Welcome to No Standing's Web3 Weekly Recap. In this newsletter, we’ll keep you updated on the most important news and developments from the world of Web3.
If you missed the news this week, we've got you covered. Here are the highlights and latest developments in blockchain technology, new projects, events, and more. Stay up to date on all things Web3 by subscribing to our newsletter, and let us know if there's anything you'd like to see covered in future issues.
TLDR
We understand your time is precious, so we've trimmed the fat and distilled each news piece to its essence. We've provided the full stories below for those looking to delve deeper. Let’s get you up to speed, one summary at a time.
Story 1: Meta collaborates with 15 U.S. universities, leveraging VR for diverse educational purposes. Recent reports highlight VR's effectiveness in engagement and retention. These VR programs cover STEM, language, business, medical training, and more.
Story 2: Cryptoys unveils new Mickey and Friends NFTs for $39.99 USD each. Adopting the established rarity structure, the digital collectibles feature famed Disney characters. Buyers discover the acquired character post-purchase, enhancing the appeal.
Story 3: Walmart, in collaboration with People of Crypto Lab, unveils ‘Cultureverse’ — a virtual tribute to Hip-Hop's 50th anniversary and the culture's influential legacy. It aims to highlight and uplift creators and entrepreneurs.
Story 4: Diesel, in partnership with Public Pressure, is releasing 300 limited edition NFTs that grant holders access to its Milan Fashion Week show, exclusive soundtracks, music events, and a special watch designed by Glenn Martens.
Story 5: Animoca Brands raised $20 million USD to develop its Mocaverse platform, introducing digital IDs and a point system for Web3 gaming, culture, and entertainment. The ID will unify access to over 450 companies in Animoca’s portfolio.
Story 6: Following a season-ending injury to the New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, NFTs of backup Zach Wilson on DraftKings’ Reignmakers soared, reflecting the volatile nature of NFL careers and NFT valuations.
Story 7: Telegram has rolled out a crypto wallet, utilising the TON blockchain infrastructure for its vast 800 million user base. The introduction was announced at the Token2029 conference, accompanied by an airdrop of TON tokens.
Story 8: Karl Lagerfeld and Bosa introduce a special NFT collection, celebrating the late iconic fashion designer's legacy. This collection merges Bosa's ceramic artistry with Lagerfeld’s signature style, releasing two statues and limited-edition NFTs.
Story 1: Meta Unveils VR Education with 15 Major U.S. Universities
Meta is making significant strides in revolutionising classroom learning by announcing its collaboration with 15 prestigious universities in the U.S. This partnership aims to embed virtual reality (VR) in diverse educational sectors, ranging from STEM, history, languages, to soft skills and medical training. Universities such as Stanford and Arizona State University are utilising VR to teach business soft skills and practice language conversations in immersive environments, respectively.
Evidence suggests that this tech-driven approach is more than just a novel concept. A PwC report indicates that VR learners are notably more confident and engaged, while a combined study by XRA and ISTE reveals that a substantial 77% of educators see immersive technologies as catalysts for class engagement and curiosity. Morehouse College's data further endorses the effectiveness of VR, students taught through VR achieved notably higher test scores than their counterparts taught via traditional methods.
Moreover, it's not just about enhancing learning quality. VR appears to be a significant factor in boosting student attendance and interaction. Alongside these initiatives, Meta is also working on making VR educational content more user-friendly and age-appropriate on its platform, Meta Quest.
https://x.com/MetaQuestVR/status/1664301028328579072?s=20
Beyond the U.S., Meta acknowledges the increasing European interest in VR. From Italy's immersive experiences to Germany and Austria's GoStudent and the UK's Noun Town app, the European education sector is actively integrating VR. Meta emphasises the need for combined efforts between tech companies, governments, and educational institutions to optimise VR's potential in classrooms.
Story 2: Cryptoys Releases Mickey and Friends NFTs with Blind Box Feature
Cryptoys, a prominent name in the NFT market, is enhancing its digital collection with the forthcoming release of "Mickey and Friends" NFTs, available at $39.99 each. This addition spotlights iconic Disney characters: Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Pluto. Unique to Cryptoys, these NFTs maintain their pre-existing rarity structure, encompassing five distinct tiers from Common to Ultra Grail. However, the buying experience has a catch — each NFT comes as a 'blind box', meaning collectors will only discover which character they've acquired after the purchase, amplifying the thrill.
https://x.com/Cryptoys/status/1696190959422185853?s=20
The NFT platform isn't new to hosting illustrious franchises. Previously, Cryptoys has spotlighted franchises like Masters of the Universe, Star Wars, and Fast and Furious. A significant $23 million funding round, led by a16z Crypto and including influential players like Animoca Brands and Mattel, has propelled Cryptoys into the limelight. This capital not only bolstered their NFT releases but also facilitated the creation of the Cryptoverse, a decentralised metaverse offering varied experiences from gaming to mixed-reality shopping.
