Faces of Web3: Jye Sandiford, POAP – The Proof of Attendance Protocol

Faces of Web3: Jye Sandiford, POAP – The Proof of Attendance Protocol
March 5, 2025

Jye Sandiford is the Head of Enterprise Solutions at Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP), a pioneering platform in the Web3 development space that empowers individuals and organisations to own and preserve their digital memories and identities.

With a background spanning over a decade in building last-mile aggregator platforms within the Web2 ecosystem, Jye brings a wealth of experience in creating sustainable business models and leveraging data to unlock value. Drawn by the potential of blockchain to revolutionise data ownership and governance, he transitioned to the Web3 development space, combining his passion for disruptive innovation with a commitment to solving real-world problems.

At POAP, Jye is instrumental in driving partnerships and expanding the accessibility of digital collectibles across networks, delivering solutions that bridge the gap between technology and human connection.

How did you get started in the Web3 space?

It began when some friends and I created a DAO that we built from scratch. I learnt more about Web3 development and I finally decided to take a leap of faith and return to the start-up world. From there I connected with growth leaders in the space and I joined a community called Safary. I liked what the guys at Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP) were doing in terms of the brand they were building and the problems they wanted to solve using decentralised technologies. I joined the company shortly after.

What was your motivator to join POAP?

The whole of the previous 10 years was spent building last mile aggregator platforms in the Web2 space – think of the Uber deliverers of the world. My job was to make the ecosystem sustainable by finding new markets and revenue streams. I was working with blackbox data and using it to monetise in a bunch of different ways. What motivated me was how blockchain tech could disrupt the way data was governed and democratised. An alarm bell went off and I remember thinking ‘I have to get into this industry and figure out a way to use this technology as soon as possible.’

The definition of ‘Web3’ is quite broad and varies depending on the industry backgrounds of the people you speak to. How do you define the term?

There is a great book by Chris Dixon from A16Z called Read, Write, Own – Building the Next Era of the Internet. He suggests that while Web1 about the consumption of information and Web2 was about the publication of information, Web3 is about owning assets and information online. I think that’s how I would define Web3.  It’s about moving our online technology into a space where we own things freely. This is in contrast to today’s internet where most of what we post and consume online has become a very commoditised level of publishing. 

The Web3 development concept is central to what we are doing at POAP. 30 years ago you had to be a verified or resourced entity to publish online due to the technical challenges. It was how the world worked and we accepted that. With Web2 we allowed anyone to say whatever they wanted online right? So I think as more of our time is spent online, the idea that Facebook and Google own everything is pretty incredible. If something was to happen to Meta or Google or Microsoft tomorrow think how much of your identity and memories would be lost. At POAP we want people to own their memories and their digital identity which is made possible with blockchain technology.

What do you determine to be the biggest societal opportunities that Web3 brings?

Web3 development enables systems that protect privacy while simplifying identity sharing, thereby fostering trust between individuals and organisations. This unlocks a lot of opportunities.

In the current system, if I want to open a bank account or invest across 10 locations I would have to complete 10 identity checks. By having your identity on-chain there’s already a baseline level of trust that is established through data. This allows you to do more activities, more easily without having to continually reshare information and identity every time you register.

Web3 also helps us determine who is human or not. As AI continues to evolve there are more and more bots posing as humans. So much so that we struggle to know whether it is a person or a bot!  Sociologically speaking, Web3 development has the power to verify the authenticity of a real person from the ocean of identities that exist online.

And what do you see as the biggest challenge that the Web3 community faces?

I’d probably say self-implosion. If we focus on the tech and not on the problems we’re solving, we will miss the point. We won’t create business models or develop solutions that address real needs. There are some brilliant Web3 use cases that are moving in the right direction. Stablecoins for example are the easiest way to transfer value across the world right now.

Stablecoins are cheaper and faster and solve real world problems. However there are many more ways the technology can be utilised. Decentralised technology will only reach its maximum potential when we start steering the narrative away from tech. We need to ask ourselves “How are we making people’s lives easier?”

I’m still new to the space. Many of the people I talk to have been in Web3 development for 5 to 10 years. Mainstream media coverage has been so negative that its in danger of creating an “us versus them” mindset among those working within the space. I believe that’s created some of the challenges that exist today. However, it’s all part of the process and ultimately we will grow and come through these challenges.

What are some career highlights in your Web3 journey?

The inclusivity of the industry continues to astound me.  My career has always felt like I work for a company and even in very fast growing categories you don’t really connect with other people. In Web3 development it’s the complete opposite. You almost feel like your team is the industry itself. So it’s been really lovely as a way to connect and build your professional network and to grow and learn. 

From a POAP perspective, one of our key successes has been working to onboard non-Web3 companies. A number of global enterprises have shown interest in collaborating with us. Not because they want to use blockchain technology, but because we are delivering innovative digital experiences. We unlock use cases in employee engagement and have partnered with a variety of multinational companies. On many applications the company didn’t even realise blockchain was the core technology behind the solutions!

It’s positive to think about the issues we have covered to see that there are little growth spurts coming up across the industry. Real problems for real customers are being found and blockchain is completely abstracted. The focus is on the solution rather than the tech.

What’s coming up for you and POAP in 2025?
There are a few things we’re working on to make our tech infrastructure more flexible. For those of us working in the crypto space they understand the importance of partnerships. Especially when it comes to deciding which network you choose to build on, whether that’s NFTs or other assets. Therefore, we are expanding the number of networks where POAPs can be collected. Our USP is how easy we make it to distribute collectibles across channels in a verified way that can’t be farmed by bots. 

We’ve also just launched GPS minting application where you can scan a location and generate a POAP. We’re also launching POAP collecting via Instagram.

We continue to focus on making it easy for users to capture engagement and receive verifiable collectibles. This is a major priority of ours moving forward.

Tech first has been the industry wide approach but a lot of people still don’t understand how to mint an NFT.  We make that really easy by simply creating a QR code which takes you to a landing page. All you have to do is enter an address. We then reserve that collectible off-chain. We are continually looking to balance friction. Enough that there is an experience but not enough that it stops you from collecting in the first place.

What inspires you to stay motivated professionally?

For me it’s being part of a nascent industry. I’ve always enjoyed working on problems where you can be disruptive. You can really improve the way things are done. Knowing that we’re in such early days with POAP which exists in the consumer and social identity space. It’s early in terms of development and it’s exciting to see what will be adopted first. I’m excited to be involved in the early stages of something that will be profound in the impact it has on humans across the world.

When you’re not working, where would we most likely find you?

If I’m not working but online, I spend a lot of time on Farcaster which is a nice way to connect with people who are probably involved in crypto somehow. For example, discussing hobbies in life like running and building connections locally in London. I have a very normal lifestyle with interests in sport, especially running, anything to do with health – things like that. I spend a lot of time with my family and I enjoy traveling. I’m from Australia and so I’m trying to do some more trips and visit more people in 2025.

You can connect with Jye on LinkedIn and find out more about the Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP) here. You can also follow POAP on LinkedIn. If you loved Jye’s story and want further Web3 inspiration, you should be sure to Discover more in our exciting “Faces of Web3” series via our blog.