Inside Aleph Zero #5: AngelBlock.azero

AZERO.ID
7 min readMay 3, 2023

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After a short break, we welcome you back to the fifth episode of Inside Aleph Zero, where we aim to bring you closer to the people and projects in the Aleph Zero ecosystem!

This time, we would like to introduce you to a project that most of you probably associate with one of the most popular NFT collections in the Aleph Zero community. Please enjoy our conversation with AngelBlock, an upcoming decentralized fundraising platform launching on Aleph Zero, among other networks. The primary focus of AngelBlock is its innovative decentralized fundraising platform, where NFTs have a unique utility, providing an enhanced experience for all participants.

AZERO Domains: For the start, please give us a description of what AngeBlock does!

AngelBlock: AngelBlock is a decentralized and non-custodial fundraising platform that tackles funding hurdles faced by Web3 startups. AngelBlock delivers a transparent, distributed, and democratic approach to token-based financing, incorporating unique features such as on-chain vesting and milestone-driven token allocation systems.

This guarantees safe fund disbursement to startups and allows projects to define milestones accompanied by deliverables, budgetary plans, and release timelines. Investors have the opportunity to vote on the successful completion of milestones, ensuring enhanced protection for their investments. By employing AngelBlock’s innovative features, Web3 projects can unlock novel expansion possibilities while securing contributors’ funds and putting the interest of their community ahead.

AngelBlock aims to establish a widely adopted and acknowledged standard for a Web3-native fundraising process. Current practices rely on traditional Web2 methods, which offer limited protection for both startups and investors. AngelBlock aspires to create a new Web3-centric experience that caters to the best interests of startups, investors, and project communities alike, fostering a more secure and mutually beneficial ecosystem based on sustainable and ethical growth.

AZERO Domains: What makes your product special compared to established launchpads and fundraising platforms?

AngelBlock: The vision for AngelBlock has always been more inclusive than just fundraising. The team and our advisors see a much bigger project developing; a fully-fledged DEFI protocol with the technology to facilitate raises in the most secure and transparent way possible, whilst incorporating special features post-raise during the raising project’s lifecycle that will revolutionize the investor experience. Our bread and butter is the non-custodial smart contract deployment for raises to operate more securely, but the additives to this main feature, such as derivatizing unvested liquidity, staking of NFTs, and access to platform API for private raises to be conducted by clients, will set us apart from any general launchpad and raising platform. Our core fundamental objective is to protect investors from rugpulls; and having good quality startups that achieve their milestones achieves this. On the other hand, startups will no longer have to painstakingly fund business development and sales tactics if the core investor pool comes from the AngelBlock community. Ease of access to verified investors is a major asset for the AngelBlock ethos.

AZERO Domains: What was the reason for choosing Aleph Zero as the first blockchain you will be integrating with after ETH ? Are there any features that you are only able to offer on Aleph Zero?

AngelBlock: Aleph Zero and AngelBlock have been closely working together the past few years. The AngelBlock team are massive supporters of the AZERO chain, and believe it can become one of the most supported chains in the coming years due to its instant finality and potential for scaling solutions for institutional optimization (just to name a few of the many reasons why we believe Aleph Zero will succeed) . One of AngelBlock’s goals is to be the primary fundraising platform for all new projects on Aleph Zero, and as an ecosystem partner we believe there will be a few features the Aleph Zero investors will appreciate in the coming months and years as the platform develops.

AZERO Domains: You have recently listed your $THOL token on Uniswap. How did you ensure a smooth launch in the uncertainty of the current market?

AngelBlock: Months before the IDO date, the core AngelBlock team was laying out a course of action at their Hackathon, coming up with some ways to optimize the process. Of course timing is important, but we could never predict the outcome of the IDO, so our best course of action was to try to facilitate a launch that didn’t affect investors negatively through price manipulation and bot trading. Our main goals were to make sure we had the correct liquidity pool token ratio during pool creation, the optimum amount liquidity added, and to figure out when to add additional liquidity, determine effectiveness of capital / fee generation and their respective conditions (when fees are collected), curb Token price volatility and halt sniper bots or bot manipulation through wash trading and sandwiching. The team was happy with the way the IDO played out, and now our focus is to have a healthy, organic market of price action through value add from the platform.

