Talent Protocol, the web3 professional community for high-potential builders, has acquired Agora Labs, a social token and NFT infrastructure platform for creators “to build and scale their communities.”
The acquisition will not only “integrate Agora’s tech stack and community into Talent Protocol, but also onboard its young talented founders, Matthew Espinoza (CEO) and Freeman (CTO) into the team.”
Despite being only a year old, Talent Protocol saw this acquisition opportunity “as another way of working towards its mission of supporting the builders of tomorrow.” The startup – founded by Pedro Oliveira, Filipe Macedo and Andreas Vilela – has been “actively enabling ways of empowering talented tech professionals who have an entrepreneurial mindset and are curious to explore web3.”
Pedro Oliveira, co-founder and CEO of Talent Protocol, said:
“Agora Labs’ mission and team fits perfectly with what we are building in Talent Protocol. In a very short time, Agora’s talented team has created tools and infrastructure that serve several of the needs of tokenized creators and that is something we found truly remarkable and relevant for our own community. Talent Protocol and Agora Labs’ paths crossed earlier this year, and when we saw the opportunity to join efforts, we took it”, he adds.
Agora Labs was “founded in 2021 by Matthew Espinoza, Freeman Zhang, Jerry Di and Charles Nyabeze, all teenage builders who took the leap from their careers and established their own Web3 company.”
The little over one-year journey “led to this acquisition by Talent Protocol which will welcome 20-year-old Matthew (CEO) and 19-year-old Freeman (CTO) to its team and support their early but valuable careers.”
Filipe Macedo, co-founder and CMO of Talent Protocol, comments:
“The Web3 space is all about community and collaboration. We see the integration of Agora’s assets and team members as a way of achieving collective success for all parties involved.”
Over 150,000 users have already joined Talent Protocol “to create a professional profile, make meaningful connections and access exciting opportunities.”
Members can also “launch a token for their careers, transforming loose connections into invested supporters.” A Talent Protocol account “gives priority access to scholarships, opportunities, mentors, and a community that can help you succeed in web3.”
Filipe Macedo added:
“The world of work is changing but our professional networks are decades old. Most are a cringeworthy and out-of-touch places unable to represent the next generation of builders and support their career growth. Agora Labs was also unlocking web3 opportunities for builders and creators, that’s why it made total sense to join forces, while also supporting the professional journeys of its talented founders.”
Matthew Espinoza from Agora Labs, remarked:
“From day one, it was clear that Talent Protocol was the ideal company to acquire us. From the beginning of our conversations to signing the deal, they always had our best interests at heart, and I truly resonated with their mission and culture.”