Dominic Hrabe is one of the Co-Founders of Evolv Events and World Crypto Con.
In the run up to this year’s WCC at Vegas Blockchain Week, we sat down with Dominic to discuss how he got involved in the space, and what it has been like organizing such a large scale event.
What’s your background in crypto? How were you introduced to it? I learned of blockchain in 2014 when two friends had notified me of bitcoin in a matter of a few weeks. I realized I should pay attention so, without really knowing much at the time, I bought my first bitcoin. But it wasn’t until 2016 that I really began to study blockchain.
Two years ago you co-founded Evolv Events. What was your background prior to that? I hold a degree in Pharmacy and had been working in that field until starting WCC and Evolv.
Coordinating an event like this must involve a ton of help. Can you tell us a little bit about your role in organizing WCC? It is an enormous task and I could not do it without the help and dedication of my partners, Adam and Eric. I am tasked with speaker outreach and agenda design, which is a tall order, considering how fast this ecosystem evolves.
What advice would you give to someone looking to get more involved in the crypto scene? Start now. Study a little bit every day and don’t get overwhelmed. I was overwhelmed by blockchain in 2014, otherwise I would have dove headfirst into the ecosystem then but I waited. I wished I would have taken more action and became more involved in the space then. Don’t make the same mistake I did.
It was nearly 2 years ago that WCC began. What was the vision behind it? The vision is to become the CES of the blockchain and distributed ledger technology industry. The amount of innovation that will develop in this industry will be incalculable.
Now with the 2nd WCC about to begin, has it fulfilled that vision? Although we are moving closer to actualizing that vision, we are not yet there. The vision of becoming the CES of the blockchain ecosystem requires a much greater degree of blockchain and digital asset mass adoption.
What do you foresee for WCC in the coming years? Is there a particular goal or milestone you’re aiming for? We will continue to grow the product offering of Vegas Blockchain Week and continue to enhance the experience of WCC. As the industry grows, we will mature along with it. We’re certainly very excited for what the future holds in this space.
What was the biggest success of WCC 2018? Learning from not only our successes but our mistakes. We baked our first cake in 2018. We identified the ingredients we need to keep and the ones we need to eliminate. A lot of valuable lessons were learned that will help us make WCC and Vegas Blockchain Week one of, if not, the top industry event in North America.
What did you learn from 2018 that you’ve applied to this year’s event? We expanded. We recognized the thirst for companies and communities to host their own events inside of VBW. By attracting these organizations we can concentrate the product offering and keep the prices low without compromising on quality.
How far in advance did planning for WCC 2019 start? Immediately after WCC 2018. ???? The planning never stops.
What are you most looking forward to about WCC 2019? I’m looking forward to seeing everything we’ve worked for come together in just a few days. It takes an enormous amount of effort to pull off an event of this scale. But most of all, I’m excited for the content we have assembled. We have some of the top industry voices coming to share their brilliance on stage.
If you could give someone a one sentence pitch to convince them they have to go to WCC this year – what would it be? What are you waiting for? Where else can you go to see this many top-notch blockchain professionals in such a short period of time AND have the opportunity to meet and speak with them?
Any plans to expand the Evolv Events portfolio beyond WCC? Absolutely. Did I say the planning never stops? ????
