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$54B fund partner runs women-only DAO, LatAm blockchain gaming guild

Clara Bullrich helps run a $54B investment fund, a women-only DAO and she founded a gaming guild to teach gamers in Latin America play to earn.

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Clara Bullrich helps run a $54B investment fund, a women-only DAO and she founded a gaming guild to teach gamers in Latin America play to earn.

Clara Bullrich must have cloned herself or possibly invoked dark forces that shouldnt be meddled with. Somehow, shes managed to cram about four careers into one life.

Her main gig is leading her own financial entity, AlTi, managing a whopping investment fund, which grew to $54 billion under management following a recent merger. Thats a big enough job in itself.

A member of Women in Blockchain, she also runs a women-only DAO, Komorebi, that concentrates on funding female and non-gender-specific projects.

Ive seen in crypto that theres very few women, and I really want to push that as much as I can, she says. For me, its always important to have skin in the game.

And if that wasnt enough, shes also the founder of a gaming guild, Ola Guild Games (OlaGG), that hopes to upskill the quarter of a billion mobile gamers in Latin America so they can boost their incomes using play-to-earn blockchain games. 

She tells Magazine she feels lucky to have been involved with cryptocurrencies, DAOs and the metaverse at this early stage.

My sons are nine and 11 and will live through the entire cycle of what blockchain and crypto are creating right now. And I feel super hopeful around that.

Hailing from Argentina, after studying in the United States and Ireland, she worked for a short time for the Spanish Santander bank in the United States. She didnt stay there long. Laboring in the stuffy, conventional world of traditional finance clearly does not float her boat. Her favorite word is disruptive.

Bitcoin is just money supported by math. I came across it about seven years ago. At first, I was very uncomfortable with that, then I thought: The big disruptions are the ones you should walk towards.

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Disruptive innovation

After a short stint at Santander, she was headhunted by an Argentine tech company called Collective Mind, which grew rapidly. Then in 2000, she started a family office business for high-net-worth clients under the umbrella of Guggenheim Partners. In those days, family offices werent as prevalent as today.

Over 23 years, she expanded her operations from Latin America to other parts of the world. Three years ago, this fund management business became Alvarium Investment Advisors, managing over $20 billion in investments, then recently merged with two other companies to form Alvarium Tiedemann Holdings, AlTi, with over $54 billion under management.

Bullrich had some challenges persuading her clients to invest in disruptive technology, including Bitcoin, but first, she had to persuade her colleagues of the merits of investing in progress rather than simple money-making schemes. 

My discussions with my partners were very much around: We should be investing in tech with tech expertise, not financial expertise. 

Her intention was to back technology that would have beneficial effects in the longer term, rather than simply looking at a financial balance sheet.

She set up the Digital Assets Committee at Alvarium Tiedemann in 2019.

What you have to realize is that most people there are traditional investors, so the idea of crypto, blockchain, Web3, digital assets these were really foreign to them.

She continues, And so being able to start that committee has allowed me to educate traditional investors about the potential of digital assets and blockchain technology. She continues, I wanted to create that level of expertise to be able to understand trends, why certain disruptions make more sense than others.

She feels the mindset required is more technological and over a longer time span than in conventional finance. This led, in 2016, to her second company, which is called The Venture City.

Venture City
The Venture City is an accelerator to nurture innovative projects. Source: Venture City

The Venture City is an accelerator to nurture innovative projects, so it has the financial backing, expertise and support to reach its potential.

A major impetus behind TVC is to improve access to financial products and services. In some Latin American countries, up to 60%70% of people do not have bank accounts, restricting their ability to improve their situation. Bullrich sees TVCs investments as a means of combining technology and financial expertise with a beneficial social product.

We have already 100 companies who passed through the accelerator, and were actually starting Fund 3. So, we did Fund 1 with $52 million, Fund 2 with $75 [million], and were going in 2023 with the launch of Fund 3. It was an amazing experience. Because very early on, we were talking about community and creating a lot of events and educational sessions around the products.

Here are some examples of the many projects The Venture City has invested in:

Sturdy Exchange: Sturdy.Exchange is an NFT-based Web3 token in the Flow ecosystem. It aims to decentralize music distribution. It is a platform for artists, musicians and entertainers to reach their audiences with a new form of ownership and utility using NFTs. 

Belo: A wallet app that uses Argentine pesos and crypto with a DeFi yield platform built in so users can receive regular returns. It aims to be an accessible cryptocurrency introduction.

Gamer Safe: This is an app to make online multiplayer gaming safer and more pleasant, by removing cheaters, fake and duplicated accounts, and policing toxicity and dishonesty in games. 

