You Better Have a 30-Year Goal (with Eigen Labs)

This episode explores the journey of Sreeram Kannan, founder of EigenLabs, from academic research to the tech startup world, focusing on his creation of Eigenlayer and its implications for the future of blockchain architecture. Against the backdrop of the evolution of blockchain technology from Bitcoin's vertically integrated model to Ethereum's modular approach, Kannan introduces Eigenlayer as a solution for further modularization, enabling the creation of diverse, actively validated services (AVSs) on a shared decentralized trust network. More significantly, Eigenlayer is presented as a "verifiable cloud" for decentralized services, allowing developers to build specialized services that can compose and interact with each other, mirroring the functionalization seen in web2 cloud computing. For instance, Kannan draws an analogy to software-as-a-service (SaaS) in web2, highlighting Eigenlayer's potential to foster specialization and composability in the crypto space. As the discussion pivoted to Kannan's personal journey, he shared insights from his experiences in computational genomics and his decision to shift his focus to blockchain technology, driven by a long-term vision of building "humanity's coordination engine." This vision emphasizes the importance of commitment and trust in facilitating large-scale cooperation, contrasting the limitations of traditional commitment enforcement mechanisms (authority, committee, majority) with the self-enforcing nature of crypto-based systems. In the concluding segment, Kannan and the host discussed the importance of narrative and speculation in driving innovation and attracting community engagement, emphasizing the need for a clear long-term vision and a well-defined strategy for achieving it. What this means for the future of blockchain is a shift towards a more decentralized and composable ecosystem, where applications are built by concatenating various services, each with its own set of verifiable commitments.