E56: From Community Contributor to Launching Chains at Arbitrum: Vishnu Kumar’s Journey

Vishnu Kumar joins the ATX DAO Podcast to share his journey from early community contributor to helping teams launch custom chains at Arbitrum. With roots in Gitcoin’s public goods ecosystem and experience across DAOs like ATX DAO and Friends With Benefits, Vishnu brings a rare perspective on how community-first involvement can evolve into real infrastructure impact. He reflects on the lessons learned from DAO chaos, builder experimentation, and navigating the trade-offs of decentralized coordination.

Now leading strategy and go-to-market for Arbitrum Orbit, Vishnu offers a behind-the-scenes look at how and why teams are spinning up their own L2 chains. The episode covers everything from RaaS partners and modular stacks to the challenges of attracting liquidity and building sustainable ecosystems. Whether you’re a founder thinking about launching a rollup or just curious how culture contributors become infra operators, this is a must-listen for anyone serious about the future of crypto infrastructure.