Sagar Barvaliya: Blockchain, Stablecoins & a VC's AI Thesis

Sagar Barvaliya, Founding Partner at Blockchain Founders Capital, on why crypto never shipped a product. The Blockchain Founders Capital partner breaks down why almost every token project of the past few years failed to ship a real product - and where value actually accrues: stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets, and the application layer of AI. Sagar Barvaliya explains why his fund deliberately avoids foundation models, why capital is scarce again, and why Germany has to carry its automotive-era know-how into robotics before it's too late. 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:25 From BMW crash engineer to venture capital 00:06:47 Blockchain, not crypto speculation: the application-layer thesis 00:08:10 The first fund: BFC, €10M, launched in Davos 00:09:04 What changed since 2023: hype, crashes, scarce capital 00:16:21 Stablecoins, RWA and the Tether playbook 00:25:44 Blockchain as the internet's trust layer 00:31:52 Investment thesis: application layer and AI-native companies 00:38:22 What BFC looks for in founders 00:46:21 Europe's chance: from automotive to robotics 00:53:12 Germany's self-inflicted decline? 00:58:36 An AI bubble? Valuations under scrutiny 01:00:14 The next 20 years and what won't change *Guest:* Sagar Barvaliya is Founding Partner at Blockchain Founders Capital (BFC). Previously: BMW, Techstars, BlockRocket. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barvaliyasagar/ Website: https://www.bfc.vc/ *deeptech INSIGHTS:* deeptech Insights is a long-form interview series for people who think about frontier technology and the future for a living. Host Sascha Roehrer sits down with executives, investors, researchers, and the people shaping what comes next. Produced by Börsenmedien AG, Germany's leading financial media house (DER AKTIONÄR, BÖRSE ONLINE, €uro, €uro am Sonntag). Website: Youtube English: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGwe6Ab4ZdSc Youtube German: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYvuwOqohiSw Spotify English: https://open.spotify.com/show/033ONjPa8CuRZwJ0wZyWPz?si=c6fe9d33623e4418 Spotify German: https://open.spotify.com/show/033ONlTEHwbLHanLrQ6SeC?si=738da62560ed4cd7 Guest suggestions & feedback: [e-mail] This episode is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.