Nandi Labs

Nandi Labs, founded in 2021 by Jepchumba, Chinedu Enekwe, and Ngozi Odita, is a Web3 studio based in Washington D.C. focused on building a digital economy for Black and African art and culture. The company emerged from the African Digital Art collective, an online platform established in 2009 by Jepchumba that amassed a global community of creatives. The founders' diverse backgrounds—Jepchumba in digital art, Enekwe in private equity and venture capital, and Odita's cultural expertise—converged to address the under-financing of the creative sector in emerging markets like Africa. The firm has secured $250K in funding from investors including Passbook Ventures, Orbit Startups, SOSV, and Sunu Capital.

The company's core business revolves around providing creator financing, B2B borderless payments on crypto rails, content distribution, and community management tools. Nandi Labs aims to empower creators by allowing them to unlock cultural capital from their fan base. Revenue is generated through its various platforms and services designed for creators, media companies, and brands to engage with fans. One of its primary offerings is a lending product that provides creators with an advance on their receivables, with loans ranging from approximately $2,000 to $2 million. This model is designed to provide capital to creators who are often overlooked by traditional financial institutions.

Nandi Labs operates a suite of products to serve its target market. The Nandi Market is an NFT marketplace that enables artists from Africa and its Diaspora to trade in digital collectibles, focusing on cultural production, ownership, and preservation. The Nandi Cowry Membership offers access to a community through 10,000 unique NFTs on the Celo blockchain, granting holders benefits like content access and voting rights for grants. MoveMint Magazine and the Digital FESTAC metaverse are other initiatives designed to expand the ecosystem. Digital FESTAC is an immersive platform featuring real-world and metaverse experiences like games and concerts, aiming to redefine creativity and ownership for Black storytellers.

Keywords: creator economy, Web3 studio, digital collectibles, NFT marketplace, creator financing, African art, Black culture, content distribution, crypto payments, community management, borderless payments, cultural capital, digital metaverse, emerging markets, venture capital, blockchain technology, fan engagement, B2B payments, creative financing, digital art collective