Taking Time to Think: How Talent Protocol Was Born
In this episode of Vault, Roberto Machado sits down with Pedro Oliveira and Filipe Macedo, co-founders of Talent Protocol, to explore their journey from chance encounters to building a blockchain-based professional reputation system.
The conversation traces their entrepreneurial evolution through career pivots and the sabbatical that never was. Pedro and Filipe share how they started with a dream rather than a problem—envisioning a world where you could "invest in talent"—and how this approach shaped their unique building philosophy.
The founders discuss their "redux culture" of building fast and killing projects quickly, their three-stage company evolution from initial launch through crypto winter to current focus on verifiable professional credentials, and their ambitious vision of Builder Scores influencing the future of work.
Chapters
(00:00:00) - Intro(00:03:34) - The Sabbatical That Never Was(00:14:14) - Stage One: Dreams Over Problems(00:20:52) - Stage Two: Experimenting(00:28:58) - Stage Three: The Professional Reputation Revolution(00:48:34) - The Future of Talent
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1:03:47
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1:03:47
From Finance to Web3: Building Haven with Diogo Coimbra
In this episode of Vault, Roberto Machado sits down with Diogo Coimbra, co-founder of Haven, to explore his journey from corporate finance to building decentralized infrastructure in Web3.
The conversation delves into career transitions, the importance of validating business models before building technology, and Haven's growth as a DePIN. Diogo shares insights on strategic decision-making, the value of prioritizing quality partnerships over cost savings, and the fundamental differences between corporate life and startup founding.
From building networks in emerging ecosystems to establishing trust with stakeholders in an evolving market, this episode uncovers the real challenges and strategic thinking behind creating infrastructure for the decentralized future.
Chapters
(00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:32) - Transitioning from Corporate Life to Startup Founder(00:10:20) - Building a Company in the Blockchain Space(00:22:41) - Growing and Scaling Haven(00:32:59) - Building Success: Business Strategy, DePINs, and Challenge Management(00:50:37) - Looking Back: Lessons Learned and Advice for Future Founders
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56:23
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56:23
The Subvisual Way
In this kickoff episode of Vault, Subvisual's Founder and CEO, Roberto Machado, joins Alexandre Mendes, Head of Ventures and Strategy, to set the stage for Season 1 — a deep dive into companies built from the ground up.
They explore what it truly takes to build a startup from scratch: the make-or-break role of founders, the impact of putting the right people in key positions, and knowing when to step aside and let others take the lead. Through real examples like Coverflex and Utrust/xMoney, they discuss effective fundraising strategies and compare the experiences of first-time and serial founders.
From ego management to learning from failure, Web3 and token strategies to the challenges and rewards of venture building — this episode offers an honest, behind-the-scenes look at creating meaningful ventures.
Chapters
(00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:04) - The process of building Coverflex(00:06:57) - The need to shift visions(00:10:10) - Building with the right Investors on board(00:17:48) - Is ego an enemy of a startup founder?(00:21:55) - The need to bring new leadership to Utrust(00:29:45) - The startup building process(00:34:15) - Subvisual: coaching founders and startups(00:38:26) - Raising money vs. building a product(00:44:02) - How Utrust was sold to MultiversX(00:48:32) - The best part about venture building(00:50:49) - The price of building: scars and lessons(00:56:07) - Exploring the future of the industry
Welcome to Vault — the podcast that shows you stories kept under lock and key. Subvisual's Founder and CEO, Roberto Machado, sits down with founders of companies we've helped build, from their earliest days to pivotal growth moments. Each episode opens the vault to share tough decisions, unexpected lessons, and honest insights that shaped their entrepreneurial journeys.
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