Forkast

Forkast.News was established in 2018 as a digital media platform with a focus on reporting on blockchain and emerging technologies from an Asian perspective for a global audience. The company was founded by Angie Lau, a veteran journalist and former Bloomberg TV anchor, and Sarah Chang, a former McKinsey & Company consultant and startup operator. Lau's extensive background in journalism, with over two decades of experience and more than 10,000 interviews, including a notable exclusive with Li Ka-shing, shaped the editorial vision of the company. Chang brought operational and strategic expertise from her work with startups and consulting. The founders' complementary skill sets were a core strength, with Lau's media acumen and Chang's business and startup experience creating a synergistic partnership.

The firm was created to address a perceived gap in the media landscape, providing in-depth coverage of technology's impact on business, the economy, and politics, with a particular emphasis on Asia's role in the innovation narrative. In May 2021, Forkast.News secured $1.7 million in a seed funding round from a consortium of investors including AMTD Group, Fenbushi Capital, and the Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund, to expand its team and enhance its digital storytelling capabilities.

The primary offering of Forkast.News was its news content, which included articles and analysis on topics such as cryptocurrencies, decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). The platform aimed to provide clarity and context beyond just price movements, targeting an audience of leaders in media and various industries. The business model centered on creating high-quality, relevant content and analysis, and it formed partnerships with organizations like the OECD and the World Economic Forum.

In January 2023, a significant strategic shift occurred when Forkast.News merged with CryptoSlam, a blockchain data analytics firm. The merger, shepherded by Animoca Brands, a key investor in both companies, resulted in the formation of a new entity called Forkast Labs. The goal of this new venture was to create a Web3-focused data intelligence and media platform, combining journalistic reporting with on-chain data analytics to establish a new standard for valuing the digital economy. Following the merger, Angie Lau and CryptoSlam founder Randy Wasinger became co-CEOs of Forkast Labs, with Sarah Chang assuming the role of COO. By late 2023, Forkast Labs shifted its focus more heavily towards the data analytics side of the business, incorporating the editorial operations into the new data-centric product focus and ceasing the publication of new articles under the original Forkast.News brand.

Keywords: Forkast.News, Forkast Labs, Angie Lau, Sarah Chang, blockchain media, cryptocurrency news, emerging technology, digital assets, Asian technology, financial journalism, Web3 media, CryptoSlam, data intelligence, on-chain analytics, NFT data, blockchain analysis, digital economy, media startup, Animoca Brands, Hong Kong media