Uploaded May 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
In this 26th episode of Colors of Web3 & Entrepreneurship, we dive into the fascinating world of AI and Web3 with Trevor Koverko, the co-founder of Sapien. Trevor shares his remarkable journey, starting from the early days of Bitcoin and Ethereum, and how he witnessed the evolution of the crypto space firsthand.
We then explore Sapien, Trevor's latest venture, which aims to solve the data labeling bottleneck in AI model training by building a decentralized network of human data labelers incentivized with crypto rewards. Trevor provides insights into their gamified approach, novel incentive mechanisms like staking, and the vision of attracting a large, high-quality labeler network.
Furthermore, Trevor shares his perspectives on the symbiotic relationship between AI and Web3, discussing how Web3 can help decentralize various components of the AI stack, such as compute, data labeling, and verification. He also offers valuable advice for aspiring Web3 founders, emphasizing the importance of focused verticals, understanding technical foundations, and engaging with the community.
⌛ Timestamps
00:00:00 Episode Intro
00:00:27 Introduction about the show and the guest: Trevor Koverko from Sapien
00:03:02 Trevor's Background and Early Days of Ethereum
00:05:31 He has lived through 3 crypto cycles
00:08:27 From Polymath to Polymesh
00:13:35 The Rise of Real-World Assets
00:19:29 How he learned about the Machine Learning process and discovered the data labeling aspect in AI
00:23:55 How human labelers facilities work
00:27:05 The importance of data labeling in the machine learning process
00:28:18 The need for human data labellers
00:30:52 Sapien's Approach to Data Labeling (demo)
00:36:00 Gamification and incentives for labellers
00:39:35 The need for highly-engaged labelers and a system where they can perform their work
00:43:48 The team behind Sapien and the phase of their product
00:46:10 Challenges facing Sapien
00:49:13 The Future of AI and Web3 intersection
00:53:38 Advice for Web3 Founders
00:56:12 Where to follow Trevor and his company
00:56:58 Outro and Closing Remarks
Follow Trevor and Sapien:
His Twitter/X: twitter.com/trevorkoverko
His company website: sapien.io
My social media:
Twitter/X: twitter.com/LamWeb3
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/
Website: https://lamtrinh.xyz
My latest article: lamweb3.substack.com/p/the-importance-of-decentralized-science
If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!
#web3 #ai #labeling #podcast #entrepreneurship #startup
In this 26th episode of Colors of Web3 & Entrepreneurship, we dive into the fascinating world of AI and Web3 with Trevor Koverko, the co-founder of Sapien. Trevor shares his remarkable journey, starting from the early days of Bitcoin and Ethereum, and how he witnessed the evolution of the crypto space firsthand.
We then explore Sapien, Trevor's latest venture, which aims to solve the data labeling bottleneck in AI model training by building a decentralized network of human data labelers incentivized with crypto rewards. Trevor provides insights into their gamified approach, novel incentive mechanisms like staking, and the vision of attracting a large, high-quality labeler network.
Furthermore, Trevor shares his perspectives on the symbiotic relationship between AI and Web3, discussing how Web3 can help decentralize various components of the AI stack, such as compute, data labeling, and verification. He also offers valuable advice for aspiring Web3 founders, emphasizing the importance of focused verticals, understanding technical foundations, and engaging with the community.
⌛ Timestamps
00:00:00 Episode Intro
00:00:27 Introduction about the show and the guest: Trevor Koverko from Sapien
00:03:02 Trevor's Background and Early Days of Ethereum
00:05:31 He has lived through 3 crypto cycles
00:08:27 From Polymath to Polymesh
00:13:35 The Rise of Real-World Assets
00:19:29 How he learned about the Machine Learning process and discovered the data labeling aspect in AI
00:23:55 How human labelers facilities work
00:27:05 The importance of data labeling in the machine learning process
00:28:18 The need for human data labellers
00:30:52 Sapien's Approach to Data Labeling (demo)
00:36:00 Gamification and incentives for labellers
00:39:35 The need for highly-engaged labelers and a system where they can perform their work
00:43:48 The team behind Sapien and the phase of their product
00:46:10 Challenges facing Sapien
00:49:13 The Future of AI and Web3 intersection
00:53:38 Advice for Web3 Founders
00:56:12 Where to follow Trevor and his company
00:56:58 Outro and Closing Remarks
Follow Trevor and Sapien:
His Twitter/X: twitter.com/trevorkoverko
His company website: sapien.io
My social media:
Twitter/X: twitter.com/LamWeb3
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lamweb3/
Website: https://lamtrinh.xyz
My latest article: lamweb3.substack.com/p/the-importance-of-decentralized-science
If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!
#web3 #ai #labeling #podcast #entrepreneurship #startup
