Startups
Top 12 blockchain startup ICOs in Feb 2018
Which startups raising funds through ICOs are most likely to succeed? Using Aingel’s AI based Deal Flow Analyzer, we generate an Inception Score™ that helps investors identify the next game-changing companies in the blockchain space.
Here are the top 12 blockchain startups our algorithm picked out of 69 ICOs launching this month:
1. GiftCoin
Inception Score™: 99%
ICO Date: 1 Feb – 1 March 2018
Founded: 2017
Number of Founders: 5
Headquarters: UK
What is it about?
GiftCoin is a cryptocurrency for charitable causes. It promises donors delivery of funds to the exact causes they have chosen while offering charities more transparency, funds and greater impact.
Who’s behind it?
Alex Howard is charity founder and visionary. He founded The Optimum Health Clinic in 2004, a UK charity with patients in 40 countries. He also founded Conscious Life, a self-development online platform. He holds a BSc in Psychology from Swansea University.
Tim Bichara is co-founder and technology consultant. An entrepreneur and CPO, he co-founded Q App, a FinTech startup that was acquired by Yoyo wallet in 2016. He was recognized in 2015 by Times as one of the top 10 disrupters to watch. He earned his BA from the University of London.
Jonathan Beddoes is co-founder and advisor. He is an entrepreneur and investor who started his career at 15 by launching a web hosting company. He founded Monetisation, a software platform; Techtopia, a tech incubator; and Safer Technologies, a security software company acquired by Avast Software. He studied Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Vlerick Business School. He also holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Manchester.
Ben Evans is co-founder and CTO. He is a technologist and blockchain enthusiast with previous work experience at Morgan Stanley, where he oversaw the 2004 Google IPO. He was also lead architect at Deutsche Bank prior to co-founding JClarity. He wrote a number of books on Java Development. He holds an MA in Mathematics from Cambridge University.
Christopher Cain is co-founder, IT consultant and entrepreneur. He specializes in designing and implementing decentralized P2P networks, as well as consulting on blockchain platforms in the cryptocurrency space. He holds a BSc in Computer Science from Lamar University.
2. RightMesh
Inception Score™: 92%
ICO Date: 13 – 27 Feb 2018
Founded: 2017
Number of Founders: 3
Headquarters: Canada
What is it about?
RightMesh is creating an ecosystem that aspires to make the world more connected by empowering next generation digital entrepreneurs. It provides a software solution that can be integrated into all applications without the need of additional infrastructure or hardware, bringing connectivity to populations who don’t have internet access.
Who’s behind it?
Chris Jensen is co-founder and COO, with a banking, corporate development and operations background and experience at several startups. He holds a BSc in Economics and History from Queen Mary University of London.
John Lyotier is co-founder and CEO. He has more than two decades of experience in marketing during which he launched, designed, and jump-started companies and new products. He holds a BA in English and Art History from the University of British Columbia.
Rakib Islam is co-founder and CTO. He is an expert is software architecture development. He is also a member of the Bangladesh Association for Software and Information Services. He holds an MSc in Computer Science and Applications from Pune University, India.
3. Hearthy
Inception Score™: 90%
ICO Date: 5 – 25 Feb 2018
Founded: 2015
Number of Founders: 3
Headquarters: Spain
What is it about?
Hearthy aspires to create a decentralized, patient-centered ecosystem that provides access to improved and affordable healthcare for people regardless of income. Hearthy’s solution focuses on cutting out middlemen to decrease the costs incurred during the access-to-health process, reduce waiting time, and provide quicker access to reliable personal health records through its open source platform.
Who’s behind it?
Javier Blanco is CEO and co-founder. In his 11 years of experience in building digital products, he founded Glue Digital, which serves around 25 million users, and worked with Fortune 500s such as Carrefour, KFC and AXA. He holds a degree in audiovisual communication from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, and a Master’s degree in video digital direction from Trazos.
Juan Sebastián Valencia is experienced in the area of medical care innovation, with a focus on helping doctors spend less time analyzing big amounts of data and more time on therapy with patients. He is a project manager in AI for MédecinDirect, and chief medical informatics officer at Carians. He holds an MD from the Université Paris Descartes, where he also studied Emergency Medicine.
