Po.et’s Next Phase
Po.et is building the bridge to a better web.
For the past 16 months, we have dedicated a lot of time, talent and resource for making this dream a reality. Our community has fueled our conversations and creative development, spending countless hours engaging the team on what matters most to them and where they see Po.et in the technology ecosystem.
Our conversations with publishers large and small have run the gamut from rights management to saving academic publishing to creating private content marketplaces. The potential for Po.et constantly surpasses anything our imagination has set forth thus far and continues to as we push hard into the next phase of its maturity.
As I say often, Po.et is special compared with other blockchain projects in that there’s not a devoted blockchain built specifically for our purposes. Instead, we’re leveraging the fundamental concepts behind proof of existence, writing to the Bitcoin network and layering additional functionalities on top. So, when we talk about progress, we’re really talking about reaching a new level in both technical and conceptual maturity.
As of this week, I will be joining the Washington Post. My new role sits at the intersection of engineering and revenue and will focus on driving growth by developing innovative solutions across advertising, subscriptions and technology. A perfect match for everything we’ve been dreaming and building at Po.et. David Turner, our current Head of Product, will be taking the lead from here for day-to-day operations. In this next chapter, Po.et will need strong technology-first leadership which is where David shines. He’s already been leading both the engineering and product functions for the past few months and is more than equipped to oversee the rest of Po.et. David has had multiple executive roles in advertising and media technology and no stranger to what it takes to succeed.
Our expectations of Po.et as a protocol are more than just where the information lives. To us, success for Po.et is driven by the community and to provide something that is open for all to use. We want to build an environment where creators can not just use existing applications but have the materials and support to build their own. We want to build a protocol for creativity, a place where the next generation of the web will be constructed with a focus on interoperability, reputation, and ownership. By providing these core values in our protocol, applications built using this technology will enable the ethos of the better web, whether that’s through a marketplace, a wallet, the next social platform or the tools to enable a truly decentralized media economy.
This past year has been incredible. We have influenced the way the market thinks about media and marketing in the blockchain era. We have cataloged our entire journey on the blog and I strongly recommend those new to the project to read all of the documentation there. It’s truly amazing to see how much was done in just a short amount of time.
Each of you reading this has made a tremendous impact on my life and I’m very thankful for the time I’ve had in this role. I’m ready for the next chapter in how I can personally contribute to Po.et because I know there is so much to do for us to change the media world.
The maturation process of building Po.et has been an exciting challenge, especially when the protocol is focused on decentralization in order to disrupt existing models. However, we built a team that aimed to drive at 100MPH all the time. We’ve found that this has been the core component of our success but has also humbled us. The reality is that we’re facing a long road to adoption and need to be toIn a market that has speed limits, what does 100MPH really accomplish other than tickets, accidents, and extra gas? Maybe the way to mature as a technology isn’t to be the quickest one to finish but rather the longest in the race. That is something we as a company need to realize in order to make the most impact.
A community protocol needs to be driven by the community itself, with the right tools and development to enable builders to structure what they need to make the most impact out of the protocol. David Turner, Po.et Head of Product, will continue to be the lead on the project. David has been at the wheel with me throughout the past year, and will continue to push Po.et forward to be the creative protocol that builds the better web.
There is a ton more to come from Po.et. As we expand the advisory board, and continue to push on our developmental achievements, we will without a doubt become the blockchain that is not only remembered, but used to change the world.
