Furrend

2023 marked a pivotal year for consumer crypto. This report is your ticket to a quick rundown of major events shaping the landscape.

Some highlights

• Developers prioritized composability, scalability, cheap fees, and integration ease.
• Scalable blockchains and low fees were key drivers of user adoption.
• Layer 2 (L2) solutions shone, with Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base leading the pack.
• PWAs emerged as the new cool kids on the blockchain.
• NFTs gained superpowers with the introduction of ERC-6551.
• AI + UGC: Crafting Tomorrow's Stories
• 2023 witnessed a crypto-fueled cultural and artistic renaissance. The focus shifted from new tokens to fresh narratives.

2023 was cool. While we might have missed the euphoric highs and breakout apps of web2, like Gas, acquired by Discord in early 2023, things are looking up.

We're optimistic that the way users interact with consumer crypto apps will undergo a transformation in the next six months. With low fees and infinite scalability, we're gearing up for an exciting journey into Consumer Crypto Summer in 2024. Get ready for the ride!

Well, if you're interested in reading more, here's the link to the full report: https://www.furrend.xyz/report/consumer-crypto-2023

2023 was a good year. From the jubilation of our official launch in May to the warm welcome of our first testers, participating in the Cronos Accelerator program, integrating Livepeer, unveiling our iOS beta app in August, and collaborating with Coinbase's Base and Chainlink, each step has taken us in the right direction, creating a space for pet lovers.

With almost 900 heartwarming animal videos shared on Furrend, we've not only built a platform but a vibrant community. Now, people can earn Pawer and collect video NFTs on both Base and Cronos. Our recent charity event, Paws for Furrends, surpassed expectations, raising over $5k in just 10 days, with the participation of more than 450 individuals collecting video NFTs and contributing to NGOs. To everyone who supported us – our heartfelt thanks.

As we close the chapter on 2023, I'd like to share some valuable insights, including the inevitable missteps encountered during the process of building Furrend, in the hope that it might guide others in their own ventures.

• Be Hands-On: In the early stages, with limited resources, being hands-on is crucial. Instead of immediately opting for professionals, roll up your sleeves, ship the product quickly, and get it into the hands of your users. Building a consumer social app requires a lean team – perhaps 3-4 individuals, consisting of two developers and one or two multifaceted talents handling design, growth, and customer acquisition.

• Stay Focused: It's tempting to continually refine and redesign, especially for those of us passionate about the products we create. However, it's vital to ask, "Will this enhance customer acquisition? Will it meaningfully impact our metrics?" Don't let your pride hinder prioritizing what's truly beneficial for your business and customers.

• The Hiring Conundrum: Hiring is more than a cliché piece of startup advice; it's a fundamental truth. A wrong fit can be detrimental. We've had to part ways with a few individuals – not because they were inherently bad, but because the alignment with the product, culture, or the company's current stage wasn't right. Recognizing and rectifying this sooner is a lesson learned.

As we bid farewell to 2023, I look forward to the continued growth of Furrend in 2024.

As always, if you have any feature requests, shoot me an email at jun@furrend.xyz.

See you in the next chapter!

We launched Paws for Furrends (https://paws-charity.furrend.xyz/), a special charity event where your love for pet videos and digital collectibles meets a heartwarming cause.

<b>What Inspires Paws for Furrends?</b>
At Furrend, spreading joy and making a positive impact are at the core of what we do. Paws for Furrends is our way of giving back and supporting animal NGOs, shelters, and rescuers, such as Toucan Rescue Ranch, Catrix, and Ong Crazy Cat Gang, ensuring our furry friends receive the care and warmth they deserve.

Moreover, we believe in empowering creators — from top-tier influencers to emerging talents. As we venture further into the web3 realm, bringing those creators’ work onchain provides them in an experimental and contemporary way, unlocking vast possibilities for both the creators and their work.

Paws for Furrends is more than just an event — it’s a celebration of love and cares for our furrends. Mark your calendars, spread the word, and make this charity event a moment to remember. Together, we can unleash goodness, one video NFT at a time!

Stay tuned and get ready to make a positive impact with Paws for Furrends!

At Furrend, we’ve always known that pets and technology make the purrfect pair. Our mission is simple: to create a consumer social app that celebrates billions of pet enthusiasts worldwide. We want to provide a platform for you to share your adorable pet videos and connect with fellow pet lovers seamlessly.

We believe there is a tremendous opportunity to bring social applications onchain to offer users and creators a richer experience. Decentralized storage of content ensures ownership, portability of data, greater control of content / IPs, and an international payment flow that is frictionless across borders. We are here to prove that a niche community of pet lovers can be served magnitudes better than the web2 ways.

With Furrend deployed on Base, we’re about to make history. For the first time ever, pet content and creator IP will be securely stored onchain, all thanks to Base’s cutting-edge blockchain technology on Ethereum built on top of the OP stack. This collaboration is a testament to the technical performance of Base as an L2 and its leading position in onchain social.

