Solana is one of the most promising blockchain projects on the market today, promising lightning-fast transaction speeds and low costs for users. However, according to co-founder Roj Gokal, the company is only just getting started when it comes to growth.

In a recent interview with TechCrunch, Gokal shared Solana's strategy for expansion, emphasizing the company's focus on partnerships with small businesses and infrastructure projects.

Gokal explained that Solana seeks out partners who are willing to move quickly and experiment with new technologies. He argued that larger companies are often more hesitant to take risks and may abandon projects if they don't see immediate results.

To illustrate this point, Gokal highlighted a recent partnership between Solana and the San Francisco-based cafe chain Boba Guys. The two companies began exploring a loyalty program built on Solana in April, with Gokal suggesting that the cafe chain could use non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and other tokens to drive sales.

Gokal also emphasized Solana's commitment to independent developers and innovation, citing the company's hackathons and "hacker houses" as examples of its efforts to foster a community of creators and builders.

In addition to its focus on small business partnerships, Solana is also pursuing infrastructure deals with major players in the tech industry. Gokal noted that the company has already partnered with Google Cloud, allowing users to deploy Solana nodes and making Google Cloud a Solana validator.

Looking ahead, Gokal said that Solana aims to become the "Apple" of crypto, emphasizing the company's focus on user experience and performance. He pointed to Solana's forthcoming smartphone, Saga, as an example of the company's efforts to provide greater infrastructure for third-party projects.

Despite its relative youth as a blockchain project, Solana has already gained a reputation as one of the most exciting and promising projects on the market. With its emphasis on speed, low costs, and user experience, it is well-positioned to compete with established players like Ethereum and Bitcoin.

By partnering with small businesses and infrastructure projects, Solana is laying the groundwork for rapid growth and adoption in the years to come. As the blockchain ecosystem continues to evolve and mature, Solana is poised to be one of the most important players in this dynamic and rapidly-changing industry.