Metronome Minute — Vinny Lingham
In the Metronome Minute, we ask members of the Metronome team five questions about their role, expertise, and what interests them about the project.
For this edition, we have one of our advisors: Vinny Lingham, Co-Founder and CEO of Civic Technologies. After a decade of experience and entrepreneurship in e-commerce — he previously founded Gyft as a digital gift card platform in 2012 — Vinny realised that no one had solved the problem of identity fraud. So in 2016, Vinny co-founded the Civic platform to combat this issue and return identity control back to consumers.
Vinny, how did you connect on this project and what is your role as a Metronome advisor?
I’ve known Matthew Roszak and Jeff Garzik for some time now — it’s actually hard to be involved in the blockchain industry for any length of time without knowing them. During Metronome’s formative period, I was asked to advise on the project, and I happily accepted the chance to help build something so unique.
As a serial entrepreneur and blockchain believer, I recognised the potential of cryptocurrency to become a significant disruptor in how we think about money and commerce. The Metronome team and its advisors surveyed the current cryptocurrency landscape and saw the same opportunity, determining that cryptocurrencies could still do more to empower its owners, which would be a necessary element for a sound, durable cryptocurrency. Metronome was designed to solve that problem.
As for my role, I focus on how Metronome can strengthen its owners and community, helping the team develop strategies to conquer the challenges that arise when building something new from the ground up. Similar to how Civic returns power, discretion and ownership back to consumers, Metronome embodies that same spirit, letting purchasers be true stewards of their holdings.
What excites you most about Metronome?
From my point of view, handing power back to the community is perhaps the most compelling part of Metronome. Its cross-chain and self-governing characteristics give Metronome purchasers maximum choice on how to use it and interact with its ecosystem, which is a critical functionality to building a lasting cryptocurrency, and something I have yet to see in the marketplace.
To explain further: A cross-chain cryptocurrency means that an owner no longer has to be tied down to one set of governance norms or a set of underlying protocols. So, for example, if you don’t like Ethereum’s move from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake (aka Casper), you will be able to move your Metronome from ETH to ETC, without having to cash anything out for that transfer. Regardless of what chain you’re on, it’s still Metronome, which brings greater owner intentionality to the experience.
In addition, Metronome’s existence as a set of contracts across one or more blockchains is equally notable. As new chain support is developed (or even as new contracts on the same chain), the choice to move one’s Metronome to a different set of contracts rests solely on the owner. There is no foundation or small group of developers pushing a hard fork onto the entire community, because there will not be a foundation. Each owner is given the power to choose, without the influence of a foundation or proof-of-personality to decide what Metronome is or will be. Again, this underlying characteristic empowers the purchaser, and this ownership for the consumer is a foundational concept for me.
What do you think have been the greatest challenges in bringing this cryptocurrency to life?
As with any new technology, there are risks we know about and there are risks that we have to discover. The Metronome team has done a phenomenal job of navigating the (un)known technical risks through some of the most intense code audits I’ve seen while also navigating the legal and regulatory waters, both known and uncharted. Metronome enjoys some of the foremost legal minds in cryptocurrency in addition to its all-star technical and support team.
The winds change quickly in this space from both technical best practices and regulatory compliance. However, the team’s prudent approach to both of these aspects, I think, demonstrates the maturity of the team and a reflection of that maturity in Metronome itself. While challenging to keep pace with the shifting industry, the team has not lost its vision of delivering a functional cryptocurrency with an unassailable ecosystem.
What is your expectation for the most-used application of Metronome?
Metronome returns control to its owners. I expect that this is what will excite owners the most. Bitcoin showed us that we did not have to rely on banks or governments to secure our money anymore. I think that Metronome will go a step further, showing us that we don’t even need to rely on one blockchain for securing our wealth.
So while I believe that Metronome will be used mostly as a cryptocurrency and a store of value, it has other characteristics that will define what we will come to expect from healthy cryptocurrencies. Its predictable issuance could be very valuable for purchasers looking to get in the cryptocurrency game, and its programmability makes smart money even smarter. There’s a lot to be excited about already, but even more to be excited about as the technology and space matures even further.
Where will you be when the auction starts?
I’ll likely be between meetings, looking at other companies and projects for opportunities as exciting as Metronome. I’ll have my Metronome wallet open to check on how the auction is proceeding.
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The Metronome team is justifiably proud of its advisors’ calibre. Its stellar spread of talent and expertise in its advisory board mesh, meld, and guide the core team to bring this new cryptocurrency to life.
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More to come,
The Metronome Team
