Amberdata Podcast Feat Ian LeViness, DAO Lead at Push Protocol

Welcome to Amberdata's Podcast series featuring leaders in the digital asset space where we explore the intersection of finance, blockchain, and technology! In this episode, Pat Doyle, Director of Product Management at Amberdata interviews Ian LeViness, DAO Lead and Head of Grants at Push Protocol!

In this episode of the Amberdata Podcast, we interview Ian LeViness, DAO Lead and Head of Grants at Push Protocol, and its DAO, Push DAO. Push is a web3 native communication layer, allowing users to stay updated on events across the entire ecosystem. Push covers everything from notifications, chat, video, and spaces. Push Protocol has over 650+ integrations and over 200 institutional partnerships helping to drive visibility and communication across the web3 stack. To date, 100 million notifications have been sent to over 250,000 users.

We discuss Ian’s background, the challenges of decentralized communication, and understanding the problems that Push solves for users in web3.

Introduction

In the latest episode of the Amberdata podcast, Amberdata host Pat Doyle engages with Ian LeViness, the DAO Lead and Head of Grants at Push Protocol. The conversation dives into how Push Protocol addresses communication issues within the Web3 space and explores Ian's journey into the world of crypto, along with an overview of Push Protocol's products and their impact.

Push Protocol's Core Mission

Push Protocol aims to solve the fragmented communication landscape of the Web3 ecosystem. Inspired by the simplicity and effectiveness of traditional social media notifications, Push Protocol consolidates various crypto-related notifications into a single platform, making it easier for users to stay informed. This integration allows users to receive notifications directly through their preferred wallets, dApps, or exchanges, enhancing the user experience and maintaining engagement without the need for constant manual monitoring.

Technical Overview and Product Suite

Push Protocol operates on a robust middleware framework, allowing seamless integration across various chains and dApps. The protocol's architecture is designed to be chain-agnostic, enabling support for over seven chains, including Arbitrum and Polygon, with plans to expand further. Key products within the Push Protocol ecosystem include:

1. Push Notifications: Centralized communication for users to receive alerts on critical events, such as liquidity positions and loan health in DeFi platforms.
2. Push Spaces: A video and audio communication tool integrated within the protocol, enhancing real-time interaction.
3. Push Messenger: A messaging service enabling secure, decentralized communication among users.
4. Push Nodes: A forthcoming feature aimed at decentralizing the protocol further by introducing native nodes for validation, storage, and delivery of notifications.

User Experience and Onboarding

Push Protocol prioritizes simplicity and user-friendliness. The onboarding process for new protocols involves an initial meeting to set up a channel on the Push app, followed by collaborative development to ensure customized notification solutions. This approach ensures that notifications are tailored to the specific needs of the protocol and its users, enhancing engagement and functionality.

Use Cases and Integration Examples

The protocol's versatility is demonstrated through its integration with various DeFi platforms. For instance, Push Protocol enables traders on platforms like dydx to track their margins and leverage levels in real-time. Similarly, liquidity providers on Uniswap can receive notifications about their positions' status, ensuring they remain informed about their investments without constant manual checks.

Another significant use case is within the governance realm, where Push Protocol helps DAOs increase voter turnout and participation by sending targeted notifications to eligible voters. This functionality streamlines the governance process and fosters greater community involvement.

Ecosystem and Future Developments

Push Protocol's ecosystem is expanding rapidly, with over 600 integrations and counting. The protocol's commitment to supporting both large and small partners ensures a broad range of use cases and applications. Upcoming developments include deeper chain integrations, enhanced user interfaces, and expanded features for the Push app, all aimed at maintaining simplicity and improving user experience.

Ian LeViness's Journey into Crypto

Ian's entry into the crypto world began in 2016 when he discovered "Digital Gold" by Nathaniel Popper. This initial spark led him down a path of exploration, from reading the Bitcoin whitepaper to immersing himself in crypto Twitter and the Litecoin community. His journey is characterized by a passion for decentralization and the transformative potential of blockchain technology. His background as an English teacher and freelance writer provided a unique perspective on the industry's growth and the opportunities for improvement.

Operating in a DAO and Grant Strategy

As the DAO Lead and Head of Grants at Push Protocol, Ian emphasizes the importance of community-driven development. Operating in a DAO involves creating value through collaborative efforts, whether for profit-generating businesses or community initiatives. Push Protocol's grant strategy focuses on supporting projects that enhance the protocol's functionality and user experience, fostering innovation and growth within the ecosystem.

Technical Initiatives

Key technical initiatives include the transition to linear sharding, and enhancing scalability and security. The network's launch of nodes will facilitate quicker transactions and improved decentralization. The DAO's roadmap, accessible through Push Docs, outlines these developments, positioning Push Protocol as a hub for all communications, not just notifications. This transition is supported by a robust development team and a decentralized business development team.

Commitment to Public Goods and Social Impact

Push DAO is also committed to public goods and social impact, with plans to deepen efforts in these areas. They are exploring real-world assets (RWAs) on-chain, including real estate and luxury goods, and have been involved in innovative projects like tokenizing homes. Additionally, the DAO is venturing into music NFTs, recognizing their potential in the digital collectibles space.

Community Engagement and Communication

The Push community is highly collaborative, with open channels for proposals and integration ideas. Information and updates are readily accessible through the Push Protocol forum on Discord, and the DAO actively engages with the community via Twitter and Telegram.

Conclusion

Push Protocol is at the forefront of solving communication challenges in the Web3 space, offering a suite of products designed to streamline user interaction and enhance engagement. With a strong focus on simplicity, customization, and broad ecosystem support, Push Protocol is poised to become a central hub for on-chain communication. Ian LeViness's journey and insights underscore the transformative potential of blockchain technology and the importance of community-driven development in the crypto space.