Dapper Labs Acquires Virtual Influencer Platform, Brud

NFT startup, Dapper Labs, revealed today that it has acquired virtual influencer platform Brud. While the actual terms of the acquisition remain undisclosed, reports suggest that the compensation was based on equity.

The NFT powerhouse also unveiled a new unit called Dapper Collective which will focus on helping communities build a decentralized autonomous organization (DAOs) using its Flow blockchain.

According to Decrypt, Brud’s CEO, Trevor McFredies will head the new unit. He will be joined by the entire Brud team comprising 31 other persons. Together with the current Dapper Labs staffing, Dapper’s staff count will now number 262.

Speaking about the acquisition, VP Operations and Strategy at Dapper Labs, Amanda Schwartz stated, “We believe decentralization of these communities through DAOs really strengthens the content that they will produce.”

Why Dapper Labs Acquired Brud

Brud is a startup that emphasizes community building and unique methods of storytelling. It created the fictional virtual celebrity, Lil Miquela. The CEO, Trevor McFredies, also created a social DAO Friends with Benefits, which has a token with a market capitalization of about $77 million.

Between McFredies and his team is a budding work in the DAO space. Dapper Labs CEO Roham Gharegozlou asserted that the Brud team is the best in the business. He also affirmed that Brud’s work so far complements that of Dapper drawing parallels between past team projects.

According to Dapper Labs, McFredies will work with his team to develop new ways to morph creators into owners “giving them greater ability to influence and share their stories with the world.”

In his comment about the acquisition, McFedries explained that the idea behind Dapper Collectives encapsulates his team’s vision for a DAO-driven and decentralized future of media. He noted that Flow blockchain will give them a platform to bring creators and fans together on the same platform so they can share in the value being created.