Decentralized Futures: Introducing Polkaport East
The Web3 Foundation is excited to announce that Polkaport East has been awarded a grant under the Decentralized Futures Program.
Polkaport East is set to become a central hub for growth and investor relations in Hong Kong, aiming to establish a permanent and vibrant Polkadot community in one of the world’s leading financial centers. This initiative will not only support the existing Polkadot holders and investors but also attract new teams and institutional investors to the ecosystem.
Project Objectives
- Bringing New Institutional Investors to Polkadot and Retaining Existing Ones Hong Kong hosts a significant number of family offices and crypto VCs. Polkaport East will engage these stakeholders through events, thereby encouraging continued and increased investment in Polkadot and its parachains.
- Attracting New Teams to Build on Polkadot By organizing a series of events, Polkaport East will serve as a funnel for Web3 projects transitioning to Polkadot. These events will showcase Polkadot’s technical prowess and facilitate collaborations with Parity Asia to support these new entrants.
- Providing a Physical “Home Base” for the Local Polkadot Community Inspired by the vision of “Polkadot Hubs,” Polkaport East will offer a co-working space for the community. This space will host a regular Speaker Series and serve as a nexus for local and visiting Web3 developers.
Key Deliverables
- Co-Working Space: A dedicated area for Polkadot community members to collaborate and innovate.
- Monthly Meetups: Regular gatherings to discuss advancements and opportunities within the Polkadot ecosystem.
- Keynote/Fireside Chats: Monthly sessions featuring key figures from the blockchain and investment sectors.
- Investor Dinners: Exclusive events aimed at fostering direct interactions between VCs and ecosystem builders.
- Annual Conferences: Major events coinciding with significant industry gatherings like the Web3 Festival HK and the HK Fintech Week.
Team
Polkaport East is spearheaded by Max Rebol, co-founder of Harbour Industrial Capital, leveraging strong relationships with family offices and VCs. Vincent Chan, formerly with Parity and Astar, brings expertise in go-to-market, community building and event organization and Thibault Perréard, head of growth at Bifrost, brings with him deep connections to Asia based VCs and developers.
Future Plans
Post the initial year, Polkaport East plans to either seek additional funding through OpenGov or transition to a self-sustaining model through membership fees, event tickets, and sponsorships.
Polkaport East is poised to significantly enhance the Polkadot presence in Hong Kong, fostering a robust community and attracting substantial investments. This initiative embodies the spirit of the Decentralized Futures Program, driving forward the mission of a decentralized, community-driven internet.
For more information, visit the Polkaport East proposal on the Polkadot Forum and stay tuned for updates on upcoming events and developments.
