The Good Tech Companies - How Edge & Node’s Rodrigo Coelho Is Reimagining the Web with The Graph

Starting point is 00:00:00 This audio is presented by Hacker Noon, where anyone can learn anything about any technology. How Edge and Nodes Rodrigo Coello is reimagining the web with the graph, by A'Shawn Pondy. Hash hash how edge and nodes Rodrigo Coello is reimagining the web with the graph Rodrigo Coello is no stranger to building from scratch. From co-founding startups in the 90s to now leading edge and node, the core team behind the Graph. His path reflects a blend of entrepreneurship, technological foresight, and a deep-rooted belief in the decentralized future of the Web. In this hacker noon, behind the startup interview, Rodrigo sits down with Ashan Pandey to reflect on his journey, the Graph's evolution,

Starting point is 00:00:41 and how he envisions a future where Web3 is not just real, but inevitable. Ashant Pandey. Hi Rodrigo, It's a pleasure to welcome you to our, Behind the Startup, series. Your journey from co-founding tech startups in the late 90s to becoming the CEO of Edge and Node is quite remarkable. Could you share what inspired you to transition into the Web3 space and how your previous entrepreneurial experiences have shaped your vision for Edge and node, Rodrigo Coello. I originally got interested in gold prior to the 2008 financial crisis, and had gone down the whole Fed and Fiat currency rabbit hole.

Starting point is 00:01:15 I started to get interested in Bitcoin around the 2010 Domino's Pizza purchase. I had followed the industry and got more intrigued in 2016 after I moved to San Francisco and met more builders. But what made me take the full leap and transition into Web3 was meeting Yanniv Tal at a co-working space in late 2017 when he was working on the pitch deck for The Graph. I had been a serial entrepreneur, founding three other tech startups, so as a fellow founder I offered to help him on the deck or make introductions to investors. We developed a friendship and months later, I joined him as the first employee.

Starting point is 00:01:50 My prior entrepreneurial experiences helped me because in my first role I was a jack of all trades from setting up the social channels, to handling the boot hand to swag at hackathons, to setting up the accounting system, to handling people operations. I had done a bit of everything in my career. Being at the company from the very beginning allowed me to have very deep contextual knowledge, including having interviewed and onboarded everyone in the company, so once I stepped into the CEO role a few months ago, I was able to hit the ground running. I'd say the biggest energy I've brought is operating a sense of urgency and returning to an engineering culture and shipping

Starting point is 00:02:24 mindset. Ashant Pandey, Edge and Node has been instrumental in developing the Graph, eight centralized protocol for indexing and querying blockchain data. With your recent appointment as CEO, what strategic initiatives are you prioritizing tonehands the Graph's capabilities and support its expanding ecosystem? Rodrigo Coello. The first step for me was to really look under the hood and examine every corner of E and N with honesty and curiosity, and lay everything on the table. I wanted to create space for people to bring their boldest ideas and biggest visions forward. No more coloring inside the lines.

Starting point is 00:02:59 I don't want to build within the rules of imagination, I want to expand them. That's how we bring the best of the best to our users across the entire stack. What excites me most right now is the real traction we're seeing in mainstream sectors, traditional finance, real-world assets, and enterprise use cases. Thesis how we close the gap between web 2 and web 3. This is what signals we're not building an alternative internet we're building the next internet. Ashaan Pandey. The graph has integrated with nearly 100 blockchains, which is a significant achievement.

Starting point is 00:03:32 What challenges have you encountered in maintaining such extensive interoperability, and how do you plan to address them moving forward? Rodrigo Coelho. Interoperability at this scale is no small feat. Each blockchain presents unique technical and governance complexities. In the past, our goal was to integrate with as many chains as possible, but we've since refocused our approach. Now, we're prioritizing quality over quantity, concentrating on the chains where developers are actively building and where there's real excitement

Starting point is 00:04:00 and momentum. This shift allows us to better allocate resources, deepen support, and ensure long-term sustainability for the graph ecosystem. Moving forward, we'll continue to streamline integration efforts while staying aligned with where real innovation is happening. Aashan Pandey, Developer Experience and Community Engagement are critical for the success of decentralized protocols. What specific programs or resources is Edge and Node implementing to empower developers within the Graph ecosystem? Rodrigo Coello Since 2022, Edge and Node has operated the house of Web3 in San Francisco which has become a hub of activity in the crypto ecosystem.

