Given the technical and decentralized nature of crypto token-based protocols, it's sometimes thought that individuals don't matter in this space. I believe the opposite: individuals will be the most important factor for the success of crypto moving for the next 5 years.
In early stage technology (especially before clear product-market fit), individuals are always the most important factor driving successful outcomes and the digital currency space is no different.
Below is a list of the people I believe to be the most important for the future success of this space. Note that the list is composed entirely of engineers who are the leaders of complex technical projects. In a space that is still early in its traction and growth, engineers leading complex technical projects matter the most.
1.) Vitalik Buterin (Ethereum)
2.) Balaji Srinivasan (21.co)
3.) Wladimir J. van der Laan (Bitcoin)
4.) Greg Maxwell (Bitcoin)
5.) Zooko (ZCash)
6.) @dan (Steem)
7.) Brendan Eich (Brave)
8.) Vlad Zamfir (Ethereum)
9.) Juan Benet (IPFS)
10.) Joey Krug (Augur)
Who am I missing? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the list in the comments below
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Nick I noticed not one marketer on that list. Mass adoption will crawl along until the marketers and influencers outside of Crypto get in the game. I can't blame you for not having one of us on the list but in 20 years people will be talking about the Steve Jobs marketing geniuses just as much as the Steve Wozniaks in the Crypto world. Check my just published article about the subject.
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No marketers are on the list because crypto token protocols are still in the "pre product-market fit" stage in my view.
I agree that marketers are important for mass adoption, but mass adoption only comes with useful products. The engineers on the list are the people that are going to bring the useful products to the market. I believe the importance of marketers comes later.
I find Dash and the Steemit Platform pretty useful. Whether or not folks think influencers are important I will be out there pounding the interwebs making connections and letting the world know epic tools are being created on a daily basis.
It's not just about marketing, it's as much about helping the rest of the world understand what these technologies can do and what we should be doing with them. So it's thinkers and philosophers rather than marketers imho. Many people will get their first introduction to blockchain through Don Tapscott's book, for example.
I'd add David Irvine for his work on Maidsafe the first p2p self encrypted and xor distributed internet protocol with a built in non-blockchain digital cash, this will be an incredible game changer. I would also add Greg Meredith for his work on rchain which is an extremely fast, scalable, turing complete, pi-calculus based proof of stake protocol which incorporates the best ideas of game theory, this is the model which Synereo is built on.
Good thoughts. Don't know David Irvine but Greg Meredith is close. Still a little too early to anoint Synereo as an important part of the future tho given they haven't launched anything yet.
I see your point.
I see no mention of the developer of FlappyCoin. It will come back and be the biggest thing ever!
lol