Malaysia-based NFTapir recently announced that they are looking to onboard 100 local artists over the next few weeks into their NFT marketplace. The platform is especially looking for contemporary artists who might be hesitant to enter the digital realm –due to the perceived complexities of the NFT space– as their solutions offer a simplified process that tackles the issues that artists are facing.

“There is a renaissance in the art scene where artists who are ready to embrace digitisation and showcase their artworks online are earning more than they ever have,” NFTapir Co-Founder Zang Tan explains in a press statement.

“We are excited to empower local artists on their journey into the metaverse and our goal is to decomplex the NFT journey thus allowing both artists and collectors to trade art with minimal prerequisite knowledge of blockchain technology. This further creates new opportunities for artists to continue to display their art digitally regardless of movement restrictions that have kept artists and collectors from physically trading at galleries throughout the pandemic.”

NFTapir is developed on the Polygon Blockchain based on feedback gathered from the Malaysian artist community. These artists demand a marketplace that can help them navigate the volatility of selling artwork in the digital space while also providing a near-zero gas fee experience for both the artists and collectors.

NFTapir also stated that it is the first curated NFT marketplace in Malaysia that supports the PHYGITAL framework. This means that, regardless of the mediums that the artists use, every piece can be digitised and listed as NFT. In addition to that, collectors can also own the physical form of the artwork and have it delivered upon request.

With their gallery currently running on exhibition mode, NFTapir aims to enable its marketplace function in April once they hit the goal of onboarding 100 artists.

Also Read: Demystifying NFTs and DeFi

Behind the paintings

A self-funded platform, the NFTapir core team consists of Zang Tan, JS Tan and Hanzo Chin.

In an email interview with e27, Zang Tan explains how the platform began when the NFTapir team observed how the watercolour arts community in Malaysia was highly active while their market access to collectors was very limited. This is especially the case during the COVID-19 pandemic when the lockdown measure as implemented in the country pushed artists to take their works to platforms such as Facebook Groups to conduct digital sales. This effort is certainly not sustainable.

“By digitising their artworks, artists now have access to a 24/7 digital gallery to showcase their works. In addition to that, there is better business resiliency in case of any future lockdowns as traditional means of showcases would be affected. Other benefits of digitising their artworks also include Better Preservation of Value, Record of Ownership and Royalties function which are all enabled by the beauty of blockchain technology that is seen as a value add for artists,” he says.

But it was the US$69 million transactions of Beeple artwork in March last year that inspired them to build this platform.

” … as a collector of some renowned pieces by Khaw Sia, Tan Choo Ghee, Yeong Seak Ling, it got us to start thinking how physical artworks could also be a part of the NFT realm –as it was primarily catered towards Digital Arts at that time,” Zan Tan says. “Over the months we had engaged with the community, primarily speaking to artists and collectors of fine arts where the consistent problem statement we identified was ‘they were highly interested in NFTs’ but wasn’t sure how to get into it … with much intricacies for the end-users to learn this new knowledge depending on their digital maturity level.”

The team then introduced NFTapir after noticing this window of opportunity.

Also Read: NFTs provide new ways to handle IP management, empower content creators: Inmagine CEO Warren Leow

When asked about the specific issues that they want to solve, NFTapir stated that their main goal as a platform is to “decomplex” the NFT journey for its users. They detailed the challenges that the users are facing –and the solutions they offer– in the following image:

“By offering true-gas-free minting, we have reduced the clutter typically required by artists to mint their very first works. With NFTapir, there is no need to scout for a crypto exchange to purchase tokens which usually involves familiarising with another complex tool … where we only require artists … to set up a wallet address (using Metamask), apply for onboarding through a simple form. Artists that are successfully onboarded will have their accounts enabled for true-gas-free-minting where the Create button shall appear after they login,” Zang Tan elaborates.

Also Read: You’re not really diversifying your investments by buying altcoins

“True-gas-free-minting was coined as opposed to ‘lazy minting’ –a blockchain method commonly adopted by major marketplaces– whereby NFTapir will mint the NFT tokens on the artist’s behalf. It is sent to the artist for their safekeeping, empowering them with full ownership and authority which makes us truly different,” he continues.

Engaging the community

When it comes to onboarding artists on the platform, NFTapir views collaboration with the arts community as the core of what they are doing. It is committed to monitoring industry trends and is working with leading associations to conduct focused events to help onboard artists onto the ecosystem.

For the year, they will continue on focusing on onboarding more artists.

