Will Every Piece of Media Enter the Internet as an NFT? Variant Fund Says Yes - Ep.317

Variant Fund is a venture capital firm that describes itself as “a first-check crypto fund investing in the ownership economy.” Jesse Walden and Li Jin, co-founders and general partners at Variant, join Unchained to discuss the ownership economy, issues with web2 and web3, NFTs, the future of work, and more. Highlights:
where Li and Jesse met and how their backgrounds as investors + founders led them to the crypto space
how Li’s investing niche, which she describes as the passion economy, ended up intersecting with crypto
why Li believes that web3 platforms will be better for creators than the current web2 ecosystem
why Jesse was so inspired by Bitcoin after working in the music industry for so many years
why Jesse believes that NFTs are the “port of entry” for the mainstream adoption of crypto
what other use-cases exist for NFTs outside of the JPEG or PNG meme (and why Jesse is so excited about music NFTs)
why Li believes that web3 tools can help fix the issues inherent to the “gig economy”
Li and Jesse respond to criticisms of web3 coming from Jack Dorsey and Moxie Marlinspike
how Variant Fund thinks about investing in crypto projects
what token allocation Variant Fund targets when investing in crypto projects
why mainstream platforms are experiencing backlash for integrating with NFTs and crypto
what trends in NFTs, DAOs, and the ownership economy Jesse and Li think will pop in 2022
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Pre-order the book, which you can do at bit.ly/cryptopians.

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In the email, include a pdf of your receipt + a screenshot of or a link to your social media post + the address to which you’d like me to send the book plate + the name of who you’d like me to dedicate the book plate to.

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Thank you to our sponsors!
Crypto.com: https://crypto.onelink.me/J9Lg/unconfirmedcardearnfeb2021          
Beefy Finance: https://beefy.finance  
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Episode links
 
Li Jin
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ljin18 
Substack: https://li.substack.com/

Li Jin on the creator economy The future of the creator economy
https://drive.google.com/file/u/1/d/1C3fBfPgWxf-zqezGlPFr7VXIetlHlnaZ/view 

https://twitter.com/ljin18/status/1454096370281943041 

What the creator economy is doing wrong
https://li.substack.com/p/legitimacy-lost 

How to fix the “gig” style economy for creators https://li.substack.com/p/the-creator-economy-is-in-crisis

How the creator economy could power universal basic income https://li.substack.com/p/the-case-for-universal-creative-income

What labor should look like in Web3 https://li.substack.com/p/a-labor-movement-for-the-platform

Building the middle class of the creator economy https://li.substack.com/p/building-the-middle-class-of-the


Other Web3 is the “golden age” of content
https://every.mirror.xyz/y_WLA-Tk3VF5uPqHi-glDLVVfHxLUbjXakRI7SMISas 

Transitioning to Web3 from a non-tech perspective
https://twitter.com/ljin18/status/1479111931977867275 


 
Jesse Walden
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jessewldn 
Website (no blogs since 2020): https://jessewalden.com/ 
Random Tweets DAOs https://twitter.com/jessewldn/status/1459014962207244290

https://twitter.com/jessewldn/status/1470406564582498315 

NFTs
https://twitter.com/jessewldn/status/1473641606951669767 

Music NFTs x Sound XYZ https://twitter.com/jessewldn/status/1471148257892044812

Commoditizing a compliment
https://twitter.com/jessewldn/status/1465713306363117578 


Writing NFTs make the internet ownable https://variant.mirror.xyz/T8kdtZRIgy_srXB5B06L8vBqFHYlEBcv6ae2zR6Y_eo

Product vs. Protocol https://variant.fund/writing/balance-product-protocol-web3

Leadership in the ownership economy
https://variant.fund/writing/leadership-in-the-ownership-economyscaling-decision 

How DeFi crosses the chasm https://variant.fund/writing/how-does-defi-cross-the-chasm

Crypto’s Business Model is Familiar. What Isn’t is Who Benefits
https://variant.fund/writing/cryptos-business-model-is-familiar.-what-isnt-is 

Narrative Economics
https://variant.fund/writing/narrative-economics 

Progressive decentralization https://variant.fund/writing/progressive-decentralization-a-playbook-for-building

Layers of blockchain computing https://variant.fund/writing/layers-not-eras-of-blockchain-computing


 
Variant Fund
Variant Fund Twitter https://twitter.com/variantfund

Variant Fund website https://variant.fund/

Writing: 
https://variant.fund/writing 

Mirror Blog (Feb 2021 article on NFTs)
https://variant.mirror.xyz/ 

Variant Fund + Atelier joining forces
https://variant.fund/writing/atelier-ventures-and-variant-fund-are-joining-forces 
https://techcrunch.com/2021/10/19/variant-debuts-a-new-110m-fund-for-crypto-startups-announces-li-jin-has-joined-as-a-general-partner/
Variant Fund team https://twitter.com/spencernoon/status/1450500555961507844



