POW With Gelo Wong

Gelo Wong is a serial entrepreneur and an avid angel investor. At an early age, he has created value in several Philippine industries—food, logistics, real estate, retail, and tech.

Today, he leads one of the leading Web3 venture firms in the Philippines, BayaniChain. Besides that, he also leads Likha NFT Marketplace and RWards NFT.

What’s something about you that would surprise us?

I’ve been obsessed over crypto since 2020 and have never looked back since. Outside Web3, I’m a huge art & toy enthusiast. I also like to explore new tech like AI.

  What were you doing before Web3?

I was a serial entrepreneur— I had an online streetwear and sneaker shop, I ran a local milktea chain, and I was involved in e-commerce as well.

How did you get into Web3?

One of my business partners in the e-commerce industry lived in Europe, he told me that he’d send my part of the revenue via Bitcoin. From there, I explored different tokens, learned to trade, and was eventually introduced to NFTs. Rest is history!

What was your first crypto or NFT project?

My first NFT project that I bought into was OctoHedz, at some point it was determined to be the next CyberKongz. Today, it has an insanely huge IRL utility located in Inflatable Island Subic. Pretty crazy how far we’ve come since.

How would you explain what you do to someone outside of Web3?

I make it easier for people to access next generation tech.

Which creator or thought leader do you enjoy learning from?

One of the thought leaders that I am fond of is Alex Becker, founder of NEO Tokyo. His insights in the space are insights that absolutely make sense.

What is the biggest highlight of your career so far?

The biggest highlight of my career is not one specific event but rather how far we’ve come as a company. It definitely wasn’t an easy feat and it still isn’t— but with my other co-founders who are committed to serving more people, I’m excited to see where this goes.

What tech or crypto trend are you watching this year?

I’m looking forward to seeing Web3 and NFTs in your favorite brands. That’s where mass adoption truly comes in.

Also, Checks by Jack Butcher. That’s the alpha.

What advice would you give someone starting out in web3?

If you’re entering as an investor, look at the bigger picture.

If you’re entering as a builder, build because of the tech.

Technology > Charts

If you could do a TEDtalk on any topic, what would it be?

Building with Purpose: Why money shouldn’t be your singular motivation.

What is the one thing you would bring if you were stuck on a deserted island?

A knife because minecraft logic will probably work.