AMA (Ask Me Anything): Sultan Takibay
According to Sultan, Web3 feels like exploring a new galaxy, full of unknown stars, with the promise of discovering alien life in every cluster... In this AMA, we meet Sultan Takibay, who is a Software Engineering Trainee at Thrilld Labs. Born in Kazakhstan, he is a student at Pusan National University (South Korea) working towards finalizing his degree in Computer Science. He also loves chess. Read on for his take on dev work and on Web3!
At Thrilld Labs, our team is made up of people coming from countries including the Netherlands and Italy and Scotland to South Korea, Kazakhstan, India, the United States and Nigeria, too! In our latest series, we’re thrilld to do AMAs with some of our team members. How come they are in Web3?
What do they care about? And how will (or won’t!) they help build the future of our industry?
In this AMA, we meet Sultan Takibay, who is a Software Engineering Trainee at Thrilld Labs. Sultan is participating in Thrilld Labs’ Traineeship Q1 2025 Program whilst working towards the finalisation of his degree in Computer Science at Pusan National University.
Sultan has been described by friends as ‘always coding’ and has a strong background in software engineering and web development. According to Sultan, he’s always been fascinated in big concepts like space, the multiverse, and time travel–ideas that challenge the way we think and our place in it. And Web3 can be viewed in a similar light…a way to think outside of the box.
Read on to hear more about what Sultan does at Thrilld Labs and what his experiences have been like, what he finds interesting, and if he sees a future for himself in the Web3 space…
What is your role, and how does your work at Thrilld Labs align (if at all!) with your career goals?
When I joined Thrilld Labs as a Software Engineering Trainee, I started working on the internal admin dashboard, the tool that helps the team manage everything from events to content and user data. It might not be the flashiest part of the product, but I’ve come to really appreciate how important it is. I’ve been building out both frontend and backend features, and over time I’ve gotten more comfortable working with a real production database and contributing to something that’s actively growing.
One thing that’s stood out to me is how much I’ve learned just by doing. I didn’t expect to be so involved from the start, but getting my hands on real tasks — debugging, building, and improving features — has helped me grow much faster than I expected. I especially enjoy building systems with scalability in mind, knowing that the things I work on will support the platform as it expands.
When I first joined, my main goal was to sharpen my skills and gain more full-stack experience. That’s still true, but now I also see the value in being part of a mission-driven team. A team that’s building tools with real purpose. Even though I’m not yet working directly on the Web3 side, being in this environment has opened my eyes to how much potential this space has to shape the future of digital tools.
What’s one thing you’ve learned since joining the Web3 space that surprised/touched/excited/impressed you?
What really touched me since joining the Web3 space is seeing how much people genuinely care about rebuilding the internet around user ownership.
It’s not just about cool new technologies, it’s about shifting control back to individuals, giving people and creators real power over their data, identity, and value. That kind of mission-driven mindset gave real meaning to the work I do and keeps motivating me to keep learning and contributing.
If you had to explain what you do at Thrilld Labs to your grandma, how would you describe it?
At Thrilld Labs, I build the part of the website that helps the team manage everything — like adding events, updating information, or uploading images. It’s kind of like keeping the control room clean and well-organized so the whole system runs better. While other team members focus on improving the experience for Thrilld Labs’ users,
I make sure things stay smooth and simple for the people running the show behind the scenes.
What’s your favorite part about working at Thrilld Labs? What do you like less (feel free to share, if anything!).
My favorite part about working at Thrilld Labs is building something that’s meant to scale. It’s exciting to know that the features I’m working on are designed to support the company.
What I like less? Sometimes it’s a bit tricky when things aren’t fully documented or clear, and I have to dig around to figure out how something works. But honestly, even that has helped me become more independent and confident in navigating complex projects.
Describe Thrilld Labs in three words.
Innovative. Growth-focused. Empowering.
About YOU as a person, what do most others not necessarily expect about you?
Something most people don’t expect about me is how much I enjoy playing chess — and not just as a way to pass time. I’ve been into it for years. There’s a certain rhythm to it that I find calming — the silence, the focus, the way everything on the board can flip with just one move.
It’s honestly kind of addictive.
What I find most interesting is that chess isn’t really about having the most pieces or the strongest ones — it’s all about where you are on the board. You can have the advantage in material and still be in trouble if your position is weak. One thing it’s definitely taught me is how important sacrifice can be. Sometimes you have to give up a valuable piece just to survive, to create space, or to take back control. And that applies to life too — letting go of something good to avoid something worse or to get to something better.
There’s also this idea in chess I love called zugzwang.
It’s when you’re in a position where every possible move makes things worse, but you still have to play. You can’t just skip your turn. That stuck with me — because it happens in life too. There are times when doing nothing isn’t an option, but doing anything feels risky. Zugzwang reminds me that even in those moments, you have to stay calm and play your best move, no matter how uncomfortable it is.
Chess, to me, is more than just a game. It reflects how I think and how I handle tough situations. It helps me slow down, see patterns, and make decisions with more care — both on and off the board.
How do you stay productive while working remotely/in a fast-moving Web 3 environment?
To stay productive while working remotely in a fast-moving environment like Thrilld Labs, I rely on clear task prioritization, frequent check-ins, and keeping my development environment organized. I break larger features into smaller, manageable tasks and set daily goals to stay on track. Tools like Trello and GitHub issues help me stay aligned with the team, and I make sure to block out distraction-free time for deep work.
What initially brought you to the Web3 space and also to Thrilld Labs?
What brought me to the Web3 space was the sense that something new and different was being built — like stepping into a world where people were trying to rebuild the internet with better rules. I’ve always liked solving problems and thinking in systems, and Web3 felt like exploring a new galaxy — full of unknown stars, with the promise of discovering alien life in every cluster.
Thrilld Labs, for me, felt like finding the crew for my spaceship on that journey — people who are actually building real stuff, not just talking about it. It’s exciting to be part of something that’s moving forward fast, with real purpose behind it.
Has your experience been what you expected? Has the initial reason why you joined Thrilld Labs changed in any way?
My experience at Thrilld Labs has actually been more rewarding than I expected. I came in thinking I’d mostly be learning by observing, but instead, I’ve been trusted with real responsibilities and projects from the very beginning. That hands-on experience has helped me grow a lot faster than I imagined.
One thing that’s made a huge difference is having Jesse, our CTO, as a guide throughout the process. He’s been incredibly supportive — always willing to jump in, answer questions, give thoughtful feedback, or just nudge me in the right direction when I’m stuck. It never feels like I’m alone in figuring things out, and that kind of mentorship has made a big impact on both my confidence and how I approach problems.
I initially joined Thrilld to gain more experience as a full-stack developer, and that goal hasn’t changed — but now it’s become more than that. I’ve started to really care about the product we’re building and the people behind it. I feel like I’m contributing to something meaningful, and that makes all the difference.
Join Thrilld Labs’ Mission
If you are interested in being part of Thrilld Labs’ Team, simply write to info@thrilldlabs.io, check out our Traineeship Program here, or apply to become a Thrilld Ambassador
