Towns Protocol raised $25 M in a Series A round on 2023-02-22.

Why am I optimistic about the development of the gaming sector in this cycle? Unlike the previous round of Play2Earn, the quality of games in this round is even better, such as Parallel, Bigtime, Nyan, Pixels Online, etc. The impact of high-quality games on users is also obvious, completing the transition from "pure Ponzi gameplay where you can make money by buying some NFT assets and staking them a few times" to "requiring users to personally participate in the game and spend time playing the game and earn corresponding income." The new model will bring us new opportunities. Games with the old model may be able to fight back, but the real wealth opportunities will definitely come from games that adopt the new model (high-quality games that require players to participate in the game and earn corresponding income).

This article presents a16z's investments so far in Q1 2023.

Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) are an innovative infrastructure model that builds through distributed means, providing more efficient and secure support, helping to enhance the robustness of the Web3 ecosystem. DePIN projects such as Filecoin, Render Network, etc., utilize blockchain and token incentives to address various risks faced by traditional centralized infrastructure. It is expected that by 2028, the market size of this industry will reach $3.5 trillion.

Safaricom's M-PESA service in Ethiopia gained 3.1 million customers shortly after its launch in August 2023. The platform supports deposits, transfers, airtime purchases, and is interoperable with multiple banks. Despite high inflation and currency depreciation, the company aims to enhance connectivity and customer engagement.

DePIN: The Indispensable Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network of Web3 Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN) is an innovative model for the deployment and maintenance of infrastructure. It is built collaboratively by a globally distributed network of individuals and organizations and is open to all users. Participants can earn corresponding economic rewards and token incentives by providing physical infrastructure nodes. DePIN combines advanced technologies such as cryptography, the internet, the Internet of Things, and blockchain to achieve a more efficient, decentralized, and equitable method of infrastructure deployment. DePIN is crucial for the true meaning of Web3. Despite the development of Web3 on the basis of Layer1 and Layer2,