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 Lodge booked within the middle of Istanbul. This was the primary occasion we had organized and issues had been going nice, after which covid-19 hit and every little thing fell aside. After all, we needed to cancel the occasion and refund all sponsors; this was devastating to me as I’d labored extraordinarily exhausting on placing this collectively.

When the world shut down in March 2020, we had 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 (because of the lockdown!), questioning what we must always do. We had this nice speaker lineup however no convention, thus BlockDown was born.

BlockDown allowed me and my group to laser give attention to making a metaverse-inspired digital expertise that has by no means been accomplished earlier than in simply 6 weeks. The joy of bringing the entire blockchain group collectively for 12 hours per day reside throughout 48 hours, taking within the largest audio system and initiatives 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 quite a lot of media consideration about Akon showing at BlockDown because it was the primary international blockchain occasion he had participated in.

As someone who spent his college days dancing to Akon on pupil nights late into the night time, I by no means thought we’d find yourself working collectively like this. In order that was a giant 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 guts of the occasion.

As you rightly stated, BlockDown Pageant focuses on the intersection of web3 and tradition, the crossover of the artistic industries similar to music, sports activities, arts, vogue, gaming and leisure.

For music, we now have partnered with web3 music platform TokenTraxx, in making a web3 music takeover stage within the secret backyard stage of the competition. We shall be inviting 8 web3 musicians which have discovered success within the NFT area to talk and carry out on the competition. We’ve a pleasant combine of various music genres, and It would give the competition nice power whereas giving everybody an opportunity to find new up-and-coming web3 music artists.

For Style, we now have partnered up with the Metaverse Style 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 shall 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 occurring at BlockDown Pageant this 12 months. The Metaverse Style Council has simply launched Fashion AI, a first-of-its-kind vogue AI that may create vogue clothes primarily based in your prompts. In an America’s bought expertise type competitors, rivals will take the stage to battle it out who can take advantage of trendy clothes and decide by professional vogue judges, which shall be very thrilling.

For Gaming, we now have partnered up with the Blockchain Sport Alliance to assist us in bringing collectively one of the best gaming content material attainable. We could have W3E with us, who could have a gaming zone and expertise internet hosting reside web3 gaming tournaments all through the competition.

As web3 goes extra mainstream, an increasing number of web3 initiatives need to accomplice with the world’s largest manufacturers to onboard the subsequent technology of individuals into web3. With that in thoughts, we now have some main manufacturers at BlockDown Pageant this 12 months.

To call a number of, we now have Pär Helgosson, head of web3 and metaverse at PSG, one the world’s largest soccer golf equipment and types,

Preserving on the sports activities entrance, we now have John Wolfe, Web3 Lead at McLaren Racing. He shall be internet hosting a keynote speech and becoming a member of an professional panel of manufacturers discussing how Mclaren Racing has efficiently entered web3 and the place they see the longer term trajectory of the trade.

Lastly, on the model entrance, we now have Julian O’Hayon, co-founder and CEO of BLVCK Paris. This luxurious way of life vogue model has accomplished superb issues in web3 and is a pioneering instance of different vogue manufacturers integrating web3 into their current 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 Pageant to maintain up to date on the most recent speaker bulletins!

Sure, we’re wanting ahead to this. As talked about earlier than, that is in collaboration with the Metaverse Style Council, advising us on one of the best designers and vogue homes to accomplice with for the Metaverse vogue present. The style present shall 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 shall be reside IRL and, after all, within the metaverse on July eleventh.

I met the Bored Ape guys in Dubai lately and attended one among their exhibits and knew immediately that we needed to deliver this to BlockDown Pageant. I had a gathering with them the place we had been aligned with them concerning the content material and manufacturing of the celebration, 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 Social gathering could be very unique, naturally, as it’s on a yacht, the numbers are restricted, and people on that boat may also be handled to journeys by the world-famous Benagil Cave and be with a cease at a non-public seashore for a Bored Ape BBQ!

On July Twelfth, on the competition’s primary stage, DJ Ape will deliver 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!

We need to preserve our doorways open to collaboration for so long as attainable. Specifically, we’d love to listen to from music artists, NFT artists, Digital Style Designers, and anybody or firm that may enrich the BlockDown Pageant expertise for our visitors. The extra artistic the concept, the higher!

For extra data, see BlockDown Pageant: Portugal.