Permaweb Pioneers

Josh Benaron started building on Arweave back in 2021, the year when things went wild with NFTs, thanks to his work and many others optimizing or 'bundling' transactions. The number of uploads skyrocketed, and both speed an scalability increased immensely for the Arweave network. The introduction of 'bundling' sparked massive interest from Josh, and he went after it and built what became known as Bundlr.network. Bundlr (without the 'e') became the go to for uploading anything to Arweave. With a simple CLI for developers, platform creators, NFT artists, and more had access to Arweave (and extremely fast confirmations) like never before. 

We discuss the early stages of Bundlr, and also dive deep into the transformation of what is now Irys.xyz, the strong provenance layer for social media, audio, and you-name-it. It's an exciting journey and Josh is an open book. Enjoy!

Follow Josh @josh_benaron

Keep in touch with all things Arweave @OnlyArweave

We speak with Tiago, one of the Co-founders of the Fair Protocol. This protocol presents a promising solution to the problem of centralization in AI computation, offering a decentralized approach that can promote more significant equity, access, and transparency in the development and deployment of AI technology.

Tiago and his team have been building on Arweave from the very beginning. As three Co-founders who met in university, they form a tight-knit group on a mission. Fair Protocol provides the infrastructure for an entire marketplace of AI models. It operates on a pay-to-prompt model, enabling model creators to earn profits from their work while also maintaining integrity and decentralization. It's an engaging discussion with someone who deeply cares about AI and humanity.

Follow Tiago here @FairTferreira

Check out ArweaveHub.com and stay in the loop @OnlyArweave.

Ryan Soury, founder of Usher Labs, discusses his journey from participating in the Open Web Foundry to developing Usher and the Log Store Network. Usher Labs aims to build decentralized infrastructure for data management in Web3. Initially focused on referral systems with Usher, they found a gap in handling custom event data, which led to the creation of Logstore Network. This network opens doors for various use-cases like DeFi strategies and real-world asset management. Ryan highlights the potential for Log Store to revolutionize areas like advertising tools and DeFi by providing a trustless data layer, all on Arweave. 

Ryan is a clear speaker, with a great deal of patience while explaining complex topics. Enjoy!

Visit LogStore.
Follow @ryan_soury

Follow @OnlyArweave

Greg Ogun is a kind, thoughtful, and exceptional front-end developer with a keen eye for beautiful design. He emphasizes meticulous details often overlooked by others. Conversations with Greg are intriguing; he values time to distill concepts, ensuring usefulness and elegance in what's built. 

As the founder of Darwin Framework, he enables seamless creation of evolutionary apps on the Permaweb. We discuss his journey from retail work to blockchain front-end development, his openness and engaging speaking style. A full-circle moment for Greg, an avid Permaweb Pioneers listener who used episodes to acquaint himself with the ecosystem.

Check out Darwin.Arweave.dev

And follow @OnlyArweave

This episode features David Phelps, a thinker and doer to the nth degree. David is not only the founder of jokerace.xyz, he's also a prolific writer, exploring a massively wide range of topics from Bitcoin to personal life experiences and macro-economics. You can find his writing here. 

We discuss his entry into the blockchain space via Bitcoin and a wild story of a "friend-of-a-friend" who introduced him to Bitcoin. We traverse a number of topics, from what makes a community function well, to some existential questions about why Arweave matters and a potential path well into the future. 

We think you'll enjoy David's way of speaking, and his ability to weave topics that at first glance may not be connected.

Enjoy :)

Follow David on Twitter @divine_economy

Get the Arweave Community Hackathon details here: ArweaveHub.com

In this episode, we talk with a Co-founder of ArConnect, Marton Lederer. ArConnect is an Arweave native wallet that allows you to manage your $AR and much more. We discuss ArConnect's role as a gateway to the Permaweb, with a keen focus on UI and security. We dive into the details on the latest beta release and get into some of the design and architecture decisions that led to permission settings ArweaveKit integration, and more. 

We also hear about Marton's personal journey from high school to decentralized blockchain development, during the COVID-19 pandemic. It's an inspiring story of focus and being open to learning new things despite some challenging circumstances around the world. 

Find out more about ArConnect at ArConnect.io

And be sure to follow @onlyarweave for all things Arweave.

ArweaveHub.com

Othent enables easy logins and wallet generation for Arweave transactions. By utilizing familiar social logins like Gmail, there's no need to download browser extensions or go through complex processes. 

