On this episode of Rehashed, we sit down with Luca Netz, CEO of Pudgy Penguins, to talk about what it actually takes to bring crypto to the mainstream, build a brand that lasts, and avoid one of the biggest mistakes founders make when growing a project.

Luca acquired Pudgy Penguins in April 2022 for 750 ETH, roughly $2.5 million at the time, after the collection originally launched on Ethereum in July 2021.

Since then, Pudgy Penguins has become one of the few NFT brands to break meaningfully into mainstream culture. Its toys and plushies have reached Walmart shelves across the US, introducing the brand to an audience far beyond crypto.

Luca also shares updates on what the team is building next, including Overpass and Pudgy World, and explains how he thinks about licensing, community, culture, and turning an NFT project into a long-term consumer brand.

Whether you hold a Pudgy Penguin, build in crypto, or are simply interested in how web3 brands can reach mainstream audiences, this conversation is packed with practical insight from one of the space’s most successful operators.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

2:55 Why did Luca bid on Pudgy Penguins for $2.5M?

5:26 Necessary ingredients for success

12:19 Growing an existing community vs building a new community

17:38 How to maintain culture through a bull run

23:57 Why toys?

26:54 Are toys crypto native?

31:11 Luca’s advice for NFT projects

35:43 Updates on Overpass and Pudgy World

39:02 How to license your Pudgy Penguins NFT

43:05 Pudgy Penguins rapid fire

43:27 Luca’s top 5 NFT projects to keep an eye on

44:58 How Luca crypto pills his offchain friends

46:06 Follow Luca

In our final episode of Between Two Chains, we're speaking with Angus Lamps from Stargate Finance about interoperability across numerous blockchains and the technology behind bridges and its value for decentralized finance (DeFi).

Angus emphasizes the importance of a seamless user experience in DeFi, highlights the challenges developers face, and emphasizes the need for intellectual honesty in the industry.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

18:09 Stablecoins and bridging challenges

26:40 User experience in DeFi

30:38 Interoperability and user trust

34:06 Ensuring secure transactions

37:02 The need for intellectual honesty

In our third episode of Between Two Chains, we speak with Reka from RISC Zero about zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs and their application in blockchain interoperability.

Reka explains the benefits of verifiable compute and how it relates to ZK, how ZK can enhance the connectivity between over 350 blockchains, and potential future developments once interoperability is fully solved.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

05:27 Scaling with zero knowledge (ZK) technology

11:39 Boundless and the ZKVM

16:29 Unlocking computational potential for UX

19:30 Building for consumers and developers

22:00 Onboarding new users to crypto

27:59 Exciting apps to look forward to

Last week we spoke with Aditi and Nitya from Para about interoperability from the user's lens, and this week, in our second episode of Between Two Chains, we speak with Jill Gunter from Espresso about interoperability from the other lens: builders.

Jill dives deep into the intricate dynamics of composability and interoperability, how infra builders need to emphasize user experience to move forward, and the state of Ethereum, the ecosystem's incentives, and the importance of staying user-centric while building decentralized applications.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

08:30 The importance of composability

18:19 Composability in infra

21:17 The developer vs user communication gap

32:51 The importance of interoperability

In our first episode of Between Two Chains, we bring on Nitya and Aditi from Para (previously Capsule) to talk about the current state of wallet UX and how interoperability can create better overall experiences for users of onchain apps.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

3:44 What does interoperability mean?

12:25 Improving the onchain onboarding experience

19:04 Privacy and identity in interoperability

25:02 Tradeoffs to better UX

35:26 What's next once interoperability is solved?

In our first episode of Between Two Chains, we bring on Nitya and Aditi from Para (previously Capsule) to talk about the current state of wallet UX and how interoperability can create better overall experiences for users of onchain apps.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

3:44 What does interoperability mean?

12:25 Improving the onchain onboarding experience

19:04 Privacy and identity in interoperability

25:02 Tradeoffs to better UX

35:26 What's next once interoperability is solved?

We're back with a brand new miniseries where we dive into all things blockchain interoperability.

Join Diana Chen, host of Rehashed, LDF from LayerZero, and some old and new faces from Espresso, Para, Stargate, and RISC Zero in this four-part miniseries starting Tuesday, July 1.

In this episode, we're speaking with Tarun Chitra, CEO of Gauntlet, partner at Robot Ventures, and co-host of The Chopping Block, about his thoughts, criticisms, and predictions on the intersection of science, finance, and decentralization.

We start by talking about the historical funding models of scientific research, the shortcomings of traditional science funding, and the rise of decentralized science (DeSci).

