Press Release: Project ARK & HiVive Agency Partner to launch NFTs for Wildlife Conservation with Celebrities at 2021 Oscars GBK event

Social impact blockchain marketplace Project Ark & HiVive Agency partner to bring Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) to this year’s 93rd Academy Awards nominees, with proceeds going towards the World Wildlife Fund Panda Labs (WWF).

(Hong Kong, April 19, 2021) This year, nominees of the 93rd Academy Awards will be able to have an augmented reality experience to benefit the World Wildlife Fund. Project ARK and HiVive Agency are creating 3D models of endangered animals that celebrities can interact with. These video clips will be transformed into unique non-fungible tokens that will be minted on the blockchain and proceeds from the sales will fund innovative community-led conservation projects and protect endangered species.

Having the chance to share the mission and technology of Project ARK with celebrities during the 93rd Academy Awards is tremendously exciting ! After 8 months of hard work, and thousands of hours, Project ARK is proud to be co-developing a new model of fundraising for conservation causes that activates local community stakeholders while also creating new engagement chances for supporters. It’s been a team effort with our dear friends at HiVive Agency, Chicken Waffle AR and Artlink.

- Jon O’Sullivan, Project Lead at Project ARK.

From NFTs to NGOs: How it works

Project ARK, conceived by the climate technology startup Carbonbase, has developed a blockchain-powered conservation platform which connects passionate NFT artists with purpose-driven NFT buyers to support international NGOs and local communities directly on the ground. Through its partnership with HiVive Agency, Project ARK is able to co-create unique digital pieces with mission-aligned celebrities who also hope to create scalable impact. The proceeds and campaigns are transparently monitored and reported for each initiative with trackable donations built into the blockchain architecture of every sold NFT. This creates a triple-win scenario for all stakeholders (artists, buyers, NGOs), and a new incentive to give to charitable organizations and conservation causes.

We are beyond excited to work with Project ARK and celebrities to create true measurable impact through innovative technology. This campaign brings together cutting edge AR experiences with social causes that celebrities care about. We believe that collective care of our planet is all of our responsibility and what a better place to showcase it than with the taken present at the 93rd Academy Awards.

- Mel Vera, cofounder at HiVive Agency

The Project Ark Campaign: Supporting the WWF Panda Labs Bison Project in Romania

The showcase of augmented reality animals at the Oscar GBK event is part of a larger Project Ark NFT campaign. In partnership with Panda Labs, the global innovation arm of the WWF, the first NFT campaign from Project ARK features international digital artists, who will contribute funding to an innovative community-led conservation project pioneered by WWF Romania. The funding will develop a project that is giving the European bison, once driven almost to extinction, a chance to roam free in Europe’s largest network of virgin forests.

The NFT campaign will feature audio-visual art pieces created by more than 15 digital artists around the world, and a two tier mechanism of digital eggs NFTs (celebrating a unique aspect of Romania’s artistic tradition) that can unlock additional rewards based on the success of the campaign. The design will give an incentive for everyone to spread the word and participate actively before, during and after the project. Project Ark is also exploring ways to connect the NFTs to developments of conservation, with some exciting partnerships in the pipeline.

We’re here to try different mechanisms to direct the most benefits to communities on the frontlines, to incentivise responsible use of resources until it becomes the new norm. It is possible, as there are millions of people globally who want to lend a shoulder or a buck for real impact on the ground. I see Project Ark as a transparent pipeline for motivation and impact to flow faster and with less intermediaries.

- Oana Mondoc, Community and Innovation Specialist, WWF Romania.

Delivering Impact
After the NFT campaign is completed, Project ARK will transfer funds in a transparent process to the conservation project, and for each completed campaign, a report will be generated that will show the impact achieved for the project on the ground. The teams at Project ARK and WWF Panda Labs will ensure that there is visibility over the impact created, not just through the amount of money raised, which allows for a better overview of the efforts undertaken.

The objective is to nurture transparency at all stages of fundraising, through to deployment and provide a window into the impact created and create a closer connection to the people who were part of the campaign.

More information about Project Ark can be found on this webpage here: http://project-ark.co

Contact details for enquiries about Project ARK

For onsite Oscar enquiries:
Name: Jon O’Sullivan
Title: ARK Project Lead
Phone: +1 (613) 292–8317
Email: jon@carbonbase.co

For Press enquiries:
Name: Dan Howis
Title: Press and Communications Officer
Phone: +45 60672266
Email: dan.howis@carbonbase.co

Social media: Twitter (@WeareProjectArk), Instagram (@WeAreProjectArk), Facebook (@WeAreProjectArk), Telegram (@Project Ark)

Contact details for enquiries about HiVive Agency

Name: Mel Vera
Title: Cofounder
Phone: +1 (646) 648–3954
Email: mel@hivive.io

Contact details for enquiries about WWF Panda Labs

Name: Oana Mondoc
Title: Communities Development & Innovation Lead
Email: omondoc@wwf.ro