Getting to Know Topl: Yamir Tainwala, Software Engineer
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My name is Yamir and I’m from Kolkata, India. I spent all of my childhood there before coming to America for college. I currently attend the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Computer and Information Science with a minor in Cinema and Media Studies. I joined Topl as an intern this February.
Getting Started with Topl
My interest in the blockchain space began late last year. As I approached the end of my fall semester, I was looking for internships for the following summer (summer 2018), and thought that it would be the perfect chance to work at a blockchain company, and really get to dive into the the workings of this new, disruptive technology. I looked at a lot of startups on AngelList and after a quick conversation with Chris and Nick, Topl stood out to me as being a team with some really smart people who were trying to make a difference.
I work as one of Topl’s core developers. My technical title is that of a Software Engineer, but considering we’re building our protocol from the ground up, I find myself working across the board as issues pop up. My main project is to implement our prediction market — “Divine”, which allows users of Topl’s platform to risk-assess potential investments.
I really enjoy thinking about the game theory involved in decision making and formulating optimum strategies to take advantage of such betting markets. I often find myself at odds with Kim, Chris and Jim about the specifics of Divine, and I enjoy the conversations that our disagreements spark; in this environment, we are all allowed present our individual ideas without the fear that it is not the best solution, knowing that at least one of the others will identify the good and bad so we can constantly work towards a better solution.
Why You Believe in Topl
I believe in Topl because I believe in the people. To be honest, I didn’t know too much about the specifics of what I’d be working on, or how far along the project was when I joined. But I knew that the goal was noble and my coworkers were intelligent and hard working, and that’s a formula for success. I try to keep my head down and get my share of work done because I know the rest is in such capable hands. For Topl, I see a consolidation of our projects in developing countries like Columbia, India, South Africa, and a growth beyond these regions to even more remote areas once our platform is up and running.
But, we know that prices and value change with the tide of speculation and while this influences anyone trying to make a quick buck off a volatile market, it doesn’t affect those that have tested, verified and mobilized the technology underlying these systems to create new products. We have a goal and we work towards it tirelessly.
My favorite thing about Topl is that as a cryptocurrency based startup, it is almost unconcerned with the state of crypto-economics at any point in time. Whether the market is doing well or badly, we believe in revolutionary technology that advances trust, payments, and information sharing across distributed systems and see its potential in the future, regardless of naysayers and cynics. Arguably, the dynamics of global cryptoeconomics will have a direct impact on our success. But, we know that prices and value change with the tide of speculation and while this influences anyone trying to make a quick buck off a volatile market, it doesn’t affect those that have tested, verified and mobilized the technology underlying these systems to create new products. We have a goal and we work towards it tirelessly.
