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Revolutionizing whitelist marketplace for Web3: WhiteList Zone partners with Cointelegraph Accelerator

The whitelist marketplace WhiteList Zone onboarded over 50 projects that collectively submitted more than 8,000 whitelists.

In the Web3 space, one of the key challenges for new projects and products is to get a motivated audience and for crypto-enthusiasts and investors — to find the most promising projects and get in earlier than others. This is where whitelists step in, addressing several critical aspects.

A whitelist is a curated list of addresses or users with authorized access to specific privileges. It grants entry to activities like presales, token sales, initial coin offerings (ICOs), nonfungible token (NFT) minting, or access to various events. It works as an exclusive guest list, allowing only approved participants to join the party while keeping others out.

Why whitelists are important

For crypto-enthusiasts and investors, whitelists represent an early-access opportunity to secure a position ahead of the crowd, enabling them to purchase assets or participate in events before the general public. Being on a whitelist often grants lower entry prices, additional token allocations or lower gas fees, enhancing the investment potential. A prominent example is the Bored Ape Yacht Club participants who received free NFTs that later had a market value significantly higher than their original price.

For projects, whitelists serve as a strategic tool to onboard the most motivated users, encouraging them to engage in activities like social media promotion and friend referrals to earn a coveted spot on the whitelist.

Moreover, whitelists ensure a fair and equitable distribution of tokens or resources, reducing the risk of concentrated ownership. They also serve as a regulatory safeguard by implementing Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures, which verify participants' identities. In essence, whitelists act as a robust security measure, shielding projects from potential scams or malicious actors by thoroughly vetting participants in advance, ensuring that only legitimate individuals or entities can participate in their events or projects.

Challenge to get whitelisted

However, getting on the whitelist is a complex and risky endeavor. Users often need to register their wallets on the project's website as part of the onboarding process and compete with thousands of other crypto-enthusiasts for a small amount of available spots. Additionally, they must demonstrate their eligibility by completing various laborious tasks, including generating user-generated content, social media support (likes, shares, subscriptions), securing referrals, and undertaking actions that enhance the project's brand awareness.

For those unable to secure a whitelist spot legitimately, a black and gray market offers an alternative, but it’s often fraught with risks. Transactions in this realm take place in less regulated and secure environments, such as over-the-counter (OTC) groups on Telegram or Discord, leaving participants vulnerable to fraudulent schemes and malicious actors who can take advantage of their trust and desire for whitelist access.

A safe option for getting whitelisted

In response to these challenges, a groundbreaking solution has emerged — WhiteList Zone. Launched in alpha in June 2023, WhiteList Zone has quickly established itself as a marketplace where crypto enthusiasts can directly purchase whitelists from launchpads, project owners and whitelist winners. These whitelists serve as golden tickets, granting investors the right to participate in initial decentralized offerings (IDOs), NFT mintings and other events hosted by crypto projects.

Investors can say goodbye to the gray markets and uncertain terrain of Telegram and Discord channels, as WhiteList Zone now provides safe and easy access to whitelists. To buy whitelist spots, investors simply need to visit the marketplace, browse the list of available projects, select their preferred one and complete the transaction in less than a minute.

Users can discover new projects based on category, network, or sale type. Source: WhiteList Zone

Users can discover new projects based on category, network, or sale type. Source: WhiteList Zone

WhiteList Zone believes in direct collaboration with launchpads and projects to ensure that scams and fraud are a thing of the past. By establishing these partnerships, the platform creates a reliable ecosystem right from the start. This means that when users access whitelist opportunities on WhiteList Zone, they can trust that they are engaging in legitimate transactions.

What’s more, WhiteList Zone offers an easy-to-use interface and a simple onboarding experience and continues to expand its support, currently accommodating over 140 cryptocurrencies, with plans to introduce convenient credit card payment options soon.

Focus on user’s engagement

When it comes to projects looking to issue whitelists, WhiteList Zone also emerges as the top choice, as the marketplace boosts engagement among whitelist winners. This proactive and engaged community is a valuable asset for projects seeking active participation and support. Moreover, the platform generates valuable data that empowers projects to make informed decisions. This data-driven approach aids in strategizing and optimizing whitelist distribution, resulting in more effective outcomes.

