Fundraising Wins, Game-Changing Innovations, and Upcoming AI & Web3 Events
The Berkeley Blockchain Xcelerator is an internationally recognized, non-dilutive source of support for startups in the global blockchain ecosystem and now leads our 3rd pillar on community & entrepreneurship for the Berkeley Center for Responsible, Decentralized Intelligence (RDI).
Also, UC Berkeley has been ranked the #1 university for blockchain in the US for two years in a row!
Upcoming Events in the SF Bay Area
Discover the Future of AI & Web3: Join SF Blockchain & Build Week 2024!
Explore the frontiers of AI & web3. Join us for SF Blockchain Week & SF Build Week, hosted by EduDAO and Dabl Club; bringing together the best in the industry to discuss the future of AI innovation and web3 decentralization. Join us between October 07–24, 2024 for an exciting full calendar of events.
To learn more about the events visit this website and this website (which is being updated for the 2024 events).
Fundraising Success
Celebrating our alumni’s successful fundraising efforts.
Curio Closes $5.7M Seed Round
Curio, a web3 game development company, has successfully closed a $5.7 million seed round, bringing its total funding to $8.7 million. The round was led by Bain Capital Crypto and SevenX Ventures, with participation from TCG Crypto and OKX Ventures. Curio is building its flagship game, Duper, a social diplomacy war game combining elements of Poker, Risk, and Diplomacy. Co-Founder Kevin Zhang shared that the funding will be used to expand the core team and develop Duper, which will include a high-stakes live game show. From our 2022 cohort, Curio continues to build composable infrastructure for on-chain games.
To read more about Curio and their fundraising efforts, read this article.
Fundraising Efforts
This is dedicated to our alumni teams who are currently fundraising. If you are interested in learning more about a team’s fundraising efforts, please contact them directly.
Altify Seeks $5M to Revolutionize Alternative Asset Investing Through Tokenization
Altify is currently raising $5 million to accelerate its mission of democratizing alternative asset investing through the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA). This 2021 Cohort team is building the “Robinhood” for alternative asset investing by simplifying access to private credit, digital assets, and other lucrative opportunities, making them as easy to invest in as shopping online. With licenses in two jurisdictions and over 75 thousand users, Altify is supported by notable backers such as Johann “Hansi” Hansmann, Sabvest, High-Tech Gründerfonds, CVVC, 54 Collective, and Emurgo. This fundraising effort will help expand Altify’s platform and reach even more investors globally.
Those interested in Altify’s mission can schedule a meeting with Altify here or reach out via email at s.sean@altify.app.
Snark Health Looking to Raise $10M to Revolutionize Healthcare Payments with Global Expansion and Strategic Partnerships
Snark Health, from our 2020 cohort, is pioneering a new approach to healthcare payments through an alternative payment model that leverages data assets, digital assets, and narrow networks. As a convener, the company coordinates multiple entities, manages financial risks, and facilitates collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem. Edwin, a key member of Snark Health, is currently in India for six months as part of the World Health Innovation Forum fellowship (WHIF), partnering with the WHO and the Kalam Institute of Health Technology. Snark Health is raising $10M in debt and equity to establish a data center, expand into India, and secure risk-based contracts with government payers.
For more information on Snark Health’s fundraising, see their Pitch Deck. Reach out to Hank Selke at Pitch Deck at hank@snarkhealth.com or (317) 417–5512.
Alumni Announcements & Milestones
Eluvio and Bedrock Partner to Bring Next-Gen Streaming Innovation to European Broadcasters
In a strategic collaboration ahead of IBC 2024, Eluvio, from our Fall 2019 cohort, and Bedrock have announced a partnership to bring innovative streaming technology to broadcasters and entertainment companies across Europe. Powered by the Eluvio Content Fabric, this partnership will enable ultra-low-latency, secure, and cost-effective video streaming at scale for both live and on-demand content. The Eluvio Content Fabric, known for its efficiency, security, and sustainability, transforms video distribution by replacing traditional media clouds and CDNs. Eluvio’s decentralized protocol also provides AI discovery, tamper-proof content, and advanced analytics, offering a next-generation solution for premium video content delivery.
For information on this partnership, read this article.
Click, Powered by Nodle, Partners with Campaign Verify to Safeguard Voters from Political Scams
Our 2020 team Nodle’s Click app, in partnership with Campaign Verify, combats political misinformation by providing verified political identities and authenticated content. Powered by Nodle’s network, Click’s “Deep Reals” feature ensures that political photos and videos are cryptographically signed and stored on-chain, guaranteeing authenticity. Campaign Verify, a nonpartisan organization, verifies the identities of U.S. politicians, linking them to their digital content through authorization tokens. This collaboration promotes transparency and trust, especially during elections, by preventing spoofing and fake content. Available on iOS or Android and at clickapp.com, Click empowers voters with tools to verify digital content, fostering a more reliable digital landscape.
