NFT100 2023: Meet this year’s honorees
Web3 is a breeding ground for innovation, almost by definition. The digital token economy is still nascent – cue the tried-and-tested rhetoric of being early to the party – and that’s precisely why the NFT community is able to push the envelope of what’s possible in the new digital the age.
Arts, Technology, Finance; few industries, if any, are likely to be untouched by the increasing proliferation of blockchain-based technologies, and it shows. Web3’s influence rightly has a reputation for being difficult to keep up with. Although it can lead to burnout if not handled properly, having an abundance of ingenuity and entrepreneurship is a wonderful problem. However, due to the inherently online nature of the NFT ecosystem, it’s sometimes easy to overlook the human element of it all. Real people are driving these changes and breakthroughs, and they deserve credit for doing so.
To recognize and honor the individuals driving Web3’s development, we are unveiling the NFT100, our annual list showcasing the most influential individuals in Web3.
“The NFT100 returns to celebrate the inspiring creators and community leaders who continue to push the Web3 space forward despite the market downturn,” said Matt Medved, co-founder, CEO and EIC of nft now. “This year’s list focuses on achievements over the past year and recognizes the most exciting developments during that time period, from the rise of digital fashion and GameFi to innovation around Bitcoin Ordinals and soul-bound tokens.”
Building on the inaugural NFT100 list in 2022, the 2023 list is an unranked and category-specific showcase that serves as a comprehensive snapshot of the most diverse and exciting talent in the space with a focus on achievements over the past year. The NFT100 list contains two categories: Creators – consists of artists, photographers, musicians, designers and more; and community – recognizing builders, tastemakers, innovators and leaders shaping the future of the NFT space.
Today we are proud to reveal the recipients of this award. Welcome to the 2023 edition of the NFT100.
NFT100: SEE FULL LIST OF ARMY MIND
NFT100 Spotlight Interviews
This year, as part of our editorial package, we’re including a number of spotlight features on selected NFT100 honorees. Please check back as we update the list throughout the day.
How we curate the NFT100
For this year’s NFT100 list, nominations were drawn exclusively from holders of Now Pass, nft now’s membership community. Now Pass was launched in March 2023 and is the key to unparalleled access in nft now’s ecosystem – also known as Now Network. Although all nominations were assessed by our editors, being nominated was not a prerequisite for assessment or inclusion.
To evaluate candidates and determine final choices, our editors used a holistic mix of concrete data points and culturally and socially relevant factors. Considerations included: NFT sales and volume across major marketplaces, social impact, innovation, community history, engagement, participation and more.
Such a wide range of considerations naturally results in a wide range of figures. This year’s list of honorees features artists whose work covers a continuum of creative fields. However, these creators are not alone. Alongside them emerge community leaders and builders who extend Web3’s capabilities to underserved and underrepresented communities, help creatives and their audiences connect, and grow the ecosystem into far more than a niche playground for the tech-curious, bringing in literally millions the process.
Aside from inspiring our readers to think about the myriad contributions of the creators and community members chosen, we sincerely hope that this list encourages even more lively and good-natured reflection and debate about both Web3’s achievements and failures. At the same time, we recognize that it is only on the basis of success that the community can find its shortcomings – a dynamic that is true to Web3’s spirit and ethos and something for which we can all be grateful.
With love and respect to the Web3 community and all our readers,
nft now employees
Editor’s note: The list of honorees includes investors at nft now; but the selections were made exclusively by the editors.