WhiteList Zone recently became the latest participant of the Cointelegraph Accelerator program. The Accelerator has picked WhiteList Zone due to the latter’s potential to disrupt the whitelist market. With a team of 15 people, the Ukraine-based project has shown good traction since launching the alpha version in June 2023. The marketplace has successfully attracted users from 71 countries and onboarded over 50 projects that have collectively contributed more than 8,000 whitelists. Furthermore, WhiteList Zone has plans to launch its token generation event in the first quarter of 2024.

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Latest from Web3 gaming: Gaming Demo Day with Cointelegraph Accelerator, Animoca Brands, BGA, Metaera, Cipholio and Sandbox

Cointelegraph Accelerator, Animoca Brands, BGA, Metaera, Cipholio and Sandbox the second Gaming Demo Day to showcase seven new projects from the Web3 gaming space.

Web3 gaming has become one of the hottest trends in the tech world, and not without a good reason. Using blockchain technology to give more control to gamers turned out to be a fascinating idea and catapulted Web3 gaming to the main stage of Web3 space.

Web3 gaming applies key principles of blockchain technology - including decentralization, true ownership and community - to video games. Blockchain has enabled the creation of concepts such as play-to-earn (P2E), nonfungible tokens (NFTs) and more to cater to the needs of true players who don’t want to escape exploitation by the Web2 monopoly.

Web3 gaming components

The fast growth of Web3 gaming, however, makes it hard to track the most promising projects and chart the map of the blockchain-based gaming ecosystem. To provide a reliable perspective on Web3 gaming, Cointelegraph Accelerator has partnered with Cipholio, Animoca Brands, Blockchain Gaming Alliance, Metaera and Sandbox for the next Gaming Demo Day, slated for Oct. 12 at 2 pm UTC.

Gaming Demo Day: For investors, developers and gamers

By joining Gaming Demo Day, startups can introduce their projects and present their ideas to an engaged audience of interested parties eager to hear about new games, including investors. Developers can capitalize on the opportunity and leverage the event to gain exposure to potential investors actively seeking projects to support.

What’s more, investors attending Gaming Demo Day gain early access to promising projects, enabling them to identify and support projects with high potential. Investors get the chance to witness developers in action and research their potential clients. The “X factor” of the new projects introduced during the event can be measured through the audience's live reaction. These opportunities combined provide direct feedback and ease the process of making investment decisions.

The Web3 startups scheduled to present their groundbreaking projects throughout the event are:

Challenge

Challenge is a decentralized multi-chain tournament platform where gamers can compete against each other, host tournaments and earn rewards. The platform’s reward protocol ensures active participants receive a share of the tournament revenue. Challenge’s software development kit (SDK) facilitates the integration of both Web2 and Web3 games, enabling on-chain tournaments.

JR Studio

JR Studio is a platform designed to empower game creators with the tools they need to create, host, launch, manage and grow their games and communities. The platform serves as a gateway from traditional gaming into Web3 gaming by providing true ownership and effectively managing technical aspects like blockchain integration.

SuperSnappy

SuperSnappy is a cross-platform messaging app with a social network and a gaming portal that allows users to play games. The social network, which boasts 3D avatars, pets, spaces and NFTs, enables users to smoothly transition between games and create profiles featuring friends lists, feeds, achievements and digital assets.

Isotopic

Isotopic is a software distribution service that utilizes blockchain technology to advance the metaverse towards a sustainable Web2.5. The service also hosts the first decentralized cross-platform game store.

Worlds Beyond

Worlds Beyond is a creator platform that lets creators craft immersive virtual experiences fueled by the power of artificial intelligence (AI). The platform aims to become the definitive Web3 destination and aspires to be the Roblox of Web3 for grown-ups.

The Unfettered

The Unfettered is an AA-quality story-based Web3 action RPG game with elements from the soulslike genre. The team is dedicated to presenting an immersive adventure that provides true ownership to players using virtual assets.

MetaFight

MetaFight is a digital trading card game and social entertainment platform for fighting sports. The platform stands as the world’s premiere globally-licensed gamified platform for mixed martial arts, featuring collectibles of fighters.

Investors, gamers, and startups who want to witness exceptional projects, explore investment opportunities and build connections within the Web3 gaming industry’s key players in a single place can mark their calendars for Oct. 12 to be a part of the Gaming Demo Day.