Lorimer Jenkins, the founder of Othent and a builder at Community Labs, has been immersed in the world of blockchain practically his entire life. We discuss his childhood conversations about Bitcoin with his father, and the impact that these experiences have had on his career transitions, from acting and drama, to becoming a blockchain developer.

This episode was a lot of fun - Lorimer is a great speaker with an interesting upbringing and an amazing amount of determination. We dive into his initial crypto story, and his logic on why he has decided to build on Arweave. 

Follow Lorimer @lorimer_jenkins

And of course, keep in the loop with @onlyarweave for all things Arweave related. 

Get an inside look into Vincent's career path, as he takes us through his work experience with startups from Silicon Valley to Europe, and how these adventures led him to the world of blockchain. Vincent shares why he thinks being serious all the time isn't the path forward - we need more fun! 0x3.Studio puts playful language within powerful concepts and products, and it works.

We dig deep into the concept behind JellyBots NFT, an innovative project that uses digital tokens to unlock access to a suite of apps built by 0x3.Studio. Vincent explains how their project differs from others, by providing real value with utility at its core.

We also explore products like IRON Drive, a decentralized storage solution that works a bit like Dropbox but with a crucial difference: you pay just once for access. This reflects their commitment to providing sustainable, customer-first experiences.

We discuss SOLID, a platform set to revolutionize content publishing on Arweave. And we delve into other intriguing projects such as Hotmint, a tool for real-time analysis of NFT projects, and Tap.xyz, a platform for searching .eth domains.

Vincent and the team at 0x3.Studio have an amazing eye for design and product. It's great to have them as part of the Arweave ecosystem!

Be sure to follow the project @0x3studio

And of course, follow @onlyarweave for all things Arweave related. 

In this episode, we explore the STAMP Protocol with Tom Wilson, the creator of PermaPages and Permanotes. STAMPS, or Signature Timestamp And Metadata Protocol, introduces a universal approach to content curation, similar to 'like' buttons but with a tradable reward system for creators and of course all on the Permaweb. Tom is an inventor through and through, and this conversation was a lot of fun because of that!

Tom walks us through the core components of a STAMP, including the signer, data-source, and timestamp, highlighting how they contribute to the protocol's functionality. He emphasizes the community-based and open-source nature of STAMPS, fostering collaboration and widespread adoption.

A key highlight is the reward component, where creators receive tradable STAMP tokens based on the popularity of their content on the permaweb. Tom explains the mechanics of the reward cycle, outlining how qualified wallets are rewarded with STAMP tokens and their tradeability using Verto Flex and Approve/TransferFrom mechanisms.

We discuss the potential use cases and benefits of the STAMP Protocol for creators, developers, and users in the contentFi ecosystem, emphasizing its scalability and opportunities for content curation. The content blockchain that is Arweave is an ideal pairing for the STAMP protocol!

Follow @rakis_me to stay up to date with Tom.

Also, follow @onlyarweave for all things Arweave and Permaweb related.

It's a big commitment to leave one's full-time position, and that's the story of one of the co-founders of Capsl8 after realizing the importance of archiving vital data permanently. Co-founders Sahil and Pete are on a mission to enable super easy archiving of data, while also creating communities around important topics to facilitate the use of Arweave. 

"Information wants to be free - so join us in preserving humanity's most valuable data for future generations." Their site at Capsl8.com clearly illustrates their mission of preserving vital data permanently. 

Their first foray was to archive 50,000 public domain books, and they are already well on their way to achieving that goal with over 12,000 archived pieces of content via Project Gutenberg, which offers thousands of free ebooks. The Capsl8 team utilizes standards like ANS-110, which allows for better discoverability of content, and they're also working on an index and search feature. If you have a look at their site, you'll see the opportunity to sign their "Open Letter," which is dedicated to the preservation of vital content via the Permaweb.

Be sure to follow the project @capsleight

And of course, follow @onlyarweave for all things Arweave related. 

The Indexing Company provides simple and tailored data access that enables faster build times and cost savings for infrastructure and engineering. It is stored on the Permaweb, ensuring the data is secure and permanent. In this discussion, we delve into the world of composable datasets. These datasets can be curated and re-articulated over and over again to achieve extraordinary data access for super niche use-cases. The Indexing Company's technology opens up a frontier full of new business models. In the near future, we may see datasets shared by builders, similar to influencers sharing products they like today. 

