We sat down with Kobi Oranski, an experienced software engineer who made the leap from traditional IT into the world of blockchain and AI. Driven by a passion for emerging technology, Kobi now works as a web3 consultant on EY’s blockchain team. We picked his brain on his journey into blockchain, the industry’s evolution, and what future applications excite him most.
AboutTheBlock: What originally sparked your interest in blockchain technology?
Kobi: In 2017, the hype around cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum was escalating rapidly. While much of it seemed like speculative mania, I also heard genuine stories of profits. This dichotomy intrigued me. As I dug deeper into resources like Andreas Antonopoulos’ “Introduction to Bitcoin,” I realized there was far more potential to blockchain than just speculation. It could revolutionize systems globally. This insight shifted my casual curiosity into a professional passion.
AboutTheBlock: Walk us through building your first blockchain system. What were the main challenges?
Koby: I cut my teeth building a simple ERC-20 token on Ethereum. The learning curve was steep – I had to grasp concepts like Solidity, gas fees, and the Ethereum Virtual Machine. It was frustrating at times, but also tremendously valuable hands-on education. With blockchain, you often don’t get second chances once smart contracts are deployed. I made mistakes, but grew smarter through them.
AboutTheBlock: How has the blockchain landscape changed since you started?
Koby: Today’s ecosystem looks vastly different from when I began focusing mostly on Bitcoin. We now have layer 2 solutions, NFTs, DeFi platforms, and tokenized assets being created constantly. Use cases multiply every day, especially with the rise of AI integration. It’s an incredibly expansive playground compared to just a few years ago.
AboutTheBlock: What excites you most about building blockchain systems?
Koby: I’m most passionate about blockchain’s potential to democratize technology globally. Allowing anyone, anywhere, to access assets or transact without intermediaries is deeply empowering.
Kobythen discussed examples of blockchain solving business and societal problems, along with how he envisions it transforming transactions and operations moving forward. He touched on misconceptions people have around the technology, along with risks and pitfalls to avoid when implementing solutions.
Looking ahead, Koby is most excited about blockchain applications in healthcare, energy, payments, and entertainment over the next decade. He’s also exploring integrations between blockchain and AI, along with improving sustainability through advances like Proof-of-Stake consensus models.
In Koby’s view, eliminating hype and scams in the blockchain space is vital so the technology’s real potential can shine through. He stresses starting small, building knowledge, and finding helpful communities to unlock that potential for anyone entering the expanding web3 space.
Koby Oranski: I’m an experienced Software Engineer who made the transition from the world of ITS into the world of blockchain & AI due to a growing passion in both industries. I am currently a Web3 consultant within the Blockchain team at EY.
Here’s my linkedin profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaakov-koby-oranski/
Another link to my personal bio site: https://koby.oranski.us.