<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><ns2:project xmlns:ns1="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api" xmlns:ns2="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project" xmlns:ns3="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/fund" xmlns:ns4="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/person" xmlns:ns5="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project/outcome" xmlns:ns6="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/organisation" ns1:created="2026-06-22T07:57:45Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/projects/C96D82BF-2E63-4594-BF09-F0C989C197AA" ns1:id="C96D82BF-2E63-4594-BF09-F0C989C197AA"><ns1:links><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/persons/9293D9F9-1B48-4228-8C3C-9B7A691FE518" ns1:rel="PM_PER"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/74EAFC6C-80E9-4FA6-8E1E-97F810462219" ns1:rel="LEAD_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/74EAFC6C-80E9-4FA6-8E1E-97F810462219" ns1:rel="PARTICIPANT_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:end="2024-03-31T00:00:00Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/funds/F82F25B6-7901-4AA6-9156-5D682977D989" ns1:rel="FUND" ns1:start="2023-09-30T23:00:00Z"/></ns1:links><ns2:identifiers><ns2:identifier ns2:type="RCUK">10093478</ns2:identifier></ns2:identifiers><ns2:title>Cool Rivers feasibility study - development and testing of an MVP</ns2:title><ns2:status>Closed</ns2:status><ns2:grantCategory>Investment Accelerator</ns2:grantCategory><ns2:leadFunder>Innovate UK</ns2:leadFunder><ns2:abstractText>NFTs have been a hotly traded art-market commodity since March 2021\. By the end of 2021, the market capitalisation of NFTs stood at $16.7 billion. However, accessibility to the market is firmly ring-fenced for tech-savvy buyers who are confident using (and interpreting the vocabulary of) digital wallets, crypto exchanges, NFT marketplaces and blockchain and established, well-connected sellers.

Cool Rivers will exist to solve the present challenges in the space (lack of value, support, purpose, and dynamic user journeys) but it will go beyond solving these issues to also create real-life impact on the philanthropic landscape and feed and support the creative cycle. The technology is not the problem; the way it is used is the key.

We aim to leverage the innovative digital technologies of blockchain, NFTs and smart contracts to pave the way for an inclusive and rewarding ecosystem for creators and causes; opening up the NFT marketplace to non-technical buyers for the first time and creating a scalable, sustainable CreaTech platform in the Web3 space: Cool Rivers. It will be the first platform of its kind to support the creative sector in this way, ensuring fair and sustainable remuneration, support for new talent to identify and capitalise on opportunities and disrupt the NFT marketplace. 

This feasibility study project will develop an MVP to test the concept and market, uncover the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the final product and identify the resources needed to develop and launch it to market.</ns2:abstractText></ns2:project>