The result of a partnership between iExec and H7, the first edition of the Web3 Incubator, launched in October 2022, is drawing to a close. After 6 months’ support, the three incubated start-ups – LAfricaMobile, Wearspaces and Ziplo – presented their solutions at a dedicated evening event. Kelly Green, start-up manager at H7, tells us what was at stake and what went on behind the scenes.
Six months have passed since the Web3 Incubator was launched by iExec and H7. For this first edition, we had a promise: to support the start-ups in the program in the development of their solutions, based on blockchain and Web3.
Back to support
Over the course of the support program, the project leaders benefited from a total of 45 support sessions, dedicated and customized to their needs.
- Group and individual themed sessions on blockchain and Web3 with iExec experts to delve deeper into topics such as adoption, governance, UX-UI and communication.
- Local technical support, with access to iExec’s technological infrastructure.
- Sessions with key experts in the ecosystem, including Deloitte on legal issues, Dogami on design, Worldline on working with major groups, Axeleo Capital on their thesis on investing in Web3 companies, and Sandbox on the product.
- Unlimited access to H7 living space, acceleration tools and resources.
These 6 months of support were also punctuated by several major events, including the opening evening and the mid-term event (to be relived here) . All in all, over 350 people attended these evenings: as project owners know, it’s a real boost to their visibility.
To round off this first edition in style, a final event is planned, during which the start-ups will present their solutions to an eclectic audience: the curious and experts, professionals, major groups, Lyon’s crypto and Web3 communities, journalists and investors will all be there on the big day.
Testing
After the success of the demo day – the incubator’s mid-term event – we know that the closing party requires meticulous preparation if it is to live up to expectations.
Together with the iExec team, we are putting in place intense preparation for the pitch and close support to go further in developing blockchain-based technical solutions. The date for the party is April 6, so we’ve got 6 weeks to spare!
The pitch: how to prepare?
A clear, convincing pitch is crucial for a start-up. Clarity of value proposition, transmission of vision, financing, partnerships or new customers, it makes a big difference to the company’s development and success.
During the evening, start-ups will have to pitch in front of an audience of over 100 people. We set up a 5-step action plan to train them:
📝 Passing on a canva from Y Combinator – the world’s leading incubator that gave birth to Airbnb, Coinbase, Twitch and OpenSea – so that everyone can integrate the ingredients of a successful pitch.
The secrets of a good pitch
→ Explain clearly and very simply what you’re doing, right from the start
→ A slogan that sticks in your mind
→ Telling your users’ stories
→ Speak slowly and clearly
🧠 A first preparatory meeting to reflect on the conception of the speech framework.
🎙Afirst test in front of our smallteams: we iterate on structure, content and form.
📣 A second try in front of a larger audience. Only two weeks to go until the big day!
💡 Last but not least, a technical run-through on D-Day, on stage, before the spectators arrive.
Between sessions, Alex rehearses his pitch while taking 100 steps in the sun on H7’s terrace; Aurélie proposes a solution to improve the flow of pitches; Malick works on his flow between two trips to Senegal to see his teams.
Alongside technical development and customer meetings, start-ups promote the event. The stakes are high: some of their prospects will be present, as well as journalists and potential partners. Stress is gradually building up.
As for the iExec and H7 teams, we’re putting the finishing touches to the evening’s preparations, especially for the conference. Following speeches by Nelly Cornejo Head of Adoption iExec, and Fabien Poggi CEO and founder of Starton, we are delighted to welcome Sarah-Diane Eck for the final event.
Sarah-Diane Eck is a major figure on the Web3 landscape in France. In 2017, she founded Lum Network, a decentralized protocol enabling companies to build a relationship of trust with their customers. Vice-president and member of the France Digitale board, she is the first French woman to have completed an ICO. His experience and advice will be invaluable to all project owners.
The home stretch
Here we are! After 6 weeks of intense preparation and organization, we’re getting ready to welcome around 100 people to the H7 event hall. The show is on.
The evening kicks off with speeches by Gilles Fedak, co-founder and CEO of iExec, and Julien Marbouty, Director of H7. They talk about the challenges of Web3, the genesis of the incubator and give an overview of the last 6 months within the incubator.
Before moving on to the start-up presentations, the audience listens attentively to Sarah-Diane Eck’s keynote on her entrepreneurial journey. The aim: to inspire Web3 builders to continue building solutions.
Start-ups have come a long way since the mid-term event. After 6 months of development, here are their solutions:
→ LAfricaMobile, a Lyon-based start-up founded by Malick Diouf (CEO), is a platform that enables African companies to communicate with their customers and prospects in Africa via cell phone. During the program, LAfricaMobile experimented with a new business model where users can choose to monetize the use of their data thanks to blockchain and the iExec stack.
During these six months, the teams were trained by iExec in this technology and fully developed the dedicated and inclusive platform for users and companies. USSD technology (using the system from a cell phone without an Internet connection) is also available.
→ WEARSPACES, led by Ruben Attal (CEO) and Alex Frêne (CTO), is an immersive digital fashion hub that dresses users’ digital identities with their favorite brands.
For 6 months, the team worked on creating the brand image, fully developed the first version of its platform, prepared the launch alongside several major houses and initiated the first building blocks of a fundraising campaign.
Ruben and Alex have also conceptualized a user data governance system using iExec technology.
→ Ziplo, a Lyon-based project developed by Aurélie Drouvin (CEO), enables the creation of digital evidence to protect creations and intellectual property.
During the support period, the team launched a new version of Ziplo with iExec-based blockchain registration and timestamping, the ability to make deposits via a web extension (Github) and multi-user functionality. The team also raised its first funds and increased the number of monthly deposits on the platform by a factor of 20.
The atmosphere was electric, and the project owners were proud to present their hard work to such a captivated audience. After the presentations, we meet for cocktails and discussions with the audience.
The chequered flag
The evening officially marked the closing of the incubator. The first class has taken off.
We’re delighted with the response to this first edition, with events attended by over 350 people, testifying to the growing interest in blockchain technology and the concept of decentralization.
We are delighted to announce that iExec and H7 are renewing their partnership for a second edition of the Web3 Incubator. The call for applications will be launched in the second half of 2023. We encourage Web3 start-ups to apply as soon as we open, so that they can experience this adventure with us and benefit from local technical support, a network of experts, investors and partners to strengthen their business model and gain market visibility.
We wish Ziplo, Wearspaces and LAfricaMobile every success, and will continue to follow them closely. In the meantime, we look forward to seeing you at Vivatech in Paris in June.
See you soon!
Kelly Green
