Animoca, Brinc launch $30m Guild Accelerator Program

Animoca Brands, a Hong Kong-based blockchain gaming firm, has partnered with VC firm Brinc to launch the Guild Accelerator Program to build and grow the play-to-earn (P2E) gaming guild ecosystem globally.

A pro gamer in action. Image credit: Wikimedia

The new accelerator has a total investment capital pool of up to US$30 million for two years. Led by Richard Robinson, entrepreneur-in-residence at Animoca Brands, the program will invest up to US$500,000 per guild.

The program aims to enable millions of people around the world to generate income by participating in P2E gaming via crypto gaming guilds. A guild’s admission to the program is prioritized based on its commitment to sustainability, which includes projects that support and give back to player or scholar communities, emphasize energy-efficient proof-of-stake protocols and side chains, and have lower overall physical footprints.

The Guild Accelerator Program will operate as a dedicated track within Launchpad Luna, the accelerator launched in mid 2021 as a partnership between Brinc and Animoca Brands.

The program will foster innovation, set up management and operational systems, share learnings from mentors, expand each platform’s user base and assets, and help raise funds beyond the startup phase.

Mentors and experts supporting the program include Brendan Wong, founder of Avocado Guild; Saruboti Sasuke, head of partnerships for Yield Guild Games; and Howard Xu, co-founder of Vietnam-based Ancient8.

Applications for the accelerator program are open till February 27 on the Brinc website, and the first cohort is scheduled to start in May.

See also: Axie Infinity faces big test as player earnings fall

Asia is the largest and fastest-growing P2E gaming market, accounting for 45% of the global total, said Animoca Brands, citing data from Statista and DFC Intelligence.

Blockchain-based P2E games grew rapidly in 2021, a year which saw the rise in popularity of Axie Infinity and gaming guilds such as YGG and Avocado Guild – all three of which Animoca Brands backed as an early investor.