In this episode of The Smart Economy Podcast, host Dylan Grabowski is joined by Mirza Uddin, head of business development at Injective, a blockchain-based platform building infrastructure for DeFi, aiming to enable truly open, permissionless, and interoperable financial systems. Together, they sat down for an insightful conversation about long-term thinking in crypto, creative inspiration from anime, the rise of decentralized finance infrastructure, and how Injective achieved true product-market fit.
What you’ll learn:
- How creative outlets like sci-fi and anime can inspire innovative blockchain solutions
- Why sustainable blockchain projects need decades of commitment rather than quick wins
- The strategic advantages of building on both Cosmos SDK and EVM technology stacks
- How Injective achieved 54.7M staked tokens through community-focused development
- Why traditional finance partnerships signal mainstream adoption
- How staked token ETFs could revolutionize retail investor access to blockchain yields
- Why solving user experience friction remains crucial for DeFi adoption
- And much more!
Mirza Uddin is the head of business development at Injective, as well as co-founder and general partner at Vessel Capital, where he brings vast expertise in blockchain technology and decentralized finance. With a background in venture capital and cryptocurrency dating back to 2013, Mirza has been instrumental in developing Injective’s financial-focused blockchain platform and driving strategic partnerships with Wall Street institutions. His dual role as both an operator and investor through Vessel Capital, where he takes a hands-on approach using personal capital to back promising projects, provides him with unique insights into the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
About The Author: Arthur Bone
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