Shafi Ahmed is co-founder of Hearthy and Medical Chief Officer at Medical Realities. He is a member of several esteemed medical associations. He is a medical advisor to Beani Bazar Cancer Hospital Project in Bangladesh. He holds a PhD from Queen Mary University of London with a specialization in colorectal cancer, and a BSc in Medicine from King’s College London.
4. Acomobase
Inception Score™: 89%
ICO Date: 1 – 28 Feb 2018
Founded: 2017
Number of Founders: 5
Headquarters: Cyprus
What is it about?
Acomobase is a blockchain-based and AI-powered decentralized marketplace that offers accommodation using smart contract tokens to connect users with hosts. Its new token, ACO, can be exchanged on the platform between hosts and users, offering a direct P2P international payment that eliminates the middleman.
Who’s behind it?
Alexandros Malioukis is community manager and psychologist. He is a Greece-based therapist with work experience at mental health institutions and a clinical background in a variety of mental disorders. He holds a BSc in Psychology from Ethnikon kai Kapodistriakon Panepistimion Athinon.
Alketas Malioukis is CEO and co-founder. He is experienced in web analytics, business development, social media and content strategy. He holds an MSc in Marketing and Communications with New Technologies from The Athens University of Economics and Business, and an MBA from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.
Iulia Lazea is co-founder and business development head. She is experienced in international management consulting with a focus on financial, Oil & Gas, transportation and pharmaceutical industries. She holds a Master’s degree from Universität zu Köln with a specialization in corporate development, organization, HR and asset management. She also holds a BBA from the Academia de Studii Economice din București.
Jiří Svoboda is finance officer and co-founder. He is head of reporting at Kiwi.com, and he perviously held several positions at EY. He studied Accounting and Financial Management at Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze.
Zenos Pavlakou is co-founder, smart contract developer and blockchain consultant. He holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Sussex.
5. Narrative
Inception Score™: 89%
Total Funding: USD $12,225,000
ICO Date: 15 Feb – 22 March 2018; pre-sale from 7 – 14 Feb 2018
Founded: 2017
Number of Founders: 4
Headquarters: Gibraltar
What is it about?
Narrative is a blockchain-powered content platform and social media network that gives users autonomy and distributes 85 percent of all revenues to active participants who demonstrate positive impact on the quality of content. Narrative uses both cryptocurrency and fiat to reward user-generated content.
Who’s behind it?
Ted O’Neill is co-founder, with more than two decades of experience in creating user-generated content platforms. He is also the founder and CEO of Social Strata, where he has been developing community platforms since the late nineties. He is a viral marketing, UI design and development pioneer. He also created BBCode. He studied at William & Mary University.
Rosemary O’Neill is co-founder of Social Strata, with more than two decades of experience as a writer, speaker and entrepreneur who specializes in online community building, digital marketing and corporate communications. She holds a BA in Political Science from Franciscan University of Steubenville.
Brian Lenz is co-founder and CTO. He is a software engineer and architect with more than 17 years of experience in SaaS, covering software development, security, infrastructure and systems. He is also the VP and CTO of Social Strata. He holds a BSc in Computer Engineering from the University of Washington.
Michael Farris is co-founder, with a track record in the information technology and services industry. He founded Geofy Inc., and he previously held the position of director of learning technologies at Red River College. He holds a PhD in Philosophy and Religious Studies from the University of Toronto, and a BA in English and Philosophy from the University of Toronto – University of Trinity College.
6. PolySwarm
Inception Score™: 89%
ICO Date: 6 Feb – 8 March 2018
Founded: 2017
Number of Founders: 5
Headquarters: US
What is it about?
PolySwarm is a decentralized marketplace that rewards global security experts for identifying malware and building anti-malware engines in a timely manner. It encourages competition between security experts and incentivizes rapid innovation in the cyber threat intelligence space.
Who’s behind it?
