NFT.NYC: Needs Future Thought
Vol. 78 🖼️ The recap that will make sure you didn't miss anything.
Recapping NFT.NYC
Together with Brew Money
NFT.NYC
Over the last week, we attended one of the largest NFT conferences in the world NFT.NYC.
It was the second time in the past 8 months and we came away with a very different feeling than our first trip. In 2021, we wrote about how the conference exceeded expectations.
While the conference in 2022 was bigger with more attendees and a much larger footprint…we write today that NFT.NYC needs further thought and an overall re imagination. This is strictly speaking about the official conference which charges A LOT of money, allows A LOT of speakers, and ultimately leaves you wanting A LOT more.
Using a new larger venue (Marriott Marquis Times Square) offered a centralized space. Normally a central space is positive, except in this case it created massive bottlenecks with a setup utilizing all floors between 1-9 and asking ticket holders to ride escalators up/down. Escalators are fun, except when you have no clue what’s on each level, where something is on the level, and each level is a mix of congestion and disorganization…it then feels less fun and more i’m done.
Adding a historical venue should be a plus. In this case, on top of your general registration you had to register separately to visit the venue and that was filled with error messages. It was noticeable because attendance was sparse, conversations limited, and it felt like an overall missed opportunity.
It was the events in New York over the past week which didn’t require a NFT.nyc badge to attend that were noticeable. The events which brought together projects, communities, and friends from around the globe were the big winners.
Cooltopia from CoolCats stole the show with an immersive experience that consisted of packed lines, fun and interactive games, and giveaways for all.
The Gutter Cat Gang threw a block party in SoHo during the day and
followed it up with an epic evening bash for holders that included tattoos, custom PUMA sneakers, food/open bar, and a whole lot more…like Ja Rule in attendance.
Not to be outdone by it all. Doodles announced Pharrell as their Chief Brand Officer and an investment from Alexis Ohanian and 776.
Off site there was a whole lot more but these were our top 3 moments.
So much more went down at NFT.NYC outside the conference than inside it, that one can only hope conference organizers think strongly about how to structure the next event.
Last year we left the event thinking:
“The expression of a burgeoning ecosystem that still feels early. It’s all so exhilarating and makes you think we are all so early.”
This year we leave the event thinking:
Don’t get us wrong…parties are great. But NFTs evolving mainstream will take A LOT more education, innovation, and evolution of the technology showcased to the masses. The official NFT.NYC conference should be a key contributor and leader on this front.
Unfortunately, the 2022 version left us feeling in the moment like the NFT part of NFT.NYC means…
Needs Future Thought
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investrly is written by Founder Michael Rippe, with edits and design by Chief Strategist Danny Bopp. Share your thoughts in the comments. Thank you for reading.