In Brief:
- Tomoland closed a $2 million funding round to expand its Web3 creator ecosystem.
- The round was led by Sky9 Capital, with backing from WAGMI Ventures and others.
- Tomoland aims to bridge Web2 and Web3 by allowing user-generated content to be owned and monetized.
Tomoland raises $2 million
Tomoland has secured $2 million in a funding round aimed at scaling its mobile-first creator ecosystem. The investment, announced from Singapore on May 19, was led by Sky9 Capital, with participation from WAGMI Ventures and Aureus Dealers, among other notable angel investors.
Leveraging BUD World technology
Built on BUD World technology, Tomoland taps into an established user-generated content platform that boasts over 30 million downloads on Google Play and the App Store. The team includes veterans from Tencent and NetEase, bringing proven expertise to the project.
The funds will facilitate the integration of Web2 scale and revenue with Web3 ownership across user-generated content, gameplay, and AI tools. Tomoland seeks to establish a creator-led environment where user-generated assets can be owned and traded, connecting creators, players, and assets.
Introducing the TOMO ownership layer
A central feature of Tomoland is the TOMO ownership layer, an on-chain framework that enables creators to mint, own, and trade assets like maps, game systems, and AI tools. This model empowers creators to monetize their work rather than relinquishing control to a centralized platform.
For instance, a player who designs a map can license or sell it as an on-chain asset. This approach borrows from successful elements used by Roblox while adding the ownership and tradeability aspect that traditional UGC platforms have lacked.
Blueprint Founder Pass NFT sells out quickly
On May 7, Tomoland launched the Blueprint Founder Pass NFT, which had a supply of 2,222 and allowed one mint per wallet. The demand was immediate, with all passes claimed in just two hours. The collection gained significant traction, landing on the OpenSea main page and ranking in the Top 5 trending collections.
The Founder Pass offers various utilities, including access to advanced AI features, ecosystem multipliers, and airdrop boosts. It serves as both a recognition asset for early supporters and a functional tool for upcoming features.
Guided by industry mentors
Strategic guidance for Tomoland comes from seasoned advisors, including Dominic Jang, former Chief Business Officer of MapleStory Universe, and Hazel Zhang from Animoca Brands. Their experience adds credibility as Tomoland charts its course within the competitive Web3 gaming space.
Harnessing mobile infrastructure
Tomoland’s foundation rests on BUD World, which allows users to create 3D experiences and games from mobile devices. This mobile-first emphasis directly addresses one of the key challenges faced by many Web3 UGC platforms: efficiently scaling beyond crypto-native audiences.
Partnering with BUD World not only provides immediate access to a significant user base but also positions Tomoland to transform traditional Web2 reach into the on-chain ownership paradigm.
The future of UGC platforms
The recent funding for Tomoland emerges amidst a broader trend in Web3 gaming to leverage UGC platforms as gateways for mainstream engagement. Historical barriers for traditional on-chain games have often left them with dedicated but narrow audiences, underlining the advantages of mobile-first UGC strategies.
Tomoland’s successful fundraising sets the stage for its ambition to enrich the creator economy. With the community behind the Blueprint Founder Pass and BUD World as its backbone, Tomoland aims to deliver a functioning ownership layer for user-generated content that can reshape engagement in mobile gaming.
