January's Report on Metaverse Fundraising: Analyzing Trends in Security, Gaming, and Wallets

The last quarter of 2022 was particularly challenging for Web3 innovators, and the trends didn’t shift positively in January 2023. The collective investment for Web3 plunged from $378.55 million in November 2022 to just $188.4 million in January, despite investors showing engagement by partaking in 40 Web3 fundraising rounds. crypto winter and the holiday season. 

In January, venture capitalists predominantly favored security firms, which amassed a remarkable $36 million. Meanwhile, gaming and entertainment sectors that were quite popular in the latter half of the previous year managed to raise modest amounts of $20.95 million and $16.3 million respectively. Conversely, NFT usps saw a downturn, securing only $14.2 million in total funding; their popularity waned since mid-2022. metaverse industries The emergence of new industry trends characterized January, with growing interest in environmental and ecological ventures. New startups in this space attracted a total of $14.3 million. digital collectibles A remarkable investment of $2.3 million came from Animoca Brands' Japanese division, focusing on entertainment development. These funds aim to expedite global operations.

$4 million was secured from Polygon Ventures, Hashkey Capital, IDG Capital, Blizzard Avalanche Ecosystem Fund, and NetDragon Websoft, intended for furthering game development and user acquisition. crypto investors The platform Createra , dedicated to user-generated content in the metaverse, received $10 million in a Series A funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz. The goal is to create the largest metaverse community catering to Generation Z, enabling users to produce, share, and monetize their creative outputs.

Metaverse Industry Trends

Brave Group received YGG Japan , a subDAO linked to Yield Guild Games, businesses in the metaverse completed a private fundraising round accumulating $2.95 million . Contributors included Shinsegae, FREE, Marblex, Cryptocurrencylistings.com, Infinity Ventures Crypto, and Coincheck Labs.

Web3 pet game Neopets Metaverse received $6 million garnered in a seed funding round led by eGirl Capital and Synergis Capital, with backing from prominent angel investors, among whom was Kevin Lin, co-founder of Twitch. The enterprise is gearing up to launch a new game featuring cross-title collectible items.

The next-gen gaming platform Intella X , built on the Polygon framework, secured $12 million from investors like Animoca Brands, Magic Eden, Big Brain Holdings, JoyCity, Crit Ventures, XL Games, and others. Developed by Neowiz from South Korea, it's set to kick off in Q1 2023. raised NFT and Digital Collectibles Industry Insights metaverse platform The NFT-centered customer engagement platform Cohort received €3.2 million through a seed round led by Axle Capital and IRIS. Other backers included Kima Ventures, 3founders, along with various angel investors. This funding will assist in broadening their team and amplifying sales efforts.

Gaming Industry Trends

$2 million successfully raised in a seed round led by Globant and Newtopia VC. Additionally, they received undisclosed funding from Polygon, which will allow them to expand their platform onto the Polygon blockchain and collaborate on future marketing campaigns, including participation in the Game Developers Conference scheduled for March. completed $2.5 million secured in a strategic funding round led by Poolz Ventures, facilitating the startup's roadmap execution for 2023. Alongside the financial backing, this partnership highlights intentions for joint marketing initiatives to enhance the adoption rates for both Gifto and Poolz. Square Enix Metahood , a marketplace focused on metaverse land transactions, obtained $3 million from 1confirmation. Additional investors included Volt Capital, Neon DAO, Flamingo DAO, and various angel backers. Plans are underway to broaden their offerings and create a dedicated hub for web3 enthusiasts.

Web3 gaming studio Oh Baby Games raised Candy Digital , the digital collectible venture from Gary Vaynerchuk,

was backed by an undisclosed amount in a Series A funding round led by Consensus Mesh and Galaxy, with participants including Consensus and 10T Holdings. The company aims to redefine the space of web3 collectibles, events, and experiences.

The digital collectibles enterprise Sleepagotchi received $3.5 million in a seed round, with notable backers such as 6th Man Ventures, Collab+Currency, Shima Capital, DeFi Alliance, 1kx, Sfermion, LCA Game Guild, and Emoote. Their gamified platform rewards users for achieving consistent sleep objectives with digital collectibles.

Fashion startup SYKY , founded by a former executive from Ralph Lauren, raised $9.5 million was raised in a Series A round led by Alex Ohanian's VC firm Seven Seven Six, with support from Brown Howard, First Light Capital Group, Polygon, and Leadout Capital. The platform aims to serve as an incubator dedicated to emerging fashion designers.

Opinion web3 platform Polemix raised Marketing and Media Industry Insights

Gaming NFT marketplace Fractal received $7.5 million was raised in a seed round led by Fabric Ventures and Viola Ventures. The funding round also included investments from North Island Ventures and Mensch Capital Partners. This web3 platform enables marketers to develop precise audience profiles based on their data.

