https://mirror.xyz/0x16c6C19329cBb46218d51B07c994468a5aF864A7/O2YrmosdwlErSJSZGRUAEA3UdFa_CrIaIBxa2nYMaqI
NFTs are on a meteoric rise. Today, more than two million wallets own NFTs. The industry has surpassed $10B in transaction volume this year. The most influential creators and brands are piling in and there are no signs of slowing down.
For those who have been watching closely—it's no surprise. We are in the midst of a monumental shift: we now spend more and more time online, our digital identities matter more than ever, and for the first time in history, we are able to truly own digital goods via self-sovereign wallets. While much of the media focus has been on eye-watering prices, NFTs are simply digital goods. Like physical goods, these digital goods reflect your taste, interests, values, and the communities you believe in—only now at internet scale. As a result, the NFTs you own provide incredible texture and resolution to who you are online.
With the power to create digital assets now open and accessible to anyone in the world, we are already seeing top creators, media companies, and brands dive headfirst into the world of NFTs, a trend that will only accelerate over the coming decade. As NFTs are granted for the concerts you attend, earned for participating in communities, and rewarded for being a top patron of your favorite establishments, the pieces you own will begin to represent all aspects of your life.
There's no proper place to enjoy the NFTs you love.
It's not surprising many in the outside world view NFTs as scams or speculative financial assets. Today, the default destination to consume NFTs are marketplaces and storefronts where attention is drawn to prices, bids, and transactions. In reality, NFTs are cultural assets, and the context in which they are shared should reflect that.
To that end, every individual deserves the right to have a space where they can curate and compose their collection to reflect the cultural value of their pieces—a place where the meaning, story, and gravity are appreciated.
Enter Gallery.
We're building a crypto-based network and social layer for collectors to curate their NFTs, express themselves through their pieces, and connect with others.
To execute on this vision, we've raised $2.69M led by Collab+Currency, alongside Distributed Global, Lattice Capital, Palm Tree Crew (Kygo), Galaxy Interactive, FlamingoDAO, Scalar Capital, and The LAO. Coinbase Ventures and Dapper Labs participated in the round as strategic investors. The round also includes angel investments from over twenty of the top collectors in the NFT space including Santiago Santos, Coopahtroopa, Gabby Dizon, Deeze, Greg Isenberg, pplpleasr, Jamis Johnson, Trevor McFedries, Andy Chorlian, Dandelion, Seth Goldstein, and Jess Sloss.
To start, we're laser-focused on creating the best space to curate and share your collection. Since our beta launch two weeks ago, Gallery now includes hundreds of the largest NFT collectors in the space as users—including FlamingoDAO, PleasrDAO, DCInvestor, Kevin Rose, and more.
We see NFTs as the primitive for the next wave of human expression on the internet. By giving owners the power to personalize and curate their gallery exactly how they want, we want to bring back the feeling of your own personal corner on the internet. And as more people express themselves online, our goal is to facilitate more meaningful connections between those who share interests and values.
Derek Edws, Partner at Collab+Currency, shares his thesis:
“As the new decade begins, we're witnessing more individuals than ever before engage in unique acts of digital self-expression, connection, and identity-curation. As the time we spend in blockchain-based digital environments continues to explode, it is imperative we discover the right levers to imbue context into the unique digital artifacts we own and share across the metaverse—regardless of background, geography, or social status. We couldn’t be more excited to back the heart-centered Gallery team as they build the future of digital expression and connection. LFG.”