Kenzi Wang
Challenging the status quo has been the driving force behind my life's journey. From an early age, I've gravitated towards opportunities that push boundaries and disrupt traditional norms. This unrelenting drive is what drew me to the world of entrepreneurship and working alongside founders - ambitious visionaries who share my inability to simply accept the way things are.
Even after a successful exit from my web2 tech startup that raised funding from top VCs like NEA, I couldn't resign myself to the status quo. The crypto industry epitomized this ethos of disruption, which is why I was passionate about joining Huobi as one of the earliest employees. At Huobi, I opened their US office and architected exchange operations at a time when there were only a handful of centralized exchanges globally.
When I started my own web3 company backed by Binance Labs, I quickly realized that succeeding in this space requires a fundamentally different mindset than web2. Much like when I transitioned from soccer to rugby at Columbia, I found myself in a completely new arena with distinct rules and dynamics.
Through this experience, I've come to deeply appreciate that web3 founders are a breed apart. They embody a contrarian spirit and uncompromising determination to reshape industries and rewrite the rules. I've taken a keen interest in studying the ethos of the most successful web3 entrepreneurs, fully embracing principles like "building in the open" and "pivoting with the narrative." In fact, I've interviewed over 50 top founders and worked on writing a book that captures the essence of what drives and defines this remarkable founder persona.
When evaluating potential investments, I'm always seeking that same fierce refusal to accept the status quo. I believe that maintaining a certain level of discontent and desire to upend traditional models is crucial for successful entrepreneurship, especially in web3. After all, isn't the very purpose of this industry to relentlessly push boundaries and pioneer new frontiers?