Arie’s Answers — Part 2
Welcome back to Arie’s Answers. In case you don’t know, Arie Trouw is the CEO at XY Labs and recently we decided to start a web series asking Arie random questions. Why, you ask? The idea is to help educate people about our industry, while also having a bit of fun in the process. Quite frankly, Arie is an interesting person with many thoughtful insights, so we’re sharing with the world. Sometimes the questions will be very in-depth about our company, Web3, Blockchain tech, decentralization, or other topics in the industry. And in other instances, we’ll just ask him something like, “Is a hot dog a sandwich?” Enjoy.
About Arie Trouw
Here’s a brief bio if you don’t know anything about Arie.
Arie is the CEO and founder of XY Labs. He’s a firm believer in decentralization and creating the integrated owner/user model and is a founder of XYO, the world’s first blockchain geospatial oracle network backed with cryptography. He’s an accomplished serial entrepreneur with a history of technological breakthroughs and business successes involving multiple 8-figure exit events.
He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors at XY Labs, Inc.
Before starting XY Labs, Arie was CEO and Chairman of Pike Holdings. He received his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the New York Institute of Technology.
See more at: arietrouw.com
Question
What draws you into blockchain and cryptocurrency?
The Answer
It’s a new tool for doing new things. Innovation seems nearly uncapped with potential because every new development in blockchain appears to unlock a new idea or spawn a new business opportunity. It is a huge greenfield. I think the most important thing is cryptography and cryptographic technology. It’s not just digital money or decentralized stuff — it’s an entirely novel way to secure and structure data. As someone who strongly believes that data and how we interact with it will fully influence our future, I’m excited to see how cryptography will be further adopted and developed.
Question
Why is the Metaverse such a revolutionary concept?
The Answer
In the Metaverse, companies, creators, artists, and brands will be able to interact with customers, fans, and everyday individuals in ways we haven’t seen before. Brands building in the Metaverse will have the ability to create user-driven, fully immersive digital experiences that correlate to their physical products.
What the Metaverse will look like for the end-users is still taking shape, but with the entry of some of the world’s top brands, we can anticipate that a fully immersive digital world will materialize.
How you will engage with the Metaverse is also an open question. Will it be via virtual reality, augmented reality, or intelligent devices? I think augmented reality is the most promising of the 3, with intelligent devices a close second.
Question
How are the Metaverse and blockchain-related? Can we build a Metaverse without blockchain technology?
The Answer
I don’t believe we can build a Metaverse, or at least maximize it without blockchain. Blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and NFTs will enable the Metaverse to grow exponentially.
The Metaverse isn’t just an opportunity for brands to capitalize on but a peer-to-peer network that will fuel innovation. Through blockchain, users will be able to work directly with each other instead of relying on a centralized operator.
Question
You grew up in South Africa, so what food or drink do you miss most?
The Answer
It’s called Bovril, and I miss it because you can’t import it into the United States. So if you have some, please send it my way. I also miss Sparletta Creme Soda. It is bright green and very sweet and makes perfect floats with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Arie Trouw — CEO of XY Labs
Join us next time to learn more about Arie and what Arie thinks.
— The XY Labs Team
