The Saudi NEOM Food Company Topian to utilize blockchain technology

The Saudi NEOM Food Company Topian to utilize blockchain technology

Saudi Arabian NEOM, the development taking shape in Northwestern Saudi Arabia announced the launched of Topian, the NEOM Food Company which will utilize blockchain technology.

As per the press release, Topian seeks to redefine food production, distribution, and consumption through the creation of sustainable and innovative food solutions across five vertical pillars: climate-proof agriculture; regenerative aquaculture; novel foods; personalized nutrition; sustainable food supply and ESG.

Topian has been launched with the support of the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA). It is fully aligned with the KSA’s goal of achieving Saudi Vision 2030, spearheading the Kingdom’s efforts to ensure food security, mitigate climate change and achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.

Topian aims to perfect the ‘Art of More with Less’, embracing a ‘new era of food’ to achieve food security. Topian’s launch concept, ‘Future to Table’, will introduce and apply innovative solutions and initiatives that will revolutionize the current global food system and tackle issues arising from rapid population growth, changing consumption patterns, climate change, and the depletion of our natural resources.

Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO of NEOM, stated “NEOM is an accelerator of human progress and Topian reflects our dedication to creating a positive, long-lasting transformation to lives in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world. Topian’s innovative approach will be a key driver in shaping the future landscape of a sustainable and secure food industry. We look forward to working closely with investors, partners, and food industry experts in turning ambitious ideas into reality, supporting economic diversification in the Kingdom and aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.”

Dr. Juan Carlos Motamayor, Chief Executive Officer of Topian, added “As a wholly-owned subsidiary of NEOM, Topian is fully aligned with NEOM’s commitment to providing high-quality food products to the market, and promoting food security and sustainability, while contributing to the Kingdom’s self-sufficiency objectives and long-term economic goals. Topian is leading the food-security conversation to create a resilient food supply in line with the Saudi Green Initiative and the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals. We are not only committing to shaping a transformative global food system, but also to setting a global benchmark by pioneering new technologies and innovative solutions to overcome food-related challenges and create a more secure, sustainable, and prosperous future for all.”

Answering LaraontheBlock on whether Topian will utilize Blockchain technology, CEO Motamayor replied that yes it will.

Topian has signed agreements, with entities such as King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Tabuk University, as well as Tabuk Fish Company, BlueNalu, Van der Hoeven Horticultural Projects, and Cargill, to collaborate on research-and-development initiatives, and harness partners’ expertise to develop innovative and sustainable approaches to food production.

Animoca Brands invests in UAE gaming startup Farcana to introduce Bitcoin ordinals

Animoca Brands invests in UAE gaming startup Farcana to introduce Bitcoin ordinals

Animoca Brands, early investors in The Sandbox, has invested in UAE gaming startup Farcana, to advance digital property rights for gaming and the metaverse fueling Farcana’s beta launch and development within the Bitcoin Ecosystem with Free Mint Bitcoin ordinals.

Built with Unreal Engine 5, Farcana is a team arena third person shooter that offers competitive tournaments backed by permanent Bitcoin prize pools and will be one of the first AAA Web3 games to introduce its “Free Mint” Bitcoin ordinals. The game has attracted over 40,000 users and is planning new tournaments based on initial playtests in Dubai.

The majority of the new capital will be used for the enhancement of Farcana and its integration within the Bitcoin ecosystem, as the project gears up for a token launch and full game release earlier next year.

Animoca Brands, a Hong Kong-based Web3 industry leader, has been collaborating with Farcana on tokenomics and go-to-market strategy since Q2 2023. With the investment announced today Animoca Brands maintains its strong level of activity in the MENA region, following the Web3 leader’s recently announced strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia’s NEOM.

Yat Siu, co-founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands, praised Farcana’s progress and commented: “We have been working with Farcana over the past year and we’ve been impressed with the development and traction it’s received so far. Our strategic investment into Farcana is part of the vision of Animoca Brands to drive Web3 development in MENA; the region is rapidly modernizing and adopting emerging technologies, and we’re excited to support partners such as Farcana as they actively lead the sector and bring exciting products to market.”

Ilman Shazhaev, founder and CEO of Farcana, shared his impressions about the strategic investment from Animoca Brands, stating: “We did amazing work with the Animoca Brands advisory team this year. With the redesign of our tokenomics, improvements within the in-game economy, documentation, and go-to-market strategy, we had tremendously productive team-to-team collaboration. Sometimes I would forget that we were working in different companies. This strategic investment from Animoca Brands is definitely a significant milestone for Farcana. During the bear market, we were fully focused on building and delivering one of the best games in web3, and we are incredibly excited to bring it to the market next year.”

