為什麼區塊鏈值得 All In? 十個全球創業者用親身經歷證明
作者：AJ Agrawal，Verma創始人
翻譯：八維資本研究院
新興領域的創業者們總是面臨著傳統創業者們不常面對的挑戰。在區塊鏈行業，這些挑戰包括市場教育，落地應用和全球監管這種外部因素。將一種全新的科技「推銷」給客戶就是一個巨大的挑戰。
區塊鏈技術正越來越成為主流：畢竟現在就連 Facebook 這種影響力巨大的企業都在近日發佈了數字貨幣Libra。今天，全球的創業者正在尋求分佈式賬本科技如何助力於最優化他們的商業形態。這引發了區塊鏈革命，根據 Marketwatch 的數據，到 2024 年這個行業的市場規模有望增長到 600 億美金。
本文我們要介紹的創始人和CEO們每天都專注於打造助力區塊鏈行業成長的公司和解決方案。而且，這都不是他們的第一次創業經歷。如果你是一個正在考量如何利用好區塊鏈技術的創業者，可以參考這些已經在這個行業有所建樹的創業者們。
1 阮宇博，八維資本
阮宇博是八維資本的創始合夥人，八維資本是一家在硅谷和北京都非常活躍的領先的區塊鏈投資機構。他已經在全球 5 個國家投資了超過 40 個公司，其中湧現出不少獨角獸。宇博也是 Skylight Investment 的聯合創始人，一個專注科技領域的早期投資基金，股東包含泰有基金和新東方集團。再之前，宇博創辦了兩家成功的企業，擁有 4 個全國技術專利，並且多次榮獲科技創新獎項。
2 Robert Küfner, Advanced Blockchain AG
Robert Küfner 是德國知名的區塊鏈引領者，他從 2010 年開始就活躍於這個領域。Robert 創辦了德國首個公開上市的區塊鏈公司，並在全球進行相關領域的研究、教育和技術發展。Advanced Blockchain AG 致力於為實體公司提供產業解決方案，而且近日被選到參加硅谷的德國加速器。於 DagChain 的 peaq.io 一起，Küfner 正在準備開啟一個區塊鏈領域的創新革命。
3 Jag Singh, Vid Camera
Vid Camera 是一個基於區塊鏈的社交媒體 app，能為用戶創造優質視頻，使其擁有數據自主權並且利用內存數據獲利。Vid 已經和擁有超過 2 億 5 千萬關注者的影響力大 V 建立合作，這些自媒體每天都在平臺上創造原創內容。Singh，作為 Vid 這個已經擁有 3000 萬＋美金淨利潤的公司的創辦者和掌舵人，有望成為下一代社交媒體的巨頭。
4 Ali Ayyash, Lumeos
Ali Ayyash 是曾在 Google 和 Amazon 工作過的頂尖軟件工程師。他設計和構造了許多基於以太坊的去中心化系統，併發布了他最新的平臺 Lumeos.io，一個基於 EOS 的數據分析平臺。Lumeos 創造了一個開放環境，讓用戶可以在被保護隱私的情況下管理自己的線上身份／人格並從中獲益。Lumeos 已經與 Cint，一家觀眾洞察交易所達成深度合作，Ayyash 希望能讓數以百萬計的用戶從他們的時間和發佈的內容中獲益。
5 Aries Wang, Bibox Digital Asset Exchange
Aries Wang 是一個連續創業者，也是區塊鏈領域的資深投資人。Aries 聯合創辦的 Bibox 數字資產交易所於 2017 年成立，現已成為擁有超過每天 2 億美金交易額的頂尖交易平臺。Bibox 為用戶提供金融產品，包括數字資產交易，融資融券，永續合約和債券。Aries 也是韓國最大的數字資產基金 BlockWater 的合夥人。他在 2018 年出版的書籍《Crypto Economy》，被許多著名院校的圖書館和包括德意志銀行在內的金融機構收錄。
6 Kyle Lu, Dapp.com
Kyle Lu 是 Dapp.com 的創始人和 CEO，這是全球最大的分佈式應用（dapp）的分發和分析平臺。Dapp.com 專注於通過創造用戶友好的入口和體驗激發區塊鏈的普及和應用。在 Dapp.com 之前，Lu 是 Achain 生態的合夥人和副總裁，在此期間他孵化了超過 10 個 Dapp，並且帶領公司成為全球市值排名前 80 的亞洲區塊鏈企業。作為 Dapp 的倡導者，Lu 還是 Hacknoon 的專欄作家，在區塊鏈應用和市場分析領域經常發聲。
7 Andrew Romans, 7 BC.VC
Andrew Romans 是著名的風險投資家，他已經成功的募集和管理過兩個專注新興科技的基金。他最近的一隻基金，7 BC.VC，投資了很多數字資產這一新興的高成長性資產類別。在做風投之前，Romans 是一個連續創業者，他在 28 歲的時候就為公司融資超過 4800 美金，他同時也是一個作家，最近出版了《Masters of Blockchain》一書。
8 Adam Jiwan, Spring Labs
剛完成 23oo 萬美金募集的基金，Spring Labs 正在利用區塊鏈技術重新定義信貸和數據身份。Spring Labs 的 CEO，Adam Jiwan 擁有 15 年的創辦金融科技公司的經驗，他曾經是 Avant 的種子投資人，也是 Future Finance 的聯合創始人，融資超過 3.25 億美金，還在包含 Goldman Sachs 和索羅斯基金等金融機構中擔任過高管。Spring Labs，作為一隻背景強大，行業經驗豐富的團隊，希望能夠改變數據被分享和觸達的方式。
9 Colin Pape, Presearch
連續創業者，Colin Pape 在 2011 年創辦了 ShopCity，這個公司在一個反壟斷的案件中和 Google 對簿公堂，這件事讓 ShopCity 上了頭條。這個經歷讓 Pape 明白，世界需要一個新的和改良的去中心化搜索引擎。這是 Presearch 誕生的原因。今天，公司有超過 100 萬通過使用平臺獲取獎勵的用戶。Presearch 社群希望能讓志趣相同的人被連接在一起，同時通過給予用戶全權的數據自主權，杜絕任何壟斷的傾向。
10 Gleb Nikitin, MetaHash
對於創業者來說，記錄下人們使用區塊鏈技術的不同方式可能對他們自己的創新會有所啟發，不管客戶的公司規模多大。
