For episode 205, we’re excited to welcome Bill Laboon, Director of Education and Governance Initiatives at Web3 Foundation—the team driving innovation behind the Polkadot and Kusama networks. At a moment when governance challenges in decentralized communities are front-and-center, Bill is leading the charge on education and initiatives designed to make decentralized governance more transparent, accessible, and impactful.
From landmark governance referendums like Kusama’s $50 million "Wish for Change" initiative, to educational programs like Web3MOOC, Bill and the Web3 Foundation are pioneering new ways for communities to govern themselves effectively—while accelerating positive social and environmental outcomes.
This episode is packed with actionable insights for innovators, builders, and community members who want to leverage decentralized governance for real-world impact. It’s also a great introduction to Polkadot and Kusama’s unique ecosystems and some of their most compelling impact projects empowering people around the globe – from community currencies to sustainable supply chains.
We discuss:
🔗 Interoperability is the Future: Polkadot’s innovative parachain model allows multiple blockchains to seamlessly interact and communicate. This compatibility ensures that smart contracts deployed on one parachain can effortlessly work across the entire ecosystem, fostering collaboration and expansive innovation.
🛠️ Kusama: A Playground for Innovation: Kusama isn’t your average test network—it’s a dynamic ecosystem with real economic value. By recently allocating 10 million DOT tokens towards zero-knowledge tech, proof of personhood, and artistic innovation, Kusama is positioning itself as a playground for builders, hackers, and creators pushing the boundaries of Web3.
🗳️ Building Thriving Web3 Governance: Effective decentralized governance demands strong community participation, clear incentives, straightforward decision-making processes, and meaningful community ownership. By addressing these areas, Web3 projects can create engaged communities that sustainably drive innovation and impact.
PIPE gDAO is leveraging blockchain for their University Real World Asset IP Launchpad that helps bring groundbreaking ideas from lab to market. By joining the Pipe Associate Network (aka PAN), associates can create a profile highlighting their skills, be notified of opportunities, and then contribute fractional work to pre-IPO companies in return for equity and tokens.
Check out their Linktree for links to all of their socials so you can get involved and join this growing community!
02:15 - To kick things off, could you share your personal journey into Web3, and what drew you specifically towards governance and education within this space?
06:05 - Could you give listeners a brief introduction to the Polkadot ecosystem—what makes it special and how it differs from other blockchain networks?
10:10 - As Director of Education at Web3 Foundation, what are some of the biggest challenges you've seen when it comes to onboarding newcomers into the Web3 space, and how do you think we can overcome these hurdles?
16:25 - Web3 Foundation offers Web3MOOC, a 20-week course on blockchain fundamentals. How important is structured education like this for the broader adoption of decentralized technologies, and how can listeners get involved?
20:20 - Recently, Web3 Foundation launched the "Wish for Change" referendum, significantly empowering the Kusama network by allocating 10 million DOT ($50.8M). Why was this referendum an important milestone, and how does it enhance Kusama’s role within the Polkadot ecosystem?
26:45 - Ethereum Foundation recently made headlines by restructuring its governance. How do you think Ethereum’s governance evolution could impact broader decentralization goals across the Web3 community?
32:50 - In your opinion, what’s the biggest governance challenge currently facing decentralized ecosystems, and what advice would you give to communities looking to foster healthier decentralized governance?
37:00 - Web3 Foundation's core vision includes user-owned data, secure global transactions, and decentralized exchange of information and value. Could you share some real-world examples or initiatives from the Polkadot or Kusama ecosystems that exemplify these principles?
44:10 - For those inspired by our conversation today, what’s the best way for listeners to begin engaging with Polkadot, Kusama, and the broader Web3 Foundation community?
45:15 - What's one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were first entering the Web3 space?
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While we may discuss specific web3 projects or cryptocurrencies on this podcast, please do not take any of this as investment advice, and please make sure to do your own research on potential investment opportunities, or any opportunity. We host a variety of guests on this podcast with the sole purpose of highlighting the social impact use cases of this technology. That being said, Crypto Altruism does not endorse any of these projects, and we recognize that, since this is an emerging sector, some may be operating in regulatory grey areas, and as such, we cannot confirm their legality in the jurisdictions in which they operate, especially as it pertains to decentralized finance protocols. So, before getting involved with any project, it’s important that you do your own research and confirm the legality of the project. More available HERE.
