New $20M fund eyes blockchain gaming and NFTs

A group of cryptocurrency venture investors has established a $20 million fund to invest in undervalued Web3 projects and companies focused on blockchain gaming and digital collectibles.

Alpha Protocol Ventures (APV) will look to invest in a variety of projects across the Web3 ecosystem, CEO and founder Vagelis Diamantis told Cointelegraph in an emailed interview. Gaming and collectibles will be a priority focus, he said, while DeFi and layer 1 and 2 protocols will also fall within the scope of the fund’s capital allocation.

“We will also explore projects that will try to solve real world problems such as supply chains, data protection and infrastructure.”

APV has drawn funding from Diamantis, Ethernity CEO Nick Rose as well as Web3 investment firm Morningstar Ventures and a group of Web3 angel investors.

Diamantis, formerly CFO of Ethernity, added that APV had identified a number of potential investment targets, while it would add support to “undervalued projects” that were launched as “buy-and-hold funds” including the likes of Polygon, Polkastarter, Axie Infinity and Ethernity.

Diamantis also added that a prolonged bear market still presents an opportunity for investors to get behind projects in their infancy that are developing innovative solutions based on blockchain technology.

“The crypto ecosystem has been through many cycles since it started. It’s a whole new asset class that we think will only grow exponentially.”

Diamantis said that APV would double down on blockchain companies and Web3 applications, targeting undervalued companies and undiscovered blockchain technologies.

Web3 projects and platforms have continued to attract sizeable investments from VC firms and fund managers through 2023.

Animoca Brands announced that it would invest $30 million into Web3 neobank Hi in July 2023, with founder Yat Siu outlining innovative products like it’s customizable nonfungible token (NFT)-styled crypto debit card as a potential draw card for Web3 enthusiasts in an exclusive interview with Cointelegraph.

Meanwhile another venture firm, Vessel Capital, announced a $55 million fund that will also look to back Web3 infrastructure and applications in Aug. 2023. That number was eclipsed by cryptocurrency exchange Bitget, which unveiled a reported $100 million fund that would look to target Asia-based Web3 and blockchain projects.

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