The Crypto Valley ecosystem strikes again, and another successful Batch of Incubatees is firmly established and adding value to the global blockchain ecosystem.
Demo Day — a reason to celebrate!
The CV Labs Demo Day and the graduation of our Incubatees is always an exciting occasion. We are proud to see our Batch_03 entrepreneurs graduate with their Demo Day, and are honored to have played a role in accelerating their journeys.
Together, the CV Labs Incubator Program and the Crypto Valley ecosystem give our Incubatees the necessary training, resources, guidance, network, and funding to continue forward at a rapid pace.
3rd edition of the CV Labs Incubator Program
Although this is the 3rd edition of the CV Labs Incubator, it was proudly the first of its kind. To keep up with the ever-changing dynamics of COVID-19, we created a hybrid Incubator that takes place in both the digital and the physical world. A more digitized experience has made the Incubator more accessible than ever before!
The digital landscape has no physical boundaries meaning that the CV Labs Incubatees are experiencing a revolutionized connection to the Crypto Valley global blockchain ecosystem.
Mentors, mavericks, and experts alike can engage with and nurture Incubatees at the simple click of a button.
Demo Day
After entrepreneurs have completed the CV Labs Incubator Program, they are invited to Demo Day to showcase their innovative blockchain solutions by presenting to a global audience consisting of investors and blockchain fanatics alike. This year’s Demo Day took place online, making it incredibly easy to attend on a worldwide scale. Over 200+ attendees from all corners of the globe tuned in to see the CV Labs Batch_03 Incubatees in action!
After having the chance to present, each Incubatee was asked questions by expert panelists and audience members. These questions provided deep insights into the respective projects and their futures. We are incredibly proud of our incubatees for the professionalism they displayed and their confidence in answering the variety of questions they received.
World — meet the CV Labs Batch_03 Incubatees — Again!
The CV Labs Batch_03 Incubatees consisted of six blockchain-specific startups. All six Incubatees successfully graduated from the 3-month Incubator Program. These startups are shining bright on the global stage, and they all have exciting futures ahead of them. Each a disruptor in their respective industries, these startups epitomize how blockchain technology is reshaping the world around us. In many cases, with Africa as the perfect example, blockchain technology solves real-world problems experienced by millions of people.
We take great pleasure in reintroducing you to our Batch_03 Incubatees and informing you about their next steps following their graduation and Demo Day.
BlockFrauds
Insurance fraud detection & legacy system digitization
BlockFrauds is a pioneer in the landscape of fraud detection, paving the way forward for a new landscape in the global insurance sector. With world-class AI and an excellent blockchain use-case, BlockFrauds is a modern-day fraud-fighting hero. “Innovation and evolution are at the heart of everything we do.”
BlockFrauds uses a wide range of cutting-edge technologies, including AI and their proprietary algorithms, to help insurers detect fraud. BlockFrauds helps their customers create a low-friction ecosystem of data and tools to stand the best chance of detecting fraud. BlockFrauds uses advanced speech and image analytics — Digital Speech DNA and Digital Image DNA — to flag any suspicious activities.
This anonymized intelligence is then shared seamlessly and compliantly on a private, permissioned blockchain which acts akin to a fraud bureau, with a single source of truth of those Digital DNAs. The central federated learning can check for multiple claims against known fraudsters and image records. It learns from the sharing of intelligence and, as a result, evolves alongside fraudsters. The updated AI is shared with all trusted network participants, and insurers benefit from collaborating without breaching regulations, compliance obligations, or sharing sensitive competitive information.
BlockFrauds provides a B2B SaaS offering, with various pricing models available. Insurance fraud costs a staggering ~$80 billion in the USA alone, resulting in higher premiums. Billions of the most vulnerable people worldwide cannot afford the protection they need. BlockFrauds reduces premiums and improves end-customer value, service, and experience by introducing more efficient and effective detection systems.
Next Move for BlockFrauds
Following their Demo Day presentation and having graduated from the CV Labs Incubator, Blockfrauds will be completing their pilot testing with Claim Technology and Nymiz. The results of this pilot testing will be presented at Blockstart’s online Demo Day on the 24th of February 2022. The idea is to leverage the pilot’s success to generate further market interest and prepare the MVP for a formal launch.
