Validated

Austin Federa
Validated

When it comes to blockchain, the thing people talk about most — the price — is actually the least interesting part. Crypto conversations are too often about who’s up and who’s down, what to buy and what to sell, and today’s drama on Twitter. Most conversations about crypto miss how it’s going to change ... everything. On VALIDATED, we’ll be talking to the people who are rethinking the internet — and our world. No hype cycles. No financial advice. Just conversations on the biggest ideas shaping the future of the internet. Web3 is complicated, but never boring.

  1. APR 15

    Engineering Agave for Solana's Next Chapter w/ Brennan Watt (Anza)

    In this episode, Austin speaks with Brennan Watt, VP of Core Engineering at Anza, about the evolution of Solana’s validator clients. The conversation centers on Agave, originally developed at Solana Labs and now, by Anza. Brennan offers perspective on the critical role validator clients play in overall network performance, recounting challenges encountered in 2022 and 2023 and the improvements that have shaped the current landscape. They dive deep on topics such as memory allocation optimizations, the development of the Agave scheduler, and the broader movement toward a multi-client ecosystem.  00:00 - Anza's Origin and Early Challenges with Solana 07:47 - Technical Debt and Development Philosophy 12:58 - Scheduler Innovations and Performance Enhancements 18:19 - Modular Codebase and Future Improvements 22:36 - Governance and Protocol Changes 24:50 - CU Limits and Performance 32:08 - Validator Client Collaboration 35:54 - Future Performance Goals 41:25 - Final Thoughts    DISCLAIMER The content herein is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, options, futures, or other derivatives related to securities in any jurisdiction, nor should not be relied upon as advice to buy, sell or hold any of the foregoing. This content is intended to be general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional advisor. Solana Foundation Foundation and its agents, advisors, council members, officers and employees (the “Foundation Parties”) make no representation or warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy of the information herein and expressly disclaims any and all liability that may be based on such information or any errors or omissions therein. The Foundation Parties shall have no liability whatsoever, under contract, tort, trust or otherwise, to any person arising from or related to the content or any use of the information contained herein by you or any of your representatives. All opinions expressed herein are the speakers’ own personal opinions and do not reflect the opinions of any entities.

    42 min
  2. APR 1

    How MegaETH's Node Specialization Enables Real-Time Applications w/ Lei Yang (MegaLabs)

    In this episode, Austin sits down with Lei Yang of MegaLabs to explore the architecture behind MegaETH and its unique approach to enabling real-time blockchain applications. By specializing node roles and optimizing for high-frequency transactions, MegaETH tackles technical challenges like network latency and state propagation head-on. The conversation also delves into data flow models and the practical implementation of a scalable, high-performance Ethereum Layer 2 solution—designed to outperform the speed limitations of traditional finance systems.    DISCLAIMER The content herein is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, options, futures, or other derivatives related to securities in any jurisdiction, nor should not be relied upon as advice to buy, sell or hold any of the foregoing. This content is intended to be general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional advisor. Solana Foundation Foundation and its agents, advisors, council members, officers and employees (the “Foundation Parties”) make no representation or warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy of the information herein and expressly disclaims any and all liability that may be based on such information or any errors or omissions therein. The Foundation Parties shall have no liability whatsoever, under contract, tort, trust or otherwise, to any person arising from or related to the content or any use of the information contained herein by you or any of your representatives. All opinions expressed herein are the speakers’ own personal opinions and do not reflect the opinions of any entities.

    49 min
  3. MAR 18

    The Aptos Roadmap w/ Avery Ching (Aptos Labs)

    In this episode, Austin chats with Avery Ching (Aptos Labs) about the latest developments and future vision for Aptos. Avery recounts his early involvement with Libra/Diem at Meta, his journey into the crypto space, and the technical challenges and solutions that Aptos is tackling. The episode dives into the architectural framework of Aptos, dynamic parallelism, and the concept of Shardines. Avery details the project’s aim to optimize scalability, latency, and cost-efficiency, while highlighting the innovative features with a focus on developer experience and real-world applications.    DISCLAIMER  The content herein is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, options, futures, or other derivatives related to securities in any jurisdiction, nor should not be relied upon as advice to buy, sell or hold any of the foregoing. This content is intended to be general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional advisor. Solana Foundation Foundation and its agents, advisors, council members, officers and employees (the “Foundation Parties”) make no representation or warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy of the information herein and expressly disclaims any and all liability that may be based on such information or any errors or omissions therein. The Foundation Parties shall have no liability whatsoever, under contract, tort, trust or otherwise, to any person arising from or related to the content or any use of the information contained herein by you or any of your representatives. All opinions expressed herein are the speakers’ own personal opinions and do not reflect the opinions of any entities.

