Sandeep Nailwal, the founder of the $6-billion Polygon blockchain, has a remarkable rags-to-riches story. He grew up in a poor settlement on the east bank of the Yamuna river in Delhi, which he describes as a “ghetto-ish area.” His parents moved to Delhi when he was four years old, hoping for better opportunities. Nailwal didn’t attend school until he was five because his parents were unaware of the importance of education. Despite the challenges, Nailwal excelled in his studies and started his own business as a teenager, selling pens and tutoring other students.
After graduating from college, Nailwal wanted to pursue a career in engineering but couldn’t afford the extra tuition for a competitive exam. Instead, he took out a loan to study computer science and engineering. Inspired by the success of Facebook, he decided to start his own internet business. However, he later realized that blockchain technology had the potential to revolutionize industries beyond just payments.
Nailwal became interested in Bitcoin and its underlying technology, Ethereum. He co-founded Matic Network (now Polygon) in 2018 to address Ethereum’s scaling issues. The project faced numerous challenges, including financial difficulties and the skepticism of investors. However, Nailwal’s perseverance paid off when Matic Network raised funds through an initial exchange offering on Binance Launchpad.
Since then, Polygon has experienced significant growth and success, surpassing Ethereum in terms of users and transactions. Nailwal aims to make Polygon one of the top projects in the cryptocurrency industry and have a similar impact to Ethereum and Bitcoin.
Overall, Nailwal’s journey from a humble background to becoming a successful blockchain entrepreneur is truly inspiring.