What does Furrend being deployed on Base mean to you? Picture this: faster, more efficient transactions with ultra-low fees. It means you can focus on what truly matters — creating, sharing, and collecting heartwarming moments with your beloved pets and furrends.

Starting today, creators on Furrend will have the incredible opportunity to mint exclusive NFT passes on Base. This exclusive NFT pass will grant them access to a treasure trove of creative tools, NFT-based items, entry into the Creator Club, and so much more.

And guess what? This is just the beginning!

--
If you want to check out the Furrend beta, email us at hi@furrend.xyz!

This week, we unveiled the early beta version of Furrend and invited our first batch of pet content creators to embark on this journey with us.

Furrend started out as a fun project, but it solves a real-world problem. We launched our first alpha version of the web app in May and onboarded dozens of pet lovers to test it internally. Also, we recently graduated from the Cronos Accelerator.

We’re building a unique platform with economic tools and gamification features to help pet content creators monetize their work and engage with their community through NFTs, and also help them drive audience growth and participation. By financially rewarding content creators, we aim to empower them to pursue their passions, further fuel their creativity, and produce pet-related content that resonates with a global audience.

Upcoming features:

• Game on with gamified rewards: Gear up to ascend the ranks through web3-fueled rewards for your content and community interactions. It’s a playful journey that boasts rewards as cute as the pets themselves!
• Royalties galore: Brace yourself for a bountiful stream of earnings with NFTs, sales splits, and royalties — it’s a golden opportunity to indulge in treats of all kinds.
• Pet-powered ownership: Embrace the concept of ownership with NFT memberships, exclusive content, and digital merchandise drops. At Furrend, creators reign supreme, sharing their creations with the world.

We will gradually onboard more creators and viewers in one batch and the time.

To get early access to the Furrend social network and browse hosted content, sign up for the waitlist here: https://furrend.xyz/

We’re absolutely thrilled to be your companions on this pettastic journey. With Furrend, each pet video is a masterpiece, each interaction a delight, and each moment a shared memory. Let’s make every second count — together as part of the ever-vibrant Furrend fam.

Furrend Alpha (MVP) went live this April. Since then, we have diligently gathered feedback and insights from a small group of pet lovers, creators, and builders.

Here's a little sneak peek:

https://youtu.be/1JQaYepE_hE

But that’s not all! Our team has been working hard and crafting a mobile app for you. We are delighted to share that the launch of the TestFlight app is just around the corner! Please stay tuned :)

We understand the significance of pets in people’s lives. They bring joy, companionship, and emotional support, becoming cherished members of our families. However, we also recognize the challenges faced by pet owners in finding a dedicated space that truly understands their needs and offers a supportive community. Furrend fills this void by providing a video-sharing platform exclusively focused on pet-related content, where users can immerse themselves in a world where pets take center stage.

Furrend is dedicated to serving all pet owners, animal enthusiasts, and content creators who are deeply passionate about the world of pets and seek both creative expression and financial rewards for their contributions. Whether you are a devoted pet parent with a flair for storytelling, a talented artist capturing the essence of pets through your craft, a skilled videographer creating captivating pet videos, or a knowledgeable expert sharing valuable pet care advice, Furrend is the platform for you.

In this way, we believe in the power of storytelling and shared experiences to bring together the world’s most passionate pet owners, animal lovers, and content creators into a vibrant and engaging online community.

We understand though that content creators invest their time, effort, and creativity into producing engaging and high-quality pet-related content. However, traditional platforms often fall short in adequately compensating creators for their valuable contributions. Furrend aims to change that by leveraging web3 technology to introduce a fair and transparent reward system. Through the use of blockchain and our digital assets, content creators on Furrend can receive direct financial incentives for their work, ensuring that their dedication and talent are recognized and valued.

By creating a sustainable ecosystem that rewards pet content creators financially, Furrend encourages the generation of exceptional pet-related content. This not only benefits the creators themselves but also enhances the overall user experience for our community. Users can enjoy a continuous stream of high-quality content, fueling their love for pets, inspiring creativity, and providing valuable insights and entertainment. Additionally, Furrend is promoting responsible pet care, raising awareness about animal welfare issues, and providing a platform for charitable initiatives that benefit the well-being of animals,

At Furrend, we are committed to nurturing a supportive community that recognizes and celebrates the contributions of pet content creators. We provide the tools, resources, and infrastructure necessary for creators to thrive, while fostering a collaborative environment where they can connect, learn from each other, and grow together. By rewarding content creators financially, we aim to empower them to pursue their passions, further fuel their creativity, and continue producing exceptional pet-related content that resonates with our global audience.

Join Furrend, where your pet-related content can be both creatively fulfilling and financially rewarding. Together, let’s build a purrfect ecosystem that empowers pet content creators and brings joy, inspiration, and financial opportunities to the world of pets.