Steve Bassi is CEO, developer and co-founder. He founded Narf Industries, an R&D firm that specializes in information security. He has over two decades of experience in information security development. He held key roles in a number of government and industry projects, which included R&D in blockchain-based identity management. He holds an MSc in Computer Science with a specialization in Information Security from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a BSc in Computer Engineering from Santa Clara University.
Paul Makowski is CTO, developer and co-founder, with more than a decade of experience in program analysis, modern software exploitation and cryptography. He reverse engineered malware disinfection tools at Narf for Fortune 100 companies. Prior to that, he led information security research and development at CERT/CC and McAfee. He holds a BSc in Computer Engineering from Santa Clara University, and an MSc in Information Technology and Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
Ben Schmidt is director of product security, developer and co-founder, with more than 10 years of experience in information security. He led automated program analysis research, secure software development and cryptography, among others. He holds BSc and MSc degrees in Computer Science from the University of Tulsa.
Nick Davis is COO, developer and co-founder. He has a track record in leading digital forensics, malware reverse engineering and threat analysis. He also co-founded Narf. He holds MSc and BSc degrees in Computer Science from the Naval Postgraduate School, and the University of Minnesota -Twin Cities, respectively.
Maxwell Koo is co-founder and senior backend developer with nine years of experience in secure software engineering, digital forensics and vulnerability analysis. He holds a double BSc degree in Computer Science and Electrical & Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.
7. Havven
Inception Score™: 87%
Total Funding: USD $250,000
ICO Date: 28 Feb – 6 March 2018
Founded: 2017
Number of Founders: 1
Headquarters: Australia
What is it about?
Havven is a decentralized blockchain based payment network that aspires to solve the volatility issue of cryptocurrencies by allowing holders of its tokens to issue a secondary US dollar-denominated token. By connecting collateral holders with users who need low volatility, Havven enables a stability market that is driven by incentives; collaterals are compensated when users transact in stablecoin.
Who’s behind it?
Kain Warwick is founder of Havven and CEO of Blueshyft, one of Australia’s biggest cryptocurrency payment platforms with a transaction volume worth tens of millions. He previously founded Ai and Pouncer. He has a BSc in Genetics from The University of New South Wales, Australia.
8. Medicalchain
Inception Score™: 87%
ICO Date: 1 Feb 2018
Founded: 2017
Number of Founders: 2
Headquarters: UK
What is it about?
Medicalchain is developing a blockchain-based electronic health records platform, allowing users to give health professionals access to their personal data. Medicalchain will also be used for building applications and services that enhance the user experience.
Who’s behind it?
Abdullah Albeyatti is co-founder and CEO. He also co-founded Discharge Summary, an application that hospitals use to generate accurate patient medical reports, which is the first seed of Medicalchain. He studied medicine at Imperial College London. He previously developed solutions to help NHS overcome some inefficiencies.
Mohammed Tayeb is co-founder and COO, with entrepreneurial and investment experience in the technology sector. He worked with Morethan.com as head of development. He is also a partner at Hearn Capital. He holds an Executive MBA from the University of Oxford, and a BSc in e-Commerce from Brunel University.
9. FarmaTrust
Inception Score™: 84%
ICO Date: 8 Feb – 8 March 2018
Founded: 2015
Number of Founders: 1
Headquarters: UK
What is it about?
FarmaTrust is an Ethereum blockchain-based security tracking system for patients and pharmaceuticals that ensures counterfeit drugs are blocked from the supply chain.
Who’s behind it?
Raja Sharif is founder and CEO, with a career track in managing several international technology and media projects. He managed strategy implementation at Al Jazeera Media Network and AJ+. He was also senior legal council at British Telecom. He holds an LLM in International Trade, Finance and Banking from the University of Nottingham, and an LLB from The University of Hull.
10. TheKey
Inception Score™: 83%
ICO Date: 1 Feb 2018
Founded: 2017
Number of Founders: 1
Headquarters: Singapore
What is it about?
TheKey is an identity verification tool powered by big data, AI and blockchain technology. TheKey aims at delivering an online identity verification tool that is cost-efficient and suitable for all legal relations (e.g., copyright and data exchange).
Who’s behind it?
