Miguel De Vega - Nillion Blind Computing, AI, Crypto, and Privacy

02/25/25 • 48 min

Block by Block: A Show on Web3 Growth Marketing

Summary
In this conversation, Miguel De Vega, co-founder of Nillion, shares his journey from academia to the Web3 space, detailing the unique infrastructure and privacy-enhancing technologies that Nillion offers. He discusses the importance of developer-friendly design, the positioning of Nillion in the privacy space, and the key audiences they aim to serve. Miguel also addresses the challenges of recruiting developers into the privacy space and the balance between privacy and performance in application development. In this conversation, Miguel De Vega discusses the advancements and applications of Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) in both Web2 and Web3 environments. He emphasizes the importance of communicating the value of these technologies to different audiences, particularly in the context of compliance and innovation. The discussion also highlights Nillion's innovative approach to hackathons and community engagement, as well as the intersection of privacy and AI, showcasing how decentralized infrastructure can support personalized AI agents while ensuring data privacy. The conversation concludes with insights on positioning privacy in AI for the Web3 audience, resonating with their ethos of decentralization and innovation.
Takeaways

Miguel's background in engineering and math led him to Web3.
Nillion is not a blockchain but a decentralized infrastructure.
Different privacy enhancing technologies serve different use cases.
Nillion's architecture allows developers to choose privacy technologies easily.
The term 'blind computing' resonates well with users.
Privacy is becoming increasingly important in Web3, especially with AI.
Nillion targets both Web3 and Web2 developers.
Developers need guidance in understanding privacy technologies.
Nillion provides a roadmap for gradual implementation of privacy features.
Balancing performance and security is crucial in privacy-enhancing applications. We're doing research on collaboration with Meta and other institutions.
TEEs are seen as a first-class citizen in the world of PETs.
Privacy enhancing technologies open new possibilities for Web3.
The challenge is to showcase new use cases for privacy technologies.
Hackathons are a great way to engage the developer community.
Nillion's marketing campaigns have increased brand awareness significantly.
Privacy is essential for AI agents managing sensitive information.
Decentralized infrastructure is crucial for privacy in AI.
The ethos of decentralization resonates with the Web3 community.
Building on decentralized infrastructure taps into significant potential for research.

Follow me @shmula on X for upcoming episodes and to get in touch with me.

Miguel's background in engineering and math led him to Web3.
Nillion is not a blockchain but a decentralized infrastructure.
Different privacy enhancing technologies serve different use cases.
Nillion's architecture allows developers to choose privacy technologies easily.
The term 'blind computing' resonates well with users.
Privacy is becoming increasingly important in Web3, especially with AI.
Nillion targets both Web3 and Web2 developers.
Developers need guidance in understanding privacy technologies.
Nillion provides a roadmap for gradual implementation of privacy features.
Balancing performance and security is crucial in privacy-enhancing applications. We're doing research on collaboration with Meta and other institutions.
TEEs are seen as a first-class citizen in the world of PETs.
Privacy enhancing technologies open new possibilities for Web3.
The challenge is to showcase new use cases for privacy technologies.
Hackathons are a great way to engage the developer community.
Nillion's marketing campaigns have increased brand awareness significantly.
Privacy is essential for AI agents managing sensitive information.
Decentralized infrastructure is crucial for privacy in AI.
The ethos of decentralization resonates with the Web3 community.
Building on decentralized infrastructure taps into significant potential for research.

Follow me @shmula on X for upcoming episodes and to get in touch with me.

Previous Episode

0xBreadguy - On Growing a Loyal MegaETH Community

In this conversation, Bread from the MegaETH team discusses the challenges and strategies of community management in the crypto space. He shares his journey into crypto, the unique positioning of MegaETH as a real-time blockchain, and the importance of convenience for users. The discussion also covers team-based marketing and how to effectively communicate a brand's message while engaging with the broader crypto community. In this conversation, the speakers explore themes of curiosity, vulnerability, and community engagement within the context of the MegaETH project. They discuss the importance of being open to feedback, the fluidity of content strategy, and the challenges of crisis management. The role of mascots in brand identity is also examined, alongside personal reflections on community growth and the significance of genuine human connections in the crypto space.
Takeaways
- Community management in crypto is challenging but essential.
- Educational content can help demystify complex topics.
- MegaETH positions itself as the first real-time blockchain.
- Convenience is a key factor for user engagement.
- Team-based marketing can enhance brand visibility.
- Diverse content helps avoid the 'shill' perception.
- Engaging with the community fosters trust and loyalty.
- Technical details should be relatable to the average user.
- Transparency in communication builds credibility.
- The future of blockchain may blur the lines between L1 and L2.
- Genuine curiosity fosters meaningful conversations outside of one's bubble.
- Being vulnerable and accepting the possibility of being wrong is crucial for growth.
- A fluid content strategy allows for adaptability and responsiveness to community feedback.
- Crisis situations can serve as opportunities to strengthen community ties.
- Listening to community feedback is essential for successful project management.
- The choice of a mascot can enhance brand identity and community engagement.
- Creating relatable content helps break down technical barriers in communication.
- Building genuine connections with community members fosters loyalty and trust.
- It's important to have a clear opinion and defend it while remaining open to new information.
- Competition in the crypto space should be embraced as a means of growth.

Timeline
00:00 Introduction to Community Management in Crypto
01:45 Journey into Crypto and Community Management
06:20 Understanding MegaETH's Unique Positioning
10:05 Real-Time Blockchain: A New Paradigm
16:08 The Importance of Convenience in Blockchain
20:22 Team-Based Marketing and Brand Positioning
31:28 Embracing Curiosity and Vulnerability
35:22 Fluid Content Strategy and Team Dynamics
37:35 Crisis Management and Community Engagement
46:01 The Role of Mascots in Brand Identity
53:00 Personal Reflections and Community Growth

Follow me @shmula on X for upcoming episodes and to get in touch with me.

Next Episode

Onlylarping - Karate Combat, the Karate Token, and Converting Casual Fight Fans to Super Fans

In this conversation, Peter Abilla interviews Onlylarping, the founder of Karate Combat, discussing the innovative strategies the league is employing to engage fans through the Karate Token and Up Only Gaming. They explore the challenges of converting casual fans into super fans, the unique positioning of Karate Combat in the combat sports landscape, and the exciting future plans for the league, including their presence at major crypto events and the role of athletes in building a dedicated fanbase.
Takeaways

Karate Combat aims to engage younger fans through innovative strategies.
The Karate Token was created to convert casual fans into super fans.
Up Only Gaming allows fans to earn tokens by predicting fight outcomes.
Karate Combat focuses on striking, differentiating itself from MMA leagues.
The league has a unique event production style, resembling video game aesthetics.
Building a community around athletes is crucial for fan engagement.
Karate Combat is actively participating in major crypto conferences.
The Karate Token offers governance and rewards for active participants.
Influencer Fight Week brings crypto influencers into the sport.
The league is focused on educating the crypto community about the Karate Token.

Follow me @shmula on X for upcoming episodes and to get in touch with me.

Block by Block: A Show on Web3 Growth Marketing - Miguel De Vega - Nillion Blind Computing, AI, Crypto, and Privacy

Transcript

00:00:01.687

Miguel de Vega from Nillion, welcome. Thank you, Peter. It's great being here. Excellent. We are a podcast focused on marketing, branding, in all things, web3. And Nillion is doing something quite interesting in the web3 space and promoting and marketing a set of services that's really complicated, but doing it in a very unique way. And so I wanted to really get into that. But before we do, we'd love to hear your origin story, how you as an academic got into web3 and