The crypto world is at a crossroads. A recent panel discussion at a crypto event brought together a diverse group of experts – a venture capitalist, a representative from a major blockchain platform, and several angel investors – to dissect the changing dynamics of fundraising in this volatile space.
The moderator set the stage by pointing to a noticeable trend: a “crisis of narratives.” While fleeting trends and meme coins grab headlines, the industry seems to be lacking a cohesive long-term vision. This lack of direction, coupled with the aftermath of high-profile failures, has made venture capitalists wary, leading to a noticeable tightening of the purse strings.
This cautious approach from traditional funding sources has opened the door for a new breed of investors. Angel investors and smaller funds, less burdened by the need for massive returns, are stepping in to support promising projects. This shift is not just about available capital; it’s about a fundamental change in how projects are being evaluated and supported.
The panelists agreed that the old playbook of relying solely on big-name VCs is becoming outdated. Projects are realizing the importance of building strong communities and attracting a diverse range of investors who bring more than just money to the table. Strategic guidance, network access, and marketing expertise are now viewed as equally valuable, especially in a market saturated with projects vying for attention.
This new landscape demands adaptability and creativity from both sides of the table. Founders need to think beyond traditional fundraising rounds and explore alternative models, such as community-driven initiatives and tokenized equity. VCs, on the other hand, need to evolve from being just financiers to becoming active partners, offering tangible value beyond their initial investment.
The panel discussion served as a reminder that the crypto space while facing challenges, is also ripe for reinvention. The current climate, though turbulent, presents a unique opportunity to build a more sustainable and community-driven ecosystem where innovation thrives on shared vision and collaborative effort.
This event, held in Seoul on 2 September 2024, is a side event organized by ICP, NewTribe, and Cointelegraph in conjunction with the Korea Blockchain Week (KBW). Panelists include David from UFVentures, Shashi Shekhar from ICP, Red from PickelsDAO, Petr Martynov from Morningstar Ventures, and best-selling author Anndy Lian.
Anndy Lian is an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur who is known for his work in the government sector. He is a best selling book author- “NFT: From Zero to Hero” and “Blockchain Revolution 2030”.
Currently, he is appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. Prior to his current appointments, he was the Chairman of BigONE Exchange, a global top 30 ranked crypto spot exchange and was also the Advisory Board Member for Hyundai DAC, the blockchain arm of South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. Lian played a pivotal role as the Blockchain Advisor for Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.
An avid supporter of incubating start-ups, Anndy has also been a private investor for the past eight years. With a growth investment mindset, Anndy strategically demonstrates this in the companies he chooses to be involved with. He believes that what he is doing through blockchain technology currently will revolutionise and redefine traditional businesses. He also believes that the blockchain industry has to be “redecentralised”.
Media and entertainment are constantly changing. This change is crucial to how we enjoy the content, use technology, and safeguard user data. Web3 and AI (Artificial Intelligence) are new technologies that transform the landscape further. They affect how we enjoy content, use technology, and safeguard user data. A panel discussion with Feida Zhu, Associate Dean at SMU; James Liu, Director at Alibaba Cloud; Raymond Chung, CTO at ZEASN; and Anndy Lian, Advisor at Bybit, explored this topic.
AI and the New Era of Contents
Smartphones and portable devices have reduced traditional TV viewership. People want more convenient and interactive content consumption. This shift makes experts wonder about TV’s future. Many think that AI can make TV more interactive and engaging. AI can give personalized suggestions, enable real-time interaction, and improve the viewing experience. AI-powered TVs can follow voice commands, adjust to users’ tastes, and even provide educational content for kids.
Anndy commented: “AI can transform TV from a passive experience into an interactive one. Imagine a world where your TV is not just a screen but a knowledgeable companion. It can ask what kind of movie you’d like to watch, suggest content based on your preferences, and even help you with tasks like gaming or education.”
He added that AI can play a significant role in generating high-quality content. By using AI technology, content producers can create engaging, diverse, and unique content, ensuring that there is always something exciting to watch.
Raymond shared his experience: “The integration of AI technology into the content creation process is another exciting prospect. With AI’s ability to generate high-quality content, it becomes possible to produce many new, engaging materials. This means AI can generate dynamic, interactive, and even personalized content, enhancing the user’s experience.
AI’s capabilities can extend beyond entertainment to areas like education and gaming. For instance, AI can create educational content tailored to a student’s learning style or generate interactive gaming experiences that adapt to a player’s skills and preferences. With AI, content creation is limited only by our imagination.”
