AS Monaco became the first club in Ligue 1 to step into the metaverse by signing a partnership with Capital Block, a move designed to strengthen its NFT strategy.
Having dipped their feet in the NFT water back in August through their partnership with Sorare, AS Monaco have now gone a step further and, in doing so, become the first Ligue 1 club to collaborate with an NFT consulting agency. They are also one of the first to do so in European football.
Capital Block will help the club with their NFT strategy as it traverses a novel industry, which football clubs are only just starting to engage in. Principally, it will advise ASM on the creation and launch of its NFTs, as well as which NFT platforms to partner with.
The partnership will also bring something new to AS Monaco fans, or at least those engaged in the NFT community, as plans for exclusive products and experiences are already being drawn up.
In a press release from the club, Vice-President Oleg Petrov said, “We are pleased to launch the partnership with Capital Block, which will enable AS Monaco to strengthen its positioning in the field of digital innovation and improve the possibilities for fans to connect with the club.”
Petrov added that the use of NFTs will be a big part of the club’s strategy going forward, highlighting the importance of the new partnership in reaching their goals. “Each passing day confirms the growing appeal of NFTs. Capital Block’s expertise will enable us to better understand this universe, to grasp the issues related to it and define a solid and sustainable strategy,” continued Petrov.
Tim Mangnall, CEO of Capital Block added, “We are delighted to be working with AS Monaco and we are really looking forward to hitting the ground running with the club.”
Mangnall says he is confident of what his company can bring to everyone around the club: “We are really excited that football clubs across Europe are starting to realise the importance of an NFT strategy, and those that do, will benefit in many ways, as will their fans.”
ROKiT Venturi makes historic partnership with CBD innovator
Monaco-based E racing team ROKiT Venturi has broken the mould once again, this time partnering with Craft 1861, the creator of CBD-based wellness products and technology.
The deal, announced on Thursday 31st March, makes ROKiT Venturi the first ever motorsport racing team to partner with an industry from the CBD sector.
CBD, otherwise known as cannabidiol, is a natural compound found in hemp plants and promotes wellness without the intoxicating and psychoactive effects.
As the team’s Official Wellness Partner, Craft 1861 will play a supporting role in both the physical and mental wellbeing of the team, monitoring team performance throughout the 2021/22 FIA Formula E World Championship and beyond.
“Craft 1861 is an innovator in the field of CBD innovation and we are proud to be part of their global brand development journey,” said Susie Wolff, CEO of ROKiT Venturi Racing, in a statement. “Craft 1861’s focus on the creation of sustainable product innovation without compromising on quality is something we really identify with as a team and, by partnering with ROKiT Venturi Racing, Craft 1861 will be engaging with the eco-conscious dynamic and progressive Formula E audience demographic.”
Photo source: ROKiT Venturi Racing
According to Craft 1861, its products interact with the body’s metabolic and neural receptors that regulate pain, the immune system, memory, stress response and other functions, to sharpen human performance in high-pressure environments, such as in Formula E.
From the Rome E-Prix onwards, Craft 1861’s branding will appear on the front wing and headrest of the team’s new black livery as driven by Edoardo Mortara and Lucas di Grassi, on driver racing suits, and on team clothing.
“We are thrilled to partner with ROKiT Venturi Racing Formula E team,” said Eric Lujan, Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Craft 1861. “Our company is proud to be the first CBD company in Formula E. We offer CBD hemp products to those focused on wellness and a healthy lifestyle, which is the perfect match for the rising millennial FE fan.”
In mid-February, ROKiT Venturi Racing announced that the team had partnered with alcohol brand Stoli elit Vodka as its principal sponsor.
Monte-Carlo Beach has take out the Special Prize in the Green category of the Hotel & Lodge Awards, recognition of the establishment’s dedicated commitment to sustainability.
On Thursday 24th March, French tourism magazine Hotel & Lodge held its third ceremony of the Hotel & Lodge Awards at Pavillon Cambon in Paris. Monte-Carlo Beach claimed the Special Green Prize, a new category that is awarded, on the selection of editorial teams and a judging panel made up of tourism professionals, to a hotel resolutely committed to an eco-responsible and sustainable development approach.
The award recognises that Monte-Carlo Beach has been Green Globe certified since 2014, with Green Gold status since 2018. This approach is driven by General Manager Daniele Garcelon, who has been working for many years to achieve a zero-plastic policy, recycle waste and drastically reduce energy and water consumption.
“My teams and I accept this award with joy and humbleness,” said Daniele Garcelon. “It is a recognition and strong encouragement in the pursuit of our everyday commitment.”
The hotel has implemented a proactive policy to protect biodiversity, in particular with the creation in 2021 of a positive biodiversity reef dyke. Located under the water 100 metres from shore, this dyke has been designed to protect the beach and allow the development of marine life in a protected area.
Pointe de la Vigie and its surrounding pine forest have also been classified LPO (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux) bird protection status. The latest wildlife inventory listed no fewer than 20 species of birds, including 10 nesting species and 15 protected species.
“This site at Monte-Carlo Beach is becoming an essential refuge for local biodiversity,” said Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer in announcing the award for its hotel.
Keen to develop its local eco-system, Monte-Carlo Beach and the Elsa restaurant, which has been Ecocert certified since 2013 for its 100% organic and wild-caught fish, work closely with local producers to give preference to seasonal products as well as nearby estates and gardens: Jardin des Antipodes in Menton for aromatic herbs and fruit, and Domaine d’Agerbol in the heights of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, which supplies Elsa with organic vegetables, from farm to fork.
During Monaco Ocean Week, the players of RAMOGE, an agreement between Monaco, France and Italy, released an awareness video highlighting the impact of marine pollution, called Thrill in the Abyss.
It’s only just over four minutes long, but Thrill in the Abyss (Frisson dans les abysses) packs a big punch.
The short French film covers exploration campaigns undertaken by scientists from the three nations that make up RAMOGE, where they found in underwater canyons, along with beauty, an alarming amount of waste accumulation at depths of over 2,000 metres, roughly 30 kilometres off the coast.
The staggering amount of waste was captured on film from wire-guided underwater vehicles in September 2018, which can reach depths of 6,000 metres below sea level. It shows the extremity of the situation, with piles of rubbish sitting on the seabed that had been carried from the land and rivers to these resting places.
The jarring impact of seeing a veritable junk yard where there should be grasses and creatures puts a fine point on the problem facing the seas with regard to ocean pollution. These undersea garbage dumps are filled with plastic cups, old cans, tennis balls and a variety pack of unidentifiable detritus.
There was even a pot of yogurt from the brand Chambourcy, a French company that shut down in 1996.
“It looks light and fragile, but it has been here, in this deep area of ecological interest, for several decades. Seeing is believing. And that’s only the visible part, there are also microplastics,” Anne Vissio, Executive Secretary of the RAMOGE Agreement, told Monaco Matin. “We realised that the canyons are areas of accumulation of waste. All this waste comes from the earth, has been abandoned in nature, then carried by waterways and currents.”
Screenshot from Frisson dans les abysses
“Removing them is very complicated technically and would cost a fortune,” she said. The purpose of this video, which we hope will be relayed massively, is to say ‘Stop, let’s not add more!’ Individually, we can act and stop the use of plastic. On a global scale, we must stop the production of plastic packaging.”
The footage also showed the marvels of the seas, such as fish, tiny sea crustaceans, coral and other such incredible sea flora and fauna, but these beautiful images don’t hold a candle to the mess found in their habitat.
Beyond the horror of how terrible it looks, it is also possible they are dangerous to health. As the plastics slowly break down, they release microplastics which are typically passed through the body without harm. The danger comes from the microplastics on the surface of the ocean that attach to plastic and travel long distances. The plastic actually serves as a carrier. Certain micro-organisms attached to it can be pathogenic for marine organisms, toxic or invasive.
RAMOGE is made up of delegates from France, Monaco and Italy and was formed in 1991 after an oil tanker sank off the coast, threatening the coastlines and the sea life. They work to fight against accidents such as these and establish cooperative agreements in the event of any such occurrence. Additionally, the representatives work to protect the biodiversity of the Mediterranean, which hosts between 25% and 30% of the endemic species and 10% of the marine species known to man, despite only covering 1% of the world’s ocean surface.
See the video below…
Photo: Screenshot from Frisson dans les abysses
Finest takes over Monaco Esports in $10 million deal
Israeli sports organisation Finest has acquired Monaco Esports for $10 million, ending all Monaco Esports branding and operations after the upcoming Sim Racing event, as the bigger venture will absorb the Monaco-based company.
The merger between Finest and Monaco Esports was announced on 14th March and is part of Finest’s plans for international expansion.
“I am really glad to welcome the Finest group in Monaco, their experience and knowledge of the esports world will help the Principality of Monaco and the Federation to improve and put Monaco in the front of the esports scene,” said Louis Ducruet, President of Monaco Esports Federation.
Finest was founded in 2019 by Rubik Milkis but is now being run by former CEO of the Israeli Football Association Rotem Kamer. Milkis still retains an active role as the company’s Chief Gaming Officer (CGO).
“It is a new era of esports we will witness in Monaco. For years we have been working to build the foundation of what would become a highly global structure. Monaco Esports merging with Finest gives that worldwide reach we’ve been expecting. We are now looking forward to the extraordinary results we are going to achieve within this new family,” said Boris Fedoroff, President and Founder of Monaco Esports.
Finest was recently taken over by media giant RadarZero when CEO Mark Klein took over the majority stake in the business in late 2020. This makes it part of a larger portfolio of gaming operations owned by Radar, such as GameSquare, Enthusiast Gaming and FaZe Clan.
