- Our team's most challenging yet empowering experience in the Acceleration program was the simultaneous sharing of knowledge and corporate culture of the brand, Tezos, under which the acceleration was conducted. The Fuelarts x Tezos Accelerator accepted startups with existing products at the MVP level, but their knowledge of general disciplines like business modeling, customer development, Go-to-Market strategy, and understanding the art market varied. To align their knowledge, we conducted lectures for the first four weeks, followed by 1-on-1 sessions. Technical mentors worked concurrently to integrate Tezos products into their technical solutions, and the challenge was amplified because Fuelarts worked simultaneously with ten startups for the first time, and we are proud to report a successful outcome. We are grateful to our mentors for generously offering to spend more time with the batch participants.

- The Accelerator program lasted for 11 weeks. However, for Fuelarts and Tezos, it lasted twice as long. We started modeling different participation options for specific startups as soon as they submitted their applications. This included attracting additional mentors based on product characteristics and identifying investors who would best respond to their business model. By the time we held Kick-Off Day on February 3, we already had a clear idea of what we wanted to see on Demo Day and how to work towards that goal. We did not pressure the batch participants, but rather offered suggestions based on their psychological profiles. For instance, one startup made three pivots in their business model before reverting to the original idea we wanted to see, but this was entirely their decision, which is more valuable for the growth of their team and product.

- For the past 20 years, the main challenge for startups in the Art+Tech sector has remained unchanged - a poor understanding of the ecosystem and cause-and-effect relationships in the art market. This often leads to unrealistic ideas that struggle to find their market fit. The art market is notoriously closed to outsiders, and most people only know about it through newspaper articles that don't reflect its true state. As a result, most Art+Tech startups opt to become a marketplace, competing for a limited number of buyers with numerous existing and emerging marketplaces. At Fuelarts, we have a vast network of mentors who are practitioners of the art market, which we use to show startups the diversity of business models, real market pains, and numerous niches with unexpected opportunities.

- First of all, I must mention that for the first round of Fuelarts x Tezos Accelerator, we received over 120 applications, out of which we had to choose only 30 strong candidates. Our team even joked that we had enough applicants for three full-fledged batches.The most challenging part is always to refuse a startup from participating, but we continue to follow their progress, and with future recruitment, we already know whom to contact directly. We are grateful to Fuelarts' partner, Unstoppable Domains, for providing perks and privileges not only to the enrolled startups but also to the rejected ones. As for the next batch - it's evident that the next set of startups will have an AI focus in the Art+Tech field. Even among the current ten graduates, four startups are already using AI technology. Another area that we intend to support and develop is NFT utilities, including working with large brands that create their ecosystems through art.

- It's crucial to stay in touch with our graduates and provide them with attention and support. We want our founders to know that our collaboration doesn't end with the Demo Day. Art+Tech is a large family, and they can always count on our support. We have created a LinkedIn channel for graduates of all our courses, where we regularly share the best practices and insights from the Web3 market. Additionally, Fuelarts helps startups to work with investors after the batch by attending the first meetings. We always remember that the Stanford University alumni community was the driving force behind Silicon Valley's success. We try to instill the same values in our graduates - respect for art, striving for Art+Tech excellence, and attention to colleagues in the market.

- We were delighted to receive the trust and support of Tezos in developing startups for their art ecosystem. It was a significant and responsible choice for both brands. Over the years, we have witnessed how Tezos takes care of its art ecosystem, which includes startups, artists, curators, and collectors. Thanks to their hard work, Tezos is rightfully considered Blockchain No.1 for art today. For Fuelarts, this experience was valuable, as we got to work with a top Web3 brand and an ecosystem that demands flawless handling of art. Our views aligned on many aspects, from startup selection to mentoring approaches. Tezos also provided five technical mentors who provided invaluable support. Furthermore, many established startups in the Tezos ecosystem expressed their willingness to partner with our young startups, and our Tezos Foundation batch graduates are now being considered for investment opportunities. In short, we did not experience any contradictions during the work process, and we hope that this is mutual.

- I have already mentioned that AI and NFT utilities are the main trendsetters for the 2023 season. Furthermore, if artificial intelligence is the clear favorite of the "hot" market's new wave, then introducing the practical benefits of ownership into NFT products is a form of apology for the previous season's "tail pulling," which many startups failed to develop or consider. We should not forget that in recent years, we have created numerous NFT collections that are now "dead weight" on the balance sheet of their owners. To avoid discrediting the term NFT, we must breathe new life into these assets. Our third direction for 2023 is to revise successful Web2 business models and develop them in the Web3 coordinate system. Founders must remember that all successful models have already been invented and tested by the market; they simply need to adapt them to the new realities.

- As the head of the accelerator, it would be inappropriate for me to talk about my favorite startups. If they are accepted into our program, it means that we believe in their potential and success. At the time of the Demo Day, all participants of Fuelarts x Tezos Accelerator 2023 were equally promising. What happens next is up to them. However, there are times when I feel sympathy for the founders themselves during the mentoring process. This is not necessarily based on their attitude or friendliness, but on the level of their interest in the outcome. In the last batch, several founders impressed me with their professionalism, passion for their startup, and respect for their mentors. You tend to celebrate the successes of such people more than others because they possess the rarest quality of all - humanity.

- We have three main areas of focus for the coming months. The success of the last batch of Fuelarts x Tezos Accelerator has caught the attention of other brands. They see building their own army of startups that share their corporate values as an opportunity to quickly and easily enter Web3. Thus, we have created the Fuelarts Corporate program and are in negotiations with large retail and financial companies. We plan to hold the first joint batch in the fall. Additionally, our Fuelarts Startups Report has gained attention from market players, which led us to the idea of creating a full-fledged online resource based on our analytical department that reflects investments in Art+Tech in real-time. This should help startups and investors respond faster to market changes instead of waiting for our bi-annual report. The third area of focus is to complete the raise of the Fuelarts Capital I fund, which will allow us to invest not only in our graduates but also in potential market unicorns that we identify through our analytics and daily networking. If we can achieve at least two out of these three goals by the end of 2023, it will be a tremendously successful year for Fuelarts. Nonetheless, we believe we will achieve all three stated objectives. Otherwise, why declare them?