Registrations are now open for investors who wish to secure their spots at this exclusive event. Attendees can guarantee their place in the event and become a part of the flourishing blockchain community by registering here. One of the startups attending the event will also receive a 12-month basic membership to the Blockchain Gaming Alliance after pitching their projects to frontrunning industry backers. Check out the registration page here.

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How Web3 improves data storage: GhostDrive joins Cointelegraph Accelerator

FileCoin-based data storage app GhostDrive focuses on user experience and encryption features.

What would drive the next billion users to the blockchain ecosystem? Green price charts for related coins, or perhaps more acceptance from governments around the world? Both can help draw the masses’ attention to blockchain-based technologies. However, the real-world uses would generate enough interest for the average user to try out the technology — an app or a service that provides utility for the end-user.

Data storage is a crucial area plagued by centralized monopolies that take away user control and data ownership. According to a Fortune Business Insights report, the market was valued at $217 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to over $777 billion by 2030. Large corporations have been able to dominate data storage effortlessly due to the lack of competition, causing a stagnation in data storage improvements for end users.

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The average user’s growing need to store and manage data, coupled with privacy concerns and the high costs associated with centralized platforms, enabled the growth of data storage powered by decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN), including FileCoin and Arweave. DePINs provide easy scalability, enhanced security and data storage through a network of interconnected physical resources, such as servers and storage devices distributed across multiple locations. By utilizing DePINs, data storage services can offer their customers cheaper pricing options.

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In a world where most smartphones don’t have additional storage features while an average 4K video is holding about 1 GB of storage at minimum, it’s no surprise that Big Tech is pushing users toward cloud storage. Since both Google and Apple have cloud offerings for end users that provide native-level support for their respective devices, these centralized entities don’t see a reason to lower prices.

DePIN employs tokens to initiate the setup of physical infrastructure, subsequently fostering a network effect that enables the building of decentralized applications (DApps). Centralized solutions like Amazon S3 cost up to 121 times more than Filecoin. However, the price discrepancy doesn’t directly translate into new users, as these protocols are focused on the infrastructure and enterprise-grade solutions instead of the general public. So, while the costs are low, the lack of consumer-oriented applications restricts the proliferation of more use cases.

Web3 data storage

A new Web3 data storage platform called GhostDrive is putting the end user in focus instead. GhostDrive offers a user-friendly experience that feels intuitive for mainstream users coming from centralized alternatives like Google Drive. The choice between MetaMask wallet integration or traditional email registration is given to users to simplify their onboarding process from Web2.

Powered by InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) and Filecoin, the platform enables asset tokenization and secure data exchange. GhostDrive delivers various Web3-friendly features to enable decentralized data storage, sharing and access.

GhostDrive’s interface is intuitive and provides a familiar experience for users from centralized platforms. Source: GhostDrive

GhostDrive’s interface is intuitive and provides a familiar experience for users from centralized platforms. Source: GhostDrive

GhostDrive puts users’ concerns about data privacy and security at the forefront, as files uploaded to the platform go through a detailed encryption process before being transmitted and stored. Only authorized users are able to access and view these files by decrypting them. GhostDrive allows users to customize the encryption rules for each file uploaded, making collaborative projects easier to access but personal photos much harder to view.

The distribution of data security in Ghostdrive gives users more control over protecting their data. While the platform safeguards infrastructure, users secure their data, ensuring sensitive data remains confidential. This solution reduces user’s dependence on service providers while helping providers keep prices low by saving on security costs. Moreover, GhostDrive uses MultiSig technology, which provides multiple authorizations for pivotal data actions, bolstering security and fostering collaborative data management.

GhostDrive also enables on-the-fly file conversion and compression by allowing users to switch between various formats without external tools.

The Cointelegraph Accelerator program has now welcomed Ghostdrive to its list of participants. The program picked Ghostdrive for its potential to disrupt data storage and tokenization and become a point of onboarding new users to the Web3 ecosystem by providing a real-life use case. The Singapore-based company aims to become an all-in-one platform for data encryption, control and owners.

