BlockDown Competition: Portugal, hosted by web3 Inventive Advertising and marketing and Communications Company EAK Digital, will kick off its second annual in-person Web3 and blockchain competition in Algarve, Portugal, on July 10-12, 2023.
The competition will carry collectively key leaders in web3 and the creator financial system, specializing in inventive industries reminiscent of music, vogue, leisure, sports activities, gaming, and humanities.
With the big inflow of web2 manufacturers over the past 18 months, BlockDown Competition can even host audio system from main conventional manufacturers discussing their entrance and expertise into web3. Talking content material consists of unique hearth chats, panels, debates, and keynote speeches.
We caught up with Blockdown founder Erhan Korhaliller to study extra concerning the origin of the convention, this 12 months’s programming, and finally how Blockdown Competition brings collectively the inventive arts throughout web3 and extra…
Disclaimer: CryptoSlate is an official media accomplice for BlockDown Competition.
Now in its eighth version, Blockdown Competition returns to the Algarve, Portugal July Tenth-Twelfth, after initially launching because the web3 business’s first ever reside digital occasion in April of 2020. What impressed you to launch BlockDown because the world shut down?
Our web3 PR and Advertising and marketing company, EAK Digital, was organizing the primary Istanbul Blockchain Week in 2019, we had an epic speaker lineup and the Hilton Resort booked within the middle of Istanbul. This was the primary occasion we had organized and issues have been going nice, after which covid-19 hit and every part fell aside. After all, we needed to cancel the occasion and refund all sponsors; this was devastating to me as I’d labored extraordinarily laborious on placing this collectively.
When the world shut down in March 2020, we have been all in search of issues to take our minds off of the covid-19 pandemic. I used to be sitting in my childhood bed room at this level (as a result of lockdown!), questioning what we should always do. We had this nice speaker lineup however no convention, thus BlockDown was born.
BlockDown allowed me and my group to laser concentrate on making a metaverse-inspired digital expertise that has by no means been completed earlier than in simply 6 weeks. The thrill of bringing the entire blockchain neighborhood collectively for 12 hours per day reside throughout 48 hours, taking within the greatest audio system and tasks from Beijing to Los Angeles, was an exhilarating expertise.
I used to be additionally impressed by having Akon with us as a speaker for 5 BlockDown editions. Again within the first version in April 2020, there was loads of media consideration about Akon showing at BlockDown because it was the primary world blockchain occasion he had participated in.
As anyone who spent his college days dancing to Akon on pupil nights late into the evening, I by no means thought we’d find yourself working collectively like this. In order that was an enormous thrill.
Lastly, by tying the ‘lockdown into’ our title, we’ll always remember what impressed BlockDown and staying true to our DNA and core values of internet hosting occasions with interactivity, enjoyable, and engagement tied to the center of the occasion.
BlockDown isn’t your typical web3 convention, because it focuses on bringing collectively the inventive arts throughout web3 with a novel mixture of world-class content material, arts, vogue, leisure, music and distinctive networking alternatives. Are you able to inform us extra about what’s in retailer with the programming this 12 months?
As you rightly stated, BlockDown Competition focuses on the intersection of web3 and tradition, the crossover of the inventive industries reminiscent of music, sports activities, arts, vogue, gaming and leisure.
For music, we’ve partnered with web3 music platform TokenTraxx, in making a web3 music takeover stage within the secret backyard stage of the competition. We will likely be inviting 8 web3 musicians which have discovered success within the NFT area to talk and carry out on the competition. Now we have a pleasant combine of various music genres, and It’ll give the competition nice vitality whereas giving everybody an opportunity to find new up-and-coming web3 music artists.
For Trend, we’ve partnered up with the Metaverse Trend Council for our fashion-related content material. First up, on July eleventh, we could have a metaverse-inspired vogue present on the convention’s primary stage, catwalk included! In between every vogue talking content material, there will likely be a vogue present for vogue lovers and curious minds alike to benefit from the newest in the way forward for vogue.