We explore the various experiments and first examples of the power of The Indexing Company's technology, including mirrormirror.page and a few others. These initial web experiences show the potential of how one's own perspective can shine through massive datasets to enable hyper-focused emphases. With so many raw datasets closed off and nearly inaccessible, The Indexing Co is making strides in creating a more composable and approachable set of infrastructure. 

Be sure to follow @indexingco on Twitter, and @onlyarweave for all things Arweave-related.

In this conversation, we speak with Reffo, the co-founder of ECHO. We explore the origin story of ECHO and why this commenting protocol may enable the next important step in NFTs as we know it (comments and engagement as NFTs and communities!). 

What started out as a wild ride in the world of NFT trading has progressed into what is now known as 0xEcho. ECHO is a decentralized social engagement protocol that's designed to promote free and open communication in the Web3 ecosystem. By providing a simple comment widget that any website can use, ECHO makes it easy for individuals to share their thoughts and connect with others in a permanent and simple way.

What makes ECHO extraordinary is its commitment to permanent data storage for all comments. Unlike other commenting systems that may delete comments or alter them over time, ECHO ensures that every comment remains accessible and unchangeable, creating a valuable archive of user-generated content that can benefit our digital civilization. 

Be sure and give Echo a go here: 0xEcho.com

And of course, follow @OnlyArweave on twitter for all things Arweave. 

In this episode, we dive into the world of decentralized and privacy-preserving personalization with the founders of FirstBatch, Ömer and Kerim Kaya. They discuss the creation of their SmartWeave-based similarity search engine, DANNY, and their key-value database, HollowDB, which utilizes zero-knowledge proofs to provide privacy protected storage. There was so much to discuss as they are building something massively new and audacious.

We explore the potential implications of their work for the future of blockchain technology and decentralized data storage, as well as their plans for the future, including building AI pipelines for persona generation and content matching with interest graphs. FirstBatch is off to an impressive start in the Arweave ecosystem, already with two product launches and several partnerships in the works. 

Check out FirstBatch.xyz and give it a go!
Follow @firstbatchxyz_

And as always, follow @OnlyArweave for all things Arweave related. 

It's rare to come across founders that are family members, too. In this case, Nick and Vince are brothers and the founders of alex.arweave.dev. Alex. is a decentralized archival platform that leverages the immutable and permanent data storage of Arweave to preserve important digital artifacts. 

Forward Research [https://forward.arweave.dev] has been an important ally as the protocol that is Alex. continues to be more fully featured and intuitive to use. The brother duo (Nick & Vince) are working around the clock to delivery new opportutnies for pool operators and more. In this conversation we talk about what it's like to build in a decentralized ecosystem (when you come from a more corporate background), the coming and likely surpassed millionth digital artifact created on Alex., and so much more. 

It's a profound episode with notes of fundamental importance for the history and future of both our digital and physical civilization. Archiving important information is becoming increasingly important, and this team is leading the charge.

Follow @onlyarweave for all things Arweave related. 

Hibiscus.tech is on a mission to make the garment industry more accessible, transparent, and equitable for all of the creators involved - from manufacturing to textile design and more. Founders Vishnu G. Kumar and Jeremy Karl are leading the way with their love of fashion and their deep appreciation for all individuals involved in the process of making beautiful clothing and more. We had a fascinating conversation, covering their backgrounds in both fashion and tech, working with major brands and "influencers", and the massive need for change in an industry that has so much room to improve upon. 

Hibiscus' focus is to build a decentralized, community-curated apparel brand and create "Fashion Legos," an open-source garment library for apparel production. The traditional business model of maximizing profit by minimizing returns to stakeholders leads to exploitation of manufacturers, designers, and the environment. Hibiscus DAO aims to return power and ownership to creators and producers and verify that products are made ethically. The company plans to use consensus-driven blockchain technology to achieve this goal, of course storing all of it on Arweave. Enjoy this thought-provoking episode.

Be sure and follow Hibiscus on Twitter @hibiscusdao

And follow @onlyarweave for all things Arweave related.

Databases are the workhorses behind everything we interact with on the web, and in this episode we dive deep into WeaveDB - a NoSQL database as a smart contract. While that is quite the combination of words for those unfamiliar with databases, we go through the basics and build from there.  

In short, SQL databases are similar to spreadsheets in design - you have to reference columns and cells and relate the database in that type of format. This isn't always ideal when handling "unstructured data" like images and videos which may not fit well into this table structure. NoSQL databases thrive on unstructured data and can process massive amounts of data very efficiently - especially important when scaling up operations with servers located all over the world. 