Gifto , a web3 gifting protocol, raised StoryCo , a platform facilitating co-ownership of story-based intellectual property,

acquired $6 million in a seed funding round led by Collab+Currency and Patron. Backers included Blockchange Ventures, Floodgate Ventures, Sfermion, Flamingo DAO, and various angel investors. They also revealed the launch of their collaborative storytelling platform and initial universe. received $14.2 million gathered in a seed funding round involved investors from Lobby Capital, Scribble Ventures, 6th Man Ventures, Tapestry VC, Relay Ventures, Upside, along with a variety from both web3 and web2 companies. This funding will support their recently rolled-out social wallet, currently in beta. virtual worlds $2 million was raised in a seed round spearheaded by ABCDE Capital. This startup has plans to develop a substack and a full-fledged DAO platform.

Tribes , a web3 social wallet and group chat application, received raised $3.3 million in a pre-seed round led by South Park Commons, Kindred Ventures, and Script Capital. They've also launched social wallets allowing users to manage and jointly own digital assets.

Mask Network , an encrypted messaging platform, raised secured $5 million in a funding round orchestrated by DMW Labs, which included purchasing $5 million worth of $MASK tokens as part of their agreement. The two entities plan to collaborate on initiatives to enhance web3 accessibility.

Fashion Industry Trends

$4.2 million was acquired in a seed round led by Reciprocal Ventures. Other contributors were 6th Man Ventures, Figment, Spartan Group, as well as recognized angel investors like Sandeep Nailwal and Ryan Selkis. The objective is to decentralize the management and allocation of credentials. received VitaDAO , a community-driven collective funding longevity studies,

gained $4.1 million from Pfizer Ventures, with participation from Shine Capital, L1 Digital, and angel investor Balaji Srinivasan, all contributing to a private token sale. The DAO intends to use these funds to support research efforts and biotech ventures.

Addressable raised The crypto content business platform Collective Shift social media data accounts and wallets. 

is set to expand its offerings in the industry. The Sui blockchain-based wallet Ethos Wallet raised $4.2 million was gathered in a seed round led by Boldstart Ventures and Gumi Cryptos Capital, with participation from Mysten Labs, Tribe Capital, South Park Commons, and Matrixport. Funding will aid in wallet development, infrastructure enhancement, and application creation.

Social Network Industry Trends

Web3 social wallet The Easy Company raised $1.5 million raised in a pre-seed round led by North Island Ventures, Lattice, Chainforest, and Dispersion Capital drew considerable backing from notable angel investors. The company is targeting the innovation of advanced digital asset custody and treasury management solutions.

Web3 social platform DeBox raised $4.3 million was secured in a round led by Y Combinator, with support from OrangeDAO, Samsung Next, and Balaji Srinivasan. These funds will enhance product development, further research, and facilitate collaborations with various financial institutions. build the web3 MSafe , a multisignature, non-custodial solution for digital asset management,

Messaging Industry Trends

$5 million was raised in a seed round led by Jump Crypto. The round also saw participation from Circle Ventures, Coinbase Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, SV Angel, Superscrypt, Spartan Group, and Shima Capital. The startup aims to expand its team, broaden its portfolio, and drive product uptake. raised Assure Wallet , a decentralized digital asset aggregator,

$1.4 million was raised in a pre-Series A round. The startup is focused on product optimization and enhancing the overall user experience. raised Odsy Network , renowned for developing decentralized wallets,

Identity Industry Trends

Web3 credential protocol Gateway raised acquired an undisclosed amount in a strategic round led by Tykhe Block Ventures. Their goal is to innovate further.

Research Industry Trends

Tané , an incubator dedicated to web3 startups, spans Dubai, New York City, and Tokyo. received January's Metaverse Fundraising Analysis: Security, Gaming, and Wallet Trends in the Metaverse Post

Education Industry Trends

Contents Overview: Trends in the Metaverse Landscape, Insights into the Gaming Sector, NFT and Digital Collectible Trends, Fashion Sector Developments, and Insights into Marketing and Media Strategies received $1.5 million from RNR Capital. 

Wallet Industry Trends

An Overview of the Metaverse Fundraising Activities for January: Key Trends in Security, Gaming, and Wallet Developments raised Failed Appeal: FTC's Attempt to Curb the Microsoft-Activision Merger

Crypto wallet Tholos raised Date of Publication: February 8, 2023, published at 7:00 AM and updated shortly after at 7:14 AM

Multichain wallet Cypher received To enhance your experience in your preferred language, we occasionally utilize an automatic translation tool. Keep in mind that this tool may not always provide accurate translations, so it's advisable to review the information carefully.

In January 2023, Web3 firms collectively secured $188.4 million in funding. raised Investors showed significant interest in 17 different categories, such as messaging platforms, digital wallets, and ecological initiatives.

