Excited to announce that starting today, I am the VP of Ecosystem Operations for Chia Network! (And as Gene likes to jokingly introduce me to people as, his “Winston Wolf”… I need to get that on a business card!)

A lot of you are probably thinking “oh cool!”. Others are also probably scratching your head asking “Wait, I know you dabble in crypto a bit but you a generally very reserved about it and this doesn’t sound like you to leave Gaming for it… and you would be right.

I think Crypto has a place and a purpose, one that is not currently fully realized by most things out there. You have probably heard me snark about Bitcoin Bros and how NFTs are essentially digital beanie babies. I still stand by those things. I’m here for the *blockchain* technology, not crypto value, and Chia’s blockchain technology and it’s potential *truly* excites me

I think the right blockchain technology, built the right way, and in the right hands, can honestly make major waves in the future of financial technology. Up until now however, there were some major hurdles in the way. Massively ecologically un-friendly power needs; the stigma owed to the majority of new contenders popping up being nothing more than a get rich quick scheme; the fact the space plays it fast and loose with financial regulations and the law at times; and the fact that only a few of them offer much more than a currency (smart contracts) and of those few, not many have found ways to truly be a viable platform that doesn’t cost a small fortune in tokens and power to leverage.

Chia, I think, is the first contender to really challenge all of that an establish themselves as a stable and respected player in the space as a true financial technology company. With an amazing engineering team made of some of the smartest people I have ever met guided by Bram Cohen; a platform powered by a relatively-green focus that shuns Proof of Work in favor of Proof of Space and Time; funding from dozens of the top VCs worldwide; a just close-enough relationship to the financial industry to be respected while also staying just far enough to be the disruptive force it needs to be; and a plan and vision for how to establish itself responsibly and ethically.

After following their progress for a while and farming myself, when they reached out to me to pluck me from the community they gave me one *hell* of a hard sell, and the the opportunity just seemed too exciting for me to really do something wild and different.

I’m really, REALLY excited about this opportunity and the work I will be doing!