在 MetaHash 之前，Gleb Nitiin 創建了一個基於機器學習的廣告購買工具，可以即時的運行海量數據。2016 年，他的團隊開始研究區塊鏈，但沒有一個可以滿足他們用戶的商業需求，而且很慢很貴。這就是 MetaHash 出現的初心，讓區塊鏈從邊緣走向主流。利用在數據同步方面的專業能力，MetaHash 現今已經擁有可以在 3 秒內運行超過 500 萬 TPS 的交易的網絡，這個速率超過了 Visa 或 Mastercard。
對於創業者來說，記錄下人們使用區塊鏈技術的不同方式可能對他們自己的創新會有所啟發，不管客戶的公司規模多大。三年之前，我告訴過企業主們，應該思考如何把區塊鏈技術和自己的商業嫁接起來，他們當時認為我瘋了，而今天，這個建議已經被全球的創業者嚴肅的考慮並且積極的採納。
來源鏈接：www.entrepreneur.com
10 Entrepreneurs Who Are Showing Why Blockchain Is Here to Stay
Author：AJ Agrawal，Founder of Verma
Entrepreneurs in nascent industries often face challenges that seasoned entrepreneurs might not have. In the blockchain industry, these challenges have included education, adoption and external forces like global regulation. Just "selling" a new technology to clients can be a challenge.
But in the case of blockchain and crytocurrency, these challenges are less and less of a problem, as the technology has already become a mainstream phenomenon: Consider just the fact that a company as influential as Facebook has launched the digital currency Libra. Related: Facebook's Cryptocurrency: Everything We Know So Far
Today, in fact, entrepreneurs around the world are asking how distributed ledger technology can help optimize their businesses. This has led to a blockchain revolution, with experts predicting the industry will grow to $60 billion by 2024.
The following founders and CEO are entrepreneurs working day by day to build out companies and solutions that will help the blockchain industry grow. For most, this is not their first entrepreneurial endeavor, either. So, if you're an entrepreneur wondering what blockchain can do for you, consider what these entrepreneurs have already done in the blockchain sphere:
1. Yubo Ruan, 8 Decimal
Yubo Ruan is the founder of 8 Decimal Capital, one of the leading blockchain investment firms in Silicon Valley and Beijing. He invested in more than 40 companies across five countries with many unicorns. Yubo was the co-founder at Skylight Investment, an early-stage tech-investment firm, backed by Taiyou Fund and New Oriental. Previously, Yubo started two highly successful companies, held four national patents and won multiple tech innovation awards.
2. Robert Küfner, Advanced Blockchain AG
Robert Küfner is Germany’s best-known blockchain pioneer; he's been active in the space since 2010. He founded the country’s first publicly listed blockchain company and helps with research, education and development of the technology, globally. Advanced Blockchain AG builds real-world solutions for corporations and was recently selected to participate in the Silicon Valley chapter of the German Accelerator. With peaq.io’s DagChain, Küfner is preparing to usher in a new revolution of innovation in the blockchain space.
