StateZero Labs picks 7 startups for first blockchain accelerator cohort, each gets £50,000
What's the deal? London-based StateZero LabsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, which bills itself as the world's first solution-led blockchain accelerator, has named the seven startups in its first cohort. They were chosen from 19 that reached pitch day, and each will receive up to £50,000 as an equity-free grant.
What's the endgame? The three-month programme runs from StateZeroDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s new office in Kings Cross, London. Alongside the grant, founders get mentoring from industry leaders and one-to-one technical support from blockchain developers.
Who made the cut? The seven span housing, fund management, music, and shipping. They include Super GlobalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, DeputiDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, EhabDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, resonate, TokenBlocksDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, RemixologyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and eTEUDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → — the latter focused on digitising documentation in container shipping.
Several tackle social and environmental challenges or aim to reinforce positive behaviour. TokenBlocks, for example, manages fund data on a single distributed ledger and claims to cut operational costs by up to 30%.
Why equity-free? StateZero says funding startups upfront, with a view to investing once the programme ends, lets both sides do due diligence before committing. Co-founder and director Tazz Gault said the model helps "level the playing field for startups and allow founders more freedom."
Gault added that the range of applications shows "there's some incredible innovation in this space," arguing that "blockchain really can be used for business."
The founder-first pitch: Co-founder and director Katie Mills said the model is "central to our values." The accelerator pairs the business programme with a wellness package, on the premise that "a healthy founder equals a healthy business."
The signal: StateZero is betting that blockchain's next wave comes from practical business use cases rather than speculation. Its equity-free, founder-first structure marks a departure from the standard accelerator playbook — and a test of whether patient terms attract stronger companies.
Read more: businessmole.com
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