Worth noting, Cryptoys isn't pioneering the Mickey NFT space — the digital collectibles competitor, VeVe, previously launched Mickey-themed NFTs. However, Cryptoys' formidable market presence and substantial financial backing place it in a strong position to make a mark with its latest Disney-themed NFT drop.
Story 3: Walmart Celebrates Hip-Hop's Anniversary and Culture in the Metaverse
Retail behemoth Walmart is venturing deeper into the metaverse, collaborating with People of Crypto Lab (POClab) to launch 'Cultureverse'— a tribute to the influential legacy of Hip-Hop. Set to mark the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop, Cultureverse aims to honour early pioneers of the genre and explore its profound influence on various domains including art, music, and fashion. This immersive experience will debut on the Spatial Metaverse, offering an engaging gamified journey.
https://x.com/POClab_io/status/1696234529319440403?s=20
This initiative amplifies POClab's continuous efforts to spotlight marginalised communities, reinforcing their commitment to foster meaningful digital connections and celebrate rich cultural heritage. Furthermore, the project gains support from the annual hip-hop festival, Rock the Bells, among other partners.
Being at the forefront of this venture, Walmart intends to utilise its Black & Unlimited platform. This platform is designed to enhance opportunities for creators, entrepreneurs, and makers, driving the mission of cultural empowerment and inspiration. Justin Breton, Walmart's Director of Brand Experiences and Strategic Partnerships, emphasised the company's pursuit of novel methods to engage with consumers, emphasising that Cultureverse provides an unparalleled avenue to transition the Black & Unlimited platform to the virtual realm.
Story 4: Diesel NFTs Offer Exclusive Access to Milan Fashion Week Show
Diesel's much-anticipated Milan Fashion Week shows, known for capturing the attention of Gen-Z with their buzzworthy themes, are now embracing the NFT wave. For its Spring 2024 collection show on September 20, Diesel, guided by creative director Glenn Martens, has joined forces with the Web3 culture and music platform, Public Pressure, to introduce "Metamorph." This collection comprises 300 digital collectibles minted on the Polkadot and Polygon networks. These aren't just ordinary collectibles; they come loaded with utilities.
https://x.com/DIESEL/status/1701569981039718625?s=20
One of the primary attractions for these NFT holders is a unique opportunity to attend Diesel's upcoming fashion show, allowing them to rub shoulders with prominent buyers, influencers, and editors. Further sweetening the deal, the NFTs also offer the privilege to be on the allowlist to purchase one of 300 limited edition Metamorph watches designed by Martens, boasting both physical and digital aspects.
Additionally, these collectibles come bundled with exclusive soundtracks crafted by composer Senjan Jansen, access to special music events hosted by Public Pressure, and a unique virtual experience designed by media-tech artists, Artificial Rome.
The NFTs are set to be available on Public Pressure’s marketplace, with an allowlist access preceding a public sale. Taking a multi-chain approach, Diesel is ensuring that users can opt for their preferred blockchain ecosystem. This move not only exemplifies Diesel's intent to integrate fashion with technology but also underscores its commitment to reinvent brand-community interaction.
Story 5: Animoca Plans Web3 Digital IDs and Point System with Mocaverse
Gaming and Web3 company, Animoca Brands, recently announced the conclusion of a significant funding round aimed at advancing the Mocaverse platform. With a successful raise of $20 million USD, the focus shifts to the establishment of the Mocaverse project as the premier identity and point system for Web3's expansive landscape, encompassing gaming, culture, and entertainment sectors.
https://x.com/MocaverseNFT/status/1701021387450917215?s=20
Yat Siu, Animoca Brands' co-founder and CEO, elaborated on the DAO-based orientation of the project, emphasising its community-centric approach designed to foster broad-based collaboration within the entire Animoca framework. The Moca ID, envisioned as a unique, non-transferable NFT collection, promises users a platform to carve out their digital identity, gather reputation, and earn or expend loyalty points.
