Ayelet Noff

expert panel

A bear market may not be the best of times for a crypto startup, but it’s not an insurmountable barrier, either. Launching a startup in any industry is hard. Launching during a bear market is even harder. Launching a startup in a bear market in a relatively new industry like crypto — which many investors don’t fully understand and which has had its share of recent negative headlines — brings a whole additional slate of challenges. But as many industry pioneers have proven, it’s not impossible, as long as founders follow a few smart strategies. Many of the members of Cointelegraph Innovation Circle are startup founders themselves, and all are longtime industry veterans and market watchers. Here, 18 of them share their tested tips for crypto companies starting out during these volatile times.

expert panel

Balancing cost-cutting efforts with smart efficiency strategies can help crypto companies weather current macroeconomic conditions. Crypto winter has been challenging enough for the industry; it doesn’t help that the broader macroeconomic environment is uncertain as well. With ongoing talk of a potential recession, tightening access to investor capital and rising interest rates, some crypto and blockchain companies are joining their peers in other industries in exploring cost-cutting measures. While trimming the budget may be a necessary effort, it’s important to do so judiciously. Further, leveraging smart strategies can help companies avoid deep cuts and boost productivity and efficiency. Here, 15 members of Cointelegraph Innovation Circle share tips to help companies in the crypto and blockchain space wisely adjust to survive the current macroeconomic environment.

expert panel

There are multiple strategies to help crypto ecosystems create a welcoming environment for developers.  The ecosystem concept is unique to (and uniquely suited to) the crypto industry. These synergistic communities offer a network where participants can benefit from each other’s work and progress while building an ever-stronger foundation. A recent study found there were more than 18,000 active Web3 developers and pinpointed the ecosystems having the most success attracting new developers. So what do ecosystem projects need to do to achieve similar success to these top performers? According to the industry experts of Cointelegraph Innovation Circle, it’s essential to be cognizant of what developers are really looking for in an ecosystem. Below, 12 of them share strategies ecosystem projects can leverage to attract more developers.

expert panel

Bad social media habits can do damage not only to your project and company’s reputation, but also to the burgeoning crypto industry as a whole.  Businesses across industries invest a lot of time and resources into building and cultivating their social media presences because of the big potential ROI. Social media marketing is a tool crypto and blockchain companies are quick to leverage — social media platforms offer a variety of audiences, prebuilt communities and global reach.  Still, it’s all too easy to make missteps in social media outreach, and an ill-considered post can go viral (in a very bad way) in an instant and cause lasting damage to a brand. Below, 10 members of Cointelegraph Innovation Circle discuss some social media practices that crypto and blockchain companies should avoid and why they’re so problematic.

expert panel

The crypto and blockchain industry grew up with Twitter, and the platform remains a vital networking tool.  Social media and the crypto and blockchain industries seem to be a perfect fit. What better way for companies in the industry to communicate in real time and build communities than through the platforms designed for doing just that? While many marketing firms and industries are highlighting “fresh” sites like TikTok, much of the crypto audience remains devoted to Twitter, and the platform offers its own slate of tools and trends that fit industry needs. Still, using Twitter to build, grow and interact with your community takes more than posting or sharing an occasional tweet. Below, 13 members of Cointelegraph Innovation Circle share their tips for leveraging Twitter to build crypto and blockchain communities.

expert panel

In a time when VC funding is hard to come by, crypto companies seeking to attract investors must focus on value, not hype. It’s no secret venture capitalists react to prevailing market conditions when making decisions, and amid global economic uncertainty, entrepreneurs from across industries are finding that VC funds are more difficult to come by these days. This is especially true for crypto and blockchain companies, which have to overcome not only a knowledge barrier but also the lingering fear aroused by recent bad behavior from certain high-profile crypto founders and firms.  Crypto pioneers who became accustomed to a free-flowing tap of VC cash during the industry’s early heyday may need to adjust their mindset and approach to be successful when seeking funds in the current market. Here, 12 members of Cointelegraph Innovation Circle share tips to help crypto and blockchain companies move forward as VC funds become less generous with their investments.

article

PR “as usual” will move away from the norms we’ve grown used to, especially when it comes to utilizing Twitter for communicating with media.

expert panel

Full transparency around transactions, projects and technologies is the only way crypto can grow as an industry.   In the midst of a bear market, the last story the crypto industry wanted to see hit the headlines was the debacle at FTX. It’s a story centered on the biggest negative perception many in the public still have of the crypto industry: that transactions regularly happen out of public view for the benefit of a handful of bad actors and at the expense of customers. Whether it’s fair or not, this negative reputation of crypto is something honest crypto leaders and companies will have to overcome, and the best way to do that is by ensuring current customers know what’s going on with the assets they’ve invested and that potential investors clearly understand the potential the industry offers. Below, 15 members of Cointelegraph Innovation Circle discuss ways crypto companies can provide improved transparency for their customers.

article

We’re not always in a position to predict when a crisis will strike, especially in the volatile tech and crypto spaces. But that doesn’t mean we can’t prepare for one. Here’s how.