AZERO Domains: How important are regulations for AngelBlock and are there any regulatory developments that may impact your platform?

AngelBlock: It’s of paramount importance that we pivot with the regulatory landscape in the space. In the British Virgin Islands, where we are registered, new comprehensive crypto and AML regulations became enforceable this year. We prepared for it 6 months prior and are fully compliant as of today. In the foreseeable future, no new regulations seem to be on the horizon in the BVI, however we are staying vigilant to adapt with the times. We are also looking into EU regulations having already implemented EU AML requirements in our operations, so we feel quite confident that we will easily be compliant with incoming changes to the AML Directive. We are closely following developments of comprehensive EU crypto regulation MiCA — and have started implementing the requirements to offer fully MiCA complaint fundraising for startups listing on our platform.

AZERO Domains: Which type of projects will profit the most from fundraising via AngeBlock?

AngelBlock: The types of projects that will thrive on AngelBlock will be the ones that use the platform to its full benefits for success on multiple different fronts. Firstly, the platform allows you access to fundraising infrastructure that’s transparent, decentralized, and fully on-chain. Platform Functionality also includes token distribution, milestone governance and vesting. Over and above that, the platform will grant access to an investor pool where the participants have been KYC verified for protection of the startup in terms of SAFT regulation.

There is also access to Liquidity sourcing where you can create new liquidity pools with $THOL in pairs as a liquidity bootstrapping program. We also offer various support and assistance where the startups can get legal, strategic, technical, and operations support from AngelBlock’s experienced team — at every fundraising stage. Startups will also gain access to the Angel Mentor Network, where they can receive advisory and mentoring from knowledgeable and experienced founders, entrepreneurs, engineers and operators.

Lastly, a massive part of project success is community. Startups will gain access to community building tools and a community that can jumpstart their user base. AngelBlock is also building a top-tier network of partners to create ecosystem synergy in order to help projects with specific needs and introductions. Ultimately, AngelBlock will provide tools and infrastructure to assist projects to succeed in areas that may not be in their realm of expertise, for a more well-rounded project in order to give them the best chance at success.

AZERO Domains: What does the roadmap of the project look like for 2023?

AngelBlock: We have some exciting things planned for the coming weeks, months and ultimately the rest of the year. Our main objectives are:

  • Integrating Aleph Zero, Avalanches and others to conduct raises on multiple chains
  • Facilitating a number of successful raises
  • Integrating other aspects of the platform such as private raises
  • NFT optimisation and versatility feature implementation
  • Defining AngelBlock Dao and its framework
  • There will be more to follow as we update our roadmap.

AZERO Domains: Any new updates that you would like to share?

AngelBlock: We are excited to share that since April 17th, staking for THOL tokens and AngelBlock NFTs went live, marking a significant milestone in the growth of the AngelBlock ecosystem. Staking is a vital feature that enables users to earn rewards, engage with the community, and enhance our platform’s security. Along with staking, we recently had our first CEX listing on MEXC, after a governance proposal that we held. Following the approval of the governance proposal, THOL has been listed on the MEXC exchange. The CEX listing increases our token’s visibility, expands our reach to a broader audience, and opens up new trading opportunities for the community.

AZERO Domains: How can our readers join the AngelBlock community?

AngelBlock: Our Linktree has all the links to join our community. Everybody is welcome! AngelBlock Linktr.ee

AZERO Domains: Thanks a lot! We are excited to continue watching your path in the Aleph Zero ecosystem.

The ‘Inside Aleph Zero’ interview series aims to introduce you to key individuals and projects in the Aleph Zero ecosystem. All participants in this format have their domains officially reserved for the mainnet launch according to our methodology.

Keep posted and follow this series to get to know exciting projects and individuals in the Aleph Zero ecosystem!

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