Participated · Equity · Jun 2021

Panther Protocol is an interoperable, end-to-end privacy protocol for decentralized finance that uses zkSNARK zero-knowledge cryptography. Launched in 2020, the platform enables private token transactions across public blockchains with selective disclosure and configurable trust/viewability roles for counterparties. It currently connects Ethereum, Polygon, Flare, Songbird, Near and Elrond and is developing APIs and SDKs to let developers integrate privacy features without specialized cryptography expertise. Panther provides full privacy by default while allowing users and institutions to vary levels of transparency for retail and institutional use cases. The protocol aims to enable compliance for regulated industries by permitting auditors to verify transactions via zero-knowledge proofs without unsealing underlying data. Financially, Panther has raised a total of $32 million to date, including a $22 million public token sale that closed in 90 minutes and an earlier private token sale in June. Panther Protocol is a Gibraltar-based DeFi privacy keeper that enables users to mint private assets called zAssets. Users deposit digital assets into a vault and receive zAssets in their Panther wallet, which can be routed through the Panther network and used in DeFi transactions. The platform offers multiple levels of disclosure, including a zero-knowledge option that lets users prove compliance without revealing sender, receiver, amounts, or metadata. Panther is targeting institutional DeFi and Web3 adoption by addressing privacy and compliance hurdles that currently limit institutional participation. The company recently raised $8 million in a private sale with participation from more than 140 investors, strengthening its financial position. CEO and co-founder Oliver Gale has indicated plans for zAssets to expand to stablecoins, utility tokens, and NFTs, positioning privacy as a core asset class for DeFi.

Participated · Seed · May 2021

NiiFi is developing a low-latency decentralized exchange that runs on Nahmii, an Ethereum layer-2 network designed to boost transaction throughput. By leveraging Nahmii’s architecture, the platform provides instant, non-probabilistic settlement finality, a capability positioned to attract institutional traders. The exchange also embeds know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money-laundering (AML) functionality to meet compliance demands often absent in DeFi. According to Nahmii developer Jacobo Toll-Messia, the underlying technology is proprietary and currently patent-pending. NiiFi’s product roadmap centers on turning these technical advantages into a commercially viable DEX. The team, backed by seasoned crypto investors, plans additional fundraising rounds to expand both the exchange and the broader Nahmii layer-2 ecosystem.

Participated · Seed · Mar 2021

Curio is a Los Angeles-based NFT platform for the entertainment industry led by CEO Juan M. Hernandez. The company delivers digital collectibles and licensed NFT drops, auctions and a secondary marketplace driven by non-fungible token technology. It has launched multiple licensed auctions, drops and products in partnership with entertainment IP holders. Past releases include collections tied to the American Gods television series, the Concrete Park graphic novel series, and Universal Pictures’ Scott Pilgrim vs. the World; each drop sold out in minutes and the NFTs are now trading on Curio’s secondary marketplace. Curio is partnering with Topps to produce NFTs from Mars Attacks!. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and business reach. Curio is a platform that enables brands and content owners to create NFT-driven digital fan experiences and limited-edition collectible assets. It allows IP owners to license and monetize rare and exclusive digital assets so fans can share and interact with content and characters. The company is led by CEO Juan M. Hernandez and is based in Los Angeles, CA. Curio plans to use recently raised seed capital to expand its team and operations and further develop its proprietary technology and partner integrations. As part of that effort it will accelerate integrations with Filecoin and Polygon to enhance platform functionality for entertainment brands creating NFTs. Curio has already partnered with Fremantle to create digital collectibles for fans of American Gods on STARZ in the U.S. and on Amazon Prime Video internationally.

Participated · Equity · Jan 2021

PAID Network is a blockchain-powered e-signature contract protocol that enables users to create, sign, and store agreements via web and mobile apps. Its core product is a SMART Agreement DApp combining customizable smart contracts, community-governed arbitration, reputation scoring, and DeFi tools to automate contracting and dispute resolution. The project stores contracts on IPFS/Ethereum (currently operating on the Rinkeby testnet) and is described as powered by Polkadot. PAID launched an MVP in December and has announced an upcoming token generation event (TGE) in January 2021. The team positions the platform to reduce attorney costs, streamline business contracts, and provide end-to-end dispute resolution. Financially, PAID closed a $2 million funding round (the article describes the instrument as "funding") and reports the round was oversubscribed with more than $21 million committed.

Participated · Equity · Sep 2020

Finance.vote is building a consensus layer for DeFi that combines next‑generation voting technology and a cryptoeconomic game. Its core features are vote markets that reward users for accurate token research, second‑layer governance systems acting as miniDAOs to build influence, and a trustless social trading system for collaborative money management. The platform is powered by a native governance token, $FIN, with a total supply of 1 billion tokens and 20% allocated to be distributed over three sales rounds. Participating in the upcoming public round will give token buyers immediate utility and voting rights on the platform. Finance.vote has completed a $420,000 seed and an oversubscribed $960,000 private sale— the second of three sales making up its current offering—bringing known proceeds to $1.38 million to date. The company emphasizes quadratic voting, rolling consensus, and market discovery tools to help users generate alpha, validate products, and form influence across rapidly evolving crypto projects.