ConsenSys Picks Latest Blockchain Startups for Accelerator Program

kavita-gupta
1 April 2019

ConsenSys Ventures, the investment arm of ethereum development studio ConsenSys, has selected 10 blockchain startups for the second cohort of its accelerator program Tachyon.

Announcing the news on Monday, ConsenSys Ventures said that the selected startups for the Tachyon 2.0 program are focused on building new blockchain-based solutions across data privacy, encryption, healthcare and decentralized finance, among other areas.

All 10 startups will benefit from the accelerator program, which includes meetings and lectures from “prominent” entrepreneurs, ethereum developers and venture capitalists, as well as access to ConsenSys’ network, according to the firm. The incubation efforts will take place in Berlin and San Francisco.

ConsenSys added that the German Bundestag, Germany’s parliament, is holding a session today featuring talks on the different areas covered by ConsenSys, including early-stage startup incubation, legal, and marketing. It will also feature introductions from each of the teams in the accelerator.

German member of parliament Alexander Kulitz said in the announcement:

“The best support a government can give to innovative entrepreneurs and startups is to avoid unnecessary and unneeded regulations. It is not up to the politicians to decide if a product or an entrepreneurial idea should be successful or not. The decision has to be made by the demand of the people on free economic markets. Politicians are only to guarantee a level playing field on free and fair markets.”

ConsenSys Ventures launched Tachyon as the first ethereum-focused accelerator program in June of last year, offering members of its first cohort benefits through its eight-week program.

The incubator confirmed Monday that each of the 10 members of the cohort will receive $100,000 as part of the accelerator.

ConsenSys Ventures’ managing partner Kavita Gupta said: “With the backing of the ConsenSys and Ethereum ecosystems, we aim to provide all the necessary tool-kits for our entrepreneurs to succeed both in the short term and in the long run.”

The selected startups are:

  • Blockchain-enabled DNA data bank Genomes
  • Energy market-focused blockchain startup Blok-Z
  • Protocol for self-sovereign identity Glimpse
  • Blockchain-backed data authenticity software maker Sensor.link
  • Litigation finance investment platform Lawcoin
  • Cryptocurrency security storage solutions provider Cypherock
  • Manufacturer of customized printed cryptocurrency cards Ether.cards
  • Smart contract and transaction security firm Sooho
  • Blockchain-based micro-insurance firm Ibisa
  • Open source protocol maker for including digital assets into links LinkDrop.

UPDATE (April 1, 16:05 UTC): This article has been updated to add the grant amount for each startup.

Kavita Gupta image via CoinDesk archives