    52 min
  4. MAR 4

    Is Social Trading Crypto's Next Big Thing? w/ Ilja Moisejevs and Richard Wu

    In this episode, Austin chats with Ilmoi and Richard Wu about Vector, a social trading app that combines elements of Robinhood and Twitter. They delve into the core functionality of Vector, its community-building strategies, and the sophisticated technical infrastructure underpinning its seamless experience. The discussion also addresses broader topics including the relationship between timing and PMF and the nuances of moderation policies in web3.    DISCLAIMER The content herein is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, options, futures, or other derivatives related to securities in any jurisdiction, nor should not be relied upon as advice to buy, sell or hold any of the foregoing. This content is intended to be general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional advisor. Solana Foundation Foundation and its agents, advisors, council members, officers and employees (the “Foundation Parties”) make no representation or warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy of the information herein and expressly disclaims any and all liability that may be based on such information or any errors or omissions therein. The Foundation Parties shall have no liability whatsoever, under contract, tort, trust or otherwise, to any person arising from or related to the content or any use of the information contained herein by you or any of your representatives. All opinions expressed herein are the speakers’ own personal opinions and do not reflect the opinions of any entities.

    41 min
  5. FEB 25

    Increase Bandwidth, Reduce Latency w/ Mateo Ward and Andrew McConnell (Malbec Labs)

    In this episode of Validated, Austin discusses his new venture DoubleZero with co-founders Andrew McConnell and Matteo Ward. They discuss the necessity of creating high-performance networking specifically tailored for blockchains, comparing it to the traditional internet and private networks. They delve into their backgrounds and how their experiences in telecom and high-frequency trading influence the development of Double Zero. This episode covers various technical topics including the limitations of the public internet, the importance of a purpose-built network, and how DoubleZero provides a decentralized, efficient, and secure connectivity for blockchain validators.    DISCLAIMER  The content herein is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, options, futures, or other derivatives related to securities in any jurisdiction, nor should not be relied upon as advice to buy, sell or hold any of the foregoing. This content is intended to be general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional advisor. Solana Foundation Foundation and its agents, advisors, council members, officers and employees (the “Foundation Parties”) make no representation or warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy of the information herein and expressly disclaims any and all liability that may be based on such information or any errors or omissions therein. The Foundation Parties shall have no liability whatsoever, under contract, tort, trust or otherwise, to any person arising from or related to the content or any use of the information contained herein by you or any of your representatives. All opinions expressed herein are the speakers’ own personal opinions and do not reflect the opinions of any entities.

    1 hr
  6. 12/03/2024

    Will Stablecoins and PayFi Replace Traditional Banking? w/ Anna Yuan (Perena)

    In this episode, Austin chats with Anna Yuan about the founding of QuineCo, the company behind Perena, a new protocol designed to support the liquidity, interoperability, and capital efficiency of stablecoins. The conversation covers the comprehensive value chain of stablecoins, the existing inefficiencies in current stablecoin ecosystems, and the potential transformative impact of "PayFi" on global finance. The discussion also touches on the regulatory landscape, the evolving role of stablecoins in traditional versus decentralized finance, and the future of payment systems and financial services in a more interconnected digital economy.    DISCLAIMER The content herein is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, options, futures, or other derivatives related to securities in any jurisdiction, nor should not be relied upon as advice to buy, sell or hold any of the foregoing. This content is intended to be general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional advisor. Solana Foundation Foundation and its agents, advisors, council members, officers and employees (the “Foundation Parties”) make no representation or warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy of the information herein and expressly disclaims any and all liability that may be based on such information or any errors or omissions therein. The Foundation Parties shall have no liability whatsoever, under contract, tort, trust or otherwise, to any person arising from or related to the content or any use of the information contained herein by you or any of your representatives. All opinions expressed herein are the speakers’ own personal opinions and do not reflect the opinions of any entities.

    45 min
  7. 11/12/2024

    Let's Make Solana Cypherpunk w/ Yannik Schrade (Arcium)

    In this episode, Austin chats with Yannik Schrade (Arcium) about the current state of zero knowledge technology. The conversation delves into various aspects of zero knowledge proofs, secure multi-party computation (MPC), and fully homomorphic encryption (FHE). Yannick explains the historical development of these technologies, their applications, and how they differentiate from traditional encryption methods. The discussion also covers challenges in the field, such as computation complexity and the need for hardware acceleration. Yannick introduces Arcium’s approach to confidential computing, emphasizing developer accessibility and practical implementation in DeFi and DePIN. The conversation also explores the potential future of these technologies, including the integration of AI and the vision of a global supercomputer for confidential computations. DISCLAIMER The content herein is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, options, futures, or other derivatives related to securities in any jurisdiction, nor should not be relied upon as advice to buy, sell or hold any of the foregoing. This content is intended to be general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional advisor. Solana Foundation Foundation and its agents, advisors, council members, officers and employees (the “Foundation Parties”) make no representation or warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy of the information herein and expressly disclaims any and all liability that may be based on such information or any errors or omissions therein. The Foundation Parties shall have no liability whatsoever, under contract, tort, trust or otherwise, to any person arising from or related to the content or any use of the information contained herein by you or any of your representatives. All opinions expressed herein are the speakers’ own personal opinions and do not reflect the opinions of any entities.

    40 min
4.9
out of 5
49 Ratings

About

When it comes to blockchain, the thing people talk about most — the price — is actually the least interesting part. Crypto conversations are too often about who’s up and who’s down, what to buy and what to sell, and today’s drama on Twitter. Most conversations about crypto miss how it’s going to change ... everything. On VALIDATED, we’ll be talking to the people who are rethinking the internet — and our world. No hype cycles. No financial advice. Just conversations on the biggest ideas shaping the future of the internet. Web3 is complicated, but never boring.

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