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Web3 made simple: Brinc joins forces with Cointelegraph Accelerator

Brinc partners with Cointelegraph Accelerator to establish a two-way support bridge for startups developing the future of Web3.

Web3 startups often face challenges unique to the nascent ecosystem — complex regulatory landscapes and scaling with decentralization are just two of many. Venture capital flowing into Web3 startups experienced a big drop over the last year, and new projects need more help than ever to carry their work throughout the early phases.

This is where Web3-focused accelerators can step in. Programs designed by industry leaders act as pathfinders to guide promising projects and startups through the uncharted horizons of Web3. Tailored to the specific needs of Web3 ventures, accelerator programs offer a range of resources, including mentorship from industry experts, access to a well-established network and programs designed to address the unique challenges faced by newly emerging startups.

Web3 startup funding took a hit during the crypto winter of 2022, and has not recovered so far. Source: Cointelegraph Research

Web3 startup funding took a hit during the crypto winter of 2022, and has not recovered so far. Source: Cointelegraph Research

Web3-friendly accelerators join forces

When the market conditions become unpredictable, it’s crucial for the industry to collaborate and find ways beyond VC money to endure the economic downturns. Headquartered in Hong Kong, Brinc is a venture accelerator that empowers game changers to help solve some of the world’s biggest challenges and actively supports entrepreneurs from around the globe on their path to innovation. Offering accelerator programs to companies in a variety of sectors, ranging from climate and food technologies to hardware, Internet of Things (IoT) and Web3, the company has invested in 239 companies originating from more than 36 countries.

Brinc’s Web3 program is delivered in partnership with Animoca Brands and is set to host its fourth cohort in Q1, 2024. Through the program, Brinc has accelerated more than 60 Web3 companies, covering technology and infrastructure, DeFi, gaming, metaverse, entertainment, healthcare, arts and culture.

The new partnership between Brinc and Cointelegraph seeks to create a two-way bridge between the former’s Web3-focused accelerators and the Cointelegraph Accelerator program. The aim is to utilize the complementary nature of the two accelerators by combining Cointelegraph’s global audience and marketing experience with Brinc’s expertise in product development, token design, scaling strategy and network introductions.

Brinc accelerator programs provide mentorship, funding and access for startups. Source: Brinc

Brinc accelerator programs provide mentorship, funding and access for startups. Source: Brinc

Together with Cointelegraph Accelerator, Brinc aims to hold joint demo days for up-and-coming Web3 startups so they can showcase their projects to a broader audience. As part of the collaboration, Cointelegraph and Brinc will open up their respective networks of projects, mentors and investors to the participants of their accelerators.

Brinc’s network of prominent Web3 names, which consists of Animoca Brands, Consensys, AWS, Filecoin and more, will provide mentorship for Cointelegraph Accelerator participants. Likewise, Brinc’s accelerator program and potential portfolio companies will receive Web3 Marketing and other workshops conducted by Cointelegraph Accelerator on top of special discounts for Cointelegraph’s media products.

This clarifies the roadmap for any startups joining the programs: Participants can build their minimum viable product, strategize to scale and connect with best-fit partners under Brinc’s guidance, and then launch it to the global audience via Cointelegraph Accelerator.

Cointelegraph Accelerator ignites the growth of promising Web3 projects by developing marketing strategies, providing advertorial media coverage, organizing workshops with specialists, and arranging participation in crypto events and introductions to Cointelegraph’s network of partners, consisting of institutional investors, exchanges and advisers.

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Web3’s Swiss Army knife of personal finance Changex joins Cointelegraph Accelerator

Changex combines crypto trading and lending with traditional banking features that also include an upcoming Visa debit card.

Decentralized finance (DeFi) gave birth to a wide range of financial services that aim to challenge what traditional finance (TradFi) offers. However, the user experience persists as a major issue hindering the widespread adoption of DeFi apps and solutions. For years, the DeFi ecosystem has been seeking an entry point that can onboard the next wave of users to decentralized apps.

One potential solution is a financial technology (fintech) app that’s catered toward TradFi users and also offers easy-to-use DeFi functionality. This way, users can realize that self-custody, a practice that enables safeguarding digital assets in personal wallets without the help of a third party, can be a way forward and start ditching centralized intermediaries like banks.

