Thrilld Labs: A Year of Evolution, Building the Future of Web3, One Connection at a Time (A Follow-Up Interview)

Fostering more genuine connections in the digital age.

It's been a year since I first spoke with Alexandra Overgaag about Thrilld Labs. In that time, I've not only followed the project's progress but also experienced its value firsthand, using the app to find events like ETHMilan. I've been consistently impressed by Alexandra's commitment to building and scaling Thrilld Labs, which inspired this follow-up interview to share the latest developments.

It’s been almost two years since our first interview—how would you describe Thrilld Labs’s journey so far?

As the cliché goes: ups and downs! Thrilld Labs has grown significantly over the past two years. What started as a networking platform has evolved into the foundation of what I and we envision as a much larger ecosystem. We’re not just one tool for professionals to connect; we’re creating blockchain-based solutions tailored to events, businesses, and professionals. It’s a more holistic approach, but building an entire ecosystem also means more scaling challenges and growth pains! Along the way, I’ve learned a lot about the nuances of the Web3 space, and about business and people, which has further strengthened my mission and commitment to making business in Web3 more clever, more efficient, and more fair.

What have been your biggest milestones during this time, and how do they align with your initial vision for the project?

Some milestones include two major app updates, expanding our team to include in-house developers led by our amazing CTO Jesse Wachtel, building a distributed and global team of trainees and advisors based across three continents, and successfully forming strategic partnerships with key Web3 events worldwide, 10 of which have already adopted Thrilld as the official event networking app. Launching the EcstaSHE female business community was another important step, yet much remains to be done there. I’d say that every step we’ve taken has been about breaking down barriers and enabling people to collaborate more effectively, while every step is also a strategic choice relating to our project’s expansion.

Lessons and Challenges

What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned this year as a Web3 founder?

The importance of not falling for self-doubt when you realize you fall short in one way or another. Web3 is a fast-moving industry, but building something lasting and impactful takes time, patience, and the ability to adjust as you learn. A big part of that has been the value of surrounding myself with the right people, as you literally cannot do everything yourself. I like to ask highly successful Web3 or other entrepreneurs about their biggest learning when I meet them at events or elsewhere, and this matter of getting the right people on board is something that is often mentioned by others as well. There must be some truth to that.

Can you share some of the challenges you faced while scaling Thrilld Labs, and how you and your team overcame them?

Scaling comes of course with its share of hurdles, from managing a growing team to refining our products for an evolving offering. However, an underlying bottleneck has been funding. Raising capital has not necessarily been easy given the initial market circumstances, the character of our project, and, I suppose, my inherent nature as a first-time non-tech female founder. To grow while keeping expenses low, we’ve implemented a traineeship program to identify and nurture new talent. I was also quite fortunate to meet our CTO by chance—he turned out to be a superb match for our project. The same applies to some new angel investors and advisors I found—various relationships that were built over time have opened new opportunities for us, into which I always dive with agility and eagerness.

Updates and Optimizations

Are there significant updates or features you’ve added to Thrilld Labs to optimize synergies among your users?

Yes, we’ve rolled out new features tailored specifically for Web3 events, such as tools to enhance networking during conferences. We’ve also revamped user profiles to make them more engaging and continue to make the UI more visually appealing because first impressions matter. On the backend, we’re developing an AI-powered matchmaking algorithm to ensure users can connect with the right people, faster and more effectively. These updates are part of our ongoing effort to both onboard more people, but also keep them engaged longer. Obtaining that network effect isn’t easy, but various new plans will lead to significant growth in 2025—I am confident about that.

Have there been any unexpected user behaviors or feedback that led you to adjust your app’s functionalities?

One surprising insight was the demand for networking solutions from event organizers, which has become a key focus area for us. Additionally, we’ve realized that different user groups have unique expectations and needs that very much differ depending on the person or business it concerns. The fact that the app is free and lives up to what I believe are Web3’s ethical standards—global access and no data sharing, for example—is not necessarily enough to onboard people. Also, some events want to use the best possible event app but are unwilling to pay. Some have even unilaterally broken prior agreements in unprofessional ways. This creates a paradox and sometimes causes tension when considering event attendees' expectations.

User Acquisition and Growth Strategies

In terms of user acquisition, what strategies have you implemented to drive growth?

All of our growth has been organic, which is something we’re proud of. We don’t pay for exposure, whether it’s interviews, speaking slots at events or online, or collaborations with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs). We seek to leverage our connections, help others based on the Golden Rule, and seek to be visible all year long, mostly on LinkedIn. We are currently building an entirely new offering, a decentralized ticketing and event management dApp, which will also be key to driving growth and revenues.

How will your Ambassadorship program contribute to user growth and engagement?

The Ambassador Program, launching in Q1 2025, will play an important role in expanding Thrilld Labs’s reach. Ambassadors will serve as regional representatives, content creators, and event organizers, connecting us with communities worldwide. This initiative isn’t just about growth—it’s about collaborating and learning from people worldwide, just like we do now with many of our connections, but in a more official formation.

Demographics and Community

What can you tell us about the demographics of your user base? Are there any trends or insights about the type of people who gravitate toward Thrilld Labs?

