Wolf NYC, the first Bitcoin and Lightning accelerator program is announced

Wolf, the first-ever startup accelerator dedicated to Bitcoin and Lightning was based in New York City and aimed to turn ideas and early-stage companies into competitive and investable businesses.
 

The accelerator program, known as Wolfpack 1, received more than 100 applications from teams representing 36 different countries. The selection process was highly competitive, and only eight teams were chosen for the inaugural cohort. These teams, consisting of 23 founders from 10 countries, presented their ideas during a demo day.
 

The program was launched by asset management firm Stone Ridge and was supported by NYDIG, a subsidiary of Stone Ridge. The selected teams were provided with seed capital by Wolf, under the leadership of the accelerator’s CEO, Kelly Brewster. The program also featured mentorship and investments from Bitcoin-centric VC firms and operating companies.
 

The startups in the cohort presented real-world use cases that were not just about improving the Bitcoin ecosystem, but also about creating products and services that people can use every day. Most of these startups integrated the Lightning Network into their technology.