While users’ quest to take full responsibility for storing and managing crypto assets picked up the pace with self-custody, the Web3 space created new services to let people swap, spend and earn crypto that utilizes both CeFi and DeFi aspects to help the migration process.

Envisioning a demand and emergence of new sophisticated decentralized financial apps, Changex, an all-in-one mobile wallet, employs a CeDeFi model, combining centralized and decentralized finance in a single screen in a bid to attract users coming from traditional services with a familiar environment.

DeFi meets CeFi

The Changex app offers a crypto trading exchange in a non-custodial environment, leaving the keys to crypto assets with users. Users can buy, sell or transfer crypto on the platform, which also supports buying crypto with debit cards and bank transfers. The exchange supports multiple blockchains, including Ethereum, Polygon and Binance Smart Chain.

DeFi users can take advantage of the most common alternative finance practices, including staking, with lending and stablecoin interests coming later this year, all from within the same app. Changex also gives additional APR on staking rewards with the platform’s native token, CHANGE.

The upcoming Changex Visa Debit Card will give cashback for shopping. Source: Changex

The upcoming Changex Visa Debit Card will give cashback for shopping. Source: Changex

Changex app is also working on issuing European Union-regulated IBANs to users for managing fiat assets, opening the door for cross-border transactions across the EU and bridging the gap between the crypto world and traditional financial systems. Scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2023, the upcoming Changex Visa Debit Card will give cashback bonuses to its owners. Users will also be able to spend their staked assets without impairing APR.

Changex joins Cointelegraph Accelerator

Cointelegraph Accelerator picked Changex as a participant for the expertise of its team, which has over 20 members, an office in Bulgaria and a track record of delivering robust financial solutions. The app provides a user-friendly, streamlined experience, efficiently catering to both Web2 and Web3 users. The product also displayed good traction, with an average of 25,000 monthly active users and nearly $3 million worth of staked assets.

Next for Changex is the integration of the Avalanche blockchain. This integration will also bring several Avalanche-based staking pools. What’s more, Changex is working on releasing a unique leveraged staking functionality on the platform in the coming months. Following that, in the fourth quarter of 2023, Changex will roll out its biggest update - the Changex Visa Debit Card and IBAN - which will enable users to claim complete control over their finances and turn Changex into a comprehensive one-stop-shop for crypto and fiat alike.

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How Web3 can prevent Hollywood strikes – Replay joins Cointelegraph Accelerator

Hollywood strikes echoed the unbalanced value distribution in the streaming video industry — blockchain can change that.

Streaming video is one of the fastest-growing markets in the world, with the OTT video industry alone projected to reach $200 billion in 2023. Short for “over-the-top” video, the OTT video ecosystem includes on-demand video as well as ad-supported video content, and it is mainly driven by the growth of established Web2 streaming platforms, including Netflix, Hulu and Disney+.

The streaming video market is expected to grow at 14.3% CAGR. Source: Replay

The streaming video market is expected to grow at 14.3% CAGR. Source: Replay

While the reports project an $300 billion revenue for the streaming video business by 2027, the lopsided revenue-sharing mechanics of the industry creates an unhealthy balance between the creators of value and the platforms distributing that content. The centralized nature of the video streaming ecosystem allows for opaque distribution and lets platforms capture the vast majority of the revenue, leaving minimal value for video creators.

Although companies – ranging from talent agencies to tech projects – exist to broker and license content on behalf of the creator, they fail to track revenue accurately and mostly rely on manual record-keeping. The recent strikes started by the Writers Guild of America (WGA), Directors Guild of America (DGA) and SAG-AFTRA, the union representing actors in the United States, remind the film industry that the workers behind streamed shows are heavily underpaid and uninformed when they will get paid next, highlighting the issues in the traditional value distribution model.

Blockchain-based video distribution

One potential solution for mainstream media brands managing these issues lies in a decentralized, transparent video distribution ecosystem that utilizes the traceability and accountability qualities of blockchain technology. Replay, a decentralized video streaming protocol, aims to provide transparency and fairness to content creators and owners by building a video ecosystem with real-time compensation by monitoring content usage on playback and recording all data on a distributed ledger. The protocol can also gamify any video app with badges, missions and digital collectibles.