Read more about Nodle’s partnership with Campaign Verify.
Devnet Opens for Early Access to Source Network!
Source Network from our Spring 2019 cohort empowers developers to extend blockchain principles to off-chain data management, supporting the vision of Web3 and privacy-preserving applications. Through its Devnet, developers can access SourceHub (trust protocol), Orbis (decentralized secrets management), and DefraDB (privacy-first database), either independently or as a complete stack. The Devnet offers early access to the full Source Network stack, allowing developers to build MVPs and gain priority for Testnet 2 and Mainnet. Participants receive direct support from the core team and benefit from Source Network’s connections with partners and investors, making it a powerful opportunity for Web3 developers.
To be a part of Source Network’s Devnet visit this website or visit their website to learn more.
Dtravel Launches Growth Incentive Program Funded by 150 Million TRVL Tokens
For newcomers, it’s easy to think of Dtravel as a decentralized Airbnb. Instead of replicating the incentives often associated with centralized marketplaces, Dtravel has opted for a system where value can be shared across all participants. Dtravel, a team from our 2022 cohort, has introduced a new rewards model backed by the TRVL token and aimed at growing a network of vacation rentals that can be booked peer-to-peer. Built on the Nite Protocol, Dtravel offers vacation rental operators the ability to create directly bookable listings and run their business without intermediaries. Travelers on the other hand can use Dtravel to search the network and find stays they can book peer-to-peer.Season 1 participants, including vacation rental operators, travelers, and community members, can earn TRVL rewards by growing active listings, supporting on-chain bookings, and engaging with the community. With a reward pool of 150 million TRVL tokens, this initiative encourages decentralized participation and enhances the growth of the Dtravel ecosystem. Season 1 runs for three months and started July 31, 2024.
For more information on Dtravel’s incentive program read this article.
Soneium Minato Testnet and Soneium Spark Incubation Program
Sony Block Solutions Labs has launched Soneium Minato Tesnet, a new Ethereum layer-2 solution aimed at advancing Web3 adoption. To foster the growth of its ecosystem, it also launched Soneium Spark, an incubation program to support visionary developers and creators. The program provides expert mentorship, infrastructure support, and up to $100,000 USD in investments. Soneium aims to become a global Web3 infrastructure cornerstone, empowering creators to shape the future of decentralized applications. Soneium invites the BBX community to apply for the program to drive web3 adoption and start building.
To learn more about this opportunity and how to apply for the program, visit this website.
The deadline for applications is September 30.
Ava Protocol Powers Automation on Soneium, the New Blockchain from Sony Block Solutions Labs
Ava Protocol, a leader in web3 automation, is partnering with Soneium, Sony Block Solutions Labs’ new layer-2 blockchain. This collaboration will allow creators and developers to monetize and manage their projects using intent-based, no-code automation. Ava Protocol’s event-driven infrastructure will be integrated into the Soneium Spark incubation program, offering participants a trustless and efficient solution for automating their projects. This partnership aims to simplify workflows for web3 creators, enhancing project management and monetization opportunities.
For more information about Ava Protocol, visit their blog.
Linkdrop Soulbounds: Onchain Badges on Base
Linkdrop, from our 2020 cohort, has introduced Soulbound Minter, enabling the distribution of Soulbound Tokens (SBTs) via emails and QR codes. These non-transferable NFTs serve as proof-of-attendance badges for real-life events such as conferences, meetups, and product launches. Optimized for Base and Coinbase Smart Wallet, the claiming process is seamless, even for first-time crypto users. Linkdrop Soulbounds offer a free solution for both issuers and claimers in the Base ecosystem, allowing participants to create and share on-chain memories easily. This innovative tool helps bring more people on-chain, providing a fun and accessible way to engage with blockchain technology.
Visit Linkdrop’s Soulbound website to learn more.
Ever Technologies: Transforming Healthcare with Blockchain and Global Expansion
From our Fall 2019 cohort, Ever Technologies has made significant strides in decentralizing healthcare data by securing the full health histories of over 10 million patients on blockchain. This achievement enables patients to retain ownership and control of their personal health records. Expanding further, the company has signed a government contract in Thailand, adding another 10 million patients to the system. Ever Technologies is now operating 38 provincial nodes across Thailand, creating a peer-to-peer health wallet network. These nodes use private IPFS with blockchain to ensure secure and efficient Content Identifier (CID) storage, marking a new era in healthcare data management.
Visit Ever Technologies website to learn more.
Berkeley Blockchain Xcelerator Newsletter
September 2024
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