Probably Nothing — Web3 startups & deal-flow for VC investors

State of crypto report by a16z

a16z dropped their latest State of Crypto report that shares insights on key trends — like stablecoins, L2s, and AI — plus, crypto’s rise as a hot policy issue, new data on builders and users, and much more.

7 key takeaways ⏺

1. Crypto activity and usage hit all-time highs
2. Crypto has become a key political issue ahead of the U.S. election
3. Stablecoins have found product-market fit
4. Infrastructure improvements have increased capacity and drastically reduced transactions costs
5. DeFi remains popular — and it’s growing
6. Crypto could solve some of AI’s most pressing challenges
7. More scalable infrastructure has unlocked new onchain applications

Read the full report here

Pitching Opportunity Reminder 🗣

Wanna get your Web3 startup noticed by top-tier VCs and and secure funding? We’re accepting applications for our upcoming pitch event! Don’t miss the chance to showcase your vision to leading investors in the space.

Our preferences:

• Stage: Pre-seed / Seed / Private

• Verticals: Infrastructure / DePin / BTC / DeFi / RWA / SocialFi and more.

• Traction: Early MVP, product launch, or initial customer/user traction is a plus.

• Pitch Deck: A clear, concise presentation outlining your vision, product, market fit, and growth potential.

Need a pitch deck? Get one here.

⏺ Send an application to pitch ⏺

• Product: Flashback

• What they’re buiding:

The data storage layer of the internet, created to improve how the world's most innovative AI & Web3 companies store their data.

• About the Team:

The Flashback team is led by Brieuc (CEO & Founder), PHD in Computer Science with 7 years of experience in Web3/Cloud/AI, Zachary (CBMO & Founder), with five years of experience in early-stage ventures and growth strategy, and Giacomo (Core OS Dev & Founder), 8 years as a Core OS Blockchain & Consensus Developer in multiple +$700m m’cap projects.

• Traction:

— Established partnerships with Starknet, DePIN Alliance, Cube3, G-20 Group, OVHcloud, and Google Cloud
— Registered over 100 companies for the test network

• Partners: InnMind, iExec & H7, La région Grand Est, Cube3, Noir Ventures, The Pool, La French Tech, HUMANS & others

• TGE: Q1 2025

• Investments Raised: $123,000 early backers and $25,000 Starknet grant

• Raising Now: $500,000 Angel Round at $20m FDV ($126,000 committed)

• Pitch deck 🔠

• Tokenomics 🔠

Wanna connect with Flashback? Reach out to @spacepilgrim for an intro.

Applications for {Bulltober Demo Day} are now open!

The market is picking up, and now’s the perfect time to showcase your project to top-tier Web3 investors 🎯

— Raising a round? Submit your application for the demo day.
— Launched a product and want REAL feedback? Submit your application.
— Looking for 1-on-1 intros to investors? You know the drill.

• Founders, your pitch deck is a must!
• Deadline: October 17th

How do you apply? Easy. Just fill out the form at the link below.

Submit an application here 🔠

• Product: Snipe

• What they’re building:
First-mover in a huge, untapped market, solving pain points for projects that can't access traditional OTC. Snipe helps large sellers exit positions without crashing charts, while giving retail buyers access to discounted crypto deals normally reserved for whales.

• Why it matters:
Snipe democratizes OTC deals with instant, on-chain settlement, lower entry barriers, and risk spread across thousands of buyers—stabilizing projects and protecting liquidity.

• Revenue Model:
Revenue from platform fees on every transaction, supported by aggressive token burns. Staking incentivizes users to lock $SNIPE, unlocking features, better access, and lower fees.

• Team:

Led by experts with deep crypto experience. Our founders helped drive Phoenix's $3.5B IPO, with top talent from Coca-Cola, Gemini, and eToro. Backed by blockchain innovators and advisors from billion-dollar projects.

• TGE: Q1 2025 ($SNIPE)

• Investment Raised: Bootstrapped

• Investment opportunity:

Token Price: $1.25, listing at $2
Tokens available: 2m, $2.5m hard cap
Initial market cap: $1.9M, fully diluted: $20M

• Current Status & Fundraising Needs:

1. MVP complete, fully operational
2. Raising funds for initial marketing to drive users/traction
3. Targeting larger VC raise after proven growth

• Pitch deck 🔠

• Tokenomics

• Deal Room

Ready to connect with the Snipe team? Have feedback on the project? DM @spacepilgrim

{TGE Q4} Demo Day is happening today. Who will pitch to the line-up of top-tier investors? ⬇️

1️⃣ Skew | Pitch Deck
— The Swiss-registered P2P platform offering better APR returns than traditional banks, peer-to-peer loans, and debit card cash back

2️⃣ Evergreen | Pitch Deck
— The first publishing platform that operates as a deconstructed, composable MMORPG.

3️⃣ Flashback | Pitch Deck
— A Cloud Storage DePIN to power the future of Web3 and AI services.

4️⃣ Bankrolled | Pitch Deck
— A decentralized sports betting platform where you set the odds

5️⃣ StakeUp | Pitch Deck
— Brings the risk free rate directly to your crypto wallet, allowing you to accrue yield just by holding stUSDC.

***

Investors, you have 5 hours to join the meeting and get exclusive access to our deal-flow. DM @spacepilgrim for the Demo Day invite.

⏰ Today | 4 pm UTC (9 am PST) | Online

Opportunity from BNB Chain 🔥

Founders, BNB Chain has open applications for MVB Season 8.

Selected projects can get mentorship from BNB Chain and potentially secure investment from Binance Labs.

Find the application form here and don’t miss the deadline: September 25, 2024, at 11:59 PM UTC.

***
To test your pitch in front of REAL investors, join us TOMORROW for our demo day.

There's still 1 spot left! You can apply here: https://lu.ma/tge-q4

P.S. Only for projects with a TGE in Q4.

• Product: Skew
DeFi | BNB smart chain

• What they're building:

The Swiss-registered P2P platform offering better APR returns than traditional banks, peer-to-peer loans, and debit card cash back—giving people the power of crypto without needing to understand it on their own.

• About the Team:

The team is led by co-founders Daniele Capasso (CEO) and Dave Lange (COO). Daniele has over 5 years of experience in developing crypto trading bots, specializing in perpetual and options trading, along with proficiency in liquidity and collateral management gained through his involvement in the DeFi sector since 2020. COO Dave Lange complements this with 30+ years of entrepreneurial and corporate experience in the financial services industry, excelling in accounting, finance, insurance, and auditing. Together, they drive Skew’s mission to innovate and excel in cryptocurrency trading.

• Traction:

- Backing from 120 investors secured
- Skew's platform is built and compliant with Swiss regulator guidelines, with the technical and operational infrastructure ready for launch.
- Received a non-action letter from Swiss regulator, confirming its regulatory compliance and readiness to operate legally in Switzerland.

• Partners: Ephelia, Streamable Finance, and Lexify

• TGE: Q4 2024 - Q1 2025

• Investments Raised: $600,000

• Raising Now: $2,880,000

• Documentation

• Pitch deck 🔠

If you want to get connected with the Skew team, reach out to @spacepilgrim