Centre co-founder, Nick Sunderman, recently announced a partnership with Apollo Crypto, a revolutionary platform that is changing the way creators are discovered and funded. Centre will utilize Apollo’s blockchain-based contest system, which is sustainably funded by cryptocurrency, to find and fund undiscovered fashion talent through a design contest that kicks off on September 12, 2022. The winning designer’s work will be on display at Centre’s Dallas location.
“We’re really excited to partner with Apollo because they support creators and their dreams through community support and a crypto-based funding system,” said Sunderman. “Apollo helps undiscovered creative talent breakthrough by giving them a community to share their talent with. As a company that supports creators in the urban apparel space, this partnership is a natural fit to help us expand those efforts.”
Apollo is a next-generation, competition-based funding platform that uses blockchain technology to provide ultimate transparency in the voting process. Creators enter a weekly contest to compete for funding opportunities provided by the tokenomics of Apollo’s Ethereum-based cryptocurrency ($APOLLO) and its Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) ecosystem. Apollo hosts a series of contests during a “season” followed by a champion’s playoff contest. In its first season, Apollo distributed over $153,000 to 12 winning creators prior to the championship playoff contest.
Leveraging Apollo’s contest platform, Centre is sponsoring a special series of three contests beginning next month focused exclusively on shoe design artists. Artists interested in competing will submit a profile for Centre to review. Accepted artists will be provided a pair of all-white Nike Air Force 1 shoes to design. Members of the Apollo contest community will vote on each design via Apollo’s blockchain-based voting system. Winners receive funding for their creative projects and a shot to win the finals where they will receive the grand funding prize as well as a contract with Centre to showcase and sell the winning designer’s work.
“Web 3.0 technologies are the future of the creator economy,” said Matt Johnson, the founding developer of the Apollo protocol. “The beauty of the Apollo process is that it is sustainable, transparent, and community-governed. Token holders decide what content they want to reward, and this puts a spotlight on creators who are resonating with a wide audience. By funding these individuals using Apollo’s tokenomics, we make a positive difference in their lives by giving them more artistic reach and stability to make careers out of their passions.”
Online contest coverage and contestant interviews will be hosted by Henok Crypto’s $100M Challenge on YouTube. As a prominent figure in the crypto space, Henok is using his platform to spotlight contestants, giving them a broader reach and exposure to more audiences. He connects with contestants each week to give them an opportunity to share their stories with the world. He has worked to produce valuable content for creators that they can use not only in this contest but in their own promotional growth moving forward.
“Apollo not only awards creators with the financial support they need; it also provides a community that celebrates the many unique talents that are essential to a thriving, vibrant culture,” said Daniel Henok Weldegebriel, founder of Henok Crypto. “My mission is to help people break through and turn their passion into a career through storytelling. Partnering with Centre and Apollo on this contest was a natural extension of our purpose and brand.”
