CV Labs Reveals Fifth Batch of Global Blockchain Startups

CV Labs unveils the fifth batch of global blockchain startups using technology to address today’s real-world challenges. Pioneers from 9 countries, including Australia, Estonia, Kenya, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, South Africa, USA and Switzerland, will leverage blockchain technology to tackle current issues.

March 29, 2023. Zug, Switzerland. CV Labs, the heartbeat of Crypto Valley, today announced Batch_05 of its global blockchain business accelerator. Nine ground-breaking startups were selected from over sixty countries based on the impact and utility their solution will provide.

• Batch_05 startups will provide impact solutions to global socio-economic and climate challenges
• Some participants in the Batch_05 cohort are on the cusp of building infrastructure for the Web3 sector itself
• CV Labs Accelerator is unique in that it is not aligned to any blockchain protocol
• CV Labs Accelerator provides each participant with up to USD $135,000 in capital, access to other capital avenues, one-on-one mentorship and customized growth hacks for blockchain entrepreneurs
• CV Labs is the ecosystem business pillar of CV VC, the Swiss-headquartered global blockchain investor. With locations in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, South Africa, Germany and Portugal, CV Labs fosters a global ecosystem through various activities, including this accelerator program, community-centric co-working spaces, industry events and summits, and consulting and research reports
• The CV Labs Accelerator will run for ten weeks from 27 March 2023

Batch_05 includes brilliant minds in aid money, payments, regenerative finance, data analytics, Web3 developer training, gaming infrastructure, codeless tools, BNPL and marketplaces.

“The impact of blockchain is huge, so it’s inspiring to work with entrepreneurs who are focused on building solutions that provide a social as well as economic benefit,” said Tracy Trachsler, MD Switzerland CV Labs, “Blockchain is open for innovators to have a big impact, and our proven accelerator provides founders with a valuable opportunity and optimal conditions for growth.”

The program runs from CV Lab’s accelerator space in Zug, Switzerland, which is purpose-built for collaboration. Participants will also benefit from the infrastructure of the wider Crypto Valley ecosystem, which is considered the most mature blockchain hub globally with over 1,000 entities operating within the most favorably regulated system. Many of them are located in CV Labs’ high-spec office premises.

“Here in Crypto Valley, the home of Ethereum, we have over 6,000 people working in blockchain, not only creating new financial models, but also better ways to interact and trade across multiple industries, generating greater efficiency for society. We are very excited about all the participants and are honored that we will be joined by teams from Africa where the profoundly transformative capacity of blockchain is palpable, daily” said Janis Aquilar, ecosystem manager at CV Labs.

The following startups were selected for Batch_05, based on the solution they build on an identified challenge.

Nigeria – Ivory Pay

Problem – cross-border payments in Africa are still one of the most expensive in the world. Costs an average of 8 to 10% of the value of each transaction

Solution – a payment gateway for African businesses that enables payments in stable crypto across borders at cheaper fees and without currency restrictions

Kenya – Nyayomat

Problem – micro retailers need credit access to buy products

Solution – working capital support technology through smart contracts that execute transactions, enabling sellers to access product capital and repay partners as they sell

South Africa – Web3 Sanctuary

Problem – lack of skilled Web3 developers

Solution – online training platform to teach software developers how to code for Web3 applications and help them get placed in Web3 developer roles

Poland and the USA – Mushrooms

Problem – game studios are focused on making games and don’t always have the resources to create their own store or marketplace

Solution – Shopify for the gaming industry that is both Web2 and Web3 compatible

Estonia – Zero code

Problem – Web3 has enormous potential for building effective loyalty and rewards programs, but they are complex and expensive

Solution – a code-free platform with plug & play tools for building Web3-enabled websites

USA and Australia – Coala Pay

Problem – international aid money is lost before it reaches local communities and there is no direct access to the most effective aid actors

Solution – make relocation assistance money simple, limitless and programmable, and track its impact. Donors are linked directly to grassroots aid actors

Switzerland – Pyrobag

Problem – lack of engaging climate solutions that ordinary citizens can access

Solution – a marketplace where small and medium-sized businesses and citizen investors can interact, trade and ensure that large solutions are financed. Use of regenerative finance where the citizen investor is able to reprogram their digital assets to go directly back into the market and regenerate not only compound returns but also compound impact.

USA – GalaxyX

Problem – developers and Web3 enterprises struggle to measure activity on apps, websites, NFT platforms and games that use IPFS for data storage

Solution – an easy to integrate platform/toolkit for developers to produce anonymous metrics on IPFS/Filecoin data.

The Netherlands – Colecti (sponsored by Lisk)

Problem – NFTs are not available to their intended users and only address a small number of dealers today

Solution – an easy-to-use platform that gives users and creators easy access to NFT innovation and trading, allowing those inside and outside the cryptosphere to buy and trade digital assets and forge the next generation of NFTs

Tracy Trachsler of CV Labs stated:

Our accelerator participants will receive world-class training and valuable networks that will undoubtedly set them apart from the competition and pave the way for long-term success. Likewise, as an ecosystem business, we look forward to learning from these brilliant minds and spotlighting their acumen and ability to transform not only their own industry verticals, but the blockchain as well.”

About CV Labs

CV Labs is the heartbeat of Crypto Valley, the world’s most mature blockchain hub. CV Labs helps global startups, enterprises and investors leverage blockchain technology and transform the way the world interacts and trades.

CV Labs is the ecosystem business pillar of CV VC, the Swiss-headquartered global blockchain investor. With locations in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, South Africa, Germany and Portugal, CV Labs fosters a global ecosystem through various activities, including accelerator programs, community-centric co-working spaces, industry events and summits, and advisory and research reports.

CV VC has already invested in over fifty blockchain startups and is known for its entrepreneurial spirit as illustrated by its founders and board members who represent its ethos – Founders for Founders. These include industrialist Alex Wassmer, entrepreneurs Mathias Ruch and Florian Kohler, investment banker Olaf Hannemann and finance expert Ruth Salvisberg, former Finnish minister Anne Berner, and Philipp Rösler, former vice chancellor of Germany and executive director of the World Economic Forum.