DAOnload: Placemaking in Web3 – Atlanta Blockchain Center

Over the past couple of years, technology has been a bridge to human connection. Although the tools and experiences have improved, nothing beats being across the table from another like-minded person to explore ideas and share perspectives.

Rooted in the coffeehouses of Vienna and the dilapidated tables of Lockheed’s Skunkworks, there’s magic in the potential of these serendipitous IRL encounters, and that magic isn’t as easily recreated in the digital realm. It is not impossible, but it is limited today.

In a well-appointed concrete building with a mural depicting popular NFT art, the Atlanta Blockchain Center is building a community around education, incubation and ideas. With weekly events and speakers, it is an epicenter for web3 buzz, activation and innovation. ABC is organized as a DAO and the holders of $BUIDL or one of the ABC NFTs can access the coworking hackerspace and preferred access to the deal flow from their incubator led by Starter Labs.

Last month, I was asked to host a panel on the intersection of music and the web3 with three inspiring entrepreneurs, and I reached out to Atlanta Blockchain Center’s Chief Marketing Officer, Angela Brasington to learn more.

What was the catalyst for starting the Atlanta Blockchain Center?

At Starter Labs, the Atlanta Blockchain Center’s parent company, we knew the bear market was coming and wanted to diversify what we were doing. Part of that plan was to bring our virtual incubator and launch pad to reality. We had launched 63 defi projects from around the world, raising over $45 million on our platform, starter.xyz. We truly understand what it takes to spot a great project and how to prepare them for a smooth and successful token launch.

We recognized Miami’s leadership in the crypto scene, but also noted that Miami’s crypto community is just that – all crypto. Our founder is a builder at heart and continues to code every day. We were more interested in creating awareness of the technology that made crypto possible while educating people about the plethora of other incredibly impactful use cases of blockchain technology.

When we visited Atlanta, we found a thriving FinTech industry and the #4 tech college in the US (along with other great tech schools). We also learned that Atlanta, known as “Transaction Street”, processes 70% of the world’s payment transactions. But when we searched for blockchain groups, meetups and events, we only found a couple of inactive groups from a few years ago.

It seemed odd because Atlanta seemed to have the perfect foundation to be a blockchain hub, if not America’s blockchain hub. We quickly put that puzzle together and saw the opportunity before us. Then we continued to do what we do best: BUILD! First the concept, then the planning and finally figuring out how to carry out our exciting new chapter.

Tell me about Starter Labs and their association with ABC.

Starter Labs is the umbrella, or parent company, of several DeFi, web3 and blockchain related products and initiatives. Starter.xyz is a multi-chain launch platform, incubator and investor network for businesses that build on the blockchain.

We are distributed on 5 blockchains: Binance smart chain, Polygon, Ethereum, Fantom and Avalanche. With our experience from Starter, we launched ABC as our first IRL initiative. Among many other things we have incubate projects and raising funds with investors, just like on Starter, but everything personal! It’s been a fun shift to get off Zoom and be face-to-face with our community.

How do you see the DAO developing over the next year?

We are still in education mode with DAO. Some people are brand new and learning, while others are members of multiple DAOs. We work hard to help everyone understand how it all works. I see the most active members getting more involved, asking good questions and submitting suggestions.

As a result, we will begin to see a kind organizing committee forming. When that happens, I would like to see a timeline of events, initiatives, partnerships and collaborations, and for them to begin generating funds for a well-managed treasury.

What advice would you give someone starting a DAO related to keeping the community aligned and engaged?

Remind yourself every day how important it is to keep the DAO community aligned and engaged. So do it! I can’t stress that enough.

Discord is great for creating channels where you can get the community talking and find creative ways to get them involved. Separating channels allows people to engage with the content that best suits them. It’s a better way to keep them active because they see what they want to see. We have a “general chat” channel where all members can communicate openly with each other.

We have an ‘introduce yourself’ channel, which is exclusively for new members to introduce themselves, see who’s who, and connect when synergies abound. We have a “rabbit hole” channel to allow people to go down the rabbit hole on whatever topic they see fit as it relates to blockchain, web3 and the industry as a whole. And many more, including our DAO governance channel, where NFT holding DAO members can vote on proposals submitted by members. It’s important to structure your channels in a way that encourages activity and provides value to members.

What are the key components of a successful web3 investor pitch?

It must be clear and concise. It should effectively address the problem being solved and the steps being taken to solve that problem. Along with that, the business model must be properly articulated with realistic revenue projections.

Trust me, it’s not a pretty show $20 million in estimated revenue for year 1. Investors don’t want to see that because we know it’s unrealistic for most businesses, especially the ones we work with that are mostly early stage.

The team should be listed with photos and you should be prepared to discuss the level of involvement. A well-thought-out road map is key. I want to know where you’re going, how you’re going to get there, and whether the team can make it happen.

What projects are you excited about from the first incubator cohort?

I’m honestly super excited about all three projects and their founders. They are all unique and different in their own way.

Jeremiah Long created Wedge, which specializes in community outreach to educate businesses and the general public about Web3 technology. He has made tremendous strides in connecting with community groups to advance his mission.

Keith Wilson created Helix Automotive, the world’s first metaverse car manufacturer. Keith’s experience working on Ford has provided a rich understanding of the automotive industry, including what they don’t do well. He has built ways to exploit this and bring value to both the auto giants and consumers.

Yolanda Barton created Revere XR, the future of music and immersive storytelling. She is working with Oculus to bring her experience to life using their headsets.

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*All investment/financial opinions expressed by NFT Plazas are from personal research and experience of our site moderators and are intended as educational material only. Individuals are required to research all products before making any type of investment.

Metaverse methodologist, connector and creator