As well as, one thing we’re very enthusiastic about is the world’s first vogue AI hackathon taking place at BlockDown Competition this 12 months. The Metaverse Trend Council has simply launched Fashion AI, a first-of-its-kind vogue AI that can create vogue clothes primarily based in your prompts. In an America’s obtained expertise fashion competitors, opponents will take the stage to battle it out who can take advantage of modern clothes and decide by skilled vogue judges, which will likely be very thrilling.
For Gaming, we’ve partnered up with the Blockchain Recreation Alliance to help us in bringing collectively the most effective gaming content material potential. We could have W3E with us, who could have a gaming zone and expertise internet hosting reside web3 gaming tournaments all through the competition.
Visitor audio system will embrace leaders in web3, the creator financial system and main conventional manufacturers. Are you able to share with us a number of the key audio system and types who’ll be in attendance?
As web3 goes extra mainstream, increasingly web3 tasks wish to accomplice with the world’s greatest manufacturers to onboard the following technology of individuals into web3. With that in thoughts, we’ve some main manufacturers at BlockDown Competition this 12 months.
To call a number of, we’ve Pär Helgosson, head of web3 and metaverse at PSG, one the world’s largest soccer golf equipment and types,
Retaining on the sports activities entrance, we’ve John Wolfe, Web3 Lead at McLaren Racing. He will likely be internet hosting a keynote speech and becoming a member of an skilled panel of manufacturers discussing how Mclaren Racing has efficiently entered web3 and the place they see the long run trajectory of the business.
Lastly, on the model entrance, we’ve Julian O’Hayon, co-founder and CEO of BLVCK Paris. This luxurious way of life vogue model has completed superb issues in web3 and is a pioneering instance of different vogue manufacturers integrating web3 into their present enterprise fashions.
We even have the CEO of Animoca Manufacturers, Robby Yung, becoming a member of us for a fireplace chat reside on our primary stage alongside some nice VCs like Bankless Ventures.
And the good factor is we nonetheless have a lot extra to announce. Verify again to our audio system’ web page on the BlockDown Competition to maintain up to date on the most recent speaker bulletins!
There will likely be a metaverse vogue present happening IRL and on-line, that includes awe-inspiring designs from high NFT designers. Are you able to inform us extra concerning the occasion, and the way you determined to decide on which designers to collaborate with?
Sure, we’re wanting ahead to this. As talked about earlier than, that is in collaboration with the Metaverse Trend Council, advising us on the most effective designers and vogue homes to accomplice with for the Metaverse vogue present. The style present will likely be cut up into 4 segments, with a fashion-related speech and panels in between every efficiency.
For these on the competition, We could have a ten ft catwalk for the fashions to take to the stage and showcase the completely different vogue designs, and the present will likely be reside IRL and, in fact, within the metaverse on July eleventh.
Blockdown will likely be internet hosting Europe’s very first Bored Ape Yacht occasion! Are you able to inform us extra about this collaboration and the way you have been capable of be a part of forces?
I met the Bored Ape guys in Dubai just lately and attended one among their reveals and knew immediately that we needed to carry this to BlockDown Competition. I had a gathering with them the place we have been aligned with them relating to the content material and manufacturing of the occasion, and they’re excited to come back to Portugal for the primary time.
They are going to be internet hosting two events, the Bored Ape Yacht Get together may be very unique, naturally, as it’s on a yacht, the numbers are restricted, and people on that boat can even be handled to journeys by way of the world-famous Benagil Cave and be with a cease at a personal seaside for a Bored Ape BBQ!
On July Twelfth, on the competition’s primary stage, DJ Ape will carry the Bored Ape expertise to the entire competition for a 2-hour DJ set that includes distinctive tracks and merchandise. I can’t wait to see it!
Was it nonetheless potential for web3 creators to become involved with Blockdown this July? In that case, how can they get in contact?
We wish to maintain our doorways open to collaboration for so long as potential. Specifically, we’d love to listen to from music artists, NFT artists, Digital Trend Designers, and anybody or firm that may enrich the BlockDown Competition expertise for our friends. The extra inventive the thought, the higher!
For extra data, see BlockDown Competition: Portugal.
