TLS53: Max Webster on Hivemind Ventures, Exponential Curves, and Lightning Network Opportunities

Max Webster is the founder of Hivemind Ventures, an early stage fund investing in Bitcoin startups building on the Lightning Network.

In our conversation, Max explained why he’s investing in Lightning Network startups today, we explored the business opportunities for Lightning nodes, liquidity marketplaces, and emerging payment apps, and we got into startup valuations, identifying strong founders, and finding product-market fit in the Lightning ecosystem.

→ Hivemind Ventures: https://hivemind.vc/

Sponsors

→ Voltage: https://voltage.cloud?utm_source=kevinrooke&utm_medium=Youtube&utm_campaign=1mo

→ ZEBEDEE: https://zbd.gg/

Before every show, I ask listeners on Twitter to send in their best questions for future guests. I read off all the questions for the guest, and pick one listener to receive a split of the sats earned for the episode.

To ask a question, send a message, or to support the show, download Fountain from the App Store and load your wallet with a few sats.

→ Fountain: https://www.fountain.fm/

→ More Episodes: https://play.fountain.fm/show/P6XXuSPg6f2rj4ECB0fT

→ Lightning Address: ⚡[email protected]

Links

→ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kerooke

→ Books: https://www.kevinrooke.com/book-recommendations

→ Blog: https://www.kevinrooke.com/blog

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro

02:49 - Max Webster Intro

09:07 - How Lightning Solves Problems Crypto Can’t Solve

12:42 - Lightning Network Scalability

17:15 - Lightning Nodes & Railroad Networks

25:08 - Is Max Worried About Centralization on Lightning?

30:45 - Lightning Network Liquidity Marketplaces

38:33 - Emerging Lightning Native Applications

40:53 - Stacker News

55:36 - More Than 2 Billion People on Lightning in 2032

1:02:31 - Investing In Lightning Startups

1:14:45 - The Lightning Round