Currently, most of our users are based in the UK, Continental Europe, and the US. What I can say is that it is sometimes challenging to onboard certain user groups, such as VCs, because they are readily extremely well-connected. We are currently building some clever new offerings for them though.

I’d also like to mention the importance of gatekeeping practices imposed by app stores and infrastructure providers. Early on, some onboarding restrictions limited access to individuals from certain jurisdictions, which was highly frustrating to me. However, we’ve removed these barriers by eliminating phone number verification and are also integrating wallet-based onboarding. These changes will make the platform more accessible globally, allowing us to connect with a broader audience and let them connect with one another.

How do you keep the community engaged and foster a sense of belonging?

While Thrilld is primarily a platform that seeks to streamline connections and engagement, thereby saving time and energy for our users, engagement is still important. For instance, we’re working on a new community channel within Thrilld to enhance interaction and collaboration. Our goal is to create a sense of shared belonging without losing sight of our professional focus. Once we launch the token, more community-oriented matters will be addressed. Still, the distinction between professional engagement and community-building for, let’s be honest, the sake of the token should always be carefully considered.

Partnerships and Events

When it comes to partnerships, how do you select the events or organizations you collaborate with?

We prioritize partnerships that offer mutual, long-term value. This means working with organizations and events that align with our ethos of transparency and mutual respect. We don’t engage in commissions or referral-based deals—ethics come first. It’s not always the easiest route, but it’s the one I can live with at the end of the day as this approach prevents our focus from being diluted by other interests.

Could you share which partnership or event has been the most impactful for Thrilld Labs and why?

BlockStart Scotland has been particularly meaningful, as I’ve been closely involved as an advisor and was the event MC. Similarly, our collaboration with Chain Reaction Baku has been fruitful, and we’re excited about their 2025 edition. Less relevant for Thrilld, but crucial in terms of making an impact, my collaborations with Alessio Rastani, a trader and KOL who has a rather substantial following on YouTube, have been outstanding as various videos allowed me to spread the word about crypto and our industry to a broader audience of 120,000+ people.

Do you feel there’s room for improvement in how Web3 events are organized to better onboard and engage new people in the space?

Yes, and I say this with love for the industry: many events are priced out of reach for newcomers, and I know for a fact that many newcomers are turned down by the segregation that exists between attendees due to differing ticket tiers. Moreover, sponsorship-driven speaker slots don’t always represent the many great thinkers and opinions that can be found in the crypto community. That said, I sincerely understand the financial realities of running these events, and sponsors are absolutely key to organizing events of substantial magnitude.

Content and Communication Efforts

This year, you started hosting podcasts on LinkedIn. What inspired this initiative, and how has it helped expand Thrilld Labs’s visibility or user base?

The series, Business&Web3, was inspired by a desire to amplify unique voices in Web3 and discuss topics that often go overlooked, like female-led fundraising or building for impact. It’s been a lovely way to connect with the community while sharing knowledge. The other (EcstaSHE) live events we host are inspired by further democratizing access to industry knowledge. Also, it’s fun to do, and we love that at Thrilld Labs!

Earlier this year, you hosted an IRL meetup in Italy. How did the event go, and what impact did it have on your community or brand?

The meetup was a success, bringing together professionals and enthusiasts in Florence’s relatively small crypto space. We’re exploring similar events in the future, though partnerships will be key to scaling these efforts. This highlighted that there are more crypto enthusiasts in the area than I had anticipated; the challenge lies in connecting them. This reinforces Thrilld’s nature as a networking platform.

Are there plans to organize similar events in other locations or on a larger scale?

For 2025, we’re planning a large online event with several of our partners. This will allow us to engage a global audience while minimizing logistical challenges. We are also planning a bigger campaign where we ask people in our community to share pictures of Thrilld in their natural habitat while they describe how the crypto space is in their hometown. We want to understand how cultural differences influence perspectives on the crypto space worldwide.

Future Plans for EcstaSHE

What are your future plans for EcstaSHE, and how do you envision it evolving as part of Thrilld Labs’s broader mission?

We aim to grow EcstaSHE to at least 250 women worldwide in 2025, creating a self-supporting network of women in Web3 through business opportunities, deals, and collaborations. The idea is to get stuff done and help one another actively, regardless of one’s connections and where one’s based. Given that it takes funds to grow and we are a small start-up (so not a female community by purpose), we’re currently talking with potential partners who help us grow substantially and sustainably.

$THRILLD Token Launch

Can you share more details about the $THRILLD token launch?

The $THRILLD token is being designed as a utility token to drive and convert real business value within our ecosystem. It will provide access to exclusive features, discounts, and rewards, enabling users and businesses to engage with Thrilld’s products more effectively. Our focus is on long-term value and ensuring the token serves both our users, the holders, and our business. The token will be an integral part of the company, also beyond the Web3 space, thereby connecting the project to the community and vice versa.

Vision for the Future

What does the future hold for Thrilld Labs?

We’re working on the event management and ticketing offering, alongside updates to the Thrilld networking app and a new website. Our broader mission is to let humans and businesses in the Web3 space find each other, connect with one another, and create value with one another. Efficient, worldwide, and fun. Whether online or offline.

We will continue to operate according to Web3 principles—decentralization, inclusion, and transparency—while also becoming a commercially successful business with rewards for our early adopters.