New web3 gaming & DeFi fund

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Emerging tech trends like AI, VR, and web3 are disrupting the fashion world at breakneck speeds.

Once a week, the Metaproof team will break down the top stories, feature expert Q&A’s, and serve up the hottest links tracking tech’s impact on the fashion industry.

✨ Top Picks

The Future, today. In just 3 minutes.

1/ Red Beard Ventures closes $25M funding round with Animoca Brands, others (Link)

In its bid to support early-stage DeFi and web3 gaming projects, the web3 venture capital firm closed a $25M funding round with investment from prominent web3 players including a16z's Marc Andreessen and Chris Dixon; web3 gaming giant Animoca Brands; and John Crain, CEO of NFT platform SuperRare.

Besides speeding up the adoption of web3 tech, the fresh funding round also backs the launch of the tokenomics accelerator program Denarii Labs, which will provide advisory services, weekly educational sessions, mentorship, launch support and more for those launching token projects.

While finding success in web3, Red Beard Ventures also invests in projects focused on space exploration, climate science, robotics, AI, fintech, and biotech.

2/ Microsoft’s bid to buy Activision Blizzard clears key hurdle, but $69bn deal is still at risk (Link)

While the European Union has approved Microsoft’s $69B purchase of video game maker Activision Blizzard based on the judgment that it won’t stifle competition for popular console titles, the big-ticket deal remains in jeopardy as UK regulators reject it and US authorities attempt to thwart it.

Some key facts around the controversial deal:

• The acquisition will see Microsoft automatically licensing Activision games to cloud gaming platforms.

• Announced over a year ago, the all-cash deal saw heavy scrutiny from regulators around the world due to fears that it would give Microsoft and its Xbox console control of Activision’s hit franchises like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft.

• Amid fierce opposition driven by the likes of rival company Sony, Microsoft sought to calm worries by striking a deal with Nintendo to license Activision titles like Call of Duty for 10 years and offering the same to Sony if the deal got through.

3/ Amazon implements AI to enhance logistics and delivery speeds (Link)

AI already figures in multiple areas of Amazon's operation, according to Stefano Perego, Amazon's VP of Customer Fulfillment and Global Operations Services for North America and Europe. These include:

• Transportation such as mapping and route planning

• Assisting customers with product searches on Amazon

• Increasing delivery speed by shortening product-customer distance

• Optimizing inventory placement and reducing service costs

• Analyzing data and patterns to anticipate product demand and determine optimal inventory placement

Perego added that it has been a success thus far, as more than 74% of orders in the US are fulfilled from distribution centers located in close proximity to the customers.

4/ Success with Rihanna’s music rights helps web3 marketplace raise fresh VC round (Link)

Web3 startups have seized the opportunity to tokenize music assets, granting ordinary investors access to music rights in a new way.

Royal, an NFT-based music platform, raises $71M by offering fans the opportunity to purchase and trade tokenized ownership of songs, earning royalties alongside the artist based on the percentage of music's streaming rights represented by the tokens.

AnotherBlock, a blockchain-based music marketplace, secures an estimated $4M (€4M) in funding led by Stride.VC, featuring participation from artist Axwell of Swedish House Mafia, as it leverages NFTs and tokens to generate royalties for artists through ownership and transaction payments.

5/ AI threatens humanity’s future, 61% of Americans say: Reuters/Ipsos poll (Link)

A Reuters/Ipsos poll reveals that a majority of Americans - more than two-thirds - express concern about the negative impact and potential threat to civilization posed by AI.

The poll findings indicate that 61% of respondents believe AI poses risks to humanity, while only 22% disagree and 17% remain unsure. Concern levels are higher among Trump voters (70%) compared to Biden voters (60%), while Evangelical Christians express greater worry about AI's risks.

While public perception focuses on the negative effects of AI, industry experts emphasize the potential benefits, such as improving quality of life and enhancing efficiency in various domains.

