Interview with Impossible Cloud Network

A Decentralized Cloud platform for a connected world!

Hamburg, 27. Januar 2025 – The Impossible Cloud Network is a decentralized cloud infrastructure that stores data using a distributed architecture. Users can easily integrate Impossible Cloud into existing workflows and applications, ensuring seamless and uninterrupted data management. Unlike centralized cloud providers, Impossible Cloud enhances the security of backups while simultaneously improving performance.

In this article, Dr. Kai Wawrzinek, one of the co-founders of the Impossible Cloud Network has been interviewed by Mahsa Doorfard, coinIX’s sales and marketing manager. coinIX invested in ICN in November 2024 through a token sale.

Mahsa: ‘Would you please introduce yourself and tell us how did you end up in the blockchain industry? what is your story?’

Kai: ‘At heart, I’m a serial entrepreneur. I’ve always enjoyed building companies, making an impact, and contributing to the next generation of innovation. Before Impossible Cloud, I co-founded a gaming company, Goodgame Studios, in Hamburg. Starting from the basement of my parents’ house, we grew it to over 1,400 employees and generated more than a billion in revenue, reaching hundreds of millions of gamers globally. That experience was formative.

Later, I took the company public through a reverse IPO on the NASDAQ in Stockholm, became the largest shareholder alongside my brother, and served on the board for three years, focusing heavily on mergers and acquisitions. During this time, I gained significant exposure to the cloud industry as we managed large cloud infrastructure. Initially, we operated thousands of servers globally for our gaming business, and later migrated to AWS, with cloud bills running into the hundreds of millions.

My first exposure to crypto was in 2015, when some employees suggested we adopt Bitcoin as a payment method in our gaming shops. It didn’t take off because players weren’t interested in paying with Bitcoin at the time. Still, I continued to follow the blockchain space closely. After selling the gaming company, I spent a long time contemplating the next big thing. I connected the dots between the rapidly growing cloud industry and the potential of blockchain to decentralize infrastructure. That’s how the idea for Impossible Cloud Network started.

Mahsa: ‘When was the first moment that the idea of Impossible Cloud Network came into your mind? why?’

It evolved over time. In the gaming industry, I had extensive interactions with big tech companies like Google and Facebook, who operate on an enormous scale. Conversations with leaders like Mark Zuckerberg, Eric Schmidt, and Facebook’s former CTO Mike Schroepfer — who shared insights on building data centers in Sweden — shaped my thinking.

I envisioned a decentralized cloud built by connecting existing hardware across the globe using blockchain and crypto incentives. This concept matured over several years. About three years ago, we formally started Impossible Cloud Network, following six months of intensive research into the cloud and blockchain industries. Our vision is to bring mass-market adoption to Web3 technologies.

Mahsa: ‘You recently had a successful node sale. Can you share more about it and what’s next for Impossible Cloud Network?’

First, let me explain what a node sale is. To build a decentralized cloud, we rely on hardware providers operating in Tier 2 and Tier 3 data centers — heavy-duty infrastructure where enterprise customers already store data. This hardware forms our network.

Since we don’t own or control the hardware, we use a validation network of lightweight decentralized nodes to ensure data security and integrity. These nodes require a license, called a Node Passport, which is an NFT. We recently sold about 30,000 licenses and plan to sell up to 55,000 to ensure proper distribution. Node operators earn ICNT (Impossible Cloud Network Tokens) as rewards for contributing to the network.

The next major milestone is listing the ICNT token on exchanges, which we aim to achieve in the coming months. We’re working on meeting legal requirements to ensure compliance, and we’re proud of the institutional support we’ve garnered, including from coinix.

Mahsa: ‘Could you elaborate on the utility of the ICNT token?’

The ICNT token is the backbone of our ecosystem. It orchestrates network participants and drives growth. The cloud industry is a trillion-dollar market and growing rapidly. Our token incentivizes hardware providers to join the network by offering rewards, while also ensuring trust through collateral requirements.

For end customers, we translate fiat payments for storage services into tokens, which are then used to reserve network capacity. This model ensures seamless interaction between fiat users and the decentralized network. It’s a proven approach in the DePIN space and has enormous potential to scale.

Mahsa: ‘Can you name some of your competitors? What makes your project stand out among your competitors?’

When discussing competitors, I often refer to the Web2 world. Our goal is to bridge Web2 and Web3 technologies, creating real-world use cases that drive mass adoption. Many Web3 projects struggle to compete in the traditional enterprise market due to a lack of compliance, features, and integrations.

In the Web2 space, we compete with companies like Wasabi, a storage provider that raised $500 million but operates its own hardware. Our Web3 model gives us a significant cost and scalability advantage, making us faster and cheaper.

In Web3, I don’t see direct competitors in enterprise-grade storage. Instead, I view other projects as potential collaborators in building a decentralized cloud ecosystem.

Mahsa: ‘Would you mention some of the recent updates, partnerships, and advancements?’

Our testnet attracted over 200,000 users, and we’ve built a vibrant global community with 250,000+ followers across social platforms. Enterprise adoption has also been promising, with several million dollars in ARR from Web2 customers storing data on Web3 infrastructure.

We’ve secured significant investments from partners like coinIX, Protocol Labs (the creators of Filecoin), and No Limit Holdings, which has close ties to Binance. Expanding our reach in Europe, the US, and Asia is a key priority.

Attracting the best talent and partners remains critical to achieving our vision. Whether it’s hardware providers, service partners, or community members, we’re focused on building a world-class network.

 

 

About coinIX Capital GmbH

Since 2017, coinIX Capital GmbH, headquartered in Hamburg, has been at the forefront of analyzing blockchain projects and cryptocurrencies, facilitating investments in this dynamic sector. Comprising specialists with extensive experience in asset management, venture capital, and cutting-edge technology analysis, the coinIX team manages a portfolio boasting over 20 investments in blockchain startups alongside crypto assets. Shares of coinIX GmbH & Co. KGaA are listed on the free market of the Düsseldorf Stock Exchange and are also traded on the Berlin and Munich stock exchanges.

About coinIX COINVEST SCI1

Launched in June 2022, coinIX COINVEST SCI1 is an open domestic special AIF under the KAGB. As a sub-portfolio of coinIX COINVEST Investment Stock Corporation with variable capital, its assets are managed by coinIX Capital GmbH, acting as a registered capital management company. Available for subscription by professional or semi-professional investors, the fund has the flexibility to invest up to 100% of its capital in crypto assets, aiming for a diversified portfolio of digital assets actively managed through ongoing selection processes. Additional income streams are generated through staking and other blockchain-native mechanisms. With the ISIN DE000A408Q55, subscriptions to the fund are only available directly through the investment company, with private investor acquisition prohibited.

Watch the interview on the coinIX YouTube channel: