專訪黃朝秋 (BSOS 執行長),用 Blockchain 連結實體資產,將是另一個更寬廣的賽道

Antony Lee, Communications Master (李欣岳 / 媒體公關總監)

負責媒體與社群溝通相關輔導。加入 AppWorks 前有 18 年媒體經驗,是台灣第一批主跑網路產業的記者,先後任職《數位時代》副總編輯、《Cheers 快樂工作人》資深主編、SmartM 網站總編輯。畢業於交大管科系,長期關注媒體產業變化,熱愛閱讀商業與科技趨勢、企業與人物故事,樂於與人交流分享,期許自己當個「Internet 傳教士」。

2018 年成立的 BSOS 灣谷科技,是台灣在區塊鏈這個典範轉移中的早期參與者之一,成員來自金融及網路產業菁英,專攻供應鏈 FinTech。BSOS 透過提供 Web3 的技術與解決方案,活化供應商與企業客戶間的應收帳款,為供應商提升營運資金的時效和彈性,促進實體資產的數位化及價值流通效率,為產業供應鏈賦能。BSOS 在 2021 年進入企業以太坊聯盟 (EEA) 規格制定工作小組,與全球頂尖開發者共同制定企業區塊鏈標準,也獲得 CB Insights 旗下區塊鏈產業分析平台 Blockdata 評選為「全球區塊鏈 35 家潛力公司」,並在同年申請加入 Wistorn Accelerator 緯創加速器,成為第一屆的校友。

BSOS 是共同創辦人暨執行長 Daniel 黃朝秋再度創業。在創立 BSOS 之前,Daniel 曾擔任 Cheetah Mobile、ASUS 及電商集團軟體產品負責人,並在 2015 年創立 AI 語音通訊新創  OneTalk,後來獲得全球最大第三方輸入法公司 Kika Tech 收購。對於他致力於用區塊鏈技術,顛覆供應鏈 FinTech 的創業旅程,以及參與緯創加速器的收穫,並對往後創業帶來哪些價值,AppWorks 特別採訪 Daniel,將他一路上的心得分享給創業者,以下是重點整理:

Q: 在區塊鏈這個領域,最吸引、最能驅動你創業的原因是什麼?

A: BSOS 是 2018 年成立的,在區塊鏈這個領域,我們創業的時間不敢說很早,但我覺得也不算晚。BSOS 是我第二次創業,在此之前的 2008 到 2018 年約莫十年中,包含創業或是更早的工作經驗,我都在 Internet 領域的相關公司,這段時期,剛好完整經歷了 Mobile Internet 起飛,在 2012 年整體產業進入流量紅利期,然後逐漸紅利消失、邁入成熟這一段週期。2018 年決定再度創業時,我最深刻的感受,就是我們過去那種 Internet 車庫創業的時代已經過去了。

倒也不是說 Mobile Internet 完全沒有機會,而是這個產業太集中化了,它變成是一個資本驅動較多,然後更集中少數科技巨頭的產業。對於沒有太多資源,那種還沒有辦公室,只能先在車庫裡、靠幾台電腦創業的新創,機會已經沒有那麼多。過去做出個小 App,只要有需求、用戶參與度夠高,基本上有許多流量自然成長的方法,很容易做成一個 Business,但這個時機已經過去了。

所以,當我在 2018 年決定再度創業時,就是要去找一個科技巨頭不是那麼容易切入的領域,而區塊鏈、Web3 是當時不錯的選擇。事後也證明,從 2018 年到現在,多數科技巨頭也都想切入區塊鏈、Web3,也不是說真的不行,但在這個領域,這些科技巨頭就失去了過往的統治能力。

另一方面,我前一個創業被併購後,有一段時間在做天使投資人,評估過一些新創的投資機會。那時,就已經看到區塊鏈這個剛冒出頭的典範轉移,開始從哲學面、機制面、技術面去深入研究,那時感覺它不是漸進式、而是跳躍式的創新,在我看來,這才是新一代新創的紅利和機會,所以當時沒有第二個答案,就是在區塊鏈領域再度創業,如果再給我一次機會回到那個時候,我還是會選區塊鏈。

Q: 從 2018 年到現在,雖然市場與大環境有起有落,但整體來說,區塊鏈發展得越來越蓬勃,有越來越多機會浮現,為什麼會選擇專注在供應鏈 FinTech 這個賽道?

A: 我們會把自己的定位再放寬一點,就是要用區塊鏈技術,去解放實體世界資產的流通性,打開我們官網的第一句話,就是「Liquidize Real-World Assets with Blockchain」。區塊鏈最核心的應用,就是拿來做價值交換,不管是比特幣、以太幣或是其他區塊鏈資產,過去幾年來,已經充分驗證了價值交換這件事情,但除了這些,還有更大的一塊是 Real Assets,它在傳統上很多價值是不容易被表彰、創造流通性。

每一個供應鏈上,就有很多這樣的資產,過去的流通性,是沒辦法像區塊鏈一樣,用一套帳本去跟全世界流通,我們希望解決這樣的問題,因為它的量體更大。過去近兩年來,整體加密貨幣資產的市值,在 1.5 到 3 兆美元之間變動,而現在全球光是卡在供應鏈的應收帳款就有 40 兆美元,這還光只是一個 Real Assets 的類別,目前在這個世界上,絕大部分的財富價值,都還鎖在實體中,一部分在 Web1 或 Web2 上,只有極少的比例在 Web3 上流通,一旦這個水龍頭打開,會產生更大的影響,我們預期未來如果能將這些資產映射到 Web3 上去交換、產生流通性,對真實世界的貢獻與價值將非常巨大。

Web3 不是企業數位轉型

Q: 既然稱作供應鏈,某種程度上,它就是一個自成一格、相對封閉的體系,每一個都有很深的 Domain Know-how,如何說服那些擁有自己供應鏈體系的大企業,開始擁抱 Blockchain?大企業為什麼需要用一個新創的 Solution?

A: 對!這也是我們過去四年來,一直在這邊走得跌跌撞撞的原因。後來我們有一個體悟:Web3 的打法,絕對不能用企業數位轉型這個角度來思考,那樣只是把 Web3 的技術,強行套到 Web2 世界的邏輯裡,做到後來還是 Web2 的格局。如果只是要把資訊數位化,其實不需要用到區塊鏈,這樣企業還比較可控、效率更高。

因為 Web2 和 Web3 之間,有中心化和去中心化的差別。我們也曾嘗試參與過 Web2 的企業專案,了解他們有什麼需求,進而用區塊鏈的方式去滿足這樣的需求和系統,實際運作下來,發現這樣是行不通的,因為 Web3 有 Web3 的作法,不該去做數位轉型,而是要做價值交換和流通,這才是核心。

我會從兩條不連續的成長曲線來思考這個問題。如果順著第一曲線走,企業會進行數位轉型、流程優化,最後走到斷點,企業是不可能就到此為止然後跳下懸崖,所以第一曲線的終點,就是 Web2 的天花板。我們行業內常有人開玩笑,區塊鏈一開始不可以跟實體的世界,或是傳統的流程綁得太緊,否則「區塊鏈的應用落地即墜毀」,這個背後是有幾分道理的。

