Christmas reflections: 10 proofs this year was a massive success for AE Ventures

2019 was a year of steady growth, exciting adventure and huge success

The chilly days between Christmas and New Year’s are somehow naturally coming as the best time for reflection. What have we done and were we better in it?

For AE Ventures, 2019 was a year of hard work, positive transformation and reaching not one, but many new, higher than before peaks.

Let me recap what I’m talking about in the following article!

#1 — A new year, a new edition of Starfleet accelerator program

The AE Ventures team entered into 2019 arrayed with eagerness and enthusiasm for the second edition of our accelerator program. It started on the 11th of March with a selection of 14 innovative teams from all over the world to measure swords. Intensive weeks of training and workshops followed in the heart of Sofia.

The culmination, a.k.a Starfleet 2 Demo Day, was a month later, on the 11th of April. During the ceremony, 4 promising start-ups won and joined the tribe. For those with blurred memory, we did choose:

Abend (Germany) — the cashless, on-site payments platform aiming to be an “own little economy” for each festival and club around the globe

— the cashless, on-site payments platform aiming to be an “own little economy” for each festival and club around the globe CryptoTask (Croatia) — the blockchain-powered freelancing market, focused to solve the issues concerning both freelancers and employers squandered in a trillion-dollar industry

— the blockchain-powered freelancing market, focused to solve the issues concerning both freelancers and employers squandered in a trillion-dollar industry Cryptic Legends (Serbia/Malta) — blockchain-based, team management game in a fantasy world

— blockchain-based, team management game in a fantasy world Homeport (Bulgaria) — an open marketplace for ground station capacity and data storage based on Smart contracts

#2 — AE Ventures’ own podcast

And while being busy sustaining the blockchain community, looking for promising startups, and expanding globally, we have also managed to launch our weekly podcast — Blockchain from the Bloc(k) aimed to explore the world of blockchain technology and its potential, from the former Eastern bloc to the West.

The great news is the podcast, hosted by our lovely Luka Sučić and the tech journalist Ivan Brezak Brkan from Netokracija, is renewed for another season. Stay tuned!

You’ve missed an episode or two from the first season? Worry not — we’ve got your back, simply click here.

#3 — Proudly wearing our new, flashy visual identity and website

Fellow readers and supporters, as the blockchain space is ever-evolving, so does our company and brand! We grew up, we’ve learned a lot. As the American journalist, André Leon Talley says: “You can’t go forward without having knowledge of the past.”

Thus, I’d say 2019 was super important as we worked hard on creating a brand new image of AE Ventures that’s echoing our mission and values as a company. Thanks so much to the whole community for the undergird!

Check out our new look here www.aeventures.io

#4 — Tied up with valuable partners

Along with all the great things happening in the AE VEntures world, I should mention the long list of valuable partnerships that joined us in our mission to enrich the blockchain space.

I’ve written about this in previous articles, but if you have missed it — we partnered up with Microsoft Innovation Center Malta! This partnership was very important for the organization of Starfleet 3, as we carried out all events in the Maltese base of Microsoft!

Another important partner for us for 2019 was Nooor — Armenian Blockchain Association, Crowdholding (the reward-based collaboration network to bring businesses and the public closer together through feedback); MVP Workshop (the pioneer of the blockchain product development in Europe); ICТ HUB from Belgrade, IBC Media from India…. and more!

#5 — The smashing AE Ventures Road Trip 2019

The latest months are marked with our first rock-and-roll style road trip around the Old continent. Starting on the 23rd of October in Berlin, we organized and (co)hosted meetups in another 14 European cities…Prague, Helsinki, Tallinn, Istanbul…you name it!

Spurred by the desire to meet the local blockchain communities, we did what we’re best at — speak “blockchain” and how it could disrupt the way our society is interacting with entrepreneurs and developers.

Additionally, in 2019, we’ve got 2 successful Sofia Blockchain Brunch Meetups as organizers and hosts.

