Edge of NFT Launched at the Largest Online Decentralized Finance Conference of 2021
The Edge of NFT Podcast is a project that was initiated just months ago but is proving to be a top source of authentic, well-produced information in the NFT space. The vision is to produce rich content sharing in the outer limits of what’s possible with NFTs. Edge of NFT amplifies creators, projects, and technologies poised to lead while educating and entertaining sophisticated NFT followers worldwide and providing a deep view that transcends the hype.
The episodes began to emerge back in March 2021 and though still in beta mode, included interviews with NFT heavy hitters like Kurt Braget & Jeremy Born, founders of the Mark Cuban backed project, NFT Genius. Just like the podcast itself, Cuban’s support was later revealed and shared with the press after the Edge team had the inside scoop. And as of this week, Edge of NFT has reached number 187 among all technology podcasts worldwide (Chartable) and 151 within the United States (Apple Podcasts).
Founders and co-hosts of Edge of NFT include Jeff Kelley and Josh Kriger, seasoned partners and entrepreneurs who’ve built brands like Territory Foods (a decentralized food delivery service that just closed their series B) and Canopy (an eco-friendly apparel company featuring interchangeable patches that eliminate unnecessary use of materials and resources in fashion). The third founder and co-host, Eathan Janney, is a former jazz musician, neuroscience Ph.D. holder, entrepreneur, and podcaster. Among them, they have strengths across art, music, real estate, fashion, and e-commerce giving the team a powerful perspective on everything from marketplaces to the business and creative sides of the fascinating world of NFTs.
After testing the Edge of NFT thesis (that listeners demand a resource that transcends the hype in NFTs, delivering the top 1% of projects and divining where the future of NFTs will be long-term) the three co-hosts, in true startup fashion, left beta mode and engineered an impressive launch. Edge of NFT partnered with former guest, blockchain evangelist, and DeFi Summit creator Justin Wu, to co-produce a battery of heavy-hitting NFT sessions featured during Day 1 of DeFi Summit’s week-long event.
Coinciding with DeFi Summit’s first day, June 14th, Edge of NFT officially launched the podcast while hosting live sessions with pioneers in art, music, and blockchain technology. Concurrently, the team announced a brand new website and a partnership with LA-based “dream-pop” band, Saint Motel, to use their track “Move” for the podcast’s intro theme. Saint Motel is listened to on Spotify by over 3M fans monthly and “Move” boasts over 5 million YouTube video views.
DeFi summit is the largest online decentralized finance-focused blockchain conference of the year. The week-long virtual event brought together the architects and game makers that make up the community of pioneers in decentralized finance and non-fungible tokens. Some of the notable speakers of the conference include Erik Mendelson of Bondly Finance, digital artists Pplpleasr, Matty Mo, Max Moore of Sotheby’s, and companies like Axie Infinity which had been featured in the podcast as a groundbreaking project in the world of Play-To-Earn. Other featured speakers at the summit included Gala Games, Animoca Brands, The Morpheus Project, BAND Royalty, Carbon Base, Project Ark, DIGITALAX, and Aevegotchi. The conference brought together more than 10,000 attendees and featured billionaire investor Mark Cuban, joining a special session with some of Blockchain’s most talked about founders and creators.
The event was open to the public, live-streamed on YouTube, and included presentations, roundtable discussions, demos, and workshops from leading industry innovators. Erik Mendelson of Bondly Finance, broke down NFT success stories with Edge co-host Jeff Kelley. They discussed how Tory Lanez launched his NFT and how Curren$y’s latest album came with a bevy of extras and a virtual cannabis smoking session with the artist.
Edge’s own Eathan Janney, in a later session, moderated a panel discussion on digital art and NFTs in the cultural and creative sectors. Together, Matty Mo — Most Famous Artist, Scholar Frances Liddel, and digital artist, Pplpleasr, explored the impact of NFTs in the art industry and how NFT became a platform of empowerment for artists.
The trio of co-hosts also closed out NFT day with a special episode featuring guests Toufi Saliba, Juergen Hoebarth, and Scottie Siu answering the most controversial questions surrounding the ecosystem concerning the longevity of NFT and what’s to come in the future. The takeaway? Not only will everything be an NFT someday, everything already is!
You can learn from the brilliant minds behind everything from blockchain, AI, data, and beyond by tuning in to the Edge of NFT podcast. Listen to full the podcast episodes via our website or iTunes. You can also join the newsletter to get access to the latest drops, news, giveaways, and updates.