Interview: Meet Al Goanna Founder Ben
The Al Goanna project is managed by founder Ben. So far, the project has currently planted 43,840 trees, and in addition, they have a multisig wallet for the tree planting fund that holds 76,000 ALGO and is ready to be deployed. Let’s learn more about the project and Ben’s goals.
Can you introduce yourself, and how did you get interested in blockchain or NFTs?
(Ben) I’ve followed the crypto/blockchain space since 2017. It’s a cliché story of a small retail investor who made some cash during the 2017 bull run then lost it all but maintained an interest in the crypto space. Late 2020, I came across Algorand and got really excited by what this blockchain offered. Then, I started following the project closely and personally invested in Alogrand in early 2021 prior to launching the Al Goanna NFT project in September 2021.
What was your first NFT purchase, and why did you decide to buy that NFT?
(Ben) The first piece I bought was a YBG (yellow background) Yielding by Stitchbob. They were the first big breakout project for Algorand’s NFT community and paved the way to make what we have achieved possible. I’m a huge fan of Stitch and love what he’s done with the MNGO project.
Which NFT projects are you most excited about?
(Ben) I’m excited to see the volume of new projects coming out now on Algorand. I think this represents a significant change in the development of Algo NFTs.
I also like the Flemish Giants project. I think the art is strong and colourful, which attracts buyers. Pixel Guys are doing some exciting things and gaining a lot of traction. Vlad and ID4 are leading the way within the 3D space.
I’m also excited to be working with InkHunter (the artist who we worked with to produce the Decipher NFTs) to launch their first solo collection in the next month or so.
Why did you decide to create the Al Goanna project, and how did you get involved in NFT art?
(Ben) I’d always liked the idea of working within the blockchain space but coming from a creative/marketing background, there were limited opportunities. I’d seen the growth of NFTs on other chains. At that time, the Algo NFT community was still small. The low cost of minting had led to this real organic growth, where people would make a few NFTs and then put them out and see if they got any traction. I could see an opportunity to create a larger “project” style NFT collection. So the approach was to launch the collection and have it supported by a website where you could explore the collection plus social channels.
Why do you think people are willing to pay 20,000 Algo for a single Al Goanna?
(Ben) I guess that’s not necessarily for me to comment on. We see collectors of all sorts choosing to purchase Goannas. Some are looking to speculate over a short time frame, while others are making long-term investments. With us being one of the first Algo NFT projects to achieve this level of sales, there are users within the community who see the Goannas as having some historical significance within the history of Algo NFTs.
Being able to demonstrate that it is possible to achieve these types of sales for Algo NFTs is important as it shows creators that the market is maturing and there are collectors ready to make this type of investment. Hopefully, it helps attract creators from other chains to mint on Algorand and grow the overall ecosystem.
Do you think your green image of planting trees has played an essential role in the project’s success?
(Ben) For me, it was inspired by Alogrand’s carbon negative approach and a chance to help change the narrative around NFTs being bad for the environment as there is a lot of misinformation out there.
Being able to use the project to have a long-term positive impact through the planting of trees has been really rewarding. It’s also been inspiring to see so many other Algorand NFT creators also choose to use the opportunity to support organisations and initiatives they believe in. I think now the majority of projects have some kind of giving component, which is brilliant to see.
What’s the benefit of owning an Al Goanna?
(Ben) Actually, there are multiple benefits to owning one!
- Access to members-only Discord channels
- Free merchandise
- Member-only events, we recently had 70 owners take part in virtual escape rooms with NFT prizes
- The ability to stake your Goanna. By staking, you earn eggs that will hatch into the Goanna V2 project
- Governance voting
Where do you get inspiration from when designing new Al Goanna NFTs?
(Ben) The ideas come from a wide range of sources. We value community involvement, so some ideas have come directly from discussions in our discord. Others are from collaborations with other NFT creators and also Algorand Projects.
Do you see yourself as an influencer in the Algorand and AlgoNFT ecosystem?
(Ben) I hope we’ve had a positive influence on the Algo NFT ecosystem and can continue to help its future growth.
What else should we expect from the Al Goanna project?
(Ben) We are looking to release the V2 project in late Q1 ’22. In the meantime, we are also looking to bring in new artists to the Algo NFT ecosystem and help them launch.
To continue to develop the tree planting project, we are working closely with the owners of Goanna #001, Arul, and Kavitha to develop a platform where the community can contribute directly to tree planting using Algos. As part of this, we are working to onboard tree planting organistations onto Algorand and supporting them to set up wallets.
Is there any advice you would give to artists entering the NFT world right now?
(Ben) I think it’s imperative to let people know upfront how many pieces there will be in a collection as it makes it much easier for collectors to value them, so this needs to be published upfront.
1/1s are definitely much more collectible than when people are releasing multiple mints of the same NFTs.
The most exciting work is when we see people innovate and push the boundaries of what’s possible and how they leverage the tech to create new things. So, I’d love to see more of this within the space.
And lastly, come up with an original name for the series. There are way too many project names like Algo XXXXX.
Thanks!
