Setting a New Benchmark for the Metaverse: The Ambitions and Challenges of the BAYC Founder

On a night in February this year, 33-year-old Greg Solano and 35-year-old Wylie Aronow received news that their true identities as founders of Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) were about to be revealed. This news caught them off guard, and they immediately began deleting personal information and warning their families that they might become targets.

Solano and Aronow both grew up in Miami. Aronow's father, Don, was a leading figure in the powerboat industry and was murdered in 1987 when Wylie was still an infant. Aronow's childhood was dramatic; he became an alcoholic at the age of 15 and later was bedridden for many years due to illness. Solano, on the other hand, came from a humble background and worked at a publishing house after graduating from college.

In February 2021, Solano texted Aronow proposing to create an NFT project. Just a few months later, BAYC became the hottest project in the NFT space, valued at $4 billion. However, success also came with controversy, as some accused BAYC of being filled with racist and Nazi symbols. In response, the founders denied these allegations, stating that the accusations were "malicious trolling."

Currently, Yuga Labs is developing a Metaverse project called Otherside, hoping to compete with giants like Meta. The founder stated: "The ambition and scale of the task we are here to accomplish is enormous." Despite facing challenges such as the crypto winter, they remain confident: "We are going to slay some giants."

The story of BAYC showcases the development journey of the NFT industry from nothing to something. The founders went from being unknown to skyrocketing in value, while also facing various doubts and challenges. Whether they can emerge victorious in the competition of the Metaverse and establish a benchmark project for Web3 remains to be seen.