Meet Elysium Lab, Winner of the Startups of the Year in Lugano, CH

This interview series celebrates all the phenomenal Startups of the Year Winners. Congratulations! Well-Deserved, Champion.The HackerNoon community is excited to learn more about you!

What does it mean for you to win this title?

Winning HackerNoon's prestigious Startups of the Year 2023 title is a monumental achievement for us at Elysium, especially as a burgeoning startup from Lugano. This award validates our early efforts and fuels our ambition to revolutionize digital asset management using Lugano as the first market approach and testing pool. Starting our journey in Lugano, where over 400 merchants accept crypto payments, is just the beginning. Our aspirations stretch far beyond, aiming to redefine the self-custody experience for users worldwide.

What sets you apart from the competition?

What sets Elysium apart is our pioneering Onboarding algorithm and Assets Management system, designed with a user-centric philosophy. Unlike traditional wallets focusing on key storage, Elysium innovates on key creation and reconstruction, ensuring unmatched security and user convenience. Our approach to self-custody, where users' needs shape the technology, establishes Elysium as the first of its kind - a wallet that's as dynamic and flexible as its users.

What do you love about your team, and why are you the ones to solve this problem?

The strength of Elysium lies in our team's commitment and shared vision. Each professional member brings a unique blend of passion and expertise, united by the goal of building the future, being part of the blockchain space since 2017, and not just following trends. This collective drive is our most incredible people in addressing the complexities of digital asset management. We are proud of everyone on the team who has decided to be part of the journey.

If you weren’t building your startup, what would you be doing?

Should Elysium not have been our path, our inherent drive to innovate would have found another channel to contribute to the world. Solving humanity's challenges through innovation is not just what we do; it's who we are.

At the moment, how do you measure success? What are your core metrics?

As an early-stage startup, our success is measured by the positive feedback from professionals, investors, and beta testers. With our official market launch set for 2024, we anticipate this year to be pivotal in achieving real market traction and setting new benchmarks in digital asset management.

Tell us how your startup is changing the world.

Elysium is not just a wallet; it's a gateway to a more secure, efficient, and user-friendly digital asset ecosystem. Our Algorithms and focus on seamless asset management and payments mark the dawn of a new era in self-custody.

What goals are you looking forward to accomplishing in 2024?

Our roadmap for 2024 is ambitious, including securing additional funding, launching in Europe and beyond, improving our business model, and exploring the B2B side of our product. Each milestone is a step towards realizing our vision of becoming the "Neo-Bank Like" for Bitcoin and digital assets.

Which trend(s) are you most excited about in 2024? Share your reasons.

We're particularly excited about the potential of real-world assets on the blockchain, advancements in Bitcoin payments, AI-driven automation and optimization, and the applications of Zero Knowledge proof for digital identity. These trends represent the frontier of innovation in our industry.

2023 had been another crazy year, especially in tech, with layoffs and the Generative AI takeover! Which trend are you most concerned about? Be as brief or as detailed as you like.

Indeed, AI has advantages and disadvantages, and we are concerned that every team member uses it to increase the quality of work; for us, AI is not a substitute but an enhancement that will be part of our growth. On the cybersecurity and social intelligence side, we are monitoring developments with our cybersecurity experts and building strategies to mitigate cyber threats related to identity simulation for social attacks and other AI and cybersecurity attacks.

Any words of wisdom you’d like to share with us?

Reflecting on Theodore Roosevelt's words, we're reminded that true achievement lies in effort, striving towards great goals, and resilience in facing challenges. As we navigate the complexities of the digital asset space, we're committed to daring greatly, driven by the belief that the greatest victories belong to those who dare to venture into the future.