expert panel

An understanding of the overall ecosystem as well as the details of individual projects is essential for those in TradFi who are exploring Web3. Organizations and industry leaders from the traditional finance space are increasingly turning their attention to Web3. Many are wondering what the underlying technology could bring to their own efforts, as well as which of the many projects in the market are viable investments. When taking their first exploratory forays into Web3 and decentralized finance, those with a TradFi background need to first get a grasp of the ecosystem’s basics so they know what to look for when digging down to the individual project level. Here, 10 members of Cointelegraph Innovation Circle discuss factors those in TradFi should keep in mind when researching Web3 projects, and why they’re important.

expert panel

No industry’s immune to the effects of a bear market, and Web3 creators must adapt to weather the evolving economic conditions. After several years of a bull market, entrepreneurs across industries — including many Web3 creators — are facing sustained bearish market conditions for the first time. While it’s important not to panic, Web3 creators can’t ignore or hide from prevailing economic conditions if they hope to survive until an upturn. There are smart strategies that can see those in the Web3 community through current conditions — often refocusing on the fundamentals is a place to start. Here, 16 members of Cointelegraph Innovation Circle share important things Web3 creators should focus on during a bear market, and why.

expert panel

The crypto industry might gain traction and win consumer confidence more quickly by learning some do’s (and don’ts)  from traditional markets. There’s an old saying that many of us live by, whether consciously or not: better the devil you know than the devil you don’t. While the stock market and traditional investment tools carry many of the same risks as cryptocurrency and decentralized finance, they’re familiar to investors, there are thousands of industry experts and financial firms, and there are uncounted digital media and print resources to help guide both newcomers and seasoned traders. While leaning into the unique benefits and potential of crypto, it may be wise for cryptocurrency exchanges and platforms to look to traditional markets to gain insights on managing risk and boosting investor confidence. Below, 11 members of Cointelegraph Innovation Circle share lessons crypto exchanges can learn from traditional markets and finance.

expert panel

The inroads crypto has already made as not only an acceptable, but a desirable, form of payment are likely to continue to expand. In July 2022, digital asset firm Bakkt published the results of a survey on gig workers and crypto. The firm found that 38% of the freelancers who responded were open to receiving full payment for services in crypto, and 50% were willing to receive partial payment in crypto. Further, 20% of respondents have already received crypto payments for services.  Today’s gig workers are highly likely to be tech-savvy, so it’s not surprising that many are already familiar and comfortable with crypto. As more full- and part-time workers learn about crypto’s ease of use and profitability potential, the push for receiving some or all salary payments in crypto may begin to quickly grow. In a competitive marketplace, companies should at least be willing to research the idea of paying workers in crypto. Below, 11 members of Cointelegraph Innovation Circle share important things companies should know about paying their workers with crypto.

expert panel

To share the benefits of DeFi in general and their organization’s work in particular, crypto marketers must do their homework. With the ultimate goal of expanding and simplifying access to essential financial services, decentralized finance is a central pillar of the crypto industry. While it’s easy to grasp why DeFi can be a force for good in the global community, explaining how it can and will do so — and how it is doing so right now — can be a bit more complicated.  For those tasked with marketing the benefits of DeFi in general and their organization’s work in particular, it’s essential to not only follow daily developments in this rapidly evolving industry but to also understand its “nuts and bolts.” Here, seven members of Cointelegraph Innovation Circle share their suggestions for smart ways crypto marketers can stay in the know about DeFi to make sure their organization is a success.

article

Having an agile approach to PR will help you maximize the results of your press outreach efforts.

expert panel

Ignoring the concerns of crypto skeptics isn’t an option, but educating them requires careful thought and smart strategies. No matter how enthusiastic crypto pioneers are about the industry and its potential, there’s no denying that crypto has something of an image problem. Skeptics point to a variety of factors — the current lack of regulation, the historic volatility of crypto coins, the environmental impact of the industry’s heavy use of technology and more — as reasons newcomers should steer clear of crypto (at least for now). Crypto leaders acknowledge the industry’s growing pains, and they regularly assert their commitment to addressing issues such as regulation and environmental impact. And they realize that, even though they may be frustrating, skeptics’ concerns are worth addressing directly, because as they learn more, skeptics often become converts. Here, nine members of Cointelegraph Innovation Circle discuss persuasive ways to address the questions and misconceptions of crypto’s naysayers.

expert panel

Building momentum in a crypto marketing role can only come through a deep understanding of the space. Becoming a successful marketing pro with a focus on a new industry is challenging. When that industry is built on new technology and revolutionary ideas about how that technology can transform the ways we do business, the challenge rises to a whole new level. The crypto industry faces something of a PR headwind, as many traditional media sources and consumers don’t understand the underlying technology or its full potential. Finding success as a crypto marketer means equipping yourself with the experience and knowledge to educate and inspire the next generation of crypto enthusiasts. Below, 10 members of Cointelegraph Innovation Circle share their tips to help aspiring crypto marketers “level up.”

article

Looking at how communications were handled by some crypto teams, there are lessons to be learned that can help repair communication rifts in the crypto ecosystem.