Replay’s first streaming service, RewardedTV, utilizes Web3 to reward viewers with digital tokens. Users can redeem reward tokens for digital goods, and the whole experience is gamified with features such as leaderboards and competitions.

How decentralized video streaming works for the benefit of creators and viewers. Source: Replay​​​​​​​

How decentralized video streaming works for the benefit of creators and viewers. Source: Replay

Using Replay’s asset management portal, creators can get live insights into their content consumption data and have direct control over their business models. Replay also lets creators be in charge of their own distribution by allowing them to build first-hand relations with platforms, publishers and communities that wish to support creators.

Replay joins Cointelegraph Accelerator

Replay has become the latest participant of the Cointelegraph Accelerator program. Given the growth potential of a Web3-driven video industry, Cointelegraph Accelerator picked  Replay for its U.S.-headquartered experienced team of 10+ employees hailing from within the video industry as well as its proven track record. “It’s incredibly exciting to be selected by Cointelegraph for this prestigious accelerator program,” said Krish Arvapally, CEO of Replay.

“In an online world that’s increasingly dedicated to streaming and video, this partnership is a testament to our progress in building the open Web3 standard for tracking and monetizing video engagement.”

As of May 2023, RewardedTV hit 100,000 registered users, with over 4,000 video-on-demand (VOD) options and over 120+ linear and live channels. The platform provides access to over 20,000 titles, including those from popular brands like Yu-Gi-Oh!, The Washington Post and WatchMojo.

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Boosting adoption with DeFi asset management: Velvet Capital joins Cointelegraph Accelerator

The decentralized asset management OS Velvet Capital that is driving DeFi adoption joins the Cointelegraph Accelerator program.

Gone are the days when decentralized finance (DeFi) was a niche for crypto frontrunners, while centralized finance (CeFi) was the absolute owner of users’ trust. Following the collapse of major centralized organizations within the industry, such as FTX, Prime Trust, and Celsius, among others, the user base — from traders to asset managers — realized the importance of self-custody and started looking for advanced services within the DeFi space.

Backed by Binance Labs, Velvet Capital offers an infrastructure for digital asset management to be done fully on-chain and eliminates/minimizes the barriers to entry for emerging fund managers, allowing people from all expertise levels to create and manage on-chain funds and structured products with minimal effort.

A Statista report shows that DeFi usage grew from less than 1,000 users in 2017 to over 6 million in January 2023, highlighting a significant inflow to the DeFi ecosystem.

The number of unique addresses that entered the DeFi space grew exponentially between 2019 and 2023. Source: Statista

The number of unique addresses that entered the DeFi space grew exponentially between 2019 and 2023. Source: Statista

Serving as a cross-chain DeFi asset management operating system, Velvet Capital is integrated with major DeFi protocols, like Chainlink, Safe, 0x, 1inch and PancakeSwap, enabling asset managers, banks, fintech companies and traders to trade on-chain and leverage its DeFi-as-a-Service offerings. With this model, Velvet provides capabilities to launch and manage DeFi funds with ease.

Advanced DeFi tools for asset managers

Velvet’s DeFi-as-a-Service model helps launch a tokenized fund or strategy product while executing fully on-chain. Through Velvet Capital's smart routing and yield farming integrations, users can also increase the capital efficiency of their portfolio.

In response to the growing demand for decentralized alternatives, Velvet Capital is the latest participant in the Cointelegraph Accelerator program. By joining the program, Velvet aims to bring easy access to digital asset management for everyone.

Velvet enables cross-chain DeFi operations for asset managers. Source: Velvet Capital

Velvet enables cross-chain DeFi operations for asset managers. Source: Velvet Capital

Functional across different blockchain networks, Velvet enables complex strategies across multiple ecosystems with omni-chain portfolio management with automated tokenization, smart yield farming and seamless integration. Institutional funds and asset managers can access their portfolio data in real-time with Velvet’s white-label client portal.

Shaping the future of DeFi-as-a-Service

To achieve true decentralization, Velvet Capital aims to thrive as a community-managed protocol under the banner of a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) named Velvet DAO. Participants of Velvet DAO will be able to use VLVT, the upcoming native governance token of the network, to have a say in votes and decision-making processes following the token launch and airdrop. Native tokens will be distributed to users based on the total value locked in their accounts and the time spent on the platform.

