OnePiece Labs, Upland, confirm metaverse ambitions with incubation program

The main thesis of this partnership is an incubation program that is scheduled for March 7 to bolster talented startup teams, providing mentorship, resources, and support to help them build, launch, and scale their products. The program consists of networking with an amazing community, expert training from professionals and access to the OnePiece team, offering a slew of benefits for the selected firms.

Applications for a spot in the program are expected to run until that date, with the key requirement for firms to build around Metaverse. Web3 startups in both the early and late stages of their growth are also encouraged to apply with the incubation program.

Through this alliance, OnePiece Lab will leverage its deep industry knowledge and network to fund promising decentralized projects. As a Silicon Valley investor with a Web3 focus, it complements Upland’s experience in building and scaling technologies in the Metaverse sector.

In turn, Uplandme will offer grants and valuable feedback to participating startups. As such, the joint venture offers a comprehensive perspective coupled with unparalleled insight into the metaverse future.

On acceptance into the program, successful candidates will join the Upland Developer Community to get additional support in the form of connections to a global user base, monetization opportunities, and the technical foundations to launch a web3 experience. Unique to Upland, any developer can produce blockchain-based digital assets with little to no knowledge nor experience, including NFTs and smart contracts.

Powered by the EOS blockchain, Upland is a property-trading, city-building metaverse where players can explore, buy/sell properties, build structures, and interact with other Uplanders.

“The OnePiece Labs and Uplandme, Inc. partnership will provide promising Web3 startups with the necessary resources, mentorship, and support to launch innovative technologies in the metaverse. We believe this strategic alliance is the new model for bringing these Web3 startups opportunities to scale globally,” said Murray Newlands, OnePiece Labs.

“The partnership between OnePiece Labs and Uplandme, Inc. is the new model for bringing traditionally web2 developers to web3 opportunities and will scale globally. Upland’s vision is to create the most comprehensive, innovative, and immersive ecosystem for all Uplanders. The new projects from the incubation program will help Upland expand its metaverse to include more interactive functions, such as virtual parties, events on a cruise, virtual galleries and malls, and more,” added Upland Co-Founder Dirk Lueth.

Launched in 2019, Upland has nearly 3 million registered users, having grown exponentially from a virtual property game to an interactive Metaverse with its own in-built economy. The company’s most unique feature is the utilizing of NFTs to unlock new possibilities for players to monetize assets, services, and enjoy engaging experiences.

Earlier in 2022, Upland inked a multi-year partnership with FIFA to allow its community and football fans worldwide to collect, trade, and own digital assets and game video highlights. A broad variety of activities in Upland creates fun, gamified experiences in the largest open metaverse mapped to the real world.

During the World Cup Qatar 2022, the virtual reality platform developed a FIFA-themed gamified experience to increase Web3 and metaverse adoption among numerous football fans.