Zug – Founded by Crypto Valley’s leading early-stage investment group Lakeside Partners, Crypto Valley Labs, the worldwide home for blockchain, has announced the imminent opening of its Genesis Hub in Zug. The first location – dubbed “The Block” – will open with the support of Crypto Valley Labs strategic real estate partner, Alfred Müller – the largest property developer in Crypto Valley. The run for the limited office space at the heart of Crypto Valley is massive – only few desks in the open co-working space are still available.
“The Block” will not only be the home for blockchain startups, but also crypto funds, academic institutions and the Crypto Valley Association. The Genesis Members include well-known names such as Melonport, Etherisc, Cardano, Cofound.it and Bitmain. In addition, service providers such as Grunder Law, Meyerlustenberger Lachenal, Brand Leadership Circle and Fineac Treuhand – which have all joined the Crypto Valley Labs as Ecosystem Partners and will provide services and support for the approximately 20 blockchain startups set to move into the Genesis Hub located on Dammstrasse 16 in Zug this month.
Ecosystem for the Blockchain Community
With Crypto Valley ecosystem attracting an ever-greater number of blockchain-based companies from around the world, the need for easy access to trusted service providers as well as a physical space for co-working and co-living has become paramount. With the help of its Ecosystem Partners, the Crypto Valley Labs Genesis Hub will provide both.
Mathias Ruch, co-founder and Chairman of Crypto Valley Labs, welcomes the addition of the Ecosystem Partners, “From my own experience as an entrepreneur, I know how much work it is to find the right legal advice, tax and accounting support or consulting in communications and PR. Our Ecosystem Partners will help make Crypto Valley a place where blockchain startups can grow quickly and successfully – and at the same time, they can point the way for other businesses who may be hesitant about working with the blockchain and crypto community. Now with the newly opened Genesis Hub, we will have over 70 companies in both locations.”
At the heart of Crypto Valley
The Crypto Valley Labs Genesis Hub is conveniently located within walking distance from the train station. The newly refurbished hub – which will initially receive blockchain startups in February – is informally known as “The Block” and will open with two floors comprised of open co-working space and private offices plus a “crypto café.” With the Finelli family, which runs the Widder restaurant in Zug, Crypto Valley Labs has a partner for the development of the catering concept, which will be expanded in the future. Two additional floors will be ready after additional refurbishing in summer. The space was formerly occupied by Biogen International.
Ideal environment
‘As a leading provider of office space, we consider the blockchain community to be a key customer group. They are extremely digital and mobile, challenging us to break new ground when it comes to designing our products,’ says François Bernath, a member of Alfred Müller AG’s Executive Board. Although the Dammstrasse office space is only designed for interim use – a new building is to be built on the site – Alfred Müller AG is aiming for a long-term partnership with Crypto Valley Labs: ‘The site is located at the heart of Crypto Valley; the future development, will therefor continue to provide the ideal environment for the blockchain community.’
Support from ETH Zurich
The Crypto Valley Labs – Zug is also glad to have ETH Zurich in the mix and welcomes the involvement of their blockchain experts in the newly-created Meetup Series hosted at Crypto Valley Labs. The series “ETH Zurich Meets Startups” will kick off on 20 February with a discussion between ETH graduate and CTO of ChainSecurity Hubert Ritzdorf and Etherisc Co-Founder Stephan Karpischek regarding “Smart Contract Security.”
In the opinion of Lothar Thiele, ETH Delegate for Digital Transformation, the cooperation serves as a unique opportunity, “There is so much happening in the Crypto Valley startup scene – and things move so fast – that we have to do technology a service by sitting down and discussing its impact and how to help the ecosystem as a whole.”
Crypto Valley Labs is the initiative of Lakeside Partners, a driving force behind the development of the Crypto Valley community. Applications to become an Ecosystem Partner are still being accepted. (CVL/mc)
