By Elke Porter | WBN News Vancouver | June 21, 2025
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Dapper Labs, headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, is a pioneering blockchain technology company that has risen to global prominence since its founding in 2018. The company, established by Dieter Shirley, Mack Flavelle, and Roham Gharegozlou, set out to transform digital engagement by leveraging blockchain to create new forms of ownership and interaction online. Dapper Labs achieved unicorn status on March 30, 2021, driven by its mission to make the digital world more open and trustworthy through innovative products like CryptoKitties and NBA Top Shot.

Dapper Labs first captured international attention with CryptoKitties, the world’s first mainstream blockchain application, which allowed users to buy, sell, and breed unique digital cats using non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

Building on this success, the company launched NBA Top Shot, a platform where fans can collect and trade officially licensed NBA video highlights as NFTs. This product, developed in partnership with the NBA and NBPA, brought blockchain collectibles to the masses and played a significant role in popularizing NFTs as a new asset class. Dapper Labs also developed the Flow blockchain, a scalable and developer-friendly infrastructure designed to support the next generation of digital apps and games.

The company’s rapid growth has been fueled by substantial venture capital investment, raising over $600 million from prominent backers including Andreessen Horowitz, Union Square Ventures, Coatue, and Google Ventures.

By 2024, Dapper Labs was valued at more than $7.6 billion, making it Canada’s top unicorn and a leader in the global NFT and Web3 space. Its partnerships now extend beyond the NBA to include the NFL, UFC, Disney, and other major entertainment brands, further cementing its influence in digital collectibles and fan engagement.

Dapper Labs’ success underscores Vancouver’s emergence as a tech innovation hub and highlights the transformative potential of blockchain technology for both creators and consumers. As the company continues to expand its offerings and partnerships, it stands at the forefront of the movement to democratize digital ownership and build a more inclusive, interactive online world.

For more information, visit the official Dapper Labs website.

TAGS: #Dapper Labs #Vancouver Tech #NFTs #Blockchain Innovation #Web3 #Startup Success #WBN Ai Edition #Elke Porter

Connect with Elke at Westcoast German Media or on LinkedIn: Elke Porter or contact her on WhatsApp:  +1 604 828 8788

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