我們認為 Web3 必須從第二曲線的底部開始走,只有當創造的價值,來到超越第一曲線天花板一段距離後,還在第一曲線的人,才會願意放棄原本的做法,直接跳過來,從 Day 1 就按照 Web3 的規則走,也就是不管以前的規則是什麼,就跳過來用 Web3 的規則去做事情,其實很多 DeFi 應用就是這樣的,並沒有去參考銀行怎麼做,不會去了解什麼單子、要什麼欄位,讓彼此串接的資訊格式不要跑掉,直接就跳過採用 Web3 自己的新作法。在這背後,可能會提供參與者更高的資本報酬、打破原本的交易門檻、較少中心化介入的摩擦,甚至提供參與治理的機會,這些都是 Web2 做不到的。

要怎麼走出這一段,是所有 Web3 項目的共同命題,關鍵挑戰在於怎麼維持生態的流通性?很多 Web3 項目靠的是發幣補貼,這方面實體資產就有優勢了。因為它原本就具有實體價值的支撐,但同時也代表,它的資產波動幅度沒那麼劇烈,我們必須透過一些機制,使資產可以分別滿足穩健型和風險型的購買者。所以回到問題,如果要企業擁抱區塊鏈,我認為關鍵還是在經濟模型的設計,從治理層面,直接激勵參與者,因為趨利,自然而然投入生態、做出對生態有益的事。

Q: 如果直接從代表 Web3 的第二曲線出發,呈現在你們 Pipeline 上選擇的供應鏈客戶會長什麼樣子?

A: 根據我們實際走過的經驗,我相信 Web3 這邊的順序,會非常顛覆我們過去做 Web2 的三觀。過去,Web2 企業,要先把應用場景做好,延伸出的價值才可以被流通、才有流通的價值,Web3 則是先有流通性,再利用這個流通性回去創造應用場景。這樣的例子很多,各種 XX to earn 都可算是這個模式,例如,先發 NFT 頭像,再去發展社交的功能,有這個資產的人,就會衝進去玩後來才做的遊戲,然後 Play to earn,參與度會比 Web2 更高,因為他有更多經濟上的動機,這聽起來很顛覆三觀,就是先創造流通性,再從流通性去激勵。 

回到供應鏈客戶上,具備數位化到一定程度以上的企業,對我們接受度比較高。因為畢竟是要把實體的資產與區塊鏈串接,它中間需要一個類似 Oracle 的機制,供應商是否有這筆應收帳款,其實就是一個 Oracle,只是會比較複雜一些,需要更多方的確認。

參加緯創加速器,獲得供應鏈管理的 Insight

Q: 歷經了這些創業經驗後,為什麼會在 2021 年、BSOS 創業的第三年決定申請參加緯創加速器?

A: 最主要的原因,是我們希望透過參加緯創加速器這段時間,給自己一個實驗 PoC (Proof of Concept) 的機會,因為這和我們自己去開發客戶很不一樣。自己找的客戶,可能在被拒絕後,因為客套或是其他原因,不會跟我們講真正拒絕的原因,這可能會讓我們走火入魔,因為劃錯重點而要多繞很多路,進而浪費很多時間,這對新創、尤其是區塊鏈的新創,是非常奢侈的浪費,另外,一旦被對方拒絕後,短期內我們也很難再回去拜訪對方,針對被拒絕的原因,追問更多、更深入的問題。

在參與緯創加速器這段期間,就完全不是這樣。他們會跟我們分享更多思考與決策的脈絡、真正的需求是什麼,然後提供滿多的機會,讓我們去重複修正跟提案。若沒有參加加速器,我們很難從緯創這種規模、產業的企業身上,獲得這樣的經驗。比起其他提供給新創的資源,我覺得能獲得這樣的 Insight,是我們參加最大的收穫與價值。

Q: 在供應鏈管理上,可能光是層層往上敲門與提案的過程,就遍體鱗傷了吧?

A; 這過程的確很花時間。我們透過參加緯創加速器,與緯創集團各事業單位媒合,最後是跟緯穎合作。剛開始,我們覺得應該就是派位專員層級的人來與我們對話,但其實是副總經理層級親自參與,這真的是很難得的事情,每次的討論會議,Joe 副總 (緯穎科技副總經理焦裕洲) 都有參加,提供不少 Insight 給我們。

也是因為參加緯創加速器,讓我們驗證了供應鏈應收帳款,這個問題是真的存在。對中小型供應商來講,這些問題要如何被解決,背後有一些脈絡,而我們會有一個比較深層的理解。另一方面,就是要如何創造核心買家、最後要付款的這個人,他可以有哪些動機願意參與,這將是整個系統設計比較大的關鍵,而不是讓效率更高的數位化流程等這些事情。如果再往未來多看一點,其實這就是 Web3 項目得以成功的武器,Web3 最重要的事情,就是創造大家的動機,讓對這個生態系有貢獻、把事情做好的角色,都能從中獲得有形或無形的獎勵。

Q: 以你實際參與緯創加速器的經驗,對於未來也想要申請加入企業垂直加速器的創業者或新創,有哪些提醒或建議?應該有哪些心理準備或期待?

A: 我很鼓勵新創圈的朋友,若技術或服務的應用場景符合、需要進行 PoC,都應該爭取這樣的機會。在心態上,我覺得參與這類企業垂直加速器,不要只是抱著把東西賣給大企業的目的,一定是能從對方的建議與回饋中,找出產品或服務可以調整和優化的地方,實際參加的這段時期,在產品、技術或是商業模式上,要預留可以修改的空間,這和推廣業務非常不一樣。

從這個角度來看,我建議比較適合在成長期的新創申請加入。就是比早期再成熟一些,已經有一個基本且可行性高的產品架構,但還沒有進入太大規模的商業化,產品、技術、商業模式都還有調整的彈性,參加這樣的企業垂直加速器幫助最大,如果產品或商業模式已經很成熟,能更動的地方不多,收穫可能就比較有限。

不同的企業加速器,一定會有不同的做法。以緯創加速器來說,他們對新創算是很尊重,交流與溝通很開放,也不會倚老賣老,會從緯創自身的角度,來跟我們分享為什麼會有這樣子的需求,在這樣開放的溝通下,我們可以互相激盪出新想法,以及深入的產業洞察。

Q: 展望未來,BSOS 下一階段的創業目標是什麼?