Women in Blockchain

She joined Women in Blockchain (WiB) last year and hopes to develop womens skills, opportunities and aspirations in the cryptocurrency sector.

We are providing that platform where women can meet and be part of those conversations and move forward in terms of education, she says. We can become connectors of people needing a certain kind of expertise and people with that expertise can link up with those who need it.

So, WiBs a completely different animal from my Venture City, which is doing that deep dive looking for companies and deciding what companies the fund is going to invest in.

Korembri
Komorebi is a DAO aimed at improving the representation of female and non-binary crypto folk. Source: Komorebi

Diversity in DAOs

Komorebi is a poetic, almost untranslatable, Japanese expression that describes sunlight filtering through trees. It is also a DAO on the Syndicate Protocol, dedicated to increasing diversity and breaking down barriers to entry in the blockchain space.

The thought process behind this was that women-led startups receive only 2.3% of venture funding but perform 63% better than investments with all-male founding teams, according to Venture Capital firm First Round.

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My involvement with Komorebi allows me to support and amplify the voices of women in tech and finance. Im grateful I didnt have as many hurdles of being a woman in finance, but I encountered them more in technology. So, whats crucial for me here is being able to find an opportunity to help women find their voice in blockchain and crypto.

She says adding more diversity to the crypto and blockchain world is a win-win for everyone.

Im not saying womens voices should be dominant over men; its not one or the other. What I truly believe is having diverse perspectives and experiences in decision-making leads to better outcomes, and my role is to provide an additional platform for women to showcase their passion, their vision.

When Bullrich finds a project that interests her team, she brings it to the DAO and everyone votes on whether to back it or not. The DAO is a very interesting angle for allowing people to be part of something bigger, rather than just putting money into it.

Final boss: Making a living in a poor country with P2E

Yield and Ola Guild Games: These are DAOs. Yield Guild Games (YGG) was founded by Gabby Dizon and Beryl Li in 2018 to involve Filipino players in gaming and cryptocurrency. The players can supplement their incomes with P2E winnings. OlaGG is a subDAO, which expands the successful concept geographically to the Hispanic market: Spain, Latin America outside Brazil and Hispanics in the United States.

The idea of Ola Guild Games is to create social and financial inclusion for the Hispanic Community through gaming. Its main platform is Axie Infinity, but there are options to engage with other P2E game systems as well. The concept took off in the Philippines during the pandemic, with users supplementing their tightened budgets or even multiples of the average wage with P2E gaming.

It seems like a good fit as one-third of Hispanic speakers income is $1.90 per day, which the United Nations defines as extreme poverty. Nearly half have no access to banking or financial products. However, more than 58% of the population in Latin America play mobile games, which equates to a user base of over 273 million people.

So, the idea of Ola is how can we engage with people, teach them, educate them on these new tools for Web3 to really create that financial inclusion. It might be through games, and that will be play-to-earn. 

The Guild is also creating educational programs learn-to-earn where users receive payment for educational achievements with the intention of having an employment structure, for example, in games development, to move on to when trained.

Conventional western aid purveyors will probably have heart attacks when they find developing countries blockchain-gaming their way up the development ladder, instead of subsisting on aid packages with strings attached.

While it does have a huge and clearly defined audience, the project is still in its early stages.

Co-founding Ola and working with my team in Latin America represents my desire to give back and provide opportunities in a market that does not have access to the same resources as we have here in the U.S., she says. I want to provide all that education Im seeing here on Web3, structuring DAOs, and help them adopt those technologies and bring it to life. Its not just a nice to have, its a must-have for Latin America.

By sharing my experiences and knowledge of Web3 and decentralized organizations, I hope to bring positive change to my home country [Argentina].

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“What’s More Tragic Is Capitalism”: BLM Faces Bankruptcy As Founder Cullors Is Cut By Warner Bros

"What’s More Tragic Is Capitalism": BLM Faces Bankruptcy As Founder Cullors Is Cut By Warner Bros

Authored by Jonathan Turley,

Two years…

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"What's More Tragic Is Capitalism": BLM Faces Bankruptcy As Founder Cullors Is Cut By Warner Bros

Authored by Jonathan Turley,

Two years ago, I wrote columns about companies pouring money into Black Lives Matter to establish their bona fides as “antiracist” corporations. The money continued to flow despite serious questions raised about BLM’s management and accounting. Democratic prosecutors like New York Attorney General Letitia James showed little interest in these allegations even as James sought to disband the National Rifle Association (NRA) over similar allegations. At the same time, Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors cashed in with companies like Warner Bros. eager to give her massive contracts to signal their own reformed status. It now appears that BLM is facing bankruptcy after burning through tens of millions and Warner Bros. cut ties with Cullors after the contract produced no — zero — new programming.