In July 2021, Klein met Louis Ducruet and Boris Fedoroff and began talking about a merger, which made sense for both sides. Monaco Esports would get a money injection and a higher profile, and Finest would get access to Monaco’s market, reputation and enthusiasm.
“The Principality wants to make Monaco a gaming hub in Europe,” Klein explained to gaming site dextero.com. “They would like to see events every two months. Events made for the fans, for the pro teams, for the industry, to create best practices and bring financiers and investors in gaming companies and technology to Monaco.
“They 100 percent want to support those initiatives. They also want to subsidize the fanbase through afterschool programs for kids, for example. Their support is something that, unfortunately, I cannot say that we have here in Israel [from a government perspective].”
Finest also wants to encourage more girls to be part of this world, and already support the Valorant Girls Team. It should be noted that metrics are showing the split between boys and girls in esports is coming close to equal, so the women’s market is becoming hugely important as an untapped resource.
Monaco Ocean Week is an event where ocean experts are discussing everything from innovation and scientific research, to ocean health and blue economy development. One participant, the MERI Foundation, highlighted the role that whales play in mitigating climate change and why their conservation should be a top priority.
“People may not know that the oceans are one of the main sources of nature-based solutions to mitigating climate change,” Patricia Morales, CEO of Cortés Solari Philanthropy tells Monaco Life. “In Chile, we are working around what we call ‘marine ecosystem services’, in particular from whales. Do you know that each whale captures around 33 tons of carbon, which is equivalent to 1,500 trees? It is much more efficient to protect whales instead of killing and selling them for food.”
Cortés Solari Philanthropy is part of the Melimoyu Ecosystem Research Institute (MERI) Foundation, a private, non-profit institution that seeks to highlight the importance of ocean conservation due to its valuable “ecosystem services” and its role in mitigating climate change.
During Monaco Ocean Week (MOW), the foundation teamed up with the Scientific Centre of Monaco for a series of panels which brought together scientists, business people, politicians and economists to look at the value of marine ecosystem services and innovation technologies for community environmental awareness raising.
One main area of MERI’s research has been the Melimoyu Elemental Reserve and the conservation of the blue whale, a species which has returned to the Corcovado Gulf after years of absence.
Within eight years, researchers were able to identify that this whale species is capable of capturing enormous amounts of carbon, 1,500 times more than a tree, making it a valuable nature-based solution for climate change mitigation and worthy of increased conservation efforts.
Together with the Chilean Ministry of Environment, the MERI Foundation is now leading the Blue Boat Initiative, which seeks to alert vessels of the presence of whales through early warning systems.
“We are trying to promote the conservation of whales through this initiative,” says Patricia Morales. “It is a national project where we install intelligent buoys on Chilean coasts in order to prevent a collision between ships and whales.”
Through an acoustic system, the buoys send out a signal to the ships alerting them to the presence of whales, thus reducing the risk of collisions with boats, one of the main causes of the dramatic decline of this species.
According to MERI, between 2007 and 2019, it is estimated that more than 1,200 whales died due to collisions with cargo ships or smaller vessels.
“This is why the Blue Boat Initiative seeks to address the problem, taking care of the species and guaranteeing the generation of blue carbon,” says Morales.
Blue carbon refers to C02 that is naturally stored in aquatic ecosystems. The habitat with the largest deposits is the ocean, which absorbs 25% of the atmosphere’s C02 annually. It plays a fundamental role, and therefore, whales play a key role.
Photo of Patricia Morales, CEO of Cortés Solari Philanthropy, by Monaco Life
Morales says the foundation is also economically evaluating the marine ecosystem services of these whales in order to attract investment to the project as well as similar conservation initiatives.
“We have been backed by philanthropy for many years now, but science is not rentable, and we are a bit invisible from the banking side,” says Morales, who is also an economist. “We aim to connect with those that really want to invest in a green solution. We aim to find as many natural solutions as possible, and try to monetise them, but first, we have to evaluate them. So, we identify a technology, a natural solution, then we try to understand it and see how much carbon are we capturing, and then we evaluate this carbon and certify it.”
The Foundation is now starting to work closely with the private banking industry and companies that would like to invest in the initiatives backed by MERI, of which there are about 50.
In October 2021, MERI participated in the Blue Economy Workshop, organised by the CSM and FPA2, which aimed to draft Monaco’s national proposal on nature-based solutions and marine ecosystem services, that was presented at the COP26 in Glasgow.
The next step?
“Each country has its own economic exclusion zone, but then the ocean is no man’s land. Even if you cannot kill whales, there is no marine traffic regulation. What we need is to work together with the International Whale Commission in order to promote traffic regulation, not only for whales but all the marine ecosystems, the main source of nature-based solutions in the mitigation of climate change.”
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