Emerging from the crypto landscape, NFT startups have access to a variety of innovative funding approaches including Initial Coin Offerings and blockchain grant programs. However, this first funding report from NFT Entrepreneur is a news roundup of a more traditional approach, investments from VC firms and angel investors.
Future issues will include a look at accelerators funding NFT startups as well as alternative approaches taken by NFT-related companies.
Funding Rounds
Kalamint – Undisclosed Amount
Draper Goren Holm Backs Kalamint NFT Marketplace
Draper Goren Holm (2/18/21)
“The Blockchain Venture Studio and Fund Backs the First-Ever NFT Marketplace on the Tezos Network”
“The Los Angeles-based blockchain venture studio and fund, Draper Goren Holm today announces its backing of Tezos-based NFT platform Kalamint who is launching today. This not only marks Draper Goren Holm’s first investment in the digital art space but also their first investment in an India-based startup.”
Bear Games – $100K USD
Bear Games is using DeFi NFT gaming to change the narratives for NFTs
CoinTelegraph (2/18/21)
“A private funding round of $100,000 is going to help to drive the marketing of not only Bear Games’ initial NFT offering but also its first DeFi NFT gaming DApp idea, Bear Navy vs. Pirates.”
“DeFi and NFT gaming platform Bear Games announced on Feb. 14 that it had completed a $100,000-private funding round. The funds raised will help to develop further what the decentralized platform describes as the ‘Games and Gain’ gaming platform.”
Bear Games is currently sorting out an Initial NFT Offering with updates via Twitter.
ChainGuardians – $1.2 Million USD
Announcing ChainGuardians Raise of $1.2MUSD to Scale Gamified Educational NFT Platform and Game Titles
ChainGuardians (2/17/21)
“We are pleased to announce the closing of our private sale with an amazing group of investors including: AU21 Capital, GD10 Ventures, GenBlock Capital, GBV Capital, Moonrock Capital, Moonwhale, Morningstar Ventures, and Twin Apex.”
“By the end of the sale we were 10x oversubscribed and we want to thank everyone whose interest led to our project raising $1.2M USD in funding.”
“ChainGuardians is a blockchain meets superheroes gaming ecosystem built on the Ethereum blockchain…ChainGuardians has the world’s first NFT Mining Platform and awe-inspiring artwork which propels the setting of the game.”
Async Art – Over $2 Million USD
Async Art Secures Over $2 Million in Seed Funding
Asynchronous Art, Inc on PR Newswire (2/17/21)
“Async Art a Silicon Valley-based art platform…secures its primary seed funding.”
“Leading the round is Lemniscap along with Galaxy Interactive, Signum Growth Capital, Semantic, Blue Wire Capital, Collab+Currency, Inflection, Divergence Ventures, the LAO, and previous seed round leader Placeholder.”
“Launched in February 2020, Async Art has already reached milestones existing digital art platforms haven’t in their first year – accumulating over $1M in art sales, being featured in Christie’s, and launching a dedicated smart TV app to display art.”
Charged Particles – $750K USD
Charged Particles raises $750K to Enable Users to “Do More” with their NFTs
Charged Particles on PublishOx (2/15/21)
“With Charged Particles, any NFT can be transformed into a basket containing other ERC-20 tokens, even other NFTs. The Principal amount can be time-locked inside the NFT, and through an integration with Aave’s aTokens, programmable yield from these DeFi yield-generating assets is just a few clicks away.”
“We are excited to announce that Charged Particles has successfully closed our $750K pre-seed round…supporting Charged Particles on our journey to becoming a fully decentralized essential protocol.”
“The round is led by The LAO and is joined by ParaFi, CoinGecko, LongHash, MoonWhale, D64, Fourth Revolution Capital and Nalu Fund.”
“The group of angels in the round include Leighton Cusak (PoolTogether), Stani Kulechov (Aave), Liz Rabban (Ex-Celsius Network founding team), Matt (Cent) and Tyler Ward (BarnBridge).”
Rarible – $1.75 Million USD
Rarible raises $1.75 million from 1kx, CoinFund, ParaFi, and Coinbase to build the next generation NFT marketplace
Rarible on Medium (2/3/21)
“We are excited to announce that Rarible has raised a $1.75 million seed round. The round is led by 1kx, who is joined by ParaFi Capital, Coinbase Ventures, Rarible’s pre-seed investor CoinFund, MetaCartel Ventures, and Bollinger Investment Group. The group of angels in the round include Loi Luu, Michael Dunworth, Donna Redel (NY Angels) among them.”
Also: Rarible 2020: a Year in Review
Crowd Founder, MarbleCards, nft42 – $50K USD Immediate, Up To $200K Per Team
Base Camp greets its Fourth Cohort: Defi, NFTs, identity, and more…
Outlier Ventures (1/21)
“As we pass through Crypto Spring it’s time for Base Camp to support the next 11 companies in our cohort running January – May 2021 we’re kicking off with a number of firsts. Our first investment going to a team on the African continent, our first Outlier Ventures spin-out in Base Camp, and, unusually for an accelerator, an investment into a startup studio.”
Terms:
Outlier Ventures are looking for applications for Base Camp 4!
Blockchain Game Alliance on Medium (10/6/20)
“$50k immediate funding for 6% equity/tokens”
“Up to $200k total funding available per team”
Upcoming issues of NFT Entrepreneur will consider such NFT startup funding topics as accelerators, VC funds and alternative funding methods such as ICOs.
Got News? Contact NFT Entrepreneur