DeFi users who want to participate in the genesis of Velvet DAO can get whitelisted for a Velvet Founders NFT to secure a place within the DAO and obtain rights to shape the future of the DeFi-as-a-Service protocol by using the exclusive invite code Cointelegraph23.

Cointelegraph launched its Accelerator program in early 2023 to act as a catalyst for developing Web3 startups and products. Cointelegraph Accelerator leverages the media giant’s vast resources to equip partners with must-have tools for the Web3 environment, such as advertising and media coverage, workshops with field experts, network introductions, participation spots in the most significant crypto events and the development of marketing strategies.

Velvet has set its sights on bringing the next wave of users to DeFi with Cointelegraph Accelerator’s far-reaching media exposure toolkit tailored for the Web3 space. Through this partnership, Velvet will reach a much wider audience with more eyes set on its DeFi asset management operating system that makes DeFi trading simpler.

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Web3 startups queue up: Consensys Startup Program partners with Cointelegraph Accelerator

Cointelegraph Accelerator participants will get a headstart with Consensys’ Web3 solutions, including MetaMask, Infura and Linea zkEVM.

The transition from Web2 to Web3 is reshaping the technology landscape and attracting the attention of developers. Despite the challenges faced during the current crypto winter, the Web3 ecosystem continued to onboard new developers, with many thousands of developers making the jump from Web2 to Web3.

However, developers working with Web3 and blockchain technology can face numerous issues if they lack the proper knowledge, infrastructure and tools. Web3 teams need assistance developing in a complex environment without introducing vulnerabilities into their smart contracts that could lead to security breaches, such as hacks and exploits.

The number of active Web3 developers is rising. Source: Electric Capital.

The number of active Web3 developers is rising. Source: Electric Capital.

To avoid these potential setbacks, Web3 startups are seeking support from established industry players. Blockchain and web3 software company Consensys offers developers and enterprises around the globe a range of tools to create applications on Web3, deploy financial infrastructures, and connect with decentralized networks. Among these tools is MetaMask, one of the most widely used hot self-custody wallets in the industry, which surpassed 100 million users in 2022.

A match made in heaven for Web3

In the summer of 2022, Consensys launched its Startup Program that aims at working with leading early stage ventures and support them on their path to becoming unicorns while having access to Consensys entire product stack. Consensys’ commitment to support startups aligns with the goals of the Cointelegraph Accelerator, which is to increase the visibility and success of promising Web3 products.

Cointelegraph and Consensys announced a new partnership in June 2023 to support early-stage companies in the space by combining Consensys’ software infrastructure with Cointelegraph’s media presence. The aim is to provide blockchain startups with a suite of powerful tools to drive their development and make significant strides in the web3 space.

By joining Consensys's Startup Program, Web3 startup accelerators gain exclusive access to a variety of proprietary software products. These encompass the Linea zK-Rollup Protocol, Infura, Diligence Fuzzing. MetaMask is also on the roadmap for the future. In addition, startups are granted access to comprehensive technical consulting, learning services, and potential investment, benefits and marketing opportunities.

On the other side of the partnership, Cointelegraph’s Accelerator will play a pivotal role in elevating the visibility of these blockchain startups by crafting strategic boosting and media campaigns. The Accelerator will provide startups with the stage to reach the right web3 audience. Furthermore, Cointelegraph will assist with marketing strategy development and provide access to their extensive network of investors, market makers, and tech providers. The program offers flexible payment options for its services.

Alex Greinacher, Director of the Program at Consensys, said:

“The idea of the partnership is that the startups have access to our combined Web3 expertise. This creates a truly leading offer for startups. Together we can cover all relevant areas that builders require for success. Among them we have tech infrastructure, media, consulting, marketing, support, access to funding, learning and enablement, partner credits and more.”

The partnership will provide participants of both programs fast-track access to partner’s program, joint educational products and workshops and also special terms for use of partners’ services and infrastructure. Built by the two leading organizations within the crypto and blockchain space, the partnership brings forth a fail-safe route to Web3 innovation for promising startups.

Projects integrated in joining the Consensys Startup Program can get in touch via startups@consensys.net. Projects interested in learning more about the Cointelegraph Accelerator can visit the official page and fill out an application via the webform.

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