TZ APAC, the Asia-based blockchain adoption entity supporting the Tezos ecosystem, has announced the second cohort of Fortify Labs, a startup studio empowering talented builders in the Web3 space. The program offers a bespoke startup experience with small cohort sizes and high-quality, personalized support for entrepreneurs. The seven-month program features personalized mentorship, three Singapore-based offsites, and comprehensive support in areas such as go-to-market strategy, fundraising, and product refinement.
This year’s cohort includes startups from diverse sectors including decentralized personalization protocols, online esports platforms, AI rendering networks, and fully collateralized stablecoins. The inaugural 2024 cohort produced several notable success stories. Questflow achieved a 156x increase in monthly active users and over 500% revenue growth.
OCV Labs transitioned from zero to five-figure revenue and reached 1.3k peak onchain daily active users. AkaSwap pivoted from a web3 game platform to a creative Web3 activation agency. Startups in the 2025 cohort will receive support through a remote program with three in-person sessions at TZ APAC’s Singapore headquarters.
Fortify Labs kicks off second cohort
Each startup will be paired with a mentor who has decades of entrepreneurial experience and can provide guidance in critical areas. The Fortify Labs team will offer marketing support to enhance the startups’ visibility and technical expertise to refine their products for market readiness and user adoption.
Startups will have access to partnership support, curating introductions to venture capitalists and advisors. Each project will receive a $10,000 grant upon milestone completion and may receive an additional investment of up to $200,000 based on performance metrics. David Tng, Managing Director at TZ APAC, said, “Fortify Labs represents our commitment to roll up our sleeves and help the next generation of Web3 innovators succeed.
We’ve designed this program to provide bespoke mentorship and strategic guidance in the areas early-stage founders need most. We’re excited to see this new group of visionaries transform their ambitious ideas into sustainable, profitable businesses on Tezos and Etherlink.”
This year’s program attracted applicants from various sectors, and following a rigorous selection process, the top teams will receive support toward building profitable, innovative businesses. Fortify Labs complements TZ APAC’s recent ecosystem milestones, including Quantix Capital’s $1M investment partnership for Tezos gaming projects.
Web3 enthusiasts can engage with Fortify Labs projects through TZ Apex, a community rewards program aimed at bolstering engagement with projects built on Tezos and Etherlink.
Photo by; Christopher Gower on Unsplash