3. Jag Singh, Vid Camera
Vid.Camera is a blockchain-based social media app that empowers users to create beautiful videos, control their data and monetize their memories. Vid has already partnered with influencers with more than 250 million-plus followers; those individuals will be creating daily content on the platform. Having already founded and been at the helm of a company that grew to $30 million-plus in revenue before his successful exit, Singh, as CEO of Vid, is well positioned to take on the social media giants.
Related: The Most Important Blockchain Organizations You Should Know About
4. Ali Ayyash, Lumeos
Ali Ayyash is a leading software engineer who's worked at Google and Amazon. He has designed and built multiple decentralized systems on Ethereum and aunched his latest platform, Lumeos.io, a data analytics platform, on the EOS blockchain. Lumeos fosters an open forum environment that enables users to manage and monetize their online persona while ensuring their privacy. Having partnered with Cint, an Audience Insights Exchange, Ayyash aims to allow millions of users to generate income for their valued time and posts online.
5. Aries Wang, Bibox Digital Asset Exchange
Aries Wang is a serial entrepreneur and seasoned investor in the blockchain space. Founded in 2017, Wang's Bibox Digital Asset Exchange grew to be a top exchange averaging over $200 million dollars per day. Today, it provides users with financial products that include crypto trading, margin trading, perpetual contracts and bonds. Wang is also a partner at the largest digital asset fund of South Korea, BlockWater Capital. His 2018 book Crypto Economy, has been acquired by numerous college libraries and companies such as Deutsche Bank.
6. Kyle Lu, Dapp.com
Kyle Lu is the founder and CEO of Dapp.com, the world’s largest distribution and analytics platform for decentralized apps (dapps). The company focuses on facilitating blockchain use cases and adoption by creating easy access and entry to use dapps. Prior to Dapp.com, Lu incubated over 10 dapps for the Achain ecosystem as a partner and vice president and brought the Asian-based blockchain company to a global top 80 market cap. An evangelist for dapps, Lu is a writer at Hacknoon and a regular speaker on blockchain adoption and market analysis.
7. Andrew Romans, 7BC.VC
Andrew Romans is a well-known venture capitalist who has successfully raised and managed two funds focused on emerging technologies. His latest fund, 7BC.VC, includes a blockchain element and looks to invest heavily into the emerging asset class. Prior to venture capital, Romans was a serial entrepreneur who raised more than $48 million for his startups before the age of 28. He is also an author, with the recently released Masters of Blockchain.
8. Adam Jiwan, Spring Labs
Fresh off of a $23 million fund-raising effort, Spring Labs is using blockchain technology to reinvent credit and data identity. CEO Adam Jiwan brings 15 years' experience starting and building fintech companies. His track record includes working as a seed investor in Avant; as the co-founder of Future Finance, which raised more than $325 million; and as someone who's served in various high-finance positions at Goldman Sachs and Soros Fund Management. With this experience and a team with a similar caliber, Spring Labs looks to change how data is shared and accessed.
9. Colin Pape, Presearch
A serial entrepreneur, Colin Pape founded ShopCity in 2011, which made headlines when the company battled Google in an antitrust lawsuit. This experience led to Pape's realization that the world needs a new and reformed decentralized search engine. That's how Presearch was born. Today, the company has over a million users and rewards users for their search engine activity. The Presearch community helps align interests and avoid any monopolistic tendencies by giving users full control over how their data is used.
10. Gleb Nikitin, MetaHash
Before #MetaHash, Gleb Nitikin developed ad buying tools, based on machine learning, which could instantly process enormous amounts of data. In 2016, to address the clients’ requests, his team began researching various blockchains but none of them could match those clients' business needs, and were slow and expensive. That’s how #MetaHash came to be -- as a way to turn the blockchain's status from niche to one of mass adoption. With know-how in data synchronization, #MetaHash today has a running network which processes more than 50k TPS with less than three seconds for transactions -- a rate that exceeds what Visa or Mastercard need. In addition, it claims its fees are 100 times lower than that of any other blockchain.
For entrepreneurs, taking note of the unique ways these people are utiliziing blockchain technology may help inspire them to find new ways to innovate, no matter what the size of a client company.
Related: How Fintech Is Changing The World (And How Blockchain Is A Part Of This)
Three years ago, had I told a small business owner to think about how to incorporate blockchain into his or her business, that owner would have thought I was crazy. Today, the same statement is being taken seriously and being actively considered by entrepreneurs all over the world.
