Zero to 0x :: The Pivot Journey
1 year of building a Founder-centric venture-accelerator with a vision to build & scale 100 companies in the next 10 years that drive the future of emerging technologies.
And just like that, we are 1 year “old”…
Over the past 12 months, Pivot has embarked on an ambitious journey as a Web 3.0 startup venture accelerator firm, embodying an ethos that emphasises on building long-term, sustainable businesses rather than -quote/unquote — “projects” in the Web 3.0 space.
Our goal has been to ensure that founders gain seamless access to the expertise, knowledge, strategic capital, networks, and resources they need to thrive and grow in a dynamic ecosystem.
Our vision is to build & scale 100 companies in the next 10 years that drive the future of emerging technologies.
The Pivot Ethos & Modus Operandi
What sets Pivot apart from other accelerator programs is our personalized approach to each company that we onboard. We design our programs according to the specific stage of each startup and tailor the milestones through in-depth conversations with founders. This allows us to support all key initiatives and interventions for a startup that bolster the foundational growth of a startup.
At Pivot, we are dedicated to helping founders build great Web3 companies, fostering innovation and growth in a rapidly evolving space. This comprehensive journey of ours is all about systematically moving the needle higher, contributing to the broader Web3 ecosystem.
Welcome to Pivot’s journey — here’s how we’re making a difference!
Numbers TLDR;
Our work in the past 4 quarters of operations can be summed up when you see the numbers on board. This is due to the coordinated efforts of our team, led by our Founder, Anshul Dhir.
- We have till date, received over 400+ applications from startups seeking an acceleration intervention.
- After a thorough DD process, interviews & discussion, we have onboarded 15 awesome startups to our flagship acceleration program so far. More applications under review.
- One of our Startups — has already been acquired, while 10 of them are getting ready for their TGE after successful fund raise & securing listing on exchanges.
- One Pivot Backed startup — Plena Finance — raised $5 Million & then went live in November’24 in a Hugely successful public listing.
- We have onboarded 50+ mentors & Angels — most of them being Web3 founders who have agreed to evaluate and support our startups not only with capital, but with their experiences
- Over 200 Venture Capital firms are now partnered with Pivot, to evaluate the startup we are working with and participate in deal flows that we send their way.
- We built an ecosystem comprising 170+ partners including L1s, L2s, exchanges, MMs, agencies & so much more.
- Overall, we have a 450+ strong Pivot Ecosystem that provides 360 degree support to the startups under our acceleration programs.
- Pivot organized & participated in over 20 events in a short span of 8 months in 2024 in 10 cities across the globe with over 3000 registrations & over 500 attendees.
- We also organized 15 Masterclasses with over 1600 registrations & 400 attendees
🍀 Read in Details 👇👇
Hunt for Web3 Capital
Securing funding is crucial for the growth of any Web3 startup, often dominating discussions with questions and strategic insights related to financing. In response, Pivot formed the Pivot Venture Circle to integrate venture capital support, ensuring startups have access to both essential resources and capital that aligns with their growth and vision.
🔅 Check out the Pivot Venture Circle
Today, the Pivot Venture Circle includes over 200 venture capital firms that align with our mission. These partners are committed to supporting our startups with more than just funding — they offer strategic guidance, industry insights, and valuable networks. This collaboration strengthens our capacity to help founders scale effectively and create long-term value in the Web3 ecosystem.
Pivot Partner Circle
The past 12 months have been a major hustle 💪 — with a lean team — to bring onboard partners from all walks of #Web3 life. So be it L1s, L2s, launchpads, exchanges, market makers, security & audit companies, marketing agencies, recruitment firms, legal firms, dApps — the whole nine yards — needed to turn around a startup — we have onboarded over 170 of them.
Here are a few teams that are working with us for the all-round growth of the industry… the startups we work with are in for a great ride! 🎢✨
🔅 Check out the full Pivot Partner Circle.
Pivot Mentor Circle & Angel Network
The Pivot Mentor Circle & Angel Network is an essential component of our ecosystem, designed to provide startups with the guidance and support they need to succeed. Mentors within the circle are selected through a meticulous review process, ensuring that they not only possess deep expertise in their respective fields but also a genuine willingness to help and sufficient time to dedicate to the program.
Our mentor pool, composed of distinguished industry leaders, offers invaluable insights and tailored advice from various sectors to help nurture and scale innovative startups into successful businesses.
