Elite Accelerator Ascend Launches to Propel RWA Startups Amid $24B Gold Rush

The real-world asset (RWA) sector, now crypto's second-fastest-growing vertical, has attracted a consortium of blockchain heavyweights to launch Ascend—a hyper-selective startup accelerator. Backed by Odisea, Plume, Galaxy Ventures, and Anchorage Digital, the program targets ventures with live products and institutional ambitions.

Ascend's inaugural cohort will admit only 6–8 teams, offering mentorship from billion-dollar platform veterans and access to a curated network of investors and regulators. The program culminates in a demo day with potential funding from a $500,000 discretionary pool.

Tokenization of real-world assets has emerged as blockchain's most credible bridge to traditional finance, with the RWA market now valued at $24 billion. Ascend's launch signals growing institutional recognition of the sector's potential to reshape global capital markets.