Hassan Maishera
TZ APAC, the leading Asia-based blockchain adoption entity supporting the Tezos ecosystem, announced the second cohort of Fortify Labs, a startup studio empowering talented builders building on Tezos or Etherlink, on Wednesday, March 26th.
According to the press release shared with Cryptowisser, TZ APAC said Fortify Labs offers a bespoke Web3 startup studio experience with small cohort sizes and high-quality, personalized support for entrepreneurs. The projects inducted into the cohort are Bluwhale, Facial DN(A+I) Network IDRX, Lilypad, and Predictwise.
The inaugural 2024 cohort produced several notable success stories. Questflow achieved a 156x increase in monthly active users and 500%+ revenue growth. OCV Labs transformed from zero to five-figure revenue and 1.3k peak onchain daily active users.
The close guidance provided by the Fortify Labs team has also helped startups navigate challenges and move in the right direction. AkaSwap is a solid example, pivoting from a web3 game platform to a creative Web3 activation agency.
Furthermore, OCV Labs and akaSwap also secured Tezos Foundation funding after meeting key criteria, including growth in metrics like revenue, weekly active users, volume, and community.
The projects selected in this second cohort will receive comprehensive support over a 7-month remote program with three in-person sessions hosted in TZ APAC’s Singapore headquarters. Each startup will have in its corner a mentor with decades of entrepreneurship experience who can provide help in areas such as go-to-market, fundraising, and strategy.
The Fortify Labs team will also provide marketing support to amplify the startups’ visibility in front of a vibrant community and technical expertise to help founders refine their products for market readiness and user adoption.
TZ APAC added that startups will also have access to partnership support, which curates introductions to VCs for fundraising and advisors for growth. Additionally, each project will receive a $10,000 grant upon milestone completion and stand to receive a potential investment of up to $200,000 more based on revenue growth, weekly active users, volume, and community engagement.
While commenting on this launch, David Tng, Managing Director at TZ APAC, said,
"Fortify Labs represents our commitment to roll up our sleeves and help the next generation of Web3 innovators succeed. We've designed this program to provide bespoke mentorship and strategic guidance in the areas early-stage founders need most. We're excited to see this new group of visionaries transform their ambitious ideas into sustainable, profitable businesses on Tezos and Etherlink."
This second cohort attracted applicants from diverse sectors, including decentralized personalization protocols, online esports platforms, AI rendering networks, and fully collateralized stablecoins. The top teams will receive comprehensive support toward profitability following a rigorous selection process.
Fortify Labs complements TZ APAC's recent ecosystem milestones, which include Quantix Capital's recent $1M investment partnership for Tezos gaming projects. Web3 enthusiasts will have the chance to discover Fortify Labs projects and get incentivized through TZ Apex, a community rewards program designed to bolster engagement with projects built on Tezos and Etherlink.
Fortify Labs is a Web3 startup studio by TZ APAC that is tailored to foster startups built on Tezos and Etherlink. Having already run two successful Web3 Incubator cohorts, TZ APAC in 2024 advanced beyond enabling innovation to build market-ready and commercially successful Web3 companies.
Meanwhile, TZ APAC is a Web3 ecosystem builder empowering founders, creators, developers, and institution leaders to thrive. With dedicated teams across Asia, TZ APAC is hyper-local at heart with a mission to nurture the next generation of DeFi, Gaming, and Culture & Community champions in the region. TZ APAC’s commitment to building a strong network of Web3 startups, grassroots communities, and global organizations accelerating Tezos as the blockchain of choice in Asia.
Finally, Tezos is an open-source and energy-efficient blockchain designed to empower institutions, developers, and businesses and facilitate value transfer in a digital environment. It is designed for the scalable deployment of decentralized applications. As one of the first Proof of Stake blockchains, Tezos is globally supported and valued for its strong governance, long-term upgradability, and smart contract capabilities.