Leading the pack, the security category attracted $36 million in funding during January. raised Current Trends in NFTs and Digital Collectibles Industry

Trends Shaping the Marketing and Media Landscape received The last quarter of 2022 proved challenging for Web3 ventures, and the onset of 2023 did not change this trend for the better. The total investment in Web3 assets dropped sharply from $378.55 million in November 2022 to $188.4 million just a couple of months later. Nevertheless, the investor community remained active, partaking in approximately 40 fundraising initiatives tied to Web3. web3 more secure by using cutting-edge cryptography. 

Incubator Industry Trends

Security startups drew considerable attention from venture capitalists in January, amassing a total of $36 million in investments. In contrast, the gaming and NFT sectors, which were previously thriving in late 2022, only managed to secure $20.95 million and $16.3 million, respectively. The NFT segment, in particular, saw interest plummet, with only $14.2 million raised, a stark contrast to November’s $31.8 million and September’s impressive $111 million. received New trends emerged in January, with environmental sustainability capturing significant attention and investment. Three new startups focused on ecological solutions raised $14.3 million.

Environment Industry Trends

$2.3 million was invested by Animoca Brands’ Japanese wing into a startup dedicated to entertainment, aimed at driving its global development. received $4 million was raised from a group including Polygon Ventures and Blizzard Avalanche Ecosystem Fund. The proceeds will be utilized to enhance game development and attract a larger user base. marketplace for the carbon credits . 

ValuesCo , formerly Socialstack, raised User-focused content creation platform Createra attracted $10 million in a Series A funding round, spearheaded by Andreessen Horowitz. The goal is to establish the most extensive platform tailored to Generation Z, allowing users to create, share, and monetize their content.

YGG Japan , an affiliate of Yield Guild Games, successfully completed a private funding round, raising $2.95 million . raised The startup has garnered investment from Shinsegae, Marblex, Infinity Ventures Crypto, and other partners.

Payment Industry Trends

Fiat-to-crypto payment provider C14 raised $6 million was raised in a seed round led by eGirl Capital and Synergis Capital, with notable angel investors, including Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin, supporting the initiative. The startup is set to roll out a new game featuring cross-platform collectible elements.

Tax Industry Trends

The Polygon-based platform Intella X secured $12 million from various investors, including Animoca Brands and JoyCity. Developed by Neowiz from South Korea, it's anticipated to launch in Q1 2023. raised NFT and Digital Collectibles Industry Trends

Tokenization Industry Trends

Web3 platform Quantum Temple raised Cohort , a platform enhancing customer engagement via NFTs, secured €3.2 million in a seed round led by Axle Capital. Kima Ventures and several angel investors also played a role in this financing. The funds are earmarked for team expansion and ramping up sales efforts. blockchain technology . 

Security Industry Trends

Security research firm Sec3 raised $2 million was raised in a seed funding round, led by Globant along with support from Newtopia VC.

An undisclosed investment from Polygon allowed them to broaden their platform’s capabilities and strategize for combined initiatives, including participating in the Game Developers Conference in March. raised $2.5 million was raised in a strategic funding round led by Poolz Ventures, which is aimed at facilitating the 2023 roadmap, combining investment with plans for cooperative marketing to enhance adoption of both Gifto and Poolz platforms.

Metahood , a marketplace for virtual land transactions, managed to secure $3 million from 1confirmation and other prominent investors. This startup is poised to expand its offerings and create a hub for web3 enthusiasts. raised Candy Digital , launched by Gary Vaynerchuk, obtained an undisclosed sum in a Series A funding round backed by Consensus Mesh and Galaxy, with an objective to innovate the future of digital collectibles, events, and interactive experiences. HashKey Capital The digital collectibles venture Sleepagotchi raised $3.5 million in a seed round, backed by diverse investors such as 6th Man Ventures and Shima Capital, providing users with collectible rewards for achieving their sleep goals. web3 projects . 

Fashion startup SYKY , founded by a former executive at Ralph Lauren, attracted $9.5 million in a Series A funding round led by Alex Ohanian’s firm Seven Seven Six, along with other significant investors. This platform will function as an incubator for emerging fashion designers. raised Marketing and Media Industry Trends

Notable Investors

$7.5 million was raised in a seed round spearheaded by Fabric Ventures, alongside participation from other notable investors. This web3 platform allows marketers to develop precise audience profiles. venture capital StoryCo , which facilitates the co-ownership of story franchise intellectual property, achieved $6 million in a seed funding round with backing from Collab+Currency. The startup announced plans to unveil its collaborative storytelling platform along with its first story universe.

In another remarkable funding achievement, $14.2 million was secured in a seed round with notable investors from both web3 and web2 spheres, launching a public beta of its social wallet.

$2 million was invested in a seed round led by ABCDE Capital, with strategic intentions to expand functionalities within the platform.