Some states belatedly investigated BLM as founders like Cullors seemed to scatter to the winds.

Gone are tens of millions of dollars, including millions spent on luxury mansions and windfalls for close associates of BLM leaders.

The usual suspects gathered around the activists like former Clinton campaign general counsel Marc Elias, who later removed himself from his “key role” as the scandals grew.

When questions were raised about the lack of accounting and questionable spending, BLM attacked critics as “white supremacists.”

Warner Bros. was one of the companies eager to grab its own piece of Cullors to signal its own anti-racist virtues.  It gave Cullors a lucrative contract to guide the company in the creation of both scripted and non-scripted content, focusing on reparations and other forms of social justice. It launched a publicity campaign for everyone to know that it established a “wide-ranging content partnership” with Cullors who would now help guide the massive corporation’s new programming. Calling Cullors “one of the most influential thought leaders in American public life,” Warner Bros. announced that she was going to create a wide array of new programming, including “but not limited to live-action scripted drama and comedy series; longform/event series; unscripted docuseries; animated programming for co-viewing among kids, young adults and families; and original digital content.”

Some are now wondering if Warner Bros. ever intended for this contract to produce anything other than a public relations pitch or whether Cullors took the money and ran without producing even a trailer for an actual product. Indeed, both explanations may be true.

Paying money to Cullors was likely viewed as a type of insurance to protect the company from accusations of racial insensitive. After all, the company was giving creative powers to a person who had no prior experience or demonstrated talent in the area. Yet, Cullors would be developing programming for one of the largest media and entertainment companies in the world.

One can hardly blame Cullors despite criticizism by some on the left for going on a buying spree of luxury properties.

After all, Cullors was previously open about her lack of interest in working with “capitalist” elements. Nevertheless, BLM was run like a Trotskyite study group as the media and corporations poured in support and revenue.

It was glaringly ironic to see companies like Warner Bros. falling over each other to grab their own front person as the group continued boycotts of white-owned businesses. Indeed, if you did not want to be on the wrong end of one of those boycotts, you needed to get Cullors on your payroll.

Much has now changed as companies like Bud Light have been rocked by boycotts over what some view as heavy handed virtue signaling campaigns.

It was quite a change for Cullors and her BLM co-founder, who previously proclaimed “[we] are trained Marxists. We are super versed on, sort of, ideological theories.” She denounced capitalism as worse than COVID-19. Yet, companies like Lululemon rushed to find their own “social justice warrior” while selling leggings for $120 apiece.

When some began to raise questions about Cullors buying luxury homes, Facebook and Twitter censored them.

With increasing concerns over the loss of millions, Cullors eventually stepped down as executive director of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, as others resigned.  At the same time, the New York Post was revealing that BLM Global Network transferred $6.3 million to Cullors’ spouse, Janaya Khan, and other Canadian activists to purchase a mansion in Toronto in 2021.

According to The Washington Examiner, BLM PAC and a Los Angeles-based jail reform group paid Cullors $20,000 a month. It also spent nearly $26,000 on meetings at a luxury Malibu beach resort in 2019. Reform LA Jails, chaired by Cullors, received $1.4 million, of which $205,000 went to the consulting firm owned by Cullors and her spouse, according to New York magazine.

Once again, while figures like James have spent huge amounts of money and effort to disband the NRA over such accounting and spending controversies, there has been only limited efforts directed against BLM in New York and most states.

Cullors once declared that “while the COVID-19 illness is tragic, what’s more tragic is capitalism.” These companies seem to be trying to prove her point. Yet, at least for Cullors, Warner Bros. fulfilled its slogan that this is all “The stuff that dreams are made of.”

Tyler Durden Sun, 05/28/2023 - 16:00

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Biden reaches ‘tentative’ US debt ceiling deal: Report

United States President Joe Biden has urged the United States Congress to “pass the agreement right away.“
Amid growing concerns…

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United States President Joe Biden has urged the United States Congress to “pass the agreement right away.“

Amid growing concerns of a potential default by early June, United States President Joe Biden and House majority leader Representative Kevin McCarthy have reportedly reached an “agreement in principle” to raise the federal government’s multitrillion-dollar debt ceiling.

According to a May 28 report from Reuters citing two sources familiar with the negotiations, the “tentative” agreement to raise the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling was reached after a 90-minute phone call between Biden and McCarthy on May 27.

