2020 has often been dubbed as the year of “DeFi” in the cryptocurrency industry. Despite the pandemic, decentralized financial projects and cryptocurrencies continue to grow. These projects that make use of blockchain technology are gradually gaining popularity and bringing new organizations and individuals to market. One such individual is Christian Deciga who worked through adversity and sacrificed a formal degree in computer science for a career in this booming and emerging industry.
Deciga’s journey as a technology entrepreneur started in late 2015. He was enrolled at California State University, San Bernardino, studying computer science at the time. In October of that same year, he met entrepreneurs Sam Kazemian and Mahbod Moghadam during a tech meetup where they presented the idea of Everipedia at Cal Poly Pomona. Deciga was compelled by the idea, and instead of registering for classes the following quarter, he dropped out and joined the founding team of Everipedia in December 2015. Everipedia is a decentralized encyclopedia with a built-in prediction market called PredIQt. The company’s vision is to bring blockchain knowledge to the world, and knowledge onto the blockchain. Deciga was passionate about the venture and managed to bring in millions of views to Everipedia using social media optimization.
Deciga’s dedication during the early days of the start-up began paying off immediately. The New York Times cited his entry on Natasha Stoynoff during the course of the 2016 Presidential campaign of Donald Trump. Everipedia started to gain the attention of many notable individuals within the tech trade. In 2018, Everipedia secured 30 million in venture capital funding from Michael Novogratz’s Galaxy Digital Fund.
Today, Deciga is a pioneer in cryptocurrency’s current renaissance coined Decentralized Finance or “DeFi”. He has helped move Everipedia from a Web 2.0 startup to a leading blockchain company in the emerging Web 3 industry. Everipedia recently made history by partnering with The Associated Press and Chainlink to publish the results of the 2020 U.S. Presidential election onto the EOS and Ethereum blockchains. AP published the results signed on a blockchain for the first time in tech history using the Everipedia OraQle.
Deciga, a self proclaimed modern renaissance man, has also dabbled his feet in the electronic dance music industry. He is actively collaborating with up and coming EDM producer, and his high school classmate, Juyen Sebulba. Deciga is using the skills he learned at Everipedia to help Sebulba’s new project, Psycho Boys Club, become the next big thing in EDM.
Deciga’s involvement in both the business and the music world led to him being featured in Grammy award winning artist Juicy J’s music video “Let Me See”. Deciga makes an appearance alongside Everipedia co-founders at the 5:30 mark in the video.
Deciga is a first generation Mexican-American who never knew his real father. Born to an immigrant mother from Mexico, he was raised by a stepfather and was the oldest of five siblings. His step father was deported when Deciga and at the young age of 16, he was already working as a full-time cashier at McDonald’s to support his family. He was also attending North Garland high school at the time.
What worked for Deciga in these challenging circumstances was his formidable mindset and the ambition to succeed at all cost. A follower of the Stoic philosophy, Deciga stayed in the moment and kept his emotions in check. He embodies the famous Marcus Aurelius saying:
“You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
Despite the hardships, Deciga remained focused on the goal. He hasn’t been afraid to take risks and tells aspiring entrepreneurs to do the same.
“If you want to pursue a career in entrepreneurship, you can’t learn it by sitting in a classroom, you have to go out there in the wild and do it.”
He is now in his fifth year working on building Everipedia into a household name. After growing from strength to strength with Everipedia, Deciga now aims to venture out into the music industry. Staying true to his philosophy, he’ll just go out there and pursue another one of his dreams.