Aptos has joined Google Cloud's Startup Program, aimed at helping Web3 startups get technical support and resources to develop infrastructures and bridge platforms to foster Web3. Google Cloud has partnered with 11 blockchain companies, including Aptos, to establish the program and facilitate the evolution of DeFi apps, Web3 services, and more technologies. Aptos believes that the program is pivotal to bridging the gap between Web3 and Web2 and will drive progress and innovation in blockchain for decades. The partnership between Google Cloud and Aptos goes back to April 2022, and they have co-hosted hackathons and produced nodes together.

Pre-seed companies can receive up to $2,000 in Google Cloud credits, while seeded startups can access up to $200,000 in Google Cloud and Firebase usage, along with other benefits. Web3 projects such as Aptos, Celo, Flow, HBAR Foundation, Near, and Solana Foundation provide additional grants of up to $1 million each in fiat or tokens, with Polygon Ventures offering up to $3 million in funding for seeded firms.

The Web3 economy is creating a new paradigm for work and employment. With the convergence of blockchain technology, the metaverse, and digital assets, new types of jobs are emerging that promise to be more open, decentralized, and inclusive than ever before.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced a partnership with Cronos, a blockchain platform, to support the growth of Web3 startups through the Cronos Accelerator Program. The partnership aims to boost blockchain technology's adoption and integration in Web3, providing startups with access to AWS's resources and Cronos Labs' expertise in blockchain development. The announcement caused a surge in Cronos (CRO) price, which rose 8% in just an hour and is currently trading at $0.075, up over 15% in the last 24 hours.

Web3 startup D3 Labs announced that it has secured pre-seed funding with an undisclosed amount from a number of investors, including Saison Capital, Kinesys Capital, Arkana Capital, EX Capital, Qredo, DS/X Ventures, as well as UOB Venture Management and Signum Capital through the UVM Signum Blockchain fund.

FIFA has launched the open beta version of its World Cup AI League, a mobile strategy soccer game that uses AI for characters, cosmetics, and gameplay elements.

Electronic musicians Steve Aoki and Justin “3LAU” Blau have formed a new collaborative project called Punx, which draws inspiration from the CryptoPunks NFT collection. Their first track “Concentrate” will be released on Web3 music rights platform Royal, with 99 NFTs up for trade after issuance. Half of all royalties from the track will be split among 99 NFT collectors chosen from among Blau’s NFT holders, Aoki’s A0k1verse Passport NFT holders, and CryptoPunks NFT holders, in an effort to democratize ownership of the song. Blau is also the co-founder and CEO of Royal, which aims to grant music fans the opportunity to support their favorite artists with NFTs that grant them rights to a percentage of a song’s royalties. Both Blau and Aoki have made numerous moves across the Web3 world and share an affinity for this technology.

The team at Unizen, operating the Web3 ecosystem found at zcx.com, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with the team at THORChain. Specifically, Unizen has integrated the THORChain settlement layer to enable swaps between ETH (Ethereum) and AVAX (Avalanche C-chain) to BTC (Bitcoin) and vice versa.

The European Union’s agreement of a new crypto law puts the bloc in the lead on Web3 technology, U.S. House Financial Services Committee Chair Patrick McHenry (R–N.C.) told CoinDesk TV Tuesday.

Google Cloud is looking to help Web3 builders fast-track their projects by expanding its early-stage support program for the community.