market fit. He also explores the intricacies of growing a brand through press, thought leadership, influencers, and virality, sharing valuable advice on each. Whether you're building a brand, seeking product-market fit, or envisioning the future of technology, Rahul's perspectives offer invaluable guidance. Let’s get into the episode right now. - The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠upcoming.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠olivecapital.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rapha.elgrie.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raphael-grieco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠).

Slush 2023 Exclusive! Cracking the Code: Decoding Brand Building with Rahul Vohra, Co-Founder & CEO at Superhuman. --- "BUILD YOUR BRAND" EBOOK! This episode comes up with a 9-page step-by-step framework (ebook in PDF) to build your brand as an early stage startup founder, whether you're building in web2 or web3, based on Rahul's experience building Superhuman, the fastest email experience. This ebook in PDF will be available for our paid subscribers on our newsletter "Venture Notes". End of year 2023 offer!! Get 50% off and pay €45 instead of €90 for 12 months. Redeem link: https://upcomingvc.substack.com/superhuman --- In this upcoming episode, Rahul Vohra (linkedin.com/in/rahulvohra), Co-Founder & CEO at Superhuman (superhuman.com), shares invaluable guidance on building a brand for startups, emphasizing its pivotal role in achieving growth and product-market fit. He challenges conventional views on virality, stressing the unseen force of brand in fostering word-of-mouth growth. Rahul outlines key steps in brand development, from defining ideals to selecting a resonant name, drawing on his experience with Superhuman. Notably, he addresses the symbiotic relationship between brand building and finding product-market fit, advocating for their simultaneous pursuit. Additionally, Rahul provides pragmatic advice for web3 founders, emphasizing the importance of creating compelling product experiences. Regarding AI, he envisions a future where technology seamlessly integrates with human identity, transforming how we access and utilize vast amounts of data... Let's get into the episode. - The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠upcoming.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠olivecapital.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rapha.elgrie.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raphael-grieco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠).

Building the Access Control & Granular Governance Layer for web3, with Greg Jessner from Narval, Building the Platform and the Future of Digital Assets. I am really excited about this episode with ⁠⁠⁠⁠Greg Jessner⁠ Co-founder & CEO @ ⁠Narval⁠. --- This is free, 15min excerpt of the full-length episode published in our premium newsletter called Venture Notes (⁠⁠⁠⁠https://venturenotes.co⁠⁠⁠⁠). If you want to become a premium member and enjoy the full experience, grab until Dec 31, 2023 a special offer : 50% off, €45/year instead of €90/year, link to redeem ⁠https://upcomingvc.substack.com/narval⁠⁠ --- We’ve entered the third era of the internet, as Chris Dixon says, from a16z. An internet owned by the builders and the users. web3 that blockchain will create a true decentralized data layer, centered around three main characteristics, including organizations around digital assets. In the future, every organization will own and utilize digital assets, the same way that every organization owns and utilizes physical assets today. According to the crypto startup Narval, secure usage and access control is the game in the digital property era. Key storage is maturing, with significant advancements in MPC, smart wallets, and HSMs, resulting in multiple options for securing keys - via a custodian or self-custody or decentralized-custody - depending on an organization’s needs and use-cases. As key generation & storage decouples from the rest of the wallet stack, ⁠Narval⁠'s core innovation is a granular governance and orchestration layer over any key storage and custody model, designed from the ground up to enable precise usage & access control over digital property. In this episode, we welcome ⁠Greg Jessner Co-founder & CEO @ Narval⁠. With a recent announcement of a $4 million seed round led by BlockTower, Narval is accelerating on its journey to build the wallet management platform for organizations. In this episode we explore the ethical considerations of such control, the philosophical implications of ownership in the web3 era, and the delicate balance between decentralization and control. We'll also examine Narval's core innovations, the technical intricacies behind their security measures, and how their platform addresses the challenges faced by organizations in securely using their digital assets. Let's get into the episode right now. - The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠upcoming.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠olivecapital.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rapha.elgrie.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raphael-grieco.com⁠⁠⁠).

