Web3 News

Arts DAO Fest, the MENA region’s most significant cultural event in the Web3 space, is returning on April 20-21.

The event will be hosted at The Agenda in Dubai, where digital art enthusiasts and internet culture fans can join. Attendees can expect an immersive and unforgettable journey that showcases the limitless creativity and innovation that defines the digital art domain.

This year’s edition of Arts DAO Fest promises to surpass expectations, offering a diverse range of experiences designed to engage, inspire, and enlighten. From digital art exhibitions to interactive workshops, gaming zones, and a festival-like party, the event provides a unique platform where culture intersects with technology, creating a space where creativity and innovation can flourish.

Arts DAO Fest is proud to announce its initial speaker lineup, which includes visionaries and pioneers from various sectors such as NFTs, gaming, investment, and technology. Each speaker brings a wealth of knowledge and insights, promising to shed light on various aspects of the Web3 ecosystem.

Each zone at Arts DAO Fest 2024 is meticulously curated to offer a complete exploration of digital culture, allowing attendees to explore art, technology, gaming, music, and investments.

The Creator Zone is an interactive wonderland featuring various NFTs and captivating installations. Attendees can explore the forefront of digital creativity and make tangible connections to the collections that define our era.

The Talk Zone is designed for both newcomers and seasoned digital specialists. It offers insightful discussions led by some of the world’s top leaders in the field. Participants can engage in dialogues that deepen their knowledge and expand their perspectives on the digital future.

“The heart of Arts DAO Fest lies in exchanging ideas and sparking innovation. We have designed an event where the brightest minds in digital culture can come together to share insights and connect on a different level,” said Danosch Zahedi, Co-Founder, and CEO at Arts DAO Fest. “Whether you’re just starting your journey or you’re an expert, there’s something here to expand everyone’s horizons.”

The Gamer Zone presents a next-generation gaming experience, where attendees can embark on a gaming adventure in virtual worlds as boundless as their imaginations. This zone is designed to elevate the gaming journey of competitive players and casual enthusiasts.

Animoca Brands Corporation Ltd has recently formed a strategic partnership with Blockpass, a reputable provider of identity verification solutions for the Web3 space.

The main objective of the collaboration is to create a more compliant and secure environment for Web3 users. As part of the partnership, Animoca Brands and some of its portfolio companies will use Blockpass’ KYC/AML SaaS to provide seamless and cost-effective solutions for user verification.

This move will ensure more robust regulatory compliance and a safer, user-friendly experience for users of the Web3 and metaverse landscapes. It’s worth noting that Animoca Brands has been a Blockpass customer for a long time, and both companies are committed to enhancing user safety and security through this partnership.

In today’s world, where AI deep fakes and identity fraud are on the rise, Blockpass’s identity verification solutions have become essential to mitigate fraud risks and ensure users’ safety within the Animoca Brands ecosystem.

This partnership will also help meet the regulatory requirements of the growing crypto industry. As the crypto landscape evolves, adhering to KYC and AML regulations is crucial. By partnering with Blockpass, Animoca Brands and its participating companies can operate more confidently, knowing they comply with the regulations. Moreover, the partnership will enable them to streamline user onboarding with reusable identities.

Blockpass provides a user-friendly verification process for a seamless and efficient onboarding experience. With Blockpass, users can create, store, and manage a secure digital identity, making accessing Web3 services and other regulated sectors easier.

According to Animoca Brands co-founder and executive chairman Yat Siu, the company’s fundamental philosophy is to support and empower builders who share their vision of Web3 and the open metaverse. Animoca Brands believes in digital property rights for all and works to make this vision a reality.

“We work with Blockpass not only for the breadth of its offerings but also because Adam and his colleagues are highly committed to the vision of data sovereignty and true digital ownership. This strategic partnership will enable Blockpass to tap into the potential of Animoca Brands’ ecosystem while enhancing our user verification process.”

The collaboration between Blockpass and Animoca Brands is a crucial step forward in developing Web3 and the open metaverse. By emphasizing user safety, regulatory adherence, and user experience, the two companies lead the charge toward a more secure and equitable future for the decentralized realm.

Animoca Brands Corporation Ltd has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) to advance the Web3 and gaming landscape in Saudi Arabia.

As an independent governmental entity, KACST is responsible for advancing science and technology and facilitating collaboration among various scientific institutions in Saudi Arabia.

Through this partnership, Animoca Brands and KACST aim to strategically drive the progress of the Web3 ecosystem and gaming industry in Saudi Arabia. This includes setting up a physical Web3 Hub in Riyadh to incubate the region’s Web3 startups and blockchain technologies.

This project goes beyond physical infrastructure to support Saudi Arabia’s socio-economic growth by promoting local talent through education, training, and employment initiatives.

Yat Siu, co-founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands, said the company’s partnership with KACST to establish the Web3 Hub and develop the Web3 and gaming ecosystem in Saudi Arabia is a crucial step for the region. This collaboration aligns with Animoca Brands’ goal of advancing adoption and development in the Web3 space.

The Web3 Hub and the collaboration will involve mutual research in Web3, blockchain, gaming, AI, and the metaverse. Additionally, they plan to form strategic partnerships with local universities to provide customized educational programs.

Animoca Brands will offer consultancy services in tokenomics and Web3 economics to companies and projects in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, both companies will collaborate on developing immersive experience labs to showcase the latest gaming, technology, and digital innovation.

As part of the partnership, KACST will provide office space to support the physical infrastructure needs of startups working within the Web3 and gaming ecosystem. Meanwhile, Animoca Brands will leverage its expertise in the Web3 industry to provide support and guidance in this domain.

KACST VP of Economies of the Future Mariam Nouh said: “We are excited to join forces with Animoca Brands in building national capabilities for gaming, immersive experiences, and Web3 technologies. We seek to transform blockchain and digital innovation development by establishing the Web3 Hub and growing the Web3 ecosystem in Saudi Arabia.”

A group of alumni from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard have created a startup accelerator to support early-stage web3 founders associated with either institution.

The accelerator is called the MIT x Harvard Blockchain Accelerator and is a non-dilutive program. This means it will not invest in any of the startups it accepts.

Instead, the accelerator will focus on providing pure mentorship to help these startups thrive. The accelerator has four core contributors: Sam Lehman, Luke Xie, and Hannah Shen from MIT, and Liang Wu from Harvard.

Members are leading the accelerator from Cornell University and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. Its founding mentors include Tieshun Roquerre, also known as “Pacman,” the founder of NFT marketplace Blur and Ethereum Layer 2 Blast; Keone Hon and Eunice Giarta, co-founders of Layer 1 blockchain developer Monad Labs; Kenny Li, co-founder of Layer 2 network Manta; and Mirza Uddin, head of business development at Injective Labs, the maker of a Cosmos-based Layer 1 blockchain network.

Additionally, some unidentified members from crypto firms, including a16z, Avalanche, Dragonfly, Galaxy Digital, Nascent, and Polygon, are also serving as mentors for the accelerator. However, their names cannot be disclosed due to their firms’ policies, according to Lehman, the leader of the accelerator.

To be part of the accelerator, the founding teams of startups must have at least one member associated with either of the two institutions, including current students (undergraduate or graduate), alumni, faculty, researchers, and staff. Stanford University also operates a similar blockchain accelerator that has launched companies like Modulus Labs, Nocturne, Zero Gravity, and Caldera.

The accelerator’s first cohort program will begin next month and conclude in June. Applications are currently being accepted and will be reviewed by the core contributors and leaders of the two institutions’ student clubs, who will then make the final decisions on which startups to accept into the cohort.