W3:Ride revolutionizes cycling fitness through gamification, fostering an engaging community. Achievements, challenges, and progress tracking make cycling enjoyable and healthier. The app encourages global connections, while a unique reward system promotes cycling over cars. Personalized virtual bikes and avatars enhance user identity, and charitable partnerships empower cyclists to ride for meaningful causes. By linking the app with Strava, Apple Health, or Google Fit, users accumulate $Cyclr based on distance, duration, and speed. Find out more about this exciting project as we delve into more details with co-founder and CEO, Romain Pomarelle.
Could you kindly introduce yourselves?
Hey everybody, I’m Romain Pomarelle, co-founder and CEO of W3:Ride, I have a background in computer science and motion design. With our amazing team, we have created W3:Ride: the next generation fitness app that brings together cyclists around the world in one place! We incentivize people to go for a ride instead of their car, by converting their effort into rewards.
Hello, Romain!
It's great to connect with you today. We're excited to hear more about W3:Ride. Can you give us an overview of the project and the issues it aims to tackle?
Hello, nice to meet you, I'm thrilled to connect with you today and share some details about our project!
In general, W3:Ride is a game-changing fitness app for cyclists. By incorporating gamified fitness features, we aim to make exercise more enjoyable and engaging for users. Cycling becomes a fun activity as users unlock achievements, compete in challenges, and track their progress, ultimately leading to a healthier and more active lifestyle.
Our main objective is to create a global hub where cyclists from all corners of the globe can come together. We envision a vibrant community that fosters connections, shares experiences, and inspires one another to push the boundaries of what's possible on two wheels.
One of the core challenges we aim to tackle is motivating people to choose their bikes over cars for their daily commute or leisure activities. To achieve this, we have implemented a unique reward system that incentivizes individuals to opt for cycling by offering them tangible benefits. We believe that by gamifying the experience and providing attractive incentives, we can encourage more people to embrace cycling as a sustainable and healthy mode of transportation.
Part of the gamification is also that users can fully personalize their biking experience by having virtual bikes and avatars. This way, cyclists can showcase their unique style and individuality while building a sense of community within the app.
But it doesn't stop there. We are passionate about making a positive impact beyond individual fitness goals. With W3:Ride, cyclists have the opportunity to ride for a cause through our partnership with charitable organizations. Most recently we have partnered with Action Medical research to organize our first virtual charity event, to empower cyclists to make a difference while enjoying their rides! 👉https://medium.com/@w3ride/w3-ride-x-action-medical-research-ride-for-charity-while-gamifying-cycling-81f64007cf8f
And let's not forget the excitement of winning amazing prizes! Soon, we'll be launching our raffle feature, giving users the chance to score fantastic rewards for their dedication and participation in the W3:Ride community.
Can you help us understand the concept of ‘cycling to earn rewards’ and how W3:Ride sets itself apart from others in the space?
The concept of 'cycling to earn rewards' in W3:Ride is centered around converting your cycling efforts into our digital currency called $Cyclr. By connecting the W3:Ride app with your favorite tracking app like Strava/GoogleFit/Apple Health you can accumulate $Cyclr based on the distance, duration, and speed of your rides.
What sets W3:Ride apart from others in the space is the diverse range of rewards and unique features we offer: Firstly, you can exchange your earned $Cyclr for products or discounts from renowned brands like Nike, Oakley, and Garmin in our marketplace.
We also have an upcoming Raffle feature, where you can use your $Cyclr to participate and have a chance to win exciting prizes. Besides that we want to go beyond personal benefits by allowing our users to convert their $Cyclr into donations for charitable causes. By contributing your earned $Cyclr, you can make a positive impact, aligning your cycling efforts with a greater purpose.
Moreover, W3:Ride offers the option to convert your $Cyclr into ADA. This provides users with the opportunity to explore and engage with the world of digital currencies, opening up new possibilities for financial growth and investment.
Lastly, we have a seamless and visually appealing app interface, making it easy and enjoyable for cyclists to navigate the app and access all its features.
What's the origin story behind W3:Ride?
In late July 2021, the NFT market experienced a significant boom. During this period, numerous new 2D collections emerged, although many of them lacked quality. Inspired by our passion for bikes, my brother Thomas and I recognized an opportunity to create a high-quality 3D collection centered around this theme. The resulting object was truly beautiful, but we wanted to go beyond simply creating another collection. Our goal was to infuse a purpose into the NFT’s. That’s why we decided to create a game around it, where people can use their NFT to do something with it. After thinking about the concept and listening to the community, we moved into a “cycling to earn” project.
What motivated you to launch your project on the Cardano blockchain?
In 2021, there was a significant hype around bike-themed NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain. However, Ethereum's high gas fees at that time, reaching nearly $150 per transaction, were impractical for our project.
Furthermore, Ethereum operated on a Proof of Work (PoW) consensus mechanism, resulting in substantial energy consumption. As our project focused on cycling and aimed to minimize CO2 emissions, we sought an eco-friendly blockchain solution.
During this time, Thomas and I had the opportunity to meet Benjamin from the Benjamin's group, who introduced us to the Cardano blockchain. Cardano offered low environmental impact and significantly lower gas fees compared to Ethereum, making it a perfect fit for our project.
Additionally, the Cardano NFT ecosystem was still in its early stages, presenting a valuable opportunity for us to contribute and bring value to the blockchain.
Looking ahead, how do you envision your project making a difference in the crypto ecosystem or the world at large?
As the first move-to-earn project related to cycling and the first move-to-earn project on the Cardano blockchain, we aim to attract attention and interest in the Cardano space, thereby contributing to the growth and adoption of the ecosystem in general.
Our project goes beyond rewards. We are dedicated to incorporating a charitable aspect, allowing participants to contribute to various causes through our app. By combining physical activity, blockchain technology, and charitable giving, we strive to create a positive impact in the world.
Partnerships play a crucial role in our vision. We are actively collaborating with prominent brands, providing them with their initial entry point into the realm of cryptocurrencies. These partnerships serve to bridge the gap between traditional industries and the crypto space, fostering mainstream adoption and expanding the reach and relevance of cryptocurrencies.
By gamifying physical activity on the blockchain, we offer a unique and engaging experience for users. This not only incentivizes individuals to lead active lifestyles but also demonstrates the potential of blockchain technology in transforming everyday activities into rewarding and immersive experiences.
On a larger scale, our ultimate goal is to introduce non-crypto users to the crypto ecosystem. We aspire to onboard 10 million users onto our app, effectively bringing a vast number of individuals into the world of cryptocurrencies. By simplifying the onboarding process and showcasing the benefits and possibilities of blockchain technology, we aim to drive mass adoption and empower individuals to explore the transformative potential of crypto in their lives.
So far, what achievements have you reached and which of them are you most proud of?
First and foremost, our project has evolved from a simple idea to a fully functional app with over 4,000 users spanning across 80 countries worldwide. We are very proud to have such a growing interest and adoption of our platform on an international scale.
One of our notable achievements is the formation of a world-class Advisor team. They bring extensive experience in fitness and renowned sport brands, providing invaluable guidance and expertise to our project. Their involvement adds credibility and enhances the quality of our app!
We take immense pride in the fact that we have successfully rallied a team of 25 dedicated individuals who share our belief in the project. Their commitment and contribution have been instrumental in driving our progress.
Notably, we have accomplished all of this without any fundraising efforts thus far. While fundraising is on the horizon in the coming months, the fact that we have achieved substantial milestones without external capital injection is a testament to the determination and resilience of our team.
Lastly, it is worth highlighting that we embarked on this journey during a bear market period. Despite the challenges and uncertainties that accompanied such market conditions, we have not only persevered but also expanded our team.
Overall, these achievements collectively reflect the progress we have made and the milestones we have reached. We are proud of the app's growth, the caliber of our team, our self-sufficiency, and our ability to thrive amidst market challenges.
What does the future hold for your project? Can you share some insights about your roadmap and what we can expect next?
The future of our project holds exciting developments and innovative features that will further enhance the user experience. Here are some insights into our roadmap and what you can expect next:
One of the upcoming highlights is the release of our charity event. This feature will allow users to ride for a good cause on a global scale. By participating in this event, users will have the opportunity to contribute to a good cause, so that every ride taken will make a tangible impact and support those in need.
Additionally, we are introducing a raffle system, where users can stand a chance to win incredible physical prizes. These prizes range from brand new bikes and the latest iPhone models to home trainers, top-tier helmets, jerseys, smartwatches, Nintendo Switch consoles, and much more. Users can convert their riding efforts into tickets, which can then be used to enter and choose from a range of exciting raffles.
To add a touch of personalization, we are launching the garage feature. This feature will enable users to customize and modify different parts of their virtual bike, allowing them to express their individuality. Whether it's changing the frame, wheelset, colors, or other components, users will have the freedom to create a bike that truly reflects their preferences and style.
As for collaborations, we have exciting partnerships in the pipeline with notable brands and cycling-related events. While we can't divulge all the details just yet, you can expect some significant collaborations that will bring even more value and unique experiences to our users. Stay tuned for these exciting announcements.
We'd love to learn more about your team. Who are the key individuals behind W3:Ride?
Romain Pomarelle: (Co-founder of W3:Ride, CEO having an overview of the project, also helping on the gamification and design part.)
Thomas Pomarelle: (Co-founder of W3:Ride, CCO is our creative directo, in charge of all design parts inside the app, for the NFT and for the communication.)
Thomas Wagner: (Co-Founder of W3:Ride, CBO is in charge of all the relations with big brands, events, and partnerships. He is also in charge of the fundraising.)
Marc Hochleutner: (Co-Founder of W3:Ride, CTO is in charge of having an overview of the technical part and taking decisions regarding this)
Niels A. Schuldt: (Board member of W3:Ride, CMO is in charge of the marketing strategies).