All our mentors are Angels as well and many them have extended their support during the Angel rounds of the startups we are working with.
🔅 Check out the full Pivot Mentor Circle.
Our Founder
Building Pivot has been a long standing mission for Anshul Dhir. Over the past 20 years of his entrepreneurship, the past 4 have stood out most — as he embedded himself in not only solving startup challenges for his own companies in web3, but also extending his experiences to younger & first-time founders in this space. There was no precedence for the industry, but his experiences of building companies came useful while he mentored & advised over 50 companies. Pivot became his way of giving back to Founders what he found missing while he was one — ending up helping the creation of multi-million dollar companies on the way!
As a unit, Anshul leads from the front and brings a value that drives the team forward towards our common vision. With a eye into every thing we do, there is an independence he gives every individual of his team that adds to our strengths.
Learn more about him and reach him here: Twitter | LinkedIn | Brief Bio
Acceleration Update
Till date, we have onboarded 15 startups, some of which we have publicly announced. All our startups were selected into the Pivot Flagship Acceleration program at very early stage of their journey.
Here is a gist of all our startups:
- Pivot is currently backing the following startups. (Click on the links to learn more): NFTFN, Cluster Protocol, Metakraft, Chimp Exchange, Exa Protocol, Vanna Finance, QuillAI Network, 0xDay, Turf, Aconomy, Soclly, Buildoor, Fam Protocol, Zkrypt & Axes.
- This is a selection of the best founders from among the 400 odd applications that we have received till date.
- While Buildoor has now been acquired at a very decent exit, the ones with links above are currently raising funds and gettign ready for TGE within Q1 2025.
- Pivot Ventures backed Plena Finance had secured $5 MM from the best of Angels, KOLs & VCs and had a very successful TGE recently with listings on Gate, MEXC, BingX and Pancakswap.
- Cluster Protocol raised Seed & Strategic Round from multiple venture firms, angels and KOLs led by Pivot Ventures to bring decentralized AI agents to the world.
- QuillAI Network concluded its pre-seed funding round in November 2024, raising $600K at a $20M fully diluted valuation (FDV).
- Metakraft received backing from Nvidia, Microsoft, Google, Skale apart from Pivot Ventures.
- Exa Protocal received more than $1.5 Mil funding from Tribe Capital, Genblock Capital, Deep Ventures, Pivot Ventures, David Aronchick, Sherman Lee & others. They also won the Demo Day at the IBW Demo Day which was a very proud moment from us.
- 0xDay — a hackathon focused startup — has organized 25 hackathons in a short span of 6 months. We have not initiated a global hackathon series that will be conducted in 12 cities in 12 months — in India and other global cities.
The Founder Network
As mentioned, we have received over 400 applications from startups across nearly all continents. With an average of three co-founders per team, this connects us to over 1,000+ Web3.0 founders/co-founders. Additionally, we continue to expand this network through regular interactions, including masterclasses and in-person events. This consistent engagement has helped grow our Founder Network community to more than 3000 innovators and leaders.
Outreach in the Works
Web3 = Community/ies
From day one, we have prioritized building a strong and interconnected community network, recognizing that Web3 thrives on collaboration and shared growth.
This dedication has enabled us to create an extensive outreach network that now encompasses over 30,000 individuals, including funding teams, partners, startup teams, and Web3 enthusiasts from around the globe — who receive all our important news & information via our monthly & other newsletters.
Pivot Events — All over the world
We are going places and how..
Since starting our operations, Pivot has been organizing & participating in multiple events for ecosystem engagement. We have traveled extensively to promote Web3 and support the businesses we back.
The motive is simple — we are always scouting for great founder talent and partners all around the world.
This mission has taken us to conduct & participate in 20+ events in various formats including Founder Connect brunches, yacht gatherings, hackathons, KOL focused Clubhouse events, multiple investor-focused meetups & large events like Token 2049, EthIndia, Devcon, EthDenver, IBW in Bengaluru, to various cities across India, Bali, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Berlin & Turkey, we have been building a strong and visible presence in the industry.
This has been very fruitful in not only driving applications and partnerships for Pivot but also opened doors for all the startups under our acceleration to investments, grants & partners.
Here are some glimpses..
Hackathons
- Organized 2 Bootcamps with TON bringing in over 1200 registrations & 250+ hackers
- Organized 2 Hacker Houses with Router Protocol & TON Society India in December 2024–48 hours of hacking plus Demo Days for a total prize pool of $15000.
