Brian D. Evans

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Due diligence when vetting crypto and blockchain companies comprises considering both traditional business factors and unique imperatives. Venture capitalists may be wary of the crypto and blockchain industry at the moment, and it’s not without reason. However, the highly publicized bad actions of a few shouldn’t keep VCs from spotting the real potential that well-run businesses in the sector can offer. As with investments in any industry, conducting thorough research and asking smart questions can help VCs ensure they’re backing reputable companies poised to make a positive (and profitable) impact in the market. Here, 12 members of Cointelegraph Innovation Circle share tips for a VC who’s considering investing in a crypto and blockchain company.

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Remember that blockchain investors aren’t as interested in the journey as they are in the destination. When it comes to the blockchain space, entrepreneurs and potential investors can both end up stumbling over the underlying technology. While industry insiders are clear on, and often passionate about, how blockchain works, investors are more interested in what it can achieve.  If either side gets bogged down in technical details, it’s unlikely an investor will be able to grasp the impact and potential ROI of investing in a blockchain project. Here, 17 members of Cointelegraph Innovation Circle share ways blockchain companies can better explain blockchain projects to, and earn the confidence of, potential investors.

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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.

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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.

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To persuade TradFi firms and Web2 users to think outside the box, Web3 pioneers first have to do so themselves. When it comes to traditional finance, crypto and blockchain leaders are faced with something of a disconnect. TradFi firms are in one sense competition, but unless TradFi comes to embrace Web3, Web3 can’t reach its full potential. Complicating efforts to reach out to TradFi are mutual feelings of uncertainty: Crypto and blockchain pioneers fear that TradFi’s influence may weaken the consumer- and transparency-first commitment industry enthusiasts value, while TradFi firms are wary of a new industry whose technology and guidelines they don’t understand. With its long history, traditional finance is familiar to consumers and has earned widespread trust. By partnering with TradFi firms, Web3 organizations could accrue some of that positive feeling. Further, by viewing TradFi as a potential customer base, Web3 firms could begin to grow organically. From “ceasing hostilities” to spreading a wider net, there are many things crypto and blockchain leaders can do to bridge the gap between Web3 and TradFi. Below, 16 members of Cointelegraph Innovation Circle share their ideas.

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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.