Leading the funding round was CMCC Global, a foremost venture capitalist in Asia's blockchain arena. Notable contributors also included Aleksander Larsen, Sky Mavis's founder, and Gabby Dizon, Yield Guild Games' founder. This innovative ID will serve as a conduit to a vast ecosystem, encompassing more than 450 companies under Animoca's banner, which, in turn, represents over 700 million user addresses.
Martin Baumann, the co-founder of CMCC Global, expressed optimism about the project's potential, highlighting its capability to synchronise the diverse portfolio of companies under Animoca Brands and usher in numerous new users into the Web3 and metaverse realms.
Story 6: Aaron Rodgers Injury Skyrockets DraftKings NFT Value
The dynamic nature of the NFL was underscored recently when star quarterback Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets sustained a season-ending ankle injury. As the focus shifted from Rodgers to backup Zach Wilson during their face-off with the Buffalo Bills, the digital realm felt the ripples. NFTs associated with Wilson, available on DraftKings' Reignmakers platform, experienced a sudden surge in demand and value.
https://x.com/Tyler_Did_It/status/1702124199463059731?s=20
The dramatic shift underscores how the fortunes of NFL players can alter rapidly, presenting other players with career-defining opportunities. Similarly, in the digital domain, the trajectory of a sportsman or team can significantly influence the valuation of associated NFTs. DraftKings' Reignmakers, akin to traditional fantasy football, assigns scores based on player performance, offering winners cash, player "packs," or specific NFTs.
Story 7: Telegram Introduces TON Blockchain Wallet for 800 Million Users
In a significant move towards blockchain integration, Telegram has announced the inclusion of a crypto wallet developed on the TON blockchain's foundation for its staggering 800 million users. This groundbreaking announcement was made at the Token2029 conference. In tandem with this launch, the TON blockchain marked the occasion by airdropping TON tokens to users who utilised a specific code to access the fresh wallet feature within the Telegram app.
https://x.com/ton_blockchain/status/1701856616792866959?s=20
The revelation is particularly noteworthy as it breaks nearly three years of silence from the team since they unveiled their intentions to delve into the Web3 ecosystem. The TON blockchain, intriguingly, has been crafted by the same creative minds that gave rise to Telegram. They also signalled that projects that leverage the TON blockchain would receive preferential advertising on Telegram Ads, indicating the synergy they intend to foster between the platform and its blockchain counterpart.
While the current focus of the blockchain has been the augmentation of Telegram, reflected in its past use for username sales in December 2022, the wallet's deployment remains within the Telegram app settings. A broader rollout is anticipated in November, although the USA and several other nations will be left out of this expansion. This integration had an immediate positive impact on the market, with TON blockchain's native token witnessing an 11% surge.
Story 8: Karl Lagerfeld x Bosa Unveil NFTs Honouring Legendary Fashion Designer
In a grand salute to the enduring legacy of the late iconic fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, an exquisite NFT collection was launched on September 10 by Karl Lagerfeld in collaboration with Bosa. Lagerfeld, who began his fashion journey in the 1950s, became a hallmark in the fashion world, known for his rock chic style with unmistakable white hair, black sunglasses, and fingerless gloves. This venture with Bosa, an internationally acclaimed ceramics workshop, is a testament to their mutual passion for preserving heritage and commitment to craftsmanship.
https://x.com/dematerialised/status/1699454437306331312?s=20
Lagerfeld's brand, boasting over 120 stores worldwide, seamlessly melds the designer's iconic vision with modern sensibilities. This NFT collection features two unique handmade ceramic statues painted in 24-carat gold and platinum, reimagining the symbolic image of Lagerfeld that became a global phenomenon.
Launched at a pre-event in Paris and exclusively on KARL.com, this collection will grace Lagerfeld stores in various cities and select Bosa retailers. The statues include "POP KARL" by Elena Salmistraro, capturing Lagerfeld’s vibrant and playful nature, and "ROCK KARL" by Nika Zupanc, inspired by Lagerfeld’s renowned rock-chic style.
Enhancing this collection, Lagerfeld's NFTs, crafted in collaboration with DEMATERIALISED, encapsulate two limited-edition digital assets, drawing inspiration from the “POP KARL” sculpture. These exclusive NFTs, highlighting Lagerfeld's vast influence, come with physical versions of the figurines.
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