A: 我會把創業至今分成三個階段,目前正在第三個階段。第一階段大約是 2018 到 2020 年,我們主要提供技術服務和中間層工具,投入大量資源在聯盟鏈及相關工具的研發,因為許多優秀的人才,我們入選了企業以太坊 (EEA) 的規格制定小組,也是全球唯一同時被三大聯盟鏈 R3、Hyperledger、Consensys Quorum 認定為技術夥伴的公司,這樣的技術力,即便放到國際上,都是領先的。

第二階段大約是 2021 年,我們建立了 Real Assets 的 Oracle,打造出 SUPLEX 這個產品,一端接鏈下系統、一端接區塊鏈智能合約,將實體資產鑄造成鏈上資產。因為我們創業最重要的目標,就是打造一套鏈下資產映射到鏈上的機制,並且創造一套遊戲規則,讓所有參與者都能在做好某件事情後,獲得具體的好處。

第三階段的目標,則是為生態系建立一套激勵系統,創造源源不絕的流通性。我們思考的還是Web3、DeFi 的方向。從 2020 年 DeFi Summer 到現在,可以看到各種 DeFi 創新百花齊放,但我覺得第一個週期大概已到尾聲了。我們現在看到所有的 DeFi 借貸協議,都是超額抵押的概念,一旦幣價下滑,就是在鏈上被清算掉,回到一個根本問題:如果有 150 元的資產,為什麼要拿去抵押借 100 元?這不是真的缺錢,而是要做資金操作、做槓桿,把借來的錢再投入資本市場去滾錢,它很好,能夠創造流通性、創造一個價值兌換的體系。

但從金融發展史的視角來看,這個模式的概念上比較類似當鋪,還是非常初期的金融模式,宏觀來看,借貸 DeFi 未來還有很大的發展空間。接下來金融的發展,應該是要借錢給真正缺錢的人,或是借錢給要去生產或創造的人,讓這些創造者把這些錢花掉,而不只是到金融市場滾一圈再回來,應該是要在產生實質價值的商品跟服務後,讓這些價值可以再回到區塊鏈的世界。這是我們努力的目標,把錢借給真正需要的人,把錢拿去做生產、創造。Real World DeFi 是 BSOS 的下一個目標,這也是激勵參與者、創造流通性的關鍵機制。國際上已經有一些協議正在萌芽,我們會善用 Web3 的 Money Lego 特性,去展開協議之間的合作與串連。

【歡迎優質 AI、物聯網、雲端、資安、教育與醫療新創加入 Wistron Accelerator


給新手創業者,關於募資的 5 個提醒

Joseph Chan, Partner (詹德弘 / 合夥人)

加入 AppWorks 前,於 CID (華威國際) 服務長達 11 年,協助 CID 完成兩支基金共 5.75 億美金的募集,長期負責該集團共 14 支創投基金的投資人關係與營運管理,並帶領團隊完成 CID 自有基金管理系統的建置,曾評估過的創投案件超過 200 個。加入 CID 前,曾服務於台灣少數 Nasdaq 掛牌公司和信超媒體,擔任網路與系統部門主管。台大農機碩士,日語是母語。

對初次創業的新手創業者來說,最大的挑戰之一,就是在首度募資時,如何就公司的價值以及股權,與投資人討論出合理且公平的價格。在台灣或是東南亞等市場,創投生態系的發展仍在相對早期,不管是創業者或投資人兩端,在新創募資這件事情上,仍存在許多迷思與誤解。對某些新手創業者,尤其是擁有知名大企業工作經驗,或是頂尖學經歷的創業者,可能會把這個過程,視為一場建立在賽局理論的競爭——認為新創與創投雙方,必定是一方贏、一方輸的零和結果。然而,根據我過往的經驗,創業者抱著這種想法與投資人溝通,只會導致雙輸,每個人,都該先放下自我與成見。

在與潛在投資人溝通時,若創業者過度優化自己的利益,將導致什麼結果?有些投資人,可能選擇直接掉頭走人,讓募資過程變得更艱難,隨之而來更糟的情況,是創業者可能引入一些不適合的個人投資人,但對創業者所處的產業、相關的商業模式等,只有粗淺的認知,當創業者與新創面臨真正的關鍵時刻,無法提供太多實質的幫助。

若在募資流程一開始,就能為雙方建立起公平的基調,將更有助於達成協議。雖然新創首度募資,似乎是一個標準流程,但它能在長期的法務與財務等面向上,為新創與投資人關係奠定重要的基礎,而這對創業者來說至關重要,以下是我的幾個提醒:

1. 尋找一位創業者導師

對新手創業者來說,應該去做最有價值的一件事,或者說,在創業時就該做的第一件事,就是為自己尋找一位具有創業經驗的導師。這樣的導師,走過你正在走的路、經歷過你正在經歷的事,並知道如何與早期投資人訂定投資協議 (Term Sheet) ,這絕對是創業旅程中最給力的貴人。在尋找客戶時,導師可以成為幫你大力宣傳與背書的推廣者,而在尋找潛在支持者時,又可以幫你篩選適合的對象。

請記得,不只是投資人要對投資的新創進行盡責調查 (Due Diligence),被投資的創業者,也該對投資人做這件事。因為並非所有投資人都一樣,都是好的投資人、都能站在雙方皆有利的立場協助新創,創業者有可能在簽約後的某一個時刻,才赫然發現有些投資人名不符實或言行不一。

這就是為什麼新手創業者需要讓對的人陪伴在身邊。他可以是創業者的導師,甚至也可以成為早期的天使投資人,在引導創業者了解正確的投資人關係上,可以發揮不可或缺的關鍵作用。透過尋找曾有與創投募資經驗,或是參與加速器所媒合具有創業經驗的導師,可以讓新手創業者更輕鬆、更準確的掌握募資過程。如果創業者有幸找到這樣的導師,他可以協助你避免誤踩募資的地雷、制定無效的策略、做出錯誤的行為,並了解如何訂出最適合且公平的投資協議,為往後的創業旅程打下穩固的基礎。

2. 注意募資的時機

對任何啟動募資流程的新創團隊來說,最重要的因素就是時機,可以這麼說,時機就是一切。站在投資人的角度,總是希望在最具前景的領域,投資最具前景的新創。新手創業者應該在獲得 Traction、簽下新客戶,或是當 MVP (Minimum Viable Product) 得到市場驗證時,就開始啟動募資流程。創業者展示出的成果,以及吸引外界對新創成長的期待越少,投資人為了消除不確定性,願意提供的募資條件就越差,除非你過往已有成功的創業經驗或是出場紀錄。從更宏觀的角度來看,創投傾向投資於正在發生的典範轉移,所以隨時準備好這個問題:為什麼投資人現在要投資?為什麼是你? 

3. 聘請高明的律師

另一個經常困擾新手創業者的問題,是尋找優秀的法律顧問。在發展中市場,創業者通常無法只靠律師,就可以談判出最佳利益。事實上,除了舊金山灣區 (Bay Area) 之外,新創產業的規模或收益,都不足以支持聚焦在此領域的專業律師族群獲得更好的報酬,因此在新興市場中,創投的投資案,通常不會是律師行業的最優先業務。在為創業者建構募資的交易過程,律師通常只是短暫性的功能角色,重點只在為客戶贏得一些紙上的內容,一旦交易完成,律師就會將重心移往下一個客戶。

對投資人和創業者來說,首度募資的第一份投資協議,只是一個開始。因為新創往後每一輪向投資人尋求募資,都會再增加一層複雜性,這有賴建構在扎實的基礎上,而第一份投資協議就是得以讓新創持續發展的基礎,接受一份糟糕的投資協議,就像是想在貧瘠的土地上建造高樓,地基不穩固終究是搖搖欲墜,而律師在當中的角色至關重要。

4. 了解 Vesting (股票授予) 的價值

新手創業者最常誤解的條款之一,則是 Vesting (股票授予) 協議,指創業者必須在一段時間後,才能永久持有的股票,通常為 4 年。許多創業者問我,為什麼需要 Vesting 機制?通常是因為擔心投資人可能會在這過程中,嘗試更換創業團隊拿下主導權。Vesting 是一種業內普遍的實務作法,作為一種機制,可以在創業者和投資人之間,建立起共同著眼未來的激勵和一致性,因為投資人希望創辦人能長期參與公司的經營,以獎勵他們對公司的貢獻,Vesting 也可避免當創業者生涯規劃發生變化,不得不離開公司時,造成局外人持有大量股權、進而產生經營亂流的情形。

我發現與 Vesting 相關的問題,最常出現在只有一位創辦人的新創,當中存在重大的關鍵人物 (Key-man) 風險;擁有多位共同創辦人的新創,往往會有 Vesting 條款。如果沒有 Vesting 條款,突然決定中途離開的共同創辦人,將可以很容易帶走他們的股份。我就看過這樣的例子,由於一位共同創辦人決定跳槽,40% 的股權對經營毫無貢獻,其他共同創辦人與投資人,在公司所有權上幾乎沒有迴旋調整的空間。關於創辦人 Vesting 更完整的解釋,可參考這篇文章

5. 警覺非常見的條款

在業內最佳實務做法上,創業者如果不夠理解,有些不常見的條款,可能會使創業者處於不利的地位。例如,投資人可以嘗試獲得創業者提供過份慷慨的否決權,一旦新創希望透過啟動新一輪的募資來維持營運,這就可能會有影響,我曾看過因為某位新創的投資人,運用否決權否決了新一輪募資,因為投資人認為這家新創,可以用更高的價格來募資,最終結果募資不順,不得不倒閉。為了緩解這類問題,對創業者來說,仔細安排你的股權結構表,並避免同意非必要的強大少數否決權,這非常重要,除非你認為實際情況確實需要這些設計。

還有更多對創業者不利的條款。有些投資人,可能會強制要求創業者做出不公平的保證,例如,要求創業者對預期之外的課稅,或是隨後的公司費用承擔個人責任。基本上,創業者不需要對誠信 (Integrity) 或受託人義務 (Fiduciary Duty) 以外的相關問題負責。然而,非常見條款通常是針對非常見的情況而制定,每筆交易都各有不同的背景與條件,因此,創業者請務必全面了解自身的狀況,並相對應地調整條款。

更值得注意的,在創投更加稀缺的新興或前沿市場,一些投資人 (通常是某些來自傳統背景的投資人),在股權結構上,可能會將創業者視為替投資人打工的員工,只擁有相對少數的股權,決策權在擁有多數股權的投資人手上。當然,的確有創業者需要投資人提供這種程度的參與或引導,但在多數情況下,這類的投資人,通常會對公司運作的每一個細節進行微觀管理,在創意自由、彈性與控制上,幾乎沒有留下足夠的空間給創業者。身為創業者,要先了解你希望是哪一種投資人投資你。

結論:經營長線的賽局

與矽谷等成熟市場相比,新興市場的投資協議有什麼不同嗎?倒也不盡然。總的來說,現在是有一致的全球標準作法與協議條款,然而,每個市場與行業中,都有自己的獨特條件,需要投資人與創業者彼此進行因應調整。例如,當地的投資人,可能更了解當地政府的監管規範,或更了解當地文化,進而與創業者達成更符合實際情況、對新創更有利的投資協議。

歸根究底,投資協議只是一個創業者與投資人之間的合作框架。對創業者來說,更重要的是能否了解未來 5 到 10 年內,直到幫助他完全退場前,必須要與這位投資人綁在一起,最好是充分合作,否則也不要互相拖累,進而以此為考量來設定條款。過去 10 年中,台灣和東南亞的創業者,財務知識有顯著提高,投資人普遍也已遵循了全球實務準則,為了贏得更多競爭的投資案,過去常見的過時苛刻條件多半消失了。

AppWorks,我們期待與創業者從早期展開合作 (所以才叫之初!),引導新手創業者更全面了解投資協議,並確保創業者能因此獲得更為長期的成功。對投資人與創業者來說,投資協議不應該是個我贏就代表你輸的零和賽局,隨著生態系更加成熟,市場自然會過濾掉那些不良條款,進而發展出更健全的投資人與創業者關係,促進更多優質的投資與創新。(本文由 AppWorks 合夥人詹德弘撰寫、媒體公關總監李欣岳編譯,原文為:Five Fundraising Tips for First-time Founders)

【歡迎所有 Web3 / DAO、AI / IoT 以及目標 Southeast Asia 的創業者,加入專為你們服務的 AppWorks Accelerator

Photo by Razvan Chisu from Unsplash

Five Fundraising Tips for First-time Founders

Joseph Chan, Partner (詹德弘 / 合夥人)

Joseph is a Partner who joined in 2013 and has since covered our “kitchen” — portfolio management, operations and advising startups on finance and fundraising. He is also in charge of connecting the ecosystems between Japan and Taiwan. Prior to AppWorks, Joseph spent 11 years with the CID Group, a Greater China leading venture firm, where he helped raise US$575M across multiple funds and headed portfolio management. Prior to that, Joseph served as a Manager of Backbone Network at Gigamedia, a NASDAQ-listed broadband ISP. Joseph earned his Master in Agriculture Machinery Engineering from National Taiwan University. He is native in both Mandarin and Japanese.

One of the biggest challenges among first-time founders is putting together their first priced fundraising round. In markets like Taiwan and Southeast Asia, the venture ecosystem is still relatively young, leaving a number of misconceptions around deal making among both entrepreneurs and investors alike. Some first-time founders, especially those from blue-chip backgrounds or elite pedigrees, may treat the deal process as a competition driven by game theory—where there must be a winner and a loser. From my experience, however, treating discussions with investors as a win-lose proposition only leads to mutually-assured failure. Everyone should leave their egos at the door.

What’s at stake when a founder tries to over optimize their own self-interest? Some investors may choose to walk, making the fundraising process that much tougher. Worse yet, you may end up bringing on angel investors who begrudgingly put some skin in the game, but not enough to really help you out when push comes to shove. Setting a good faith tone between founders and investors from the getgo will make it much easier for both sides to come to an agreement. While a startup’s first round of fundraising may seem like a standard process, it sets the long-term legal and financial foundation for the company’s relationship with investors, making it mission-critical for founders to understand exactly what they’re getting into.

1. Find a founder-mentor

The most valuable thing that a first-time founder should do—and maybe the first thing they should do when starting a company in general—is find a founder-mentor, someone who has been there, done that, and knows the ropes of fundraising and term setting with early-stage investors. Founder-mentors can be powerful advocates and filters for your company when sourcing customers or potential backers. Remember, as investors run due diligence on you, it’s important that you also conduct due diligence on them as well. Not all investors are created equal, and you may sometimes find that their actions contradict their words only after the ink has dried.

That’s why first-time founders need to surround themselves with the right people. Mentors and angel investors play an indispensable role in guiding founders to understand the true nature of the founder-investor relationship. By seeking out founder-mentors or angel investors who have experience working with venture capital firms or joining an accelerator program that provides mentorship, first-time founders can better navigate the fundraising process with much greater ease. Finding such advocates will help founders avoid bad actors, understand term sheet best practices, and put the startup on a solid footing for the journey ahead. 

2. Mind your timing

Before any team looks to fundraise, the most important factor is timing. Timing is everything. Investors want to invest in attractive companies in an attractive space. First-time founders should initiate fundraising efforts after gaining traction, signing on new customers, or proving out your MVP. The less founders have to show for the company, the worse the valuation and terms investors are likely to provide to discount the uncertainty, unless you already have some sort of track record or successful exit behind you. On a more macro level, VCs tend to invest in underlying paradigm shifts, so always be prepared to answer: why now and why you? 

