At a time when other DEX builders were launching either a protocol or a consumer product, Uniswap did both. 

Uniswap Founder Hayden Adams told our Variant Founder fellows that part of the reason was Uniswap had to make sure the UI worked: “We’re just not a team and project that likes to handwave the problems that hold us back the most.” 

So, if Uniswap was working on two fronts, how did it become both the largest decentralized exchange and enable one of Ethereum’s most vibrant third-party ecosystems?

Watch Jesse Walden’s full interview with Hayden below to find out:

• The benefits of developing an “anti-hype project” in a bear market (5:31)
• Why he launched the protocol and the UI simultaneously (13:20)
• Why he believes third-party developers “feel safe” building atop the Uniswap protocol (22:37)
• A heuristic for founders to think about before adding new features (29:10)
• The “hard journey” for beginners that Uniswap Labs is currently trying to solve (38:00)

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Variant is an investor in Uniswap. This post is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell any investment and should not be used in the evaluation of the merits of making any investment decision. It should not be relied upon for accounting, legal or tax advice or investment recommendations. You should consult your own advisers as to legal, business, tax, and other related matters concerning any investment. Certain information contained in here has been obtained from third-party sources, including from portfolio companies of funds managed by Variant. While taken from sources believed to be reliable, Variant has not independently verified such information. Variant makes no representations about the enduring accuracy of the information or its appropriateness for a given situation. This post reflects the current opinions of the authors and is not made on behalf of Variant or its Clients and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Variant, its General Partners, its affiliates, advisors or individuals associated with Variant. The opinions reflected herein are subject to change without being updated.