Zilliqa, the Singapore-based enterprise-grade blockchain platform, has announced its 2021-2022 cohort of ZILHive Accelerator projects. The ZILHive Accelerator is a six-month program focused on launching blockchain-enabled projects from concept to commercialization.
The accelerator program is part of ZILHive’s end-to-end ecosystem designed to foster innovative blockchain applications throughout various stages of maturity. Startups in the accelerator will be able to apply for additional funding under ZILHive Grants, aimed at supporting specific pre-launch needs such as regulatory compliance or technical integration with third-party apps.
Han Wen Chua, Vice President of Ecosystem Growth at Zilliqa, commented: “The tremendous progress the startups have made in turning their ideas into real-world use cases for blockchain is a validation of our efforts at growing Singapore’s role in the global fintech ecosystem.”
Incubation Projects
Six of the eight startups accepted into the Accelerator this year were advanced from an earlier Incubator program which began in March.
The inaugural 14-week ZILHive Incubator matched technical and non-technical participants into teams that could design and build unique solutions on the Zilliqa blockchain protocol.
The eight startups accepted into the Accelerator include:
- Access, a startup that looks to combat ticketing fraud and prevent ticket scalping by issuing tickets as non-fungible tokens;
- Cerchia, a startup building blockchain-based tools to help catastrophe bond issuers, re-insurers, and investors better predict and price the risks of natural hazards through crowdsourcing;
- Green Beanz, a project that aims to incentivize consumer-facing companies and NGOs to improve the transparency and accuracy of their corporate social responsibility and sustainable development goals reporting;
- HeyAlfie, a smart dashboard for users to manage, invest and borrow digital assets through a single interface, by connecting multiple types of wallets (custodial, non-custodial, and even exchange accounts);
- Invopay, an invoice financing platform designed to help small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) better manage their cash flow with low-interest loans secured on the blockchain;
- MustPool, a gamified no-loss prize protocol, where the deposited principle remains safe and the prizes come from the interest earnings, leveraging different staking and lending dApps on Zilliqa;
- Tyron SSI Protocol, a self-sovereign identity protocol that enables users to manage access to their data securely, while allowing them to provide verified credentials selectively without relying on middlemen or centralized databases;
- Ultimate Franchise Fantasy Sports, a fantasy sports platform offering digital asset ownership to sports fans through the use of NFTs to represent athletes in the various sports leagues.
Startups accepted into the Accelerator feature founders from diverse backgrounds – from enterprising college students to seasoned industry professionals.
“The diversity of the participants graduating from the incubator and into the accelerator program highlight the importance of having a comprehensive suite of programs, each tailored to the different stages of an innovator’s journey,” noted Chua.
Access founder Mihir Mohan said, “From the design sprints with the ZILHive team to the valuable advice I’ve gained from experienced professionals during the Incubator program, ZILHive’s programs have helped me turn my ideas into a viable product.” Mohan first joined ZILHive through its student practicum and later started Access during the incubator program.
Projects such as Cerchia, on the other hand, were founded by seasoned industry professionals.
Led by a founding team of quants and risk managers from the likes of financial institutions such as UBS and GIC, Cerchia’s chief technical officer Fabian Buchmann said, “The ZILHive Incubator was a great opportunity to enlarge our network and increase the team’s expertise significantly with their complementary skill sets. The development of a minimum viable product during the incubator has prepared us to launch the product on the Zilliqa protocol during the upcoming accelerator program.”
ZILHive has also appealed to traditional businesses looking to generate new revenue models by implementing emerging technologies into their existing tech stack. Judobi is looking to launch Invopay, its new invoice financing platform, via the ZILHive Accelerator.
Julien Doherty-Bigara, CEO of Judobi, said: “The ZILHive Incubator has opened up a new chapter in my entrepreneurial journey by partnering my team with great co-founders to solve a real problem using blockchain. The incubator itself helped us to conceptualize and validate our idea and we’re now looking forward to powering the growth of Invopay with the ZILHive Accelerator program.”
The ZILHive Accelerator program will culminate in a worldwide Demo Day in December 2021, where outstanding projects stand the chance to receive up to USD $150,000 in growth capital from ZILHive Ventures, Zilliqa’s internal venture fund.
Zilliqa, the Singapore-based enterprise-grade blockchain platform, has introduced its 2021-2022 cohort of ZILHive Accelerator initiatives. The ZILHive Accelerator is a six-month program centered on launching blockchain-enabled initiatives from idea to commercialization.