Blockfrauds Digital Image DNA is performing well and will most immediately benefit from the ledger being seeded with examples. The Digital Speech DNA is currently at the model training stage, and it too will benefit from the ledger being seeded with examples. Blockfrauds is set up and ready for network participants to contribute to the model training.
Blockfrauds will be raising funds in spring/early summer. The goal is to raise enough funds for 18 months to cover the launch and initial scaling in Europe. In Europe, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of insurance companies looking to digitize their offering, and blockchain technology is being deemed as the perfect vehicle to revolutionize the insurance industry. After scaling in Europe, BlockFrauds has set its eyes on expanding its offering to North America. Their ultimate goal is to build a global ecosystem that encourages and enables a value share model.
Mazzuma
Peer-to-peer payments & DeFi adoption in Africa
Mazzuma is tackling some of Africa’s biggest challenges. With over 300,000 customers and over $100 million worth of transactions, it is disrupting Africa’s technological and financial landscape. Mazzuma is one of the leading payment platforms in Africa that utilizes mobile money, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technology to enable peer-to-peer payments.
The Mazzuma token, MAZ, is the payment medium in the Mazzuma ecosystem. Transactions on the Mazzuma platform are instantaneous and have low transaction fees. The philosophy behind the Mazzuma ecosystem is to provide a robust payment system to the masses and enable users to use their funds in a convenient and stress-free manner.
Next Steps for Mazzuma
Having completed the CV Labs Incubator, Mazzuma intends to identify talent to join the Mazzuma family. Coupled with the expansion of their development team, Mazzuma will continue to focus on product development, ensuring a robust and easy-to-use platform and ecosystem.
Mazzuma has already begun discussions with targeted exchanges such as Binance, Coinbase, and Kraken. They aim to list their MAZ token on these exchanges, which would make the token more accessible, thus increasing market liquidity and trading volume in the process. The MAZ token is one of the key revenue streams for Mazzuma, and listing on these exchanges would prove to be a lucrative exercise.
In the ever-changing world of finance, particularly the crypto world, new and exciting means and methods for building wealth are constantly coming to the surface. One such avenue that has taken the crypto world by storm is staking and asset lending.
Being in the perfect spot, with the right platform, has allowed Mazzuma to pursue staking and asset lending.
Mazzuma will be focusing efforts on engaging with organizations and building partnerships that will allow for cross-platform integrations. Included in this strategy is their collaboration with Cointis. This partnership aims to allow for easy payments via Visa and Mastercard.
The road forward for Mazzuma is exciting and their efforts to create financial inclusion in Africa are profound, to say the least!
CO2DAO
Carbon credit marketplace & climate action for people
CO2DAO is a decentralized carbon credit marketplace for 1. people who want to see that their efforts make a difference, 2. for projects that want to focus on climate action — non-bureaucratic fundraising, and 3. for companies that want a trusted offsetting solution to be climate neutral. l.
In a world that is becoming more environmentally conscious and regulators following suit, CO2DAO is in the perfect position to embrace the positive change that is taking place. CO2DAO prides itself on having the unique focus on introducing individuals into a previously organizational-orientated industry. By giving the power to the individual, CO2DAO ensures that there is no barrier to entry when it comes to participating in climate action.
CO2DAO is full steam ahead and well on its way to launching its mainnet by mid-2022. In October 2022, CO2DAO plans to have a public token sale, followed by worldwide campaigns and listings on numerous exchanges. With the ease of access to the token and the climate action rhetoric behind it, CO2DAO is about to take the carbon emissions market by storm!
Next Action for CO2DAO
Following their Demo Day presentation, CO2DAO aims to expand its team of decentralized climate-conscious web3 enthusiasts. At the same time, they are actively seeking seed investors for their upcoming Private Token sale. If you are conscious about taking climate action and interested in being a part of the world’s first decentralized carbon market, then be sure to get your hands on the CO2DAO Token!
CO2DAO has boldly committed to playing a crucial role in one of the most important topics of our time, climate action. Their initiative aims to make the world a better place and provides an exciting opportunity for members of the public to get involved with no barrier to entry. If you were ever looking for an example of how blockchain technology is reshaping the world around us, look no further than a use case that deals with environmental change. Goodluck CO2DAO! We wish you all the best on your road to “greener” pastures!
