CV VC

🇩🇪 CV VC is co-hosting the startup pitching competition at the Crypto Asset Conference 2025 in Frankfurt on March 27th! Are you a startup looking to participate? Applications are open until Feb 23rd: https://lnkd.in/eQVipXWT As part of an ongoing collaboration, CV VC’s Janis Aguilar will be co-hosting the startup competition alongside Blockchain Founders Group (BFG)'s Sarah Gottwald, welcoming promising startups on stage to present their innovative solutions. The application criteria are as follows: 🔷 The startup must be related to the Blockchain, crypto, Web3, NFTs, or Metaverse industry 🔷 The startup must be younger than 5 years. 🔷 The startup has not raised “Series A” funding 🔷 The startup must be present at CAC25 on-site in Frankfurt (free conference tickets will be provided) Will we see you at the CAC 2025?

🚀🚨 Cardano builders, this one’s for you! We are launching the CV Labs Cardano Accelerator this May! Apply now: https://lnkd.in/e_y_B2a8 With over 6 years of experience accelerating blockchain founders, it’s time we bring our expertise to the Cardano ecosystem! The CV Labs Cardano Accelerator’s tailored curriculum will help projects building on Cardano to take their project to the next level  ✍️ Apply before: April 19th, 2025 📅 Program start: May 19, 2025 ⏳ Duration: 10 weeks (Hybrid format) 👉 More info: https://lnkd.in/e_y_B2a8 With hands-on mentorship, investor access, and expert guidance, this accelerator will catalyze the next wave of innovators building on Cardano! 💡 Why CV Labs x Cardano? Our connection to Cardano dates back to 2018 when the Cardano Foundation set up shop at our HQ in Zug. Since then, we've supported the ecosystem through initiatives like Battle of the Builders at the Cardano Summit and by accelerating various startups building on Cardano. Now, we’re taking it to the next level with a dedicated accelerator designed to scale Cardano startups! Are you building the future of Web3 on Cardano? Apply for the CV Labs Cardano Accelerator today: https://lnkd.in/e_y_B2a8

🚀🚨 Cardano builders, this one’s for you! We are launching the CV Labs Cardano Accelerator this May! Apply now: https://lnkd.in/e_y_B2a8 With over 6 years of experience accelerating blockchain founders, it’s time we bring our expertise to the Cardano ecosystem! The CV Labs Cardano Accelerator’s tailored curriculum will help projects building on Cardano to take their project to the next level  ✍️ Apply before: April 19th, 2025 📅 Program start: May 19, 2025 ⏳ Duration: 10 weeks (Hybrid format) 👉 More info: https://lnkd.in/e_y_B2a8 With hands-on mentorship, investor access, and expert guidance, this accelerator will catalyze the next wave of innovators building on Cardano! 💡 Why CV Labs x Cardano? Our connection to Cardano dates back to 2018 when the Cardano Foundation set up shop at our HQ in Zug. Since then, we've supported the ecosystem through initiatives like Battle of the Builders at the Cardano Summit and by accelerating various startups building on Cardano. Now, we’re taking it to the next level with a dedicated accelerator designed to scale Cardano startups! Are you building the future of Web3 on Cardano? Apply for the CV Labs Cardano Accelerator today: https://lnkd.in/e_y_B2a8

🇰🇪 CV VC Africa team in Nairobi! During the Africa Tech Summit last week, CV VC's Jarryd Kennedy & Brenton Naicker flew to Nairobi to connect with the wider African tech industry. With speakers & attendees from globally recognised powerhouses such as IBM, Deloitte, Circle, Absa Group and more, the conference provided a platform for Jarryd & Brenton to network with industry leaders driving innovation on the continent In addition, Brenton met up with members from the Lisk & NODO teams to explore further collaborations in Africa to bring budding entrepreneurs to the forefront of Web3. One of these collaborations is the Lisk Incubation Hub, which launched its applications for Batch_02 last week - www.liskincubationhub.com We are proud to support the next generation of African Web3 founders on their entrepreneurial journey

🔎 From Watermarks to Waterlogs: The Future of AI Transparency The rapid evolution of AI is making it harder to distinguish human-generated content from AI-generated content. While watermarking has been widely discussed as a solution, CV VC’s Head of Acceleration Investments Bastian Wetzel dives into why we need a more robust approach—introducing "waterlogs" as the next frontier in AI transparency Developed in collaboration with researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland, waterlogs go beyond simple detection by tracking and logging AI-generated content. This means greater accountability, traceability, and trust—key ingredients for a future where AI and humans can coexist responsibly Read more about the role of watermarking in the future of AI in Bastian's blog: https://lnkd.in/esmEZWzk

