Values Before Hype in Polkadot: Nicolas Arevalo on Building Velocity

Staying true to values, even when it costs in the short term is how Nicolas Arevalo sees growth in Web3. At ETHCC in Cannes, the Velocity Labs co-founder and core Polkadot contributor shared how his team is driving DeFi and infrastructure development while building its tooling for the ecosystem.

Arevalo joined Polkadot in 2020, drawn by its credible multi-chain vision and principles like “more truth, less trust.” He says the ethos has held through market cycles, even when it meant sacrificing marketing or token performance.

Velocity Labs runs with a 10-person team across several countries, prioritizing culture-first hiring over technical skills. Arevalo credits this approach for creating strong bonds and a team dynamic that delivers results.

His advice for newcomers: “Find your niche… there’s a place for every single person to exist in this community, and everything is yet to be built.”