More stories and photos from each stop of our epic blockchain trip: here

#6 — æternity Universe One conference (20–21 September)

Looked at from every angle, the first edition of the æternity Universe One conference which happened in the last days of September was a huge success. It took place in the charming Prague at Paralelni Polis — the birthplace for the Hackers Congress and the Institute of Cryptoanarchy.

The event was packed with workshops, inspiring talks, great networking opportunities and much more…

But what truly raised the temperature was the speech of our CEO, Nikola Stojanow, and Luka Sučić, Head of Starfleet. They made some pretty exciting announcements from the stage.

Firstly, it is now official that AE Ventures shifted from 2 global acceleration programs per year to 4 Starfleet editions annually. Secondly, Starfleet is going global with its third edition in Malta and the 4th in India, but more on this later.

And lastly, all of our Starfleeters owned the scene with their announcements of the latest development of their projects!

#7 — The success of Starfleet Vol. 3 in Malta

For the third round of our Starfleet accelerator program which happened nowhere else but on the Blockchain Island, Malta, along with a trustworthy partner — Microsoft Innovation Center, we’ve received over 100 applications from every corner of the world. I’d mention China, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Russia, UAE, Tanzania, Zambia, Nigeria, Yemen, Iran, Pakistan, India, Tunisia, Jordan, Egypt, all over Europe, the US, Canada, Venezuela…and the list goes on and on! Can’t explain how happy we are to see this thing growing bigger and stronger!

All the 15 teams we’ve initially selected, went through a hyper-intensive week-long training, however, just 10 startups pitched for investment on the Demo Day (on the 12th of December 2019) in Microsoft Innovation Center and broadcasted live worldwide.

Short and sweet, the winners who got up to $100 000 USD in AE tokens and additional 6 months of mentorship and acceleration are:

Cannomy (Ireland) — a blockchain-based platform aiming to join cannabis entrepreneurs with investors, providing infrastructure for funding, incorporation, and operations of cannabis-related businesses

— a blockchain-based platform aiming to join cannabis entrepreneurs with investors, providing infrastructure for funding, incorporation, and operations of cannabis-related businesses Assetify (Bulgaria) — a decentralized multi-platform infrastructure for lending companies so they can support cryptocurrencies as collateral

— a decentralized multi-platform infrastructure for lending companies so they can support cryptocurrencies as collateral KingFootball (Switzerland) — an innovative blockchain platform designed to build a communication bridge between football market makers and their consumers

— an innovative blockchain platform designed to build a communication bridge between football market makers and their consumers SmartCredit (Switzerland) — the first decentralized system of crypto-credit money in the world, empowering people to take back control over their own money, skipping the crazy bank fees.

#8 — Starfleet India 2020 is on its way #goglobal

The second exciting news is that we go global. Hooray! As a result, we’re launching Starfleet India in Bangalore City on the 27th of January 2020.

This country brags with over 7 500 emerging technology startups within a larger startup ecosystem that consists of 50,000 technology-based startups. What’s even more thrilling for us is the fact that India is stepping up into the blockchain world, embracing the technology in both the public and the private sector. Proof of my words is the 300+ promising blockchain-powered startups that have made a strong statement on the Indian blockchain scene in the past few years.

As a reminder, the application window for Starfleet India is opened until 05 January. So, I’d suggest getting your head out of the Christmas punch bowl and APPLY NOW! :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y2yXeWuL6c&feature=emb_title

#9 — We moved into a new office

The ae community has now one more hotspot around Europe and this is our new office in Sofia, Bulgaria!

In an amazing aristocratic building in the very center of the Bulgarian capital, we are slowly turning our new home into a Blockchain hub.

Stay tuned! Soon the event invitations will follow!

#10— The AE Venture family doubled

On top of all, our multicultural team increased almost double for a single year. Is there anything better than working with positive, like-minded, blockchain-centric people? The question is rhetorical, there isn’t! :)

#aeventuresfamily

💜