WeaveDB levels up the whole game of NoSQL by being built with Arweave and leveraging Smart Contracts to manage data indexes and more. The team has already built out their own language with a massive course to learn how to utilize this database to it's full potential. 

Learn more about WeaveDB at https://weavedb.dev/

And of course, follow @onlyarweave for all things Arweave and Permaweb related :)

Speaking with Sam Williams, Founder of Arweave protocol is always full of energy, ideas, and a great sense of purpose. In this episode, we explore some of the emotional side of the process of building a community, along with some great stories on invention and perseverance. It really is a fun episode with a mix of tactics and wild imaginative landscapes of what may become in the years to come and what is intriguing and top of mind for builders to create from Sam's perspective. 

Sam speaks to the topic of both ecosystem decentralization and protocol decentralization with the upcoming Arweave 2.6 and more. We dive into the topic of "inventors", along with Sam's ideal "meeting" (let's just say it's not a typical style).

There is so much happening in the ecosystem, it really is inspiring to reflect a bit on where Arweave started and what it has become today - we touch on this and get some of Sam's thoughts on the process and tips for builders looking to start the next big thing on the Permaweb. 

Enjoy this ride as we traverse topics and travel through Sam's mind a bit in this conversation. 

Follow the Arweave Ecosystem on Twitter: @ArweaveEco
And keep in the loop with @onlyarweave

Hansa.network invests, incubates, and accelerates networks that power the future of open societies on web3. We speak with Hansa Founder Anthony Ryan and explore his philosophies on investing, vision for Arweave, and what's to come for 2023. This conversation explores ideological frameworks, to practical takes on what is happening in our digital civilization and what Hansa is doing to create a more prosperous and equitable future. 

With name origins from the Hanseatic League from around the 13th century, there is an emphasis on creating strong connections between the founders Hansa invests in - creating alignment mechanisms for all involved. 

Hansa appears to be ramping up their Arweave investments on all fronts, and a soon to be released Accelerator will further this mission. Anthony has a kind demeanor with a focus on what may become our civilizations greatest asset -> and open society. We speak to the topic of "sponsoring" abundance and what a world may/will look like where the Permaweb shines as the grand "data lake" that is accessible to all. 

It's an inspiring conversation, with great one liners that will keep you thinking well beyond the episode itself. On that note, be sure to have a look at their site and be in touch, they are always open to conversations: Hansa.network

Follow @OnlyArweave on Twitter for all things Arweave related. 
 

Permafacts is building the world's first provably neutral journal on Arweave. We discuss Founder Justin Shaw's background in the insurance, his composable-first development process, and his vision for what may become the standard for fact checking and high quality journalism, reporting, and more. 

Justin's story is both extraordinary and surprisingly common within the Arweave community - it started with a concept shared openly and has become a fully fledged product currently in ALPHA at the time of the recording. He's gone on to become a Founder In Residence with Forward Research and has sparked a whole new world of assertion-based journalism.

It's always great to hear about new developers to the ecosystem share their experience - via Justin, "what I've noticed about Arweave is it's the least drama and the most how do we work together to build things?". It's great to have another builder that represents the ethos of openness and integrity. 

Tech stack: 
Account Protocol (Metaweave) 
Stamps Protocol 
React
ArConnect

Be sure and check out Permafacts.Arweave.dev and follow @OnlyArweave for all things Arweave related!

With a mission of blurring the line between web2 and web3, EXM.dev has already made strides by making easy-to-use developer tools to connect with the Permaweb. Adding layers of abstraction can go a long way in the onboarding process for many things, and that is also the case for EXM - devs don't even need to interact directly with a wallet or any crypto. A builder looking to use EXM doesn't even need to know how to create a smart contract, once again demonstrating the elegance of what this platform is going for - simplicity and accessibility. 

Born in Venezuela, Andres Pirela is the first 'Founder' via Community Labs - an Arweave focused venture studio. You can hear his enthusiasm and dedication to this project as a means to unlock blockchain development for just about any developer. It may prove to be an important tactic to enable growth of the Permaweb and Arweave. Andres first collaborated on Verto.exchange, then 3em.dev, and now of course EXM. While it's an audacious project, Andres is committed to seeing it through and the developer community reaping the benefits. 

Keep in the loop with EXM on Twitter @exmbuild

Follow @onlyarweave for all things Arweave!