3. Use a savvy lawyer

Another area that frequently trips up first-time founders is finding quality legal counsel. In developing markets, founders cannot rely solely on lawyers to negotiate in their best interest. Outside of the Bay Area, venture capital is simply not a large or profitable enough vertical for legal specialization—so venture deals are often a low priority for emerging market lawyers. When it comes to structuring a deal, lawyers play a fleeting role as the relationship may be strictly transactional. Their nature is based purely on winning something on paper for their clients, and once the deal is done, they move on to the next client. For investors and founders, the first term sheet is just the beginning, as each round of investment adds another layer of complexity, requiring a solid foundation to build off of, with the initial term sheet setting sustainable grounds for the company’s development. Accepting a lousy term sheet is like building a house on poor soil, setting the structure up for collapse under adverse circumstances.

4. Understand the value of vesting

One of the most frequently misunderstood terms among first-time founders is vesting. Many founders ask me, why is vesting necessary? Or perhaps fear that the investors may try to drive out the founding team down the road for replacements. Vesting is a prevalent industry practice, acting as a mechanism to create forward-looking incentivization and alignment between founders and investors. Investors want founders to be in the deal for the long haul, rewarding their dedication to the company. I have found that vesting-related issues most commonly arise among solo founders, where there is significant key-man risk, whereas teams with multiple co-founders tend to reinforce one another to buy into vesting terms. If there is no founder vesting in place, co-founders who leave abruptly can just as easily take their shares with them. I’ve seen cases where 40% of the cap table is locked away due to a co-founder who decided to jump ship, leaving the other founders and investors with little recourse to salvage the company’s ownership outlook. For a more comprehensive explanation of founder vesting, you can reference this article

5. Be wary of uncommon practices

As far as industry best practices go, there are some less common terms that may put founders at a disadvantage if not understood properly. For example, an investor can try to secure excessively generous veto rights, which could come into play if a company is looking to stay afloat by initiating a down round of financing. In some cases, I’ve seen an investor veto the round as they thought the company could still raise at a markup. In the end, the company had to shut down. To mitigate such an issue, it is important for founders to carefully design your cap table and avoid agreeing to unnecessarily strong minority veto rights, unless you believe the situation truly calls for them. 

There are even more stringent examples of uncommon terms. Some investors may force upon founder unfair guarantees, requiring founders to be personally liable for unforeseen tax consequences and subsequent reimbursements to the company. This should be a major cause for consideration, as founders typically should not be responsible for these kinds of issues outside of integrity or fiduciary duty-related issues. Nevertheless, unusual terms are put in place for unusual circumstances. Every deal is contextual, so be sure to understand the full scope of your situation and adjust the terms accordingly.

It is also worth noting that in emerging and frontier markets where venture capital tends to be more scarce, some investors—especially those from traditional backgrounds—may view and treat founders as employees on the cap table. Now, there are certainly founders that do in fact appreciate and require this level of involvement or guidance; but, for many, these types of investors may end up micromanaging every course of action, leaving little room for creative freedom, flexibility, or control. It’s imperative to understand which camp you prefer.

Playing the long game

Now, is there any difference in term sheets for emerging markets compared to mature markets like Silicon Valley? Not really. There are global standard practices and terms that appear across markets that are consistent with the asset class; however, each market and sector have their own unique conditions that require investors and founders to adjust terms accordingly. Local investors may better understand regulatory conditions or cultural sensitivities, which allow both sides to come to an agreement that may better suit the on-the-ground circumstances of the market and company. 

Ultimately, a term sheet is just a framework for partnership. What’s more important is whether or not you can see yourself working with this investor for the next 5-10 years, and then setting the terms from there. Over the past decade, financial literacy among first-time founders in Taiwan and Southeast Asia has improved dramatically. Investors have also adopted global best practices to help them win deals by removing once-common archaic harsh terms. For AppWorks, we aspire to work with founders throughout the entrepreneurial life cycle, guiding first-time founders in term sheet discussions and ensuring that founders are equipped with the tools for long-term success. Term sheets should not be a win-lose proposition for investors and founders. As the ecosystem matures, the market will naturally filter out bad terms, leading to better investor-founder dynamics that foster higher-quality investment and innovation.

【If you are a founder working on a startup in SEA, or working with AI, Blockchain, and NFT, apply to AppWorks Accelerator to join the largest founder community in Greater Southeast Asia.】

Photo by Razvan Chisu from Unsplash

2021 大東南亞 Web3 生態系速覽,即將邁入大規模商業化

原始檔案下載:web3.GSEA Snapshot 2021

Antony Lee, Communications Master (李欣岳 / 媒體公關總監)

負責媒體與社群溝通相關輔導。加入 AppWorks 前有 18 年媒體經驗,是台灣第一批主跑網路產業的記者,先後任職《數位時代》副總編輯、《Cheers 快樂工作人》資深主編、SmartM 網站總編輯。畢業於交大管科系,長期關注媒體產業變化,熱愛閱讀商業與科技趨勢、企業與人物故事,樂於與人交流分享,期許自己當個「Internet 傳教士」。

自從 2009 年 AppWorks 創立、2010 年啟動每年兩屆的 AppWorks Accelerator 以來,我們便致力在大東南亞地區  (東協 + 台灣) 協助下世代的創業者,抓住數位革命的成長機會,嚴選本區域最具潛力的新創團隊進駐,輔導新創團隊尋找 Product-Market Fit、幫助成長期團隊建立 Sustainable / Scalable Business Models。建構在加速器的基礎之上,AppWorks 進一步打造新創社群、成為創投機構。

在 2018 年之後,區塊鏈、Web3 成為我們重點經營的領域,因為我們相信區塊鏈、Web3 帶來的巨大典範轉移,將為下世代的創業者,開啟大量的顛覆與創新機會。

2021 年,區塊鏈進入最高速成長的一年。在 DeFi、NFT、Gaming、Metaverse 等豐沛的創新應用下,吸引大量新資金、新用戶投入,區塊鏈的創業者們,正逐步建立起 Web3 各項重要的基礎建設,並即將邁入大規模商業化。

「在去中心化的 Web3 世界中,是否會呈現出不同的區域發展特色?」一直是多年來,我們持續思辨的問題。在 2021 年,Web3 獲得大幅加速發展後,這個問題的輪廓逐漸顯現,我們發現,在大東南亞的主要市場中,來自長期截然不同的歷史、經濟、產業、社會、文化累積發展之下,正浮現出多元化的特色,驅動整個大東南亞的 Web3 生態系,展現出更精彩、更深化、更讓人期待的風貌。以下是我們對各主要市場在 2021 年的觀察與分析: 

印尼:投資加密貨幣,比投資股票更具吸引力

人口規模全球第四、大東南亞第一的印尼,估計仍有 66% 的人口,處於沒有銀行帳戶 (Unbanked) 的狀態,但也正因為如此,為印尼的 Web3 與區塊鏈發展,提供了絕佳的發展契機,印尼正進入由區塊鏈、加密貨幣推動的金融典範轉移,整體發展呈現出指數型、蛙跳式 (Leapfrogging) 成長的態勢。根據印尼貿易部 (Ministry of Trade) 統計,在 2021 年前五個月,印尼共有超過 650 萬人曾交易過加密貨幣,遠超過交易股票的 220 萬人,加密貨幣交易量從 2020 年的 44 億美元,成長至 2021 年前五個月的 250 億美元,成長率達 470%,加密貨幣已成為最受印尼民眾歡迎的投資類別。