“Our focus for the year will be to onboard the artists in Malaysia, mainly targeting the watercolour, oil paintings and local crafts to digitise their artworks, giving them the digital NFT certificate. Allowing them to enjoy all the benefits … and to reach a wider audience by having an NFT attached to their artwork onto the blockchain,” Zang Tan closes. “Moving forward, we will be looking for potential partners and investors in helping us with the mission to expand regionally into other countries bringing the mission of digitising crafts globally.”

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I have switched jobs two times in the past year only to realise that no job will ever make me happy.

Each time I decided to move, it started with the feeling that something was missing from my job. I thought taking the new job would be the necessary stepping stone to fill the skillset I lacked.

And, subconsciously, I thought the feeling that something was missing would go away. But, like everything in life, nothing is ever perfect, and there’ll always be something missing one way or another.

There’s no such thing as the right job because human wants and desires are endless. So instead of looking for the right job, look for your superpower.

Redefine what the right job means

Instead of thinking of a job as a job, think of it as a career. Instead of finding a job that meets our consistently evolving wants and desires, let’s start with the end goal: what’s the ideal career for you?

A job is something you do for money; a career is a long-term endeavour you build towards and work upon every day.

A career is something that you aspire to do, and ultimately, it should be something that you can be the best in the world at. And, to be the best in the world at something, the ‘something’ needs to be aligned with your superpower.

Define your career from your superpower

So to identify your ideal career, you first need to identify your superpower. Someone who’s a natural hustler, has an appetite for people and is an unconventional thinker would make a great early-stage VC. Someone who has vision and business ideas, the ability to inspire and influence people, and methodical ways to execute would make a great entrepreneur.

Also Read: From teaching to a writing startup: Why and how I’ve pivoted my career

Once you know your superpower, build a career around your superpower. Two people can hold the same job, but no two people can hold the same career. For instance, 

• VC A may be the best VC who’s great at building rapport with founders, making intros to tier-one investors, and has the hustle to get access to deals.

• VC B may be the best VC who’s great at providing strategic and tactical advice, giving a platform for founders to share stories and connect with potential clients and partners, and has deep domain expertise.

Both of them have the same VC job and the same chance to be the best VCs globally. But, their paths to getting to their career goals will differ as they leverage different superpowers to get there, and that’s what I call ‘career paths’.

Focus on your superpower instead of your job

Once you find the ideal career that aligns with your superpower, the next step is to focus all your effort on honing that superpower.

It doesn’t matter what your name card reads because that’ll change from one year to another. What matters is knowing that you’re building your own individualised career path, and every day you spend honing those superpowers, you are moving closer to your career goals.

A career is personalised to you and brings out the best of your potential. So stop looking for a job, and start with these three simple steps: 

• Identify your superpower.
• Define an ideal career that aligns with your superpower.
• Build on your superpower day in and day out.

As Naval Ravikant famously said, “You can escape competition through authenticity when you realise that no one can compete with you on being you.”

This reminds me of one of my favourite Charlie Munger quotes, “Imitating the majority is the sure-fire path to average results.”

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E-commerce brand aggregator Rainforest today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Millenium Enterprises including its flagship baby care brand NatureBond.

In an email statement to e27, Rainforest Co-Founder and CEO JJ Chai wrote: “It was a 100 per cent acquisition of NatureBond and its parent company Millenium Enterprises for a significant seven-figure amount. Rainforest will continue to double down its efforts in acquiring promising brands to assemble a compelling portfolio of products for the modern mum segment.”

Following the acquisition, Millenium Enterprises founder Jeffrey Chua will be an advisor at Rainforest and NatureBond’s existing team will join Rainforest.

Rainforest will also support the brand’s marketing, pricing, supply chain, sourcing, product development and cross-border expansion levels. Apart from NatureBond, it already has over 13 cross-border brands in the mother, kids, baby care, and home categories.

According to a statement, NatureBond was recently ranked by The Straits Times and Statista as one of the fastest-growing companies in Singapore. Founded in 2016, it currently holds 31 patents globally and distributes its products to over 10 million consumers in 22 countries. To date, the brand has received over 40,000 positive product reviews and testimonials.

“We are immensely excited to welcome Naturebond into Rainforest’s growing family of brands for the modern mum. In a short time, NatureBond has established a reputation for creating fresh, distinctive and insightful products in an industry that is sometimes conservative in its innovation. This aligns well with our portfolio strategy as we continue to assemble compelling international brands targeted at the modern mum. I believe this partnership will accelerate both Naturebond’s global growth and the growth of our current baby brands and I am very excited by the opportunity ahead of us,” Chai said.