Building the Access Control & Granular Governance Layer for web3, with Greg Jessner from Narval, Building the Platform and the Future of Digital Assets. I am really excited about this episode with ⁠Greg Jessner Co-founder & CEO @ Narval. --- A free, 15min excerpt will be published on the main public streaming platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify..) in the next few days. --- Meanwhile, this is a trailer of the full-length episode to be published in our premium newsletter called Venture Notes (⁠⁠⁠https://venturenotes.co⁠⁠⁠). If you want to become a premium member and enjoy the full experience, grab until Dec 31, 2023 a special offer : 50% off, €45/year instead of €90/year, link to redeem https://upcomingvc.substack.com/narval⁠ --- We’ve entered the third era of the internet, as Chris Dixon says, from a16z. An internet owned by the builders and the users. web3 that blockchain will create a true decentralized data layer, centered around three main characteristics, including organizations around digital assets. In the future, every organization will own and utilize digital assets, the same way that every organization owns and utilizes physical assets today. According to the crypto startup Narval, secure usage and access control is the game in the digital property era. Key storage is maturing, with significant advancements in MPC, smart wallets, and HSMs, resulting in multiple options for securing keys - via a custodian or self-custody or decentralized-custody - depending on an organization’s needs and use-cases. As key generation & storage decouples from the rest of the wallet stack, Narval's core innovation is a granular governance and orchestration layer over any key storage and custody model, designed from the ground up to enable precise usage & access control over digital property. In this episode, we welcome Greg Jessner Co-founder & CEO @ Narval. With a recent announcement of a $4 million seed round led by BlockTower, Narval is accelerating on its journey to build the wallet management platform for organizations. In this episode we explore the ethical considerations of such control, the philosophical implications of ownership in the web3 era, and the delicate balance between decentralization and control. We'll also examine Narval's core innovations, the technical intricacies behind their security measures, and how their platform addresses the challenges faced by organizations in securely using their digital assets. Let's get into the episode right now. - The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠upcoming.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (⁠⁠⁠⁠olivecapital.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠rapha.elgrie.co⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠raphael-grieco.com⁠⁠).

Social Good, Crypto, Bridging the Digital Divide: Deep Dive into the UNICEF CryptoFund, at the intersection of Ethics, Finance, Technology. I am really excited about this episode with Sanna Bedi and Arun Maharajan from the UNICEF Venture Capital Fund and UNICEF CryptoFund that goes deep into how they tackle complex issues at the intersection of finance, ethics, and technology. This episode is an excerpt of the full-length episode you can discover in our premium newsletter called Venture Notes (⁠⁠https://venturenotes.co⁠⁠). If you want to become a premium member and enjoy the full experience, grab until Sep 30, 2023 a special offer : 50% off, €45/year instead of €90/year, link to redeem ⁠https://upcomingvc.substack.com/300923 - The UNICEF Venture Fund was launched in 2016 specifically designed to finance early stage, open source technology that can benefit children. In October 2019, UNICEF launched the CryptoFund, a new financial vehicle allowing UNICEF to receive, hold, and disburse cryptocurrency - a first for the UN. The CryptoFund is a pooled fund of bitcoin and ether and the investments made through the CryptoFund are denominated in crypto. In the context of the UN Venture Fund, cryptocurrency is an additional way for UNICEF to make investments into early-stage startups in emerging and developing economies. The CryptoFund is a prototype fund for UNICEF to explore the use of digital currencies, and what it means to operate in a digitally financed future. Sanna and Arun discuss reconciling financial returns with the ethical imperative of prioritizing children's well-being and address equitable distribution of technological benefits. The conversation explores promoting open-source solutions, inclusivity for women in tech, and striking a balance between short-term gains and long-term sustainability. Sanna and Arun provide an overview of the UN CryptoFund's alignment with UN goals and its project selection criteria and cover what they understand by successful projects and their impact, geographic focus, cryptocurrency funding, transparency, and the concept of digital public goods. The episode concludes with a glimpse into the future plans of these funds, offering a comprehensive overview of how unique this UN initiative is. In summary: Balancing financial returns with the ethical imperative for children's well-being. Equitable distribution of technological benefits and addressing the digital divide. Promotion of open-source solutions and implications for intellectual property. Fostering inclusivity and empowerment for women in the tech industry. Balancing short-term financial gains with long-term sustainability. Geographic focus, cryptocurrency funding, transparency, and future plans of the UN CryptoFund and Venture Capital Fund. Let's get into the episode right now. - The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠upcoming.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (⁠⁠⁠olivecapital.vc⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠rapha.elgrie.co⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠raphael-grieco.com⁠).