相較於其他國家,印尼政府對於加密貨幣也相對開放。自 2018 年九月以來,陸續制定了一系列相關法律,皆象徵印尼政府的開放態度。包括加密貨幣、資產在印尼具有合法地位,可被視為商品 (Commodity) 來交易,由商品期貨交易監管機構 (The Futures Exchange Supervisory Board,簡稱 BAPPEBTI ) 作為主責的監管單位,交易所需取得合法執照,可合法交易共 229 種加密資產。

種種獨特的條件,讓印尼在交易所、錢包、資產管理以及其他 DeFi 領域上,發展快速。例如,2014 年成立的 Indodax,是印尼位居領先的交易所,用戶規模超過 470 萬。此外,隨著一般民眾對投資加密資產的接受度越來越高,像 NOBI 這類提供資產管理服務的新創,將是下一波值得留意的領域。

菲律賓:大量 End Users 推動產業成長

2021 年,Yield Guild Games 無疑是菲律賓最受矚目的 Web3 新創之一。從最初協助 Axie Infinity 招募、培訓玩家,累積到現在整個菲律賓有超過 1,500 個以上的 NFT 遊戲公會,共同進行數位資產管理,或為玩家提供遊戲獎學金等,Yield Guild Games 一路成為全球規模最大的 NFT 遊戲公會。蓬勃發展的產業生態,根據 Playercounter 統計,目前有超過四成的 Axie Infinity 玩家,來自菲律賓,是最大的單一國家,Play to Earn 能為玩家帶來實質收入,有效地緩解了 COVID-19 帶來的經濟與社會問題。

這種由大量新用戶加入,推動整體生態系成長的模式,是菲律賓發展 Web3 的特色。可以預期,在資金與用戶都蓬勃發展的帶動下,將會有更多不同領域的創業者,在這樣的基礎上推動各種創新應用,不論在 NFT 或是遊戲領域,都可看到更多元的成長潛力,例如,在今年推出菲律賓第一個 NFT Marketplace 的 Vention,或是建立遊戲公會管理與數據平台的 BlockchainSpace

新加坡:延續亞洲金融中心的優勢

向來有「亞洲金融中心」美譽的新加坡,長年以來,藉由政府開明的政策引導,逐步建立起區域內的地位。在 Web3 發展上,也可看到類似的發展軌跡,新加坡金融管理局 (MAS) 就是主導發展的單位,長期以來,對區塊鏈以及加密貨幣的發展,擁有相對開放與友善的立場。

早在 2017 年,MAS 就發布了「數位代幣發行指南」(A Guide to Digital Token Offering),確立了新加坡政府對於 ICO 的基本立場與政策,對於新創透過 ICO 募資的發行者以及相關平台,確立適用「證券暨期貨法」(Securities and Futures Act,簡稱 SFA) 監管。到了 2021 年 1 月,「支付服務法案」(Payment Service Act,簡稱 PSA) 相應推出,監管新加坡境內的所有加密貨幣、交易所以及數位支付等業務。

也因此,我們可看到各種與金融相關的 Web3 應用,正出現代表性的新創。例如,為 Web3 應用構建交易基礎建設、優化跨鏈交易體驗的 Biconomy;開發金融電子支付的 Xfers;提供加密貨幣交易、借貸、錢包等服務的 Vauld。未來在加密貨幣相關的資產證券化、證照合規、國際匯兌業務上,預期將可看到更多重要的進展。

台灣:龐大的數位市場、IT 工程師推動整體發展

在 Web3 生態系的發展上,相較於區域內的其他市場,台灣有兩大特色與優勢。第一,龐大的數位遊戲與娛樂市場。根據 App Annie 統計,2020 年,台灣民眾在 App Store 總共消費 24.4 億美元,約相當於印尼、泰國、越南、菲律賓、馬來西亞五國總和的 24.6 億美元;第二個,則是台灣長久在科技製造、軟硬體整合上,累積而來的 IT 工程師文化,優秀的軟體工程師,一直是台灣推動區塊鏈發展的核心。

在 2021 年,台灣也搭上全球的 NFT 熱潮,進入早期發展階段。在龐大的數位遊戲與娛樂市場基礎上,越來越多的台灣區塊鏈新創,開始以 NFT 打造產品、服務以及商業模式,而歌手、藝術家、遊戲商、文創商品平台,以及多位 YouTuber,也先後開始推廣 NFT,使得 NFT 在這一年快速獲取大眾的關注,未來極具發展潛力。

自 Ethereum 問世開始,就不斷有台灣本地的優秀工程師,展開各種在區塊鏈領域的探索,成為驅動產業推進的關鍵力量。2021 年,已有新創在全球區塊鏈產業中嶄露頭角。例如,團隊擁有超過 10 年、多次創業經驗的 Perpetual Protocol,提供虛擬做市商 (vAMM) 實現永續合約解決方案;開發智能合約錢包的 Blocto,隨著 Flow 躍居一線公鏈而崛起,超過 80% Flow 鏈上的用戶,都使用 Blocto 進行 FLOW Token 質押,在跨鏈應用上,也已支援包括 Ethereum、BSC、Solana、Avalanche (c-chain)、Polygon 等一線公鏈。

泰國:後發先至的蛙跳式成長

雖然整體產業仍在發展早期,但 2021 年泰國整體 Web3 發展,可用蛙跳式成長 (Leapfrogging) 來形容。6 月,完成 E 輪融資的電商物流供應商 Flash Express,才正式成為泰國第一隻獨角獸,在 11 月,泰國第一隻 Web3 獨角獸,緊接著誕生,交易所 Bitkub 將 51% 的股份,以 5.35 億美元出售給擁有百年歷史、泰國第一家本土銀行 Siam Commercial Bank,等於在 5 個月的極短時間內,泰國連續跨越 Internet 與 Web3 時代的里程碑。

在 Bitkub 這樣的指標案例出現後,泰國 Web3 發展的後勢,值得讓人期待。包括 Bitkub Mafia (前員工)、Web 2.0 時代的成功創業者,都將陸續加入 Web3 的創業浪潮中,一如其他國家正在上演的故事。

事實上,已經可以看到更成熟、更進階的 Web3 應用出現。例如,開發跨鏈資料預言機 (Oracle) 的 Band Protocol,以及 Metaverse 遊戲公會 GuildFi,都是在既有產業生態系上的基礎上,繼續創新與整合。此外,也出現了像 Knowhere.art 這樣的 NFT Marketplace,相信不久後,將會在 NFT 領域看到更突破性的進展,因為長年以來,曼谷就是亞洲時尚與設計之都,擁有發展 NFT 創作者經濟的絕佳土壤。

越南:Axie Infinity 帶來的巨大效應

提到越南的 Web3 產業,知名度最高的,莫過於 NFT 遊戲 Axie Infinity 開發商 Sky Mavis。根據 CryptoSlam 統計,自 2018 年上線以來,Axie Infinity 上的 NFT 交易總金額超過 37 億美元,日活躍用戶超過 200 萬,並在近期完成 1.52 億美元的 B 輪融資。

