404 DAO Debuts First-Ever Demo Day at Tech Square
The 404 Accelerator, a non-dilutive program run by 404 DAO, accelerates blockchain-oriented startups over the course of a 10-week program, aiding in technical support, mentor sourcing, investors introductions, and much more. To showcase the latest happenings from the cohort, we teamed up with our entrepreneurial partners to host their first-ever 404 Accelerator Demo Day at The Clubhouse!
The event invited attendees both in-person and virtually to hear from seven startups as well as several prominent leaders in the Web3 industry, as part of the exclusive 404 Accelerator Speaker Series:
THE COMPANIES
1. Relayer amplifies and optimizes on-chain performance marketing through targeted wallet reward experiences. Founded by Thomas Sales and Kai Vickers, they are building a programmatic ad rail built around the modern Web3 user.
2. DAuth Network is a decentralized authentication network empowering wallets and dApps to create authentication with a focus on privacy, permissionlessness, and decentralization. It’s core contributors and founders include Michael Hanono, Howard Li, Dean Yan, and Kai Chen.
3. Opdefi is an institutional on-chain threat response platform, focused on executing on-chain exit strategies in response to exploit detection. Opdefi was founded by MIT grad, Harry Donnelly, and ex-Jump Crypto engineer, Jin Hong Kuan.
4. Keyspace Studio is a no-code Web3 platform for marketers, allowing brands to create digital marketplaces and tokenized loyalty programs in under 25 minutes. Founded by Jonathan Hessing, Keyspace helps turn customers into collectors.
5. Adamnite is the first blockchain built for the rest of us. With their custom language A1 (Python and Web Assembly), any developer can start building complex applications without extensive blockchain knowledge. Adamnite and its custom A1 language was built by a team of developers led by Georgia Tech dropout, Archie Chaudhury.
6. WebFi is a social platform made for creatives, by creatives that is working to solve the Artist Dilemma: Compensation, Friction, Revenue, and Ownership. WebFi is built by a team of GT students and creators that includes Marcus Townsend, Alex Lee, and Arya Nahri.
7. Puzzle utilizes zero-knowledge technology to build privacy infrastructure, including private multi-sigs, private-public fundraising tools, private DeFi, and more. Puzzle was founded by Georgia Tech graduates, Matt Wyatt and Luke Newman.
THE SPEAKERS
Sid Powell - CEO of Maple Finance
Professor Sriram Vishwanath - University of Texas Professor
Jonathan King - Principal Investor at Coinbase Ventures
JoAnn Holmes - Holmes Law
Emily Kitts - Head of PR at Yuga Labs
Pyrs Carvolth - GTM Strategist at a16z
Chris Klaus - Founder and CTO of Internet Security Systems, CEO of Fusen World
Matt Gore - Founder of OPTIO
Peter Yang - Managing Director at Fenbushi Capital
Nalin Mittal - Product Manager, Web3 @ Google
Matt Homer - Managing Member of Department of XYZ
The showcase was a great way to make important introductions and share unique opportunities within the industry, as well as provide general consulting around process engineering, business development, go-to-market strategy, and much more.
However, what clearly shone through that afternoon was the importance of the event reflected the overall mission behind the program – the 404 Accelerator is “founder-first,” meaning they heavily emphasize the value of those entrepreneurs with integrity and passion for building long-term solutions enabled by Web3. According to 404 DAO founders Pruitt Martin, Jack Sanniota, Cole Schendl, and Manny Jonson, “Startup success ultimately comes down to the team and its ability to execute.”
Secondly, the 404 Accelerator believes that blockchain is a feature, not the product. The previous cycle saw a boom of crypto-specific blockchain companies and many failed because they focused solely on the financialization aspect rather than solving real-world problems. This particular program looks for startups that leverage blockchain in practical and meaningful ways to create new solutions rather than simply adopting it for the buzzword.
Lastly, the program prioritizes the user. As an industry, Web3 still has a high barrier to entry. The path to mainstream adoption lies in abstracting away the technology while utilizing its key benefits. By prioritizing the user experience above all else, startups can create intuitive and impactful solutions that drive mass adoption. The 404 Accelerator seeks out startups that share this vision and are committed to delivering seamless and user-centric experiences to their users.
The afternoon was a complete success, with the event bringing together local startups, veteran entrepreneurs, mentors, and mentees. Not to mention, it highlighted the entrepreneurial and investment opportunities for founders exploring emerging Web3 technology.
