Animoca Brands, the Hong Kong-based blockchain gaming startup, and LayerZero, the Canada-based omnichain interoperability protocol, have launched the LayerZero-Animoca Brands Hackerhouse global initiative to advance cross-chain standards and demonstrate real-world use cases of interoperable digital assets.
The inaugural stop was held at Cyberport in Hong Kong on 12 December, Animoca Brands said in a statement.
Animoca Brands and LayerZero plan to host the next hackerhouse event in Korea in the first quarter of 2023.
LayerZero-Animoca Brands Hackerhouse is a global initiative that aims to organize hackerhouse events across major cities every year, with the primary objective of gathering developers, projects and companies passionate about an omnichain future to conceptualize and build proof-of-concepts that will push the technical boundaries of cross-chain standards.
This initiative is also part of Animoca Brands’ broader effort to demonstrate the real-world use cases of blockchain-based applications and digital assets in order to facilitate productive interaction between the blockchain community and other relevant stakeholders (such as legislative and regulatory bodies in local jurisdictions).
The inaugural stop was successfully held in Hong Kong with the support of ecosystem partners including Zellic, OtterSec, Brinc, and Cyberport.
Over 50 participants representing more than 25 companies attended the event to create prototypes based on LayerZero’s omnichain protocol and engage in discussions with guest speakers from partnering companies.
Additionally, observing guests including Duncan Chiu (HKSAR Technology and Innovation Constituency Legislative Council Member and President of the Hong Kong Information Technology Joint Council), Ernest Ho (Head of Digital Finance at Hong Kong Monetary Authority), Rocky Tung (Director and Head of Policy Research at Hong Kong Financial Services Development Council), and Ian Chan (Chief Corporate Development Officer of Cyberport) each gave a welcoming remark that reaffirms Hong Kong’s commitment to supporting local blockchain and digital asset innovations, nurturing local talent pool, and positioning the city as the premier technology hub in the region.
“We are thrilled to join forces with LayerZero on this global initiative to advance and standardize the interoperability solutions that will be one of the most critical infrastructures supporting an open metaverse in the future,
“It also serves as a venue where relevant stakeholders can gather, discuss, and witness the potential of truly interoperable digital assets,” said Yat Siu, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Animoca Brands.
Meanwhile, LayerZero Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Bryan Pellegrino said this joint initiative with Animoca Brands is a huge step forward in LayerZero’s mission to advance the interoperability landscape.
“Along with other ecosystem partners, we will be bringing together some of the best and brightest minds in the blockchain community to bring that omnichain vision to life,” he added.
LayerZero is an omnichain interoperability protocol that allows dApps to build across multiple blockchains in a trustless, efficient manner.
The firm connects dApps across chains using on-chain Ultra Light Nodes, which achieve the security of a light node with the cost-effectiveness of a middle-chain.
Using the protocol, developers can turn their dApps into omnichain-applications using a single, simple interface
“We are delighted to be a key partner of the first Hacker House of Animoca Brands and LayerZero to witness the inception of such a meaningful initiative,” said Cyberport Chief Development Officer Ian Chan.
According to him, Cyberport is a key driver of Hong Kong’s IT industry and the home to a community of over 1,900 start-ups.
“We are committed to fostering the development of our three clusters of Digital Entertainment, FinTech, and Smart Living by empowering our start-ups with financial and technological support, networking, and more,
“We are delighted to support Animoca Brands, a company based in Cyberport, as well as LayerZero in their effort to drive technological advances and local talent development in the blockchain space,” he added.
Animoca Brands is a company advancing digital property rights for gaming and the open metaverse.
The company develops and publishes a broad portfolio of products including the REVV token and SAND token; original games including The Sandbox, Crazy Kings, and Crazy Defense Heroes; and products utilizing popular intellectual properties including Disney, WWE, Snoop Dogg, The Walking Dead, Power Rangers, MotoGP™, and Formula E.
It has multiple subsidiaries, including The Sandbox, Blowfish Studios, Quidd, GAMEE, nWay, Pixowl, Forj, Lympo, Animoca Brands Japan, Grease Monkey Games, Eden Games, Darewise Entertainment, Notre Game, TinyTap, Be Media, and PIXELYNX. Animoca Brands has a growing portfolio of more than 380 Web3 investments, including Colossal, Axie Infinity, OpenSea, Dapper Labs (NBA Top Shot), Yield Guild Games, Harmony, Alien Worlds, Star Atlas, and others.