HouseAfrica
Property & creation of a transactional record system
HouseAfrica is revolutionizing the property investment landscape of Africa with the use of blockchain technology that creates innovative, secure, and trusted property records, bringing dead assets to life!
Real estate is one of the riskiest forms of investment in Africa. HouseAfrica’s solution to the problem has been welcomed with open arms by the African continent.
Following graduation and building on the fantastic traction they have already received, HouseAfrica has an exciting roadmap forward. HouseAfrica is in the process of signing an exclusive deal with the National Mortgage Bank (FMBN), which has 40 mortgage banks under them. FMBN will help accelerate the mortgage application process directly through the HouseAfrica platform. Such a partnership of this caliber will accelerate the use of the HouseAfrica platform, and the value they add to the mortgage application process will be on full display.
HouseAfrica intends to onboard 1250 real estate developers, each with an average of 800 properties, resulting in a brilliant one million-plus properties in their portfolio.
It has identified Ghana, Rwanda, and Kenya, as attractive and lucrative markets to pursue geographic expansion. The team is currently testing the Rwandan market, collecting data, and understanding the expansion process and strategy needed to enter new countries.
HouseAfrica is in the process of developing an API that will allow other startups to pull the HouseAfrica property data onto their platforms instead of uploading new properties themselves, saving a great deal of time and costs in the process.
From an agent perspective, HouseAfrica is developing Agentz+, a dashboard that will help agents make sales and track their activities.
Next Build for House Africa
HouseAfrica is building a marketplace that will aggregate properties and be used by homebuyers searching for a property to purchase. The HouseAfrica marketplace promises to be one of the primary sources of revenue for HouseAfrica.
HouseAfrica illustrates how blockchain technology can revolutionize age-old practices, paving the way for a more transparent and accessible future for the African property market and mortgage application process.
CARMACHAIN
The democratization of credit & the creation of credit data profiling
CARMACHAIN is the world’s first P2P alternative credit data marketplace and provides a decentralized data exchange protocol through their API. The startup aims to democratize access to credit in Nigeria and the rest of the developing world.
Many lenders in Africa do not have sufficient or comprehensive credit data to offer customized financing for the unbanked. CARMACHAIN provides lenders and fintech companies the opportunity to access customer data and information to help develop innovative financial services that reach consumers everywhere.
Access to alternative credit data is of significant benefit to consumers and lenders alike. A consumer’s digital footprint offers a more comprehensive view of their socio-economic activities, enabling lenders to significantly increase acceptance/approval rates for thin-file and first-time borrowers.
Established in Nigeria, CARMACHAIN intends to process 100,000-plus monthly queries and house more than 5 million data profiles by the end of the first half of 2022. By the end of 2022, CARMACHAIN will expand internationally and aim to have more than 22 million data profiles.
Alongside their query and profile expansion, CARMACHAIN will be releasing new product features. They are currently working on a payment API and data sharing service to benefit the data sharing, disbursements, and payment collection process between payment companies and lenders.
CARMACHAIN is also currently working on a Credit Score Builders marketplace which will act as a service to lenders. Lenders can use credit scoring services to receive precise forecasts.
As with all scaling and expansion efforts, CARMACHAIN is expanding its team. They are increasing their R&D team to 30-plus members before the end of the year.
By the end of 2022, CARMACHAIN aims to have a fully decentralized data transmission solution backed with the highest level of cybersecurity audited standards.
Next Act for CARMACHAIN
From a fundraising perspective, CARMACHAIN plans to raise $1 million in seed funds in March-April 2022 to fuel their expansion efforts in Nigeria. In early 2023, CARMACHAIN will participate in a Series A funding round, enabling them to pursue their international rollout strategy.
CARMACHAINS efforts are winning the war of financial/credit inclusion, and millions of individuals in Africa can benefit from the credit inclusion services that the platform offers. It is an exciting time for Africa, and blockchain technology continues to solve real-world problems on the continent.