🚀 Congratulations to CV VC portfolio company Coala Pay on their $3.5 million seed round! Coala Pay is building the tools to ensure more money gets where it needs to go, faster than ever - increasing the value of humanitarian aid with blockchain technology The successful seed round fundraise, led by Castle Island Ventures, with backing from Lattice, Factor Capital, and CV VC, shows the dedicated work that the Coala Pay team is doing to democratize the international aid sector Well done to Melyn McKay (Ph.D.) & the Coala Pay team for this next step in their startup journey. We look forward to supporting the team in the many next steps to come 💡 Discover how qualified investors can invest alongside CV VC in startups such as Coala Pay: www.cvvc.com/invesors

Decoding 2024 and what to expect from a blockchain VC perspective in 2025 CV VC's Olaf Hannemann & Bastian Wetzel contributed an insightful expert article in the recent CV VC Top 50 Report which explores the development of Web3 in 2024 from a blockchain VC’s point of view. The article also gives an outlook on what's to come this year. Here are the key takeaways from the article: 🔷 The continued growth of crypto globally - Bastian highlighted how the approval of Bitcoin ETFs, rising adoption among emerging markets, and Ethereum's proto-danksharding upgrade propelled the growth of crypto in 2024 🔷 Builder Activity & Industry Focus Areas - Based on insights from the CV Labs Accelerator, the authors concluded that DeFi continued to remain the largest category of builder activity, followed by Blockchain Infrastructure and Picks & Shovels. Social, Wallets & Identity, DePIN, Gaming, and NFT Infrastructure are emerging areas of focus 🔷 The Big Narratives & Buzzwords of 2024 - The article acknowledges the major narratives in 2024, with decentralized AI (DeAI), programmable cryptography, the surge of prediction markets & memecoins dominating the space Looking ahead to 2025, Bastian and Olaf believe that the blockchain ecosystem will see significant advancements as infrastructure matures. Decentralized AI, stablecoins, improvements in scalability & UX, and more will be core topics shaping the Web3 narrative this year Download the full report for the full article and more blockchain funding insights: www.cvvc.com/top50

Why is Crypto Valley such a big blockchain hotspot? And who are the people behind these companies? In a recent interview with BTC-ECHO, Olaf Hannemann (CV VC’s Co-Founder & CIO) dove into the history of Crypto Valley, with a specific focus on Zug as an attractive destination for companies building in Web3. Olaf identifies how key players such as Bitcoin Suisse and Ethereum really put blockchain on the map in regards to governmental support for the industry Furthermore, Olaf identified how the large protocols' relocation to Zug paved the way for other projects to build from Zug, allowing CV VC and other investors a greater overview of the wider Crypto Valley ecosystem and exclusive access to the pioneers building the future of technology Other industry experts that joined the interview were Beat Bachmann (Kanton Zug), Fabian Hediger (Bitcoin Suisse AG), and Bill Laboon (Web3 Foundation) A big thank you to BTC-ECHO for this engaging piece about Zug & Crypto Valley! Watch the full video on the BTC-Echo YouTube channel (in German): https://lnkd.in/e5A7Edsd

CV VC Top 50 Report: Blockchain Funding by Industries. In 2024, centralized blockchain financial services received the most funding across industries, coming in at a total of $201.08 million across 13 deals. Find out more about the other industries below 👇 - Although 2023 saw blockchain networks take top spot in regards to funding, the industry saw its share of funding decrease to 29% of total funding, accruing only $171.56 million across 9 deals - Data Management, Verification, & Analytics, as well as Decentralized Finance, witnessed significant growth in terms of funding, accumulating a combined total of $149.15 million. These sectors amounted to a 25.5% share of total funding in 2024, a 15.5% rise in comparison to 2023 - Gaming, NFTs, & Metaverse declined sharply to 1% of total funding ($4.1m) across only 2 deals, reflecting a shift in market focus. This is a significant drop from 4.6% ($24.77m) across 5 deals in 2023 Download the CV VC Top 50 Report for more insights into Crypto Valley's development in 2024: www.cvvc.com/top50

🚀 Crypto Valley’s Growth in the Last 12 Months: Bigger Valuations, Larger Deals, Stronger Impact! Download the full report on our website: www.cvvc.com/top50 The CV VC Top 50 Report 2024 reveals how Crypto Valley continues to set records in blockchain innovation and investment. The full report offers readers a deep dive into the Top 50 entities based in Crypto Valley, as well as a detailed overview of venture funding globally. Here are the key takeaways from the executive summary: 🔹 $593.44 billion in combined valuation – Crypto Valley's Top 50 entities saw a combined valuation of $593.44 billion, a 56.5% YoY increase 🔹 Venture funding on the rise – Crypto Valley's venture funding across all industries saw a 12% YoY increase, with $3.6 billion raised across 303 deals 🔹 Larger deals, stronger impact – The median deal size in Crypto Valley's blockchain funding increased 70% YoY to $5.6 million, surpassing both European and global medians 🔹 Strengthened global positioning – Crypto Valley contributed 5.2% of global blockchain funding, an all-time high Get the full insights from the CV VC Top 50 Report 2024 and uncover Crypto Valley's development in 2024: www.cvvc.com/top50