ConsenSys Israel Pitch Week in Retro
The ConsenSys Labs team left Tel Aviv after a week of listening to pitches, meeting entrepreneurs, and diving into the blockchain community in Israel.
“Israel Pitch Week was ConsenSys’ Labs first foray into the Tel Aviv blockchain scene. We were floored by the technical expertise and sophistication of the business operators we met in the market. We look forward to continually building our presence in Israel and bringing the best of start-up nation into the mesh.” — Ryan Lechner, ConsenSys Labs
Between November 4–7, the ConsenSys Labs team visited Tel Aviv to hear from entrepreneurs and technologists building off the Ethereum blockchain. ConsenSys Labs — the arm that operates the venture studio — was in Tel Aviv to identify a start-up to invest in and provide funding to continue growing.
For four days, the Labs team met with the project teams, listened to pitches, and talked amongst themselves to discuss the merit of each opportunity. Each pitch was one hour: 30 minutes of presentation and 30 minutes of questions from the ConsenSys team. In total, seven projects presented to ConsenSys Labs:
LiteCube: An independent, on-demand, private, and secure communication platform for “a blockchain-ready world.”
Platin: A proof-of-location protocol on the blockchain that allows users to geolocate a digital asset anywhere on a map in the world in real time.
Cryptonomica: An online and offline identity verification service and global database of verified identities. Cryptonomica seeks to power a contracts and electronic documents exchange.
KPay: The first decentralized, secure, private, one-click payment platform.
ATOZ: A blockchain + artificial intelligence platform. ATOZ seeks to make AI open, available, and empowered.
Privatix: An internet broadband marketplace powered by a P2P VPN on Ethereum.
SafeBlocks: The first decentralized application firewall for smart contracts on Ethereum.
“ConsenSys Labs’ Tel Aviv pitch week was a wonderful event in a wonderful city. We saw great start ups pushing blockchain technology forward with intrepid and thrilling ideas.” — Mike Goldin, Engineer at ConsenSys
What is the next step for the seven projects above? The Labs team has delivered their final decision to all the teams above about whether or not to move forward with funding. All teams, however, received feedback, and we may see them eventually return in partnership with ConsenSys. Sajida Zouarhi, a blockchain architect at ConsenSys, even compiled her own deck of general feedback for any early blockchain company seeking investors and funding.
Altogether, the week was nothing short of a success. More than anything, it served as a testament to the excellence and talent of blockchain entrepreneurs in Israel. Most importantly, blockchain has a lot more opportunity in Israel, and ConsenSys is looking forward to supporting the developers, the visionaries, and the enthusiasts in our collective goal towards a decentralized future.
“Israel Pitch week was an illuminating experience, which strengthened my understanding of the diversity and expertise of the Mesh, the wealth of opportunities in the broader Ethereum community, and the importance of supporting the growth of that community. As a Spoke Lead, it was valuable for me to see the Labs Investment Team practicing their investment thesis so I could better understand what the Mesh is looking for from Spoke teams.” — Evin McMullen, Linnea, ConsenSys
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author above do not necessarily represent the views of Consensys AG. ConsenSys is a decentralized community with ConsenSys Media being a platform for members to freely express their diverse ideas and perspectives. To learn more about ConsenSys and Ethereum, please visit our website.
