A Conversation with Jay Shapiro, Founder & CEO of Usiku Games

The yWhales team speaks with Jay Shapiro Founder and CEO of Usiku Games on what the blockchain industry is like on the African continent. Usiku Games is a play-to-earn platform that is free to play. It was started to counter the $37 Billion/year mobile sports betting industry in Africa. Unlike the sports betting industry, Usiku Games harnesses the power of gamification and blockchain to empower wealth building, savings, and socially beneficial spending in the continent. Usiku allows youth in Africa to invest in their personal future and community development. Capacity building and keeping African wealth and resources in Africa are at the core of Usiku’s mission. In that spirit, the Usiku’s team is fully composed of locals; this way, they can train the people who will run this multibillion-dollar industry in Africa. Fun fact: Usiku means night in Swahili. 

 

Throughout the discussion, Jay discusses how Africa is a fertile ground for blockchain business and why it is an ideal space for it. As he puts it, In the US crypto is about getting rich, in Africa crypto is about making a difference. 

 

About Guest

 

Jay Shapiro is the Founder and CEO of Usiku Games. He has built a successful career as a marketing strategist and entrepreneur. Jay is a Chairperson at the Pan Africa Gaming Group and an Angel Investor at Calm. Previously, he co-founded AppMakr and DoGoodAsYouGo.org. His digital marketing agency “Blue” in Singapore was acquired by WPP.  He left Canada in the 1990s to move to Asia. He is now based in Africa. 

 

You’ll learn about:

• How and why African markets are adopting blockchain faster than anywhere else in the world. 
• What kinds of marketing efforts create meaningful behavior change in Africa.
• How to use DAOs to overcome regulatory complications.
• How gamification and blockchain are leveraged to create wealth and socially beneficial spending in Africa.
• The difference between the Yield Gaming Guild and Usiku Games.
• The most popular blockchains in Africa. 

 

Resources: 

Connect with YWhales: Website | BitClout | Twitter

 

Connect with Jay Shapiro: Linkedin | Twitter

Connect with Usiku Games: Games Website | About Usiku

Kotani Pay

 

Timestamps

 

[00:39] Who is Jay Shapiro (Usiku Games)?

[05:42] What problem was he trying to solve using AI? 

[08:06] What makes Africa unique?

[09:49] What does Usiku do? 

[10:29] What is the Pan African Gaming Group DAO? 

[17:39] What is Gaming for Good? OR How are gamification and blockchain leveraged to create wealth? 

[21:04] Tokenomics: Where does the value Usiku coin come from?

[23:46] Technology stack: Why Usiku uses Harmony.

[25:16] Why Africa is the center of innovation for blockchain. 

[28:09] What currency do people use across countries in Africa for everyday trades. 

[29:24] Early success and future milestones.

[31:29] Yield Gaming Guild vs. Usiku Games: what’s the difference?

[34:55] Should we use solar energy for proof of work in Africa? 

[37:37] Usiku Games team. 

[39:05] How do African people learn about Web 3.0?

[40:13] Predominant chain in Africa.

[44:15] Will Usiku move out of Africa?

[45:57] Awesome blockchain projects in Africa. 

[48:28] How to connect with Jay Shapiro.

 

DISCLAIMER: yWhales is not affiliated with YPO but at this time only allow for YPO, YPO Gold, and YNG members due to privacy & confidentiality. Support and production for today’s episode was done by Truth Work Media. Nothing in the podcast constitutes professional and/or financial advice, nor does any information on the podcast constitute a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed or the law relating thereto.