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Variant Fund is a venture capital firm that describes itself as “a first-check crypto fund investing in the ownership economy.” Jesse Walden and Li Jin, co-founders and general partners at Variant, join Unchained to discuss the ownership economy, issues with web2 and web3, NFTs, the future of work, and more. Highlights:

where Li and Jesse met and how their backgrounds as investors + founders led them to the crypto space how Li’s investing niche, which she describes as the passion economy, ended up intersecting with crypto why Li believes that web3 platforms will be better for creators than the current web2 ecosystem why Jesse was so inspired by Bitcoin after working in the music industry for so many years why Jesse believes that NFTs are the “port of entry” for the mainstream adoption of crypto what other use-cases exist for NFTs outside of the JPEG or PNG meme (and why Jesse is so excited about music NFTs) why Li believes that web3 tools can help fix the issues inherent to the “gig economy” Li and Jesse respond to criticisms of web3 coming from Jack Dorsey and Moxie Marlinspike how Variant Fund thinks about investing in crypto projects what token allocation Variant Fund targets when investing in crypto projects why mainstream platforms are experiencing backlash for integrating with NFTs and crypto what trends in NFTs, DAOs, and the ownership economy Jesse and Li think will pop in 2022

Get Access to Premium Content

Sign up for a premium Bulletin subscription!

For becoming a premium subscriber, you'll get access to:

a premium-only Discord group

premium-only interviews

the opportunity to ask questions

the chance to weigh in on guests for Unchained

and whatever other future offerings we add to the mix

The special launch price until February 14 $2.99/mo or $29.99/year. Starting on February 15, the price increases to $4.99/mo or $49.99/year.

Join now!

Get a Signed Book Plate!

Many of you have asked me how you can get a signed copy of the book. Here’s how:

Pre-order the book, which you can do at bit.ly/cryptopians.

Make a social media post about the book that includes the pre-order link, bit.ly/cryptoptians or to the book on any bookseller of your choice.

Send a copy of your receipt to [email protected] with the subject line, “signed book plate.”

In the email, include a pdf of your receipt + a screenshot of or a link to your social media post + the address to which you’d like me to send the book plate + the name of who you’d like me to dedicate the book plate to.

If you show a pre-order receipt that shows you bought more than one format of the book, such as an audiobook and a hardcover, you can get two signed book plates.

Finally, if you sign up for the Bulletin premium subscription plus do all the above to get a signed book plate, you’ll also receive a POAP.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Crypto.com: https://crypto.onelink.me/J9Lg/unconfirmedcardearnfeb2021           Beefy Finance: https://beefy.finance   Bosonic: https://bosonic.digital/
Alchemy Pay:  https://alchemypay.org

 

Episode links

 

Li Jin

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ljin18  Substack: https://li.substack.com/
Li Jin on the creator economy The future of the creator economy
https://drive.google.com/file/u/1/d/1C3fBfPgWxf-zqezGlPFr7VXIetlHlnaZ/view 
https://twitter.com/ljin18/status/1454096370281943041  What the creator economy is doing wrong
https://li.substack.com/p/legitimacy-lost  How to fix the “gig” style economy for creators https://li.substack.com/p/the-creator-economy-is-in-crisis How the creator economy could power universal basic income https://li.substack.com/p/the-case-for-universal-creative-income What labor should look like in Web3 https://li.substack.com/p/a-labor-movement-for-the-platform Building the middle class of the creator economy https://li.substack.com/p/building-the-middle-class-of-the Other Web3 is the “golden age” of content
https://every.mirror.xyz/y_WLA-Tk3VF5uPqHi-glDLVVfHxLUbjXakRI7SMISas  Transitioning to Web3 from a non-tech perspective
https://twitter.com/ljin18/status/1479111931977867275 

 

Jesse Walden

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jessewldn  Website (no blogs since 2020): https://jessewalden.com/  Random Tweets DAOs https://twitter.com/jessewldn/status/1459014962207244290
https://twitter.com/jessewldn/status/1470406564582498315  NFTs
https://twitter.com/jessewldn/status/1473641606951669767  Music NFTs x Sound XYZ https://twitter.com/jessewldn/status/1471148257892044812 Commoditizing a compliment
https://twitter.com/jessewldn/status/1465713306363117578  Writing NFTs make the internet ownable https://variant.mirror.xyz/T8kdtZRIgy_srXB5B06L8vBqFHYlEBcv6ae2zR6Y_eo Product vs. Protocol https://variant.fund/writing/balance-product-protocol-web3 Leadership in the ownership economy
https://variant.fund/writing/leadership-in-the-ownership-economyscaling-decision  How DeFi crosses the chasm https://variant.fund/writing/how-does-defi-cross-the-chasm Crypto’s Business Model is Familiar. What Isn’t is Who Benefits
https://variant.fund/writing/cryptos-business-model-is-familiar.-what-isnt-is  Narrative Economics
https://variant.fund/writing/narrative-economics  Progressive decentralization https://variant.fund/writing/progressive-decentralization-a-playbook-for-building Layers of blockchain computing https://variant.fund/writing/layers-not-eras-of-blockchain-computing

 

Variant Fund

Variant Fund Twitter https://twitter.com/variantfund Variant Fund website https://variant.fund/ Writing: 
https://variant.fund/writing  Mirror Blog (Feb 2021 article on NFTs)
https://variant.mirror.xyz/  Variant Fund + Atelier joining forces
https://variant.fund/writing/atelier-ventures-and-variant-fund-are-joining-forces  https://techcrunch.com/2021/10/19/variant-debuts-a-new-110m-fund-for-crypto-startups-announces-li-jin-has-joined-as-a-general-partner/ Variant Fund team https://twitter.com/spencernoon/status/1450500555961507844

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices