Vertex Labs (https://vertexlabs.uk/), the brain behind the Caduceus metaverse protocol, Vertex Network and 3D metaverse platform, LightCycle, has acquired London-based digital art studio, Digimental Studio (Digimental), the driving force behind blue-chip 3D NFT fashion brand, HAPE for US$12 million. The acquisition completes Vertexlabs.uk offering as the world’s leading provider of Web3 and AI infrastructure and marks a pivotal milestone for the global metaverse industry.
Through its acquisition of Digimental, Vertexlabs.uk will introduce a staking programme for its HAPE community members. Building on HAPE’s collaborations with Italian fashion giant, Diesel and iconic global lifestyle brand, Jagermeister, HAPE will continue to form new partnerships with fashion, lifestyle and luxury players, providing them with unprecedented access and infrastructure support within the Web3 space. The shared vision is for HAPE to become the go-to destination within the fashionverse and a home for its community members, through its integration into Vertexlabs.uk’s 3D metaverse platform, LightCycle. Digimental will lead on the creation and development of LightCycle.
Founded in 2011, Digimental Studio launched its prolific brainchild, HAPE, in 2021; with a current trading volume $US200 million, HAPE boasts the largest NFT community in the world with over 420,000 members on Discord and a global, cross-platform community of over 1 million members. HAPE rapidly achieved cult status and an insatiable collector-based following for its iconic digital art, rooted in cultural cues from street fashion, tech and music.
Its release of 8,192 minted HAPES (unique Ethereum-based NFTs), broke NFT-release records when it drew in 450,000+ global community members to its HAPE Discord channel, with resale purchases exceeding US$20,000 per HAPE on OpenSea. S
olidifying its foothold within the fashionverse, HAPE went on to partner with Italian fashion giant, Diesel, earlier this year to launch a co-created, limited edition NFT collection, offering exclusive physical and digital rewards; the collaboration forms part of HAPE’s wider commitment to innovate together with brands, bridging the gap between Web2 and Web3.
The merge builds on Vertexlabs.uk’s strategic partnership with HAPE, formed to supercharge HAPE’s ecosystem by providing a vital infrastructure layer for Web3 projects and through the integration of tokenomics. Vertexlabs.uk’s metaverse, Web3 and AI infrastructure is powered by decentralised edge rendering and offers an unparalleled solution. Its Caduceus metaverse protocol is modular and easy to adopt, with up to 100,000 fast transactions per second, extremely low gas costs and compatibility with EVM. This means developers can use its decentralised real-time edge rendering and AI computing for migration, immersion and streaming.
The merge also saw the successful integration of $CMP token into HAPE’s native ecosystem, enabling holders to purchase on-chain digital clothing within the HAPE marketplace, using CMP, to create a seamless metaverse experience.
Ander Tsui, Founder & CEO of Vertexlabs.uk said: “Web3 is nothing without content. We have developed the world’s first blockchain dedicated to metaverse development and now, by adding Digimental to our stable – together we can truly push the boundaries of the digital world, providing the infrastructure for the future of fashion and entertainment.
HAPE’s community is paramount in our growth strategy and we’re excited that, through tokenisation and our soon-to-launch staking programme, HAPE and CMP token holders will reap the rewards.”Matt Sypien, Founder, Digimental Studio added: “Joining forces with Vertex Labs opens up an exciting new chapter for Digimental Studio. As we enter the Hape 2.0 era, our collaboration will push the frontiers of the digital world. Cultivating a loyal and engaged community has always been at the heart of HAPE’s success. With Vertex Labs’ support, we will take this to the next level and offer our community unparalleled access and experiences in Web3. We are excited to forge new partnerships with bands leading the zeitgeist in fashion, music and culture and we are committed to continuing to innovate together.”
About Vertex Labs
Vertex Labs is a Metaverse, Web3 and AI infrastructure provider, powered by decentralised, real-time edge rendering engine. Its cutting-edge technology includes: A metaverse graph consensus mechanism enabling large-scale parallel processing that outmatches traditional Layer 1 protocols; a real-time edge rendering engine with flexible distributed real-time rendering technology delivering improved efficiency and lower costs for all users; interactive metaverse technology with extensive device and devkit support, enabling seamless creation and experience of immersive 3D models and environments.
About Digimental Studio
Founded and Directed by Matt Sypien, Digimental Studio offers design-led Web3 services and has numerous industry awards. As the first NFT collection by Digimental Studio, Hape launched in January 2022 to tremendous success, crashing OpenSea twice due to high demand. It continues to lead innovation in the Web3 space, operating at the intersection of fashion, lifestyle and culture.
Matt Sypien Bio: Digimental (Matt Sypien) is the Director of Digimental Studio and Founder of Hape. Hailing from Krakow, Poland and now London-based, Digi evolved his passion for all things creative from a hobby into a career. His creativity spans a variety of media and techniques such as digital imaging, print and packaging, film and television production. His diverse client list includes Chelsea FC, Nike, Christies, Four Seasons, Google, Audi, Skrillex, The Economist, among many others. Digi’s distinctive artworks have earned him numerous industry awards and global recognition.