Boost VC California startup incubator Boost VC took a markedly different approach to its latest batch of early-stage companies, known in its own internal parlance as Tribe 6. While Boost VC ‘s Tribe 5 was dominated by bitcoin and blockchain startups – accounting for 90% of the 25 assembled companies, Tribe 6 was primarily focused on another emerging technology, virtual reality (VR). But with their latest batch, CEO Adam Draper and co-founder Brayton Williams didn’t abandon their long-standing commitment to bitcoin, so much as take a step back. Tribe 6 still featured five blockchain startups, all of whom presented their product pitches at a Demo Day event in early October. This time around, rather than hold its product showcase at the end of the program, Boost planned the event some weeks prior in an effort to offer greater help to its entrepreneurs as they sought to secure investments. Draper told CoinDesk in October that the decrease in bitcoin startups in Tribe 6 was primarily due to the increased regulatory burden placed on bitcoin blockchain startups. The funding environment for startups, he said, was not a factor, citing data that indicates six of the 22 startups in Boost’s last class had so far secured follow-on investments. Overall, Draper remains optimistic about the industry, adding that he hopes to see the number of blockchain startups equal the number of VR firms as part of its Tribe 7 batch, which is now accepting applications. Draper added: ”We’ve never been more excited about bitcoin and the blockchain.” Joystream An effort to improve the incentive schemes featured on the peer-to-peer file sharing network BitTorrent , Joystream is the product of founder and developer Bedeho Mender. According to Mender, Joystream aims to use bitcoin as a way to allow BitTorrent users to compensate others for […]