Also Read: How consumers are prioritising sustainability beyond the single lens of eco-friendly products

As an e-commerce aggregator, Rainforest works by acquiring consumer e-commerce brands, enabling them to provide entrepreneurs with a healthy exit and support brands in their growth journey.

Last year, the company secured a US$20 million Pre-Series A funding round led by Monk’s Hill Ventures. It plans to use the funding to acquire brands and has used it to buy out six e-commerce brands on Amazon marketplaces.

In the same email, Chai said that it intends to deploy over US$100 million this year towards further acquisitions to grow its portfolio. It also claimed that in the second half of 2021, the company’s brands grew three times faster than the US e-commerce market.

Brand aggregator is one of the most promising e-commerce branches in recent years, especially when seen from the funding round that companies in the verticals have raised.

In November 2021, Hypefast, an e-commerce brand aggregator in Indonesia, secured US$19.5 million in a Series A round of investment –also led by Monk’s Hill Ventures. It is set to compete with Singapore’s Una Brands and Rainforest.

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In the past few months, the metaverse has captivated web enthusiasts worldwide. From defining the concept of the metaverse to hypothesising its potential ability to transform the way our lives are lived, the metaverse is now being thought of by many as the future of the internet.

Yet, for a concept that could change the world’s relationship with the digital universe for good, not much has been said about how an individual could navigate this brave new world.

The metaverse is expected to be built on technologies that define Web3, such as Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). But how exactly will such frontier technologies enable us to realise the full potential of the metaverse?

Verifiable data is our gateway into the metaverse

Individuals will likely navigate the metaverse as digital avatars, whether these be actual full-blown virtual reality customisable avatars, or whether these are just simple access requests from an electronic device.

With this additional layer of anonymity, how will stakeholders in the metaverse ensure their exchanges with other digital identities are true with the intended individuals?

An individual’s identity in the metaverse is a combination of who they are, and what they have. This means that to identify who a person is in the digital space; specific personal data points can be furnished to “prove” the person is who they are.

For example, data such as medical records, educational attainments, vocational qualifications, and other credentials that an individual may have, can help serve as personal data points that “prove” an individual is truly who they say they are.

It is also important to note that these “proofs” must also be verifiable. If identities used to navigate the metaverse are not verifiable, then there will be little additional value the metaverse can bring beyond its Web2 counterparts, online social games like Second Life and The SIMS, as information exchanges cannot be guaranteed and secure.

Just like that, the potential of the metaverse is all but erased, as it will then be another unreliable and untrusted platform for information exchange, dashing the hopes of web enthusiasts for the me where key transactions with real-life implications can be facilitated and conducted easier than ever before.

This is where verifiable data, enabled by DLT, play an important role. Information that has been written to the ledger cannot be modified or destroyed, thus creating an everlasting record that can serve as a reference check for identity “proofs” presented on the metaverse.

This means that verifiable data should drive information used for metaverse transactions to ensure stakeholders’ ability to authenticate key information of every individual.

Also Read: The transition is now: these Web3 apps are transforming global finance

Artificial intelligence can also be built into authentication processes, where an individual’s movements, behaviours, and actions on the metaverse are assessed to verify digital identity.

With DLT-based verifiable data, cryptographic hashing and the potential to act on a zero-knowledge proof basis can assure metaverse users that their data is protected and secure.

Cryptographic hashing allows data obfuscation, which deters malicious actors from siphoning an individual’s personal data. Zero-knowledge proofs allow authentication without having to reveal information that could be compromised.

This means individuals have complete data ownership and the autonomy to decide what information to share, whether it is a simple yes or no answer, and with who, securely.

DLT-based verifiable data also allows interoperability of an individual’s digital assets, such as NFTs and verifiable documents.

This means individuals can transfer their digital assets from metaverse to metaverse, unlike traditional online social games.

Not only does this enable individuals toto transact across metaverses meaningfullybut it also has implications on an individual’s digital identity.

The decentralised nature of DLT-based verifiable data unlocks the potential for users to create a single identity that can be used to access multiple metaverses through decentralised authentication, especially since an individual’s digital assets, which may serve as identifier data points, are metaverse, transferrable.

This means individuals no longer need to create multiple “accounts”, if you will, to access different networks created by different communities.

By enabling individuals to operate with one single digital identity, the individual’s digital identity grows as their personal data points accumulate, creating a stronger, unique digital identity.

Over time, as metaverse participants deepen their interactions with the metaverse, the community will collectively improve the ability of Web3 technologies to authenticate identities and facilitate transactions.

