Web3 Leader Spotlight: Josep Bové
This week, we had the pleasure of chatting with Josep Bové, Tech Lead of Aave Chan Initiative.
Joseph is a seasoned Software Engineer with a passion for decentralization. His expertise includes leading tech in the R&D division of Avara.
Follow Josep on X at @0xbove.
How did you first get involved in Web3 and what inspired this journey?
I stumbled upon Bitcoin during my younger years when I was unable to use a credit card. At the time, trading in-game items for real money was commonplace, and I found myself drawn to using Bitcoin for such transactions. As the years went by, I began to grasp the underlying technology behind Bitcoin and eventually discovered Ethereum, which proved to be a game-changer in my life. This prompted me to dive into learning Solidity, and I soon found myself taking on freelance jobs in blockchain development.
What companies in web3 do you look up to and think are working on tough, but possibly game changing innovations?
The most formidable challenges within this ecosystem often revolve around protocols. Many individuals tend to overlook the critical infrastructure required to effectively bootstrap and sustain a blockchain, as their focus tends to be primarily on the DApp level.
In my perspective, companies such as EigenLayer, Optimism, Matterlabs, and essentially any entity dedicated to scaling solutions have the potential to revolutionize the landscape. Their innovations hold the power to fundamentally alter the dynamics of the ecosystem.
You’ve worked with leaders across the space, what keeps you motivated and how do you set yourself apart from the crowd?
The infinite garden philosophy that guides the ethereum ecosystem is what motivates me and I really think it keeps myself apart from the crowd.
“A finite game is played for the purpose of winning. An infinite game for the purpose of continuing the play.” ~ James P. Carse.
The idea of trying to contribute to an ecosystem that’s way bigger than us differentiates me a lot in an industry where people act like mercenaries.
Given your background as a Smart Contract & Security Engineer, what advice do you have for Software Engineers who are looking to make their mark in Web3 development?
Technically, try to go deep on how the things work under the hood. It’s okay to learn Solidity but what will differentiate you from other candidates is knowing how the EVM works to write assembly, knowing that eth nodes use Discv4 (for now) to do peer discovery… Professionally I would say that you should work on projects that will make impact on the ecosystem, don’t go to a company that does NFT’s and memecoins in order to try to earn more money and keep learning until you are able to join a team of extremely talented people actually impacting the ecosystem.