- Initiated the HACK $DAY series of global hackathons in collaboration with 0xDay — 12 cities in 12 months — Targeting 10000 hackers from the world over.
Meetups
We organized 0xBrunch & 0xSync meetups enable meaningful discussions & connections with Web 3.0 founders & startups.
Pivot Clubhouse
This was by far the most rocking party in Bengaluru that we organized in the 1st week of December co-hosted by Solidus Aitech, Fam Protocol, Axes Network, TON Society & more. Over 1200 registrations to bring together 150 Founders, VCs & KOLs who make the Web3 space what it is today.
- Engage here: https://x.com/0xPivot_/status/1861794613876699167
Global Events
Token 2049 Dubai & Singapore
Upcoming Events
Pivot is excited to announce our attendance at several key events this season, where we look forward to strengthening and expanding our community network. Join us at Token2049 in Dubai, EthDenver 2025, and Consensus Hong Kong. Each venue offers a unique opportunity to meet with innovators and thought leaders from across the blockchain space.
Let’s connect, explore potential collaborations, and push the boundaries of what’s possible in Web 3.0. See you there!
We are planning to organize Pivot Clubhouse & VC Brunch events in all of the above events. Want to partner with us for our next event?
🔅 Fill this form: https://0xpivot.com/partners-application
Spreading knowledge via Masterclasses
At Pivot, giving back to the community is a core principle that drives our initiatives. To uphold this commitment, we launched the 0xHub Masterclass zone, providing regular, free masterclasses open to everyone in the Web3 space. These sessions are designed to share knowledge, insights, and expertise that benefit participants at all levels.
📺 Watch our masterclasses here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL42yPHth14ukFZxHFh0JuBvyG52Yc-hgc&si=UK-2MADoYjn8C954
🔅 Interested in hosting a Web3-related masterclass and contributing to this knowledge-sharing initiative?
- We would love to hear from you.
- Reach out to collaborate and help expand the community’s understanding and skills.
- Apply here to conduct a masterclass
Upcoming Masterclasses
We intend to continue the educational initiatives this year with at least 2 masterclasses per month — in January, we are starting the Build on XDC masterclass series that is designed to equip developers, founders, and blockchain enthusiasts with the tools and knowledge to build scalable, secure, and efficient applications on the XDC Network.
✳️ Session Plan & Registration links:
- 📅 18 Jan — Introduction to XDC Network — https://lu.ma/7i6ryk0f
- 📅 25 Jan — Integrating on XDC Network — https://lu.ma/u148t6x0
- 📅 1 Feb — — Building RWA on XDC: Part 1 — https://lu.ma/9lsjb4b6
- 📅 8 Feb — Building RWA on XDC: Part 2 — https://lu.ma/ddhwltbo
- 📅 15 Feb — Building DeFi on XDC — https://lu.ma/u5syie0o
Mighty Ecosystem Build-up Plan
With Skale Network
Our efforts over the past few months as an accelerator have brought in some of the biggest names in the industry! We’ve taken on the responsibility of scouting the best #startups in the #Web3 space. We’re super pumped to have the trust of major L1s to onboard these gems!
Pivot & @SkaleNetwork have initiated a 10 Million SKL grants program to boost innovation in Web3! 🚀
🔗 Read more here: https://blog.0xpivot.com/pivot-partners-with-skale-network-to-initiate-a-10-million-skl-grants-program-f8758d213fa1
With TON Blockchain
We recently collaborated with TON Society to kickstart an India-wide initiative aimed at onboarding new developers, founders, and startups to the TON Blockchain ecosystem.
- Two TON bootcamps in Bangalore 🇮🇳 & Gurgaon 🇮🇳 this month will be our way of pressing forward on this mission! Many more such jointly held startup & community building programs coming up in the next few months.
🔗 Read more here: https://blog.0xpivot.com/pivot-ton-join-hands-to-bootstrap-the-ton-ecosystem-in-india-f068c088a67b
- Hacker House + Demo Day organized in Bengaluru in December, with 150 hackers working to build on the TON Blockchain
🔗 Check this out: https://x.com/0xPivot_/status/1863843841884799099
With Fjord Foundry
Pivot’s experience in #Web3, our due diligence practices, ethos, and deep expertise in identifying top #Web3 founders and businesses for our acceleration program, has enabled us to partner with @FjordFoundry as a trusted Curator for projects onboarded on their platform.