Pravica
Digital identity & safeguarding privacy
Pravica has reinvented digital communication protocols to create a tamper-proof decentralized identity. This startup allows users to safeguard their information with end-to-end encryption, giving them access to complete privacy.
By utilizing Stacks Blockchain and its smart contracts, Pravica has reinvented digital communication protocols to create a tamper-proof decentralized identity secured by the bitcoin network and a fully decentralized storage system.
Pravica creates the opportunity to develop new-age business communication tools based on revolutionary decentralized networks that can positively change internal and external communication within organizations of all shapes and sizes forever! Pravica’s mission is to build a community that respects and values privacy and security.
Pravica is currently completing a seed round of investments and plans to launch its enterprise messaging app in Q2 2022. At the same time, Pravica is making its messaging app available to the public for free! As a result, Pravica will experience an organic uptake of users, all of which will see firsthand the incredible value that Pravica offers.
Pravica, a familiar face at global blockchain and technology events, will attend this year’s Africa Tech Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. Pravica continues to get global attention from all the international events they attend, and their easy-to-approach and friendly nature always encourages fruitful conversations.
Next Expansion for Pravica
Perhaps the most exciting component of Pravica’s near future is the DMCC License they are currently in the process of obtaining. The DMCC License will enable Pravica to operate within the GCC region, where they already have an established network. The region is a hotspot for global enterprises that can benefit from the Pravica solution and offers a lucrative opportunity for Pravica’s international expansion.
Pravica’s passion for privacy is evident in the community they are building, and their platform offers an easy gateway to participate in the revolution!
CV Labs introduces the Future Unicorns Club
Non-fungible tokens, more commonly known as NFTs, are a hot topic in the world of blockchain technology. To add a unique twist to Demo Day, NFTs were tailor-made for each start-up and were made available for purchase during the event.
The Future Unicorns Club NFTs, which premiered at the CV Labs Batch_03 Demo Day, are custom-designed to reflect the purpose of each Incubatee. Owning a unique Future Unicorns Club NFT is an innovative way to support and promote the Batch_03 Incubatees and profit off their future successes. The NFTs have three categories: silver, gold, and platinum, each representing different values and benefits. Included in these benefits, gold and platinum NFT holders get access to our upcoming CV Summit event later this year.
During the Demo Day event, 18 out of the 30 NFTs were sold, leaving 12 still available to the public. If you would like to find out more about the Future Unicorns Club, or you wish to purchase one of the remaining limited edition NFTs, click here.
Introducing the NFT component to Demo Day was a great success, and we would like to thank our partner, DCM Swiss SA, for helping us make the Future Unicorns Club a reality.
DCM Swiss SA is a company that offers an interface that establishes the intrinsic link between supply and demand for multimedia creation. DCM Swiss SA uses artificial intelligence and agile video integration to manage this process. Their focus is to revise the current principle used to remunerate media content. Their goal is to connect the world through a blockchain infrastructure, a Digital Content Marketplace, to promote art makers and digital content designers worldwide. As a result, DCM Swiss SA promises a fairer distribution of income to artists through the digitization of copyrights in the form of NFTs.
The Future Unicorns Club is a match made in heaven for CV Labs Demo Day which continues to evolve alongside the global blockchain revolution. DCM Swiss SA has introduced an exciting and innovative way for investors and blockchain enthusiasts to participate in the incubatees journey. The Future Unicorns Club will be a frequent flier in Demo Days to come!
Batch_04 — starting in Spring 2022
Our Batch_03 Demo Day was a success. We are incredibly proud of our Incubatees, and this is only the beginning of their exciting journeys. We will continue to watch them grow from strength to strength with pride and admiration.
As we continue forward as expert incubators and accelerators in the space, we continuously engage with new startups. If you are a blockchain entrepreneur or startup looking to participate in the CV Labs Incubator Program, you can apply to our Batch_04 Incubator that starts in Spring 2022 here.
Written by Wesley Patrick
CV VC is an early-stage venture capital investor with a focus on startups that build on blockchain technology. Qualified investors can learn how to participate in the success of CV VC’s portfolio companies here.
CV Labs is a blockchain incubator and co-working space based in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Dubai. Startups can learn more about how to get funding or how to join the next incubation batch here.