🏃‍♂️ Quick Hits

🎮 Gaming

• Axie Infinity launches on Apple App Store across Latin America and Asia as it continues its global expansion. (Link)

• It’s Minecraft meets World of Warcraft in Gala Games' upcoming survival fantasy MMORPG Mirandus. (Link)

• NYX Professional Makeup mounts its pride campaign on Roblox (at its pre-existing space in iHeartland), Twitch and the brand’s website. (Link)

• Nakamoto Games debuts the Brawler Master Tournament on May 19. (Link)

• AI could be key to safer gaming, promoting healthy online behaviors and building communities. (Link)

• Nvidia to pack its new mid-range RTX 4070 gaming chip with AI, enabling gamers to enjoy games with over 100 fps to the tune of $599. (Link)

🕶 Fashion

• World-renowned Parsons hosts its first Roblox Course Preliminary Showcase featuring digital apparel from its students for the metaverse. (Link)

• Beauty behemoth Elizabeth Arden launches its 1st immersive virtual store experience, created with experiential e-commerce platform Obsess. (Link)

• Retailers are launching more events in the metaverse in 2023 compared to previous years, reveals the RetailX 2023 Metaverse Almanac. (Link)

• To celebrate its 3rd digital offer on Zepeto, Zara lets users compete for ZEMs and coins by dressing their avatars in the Fairy Magic Idols collection. (Link)

• Paris-based label Casablanca works alongside Luke Nugent for a set of AI-generated campaign images for Spring/Summer 2023. (Link)

🏀 Sports

• Sense Arena uses VR to shape hockey’s future. (Link)

• The WNBA embarks on a multi-year partnership extension with Meta to live-stream 20 games per season in VR on Meta Quest platforms. (Link)

• CBS Sports, Hyundai, and AB InBev are some winners in the Digiday Content Marketing Awards, showing how companies lean on immersive video and interactive social media content to woo Gen Z audiences. (Link)

• Why Web3 Sport Arena is epic - and how digital twin’s integration with web3 revolutionizes the sports industry. (Link)

• For electric racing team Veloce, web3 can expand sustainable motorsport’s audience. (Link)

🎥 Media & Entertainment

• Relics and Steve Aoki are building an NFT-based jukebox to bump tunes for the metaverse. (Link)

• The Cannes Film Festival launches its XR division showcasing immersive art and experiences. (Link)

• Hadean and Film Soho co-produce a metaverse-ready Twiggy documentary at Cannes Film Festival. (Link)

• How AI is creating a “Wild West” scenario for entertainment giants like Spotify and Disney. (Link)

• Heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold's M. Shadows is a big gamer - and thinks it’s “insane” what we pay for items in games like Fortnite. (Link)

• Korean entertainment firms collaborate with blockchain services for metaverse and NFT ventures. (Link)

🖼 Art

• Agoria celebrates 2 years in web3 with a song that grants NFT holders royalties. (Link)

• Ubisoft launches Assassin’s Creed smart collectibles NFTs. (Link)

• Revving up the NFT market, Mattel unveils the Fast & Furious collection. (Link)

• Digital asset and crypto trading platform BitForex lists Jot Art (JOT), whose project aims to provide an XR ecosystem powered by AI blockchain Lithosphere. (Link)

• Truth Labs closes two NFT licensing deals with holders from The 187 collection. (Link)

• HeyMint and Zeneca partner with Curious Addys to co-brand the HeyMint Launchpad. (Link)

🤖 AI

• Google Cloud launches AI-powered tools to accelerate precision medicine. (Link)

• Personal CRM app Clay adds an AI helper to help navigate personal relationships. (Link)

• Zoom integrates an AI assistant named Claude. (Link)

• Microsoft adds more features to its Bing Chat AI chatbot, including visuals and conversation-driven search. (Link)

• TikTok creators use AI to rewrite history. (Link)

💸 Funding & Partnerships

• Web3 venture capital firm Red Beard Ventures closes a $25M funding round with investment from prominent web3 players. (Link)

• AI company Together raises $20M to make an open-source AI. (Link)

• Laguna Health lands $15M series A for AI-powered contextual care platform. (Link)

• Mobile styling game DREST partners with digital-first beauty brand BAKEUP for an in-game collaboration. (Link)

• Digital entertainment company AnotherBall raises $2.2M in its angel round. (Link)

• TikTok promotes mental health outreach with a $2M advertising fund. (Link)

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All content on this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not aim to serve as or replace expert investment advice.

📈 If you are a startup building in the metaverse / web3 ecosystem and are raising capital, please reach out to Sfermion. Sfermion is an investment firm focused on accelerating the emergence of the metaverse 📈

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