Catherine Li is CEO and founder, with a diverse experience in several areas including medical informatics and big data. She founded the Dynamic Multi-dimension Identification technology, and she was named among the Most Outstanding Women Entrepreneurs in China in 2017. She holds an MSc in Computer Science from McGill University.
11. ExsulCoin
Inception Score™: 82%
ICO Date: 12 Feb 2018
Founded: 2017
Number of Founders: 1
Headquarters: US
What is it about?
ExsulCoin is building a blockchain-based crowdfunding platform to support refugee-led projects. The ExsulCoin cryptocurrency allows holders to recommend, vote for, and fund ideas. Platform users also earn ExsulCoin after finishing required tasks such as delivering medical supplies, which contributes to the development of a refugee-empowering ecosystem that is financially inclusive.
Who’s behind it?
James Song is founder and CEO of ExsulCoin and Exsul, an AI-driven educational app for refugees which is being tested at a Rohingya Refugee Camp in Bangladesh. He is a senior advisor for Faircap Partners equity firm. He pioneered using self-hypnosis in the treatment of HIV patients in Uganda during his Fulbright Scholarship. He holds an MSc in Neuroscience from the University College of London, and a BSc in Psychology from Harvard. He was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
12. SnagRide
Inception Score™: 80%
ICO Date: 7 Feb 2018
Founded: 2017
Number of Founders: 1
Headquarters: US
What is it about?
SnagRide is a decentralized AI-based ride sharing app, which offers affordable programs for mid and long distance rides using the Ethereum blockchain. The platform connects drivers and passengers who are traveling between cities.
Who’s behind it?
Terry Chan is CEO and founder, with a decade of experience in the e-commerce industry. He is skilled in analytics, data mining, software quality assurance and automation. He holds a BSc in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of California, San Diego.
How do we score companies?
The Inception Score is based on a Monte Carlo wrapped machine learning algorithm developed at NYU where we analyzed more than 6,000 startup founders based on their educational background, work history, startup experience and personality (deduced using AI from their digital footprint analysis).
We input this data into our patent-pending algorithm, which then generates multiple seed-stage investment portfolios of startups predicted to be successful. The percentage represents the number of times each startup is selected in 1,000 iterations of portfolio generation. With backtesting, overall accuracy is 95% and true positive rate is 70%.
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Al Nashmiah Farms, committed to aiding women burdened by debt and facing the threat of incarceration, offers a novel solution for them to earn their way to freedom. Under the leadership of Razan Harb, motivated by her family’s financial struggles, the farm has become a pivotal force in rescuing those ensnared in the debt trap, providing them with employment and a sense of purpose.
Harb, observing the plight of many women who took loans in hopes of improving their families’ fortunes, only to be overwhelmed by unfortunate circumstances, economic downturns, and oppressive taxes, has established a farm that serves as both a source of employment and a supplier of high-quality produce to major markets.
The farm’s operations include the provision of household essentials, emphasizing the importance of quality through methods such as nitrogen sterilization and the use of healthy packaging. Additionally, Harb has initiated work-from-home opportunities, enabling women to engage in the packing of vegetables and fruits for market and direct sales, thereby offering a sustainable model for economic independence and recovery from debt.
Selina Bieber, the Senior Director of Global Markets at GoDaddy, has predicted a significant increase in Egypt’s e-commerce revenue. By 2028, it could reach $9.88 billion.
Godaddy is forming strategic partnerships and launching initiatives to help local entrepreneurs. These efforts align with Egypt’s digital transformation goals and its Vision 2030.
In an interview with the Arabic financial news “Amwal Al Ghad,” Bieber spoke about GoDaddy’s plans and how they match Egypt’s 2023 strategy. She highlighted the company’s aim to provide effective, easy-to-use digital tools and services. By 2024, GoDaddy wants to serve more customers in Egypt by making its digital tools more widespread.
The company is working closely with the Egyptian government, especially the Ministry of Planning. They are offering training programs to improve the digital skills of startups and existing businesses. GoDaddy’s services in Egypt include domain registration, web hosting, e-commerce solutions, and digital marketing tools.
