Europe Sees the Launch of Its First Blockchain Startup Accelerator

Amid French government leniency towards the blockchain sector, Chain Accelerator, a startup accelerator aiming towards the nascent yet booming sector, has been launched.

It is based in Paris and has teamed up with 30 veterans from both tech and financial industry, which includes names like Hyperloop Transportation Technologies’ chairman Bibop G.Gresta, SWIFT’s former CEO Leonard Schrank, Ledger’s president Pascal Gauthier and many more, to boost the growth of the new blockchain firms.

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“At a time when the President and the Government want to make Paris, the capital of the ICOs, Chain Accelerator is positioning itself as a key player. By setting up a global and operational network in Paris, it brings together the best talent, extends the circle of contributors, and prepares for disruptions to help blockchain projects develop protocols in all sectors,” Nicolas Cantu, co-founder of Chain Accelerator, commented.

Leveraging its partnerships with industry veterans, Chain Accelerator will offer a wide range of services to its clients including technical prototyping, business development, recruitment, marketing and public relations, funding guidance, ICO support, and “token economy” advisory.

Liberal regulators

Earlier this year, French regulatory agency put forth its intention to attract the blockchain firms in the country by creating a regulatory framework for ICOs. It was followed by a massive tax cut by the government for cryptocurrencies which reduced the taxes from 45 percent to 19 percent.

Pierre Person, a member of National Assembly for Paris, said: “In France, as everywhere in the world, blockchain projects face many uncertainties and complexities, whether financial, legal, or technical. Yet, this technology will revolutionize our daily lives. As such, it is essential today to have both a legislative framework enabling its full development and structures enabling the emergence of such projects. Our country must become a leader in the blockchain. I am convinced that Chain Accelerator – the first blockchain incubator – will contribute greatly to this.”

Chain Accelerator has already started to make an impact in the blockchain startup market, and within six months of its incubation period, it is already supporting 13 startups.

“The blockchain universe, inherently decentralized, stands out for its global and international nature. Innovation comes from everywhere, talents are rare, the need for support is exacerbated. We are pleased to welcome Chain Accelerator to Station F to better meet the specific needs of blockchain startups by offering Station F’s rich ecosystem and Chain Accelerator’s blockchain expertise,” Roxanne Varza, director of Station F, said.