Our ecosystem and community strength further amplify the value of this collaboration!
🔗 Read more here: https://blog.0xpivot.com/pivot-joins-hands-as-a-curator-on-fjord-foundry-s-launchpad-251851665122
Co-Acceleration Program with XDC Network
XDC Network joined hands with Pivot to launch a joint co-acceleration initiative titled ‘Let’s Pivot-to-XDC,’ backed by XVC Tech’s $125 Million fund to be allocated to 10 selected startups in DeFi, Payments & RWA Sectors. Applications are now open.
🔗 Read more here: https://blog.0xpivot.com/pivot-and-xdc-network-launch-co-acceleration-program-backed-by-xvc-techs-125-million-fund-2bd326dbe155’
Upcoming: Build on XDC Masterclasses
Pursuant to this co-acceleration program, we are happy to launch a special masterclass series — Build on XDC Network — under our 0xHub open masterclass series. Join in to get a deep dive on building RWA and DeFi projects on XDC Network.
✳️ Session Plan & Registration links:
📅 18 Jan — Introduction to XDC Network — https://lu.ma/7i6ryk0f
📅 25 Jan — Integrating on XDC Network — https://lu.ma/u148t6x0
📅 1 Feb — — Building RWA on XDC: Part 1 — https://lu.ma/9lsjb4b6
📅 8 Feb — Building RWA on XDC: Part 2 — https://lu.ma/ddhwltbo
📅 15 Feb — Building DeFi on XDC — https://lu.ma/u5syie0o
Other Ecosystem Collaborations
Our endeavours towards creating bigger opportunities for the startups under Pivot’s flagship acceleration program led us to collaborations with global ecosystems such as Arbitrum, Avalanche, Mantle & Manta Network with a scope to identify, & enable opportunities for global growth, innovation & adoption.
Apply to the Acceleration Program
Are you building something in Web3 and see the need for interventions or acceleration?
Apply here if you’re a #Web3 startup seeking acceleration — not just funding. You should have an MVP in place, some traction built-in, and be ready for execution!
🔗 Apply Now: https://0xpivot.com/Startup-Application
Grow the Web3 with us
Keen on mentoring our startups?
If you are a web3 founder and want to give back to the space by helping other new startups with your expertise, we’d love to chat with you!
Please note, ALL our mentors are founders & builders in #Web3 — people with immense experience & valuable insights. We value their time and expertise and are looking forward to many more such mentors.
Humble request: DM us or fill out this application: https://0xpivot.com/mentor-Application
Love investing?
We’d love to invite you to join our growing network of 🔥 160+ 🔥 VC firms, Angels, and other teams with whom we share deal-flow! 🚀💼
🔗 Angels, VCs, Family Houses, Syndicates — reach out here: https://0xpivot.com/Investor-Application
Keen on supporting startups we accelerate?
Calling al — L1s, L2s, exchanges, launchpads, market-makers, media & PR, agencies, legal, marketing & more.. Collaborate with Pivot to amplify your impact in the web3 ecosystem.
We welcome you to join us as partners to expand your business & services to the startups we work with.
🔅 We would love to know you: https://0xpivot.com/partners-application
Forging Ahead: Shaping the Future of Web3
There is a lot happening in the Web3 space, and we are just getting started. As we continue to build, expand, and engage, our commitment remains steadfast — to empower founders, foster partnerships, and drive meaningful growth. The journey ahead is full of opportunities, and with our strong community and network, we’re poised to make an even greater impact. Stay connected as we push boundaries and shape the future of Web3 together.
🚀 Join in our journey and lets try to put a dent in the #Web3 space.. 💥
#letspivot
About Pivot
Pivot is a global venture accelerator firm dedicated to the Web 3.0 industry, created by founders, for founders. Pivot’s selected startups are focused on milestones & are not bound to periodic curriculum-based programs. Founded by Anshul Dhir, a 3x founder in the Web 3.0 space, and mentor and investor in over 50 companies in Web3. Pivot is being supported by some great founders & Angels in this industry including Polygon, Delphi Digital, Blockchain Founders Group, Liminal, Biconomy, BitsCrunch, Tegro, Router, QuickSwap & more. We are also supported by Tier 1 ecosystems such as BNB Chain, Polygon, Arbitrum, ICP, Manta Network, Mantle apart from many VCs, launchpads, Exchanges & many more.
