Web3 and the vision of the new version of the internet is creating waves of excitement in the world of tech today. But how close are we to actually achieving this future and is the excitement worth it? To discuss this, we have with us today Justin Wu the founder of the web3 community DCENTRAL who paints a picture of what web3 has in store for us.
1. Hi Justin! Thank you for your time. Before we start off, please introduce yourself and tell us more about the work you’ve done so far.
Hi! Thank you for having me on board. About myself, I am a growth hacker and a community builder for web3. I have a degree in Information Architecture where I was able to pile on a ton of experience in product development and growth hacking. As a growth hacker, I’ve helped brands generate over $3M on Kickstarter and also launched my own SaaS company.
In the blockchain space, my journey started back in 2015 when the industry was still in its infancy. I used my experience as a growth hacker to market, promote, and create communities for upcoming businesses in the industry. I worked closely with projects like Polygon, Immutable, and AirSwap. And of course, as you know, I soon helped create the DCENTRAL community along with many others like NFTCON, DAOSummit, DeFiSummit, and Seattle Devcon. I always believed that it is through communities that industries will grow and what I perpetually strive for is to build these communities centered around certain industries.
2. There are people who believe that it is too early to get excited about web3. As you’re working on a community bringing web3 together, what is your opinion on this?
The transition from web1 to web2 took nearly 15 years and web3 as we envision it is a technological mammoth that will definitely take time to unfold. That being said, the foundations for this new iteration of the internet are already laid. The common consensus about web3 is that it will be a decentralized, trustless version of the web managed by artificial intelligence.
Going by this definition, we can already see decentralization merged into technology with the advent of blockchain. Blockchain-based projects are actively shifting power dynamics and disrupting industries. We’ve seen it with finance, entertainment, art, gaming, and now social media applications as well. What could this be if not the beginning of web3 and strides towards the bigger picture? Web3 is actively being built as we speak and while it might take time, it is definitely the inevitable future.
3. What was your motivation behind starting something like DCENTRAL and what do you think is the importance of web3, blockchain, and NFT-focused conferences and communities?
The goal with DCENTRAL is quite straightforward. I wanted to create a community that could act as a catalyst and bring web3 to life. As I mentioned earlier, web3 is taking shape as we speak and it is a culmination of the blockchain, cryptocurrency, NFT, GameFi, and metaverse industries. All of these industries work individually in their own capacities to build web3 but I wanted to bring the whole of web3 together.
DCENTRAL as a community is a place where developers, users, and entrepreneurs involved in web3 can come together to discuss current developments, market their products, and have a focused vision towards web3. I believe communities like these are important to educate, create conversations, and connect people from across the globe for a common vision.
4. DCENTRAL is planning for an action-packed web3 summer. Can you walk us through some of the major events and what people can expect from DCENTRAL AUSTIN?
If you remember, our last year’s DCENTRAL Miami was a staggering success. But this year, I believe, we’re about to top it. DCENTRAL Austin is an official part of the Consensus festival this year and will be conducted as a kick-off event. But even before that, we have a 3-day NFTCON virtual conference that will have 50 speakers and 30 in-depth sessions about the developments in this NFT industry. This will be conducted from March 22nd to 24th.
Then in June, we have a 2-day DCENTRAL Austin conference in Austin, Texas. This conference will feature a line-up of ace industry players conducting conferences and sharing their present and future plans. After DCENTRAL Austin, the festivities of the Consensus festival will commence. Consensus is one of the biggest web3 events that will feature parties and events centered around celebrating progress in the crypto, blockchain, NFT, and metaverse industries. All of these events will have some of the biggest, most influential names of web3 in attendance.
So, our web3 summer plans are huge, and fingers crossed it will be a big success. People attending these conferences and events can expect nothing but the best. They can make industry connections like never before and learn a great amount from the experiences of the experts lined up for these events.
5. That sounds really exciting. Given that you’re going to have some of the most noteworthy names of the web3 and crypto industry in attendance, what do you think of the current state and developments in these industries? What possible future developments can be discussed?
The crypto and web3 industries have made a lot of progress from their inception and when compared to the historic growth of other industries, have achieved a lot in a short time-span. The projects emerging from this space are changing the course of the world and of course, their major influence can be felt in the realm of finance. That being said, there is always scope for development.
So, in this web3 summer, I am hopeful to see meaningful conversations and discussions about the future of this industry. We’re really looking forward to delving into NFTs for the virtual economy and their influence in the metaverse and also DeFi 2.0 projects for the global financial system.
6. Lastly, what advice do you have for investors and developers in web2 looking to make a transition to web3?
I’d like to say that the web3 space is waiting for them with open arms and opportunities like never before. While developers will have the opportunity to work with projects that will define this decade, investors will have the opportunity to capitalize on their growth. I believe the transition, if they make it, will be quite fruitful, with monumental learning and growth opportunities.