Also Read: To infinity and beyond: Why 2022 will be the year of Web3

Metaverse gaming: an example of verifiable data applications

Gaming in the metaverse is rapidly gaining momentum in digital economies like South Korea. The advent of play-to-earn metaverse games is an example of how DLT is facilitating the world’s entry into the metaverse.

DLT-based digital currencies, verifiable and non-fungible, enable metaverse game developers to incentivise gamers by enforcing play-to-earn tokenomics, where in-game currency earned can be traded on exchanges.

Through the use of tokenomics, entire economies are currently being built in the nascency of the metaverse and this number will only continue to grow as we move forward with Web3.

These currencies, aside from their utility, also form part of the individual’s digital identity equation of what they have. Here, we see verifiable data as a way to drive gaming participation, build metaverse economies, and also reinforce digital identities.

The trading of assets is a recurring gaming concept that has also found its way into metaverse games. Gamers are familiar with trading, they have been trading gaming assets for real-world currency for decades, either via over-the-counter trades or popular platforms like G2G, Zeusx, and Kaleoz.

Traditionally, peer-to-peer trading has always been highly dependent on trust. A common dilemma faced by gamers would be the order of the transaction, does the seller send the assets first, or does the buyer send the payment first?

The reason for such a dilemma to exist in the first place is because such transactions occur in two different planes, the gaming universe and the real physical world. In the metaverse, such dilemmas may continue to exist, especially when it comes down to trading digital assets for physical ones.

The good news is that smart contracts, which are self-executing programs based on pre-defined requirements, built with DLT, powered by DLT-based digital currencies, and secured by verifiable data, can create a trustless transaction that cannot be compromised.

Only when the required commitments have been completed in full by both parties, will the transaction be executed.

The potential of metaverse gaming to facilitate financial transactions underlines the looming impact the metaverse would have on the world as we know it. This is even before considering the exploration that still needs to be done in the realms of metaverse advertising, entertainment, supply chain management, and so on.

Also Read: The different ways the Web3.0 is enabling marketplaces

Yet, one thing remains in all of these possibilities: the fact that DLT-based verifiable data will be the bedrock for most metaverse exchanges.

There is still work to be done in preparation for Web3

The biggest issue today with the adoption of Web3 and its offspring, such as the metaverse, is the technological gap between Web2 enterprises and the Web3 ecosystem.

Most of our information and data currently exist in Web2 databases, systems, and enterprises. These typically do not have the technical capability or risk appetite to participate in the Web3 ecosystem, and herein lies the biggest leap the world has to make to adopt Web3.

To stay on the curve, organisations and governments will need to find ways to port legacy information and data from traditional formats into outputs that are compatible with the new digital ecosystem. This includes transforming centrally-stored data into digital, verifiable, decentralised data pockets owned by the individual.

For Web2 firms that have the foresight to recognise this but lack the technical skills to implement change, frontier technology providers, such as Accredify, can help them apply enterprise-grade solutions to enable workflow integration for outputs that are in Web3 compatible formats.

In this manner, these enterprises can transform their data and information into decentralised, user-owned data stores where users can readily utilise this data in the Web 3 ecosystem.

Nobody is certain of how far Web3 will go to replace Web2, but we have learnt enough to know that the world should already start bracing for the impending wave of change that is to come.

Organisations can begin preparing by letting verifiable data drive their processes, it is what will power almost every transaction in Web3. By doing so, organisations will futureproof their enterprises by ensuring their processes, outputs, and ways of working, remain relevant and compatible with the new digital ecosystem.

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Last week, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) made a landmark decision as 175 countries agreed to establish a legally-binding Global Plastics Treaty.

The largest multilateral international agreement saw on the entire plastics value chain, ‘from source to sea,’ this treaty holds the potential to generate a huge surge of demand for innovation.

While the final agreement will not be ready for another two years, it is already referred to as the ‘Paris Agreement for plastics’, about the COP21 treaty that agrees to limit global warming to ‘well below’ 2°C.

This treaty represents a huge opportunity for global cooperation but more than that. It charts a clearer path for entrepreneurs looking to solve the urgent issue of the plastic pollution crisis.

The need for this is clear in Southeast Asia, where the abundantly visible plastic pollution crisis has already inspired hundreds of entrepreneurs to collect, sort, and innovate plastics at every stage of the manufacturing process, from waste pickers (​​the people who derive an income for picking material from waste streams) to researchers and startup founders.

A clear(er) opportunity for our entrepreneurs

The exciting opportunity of the Global Plastics Treaty lies in clarifying and unifying a  fragmented policy landscape.

