The Era of Web3 "Rainmakers" Approaches: A Look at Foresight X Batch III Accelerator Projects
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The Era of Web3 "Rainmakers" Approaches: A Look at Foresight X Batch III Accelerator Projects
In the next bull market, at least 10–15 of the top 100 projects by market capitalization should be AI-related.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsIn the investment world, there's always been the concept of "rainmakers"—firms like Hillhouse Capital, which orchestrated the landmark collaboration between industry giants JD.com and Tencent, ultimately achieving a win-win business synergy. These rainmakers can alter the "weather" across different sectors, creating novel cross-domain transactions or collaborations that generate remarkable chemical reactions.
Shifting focus to Web3, since 2023, emerging narratives such as AI, DePIN, and BTC L2 have continuously surfaced, giving rise to intersections like AI+Crypto, DePIN+Crypto, and even DePIN+AI. This undoubtedly presents entrepreneurs with a new challenge: how to effectively craft compelling fusion narratives.
For investment firms, this also poses fresh challenges. Against a backdrop of tightly interwoven narratives, Web3 "rainmakers" are increasingly indispensable—yet not easily replicated—because creating entirely new transactional and collaborative opportunities requires possessing end-to-end, cross-sector ecosystem support capabilities.
Under these circumstances, Foresight X’s third accelerator cohort, officially launched on December 15, 2023, has undergone comprehensive upgrades, adding new components such as mentorship programs, key partner recommendations, and a graduation Demo Day. The program now places particular emphasis on AI Computing Power, AI Marketplaces, Data, On-Chain ML Models, RGB, ORDI, Taproot Assets, BitVM, BTC Sidechains, BTCFi, Blockchain Games, Creator Economy, SocialFi, DID, ZK Applications, Tokenized Real-World Assets, Privacy, and other Web3 domains.
6 Selected Projects
After two months of global recruitment and screening, Foresight X’s third accelerator received nearly 300 applications worldwide, ultimately selecting six outstanding projects for its third cohort. These span multiple tracks including DePIN, AI, and BTC L2, with several integrating multiple narratives such as AI and DePIN.
The selected teams will receive a total of $3 million in funding from Foresight Ventures and Foresight X, along with comprehensive support covering economic modeling, operations, marketing, technology, listing assistance, legal matters, company management, and talent development.
Below are introductions to the selected projects:
XLink
XLink, a spin-off project from ALEX Lab, is a cryptographic bridge within the Bitcoin ecosystem designed to enable seamless asset transfers between BTC, BTC L2s, and EVM chains. XLink aims to revolutionize DeFi experiences within the Bitcoin ecosystem and is currently collaborating with existing BTC L2 solutions to enhance liquidity and localized user experience across the Bitcoin ecosystem.
X: https://twitter.com/XLinkbtc
UniCross
UniCross is a platform for minting, trading, and issuing L1 assets on BTC L2s, enabling users to mint, trade, cross-chain transfer, and issue L1 assets on Bitcoin L2s. Users can mint multi-protocol assets such as BRC-20, Runes, BRC-420, and ARC20 on L2 via UniCross, and use various chain assets—including BTC, BRC-20s, and ETH—for payments.
Currently, UniCross has launched on Merlin Chain’s mainnet. The platform will launch its Launchpad this week and, in collaboration with Merlin Chain, roll out an L2 Runes solution while launching its first Rune token, $RUFI.
X: https://twitter.com/UniCrossGlobal
Discord: https://discord.gg/unicross
Telegram: https://t.me/UniCrossOfficial
Apus Network
Apus Network is a decentralized AI Agents DePIN project aiming to build a transparent, secure, and incentive-aligned AI ecosystem by leveraging blockchain technology, Web3, and DePIN computing resources. Governed by the community, Apus enables developers to contribute AI agents and nodes to provide computational power, delivering trustworthy AI services to users and advancing the democratization of AI for mutual benefit.
Website: https://www.apus.network/
X: https://twitter.com/apus_network
CUDIS
Headquartered in California, CUDIS is a prime example of the perfect fusion of AI, DePIN, health, and fashion. CUDIS leverages blockchain encryption technology to offer mass-market health big data tracking services while granting users ownership of their data and enabling them to profit from it.
Unlike competitors Oura and Whoop, which charge between $72 and $360 annually, CUDIS offers a significantly lower entry barrier. Over the next 12 to 18 months, CUDIS plans to deliver over one million DePIN wearable devices to both Web2 and Web3 users.
X: https://twitter.com/CudisWellness
ZestLab
ZestLab is a consumer-focused Web3 lifestyle brand aiming to allow more users to participate in the Web3 wave through non-financial lifestyles. Its first product, the Model323 sneaker, features an embedded Insol smart chip that fully records users' motion data. Combined with tokenomics-based incentives and health data feedback, it builds a lightweight DePIN device, and long-term plans to develop multiple sports products to form a sticky community-driven brand.
Website: https://zestlab.xyz/
X: https://twitter.com/zestlabxyz
Blade Games
Blade Games is a ZK modular game execution layer allowing developers to flexibly select L2, DA layers, and zk virtual machines to build blockchain-agnostic games (supporting c++/go/rust). Its core game is scheduled to launch testing in early April.
Website: https://www.bladedao.games
X: https://twitter.com/BladeGamesHQ
Discord: https://discord.gg/BladeDAO
Min, Partner at Foresight X, said: “Over the past year-plus, Foresight X has remained committed to being founders’ 'Web3 partners,' co-building with early-stage startup teams through bear markets into bull runs. Our focus spans multiple cutting-edge areas—we position ourselves early, continuously iterate and evolve, aiming to secure victories in fast-changing market conditions. Incubation is slow work—and heavy work—but our deep, comprehensive support across funding, media, marketing, product tech, token economics, and ecosystem building delivers unique value to early Web3 startups. Congratulations to the selected teams in Cohort 3, and we look forward to working together to embrace this raging bull market!”
Amid the noise of crypto narratives, the market’s demand for new stories remains constant. The coupling of new narratives with Crypto, and new narratives with each other, will carry forward from 2023’s tentative beginnings to explode in 2024.
Whether it’s AI+Crypto, DePIN+Crypto, or DePIN+AI, a wave of projects with extraordinary growth and scale is likely to emerge. Particularly in AI+Crypto, Forest, Co-founder of Foresight Ventures, previously publicly stated:
“AI+Crypto represent the two largest technological revolutions visible in human innovation today. In the next bull market, at least 10–15 of the top 100 market cap projects will be AI-related.”
This presents Web3—and especially Web3 venture capital—with a new set of challenges: How can firms leverage full-stack, cross-sector research and investment capabilities to go beyond traditional funding and drive synergies across different businesses, sectors, and projects, thereby becoming true “rainmakers” in the Web3 world?
Looking ahead, the new variables introduced by venture capital in 2023 are stirring the waters. In hindsight, years from now, this moment may well be seen as a bold new beginning.
About Foresight X
Foresight X is the Web3 accelerator under Foresight Ventures (with $400M AUM), providing selected Web3 startups with grants ranging from an average of $200,000 up to $500,000. In addition, Foresight X offers high-quality industry resources and global community support, including acceleration services in technical guidance, brand promotion, tokenomics design, operations, listing, company management, talent development, and legal compliance.
Website: https://www.foresightx.net/#/
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