As we bid farewell to 2023, we embark on a reflective journey, curating our own selection of the driving forces that have defined the intersection of creativity and technology throughout the year.
Originating as a non-profit, non-equity initiative, CultTech Accelerator from Vienna in 2023 has honed a diverse cohort of mentors, launched a new batch, and concluded the year with the acquisition of a partner fund — New Renaissance Ventures. We eagerly anticipate commencing 2024 by spotlighting the trailblazers of this business unit in our webinars and interviews.
For the first time since Beeple, a digital artist has surfaced in all surveys and reports on the most influential figures in the art market (ArtReview, Artnet, etc.). Refik seamlessly merges academicism, generative art, and marketing — evidenced by his success not only in securing placements in esteemed private collections (such as Ryan Zurrer's) but also in MoMA accepting his work as a gift following a highly successful exhibition.
Despite the lingering effects of the bear market and the FTX collapse, Solana unexpectedly re-entered the scene in 2023, finishing the year in the lead. With the fourth-highest token capitalization, a partnership with Art Basel, and topping NFT sales in the fall, Solana accomplished what Bitcoin Ordinals failed to achieve.
Once a co-author of the most successful exit in Art+Tech (Collectrium to Christie’s, $17.5 million), entrepreneur Boris Pevzner returned to the market after eight years with the startup LiveArt. The marketplace promptly delineated its niche and development trajectory: tokenization with a focus on the Asian market encompassing artists, collectors, and investors.
While Dubai witnessed an international relocation of startups in recent years, the creative economy of the interior US states has found a new home in Miami — primarily from California and New York. Boasting a record 450 art events in December, an in-house report on the creative industry market, the migration of affluent entrepreneurs and celebrities, and a keen investment in AI, Miami presents a formidable bid not only for the year but also for the next decade.
The curatorial duo from London, Auronda Scalera, and Alfredo Cramerotti, possess an impressive portfolio: securing spots in leading digital art rankings, influencing both men and women, curating for Art Dubai and the digital pavilion at the Venice Biennale, and participating in the Davos forum — all in 2024, as announced in 2023. Thanks in large part to Auronda and Alfredo, the digital art and NFT market has academically persevered during a tumultuous year.
Amidst the plethora of logos of Web3 companies on the London accelerator/venture fund Outlier Ventures' website, don't be misled — they adeptly collaborate with numerous blockchains and strategists. With six investments in Art+Tech in 2023 — securing the second position among investors (after Polygon) and the top spot among “pure” VC — Outlier Ventures proves their versatility and prowess.
Choosing between The Sphere in Las Vegas and Superblue in Miami (with plans to expand globally), we opted for the latter. Superblue boasts the former global director of Art Basel, Marc Spiegler, as its chief advisor and maintains a high standard for the art it exhibits.
2023 can rightfully be dubbed the Year of Reports, with a plethora of releases, but one standout is the biannual report from Deloitte/ArtTactic. Besides the customary financial and investment components, significant attention was devoted to technologies in art, surpassing even the 2019 Fuelarts concept presented in this report.
Diverging from its counterparts in the generative art market, Midjourney thrives and evolves with the funding from its founders, eschewing external investments despite numerous proposals. We wish this startup, boasting 15 million active users, the wisdom to discern worthy offers in time and the ability to utilize them effectively.