Ficus Capital, a Malaysia-based environmental, social, and governance (ESG) Islamic-compliant venture capital firm, announced Tuesday its strategic investment of $430,000 in Morpheus Labs, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered Web3 implementation platform based in Singapore, as it initiates its Pre-A Funding round.

Ficus Capital said in a statement that this investment, made through Ficus’s flagship Ficus SEA Fund, aims to support Morpheus Labs’ groundbreaking work in simplifying blockchain implementation, making it easier for businesses and developers to build, deploy, and manage decentralized applications.

By reducing time-to-market and streamlining workflows, Morpheus Labs is paving the way for a new era in the Web3 space, it said.

In addition to Ficus Capital’s investment, Startup Five Investment (a boutique investment fund and member of AVA Angels) – focusing on digital transformation, ESG, and Web3 investments – is joining the funding round as one of the early investors for this Pre-A round, following Ficus Capital’s lead.

Pei-Han Chuang, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Morpheus Labs, is also investing alongside Ficus and Startup Five, further demonstrating strong internal and external confidence in Morpheus Labs’ potential to revolutionize Web3 development.

This collective backing underscores the growing market confidence in the company’s ability to drive significant innovation in the Web3 ecosystem, said the statement.

With this strategic investment, Morpheus Labs is poised to accelerate its growth and innovation, which has facilitated the securing of a key collaboration with Viu, PCCW’s pan-regional over the top (OTT) video streaming service.

This collaboration aims to pioneer new experiences for both users and creators in the Web3 space.

By working with Morpheus Labs, they aim to leverage blockchain technology to create more immersive and engaging experiences across various media platforms,
offering enhanced content monetization, digital rights management, and user engagement.

Cited Custom Market Insights, the statement said global Web3 market is projected to grow from $4.8 billion in 2021 to $69 billion by 2030, at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 68 percent, highlighting the rapid expansion and opportunity in this sector.

“Our investment in Morpheus Labs reflects our belief in the transformative potential of Web3 and our confidence in Morpheus Labs’ ability to lead this revolution,

“Their comprehensive platform and ecosystem-first approach align with our vision of fostering sustainable, scalable, and impactful technological solutions,” said Rina Neoh, Managing Partner of Ficus Capital.

Morpheus Labs is a Web3 space firm, offering an AI-powered platform that simplifies Web3 Implementation for businesses and developers.

Its key features include Smart Contract Studio, which enables easy deployment of smart contracts using AI, Workflow Studio, a drag-and-drop tool for integrating Web3 features into existing systems, and Web Studio (UI/UX), which provides customizable templates to streamline the development of decentralized applications (dApps).

“Ficus Capital’s investment in Morpheus Labs is pivotal in helping fuel our growth and expand our capabilities in the Web3 space,

“With Ficus Capital’s support, we are also expanding into key markets like Malaysia and Indonesia, which have a young and tech-savvy population,” said Pei-Han Chuang, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Morpheus Labs.

According to him, Ficus Capital’s commitment as an ESG-i VC aligns perfectly with Morpheus Labs’ mission to promote decentralization and inclusivity.

“Their focus on Shariah-compliant ESG investing resonates strongly with our values, as we strive to provide accessible and sustainable blockchain solutions,

“Additionally, with Ficus as our venture capital firm joining this round, we gain access to a robust network and potential future support, particularly enhancing our access to the Malaysian market and its growing tech ecosystem,” he added.

He also expects the opportunities from the collaboration with Ficus Capital and Startup Five Investment.

“Together, we can unlock new potentials in the Web3 space, expanding the scope of our platform and accelerating blockchain adoption in the entertainment industry,

“With Morpheus Labs’ AI-powered platform, we are empowering businesses to build and scale blockchain solutions more efficiently. This collaboration marks a significant step toward redefining digital experiences for users and creators worldwide,” he added.

Jeffery Yang, Managing Partner at Startup Five Investment (member of AVA Angels), said Morpheus Labs platform’s cutting-edge features and seamless integration align perfectly with Startup Five Investment investment strategy, and the firm believes this partnership will drive significant innovation in the Web3 ecosystem.

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