Sky Mavis 寫下的成就,對越南的影響,可從兩個面向觀察。第一,帶動越南本地的 NFT 遊戲生態系成長,並吸引國際資金投資更多新創,進而成為生態系更加成長的能量,例如,Sipher 在 10 月,就從美國、韓國投資人手中獲得 680 萬美元的種子輪融資。另外像 My DeFi PetThetan Arena 等,也都是值得留意的 NFT 遊戲新創。

第二個,則是越南民眾對於區塊鏈以及加密貨幣的高接受度。根據 Chainalysis 2021 年「全球加密貨幣接受度指數」(Global Crypto Adoption Index) 的調查,越南排名高居第一,在 On-chain value received、On-chain retail value received、P2P exchange trade volume 三大指標中,皆位居全球前五名,可以預期,各種 DeFi、錢包、資產管理的創新模式,例如提供 DeFi 流動性中心 (Liquidity Hub) 的 Kyber Network 等新創,將會是下一波值得觀察的重點。 

結論:

回顧 2021 年,Web3 生態系在大東亞獲得全面性地推展。印尼在投資加密貨幣的開戶人數,超越股票而躍居投資主流;菲律賓則正由 End User 帶動生態系成長;新加坡持續將「亞洲金融中心」的優勢,延續至 Web3 領域;台灣正由優秀的軟體工程師推動創新應用;泰國在出現第一隻 Web3 獨角獸後,預期將吸引更多優秀創業者投入這塊領域;越南則有讓人眼睛一亮的 NFT 遊戲生態系。

儘管加密貨幣的價格總是變化劇烈,但在這樣的基礎上,我們相信 Web3 的長期價值。展望 2022 年,大東南亞整體 Web3 產業更大規模的商業化,非常讓人期待。 

web3.GSEA Snapshot  2021 由 AppWorks 製作,有任何指教與建議,請 email 至 [email protected]。感謝以下 AppWorks 的朋友,在過程中提供的協助:Peter Ing (Co-Founder of BlockchainSpace)、Leo Pham (Manager of Access Ventures)、Hung Nguyen (CEO of Spores)、Tri Pham (CEO of Kardiachain)、Ben Minh Le (CRO of M3TA)、TN Lee (Co-Founder of Pendle Finance)、Lawrence Samantha (Founder of NOBI)、Eagle Su (Marketing Specialist of Zombit)

製作協力:Asosiasi Blockchain Indonesia

【歡迎所有NFT、Blockchain / DeFi、AI / IoT 以及目標 Southeast Asia 的創業者,加入專為你們服務的 AppWorks Accelerator

web3.GSEA: 2021 Greater Southeast Asia Web3 Ecosystem Map

Original file for download: web3.GSEA Snapshot 2021

Jun Wakabayashi, Analyst (若林純 / 分析師)

Jun is an Analyst covering both AppWorks Accelerator and Greater Southeast Asia. Born and bred in America, Jun brings a wealth of international experience to AppWorks. He spent the last several years before joining AppWorks working for Focus Reports, where he conducted sector-based market research and interviewed high-level government leaders and industry executives across the globe. He’s now lived in 7 countries outside US and Taiwan, while traveling to upwards of 50 for leisure, collectively highlighting his unique propensity for cross-cultural immersion and international business. Jun received his Bachelors in Finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Founded in 2009, AppWorks is a leading startup community and venture capital firm built by founders, for founders. We are committed to backing the next generation of entrepreneurs in Greater Southeast Asia (ASEAN+Taiwan) and helping them to facilitate the region’s transition into the digital age. Building off the firm’s decade-plus of experience, AppWorks works closely with early-stage founders to achieve product-market fit, while helping growth-stage companies establish sustainable business models at scale.

Starting in 2018, blockchain was incorporated in the firm’s core mandate. We believe that the technology is currently driving a massive paradigm shift, opening up new disruptive and innovative opportunities for the next generation of entrepreneurs as the world transitions into the web3 era.

In 2021, blockchain entered a mass adoption phase. With the emergence of new innovative applications such as DeFi, NFTs, GameFi, and web3 infrastructure, an unprecedented number of new funds, retail investors, and users have flocked to the crypto world, creating a flywheel effect that has facilitated the formation of key web3 infrastructure that we believe will usher in a new era of large-scale commercialization.

“As the world decentralizes, will development vary between different countries and regions?” This is a question that we’ve mulled over years. With the accelerated development of blockchain, we recognize that, in fact, regional dynamics have become more pronounced. We found that in Greater Southeast Asia’s major markets, the confluence of different historical, economic, industrial, societal, and cultural contexts has resulted in crypto adoption taking different forms. The emergence of diversified crypto markets is driving growth in the region to meet different market conditions and leading to new business models and approaches in the industry that can be applied globally.

The following is an overview of our analysis and views on each major market in the region:

Indonesia: Crypto Investment Outstripping Public Equities

Indonesia, the world’s fourth largest population and the largest in GSEA, is estimated to have an unbanked population of 66%. Based on market size alone, Indonesia has become an important market for the development of blockchain. Indonesia is entering a financial paradigm shift driven by blockchain and cryptoassets, and overall development is trending towards exponential growth. According to statistics from Indonesia’s Ministry of Trade, during the first five months of 2021, more than 6.5 million people in Indonesia traded cryptocurrencies—far exceeding the 2.2 million who traded public equities—totaling US$25 billion in cryptocurrency transactions, compared to US$4.4 billion over the same period in 2020, representing year-on-year growth of 470%. With statistics like these, it comes as no surprise that cryptocurrency has become the most popular investment category among Indonesian retail traders.

Compared with other countries, the Indonesian government is relatively positive towards crypto. Since September 2018, a series of laws have been enacted, signaling the open attitude of the Indonesian government. The Commodity Futures Exchange Supervisory Board (BAPPEBTI) oversees cryptocurrency-related issues and has provided legal frameworks for licensing and trading. Currently, Indonesians can legally own and trade a total 229 different cryptocurrencies.

Indonesia’s crypto landscape is underlined by the rapid development and adoption of exchanges, wallets, asset management tools, and other DeFi applications. For example, Indodax, established in 2014, is Indonesia’s leading exchange with more than 4.7 million users. With increasing acceptance of investment in cryptocurrencies by the general public, new areas of development, such as investment platform NOBI, that provide asset management services that cater to crypto users will mark the next wave of growth.

Philippines: Massive User-Driven Growth

In 2021, Yield Guild Games (YGG) broke out in the Philippines and became a global phenomenon. Evolving from its initial function of assisting Axie Infinity in recruiting and training players, YGG is now home to more than 1,500 NFT game guilds based in the Philippines. YGG provides players with digital asset management, game scholarships, and community support—becoming the world’s largest NFT gaming guild.

According to Playercounter, more than 40% of Axie Infinity players hail from the Philippines alone. Play-to-earn has proven to provide meaningful income to users, effectively alleviating economic pressure caused by the pandemic for many users.

This model of massive user acquisition to drive ecosystem growth is a unique characteristic of blockchain development in the Philippines. We anticipate that with the mass inflow of capital and users, there will be a corresponding entrepreneurial response that will lead to the creation of new and innovative applications in the Philippines. We have seen this trend emerge with projects like NFT marketplace Vention and gaming guild management and data platform BlockchainSpace.