Tarun then shares some of his critiques of the current state of DeSci, highlighting its misaligned incentives and financialization within the broader crypto space. He also shares his thoughts on the potential role of AI in the development of DeSci and crypto.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

02:19 Evolution of science funding

11:37 Funding models in DeSci

23:55 Reputation and credibility in science

31:29 Nonfinancialized mechanism design

40:58 The future of AI and crypto

In this episode, we're bringing back Spencer Graham, co-founder of Hats Protocol, for a minihash episode to revisit the anticapture frame he wrote about three years ago in the context of today's political climate.

Spencer shares insights on the dangers of centralized execution power, the challenge of tribalism, and the importance of decentralized systems. He also discusses past failures in DAOs due to capture issues, stressing the need for continuous learning and innovation within the Ethereum ecosystem.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

01:09 Recapping the anticapture framework

08:39 Applying anticapture to current events

16:39 Applying anticapture to DAOs

In this episode, we're bringing back Nick Naraghi (nintynick), co-founder and CEO of Hats Protocol, to discuss the evolution of DAOs and AI since his last appearance in October 2022.

We talk about how AI can impact DAOs beyond cost reduction and what a future where everyone has their own AI agent would look like.

Nick also shares insights on the development of Hats Protocol, the launch of Hats Pro, and discusses philosophical questions from the community on the human to AI relationship.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

01:52 Reflections on past predictions

04:23 How AI lowers coordination costs

06:37 AI agents and organizational dynamics

11:21 The future of work and AI

15:17 Economic evolution and UBI

18:22 AI coordination tools in DAOs

29:06 Hats Protocol updates

39:41 AI x crypto

44:47 Questions from the community

52:53 Nick's personal life philosophies

In this episode, Alexis, Global Partnerships Manager at Safe, joins us to discuss the intersection of AI with financial systems, particularly in the decentralized finance (DeFi) landscape.

We talk about recent trends, applications, and potential future developments in AI-driven finance, including AI agents for financial advising, governance in DAOs, and innovative use cases in prediction markets. Alexis provides insights on Safe's role in facilitating these advancements, offering a detailed look at the modular and flexible SafeCore framework.

Finally, we chat about the potential of AI to democratize financial knowledge and the evolving dynamics of AI-agent interactions in both centralized and decentralized platforms.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

01:11 Alexis' background

01:54 Current landscape of DeFAI (DeFi x AI)

03:14 AI agents and Safe

09:04 Ethical considerations of AI agents

13:15 Future of DeFAI

17:36 Innovative applications of AI

22:59 AI's impact on global financial literacy

This episode was recorded live at Schelling Point during Eth Denver 2025.

In our fourth Rehashed Hot Ones show, competitors Kevin Owocki, Disruption Joe, Sophia Dew, and Rena O'Brien battle it out for who has the spiciest takes on DAO governance, web3 funding, and the potential for AI to address challenges in crypto.

Along the way, they brave increasingly spicy hot sauces, and audience members participate with their own hot takes as well while also engaging in the interactive spice challenge on stage. Finally, votes are tallied live on JokeRace and a winner is crowned.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

01:57 Panelist introductions

03:10 Rules and voting

04:28 Round 1: Does DAO Governance Work?

18:13 Round 2: Best Way to Fund Web3 Projects

27:43 Round 3: Can AI Fix Crypto?

37:35 Winner announced

This episode was recorded live at Schelling Point during Eth Denver 2025.

In our fourth Rehashed Hot Ones show, competitors Kevin Owocki, Disruption Joe, Sophia Dew, and Rena O'Brien battle it out for who has the spiciest takes on DAO governance, web3 funding, and the potential for AI to address challenges in crypto.

Along the way, they brave increasingly spicy hot sauces, and audience members participate with their own hot takes as well while also engaging in the interactive spice challenge on stage. Finally, votes are tallied live on JokeRace and a winner is crowned.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

01:57 Panelist introductions

03:10 Rules and voting

04:28 Round 1: Does DAO Governance Work?

18:13 Round 2: Best Way to Fund Web3 Projects

27:43 Round 3: Can AI Fix Crypto?

37:35 Winner announced

In this special bonus episode, we're recapping Season 3 of Crypto The Game (CTG) with founder, Dylan Abruscato, and several key players: Akhil (runner-up), Bhaumik (3rd place), Jake & Hanna, 0xdesigner, Bert the dog, and King Wilbert aka netdragon0x.

We talk about the game mechanics, players strategies, late-game upsets, controversies surrounding anonymous players, and the eventual revelation of the mysterious King Wilbert.