Saudi NEOM invests $50 million in Animoca Brands and signs MOU to drive Web3 Blockchain initiatives

Saudi NEOM invests $50 million in Animoca Brands and signs MOU to drive Web3 Blockchain initiatives

Metaverse creator Animoca Brands Corporation Limited has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“Strategic Partnership”) with NEOM Company (“NEOM”) to drive regional Web3 initiatives in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 plan, after NEOM investment fund signed a term sheet for $50 million investment in Animoca Brands.

As per the Convertible Notes Financing Term Sheet (“Term Sheet”). NEOM Investment Fund is proposing to invest US$50 million in Animoca Brands, of which US$25 million will be via the issuance of convertible notes at a conversion cap price of A$4.50 per share, with substantively the same terms as the strategic funding round previously disclosed by the Company in the announcement of 8 September 2022; and the remaining US$25 million will be invested in purchasing the Company’s shares on the secondary market.

As part of the strategic relationship, Animoca Brands will work with NEOM on building Web3 enterprise service capabilities with global commercial applicability, which will be deployed to support technology advancements in Riyadh and the NEOM region. These projects will include a range of Web3 initiatives, including plans to establish a hub within NEOM to nurture the local Web3 ecosystem and bring in extensive capabilities from across Animoca Brands and its subsidiaries, partners, and broad portfolio of investments.

The execution of definitive documents for the Convertible Notes Financing are subject to a number of conditions precedent.

Majid Mufti, CEO of NEOM Investment Fund, commented: “We are excited to partner with Animoca Brands to support the development of NEOM’s digital infrastructure. Web3 technology and infrastructure development will not only be an important foundation of NEOM’s tech stack and architecture, but also has potential to revolutionize global industries. By partnering with a market-leading company like Animoca Brands, we hope to accelerate Web3 technology development and adoption.”

Yat Siu, the co-founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands, commented: “We are honored and excited to partner with and receive investment from NEOM, one of the world’s most ambitious projects seeking to use innovation and technology to redefine how we live, work, and play. We have always referred to the growth of the Web3 ecosystem as the emergence of a new meta-nation, and now NEOM could well become the first region to fully harness the power of blockchain.”

NEOM new investment arm NIF invests in Animoca Brands the creators of the Sandbox metaverse

NEOM new investment arm NIF invests in Animoca Brands the creators of the Sandbox metaverse

NEOM has inaugurated its strategic investment arm, the NEOM Investment Fund (NIF), NEOM’s wholly owned subsidiary which is set up to support the buildout and development of NEOM’s 14 priority sectors of which technology and digital are an integral part.

NIF will invest globally through Mergers & Acquisitions and venture capital in technology startups, with a clear focus on pioneering growth companies and next-generation industries.  NIF will also develop Joint Ventures and partnerships with large multinationals, institutional investors and innovators within NEOM.

As part of its inauguration, NIF is announcing new investments in companies including Pony.ai, Regent, Boom Technology, BlueNalu and Animoca Brands, details of which will be shared in the coming days. These investments, which add to those NIF has led to date, illustrate its role working alongside NEOM sectors to support their strategies for growth, enabling new technologies, establishing businesses, and creating a thriving economy in NEOM.

Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO of NEOM said: “The vision of NEOM is to address global challenges that redefine livability, conservation and business. As NEOM’s strategic investment subsidiary, NIF will play a critical role in converting NEOM’s vision to reality. NIF will enable NEOM to sustain its contribution to realizing the ambitions of the Kingdom over the long term, cementing its position as a key driver of economic diversification and job creation.”

Majid Mufti, CEO of NEOM Investment Fund, said,“The NIF strategy is designed to align NEOM’s development objectives with those of innovators and institutional investors, de-risking opportunities for them to participate in creating core global growth businesses and a thriving economy in NEOM. To date, NIF has invested in several technology companies within the 14 priority sectors of NEOM that will accelerate technologies critical to the NEOM project and have a major impact on the future of living and sustainability. Replicated over time, this approach will position NEOM as a model for sustainable economic development.”

As a catalyst for change, NIF actively seeks deep partnerships with likeminded investors and bold entrepreneurs working on the world’s most complex problems, in line with NEOM’s vision. It aspires to create regional and global champion companies across NEOM’s 14 economic sectors by investing in commercially viable projects and ‘moonshot’ ideas enabled by cutting edge technologies. To accelerate the change, NIF will focus on developing investment opportunities for the private sector to participate in and will directly invest to unlock solutions that would be piloted and scaled-up in NEOM, and eventually exported to the world.

As part of its mandate, NIF will also be assuming the role of portfolio manager for NEOM’s sector assets and companies. This role will safeguard returns for the shareholder and investors through portfolio synergies and will underpin NEOM’s long-term financial sustainability.