This presentation was given at Ethereum Denver on March 9th, 2016.

1. ETHEREUM DENVER
THREE PATHS TO PROFITS (OR PAIN)
Presented by Kent Barton
March 9th, 2016

2. /whois kent barton
• Founder: Ethereum Denver
• Co-Founder: Glassbox
• Former CMO: Decentralized Capital
• Early Contributor: EtherEx

3. THE VIEW FROM HERE
During the last 3-4 months, a handful of very important questions have been answered:
- Will the Ethereum team run out of money?
- Can Ethereum gain traction with large, credible organizations?
- Can Ethereum prove itself as a stable, secure, and functional platform?
- Can Ethereum offer itself as a compelling alternative in the midst of Bitcoin’s civil war?

4. The result…

6. But significant questions remain, including:
WHAT ARE THE KILLER APPS?
It’s imperative that useful applications for Ethereum are developed.
Opportunities abound for the well-informed and well-positioned.

7. Profit Path #1:
DEVELOPMENT

8. The platform needs developers (developers, developers) to
build useful applications
If you’re a developer, you are in a very good position

9. Developer Opportunities
• What you can build is only limited by your imagination (and
Ethereum’s limitations)

10. Developer Opportunities
• What you can build is only limited by your imagination (and
Ethereum’s limitations)
• There are ample opportunities to get involved with new and
existing DApps

11. Developer Opportunities
• What you can build is only limited by your imagination (and
Ethereum’s limitations)
• There are ample opportunities to get involved with new and
existing DApps
• Two ways to profit: build code that has a small fee, or charge for
your services

12. Developer Opportunities
• What you can build is only limited by your imagination (and
Ethereum’s limitations)
• There are ample opportunities to get involved with new and
existing DApps
• Two ways to profit: build code that has a small fee, or charge for
your services
• Four languages to build in: JavaScript, Python, Go, and Lisp

13. Developer Challenges
• You must thoroughly understand Ethereum, and build within its
inherent limitations

14. Developer Challenges
• You must thoroughly understand Ethereum, and build within its
inherent limitations
• Creativity and inventiveness are essential (the obvious ideas are
already being implemented)

15. Developer Challenges
• You must thoroughly understand Ethereum, and build within its
inherent limitations
• Creativity and inventiveness are essential (the obvious ideas are
already being implemented)
• DApp code is open source, and can be readily forked

16. Developer Challenges
• You must thoroughly understand Ethereum, and build within its
inherent limitations
• Creativity and inventiveness are essential (the obvious ideas are
already being implemented)
• DApp code is open source, and can be readily forked
• The profit model for DApp fees is unproven

17. Profit Path #2:
INVESTMENT

18. Money is rushing into the
Ethereum ecosystem
Savvy investors should continue to make money.
Others will lose.

19. The Investing
Landscape (so far)
• Ether (ETH) – Ethereum
• Augur (REP) – Decentralized Prediction Market
• Maker (MKR) – Lending Protocol
• Slock.IT – Real-world devices on the blockchain
• Digix (DGD) – Gold on the blockchain

20. Investment Opportunities
• High potential for outsized gains

21. Investment Opportunities
• High potential for outsized gains
• The ability to get in at the “ground floor” on truly innovative projects
like Slock.it and Augur

22. Investment Opportunities
• The potential for outsized gains
• The ability to get in at the “ground floor” on truly innovative projects
like Slock.IT and Augur
• High volatility creates opportunities for swing traders and (if you’re
slightly insane) day traders

23. Investment Opportunities
• The potential for outsized gains
• The ability to get in at the “ground floor” on truly innovative projects
like Slock.IT and Augur
• High volatility creates opportunities for swing traders and (if you’re
slightly insane) day traders
• A multitude of asset classes, including futures, options, and even
tradable crowdsale tokens

24. Investment Opportunities
• The potential for outsized gains
• The ability to get in at the “ground floor” on truly innovative projects
like Slock.IT and Augur
• High volatility creates opportunities for swing traders and (if you’re
slightly insane) day traders
• A multitude of asset classes, including futures, options, and even
tradable crowdsale tokens
• For the well-funded, there are many new businesses in need of
operating capital

26. Investment Challenges
• Systemic Platform Risks
• Scams (Caveat Emptor!)
• A lack of profitable business models
• Same investing risks as always
• Extreme volatility - even by crypto standards

27. Profit Path #3:
ENTREPRENEURSHI
P

28. So…you have a cool idea
(but you’re not a developer)

29. Entrepreneurial
Opportunities
• Smart Contracts create new ways to earn revenue, and
novel ways to operate a business

30. Entrepreneurial
Opportunities
• Smart Contracts create new ways to earn revenue, and
novel ways to operate a business
• There are many business models begging to be disrupted
by decentralization

31. Entrepreneurial
Opportunities
• Smart Contracts create new ways to earn revenue, and
novel ways to operate a business
• There are many business models begging to be disrupted
by decentralization
• Plenty of room for ancillary businesses

32. Entrepreneurial
Challenges
• You’re already up against some well-funded and well-
connected projects

33. Entrepreneurial
Challenges
• You’re already up against some well-funded and well-
connected projects
• Your idea is useless without developers

34. Entrepreneurial
Challenges
• You’re already up against some well-funded and well-
connected projects
• Your idea is useless without developers
• DApp profit models remain unproven

35. Entrepreneurial
Challenges
• You’re already up against some well-funded and well-
connected projects
• Your idea is useless without developers
• DApp profit models remain unproven
• Not everything should be decentralized

36. Entrepreneurial
Challenges
• You’re already up against some well-funded and well-
connected projects
• Your idea is useless without developers
• DApp profit models remain unproven
• Not everything should be decentralized
• For all of the excitement and novelty of this bleeding-edge
space, it’s still business

37. TAKEAWAYS
EDUCATE YOURSELF
CONNECT WITH OTHERS
CODIFY BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS

38. Q&A