Tallinn-based startup Cookie3 has secured $5.5M in funding to support the launch of its governance and utility token, $COOKIE. The funding includes $3.3M from seed and strategic rounds, with investments from top Web3 VCs such as Animoca Brands, Spartan Group, Mapleblock Capital, and Castrum Capital. Seed round investors include Spartan Group, Baboon VC, GSR, Hartmann Capital, and Poolside, while the $2.5M strategic round saw participation from Mapleblock Capital, Founderheads,, Unreal Capital, Oddiyana Ventures, ChainGPT Labs, SkyVision Capital (SVC), New Tribe Capital, Undefined Capital, and Kangaroo Capital. The $COOKIE token, the first MarketingFi token, features multi-airdrops utility across Cookie3 platforms and an AI data credits redemption mechanism.
Cookie3, in collaboration with Cookie DAO, has established a pioneering MarketingFi ecosystem that leverages advanced AI data analytics to create a transparent and equitable marketing economy for Web3 users, creators, and businesses. Cookie3 develops innovative platforms and solutions that connect projects with the right audiences, using off- and on-chain analytics to ensure valuable interactions. Cookie DAO, a fully decentralized organization, supports the ecosystem by promoting user-driven marketing and governance through the $COOKIE token, which enables staking, governance, and access to exclusive airdrops. Together, Cookie3 and Cookie DAO aim to redistribute marketing value, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment where value flows freely between all stakeholders.
“Businesses need efficient marketing at a sustainable budget, and influencers need an audience to interact with their posts and content. The Cookie Ecosystem provides a one-stop solution to address these issues through a platform where users, creators, and businesses share synergies and grow together,” commented Vijay Garg, the founding partner at Mapleblock Capital.
$COOKIE has also received investment from top Web3 Angel investors, including, but not limited to Miko Matsumura of Gumi Cryptos Capital, Delroy Fong of Amber Group, Lavenjer Yeung of SevenX Ventures, Tal Cohen of Kraken, Denys Zhadanov, Tomer Nuni, Tasso Lago, Elliot Hagemeijer, Diego Borgo, Ivan on Tech, Michael Wrubel, Bycoinhunter, CryptoBirb, and S4ammy.eth.
The Cookie DAO, which is a fully decentralized organization, gave the following official statement:
“We started the Cookie DAO believing that marketing budgets can be given to users instead of advertising giants. By gaining a stake in the project, users help promote it through the most effective marketing method – word of mouth. We are honored to see so many investors and backers share our vision and be eager to jump on board to help us build a true MarketingFi ecosystem.”
$COOKIE has raised $5.5M in total, with a $800K round open to the public through IDOs conducted on Polkastarter and ChainGPT Pad. The Polkastarter IDO registration is now closed, and ChainGPT Pad IDO registrations will open on June 5th, 2024. The IDOs will take place on June 12th and 11th, respectively.
“The $COOKIE IDO Allowlist on Polkastarter saw immense interest from a highly engaged community. We’re excited to have witnessed the growth of this project and its community!” said Joao Leite, the managing partner at Polkastarter. “We’re strong believers in their token capturing and redistributing marketing value between many stakeholders. Feels great to be part of this journey with $COOKIE and the Cookie DAO.”
“As the Cookie Ecosystem accelerator, we have been working closely with both the Cookie3 and the Cookie DAO teams in the run-up to the listing. The professionalism and ideas behind the $COOKIE token have exceeded our expectations,” said Ilan Rakhmanov, CEO and co-founder of ChainGPT and ChainGPT Pad. “We are looking forward to the $COOKIE IDOs and its listing, but even more, I am personally excited to see how Web3 marketing will truly become the collaborative and inclusive MarketingFi ecosystem with $COOKIE paving the way.”
The $COOKIE token has several unique utilities within the Cookie Ecosystem – an ecosystem independently developed by both (i) Cookie3 Project creators and (ii) the community gathered around the solution – Cookie DAO. In addition to governance and staking utilities, $COOKIE garners several unique utilities related to the Cookie3 technology and platforms. The Cookie Ecosystem has allowed the $COOKIE token to issue endless airdrops to its stakes from projects using the Cookie3 platforms. This utility stems directly from the agreement between the Cookie DAO and Cookie3, which allows Cookie3 to give a proportion of tokens gathered from Cookie3 Airdrop Shield, Cookie3 Affiliate, and Cookie3 Score to the Cookie DAO, which then airdrops the tokens to $COOKIE stakers who express interest and conduct specific activities to support in these projects. Furthermore, $COOKIE will become a native in-platform token exchangeable for AI data credits within the Cookie Ecosystem, which, with the rising need for AI analytics on Web3 data, coils create a naturally growing demand for $COOKIE.
“We are honored to be part of the $COOKIE listing journey and excited for our partnership with the Cookie DAO,” said Filip Wielanier, the co-founder and CEO of Cookie3. “With $COOKIE, the Cookie3 ecosystem becomes complete, letting the community become an equal part of MarketingFi. I am excited about $COOKIE and the Cookie DAO helping us realize our mission of redistributing marketing value in Web3 and beyond among users, businesses, and creators.”
The Cookie DAO has also teased that during and right after listing, users who commit to specific periods of $COOKIE staking will benefit from increased APY. The details regarding staking and increased APY will be revealed by the Cookie DAO closer to the listing date.
The $COOKIE listing will be the first opportunity for the general public to purchase $COOKIE and receive exclusive access to governance, staking, and endless airdrops from within the Cookie Ecosystem. Apart from centralized exchanges, users will be able to buy $COOKIE directly from DEXs embedded in the cookie.community platform, which will also feature the $COOKIE staking portal.
Click to read more funding news.