The accelerator program is a part of ZILHive’s end-to-end ecosystem designed to foster progressive blockchain purposes all through numerous levels of maturity. Startups within the accelerator will be capable of apply for added funding beneath ZILHive Grants, aimed toward supporting particular pre-launch wants resembling regulatory compliance or technical integration with third-party apps.
Han Wen Chua, Vice President of Ecosystem Progress at Zilliqa, commented: “The large progress the startups have made in turning their concepts into real-world use instances for blockchain is a validation of our efforts at rising Singapore’s position within the world fintech ecosystem.”
Incubation Initiatives
Six of the eight startups accepted into the Accelerator this yr had been superior from an earlier Incubator program which started in March.
The inaugural 14-week ZILHive Incubator matched technical and non-technical individuals into groups that would design and construct distinctive options on the Zilliqa blockchain protocol.
The eight startups accepted into the Accelerator embrace:
- Entry, a startup that appears to fight ticketing fraud and forestall ticket scalping by issuing tickets as non-fungible tokens;
- Cerchia, a startup constructing blockchain-based instruments to assist disaster bond issuers, re-insurers, and traders higher predict and value the dangers of pure hazards via crowdsourcing;
- Inexperienced Beanz, a challenge that goals to incentivize consumer-facing corporations and NGOs to enhance the transparency and accuracy of their company social duty and sustainable improvement objectives reporting;
- HeyAlfie, a sensible dashboard for customers to handle, make investments and borrow digital property via a single interface, by connecting a number of kinds of wallets (custodial, non-custodial, and even alternate accounts);
- Invopay, an bill financing platform designed to assist small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) higher handle their money movement with low-interest loans secured on the blockchain;
- MustPool, a gamified no-loss prize protocol, the place the deposited precept stays secure and the prizes come from the curiosity earnings, leveraging completely different staking and lending dApps on Zilliqa;
- Tyron SSI Protocol, a self-sovereign id protocol that allows customers to handle entry to their information securely, whereas permitting them to offer verified credentials selectively with out counting on middlemen or centralized databases;
- Final Franchise Fantasy Sports activities, a fantasy sports activities platform providing digital asset possession to sports activities followers via the usage of NFTs to characterize athletes within the numerous sports activities leagues.
Startups accepted into the Accelerator characteristic founders from various backgrounds – from enterprising school college students to seasoned business professionals.
“The range of the individuals graduating from the incubator and into the accelerator program spotlight the significance of getting a complete suite of packages, every tailor-made to the completely different levels of an innovator’s journey,” famous Chua.
Entry founder Mihir Mohan mentioned, “From the design sprints with the ZILHive workforce to the useful recommendation I’ve gained from skilled professionals in the course of the Incubator program, ZILHive’s packages have helped me flip my concepts right into a viable product.” Mohan first joined ZILHive via its scholar practicum and later began Entry in the course of the incubator program.
Initiatives resembling Cerchia, then again, had been based by seasoned business professionals.
Led by a founding workforce of quants and threat managers from the likes of monetary establishments resembling UBS and GIC, Cerchia’s chief technical officer Fabian Buchmann mentioned, “The ZILHive Incubator was a terrific alternative to enlarge our community and improve the workforce’s experience considerably with their complementary ability units. The event of a minimal viable product in the course of the incubator has ready us to launch the product on the Zilliqa protocol in the course of the upcoming accelerator program.”
ZILHive has additionally appealed to conventional companies trying to generate new income fashions by implementing rising applied sciences into their present tech stack. Judobi is trying to launch Invopay, its new bill financing platform, by way of the ZILHive Accelerator.
Julien Doherty-Bigara, CEO of Judobi, mentioned: “The ZILHive Incubator has opened up a brand new chapter in my entrepreneurial journey by partnering my workforce with nice co-founders to resolve an actual drawback utilizing blockchain. The incubator itself helped us to conceptualize and validate our thought and we’re now wanting ahead to powering the expansion of Invopay with the ZILHive Accelerator program.”
The ZILHive Accelerator program will culminate in a worldwide Demo Day in December 2021, the place excellent initiatives stand the possibility to obtain as much as USD $150,000 in development capital from ZILHive Ventures, Zilliqa’s inner enterprise fund.
