Science & Technology

Robert Leshner and Jesse Walden: Deep Dive on Decentralization

Published

6 years ago

June 10, 2020

Jesse Walden, a former a16z investment partner and Mediachain cofounder, and Robert Leshner, founder and CEO of Compound, do a “Deep Dive on Decentralization.” Walden starts with a playbook for progressive decentralization — the process by which crypto project creators build a useful product, create a community around that product, and then gradually hand over control of the maturing network to the community. This process is in keeping with the cooperative model of crypto networks, which drives rapid, compounding innovation through better alignment of incentives and open participation. Leshner follows with a case study of his experiences at Compound, an automated money market for crypto assets in which lenders and borrowers can come together to transact without the involvement of third parties. Compound, one of the first crypto projects to move through the full progressive decentralization model, built a thriving community of third-party application developers, who have set up shop on top of Compound’s smart-contract protocol. The Compound team has gradually brought this community further into the protocol’s inner workings; in the final stages before handoff to the community, the founding team made changes transparently, with greater reliance on the community’s input, and created a sandbox for experimentation to test governance mechanisms. Decentralizing “allows the protocol to live forever,” Leshner says, which fosters innovation because developers can trust the protocol with their businesses and livelihood.

Andreessen Horowitz’s Crypto Startup School brought together 45 participants from around the U.S. and overseas in a seven-week course to learn how to build crypto companies. Andreessen Horowitz is partnering with TechCrunch to release the online version of the course over the next few weeks.

Find more Crypto Startup School videos plus additional reading and info:

Up Next

Tom Preston-Werner with Chris Dixon: Building Companies and Developer Communities

Don't Miss

Tina Ferguson: Managing Distributed Workforces

15 Comments

Cythz

June 10, 2020 at 8:01 pm

Loved it

Reply
Rahul Mathur

June 21, 2020 at 5:15 am

This was great ????thank you very much!

Reply
- Arian Finnegan
  
  June 17, 2021 at 4:07 pm
  
  dont know if anyone cares but if you’re stoned like me during the covid times you can stream all the latest movies and series on instaflixxer. Been binge watching with my girlfriend recently =)
  
  Reply
- Kyrie Dustin
  
  June 17, 2021 at 4:18 pm
  
  @Arian Finnegan definitely, been watching on instaflixxer for years myself =)
  
  Reply
- Brody Emmitt
  
  June 17, 2021 at 4:18 pm
  
  @Arian Finnegan yea, I’ve been watching on InstaFlixxer for since december myself =)
  
  Reply
- Malachi Nova
  
  June 17, 2021 at 4:18 pm
  
  @Arian Finnegan Yea, been watching on instaflixxer for years myself 😀
  
  Reply
Nandit Mehra

August 30, 2020 at 9:19 am

great video on building an awesome decentralized product

Reply
mathis P

October 24, 2020 at 8:48 am

mmm… He didn’t actually answer what is their business model… does anyone know ?

Reply
Happy D

January 22, 2021 at 7:19 am

Give us free Compund Robert

Reply
Monopoly

January 29, 2021 at 2:55 pm

Thanks

Reply
Abhi Goel

May 16, 2021 at 10:51 pm

thank you!

Reply
Wetware Records

August 24, 2021 at 11:32 pm

We really love this video! Very inspiring. Especially for our team that’s working on decentralized social media daily.

We’d love to send you our whitepaper

Reply
prasad mahadik

September 30, 2021 at 6:56 am

Great videos! Are there going to be more of these videos?

Reply
Leonardo D Giuseppe

December 2, 2021 at 2:03 am

mi mind blow at 25.
essa aula é um grande passo para a humanidade. Amado, gratidao por todos seus ensimentos.
this class is a big step for humanity. Beloved, gratitude for all your feelings.

Reply
Daniel Ospina

January 3, 2022 at 3:20 pm

Very old fashioned thinking. No wonder they are a web2 VC

Reply

CNET

Meet Soft Flying Robots Inspired by Disney, Studio Ghibli and Pokemon

A team of researchers has demonstrated the role that floating robots inspired by Tinker Bell, Pokemon and Studio Ghibli might be able to play in our lives. 0:00 – The Benefits of Soft Floating Robots 0:36 – Solving the Safety Challenges of Human-Robot Interaction 1:25 – Overcoming the Uncanny Valley and Building Emotional Connections 2:55…

Published

22 hours ago

July 12, 2026

CYBER TECH TV

A team of researchers has demonstrated the role that floating robots inspired by Tinker Bell, Pokemon and Studio Ghibli might be able to play in our lives.

0:00 – The Benefits of Soft Floating Robots
0:36 – Solving the Safety Challenges of Human-Robot Interaction
1:25 – Overcoming the Uncanny Valley and Building Emotional Connections
2:55 – Existing Floating Robots and Future Possibilities

Add CNET as a trusted news source
Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉
Check out CNET’s Amazon Storefront:

Subscribe to CNET on YouTube:
Follow us on TikTok:
Follow us on Instagram:
Follow us on Bluesky:
Like us on Facebook:
CNET’s AI Atlas:
Follow us on X:
Visit CNET.com:

Science & Technology

When A Down Round Actually Saved a Startup

Down rounds carry a stigma, but they’re not always the end of a startup’s story. Charles Hudson of Precursor Ventures shares an example of a company that survived a difficult fundraising process involving a down round and investor-friendly terms. It wasn’t easy, but making the hard financing decision ultimately gave the company a chance to…

Published

2 days ago

July 11, 2026

CYBER TECH TV

Down rounds carry a stigma, but they’re not always the end of a startup’s story.

Charles Hudson of Precursor Ventures shares an example of a company that survived a difficult fundraising process involving a down round and investor-friendly terms. It wasn’t easy, but making the hard financing decision ultimately gave the company a chance to keep building.

For founders, the lesson is simple: The best fundraising outcome isn’t always the highest valuation — it’s the one that keeps your business alive.

Get more of Hudson’s advice in the latest Build Mode podcast episode wherever you prefer your pods.

CNET

The Ultimate Meal Kit Buyer’s Guide: Cheapest vs. Best Quality

Choosing the right meal kit can be tough, given the many budget, dietary and time-saving factors to consider. We break down premium, midtier and affordable services to help you pick the best subscription for your kitchen. 00:00 Intro to Meal Kits 00:37 Considering the Price and Budget Options 01:55 Premium and Mid-Range Meal Kit Services…

Published

2 days ago

July 11, 2026

CYBER TECH TV

00:00 Intro to Meal Kits
00:37 Considering the Price and Budget Options
01:55 Premium and Mid-Range Meal Kit Services
03:06 Navigating Dietary Restrictions
04:00 Pre-Prepared vs. Cook-Your-Own Ingredients
05:47 The Best Overall Meal Kit Recommendation

Add CNET as a trusted news source
Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉
Check out CNET’s Amazon Storefront:

Subscribe to CNET on YouTube:
Follow us on TikTok:
Follow us on Instagram:
Follow us on Bluesky:
Like us on Facebook:
CNET’s AI Atlas:
Follow us on X:
Visit CNET.com: