NEAR Foundation is thrilled to announce a new strategic partnership with Hibiki Run, a platform lying at the nexus of innovation in music streaming and digital collectibles. Hibiki Run is revolutionizing music discovery by melding gaming thrills with crypto-driven Listen-to-Earn  (L2E) incentives. 

Together, NEAR Foundation and Hibiki Run will explore innovative paths for creating engagement between Web3 content creators and end users. With the Japanese “Gachapon” vending machine capsule toys as a model, the collaboration will meld NEAR’s cutting-edge blockchain technology with Hibiki Run’s expertise in digital music, art, and exercise, new opportunities in each vertical for creation, distribution, and ownership.

Bringing a ‘Digital Gachapon’ economy to the open web

With “Digital Gachapon”, NEAR and Hibiki Run will bring a powerful economic tool to creators. When interacting with a Japanese Gachapon, layers insert coins into the machine, turn the knob, and receive a capsule with a random item. 

Hibiki Run has innovatively digitized this exciting concept, integrating it with blockchain technology. In the digital Gachapon system, users utilize their tokens to receive digital items such as NFTs or unique digital assets — anything from exclusive music tracks, collectible art pieces, and rare gaming items, to access tokens for specific events or experiences. 

The digital Gachapon’s strength lies in its element of surprise and the potential for rare, high-value rewards — transforming the token expenditure into an exciting event while providing a way for creators to distribute their content in a fun and engaging manner. 

Hibiki Run and NEAR hope that with these types of innovative concepts, blockchain technology, and user-friendly interfaces, a new frontier of digital arts will open up. One that is interactive and immersive for creators and consumers alike. Like NEAR, Hibiki Run is committed to creating a decentralized, fair, and accessible ecosystem for artists. 

Since launching in November of 2022, NEAR Korea Hub has hit a number of major milestones in the Korean Web3 industry. The Hub has significantly contributed to the expansion of the Web3 ecosystem over the past 6 months by forming partnerships with leading domestic game companies, providing generous developer support, and forging long-term relationships with college blockchain clubs. 

Let’s take a look at all of the exciting things that came out of the NEAR Korea Hub during NEAR co-founder Illia Polosukhin’s visit.

NEAR co-founder Illia Polosukhin talks Web3 and AI

A number of major Korean media outlets conducted interviews with Illia on NEAR Protocol’s Web3 and AI strategy. Illia pointed out that NEAR Protocol’s principle focus is on the Blockchain Operating System (BOS) and FastAuth, an important new product that provides a better-than-Web2 onboarding experience that can help foster the mass adoption of Web3.
Here is a list of Illia’s interviews (the coverage is in Korean):

Illia’s talk at ETHSeoul & Buidl Asia — June 2nd – June 7th

Illia attended ETH Seoul and BUIDL Asia — both major Web3 events — as the first keynote speaker, where he gave a speech entitled “Web3’s Future, BOS.”  

“One of the major problems with Web3 is the user inconvenience when making and using wallets,” Illia pointed out. “With BOS, which provides a Web2-like experience and ease for developers and users, NEAR Protocol wants to connect all blockchain and users to onboard 1 billion users to Web3”. He also added: “BOS acts as a gateway to combine all features such as DeFi and NFT which are scattered around the Web3 network”.

Illia further emphasized the importance of the Korean market and shared achievements of NEAR Korea Hub. 

Illia’s Speech at the Gyeonggi Province ‘AI Expert Policy Roundtable’ — June 8th

Illia was invited to give his speech “The Intersection of AI and Web3” at the “AI Expert Policy Roundtable” hosted by Gyeonggi-do, the largest province in Korea. He also discussed potential partnership opportunities with the governor of Gyeonggi-do, who is also a presidential candidate.

In his speech, Illia noted: “AI should be open source instead of closed source. We need to find institutional measures to secure and manage high-quality data based on Web3 technology in the public domain. The combination of Web3 and AI has the potential to act as a pillar of the new policy for mass adoption. NEAR Protocol will be the strongest use case if allowed to become a bridge for onboarding users to Web3”.

Business Meetings and Major Partnerships 

Meetings with global companies 

NEAR Foundation and NEAR Korea Hub hosted meetings between Illia and the management of major global companies in Korea. There were constructive discussions with companies looking to expand into Web3, which have already shown significant results.

From having small discussions to signing MOUs with major companies including Netmarble and Mirae Asset, the Korea Hub laid the foundation for solid collaboration. This foundation will serve as an important first step in expanding the Web3 industry in Korea.

MARBLEX Partnership — June 5th

NEAR Foundation has joined forces with MARBLEX, a blockchain subsidiary of Netmarble, to Expand Korea’s Web3 Gaming Industry with Aurora. Netmarble is a global top 7 game publisher with 1M+ MAU in the last three games.

Through this strategic business agreement, NEAR Foundation and MARBLEX plan to achieve mutual growth by linking the NEAR blockchain and Aurora with WARP Bridge to enable interactive collaboration, promote global joint marketing events, and enhance brand awareness. Furthermore, competitive and casual gamers alike will now be able to enjoy a variety of games and exclusive content through NEAR’s Blockchain Operating System (BOS).

More information on the NEAR Blog and Twitter.

Mirae Asset Partnership – June 7th

In a pivotal partnership for the blockchain industry, NEAR Foundation is joining forces with Mirae Asset — a subsidiary of Asia’s largest financial group Mirae Asset Global — to help bridge the gap between traditional finance and Web3.

Through this strategic business agreement, NEAR Foundation and Mirae Asset aim to expand the Web3 business domain and lead the global financial paradigm by conducting joint research and collaboration on Real-World Assets Technology. Furthermore, both parties have agreed to organize global joint events to enhance brand awareness and establish a mutual support system to strengthen the Web2/Web3 business network.

More information on the NEAR Blog and Twitter.

Vortex Gaming Onboarding — June 22nd

NEAR Foundation is excited to announce a new partnership with Vortex Gaming, a Web3 subsidiary of the leading game industry INVEN. INVEN is the largest game media·community in Korea, with a monthly active user (MAU) count of 7.2 million.

With the guidance of the NEAR Korea Hub, NEAR Foundation and Vortex Gaming plan to achieve mutual growth by collaborating to support the growth of Vortex Gaming; strengthen the NEAR game ecosystem; conduct offline hackathons and events to foster developer talent; and enhance brand awareness and business networks.

Read the full announcement on the NEAR Foundation blog

Major Events

Glitch Hackathon Winners Dinner – May 30th

During the Glitch Hackathon, which took place from May 19th to 21st, Illia and the NEAR Korea team organized a meetup event with the participants of the NEAR Track. Despite being a multi-chain hackathon with five mainnets participating, the NEAR Track had the highest number of participants, and PokaTika from the NEAR Track won the hackathon.

NEAR Korea Hub’s constant support throughout the hackathon helped achieve these remarkable results. NEAR Korea Hub provided comprehensive support and mentoring to the participating teams. Furthermore, the meetup event, which was hosted to continuously build the Korean Web3 ecosystem and establish strong relationships with new builders, saw participation from over 70 builders.

 It provided builders with valuable opportunities to showcase their products. A considerable number of teams participating in the Glitch Hackathon also took part in the ETHSeoul Hackathon, which serves as evidence of the growth of the domestic builder ecosystem for NEAR Protocol.

ETHSeoul Hackathon — June 2nd – 4th

NEAR Protocol held “NEAR Track at ETHSeoul”, an event for the blockchain ecosystem and community. ETHSeoul served as a platform for discussions on Web3 mass adoption, with participation from 46 hackathon teams (including over 250 builders) and 800 Web3 users. 

Among the 46 participating teams, 24 teams chose NEAR Protocol despite the event’s focus on Ethereum, indicating the strong interest and influence of NEAR in Korea. 

At NEAR Track, after an intense competition among outstanding teams, the following teams emerged victorious:

BUIDL Asia — June 6th – 7th

BUIDL Asia 2023 provided a platform for various projects and communities to come together, share insights, and discuss development trends. The event, organized by Erica Kang — a prominent figure representing Korean Web3 women — garnered significant media and corporate attention.

Illia and Alex Shevchenko, co-founder of Aurora, participated as speakers and shared insights on the NEAR ecosystem’s current trends and future prospects. Additionally, NEAR Korea Hub operated a booth at the event, allowing attendees to experience the Blockchain Operating System (BOS) first-hand.

NEAR x Hashed Night — June 8th

NEAR x Hashed Night was a highly successful event co-organized with Hashed, a distinguished venture capital firm representing the Web3 industry. The event witnessed the participation of 35 partner companies and an impressive attendance of 410 individuals. Illia led the event alongside key executives from the NEAR ecosystem who served as distinguished speakers. They provided insightful introductions to NEAR Protocol and its notable projects, facilitating valuable networking opportunities for all attendees.

Speakers like Alex Shevchenko, co-founder of Aurora, Bowen Shen, co-founder of Proximity Labs, and Ran Yi, co-founder of Orderly Network attended the event. Representatives from Mirae Asset and MARBLEX, who recently formed a strategic partnership with NEAR Foundation, were also present. It was amazing to see so many major Web2 and Web3 companies in one place, as it created a fantastic opportunity to explore new business prospects.

As one attendee noted: “The place was so crowded that it was running out of oxygen”. This achievement was made possible thanks to NEAR’s growing reputation in the Korean Web3 industry and the onboarding of numerous builders through Glitch and ETHSeoul Hackathon.

NEAR Korea is really excited about NEAR’s upcoming events, including Korea Blockchain Week(KBW), and they look forward to high expectations and participation!

Raising NEAR awareness in Korea

Overall, Illia’s time in Korea along with the hard work of NEAR Korea Hub has greatly enhanced the awareness and influence of NEAR Protocol within Korea. This was made possible through the active support of the NEAR Foundation and the strong collaboration with ecosystem partners. 

As June comes to a close, summer in the NEAR ecosystem is heating up with a wave of new announcements, events, media appearances, and more. Not to mention a few notable celebrities bringing some star power into NEAR’s orbit. Here’s a rundown of all the newsworthy NEAR happenings over the past month.

Sammy Hagar and Guy Fieri jump into NFTs on NEAR

In the US, Grammy-winning musician Sammy Hagar and celebrity chef Guy Fieri joined the NEAR ecosystem, teaming up with NEAR on-ramp Trident3 to launch an NFT loyalty program. The Santo Spirits Club loyalty program, as reported by Coindesk and Decrypt, will enable tequila fans to earn on-chain tiered perks and an opportunity to win a virtual tasting with the duo.

Mirae Asset, MARBLEX, and Vortex boost South Korea

 Over in Asia, NEAR Foundation continued to make inroads in South Korea. Mirae Asset, a subsidiary of Asia’s largest financial group, announced a partnership to research Web3’s role in global business. Per  Bloomberg, Mirae Asset will collaborate with NEAR Foundation to strengthen the Web2/3 business network and identify opportunities for real-world blockchain value creation.

Meanwhile,  Blockchain Reporter broke that Marblex – a Korean blockchain infrastructure provider for high-quality gaming – will integrate NEAR protocol with Marblex’s gaming universe, enhancing user convenience and Web3 adoption. NEAR will integrate with MARBLEX’s WARP Bridge, taking advantage of NEAR’s high scalability and speed to improve the gaming experience in Web3. The partnership will also enable joint marketing initiatives and events, boosting awareness of the global blockchain gaming market. 

Then there’s Vortex Gaming, a Web3 subsidiary of Inven, the largest game media community in Korea. Coverage by European Gaming reported that Vortex will leverage NEAR protocol to integrate a  gaming community encompassing Web2 and Web3 by building innovative infrastructure for gaming developers. The NEAR Foundation and Inven will also collaborate on marketing and business development, adding to NEAR’s exciting Web3 gaming ecosystem.  

Skoda launches metaverse for auto fans in India

Czech Automobile Manufacturer Skoda entered the Metaverse in the world’s most populous country, giving users an opportunity to explore, collect and own digital art pieces on NEAR. The platform, as reported by Cointelegraph and Entrepreneur India, will enable NFT owners to access exclusive perks and rewards, while allowing owners to trade digital artwork in the future. 

SailGP christens The Dock for decentralized fandom

In more partnership news, the Global racing league SailGP and Oracle announced the launch of “The Dock”, a decentralized fan engagement platform powered by Oracle and NEAR’s ongoing partnership to bridge the worlds of Web2 and Web3. As reported by SailWeb, The Dock will revolutionize how fans follow SailGP, increasing engagement through exclusive content and enabling fans to earn points, redeemable for exciting rewards including VIP access to SailGP events and more.

Alibaba Cloud and Women in Web3 headline Collision

The NEAR ecosystem took over Toronto this month, showcasing the best of BOS at Collision 2023,  one of the world’s biggest tech conferences.  During the event, the NEAR Foundation announced a groundbreaking partnership with Alibaba, enabling developers across Asia to launch new NEAR validators with Alibaba Cloud’s infrastructure as a service. 

The partnership was covered in myriad outlets such as Coindesk, Journal du Coin, and BTC Echo. Partnering with Alibaba means the NEAR ecosystem will have access to Remote Procedure Calls (RPC) and enable users to interact with NEAR’s Blockchain Operating System while using Alibaba Cloud’s infrastructure. 

The NEAR Foundation also released the Women in Web3 Changemakers List 2023, celebrating the achievements of extraordinary women throughout the Web3 ecosystem. As reported by Tech Funding News, the ten women were selected by the public and hail from all corners of the globe, following hundreds of nominations from the Web3 community. 

Leadership viewpoints on media and social fairness

Illia Polosukhin, Founder of NEAR and CEO of Pagoda, took the time to write a thought leadership piece in Blockworks about crypto’s potential to transform how we interact with the media. Illia sets out the emerging problem with the status quo: bad actors are beginning to utilize generative AI to dramatically scale up misinformation campaigns. 

However, Illia explains that blockchain-based “sign-and-trace” systems can enable the public to reliably source and validate real news stories, with a legitimate trail of sources available online.

CEO of NEAR Foundation Marieke Flament also penned an article for London’s leading daily business paper CityAM about using Web3 to build a fair and inclusive digital world.  “Too often technology has only benefited the few: those who have money, those who have power, or those of a certain gender, ethnicity, or skin color.

But this doesn’t need to be the case,” she explained. “Technology can and should be in the service of all people. But to achieve this, we will need a change in perspective, something that Web3 can help us achieve.”

Marieke also talked about blockchain, Web3, and BOS on a podcast hosted by the editor Journal du Coin – France’s leading crypto media outlet, and for a video interview with Fintech Finance at the Paris Fintech Forum. 

That’s all for this month. If we missed anything or want to share anything for next month’s roundup, get in touch!

Missed NEAR’s booth at Collision? We’ve got you covered with content from NEAR talks and panels. There were also a number of awesome announcements, including the big news out of Collision: Alibaba Cloud.

From the winners of the Women in Web3 Changemakers awards being announced to exciting ecosystem developments, here’s a run down on all things NEAR from Collision 2023!! 

ICYMI: Major Announcements @ Collision

NEAR kicked off Collision with a roar, with two major news items rolling hot off the presses yesterday. Here’s the scoop: 

NEAR Foundation and Alibaba Cloud Join Forces 

First off, the NEAR Foundation announced a major partnership with Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group. The two will collaborate to offer Remote Procedure Calls (RPC) as a service and multi-chain data indexing to NEAR developers, users, and the broader ecosystem. 

The goal is to make building decentralized applications on the BOS a breeze, and working with one of the world’s biggest tech infrastructure companies is a huge step in the right direction. Alibaba Cloud will also enhance plug-and-play capabilities for BOS builders everywhere, from China and APAC to Europe and the Americas.

Winners of the Women of Web3 Changemakers Awards

In other news, the ten winners of the Women in Web3 Changemakers initiative were just announced. These incredible women are leading the charge in the Web3 space, and NEAR Foundation is proud to recognize their outstanding contributions. 

Selected from over 200 nominations and voted for by the public, these were chosen based on their inclusive and innovative ideas, impact within the Web3 space, and their contributions to significant projects. Read the full announcement for NEAR’s Women in Web3 Changemakers winners

Highlights from NEAR at Collision 

Geekpay breaks barriers in crypto transactions on NEAR

GeekPay, a crypto payments platform for businesses and freelancers built on NEAR, surpassed $500,000 in total transactions during Collision. It also just hit 205 verified users, companies, and 120 transactions. GeekPay is transforming how companies handle digital currency payments to contractors, eliminating the need for lengthy wallet addresses and providing greater security for cross-border transactions.

“NEAR is a perfect ecosystem and technology for cross-border payments in digital currencies for remote workers and contractors,” said Veronica Korzh, CEO and co-founder of GeekPay.

GeekPay supports a range of digital currencies including NEAR and ETH, including functionality with tracking and analytics, secure payment processing, invoicing, and transaction categorization. GeekPay hurdling the $400,000 transaction mark shows that the future of crypto payments for work is being built on the BOS.

Tenamint launches Toronto Regional Community with a bang

Tenamint, a marketplace for fractionalized trading card collectibles built on the NEAR blockchain, christened the launch of the NEAR Toronto Regional Community during the NEAR Toronto Launch Party. The soiree was held on an iconic yacht, the Yankee Lady, during a sunset cruise for an epic post-event party to cap off Collision.

“We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the NEAR Toronto Regional Community, a vibrant community dedicated to fostering collaboration, innovation, and growth in the Toronto region’s blockchain ecosystem,” said Sal Chaudhry, Tenamint co-founder and Toronto local.

“At the NEAR Toronto Regional Community, we’re on a mission to foster collaboration, education, and entrepreneurial support within the blockchain community,” Sal added. “We aim to empower individuals and businesses in Toronto and beyond to explore, adopt, and thrive in the world of blockchain technology and beyond,”

NEAR after Collision: Onward to ETHCC

Collision 2023 is only beginning, but the BOS momentum won’t stop in Toronto. NEAR will also be at the Ethereum Community Conference (ETHCC) in Paris, from July 19th to 23rd.

From exciting cross-chain discussions to insightful panels, interactive workshops, and pitch events, ETHCC promises to be another remarkable platform for BOS building and the wider NEAR community.

So after immersing yourself in Collision 2023, remember to mark your calendars for NEAR’s presence at ETHCC as well. Here’s to continuing to make waves in Web3 and expanding into the Open Web – with you as the BOS!

As Collision 2023 rolls on, NEAR Foundation announced the ten winners of the Women in Web3 Changemakers award. These exceptional women, chosen from a pool of 200 nominees worldwide, underline the significant contributions women can make throughout the Web3 ecosystem.

“These Changemakers show us that together we can make a positive difference and shape the collective good of Web3,” says Marieke Flament, CEO of NEAR Foundation. “We must continue to help one another and nurture a strong, international community that includes both men and women.”

The Women in Web3 Changemakers competition illuminates the groundbreaking work of influential women in the Web3 space. As this platform appreciates the significant strides made by these remarkable women, it’s important to recognize the unique journeys of all ten winners, each of whom has contributed to the evolution of the blockchain industry.

Women behind the success of Web3 honored at Collision

Candidates for the Women in Web3 Changemakers award come from all corners of the globe, each making unique marks on the Web3 ecosystem in their own respective ways. Each of the following women made the final top ten because they’ve carved out a niche, advocated for transformative solutions, and been a part of breakthrough blockchain initiatives.

The full list of winners includes:

Handpicked by public vote from a pool of hundreds of applications, these Changemakers were assessed on criteria of inclusion, influence, and innovation. Each woman demonstrated the ability to drive societal good, make a substantial impact in the Web3 community, and contribute to critical projects, uplifting the global female presence in the Web3 landscape.

“The Changemakers show that we can forge our own path into the ecosystem and create a collective narrative that has the power to break down barriers to entry and make Web3 more inclusive for everyone,” Flament continues. “I’m extremely honored to be championing this initiative and to spotlight these exceptionally talented women.”

The diverse journeys of Women in Web3 Changemakers

All ten winners of the Women in Web3 Changemakers awards come from a variety of backgrounds, geographies, and skill sets. Yaliwe Soko, for instance, is championing opportunities in Web3 to alleviate poverty and provide opportunities across Africa. Others like Cathy Hackle are icons in spheres like the metaverse.

Erica Kang, meanwhile, spearheads KryptoSeoul and was responsible for  BUIDL ASIA 2022 conference, attended by ETH co-founder Vitalik Buterin and NEAR Protocol co-founder Illia Polosukhin. And through her organization The Bigger Pie, Bridget Greenwood is building an entire support ecosystem to advance both women and minorities in blockchain and crypto.

Another changemaker, Emily Rose Dallara, is a Web3 leadership coach and podcast producer, who uses a Holistic Growth Coaching method to help overwhelmed leaders thrive — without the burnout. Helping to make digital assets more accessible, Kiwi-born Janine Grainger is the co-founder and CEO of Easy Crypto, a simple and secure way for anyone to get involved in crypto. Irina Karagyaur, the founder and director of BQ9, is working to turn great ideas into even better Web3 products through her crypto-fintech boutique advisory firm. 

With Geekpay, co-founder and CEO Veronica Korzh is streamlining and securing digital payments without the stress and need for long wallet addresses. Zoe Leavitt, the founder and CEO of Glass, has set up shop in the loyalty space, allowing customers to level up their nights out by earning rewards from their favorite alcohol brands. And Alana Podrx, the founder and CEO of Eve Wealth, has created a community of women who share portfolios, co-invest, and support each other in self-guided wealth management through peer-to-peer learning. 

Celebrating the individual successes and collective efforts of these Changemakers reflects the massive impact and influence of women in Web3. From Africa to Asia, from the metaverse and marketing to crypto media and education, each winner has blazed her unique trail and is impacting the Web3 ecosystem, inspiring both men and women to do the same.

“I’m grateful for the hundreds of nominations we received from peers and employers who took the time to highlight the many achievements that the global female workforce has made to their organizations,” Flament continues. “By casting their ballot, the international community has shown that the contributions of women are being noticed.” 

By celebrating the contributions of these Changemakers, the NEAR Foundation underscores its commitment to diversity, inclusion, and innovation in the Web3 space. As females in crypto continue to make strides, it’s vital to recognize and appreciate the efforts of women who are paving the way for an equitable and inclusive future in Web3 and beyond.

Collision is here. Today, June 26th through the 29th in Toronto, Ontario, NEAR experts will be on hand at Collision to showcase how brands and companies can make a move into the Open Web with NEAR’s Blockchain Operating System (BOS). The BOS redefines the Web2-to-Web3 experience. Now anyone can effortlessly create and distribute decentralized applications, using any blockchain — all in one browser.  

Don’t miss NEAR Horizon, NEAR Foundation’s new Web3 startup support platform, which will also be at Collision. If you’re a founder or developer, then you will definitely want to meet with the Horizon team to get started on the Web3 funding and building journey.  

Here is what to expect from NEAR at Collision 2023

NEAR Speaker Sessions you won’t want to miss

Tuesday, Jun 27, 12:00 – 12:45 PM

Location: Beanfield Centre, Masterclass 1

Masterclass: “The Fastest Way to Add Web3 to Your App”

NEAR is transforming Web3 for developers, enterprises, and users alike with the Blockchain Operating System (BOS) – a common layer for browsing and discovering open web experiences compatible with any blockchain. NEAR founder Illia Polosukhin shows how the fastest onboarding in Web3 combined with decentralized frontends and embedded social features can help Web2 brands and Web3 projects deliver new & easy experiences and grow their communities.

Speaker: Illia Polosukhin, NEAR Protocol, Co-founder

Tuesday, Jun 27, 2:10 – 2:35 PM

Location: Enercare Centre, MoneyConf

Fireside Chat: “At the intersection of AI and Web3

Speakers:

Moderator: Lucinda Shen, Axios, Fintech Reporter

Wednesday, Jun 28, 01:30 – 02:15 PM

Location: Beanfield Centre, Masterclass 4

Masterclass: “How to Decentralize Any Frontend Using BOS”

Learn how to store your frontend codebase entirely on-chain and make it more accessible to users with NEAR’s Blockchain Operating System (BOS).

Speaker: Miao Jiang, Head of Product, Proximity Labs

Wednesday, Jun 28, 02:30 – 03:15 PM

Location: Beanfield Centre, Masterclass 4
Panel: “Charting the Course for a Thriving Web3 Ecosystem”

Delve into the current state of web3 investing, identify the crucial elements for building a thriving web3 ecosystem, and explore innovative strategies for scaling startup support platforms.

Speakers:

Thursday, Jun 29, 12:23 – 12:27 PM

Location: Enercare Centre, Growth Summit

Keynote: “Solving the Blockchain Enterprise Dilemma”

Speaker: Sandi Fatic, Co-founder, CEO, Calimero Network

Events from the NEAR Community

June 27, 6-9 PM – NEAR Horizon Pitch & Networking | Collision 2023

The NEAR Horizon team is partnering with VCs and Funding Teams from around the world who are looking to back exceptional entrepreneurs for the long term to build the future of Web3.

June 28, 10 AM-8 PM – Web3 Day (& Night) | Collision Conference Toronto

An invite-only event for the Web3 community & Web3 curious during the Collision conference in Toronto. Panels, speakers, networking, art, music, food & drinks, pitch opportunities, and more.

June 29, 6-9 PM – NEAR Toronto Launch Party
An exhilarating event that marks the launch of the NEAR Toronto Regional Community and concludes the three-day Collision Conference.

Stay tuned to Near.org/collision for the latest event updates. 

NEAR Foundation is excited to announce a major new partnership with Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group. 

In this new partnership, NEAR Foundation will collaborate with Alibaba Cloud to offer Remote Procedure Calls (RPC) as a service to developers and users in the NEAR ecosystem, as well as multi-chain data indexing to provide data query API to developers. The partnership will also find the companies collaborating on tools to help developers build decentralized applications more easily. 

“Our partnership with Alibaba Cloud is a major milestone for the NEAR Foundation as it proves that NEAR protocol’s technology has the capabilities to truly lift the restrictions surrounding Web3 development to allow more creators to build exciting applications while also helping to onboard billions of Web2 users to the possibility of Web3.,” said Marieke Flament, CEO of the NEAR Foundation. “We look forward to supporting Alibaba Cloud as it leverages the scalability of NEAR Blockchain and the BOS to expand its Web3 offerings to a global market.”

Alibaba Cloud infrastructure to help power the BOS

App developers building on the NEAR Blockchain Operating System (BOS) — a common layer for browsing and discovering open web experiences, compatible with any blockchain — will now also enjoy Alibaba Cloud’s infrastructure. 

With BOS, now accessible directly on Near.org through a browser, developers can easily fork components and create new experiences, while end users can explore open web experiences, social, and news all in one place. FastAuth, a new standout BOS feature, allows app developers to onboard new users with only an email — no crypto required. 

Alibaba Cloud’s plug-and-play infrastructure will empower NEAR developers

Commenting on the partnership, Raymond Xiao, Head of International Web3 Solutions, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, said: “The NEAR Foundation and Alibaba Cloud partnership is an important one as we continue to support Web3 developers to explore opportunities.”

“It is also significant for developers and validators in the Asian markets, as they can leverage Alibaba Cloud’s comprehensive infrastructure in Asia,” Xioa added. “Together with NEAR’s Node-as-a-Service initiative and BOS, we supports the Web3 community create exciting applications that will benefit a wide consumer audience. We are looking forward to what we can achieve with this partnership.”

NEAR Foundation and Alibaba Cloud will continue to expand its partnership together through collaborations at a variety of global Web3 conferences and events.

NEAR Foundation is excited to announce a new partnership with Vortex Gaming, a Web3 subsidiary of the leading game industry INVEN. INVEN is the largest game media·community in Korea, with a monthly active user (MAU) count of 7.2 million.

With the guidance of the NEAR Korea Hub, NEAR Foundation and Vortex Gaming plan to achieve mutual growth by collaborating to support the growth of Vortex Gaming; strengthen the NEAR game ecosystem; conduct offline hackathons and events to foster developer talent; and enhance brand awareness and business networks.

To support Web3 gaming, Vortex Gaming will leverage NEAR’s global layer 1 protocol, known for its user experience and scalability, and the Blockchain Operating System (BOS). The BOS is an OS for an open web, allowing developers to effortlessly build apps for an internet free from centralized platforms.

“Following the leading companies in the gaming industry such as Kakao Games, Wemade, Netmarble’s Marblex, we expect our sustainable game ecosystem to be further enhanced through this partnership with INVEN,” said Marieke Flament, CEO of NEAR Foundation, expressed her delight at INVEN joining the NEAR ecosystem.

Vortex Gaming: an open web community game changer

Vortex Gaming is a content-based game community that builds services optimized for Web3 games. It also offers a global social media platform and features such as Gaming Guild. Vortex’s Gaming Guild will allow members to earn rewards by playing games, participating in tournaments, and contributing to the guild’s community. The guild system also provides a stronger sense of bonding between guild members, which can help strengthen user retention.

Vortex Gaming also aims to break a major stereotype of current Web3 games as being dominated by a few profit-seeking individuals. It does this by offering specialized content that thoroughly explores the in-game economy, the completeness of the game, and gameplay guide. By leveraging its successful experience in building Web2 communities, Vortex Gaming plans to establish a robust user base by incorporating both high quality content and INVEN’s existing wide pool of users.

INVEN is the largest game media·community in Korea. For over 20 years it has been the leading company in the game industry, driving the development as the top online game media platform. Based on content generated in-house, INVEN continues to innovate and expand into industries such as entertainment and Web3.

“The ultimate goal is to build an integrated gamer community that encompasses both Web3 and traditional Web2 gamers by providing high quality Web3 and Web2 content alike,” said Vortex Gaming CEO, HOON JAI LEE. “Gamers and their communities are the most crucial components of the game ecosystem. In addition to offering game content for gamers and their communities, Vortex Gaming envisions establishing a sustainable cycle by incentivizing gamers’ production of content such as character builds and game guides”.

The NEAR Korea Hub, responsible for business expansion across Korea and other Asian regions, has been instrumental in fostering this partnership. The Hub views Vortex’s onboarding as a significant moment that further accelerates the development of the NEAR gaming ecosystem.

“While the strong content competitiveness of leading companies plays a crucial role in attracting many users to the NEAR ecosystem, community is the key driving force in maintaining this competitiveness,”said  Scott Lee, Co-CEO of NEAR Korea. “The synergy effects resulting from the onboarding of Vortex Gaming will further strengthen NEAR’s position as the optimal mainnet in the Web3 game ecosystem, accelerating ecosystem development.”

NEAR Horizon, an early stage accelerator for Web3 founders, is making waves on the BOS with new projects and contributors joining the platform every day. As the user base grows, so does Horizon’s commitment to delivering vital content founders when they need it. 

NEAR is an open-source, decentralized blockchain protocol that is designed to be scalable, developer-friendly, and able to support a wide range of decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts. NEAR is also the Blockchain Operating System (BOS) — a Web3 stack that integrates experiences from across the Open Web streamlining the discovery and onboarding experience for users and developers alike.

As an early stage accelerator for the open web, NEAR Horizon is revolutionizing how founders and builders find support in Web3. Users can build and scale great projects alongside a thriving community, while tapping into a robust backer network and diverse supporting resources. To list your project on the NEAR Horizon platform, visit near.org/horizon

Create content for Horizon

To help cater to the unique needs of these projects, Horizon has announced a Request for Content Proposals

Web3 founders at any stage of launching their startups can find essential resources through the Horizon app. These resources need to stay current and provide meaningful guidance to readers. 

Requested content includes templates for offer letters, Product Market fit guides, explanations of the Web3 regulatory landscape, and Web3 business fundamentals — like what to know before launching a token. 

The main criteria for new content are:

  1. Submissions should add something new to the existing collection. Please review existing content before submitting. Submissions that are too similar to existing content will be rejected. Please review the following before submitting:
    1. Wiki
    2. Horizon Learning Page
  2. English Language
  3. In-depth how-to guidance  

All of the topics described above are extremely complex but critical for early-stage Web3 startups to understand. Horizon is seeking strong content creators and writers who have deep expertise in a relevant area to create asynchronous resources that engage and educate early stage Web3 founders. These resources should be geared towards people who are new to starting Web3 businesses.

To submit a proposal, please review the Request for Content Proposals document, which contains a link to the submission form.

Important dates for NEAR Horizon Content Creators

NEAR Foundation will be assessing proposals based on the requirements outlined in open call. Content Creators are expected to submit their proposals by June 30, 2023. The NEAR Foundation review team will be conducting interviews with selected candidates between July 3rd – 15th. 

The review team will shortlist proposals between July 16th-28th and will communicate further with the selected parties. Final approval will be provided by the NEAR Foundation Counsel. 

NEAR Foundation Commitments

NEAR Foundation commits to providing access to NEAR ecosystem teams for the selected product partner(s) as “preferred partners.” This will mean that the selected partner(s) are vetted and approved by the NEAR Foundation, and should lead to an increase in the number of projects that are interested in retaining the partner(s)’ services.  

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