Web3, Blockchain and the Promise of Transparency
Web3 technology is becoming more important in the entertainment industry. Web3, based on blockchain and decentralized networks, wants to create a safe and clear space for content creators, users, and service providers.
“One major advantage of Web3 is data privacy and security. Traditional platforms often collect massive amounts of user data, raising concerns about privacy and data breaches. With Web3, data can be stored securely on decentralized networks, ensuring users have more control over their personal information.” James explained.
Feida continued by say that Web3 also enables creators to tokenize their influence. Using blockchain, content creators can create and manage their tokens, representing their influence or popularity. These tokens can be traded or used within the ecosystem, creating a more fair and sustainable economy for content creators and their audiences.
Blockchain’s transparency can also prevent piracy issues. It can check and confirm content ownership, making illegal content distribution difficult. AI can better engage users with trust and control. We need to be careful of fake and altered content. Blockchain can help as a control tool. By using blockchain to check content’s authenticity, we can ensure that what we see and hear is real.
Blockchain can also give transparency and accountability, which are important for fighting misinformation and supporting reliable content. By mixing AI’s creativity with blockchain’s security, we can make a safer and more immersive digital space.
In Summary
AI, Web3, and data privacy and security transform entertainment. They affect how we enjoy content, create and distribute it, and safeguard our data. They also offer the entertainment industry new opportunities and challenges.
We need to use these technologies well and care about data privacy and ethical AI. The entertainment industry will soon face a big change, and only those who can adjust to the new situation will succeed in the digital age.
Anndy Lian is an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur who is known for his work in the government sector. He is a best selling book author- “NFT: From Zero to Hero” and “Blockchain Revolution 2030”.
Currently, he is appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. Prior to his current appointments, he was the Chairman of BigONE Exchange, a global top 30 ranked crypto spot exchange and was also the Advisory Board Member for Hyundai DAC, the blockchain arm of South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. Lian played a pivotal role as the Blockchain Advisor for Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.
An avid supporter of incubating start-ups, Anndy has also been a private investor for the past eight years. With a growth investment mindset, Anndy strategically demonstrates this in the companies he chooses to be involved with. He believes that what he is doing through blockchain technology currently will revolutionise and redefine traditional businesses. He also believes that the blockchain industry has to be “redecentralised”.
In a captivating discussion panel centered around the future of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), experts from various fields gathered to shed light on the transformative power of these unique digital assets. With the emergence of NFTs, the realms of art, entertainment, and digital ownership have been revolutionized, capturing the attention of creators, collectors, and big brands alike. This panel delves into the potential impact of NFTs in shaping the digital landscape, highlighting their benefits within the metaverse and the revolutionary concept of ownership.
The Rise of NFTs: Redefining Value and Exchange:
The rise of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) has ushered in a new era in which the very concept of value and exchange in the digital world has been redefined. These unique digital assets have revolutionized the landscape for artists, musicians, and content creators, offering them fresh opportunities to monetize their work while establishing direct connections with their audiences. By circumventing traditional intermediaries, this direct interaction has not only heightened the artistic significance of their creations but has also opened doors for them to showcase their talent and cultivate sustainable careers.
In the past, artists often faced numerous challenges in realizing the full value of their work. They relied heavily on intermediaries such as galleries, agents, or record labels to reach their target audience and secure fair compensation. However, with the advent of NFTs, artists now have the ability to forge a direct link with their fans and collectors. By leveraging blockchain technology, they can tokenize their creations and offer them as limited-edition digital assets, each with its own unique signature and value.
This revolutionary approach to value and exchange has significantly transformed the art market. Artists are no longer confined by geographical limitations or restricted to traditional exhibition spaces. Instead, they can showcase their work to a global audience, transcending boundaries and reaching enthusiasts who appreciate their artistic vision. Through NFTs, artists have a direct line of communication with their audience, fostering a deeper sense of connection and engagement.
The impact of NFTs extends beyond the art world. Musicians, too, have embraced this new paradigm. With NFTs, musicians can tokenize their music, creating digital albums, singles, or even concert experiences that can be bought, sold, and owned by fans. This shift in approach enables musicians to generate revenue in innovative ways, bypassing the traditional reliance on music sales or streaming platforms. By directly connecting with their audience through NFTs, musicians can cultivate a loyal fanbase, offering exclusive content, personalized experiences, or even unique merchandise tied to their digital assets.
