Volante Chain Founder Joey Bertschler Builds Blockchain-Powered Earned Wage Access System
Former OpenAI employee Joey Bertschler, founder of Volante Chain, is pioneering a crypto-based solution for earned wage access. Through blockchain technology, the startup offers employees immediate same-day wage access.
Interview Highlights
Speaking at the German Blockchain & AI Week, Bertschler described the current payment system as “30 days of taking your freedom away,” particularly challenging for those living paycheck to paycheck.
Volante Chain utilizes blockchain to create a verified ledger for seamless record-keeping, enabling low transaction fees. The platform also employs AI to predict employer defaults and assess risk in real-time, with human oversight involved.
Funding & Expansion
Volante, which has secured approximately $2 million from private investors, anticipates operating as a lean entity for five years. Currently deployed to a couple thousand test users in Vietnam and Japan as a minimum viable product, Bertschler aims for future expansion.
Motivation to Pivot
Bertschler’s decision to leave OpenAI before ChatGPT’s launch stemmed from perceived internal policies limiting non-U.S. employees’ growth opportunities and exclusion from stock options. The restrictive environment prevented showcasing code on platforms like GitHub.
OpenAI Criticisms
Bertschler characterized OpenAI’s trajectory under Microsoft influence as increasingly closed and profit-driven, deviating from its founding principles. He noted significant pushback against this shift from co-founders like Elon Musk and early investors, recently culminating in OpenAI’s restructured path toward becoming a public benefit corporation.