Since publication time, Biden has confirmed via Twitter the existence of an “agreement in principle," explaining that it will prevent the U.S. from facing a “catastrophic default.“

Biden noted that “over the next day,” the agreement would go to the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. He urged both chambers to “pass the agreement right away.“

Meanwhile, McCarthy also took to Twitter to confirm the agreement in principle, alleging that Biden “wasted time and refused to negotiate for months.“

Reuters reported that while “the exact details of the deal were not immediately available,” an agreement has been made to limit the U.S. government’s spending for the next two years, excluding expenses related to national security.

“Negotiators have agreed to cap non-defense discretionary spending at 2023 levels for one year and increase it by 1% in 2025,” a source familiar with the deal said.

Related: Debt ceiling crisis: Best practices to navigate this market

This comes only weeks after U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned of a default risk as soon as June 1 if the debt limit isn’t suspended or raised, urging Congress to “act as soon as possible.“

Additionally, The U.S. Congressional Budget Office published a report on May 12, emphasizing that if the debt limit remains unchanged, there is a significant risk “that at some point in the first two weeks of June, the government will no longer be able to pay all of its obligations.“

In recent times, several analysts have shared a similar view that raising the debt ceiling could see more capital inflow into Bitcoin (BTC).

On May 17, MacroJack, a former Wall Street trader, warned his followers in a tweet that the U.S. debt ceiling talks are “all show.“

He emphasized how important it is to own hard assets as the dollar will be “printed into oblivion,” while stating that Bitcoin is the “fastest horse in the race.“

Meanwhile, Jesse Myers, chief operating officer of investment firm Onramp, reminded his 50,100 Twitter followers of what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that “Bitcoin was the winner during the last round of stimulus.“

He proposed the idea that history might repeat itself if the debt ceiling were to be raised, as it would prompt the Federal Reserve to print more money.

Update on May 28, 2023, at 03:15: This article has been updated to include United States President Joe Biden's tweet.

Magazine: Visa stablecoin plan, debt ceiling’s effect on Bitcoin price: Hodler’s Digest, April 23-29

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Biden reaches ‘tentative’ US debt ceiling deal: Report

United States President Joe Biden has urged both the United States House and Senate to "pass the agreement right away."
Amid growing…

Published

on

United States President Joe Biden has urged both the United States House and Senate to "pass the agreement right away."

Amid growing concerns of a potential default by early June, the United States President Joe Biden and Republican Kevin McCarthy have reportedly reached an "agreement in principle" to raise the federal government's multi-trillion dollar debt ceiling.

According to a May 28 report from Reuters, citing two sources familiar with the negotiations, the "tentative" agreement to raise the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling was reached after a 90-minute phone call between Biden and McCarthy on May 27.

Following the publication of this article, Biden has since confirmed via Twitter the existence of an "agreement in principle," explaining that it will prevent the U.S. facing a "catostrophic default."

Biden noted that "over the next day," the agreement will go the U.S. House and Senate. He urged both chambers to "pass the agreement right away."

Meanwhile, McCarthy also took to Twitter to confirm the agreement in principle, alleging that Biden "wasted time and refused to negiotate for months."

Reuters reported that while "the exact details of the deal were not immediately available," an agreement has been made to limit the U.S. government's spending for the next two years, excluding expenses related to national security. 

"Negotiators have agreed to cap non-defense discretionary spending at 2023 levels for one year and increase it by 1% in 2025" a source familiar with the deal said.

Related: Debt ceiling crisis: Best practices to navigate this market

This comes only weeks after U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned of a default risk as soon as June 1 if the debt limit isn't suspended or raised, urging Congress to "act as soon as possible."

Additionally, The U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO) published a report on May 12, emphasizing that if the debt limit remains unchanged, there is a significant risk "that at some point in the first two weeks of June, the government will no longer be able to pay all of its obligations."

In recent times, several analysts have shared a similiar view that raising the debt ceiling could see more capital inflow into Bitcoin (BTC)

MacroJack, a former Wall Street trader, warned his followers in a tweet on May 17 that the U.S. debt ceiling talks are "all show."

He emphasized how important it is to own hard assets as the dollar will be "printed into oblivion," while stating that Bitcoin is the "fastest horse in the race."

Meanwhile, Jesse Myers, chief operating officer of investment firm Onramp reminded his 50,100 Twitter followers of what happened during the Covid-19 Pandemic, stating that "Bitcoin was the winner during the last round of stimulus."

He proposed the idea that history might repeat itself if the debt ceiling were to be raised, as it would prompt the Federal Reserve to print more money.

Update on May 28, 2023, at 03:15: This article has been updated to include United States President Joe Biden's tweet.

Magazine: Visa stablecoin plan, debt ceiling’s effect on Bitcoin price: Hodler’s Digest, April 23-29

Read More

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