By now, news about the plastics pollution crisis is no longer surprising, nor are the attempts to solve it. Where nations have lacked waste management infrastructure, informal waste pickers have collected, sorted, and managed plastic waste for decades.

In fact, they are responsible for 97 per cent of PET bottles collected for recycling, a formal part of the waste management system, which means they often don’t receive social and economic protections. 

Each nation has different goals, metrics and approaches to tackle the plastics pollution crisis. Not to mention how regional initiatives (such as the ASEAN regional action plan for combating marine debris) often sit separately too.

The Global Plastics Treaty has the opportunity to create a single framework and reporting system for all stakeholders to align with. This will greatly benefit entrepreneurs, as a clearly defined problem to solve makes for a better target for innovation. 

Across Southeast Asia, entrepreneurial individuals are already applying themselves to the plastics pollution crisis.

Also Read: Why interest in cleantech lags and how startups can overcome

For example, Vietnam-based ReForm Plastic currently empowers over 20 informal waste workers while operating six decentralised factories across Southeast Asia via a social franchise model with over 100 tons of non-tradable plastic waste processed in 2021.

The startup currently empowers 10 informal waste workers while operating four factories across Southeast Asia, with 85 tons of plastic waste diverted in 2021.

With a global treaty that clearly outlines the steps toward tackling plastic pollution, the markets for solutions to these issues become a lot clearer.

In turn, this de-risks the innovation opportunity for entrepreneurs. Starting your venture involves an element of luck but creating one that meets a clearly defined problem with legally-binding goals makes it an opportunity that is both more secure and stable to explore.

When we de-risk innovation, we open the doors wider for a more diverse range of entrepreneurs to enter the market.

Enabling more sustainable livelihoods

Plastic pollution disproportionately impacts the poor and the marginalised. Innovating today is not just important but urgent.

Limited choices and incomes restrict households to rely on single-use plastic packaging, while underdeveloped infrastructure can leave communities drowning in plastic waste.

Yet these communities are not simply victims of plastic pollution; they had played a critical role in tackling this crisis before the treaty was even on the table.

It’s exciting to see that stakeholders across the plastic value chain are not just advocating for the voices of some of these unheard voices. The efforts of waste workers and the informal sector were explicitly named in the treaty, so we hope their interests and voices will be represented in the final agreement.

Also Read: Why corporates and investors must climb the mountain called sustainability

These perspectives, and expertise, are critical to ensure solutions meet the needs of affected communities, and innovations will be built with, not enforced on, those on the frontlines.

While anyone can innovate, not everyone has the resources. When entrepreneurs face fewer risks or resistance, they’re more likely to start pursuing their innovation – and succeed. 

At The Incubation Network, we have the privilege of supporting an incredible number of entrepreneurs innovating for the better on a daily basis.

One fantastic example in Indonesia is Reciki Solusi which has launched a new project to improve the livelihoods of women waste workers and the impact of waste banks by establishing a buy-back centre for rigid plastic.

Women at their centre will have the opportunity to be formally employed, be enrolled in the national social security and health insurance program, and be given opportunities to upskill.

A compass, not a map

The foundations of the treaty have made one direction clear: the entire plastics value chain, from source to sea, needs to be revisited. If we want to reimagine the whole lifecycle of plastics, we need to take a holistic approach and come up with circular solutions.

The circular economy promotes closed-loop production, think reduce, reuse, recycle. Instead of a cycle of extraction and waste, we follow a cycle of sustainable resource usage.

Tackling such a visible and prominent problem like the plastics pollution crisis could help carve a path for other industries to consider a circular economy approach.

While the finer details and deliverables of the Global Plastics Treaty are being discussed, entrepreneurs have a clear remit to tackle the plastic pollution crisis. Those who move ahead of the treaty’s legally binding requirements stand to gain from a first-mover advantage once it is finalised.

The details may not be clear, but the sentiment is: there are opportunities for innovators at every stage of the plastics value chain and space for new players to emerge.

There is already a growing swell of energy and interest in the opportunities that a circular approach to plastics and waste could offer.

In the last two and a half years alone, The Incubation Network has worked with upwards of 200 solutions looking to do just that and will continue to build on the ecosystem’s momentum to further progress. 

Policies can be an important innovation catalyst. The Global Plastics Treaty presents an opportunity to put an overdue target on our region’s plastic pollution crisis. Bringing attention to the entrepreneurial gap is critical to inviting more stakeholders and startups into this space. 

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

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