Gavin Wood: The Innovative Journey from Ethereum to Polkadot

Gavin Wood is one of the pioneers in the field of blockchain technology, with a career filled with innovation and breakthroughs. As a co-founder of Ethereum, he created the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and the Solidity programming language, laying the foundation for the development of smart contracts. Later, he founded the Polkadot project, further advancing the development of blockchain technology.

In a deep interview lasting 3 hours, Gavin shared his innovative ideas, childhood experiences, and views on the future of blockchain. Here are the highlights of the interview:

Source of Innovative Thinking

Gavin believes that true innovation does not come from predefined goals, but rather from the recombination of existing elements. He explained: "A good idea is one where you can clearly see the path to realization. It is built on known, feasible components, generating new and meaningful results through creative combinations."

He emphasized that innovation should not be limited to solving specific problems, but should maintain an open mindset: "If your perspective is a bit broader and you are a little more 'hands-off' regarding the specific results you want to achieve, then you might find some more revolutionary and substantial solutions faster."

The Influence of Childhood Experiences

When talking about his childhood, Gavin revealed that he grew up in a single-parent family and went through a difficult period: "I have very vivid memories of that time in my life, mainly a sense of abandonment. This has given me a particularly deep appreciation for a 'safe environment.'"

This experience may have shaped his character and motivation to some extent, but Gavin stated that he did not deliberately analyze this influence.

Profound Understanding of Blockchain Technology

Gavin believes that the key to driving significant technological breakthroughs lies in a deep understanding of knowledge, not just solving surface problems: "I'm trying to propose some new engineering insights, which do not mean 'deploy it and tomorrow you can increase transaction volume by 10%.' On the contrary, I hope that, when applied correctly, it could become part of the next generation of systems, bringing a 1000% or even a million percent increase in transaction volume."

He emphasized that true innovation often takes time to be understood and applied, just as the theoretical research of the early 20th century laid the foundation for later laser technology.

Future Outlook

Although Gavin acknowledges that some of his ideas may be misunderstood or ahead of their time, he still insists on his innovative path. He is developing a new protocol called JAM, and although the complexity of this protocol may not be easily understood, he believes it will bring new breakthroughs to blockchain technology.

Gavin Wood's experiences and thoughts show us how a true innovator thinks and works. His story reminds us that true innovation often requires an open mind, deep understanding, and courageous exploration of the unknown.