The Open Platform (TOP) formerly known as First Stage Labs has announced a rebranding and restructuring today. This strategic move aligns the company name and mission with blockchain partner, TON Foundation. It includes a merger with the team behind Wallet, a crypto application seamlessly integrated with Telegram Messenger.
TOP is dedicated to putting the customer first and aims to create new economies and foster genuine ownership through the massive distribution of blockchain services and their radical simplification. Initially introduced as a bot within Telegram, Wallet has evolved into a comprehensive application and platform that allows users to manage their digital asset as easily as they can send a message.
The development of Wallet in recent months has been busy, preparing to launch a new range of products. In July, a service to merchants was launched and in August, a developer-only beta was released. TON’s upcoming wallet self-custodial product is TON Space and more than 1000 developers have already joined the beta. A public release is expected later this month.
Andrew Rogozov, CEO of TOP Wallet, commented: “Today, with a clear vision, a strong team, established partnerships, and secured resources, we are ready to bring Wallet and the entire TON ecosystem to the world. We anticipate that Wallet will propel global crypto adoption to an unprecedented level. The Open Platform is well funded, with First Stage Labs having secured significant investment upon its creation from our partners. Together, we share the conviction that the synergy of The Open Network’s blockchain and the Telegram Messenger will serve as an unparalleled catalyst for the next phase of the Web3 ecosystem’s growth.”
The venture-building division of The Open Platform, TOP Labs, will carry on the strategy of their predecessor, First Stage Labs. TOP Labs’ existing portfolio includes several TON-based startups such as the non-custodial wallet Tonkeeper, Open Builders NFT’s marketplace and tools for community management Getgems, amongst others. Andrey Klebanov, Managing Partner of Top Labs said: “The rebranding also vividly illustrates our growth approach – fostering an open platform paradigm that creates a flywheel for everyone building on top of our products and utilizing Toncoin as a native asset.”
Andrew Rogozov, the former CEO of VK.com, the biggest social network in Eastern Europe, is the CEO of TOP Wallet. He led the company from 2014 to 2021, during which time the company’s revenue increased 8x and kept the leadership in user engagement in a very competitive market.
Andrey Klebanov, the Managing Partner of TOP Labs has over a decade’s experience in venture building and investing. He is a Techstars OnDeck fellow and alumnus passionate about developing the future generation of Web3 projects.
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