NextBlock: Get Paid Bitcoin to Watch Ads
season S4 · episode 4 · block #865670
synopsis
The official NextBlock launch episode. Ian and Mandana reveal their company — a social media app that pays users to watch ads via an attention marketplace tied to the Bitcoin blockchain. They detail the app's features (Blocks, Neighborhoods, City, Wilds), the vibrancy metric, the business model, and their decision to self-fund through advertiser pre-buys rather than taking VC money. This is the most feature-dense episode in the batch.
quotes
"NextBlock is a social media app that pays you to watch ads. That's what it is."
"How much would it take for you to give 60 seconds of your time? You set a price."
"We don't want you to stay in the app a certain amount of time for us to make money."
"These are your people, Nostra. Stop being snobs. Love you." — Mandana's Nostr post
"If it works, that's awesome. And if it doesn't work, at least we've established the attention marketplace."
"It feels a little shitcoiny almost." — Mandana on taking VC money without earning it
topics
NextBlock company launch and manifestoThe attention marketplace (opt-in ads, Bitcoin payment per block)App architecture: Block (21 people), Neighborhood, City (districts/intersections), WildsVibrancy metric for neighborhoodsConsensus-driven development (hackathon-style building)Self-funding via advertiser pre-buys (no VC money)Mandana's TikTok post that inspired NextBlock