We wrap up with some confessions, hot takes, and a teaser for potential changes and challenges in future seasons.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

03:27 Twitter connections and anonymity

06:02 The closest finale in CTG history

08:05 BTS game mechanics

21:01 Future of CTG

26:41 Q&A with Dylan

34:03 Player intros

34:41 Introducing Bert, the first dog to play CTG

37:09 Runner-up Akhil's strategy

40:13 Bhaumik's strategy

41:42 0xdesigner's blue tribe experience

50:13 Bert's unique experience as a dog

55:29 Jake (and Hanna's) strategy

59:33 King Wilbert's philosophy

01:18:59 Confessions and hot takes

01:32:29 Final thoughts

In this episode, we're speaking with Marguerite deCourcelle aka Coin Artist from Blockade Labs about the intersection and future of AI and blockchain gaming.

We talk about the potential impacts of AI agents on onchain games, the innovative projects coming out of the AI space, and the future of gaming. Marguerite also shares insights into her work with Skybox AI and the practical applications of virtual environments.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

02:07 Marguerite's background as an artist

04:07 The intersection of art and crypto

09:45 Evolution of NFTs and AI in gaming

17:15 Skybox AI and the future of virtual environments

31:43 Innovations in AI x gaming

35:40 Interactive storytelling and AI

42:58 The role of AI agents in DAOs

46:29 Future of onchain gaming

50:51 Financial incentives of onchain games

In this episode, we're speaking with Dylan Abruscato, founder of Crypto The Game (CTG), who is back for his fourth appearance on Rehashed.

Dylan shares some exclusive alpha about the new season of CTG, a 10-day online survivor-style game with 800 players and a prize pool of 80 ETH, starting on March 10, 2025.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

00:21 Overview of Crypto The Game (CTG)

00:48 Exclusive teasers for CTG Season 3

12:23 NFT mechanics and player strategies

15:01 Gameplay insights

27:18 Dylan's winning strategies

32:52 Future plans for CTG

36:31 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode, we're speaking with Carl Cervone, co-founder of Kariba Labs, about Open Source Observer, a free analytics suite aiding funders in evaluating the impact of open source software contributions.

Carl shares insights from his decade-long experience in East Africa and discusses the significance of crypto in developing regions.

We then dive into public goods funding, data integration, governance strategies, and the human psychology aspects of voting. Carl shares his perspectives on the challenges of traditional and Web3 public goods funding, highlighting the roles of data metrics and qualitative and quantitative measurements in impactful funding decisions.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

05:20 Leapfrogging technology in East Africa

09:03 The role of data in public goods funding

12:49 Challenges and innovations in grant funding

26:02 Human psychology in voting and governance

35:08 Open vs. closed voting systems

38:25 Future of public goods

44:23 Questions from Twitter

In this episode, we're speaking with Brittany Laughlin, Chairperson at Stacks Foundation, about the evolving landscape of building on Bitcoin.

Brittany covers the history and feasibility of developing on Bitcoin, the current state of the Bitcoin developer ecosystem, and the gaps that need to be filled.

She also shares insights from her extensive background as an investor and discusses her role at Autonomous, a company that assists Web3 foundations and DAOs.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

02:17 Bitcoin ecosystem insights

05:11 Brittany's background

09:26 Challenges and opportunities to building on Bitcoin

21:20 Bitcoin vs. Ethereum

29:23 Bitcoin-backed stablecoins

30:25 Onboarding challenges

37:37 Future predictions for Bitcoin development

39:07 What is Autonomous?

41:25 How to launch a token

44:19 How to launch an effective grants program

47:51 Questions from Twitter

In this episode, we're bringing back Reka, Head of Community at RISC Zero, to talk about the state of zero-knowledge (ZK) infrastructure and strategies for successful go-to-market campaigns for blockchain protocols.

Reka shares her journey from being a founder to joining RISC Zero, her insights on the importance of ZK technology, and the challenges and opportunities it presents. She also talks about her experience advising various crypto projects and her thoughts on combining education and community engagement in the blockchain space.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

01:49 Updates from Reka's previous Rehashed appearance

02:58 Why intent infrastructure?

06:17 Understanding ZK technology

13:44 Applications and benefits of ZK

18:21 Challenges and future of ZK

23:24 Joining RISC Zero and building Boundless Protocol

29:07 Education through memes

30:13 Marketing strategies for protocols

34:17 Balancing developer adoption and end user growth

37:13 Strategies for building a community from scratch

44:27 Questions from the community

In this episode, we bring back Richie Bonilla, founder of Forage Mail, to talk about email as the original decentralized social protocol, why decentralized and open protocols may not always win in the long run, and how AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) will impact the future of work.

Richie talks about his journey from building Clarity to creating Forage Mail, handling pivots as a founder, and the philosophical implications of AI on human agency.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

03:08 Richie's founder journey

10:55 Stepping away from crypto

18:36 Why email has stood the test of time

28:24 Pivoting Forage to Forage Mail

30:56 How Forage Mail uses AI

36:33 Using AI in personal life

40:29 Future of AI and human interaction

48:12 Forage Mail's roadmap and vision