Recent surveys support Bieber’s positive outlook for e-commerce in Egypt. They show a clear trend towards digital strategies among small businesses. Many are realizing the importance of having an online presence for their growth and success.
As GoDaddy continues its partnerships and supports government digital initiatives, its influence on Egypt’s digital landscape is growing. The company is committed to sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint. It aims not just for business growth but also to contribute to a sustainable and thriving digital economy in Egypt.
The 2028 projection indicates a vast potential for e-commerce, with GoDaddy playing a key role in this digital evolution.
Lendo, a Saudi Arabia-based shariah-compliant debt crowdfunding marketplace, has raised SAR 105 million ($28 million) in Series B funding led by Sanabil Investments, a wholly-owned company by the Public Investment Fund (“PIF”). The round saw participation from Shorooq Partners, AB Ventures and other investors.
Lendo is a Shariah-compliant, debt crowdfunding marketplace that helps pre-finance outstanding invoices for businesses in Saudi Arabia. The platform is a community of creditworthy borrowers and sophisticated investors looking for alternative investments. The platform is licensed by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). Lendo will use the funds to support its fast-growing customer base in Saudi Arabia which has grown 3X year-on-year, introduce more innovative financing products, and accelerate market expansion plans.
“With this funding round, we are going to expand into new markets, support new and current customers, and launch new Shariah-compliant products, all the while continuing to innovate the marketplace for digital lending. We are going to make financial services more accessible, affordable, and inclusive for everyone. I am excited to see what the future holds for our company,” said Osama Alraee, CEO, and co-founder of Lendo, who also disclosed its plans for an IPO within the next few years.
Alraee has also expressed his gratitude to SAMA (Saudi Central Bank), Fintech Saudi, MCIT, Misk, and Monshaat for their unwavering support, emphasizing the pivotal role they have played in advancing financial inclusivity and fostering innovation in partnership with Lendo to reshape the financial landscape. Their dedicated efforts in advancing financial inclusivity and fostering innovation have been invaluable to us. We greatly appreciate their partnership in our mission to transform the financial landscape
Commenting on the announcement, Sanabil Investments said: “Lendo is a leading fintech company that is transforming the financial services industry in their specialist area of Shariah-compliant digital lending for SMEs. The Lendo team, especially the founders, Osama and Mohamed, have achieved a significant amount in a relatively short period, and we are eager to join their journey of increasing access to flexible financial solutions in Saudi Arabia and the region at large.”
“The growing demand for alternative, agile, and accessible lending solutions presents a significant opportunity. At Lendo, we are well-positioned to lead the charge in promoting financial inclusion not only in Saudi Arabia but also beyond. By fueling SME growth, we aim to contribute to the realization of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic goals and to create a ripple effect of opportunity throughout the MENA region,” said Mohamed Jawabri, COO, and co-Founder of Lendo.
Lendo previously raised a SAR 27 million Series A funding round ($7.2 million) in 2021 led by Derayah Ventures with participation from Seedra Ventures and other investors, bringing the fintech’s total funding to SAR 132 million ($35.2 million).
Since the inception of Dec 2019, Saudi fintech Lendo has processed more than 2,500 financing transactions on its platform, providing over SAR 1 billion ($300 million) in financing to SMEs and generating SAR 140 million ($37 million) returns for investors.
The Small and Medium Enterprise financing landscape in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) presents a substantial market opportunity as limited financial access continues to restrict the growth of the region’s businesses, with commercial banks hesitant to issue loans to SMEs at scale, resulting in a high percentage of declined financing requests annually. According to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the SME financing gap is estimated at SAR 19.5 trillion ($5.2 trillion) every year in developing countries.
Lendo’s debt crowdfunding platform aims to bridge the financing gap for SMEs, which aligns with the Saudi Vision 2030 to significantly expand SME lending from 4% in 2018 to 20% by 2030.
The total value of debt crowdfunding in Saudi Arabia surged from 1.4 million SAR in 2019 to SAR 771 million in 2022, marking a remarkable 430% growth, according to SAMA’s annual fintech report 2022.
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