Ep 262 Leading in Web3 A Conversation with Arto Bendiken

The Silicon Valley Podcast

🎧 Episode Summary:

In this episode, we sit down with Arto Bendiken, a self-taught polymath, technologist, and entrepreneur whose journey spans building custom software in Finland at 13, contributing to defense communications for the U.S. Navy, scaling blockchain infrastructure at Aurora Labs, and now launching Haltia.AI in Dubai.

We dive deep into the evolution of Web3, the intersection of AI and crypto, real-world blockchain applications, tokenomics, smart contract risks, and how the global landscape—from Silicon Valley to Dubai—is shifting.

This episode is a masterclass for anyone curious about the future of decentralization, personal AI, and global entrepreneurship.

🧠 Key Topics Covered:

• Arto’s early start in programming and hacking culture in Finland
  
• Founding and scaling tech ventures across Europe, the U.S., and the UAE
  
• The transition from developer to crypto pioneer: Bitcoin, Ethereum, and NEAR Protocol
  
• Lessons from leading Aurora Labs and building hyperscale Web3 infrastructure
  
• The biggest misunderstandings around Web3 and crypto adoption
  
• What tokenomics really means—and how to evaluate them properly
  
• Smart contract vulnerabilities that are still underappreciated
  
• Balancing scalability, security, and decentralization in modern blockchain architecture
  
• What AI and crypto convergence could actually look like
  
• Why Arto chose to build in Dubai—and what Silicon Valley can learn from it
  
• What he's building now with Haltia.AI and the ASIMOV Protocol
  

🔥 Highlight Questions:

• What initially drew you to Web3, and how has your perspective changed since?
  
• How do you answer critics who say crypto is a solution in search of a problem?
  
• What’s a real-world use case in crypto that doesn’t get enough attention?
  
• How should founders or investors assess tokenomics today?
  
• What’s the most underestimated risk in crypto right now?
  
• You wrote an open letter to Marc Andreessen—what inspired that and what did you say?
  

🌍 About the Guest:

Arto Bendiken is a serial entrepreneur and CTO with 30+ years of experience across software, AI, and crypto. He has built tech solutions for major banks, defense agencies, and public companies, and has helped scale Web3 infrastructure to millions of users globally. He is currently the Founder of Haltia.AI, where he is building trustworthy personal AI systems and launching the ASIMOV Protocol, a global knowledge market.

Connect with Arto on LinkedIn

📚 Resources & Mentions:

• Book: The Sovereign Individual
  
• NEAR Protocol & Aurora Labs
  
• Room 77 (the original BTC café)
  
• Haltia.AI & ASIMOV Protocol
  
• Open letter to Marc Andreessen

Disclaimer:"The views expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only and not financial or legal advice. Consult with a professional for your specific situation. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of Finalis Inc. or Finalis Securities LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC.”