Starting point is 00:04:39 We host many in-person events specific to developers such as, Intro to Full Stack Dapp Development, The Graph Workshop, Quick Start to Subgraph Development and Querying, Substreams Demystified, A Practitioner's Guide to High Performance Blockchain Indexing, LoFi Hack, Artificial Intelligence Workshop with Semiotic Labs, Hackathon Warmup with Bootle Goodle, Sway Hackerhouse and Demo Day, San Francisco Ethereum Developers Meetup, and more, in addition, our Developer Relations team hosts many online events including live ones on X and YouTube such as the ETHSF 2025 Opening Ceremony, Hard Crypto, Bridging Digital and Physical Worlds, Buildith Patterns, Discussions on Crypto Accounting for Businesses, and more, Ashan Pandey. The Web3 landscape is rapidly evolving, with new trends and technologies emerging constantly.

Starting point is 00:05:30 How is Edge and Node positioning itself to stay ahead of these developments, and what role do you envision the graph playing in the future of decentralized applications? Greater than staying ahead isn't just about reacting to trends, it's about defining them. Rodrigo Coelho. At Edge and Node, we're builders at heart. We created subgraphs in GraphNode, foundational pieces of the decentralized stack. This isn't surface-level innovation, we've poured real heart, real sweat, and real codinto bringing things into the world that didn't exist before.

Starting point is 00:06:01 We don't copy Andrebrand, we create. I see the graph becoming synonymous with data itself. The world's data will flow through the graph in some form in a structured, queryable, and open way. And our goal is to make that flow as seamless as possible, with a user experience that's as intuitive and powerful as a one-click interaction. That's the future we're building toward. Ashant Pondy. Navigating the regulatory environment is a common challenge for blockchain-based projects. How does Edge and Node approach compliance while staying true to the principles of decentralization?

Starting point is 00:06:34 Rodrigo Coelho We take compliance seriously and work with experienced counsel to understand and navigate global regulatory frameworks. At the same time, we remain committed to the ethos of decentralization, designing systems that don't really on centralized control. It's a delicate balance, but one we believe ice achievable through transparency, decentralization by design, and community-led governance. Ashaan Pandey. Maintaining a cohesive organizational culture in a remote first company can be challenging. What strategies are you employing to foster collaboration and innovation among your globally distributed team? Rodrigo Coelho. We

Starting point is 00:07:11 prioritize intentional communication, regular virtual gatherings, and async collaboration tools. But beyond that, we invest in rituals that celebrate wins, acknowledge contributions, and create a sense of belonging. We do off-sites a few times a year between the Graf Foundation and Edge and Node, which gives us a chance to meet face-to-face, collaborate in person, and deepen the connections that drive our work. We also have a, celebrating wins, Slack channel where we hype each other up, along with channels for music, parenting, food, and more, little spaces that help foster a close-knit environment, even when our teammates are spread out across the world.

Starting point is 00:07:49 A'Shaun Pondy. Previously, you held the title of Chief Spirit Officer at Edge and Node. How did that role influence your leadership style, and are there aspects of that position you continue to incorporate as CEO? Rodrigo Coelho. Being Chief Spirit Officer was about nurturing the soul of the organization, fostering creativity, purpose, and connection. As CEO, I still hold that spirit close. I lead with empathy, curiosity, and a belief that culture is a strategic advantage.

Starting point is 00:08:18 That mindset influences everything from how we make decisions to how we support one another as teammates and humans. I also keep an open door policy. No idea is a bad idea, and I've made sure the team knows that. I don't want anyone to be afraid of failing. In fact, I believe in failing up. That's how we grow, innovate, and ultimately do the work that changes everything. A'Shawn Pondy. Looking ahead, where do you see Edge and Node and the Graphico system in the next 5-10 years? What legacy do you hope to build during your tenure as CEO? Rodrigo Coello.

Starting point is 00:08:52 Our mission has always been to make Web3 real, and now, we're closer than ever. I envision the Graph as the backbone of the new internet, the invisible infrastructure powering every truly decentralized application. Not Web 2, not Web 3, just the Web, the future, a world where users have ownership, data flows freely, and innovation isn't bottlenecked by gatekeepers. At Edge and Node, we're building more than technology, we're building a movement. I want our legacy to be that we didn't just talk about what's possible, we made it inevitable. Don't forget to like and share the story. Tip Vested Interest Disclosure

Starting point is 00:09:28 This author is an independent contributor publishing via our business blogging program. Hacker Noon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. Hashtag dyo Thank you for listening to this Hacker Noon story, read by Artificial Intelligence. Visit hackernoon.com to read, write, learn and publish.

The Good Tech Companies - How Edge & Node’s Rodrigo Coelho Is Reimagining the Web with The Graph

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