Singapore: Leveraging the Strength of Asia’s Financial Center

Singapore has always been known as Asia’s financial center, building off the government’s proactive policies over the past several decades. A similar trajectory is also taking shape in the country’s blockchain development. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is the leading regulatory body overseeing cryptoassets, and has long demonstrated a relatively open and friendly stance on the development of blockchain and cryptoassets within the city-state.

As early as 2017, MAS issued “A Guide to Digital Token Offering” which established the Singapore government’s policy framework for ICOs, issuers and related platforms, under the purview of the Securities and Futures Act (SFA). In January 2021, the “Payment Service Act” (PSA) was launched, regulating all cryptocurrencies, exchanges, and digital payment services in Singapore.

As a result, there has been an emergence of several new blockchain-related applications. For example, Biconomy, which builds transaction infrastructure for blockchain applications and optimizes cross-chain transaction experience; Xfers, a developer of financial electronic payments; and Vauld, a service provider covering cryptocurrency transactions, lending, and wallets. In the future, we expect more projects coming out of Singapore in cryptocurrency-related asset securitization, license compliance, and international exchanges.

Thailand: From Late Mover to Frontrunner

While Thailand’s blockchain ecosystem can be considered quite early, 2021 marked an acceleration point with several milestones. In November, Thailand’s first blockchain unicorn was born as crypto exchange Bitkub sold a 51% stake worth US$535 million to Siam Commercial Bank. Paired together with logistics provider Flash Express’s newly minted billion-dollar valuation, Thailand welcomed its first unicorns of the internet and Web3 era respectively within a five-month period.

Bitkub’s success is galvanizing the Thai blockchain ecosystem, demonstrating that Thailand can develop scalable blockchain infrastructure. Bitkub alumni and seasoned Web2 entrepreneurs are diving into Thailand’s blockchain space, just as we’ve witnessed in other markets.

In fact, we can already see the emergence of more mature and advanced Web3 applications. For example, the emergence of cross-chain data oracle platform Band Protocol and metaverse gaming guild GuildFi show the level of innovation and reiteration happening in the market. We believe that in the near future, we will see more projects in the NFT space, building off Bangkok’s rich fashion and design industry and the country’s active NFT artist community.

Vietnam: The Axie Infinity Effect

When it comes to Vietnam, the most well-known player is Sky Mavis, the developer behind the killer NFT-based game Axie Infinity. According to CryptoSlam statistics, since its launch in 2018, the total amount of NFT transactions on Axie Infinity reached more than US$3.7 billion, with more than two million daily active users, culminating in Sky Mavis’s recently completed US$152 million Series B round of financing.

The impact of Sky Mavis’s success on Vietnam can be observed from two perspectives. First, it is driving the growth of Vietnam’s local NFT gaming ecosystem and attracting international capital to accelerate development and adoption.  For example, in October, Sipher raised US$6.8 million in seed financing from major global investors. In addition, there’s been a surge in casual and semi-casual GameFi projects coming out of the woodwork including My DeFi Pet, Mytheria, Thetan Arena, and Faraland

Second, Vietnamese users have demonstrated high levels of acceptance for blockchain and cryptoassets. According to the 2021 Global Crypto Adoption Index survey conducted by Chainalysis, Vietnam ranked first globally in terms of overall adoption. Among three indicators, on-chain value received, on-chain retail value received, and P2P exchange trade volume, Vietnam ranked in the top five in the world. We anticipate that new applications in DeFi, wallets, and asset management like we see with Kyber Network’s Liquidity Hub will highlight the next wave of blockchain innovation in Vietnam.

Taiwan: A Huge Digital Market Driven by Engineering Talent

Compared with other markets in the GSEA region, Taiwan has two notable characteristics and advantages in blockchain development. First, Taiwan is home to a massive digital gaming and entertainment market. To illustrate this market size, according to App Annie, in 2020, Taiwanese consumers spent US$2.44 billion in the App Store, equal to total spending from Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia combined. Second, Taiwan has accumulated a wealth of engineering talent across manufacturing, software, and hardware integration. This talent pool has formed the core of Taiwan’s blockchain industry.

In 2021, Taiwan also joined the global NFT wave with early-stage activity. Leveraging the island’s fertile digital gaming and entertainment market, Taiwanese founders are adopting NFTs to create products, services, and new business models. Musicians, artists, game publishers, and influencers have embraced NFTs to build public awareness and tap into this new digital format of ownership, demonstrating immense promise for large-scale commercial adoption of NFTs. 

Since the advent of Ethereum, Taiwan’s local engineers have continued to explore the frontiers of blockchain development, becoming a key driving force in the crypto world. Taiwan is home to several notable projects led by seasoned teams, including Perpetual Protocol, which provides Virtual Automated Market Maker (vAMM) to implement perpetual contract solutions; smart contract wallet Blocto has become the go-to wallet for Flow—with more than 80% of Flow users trusting Blocto for Flow Token pledges. In cross-chain applications, Blocto also supports Ethereum, BSC, Solana, Avalanche (c-chain), and Polygon, among other mainstream public chains.

Bright Days Ahead

Just a few years ago, you’d be hard pressed to find the words web3, blockchain, DeFi, or NFTs uttered anywhere outside of niche crypto spheres in this part of the world. Now, sentiment from founders and investors across the region have evidently shifted from “why web3?” to “how do I get a piece of it?”—largely in this past year alone. 

Taiwan is at the forefront from a technical perspective, with an unparalleled engineering pool in terms of cost and performance; Indonesia is emerging as massive market for web3 consumers, now with crypto traders outnumbering stock traders by severalfold; Philippines is in a close second, with everyday users showing an uncanny demand for GameFi to make ends meet; Thailand’s historically nascent ecosystem is expected to garner significantly more attention now with their first crypto unicorn; Vietnam, given Axie’s success, is quickly distinguishing itself as a the world’s NFT gaming hub; and lastly, Singapore’s position as the region’s financial and management hub will likely extend into the web3 era.

Any doubts of whether or not web3 is here to stay were certainly eroded by the massive strides that the regional ecosystem has taken in 2021. Looking forward, the development and adoption of web3 is looking especially bright. Although crypto markets will likely ebb and flow in the coming months and years, with the occasional bears and dips, many stakeholders across the value chain have already gotten taste, and will likely only want more. 

The 2021 Greater Southeast Asia Blockchain Ecosystem Map is authored by AppWorks. For inquiries, please write to [email protected]. For this survey, thanks for several friends’ assistance: Peter Ing (Co-Founder of BlockchainSpace), Leo Pham (Manager of Access Ventures), Hung Nguyen (CEO of Spores), Tri Pham (CEO of Kardiachain), Ben Minh Le (CRO of M3TA), Rémy Perettieny (CEO of Reminiscense), TN Lee (Co-Founder of Pendle Finance), Lawrence Samantha (Founder of NOBI), and Eagle Su (Marketing Specialist of Zombit)

In partnership with: Asosiasi Blockchain Indonesia

【If you are a founder working on a startup in SEA, or working with AI, Blockchain, and NFT, apply to AppWorks Accelerator to join the largest founder community in Greater Southeast Asia.】