The ability to monetize digital creations through NFTs has unlocked immense potential for content creators across various industries. From digital artists and photographers to writers and filmmakers, individuals now have a platform to showcase their talent and earn recognition for their work. By leveraging the transparency and security of blockchain technology, creators can establish trust and authenticity, combating issues of plagiarism and ensuring the provenance of their digital assets.
NFTs have democratized the creative landscape by allowing creators to define the terms and conditions of their work. They can establish royalties, resale percentages, or other incentives that provide ongoing revenue streams even after the initial sale. This empowerment enables artists, musicians, and content creators to build sustainable careers based on their own vision and values, reducing dependency on traditional gatekeepers and intermediaries.
The Expert Panel and their Insights:
The expert panel featured Anndy Lian, author of the book “NFT: From Zero to Hero,” Cameron Dale, co-founder of NFT NYC, and Alex Atashkar, co-founder of Seed Photo. Each panelist brought a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and experiences, shedding light on the implications and potential long-lasting impacts of NFTs.
Anndy Lian: The Evolution of Ownership in the Metaverse:
Anndy emphasized the creative potential of NFTs within the metaverse. Fashion brands, for example, can leverage NFTs to offer unique digital clothing items that users can wear in their virtual personas. The metaverse allows for unparalleled creativity, enabling individuals to express themselves in ways not possible in the physical world. Moreover, gaming studios are exploring NFTs as new revenue streams and ways to enhance user experiences, integrating NFTs into the gaming ecosystem.
Cameron Dale: NFTs Disrupting the Notion of Ownership:
Cameron highlighted the disruptive nature of NFTs, predicting that the technology itself will become so pervasive that people will no longer view it as a novel concept. Similar to how databases like MySQL underpin countless digital experiences, NFTs will underpin various aspects of our digital lives, granting real proof of ownership, self-sovereignty, and royalty systems. The end-users will benefit from these advancements without necessarily being aware of the underlying technology.
Alex Atashkar: NFTs and the Battle for Ownership:
Alex mentioned the historical significance of ownership and how NFTs provide a new era for mankind. NFTs enable transparent ownership, ensuring that all battles for ownership throughout history find a new meaning. By leveraging blockchain technology, NFTs offer transparency and the ability to trace and verify ownership, leaving no room for manipulation or poverty. Ownership within the metaverse holds immense potential for various industries, including gaming, as it unlocks new value propositions for assets and experiences.
The Metaverse and the Future of NFTs:
As the panel discussion unfolded, it became clear that the metaverse and NFTs share a symbiotic relationship. The metaverse serves as a touchpoint for NFTs to intersect with the gaming industry, which holds tremendous value in terms of revenue and user engagement. NFTs empower users to fully own and control their digital identities, extending the concept of ownership beyond physical assets.
Looking Ahead:
The future of NFTs appears promising and transformative. The panelists agreed that NFTs are here to stay, going beyond the speculative investment mindset. NFTs have the potential to become an integral part of our digital lives, seamlessly woven into the fabric of the metaverse and various industries. By embracing NFTs, individuals and brands can unlock new levels of creativity, revenue streams, and immersive experiences.
The panel discussion on the impact of NFTs in the future shed light on the transformative power of these unique digital assets. NFTs have revolutionized art, entertainment, and digital ownership, presenting new opportunities for creators, collectors, and industries. As the metaverse continues to evolve, NFTs serve as a catalyst, empowering individuals to express their creativity, own their digital assets, and reshape the notion of ownership. The future of NFTs is bright, offering a world where the boundaries between physical and digital become blurred, and the potential for creativity, revenue, and meaningful experiences is limitless.
Anndy Lian is an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur who is known for his work in the government sector. He is a best selling book author- “NFT: From Zero to Hero” and “Blockchain Revolution 2030”.
Currently, he is appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. Prior to his current appointments, he was the Chairman of BigONE Exchange, a global top 30 ranked crypto spot exchange and was also the Advisory Board Member for Hyundai DAC, the blockchain arm of South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. Lian played a pivotal role as the Blockchain Advisor for Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.
An avid supporter of incubating start-ups, Anndy has also been a private investor for the past eight years. With a growth investment mindset, Anndy strategically demonstrates this in the companies he chooses to be involved with. He believes that what he is doing through blockchain technology currently will revolutionise and redefine traditional businesses. He also believes that the blockchain industry has to be “redecentralised”.
