Participated · Equity · Sep 2024

Vana builds an EVM-compatible layer-1 blockchain designed for collective ownership of private digital assets that power AI. The network natively supports pooling data through data DAOs and rewards for the top 16 data liquidity pools. Users pool their data via data DAOs secured by proof of contribution, and contributors earn ownership stakes in the AI models they help create. EVM compatibility enables flexible incentives such as dataset-specific tokens and AI model-specific tokens. The company plans to use the new funds to accelerate development of the Vana network and to support an ecosystem of decentralized AI projects built with user-owned data. Vana is based in San Francisco and has raised a total of $25M to date.

Led · Equity · May 2024

ARPA Network provides a decentralized secure computation network built to improve fairness, security, and privacy for blockchains. Its threshold BLS signature network serves as infrastructure for verifiable RNG, secure wallets, cross-chain bridges, and decentralized custody across multiple blockchains. The company plans product expansion in fully on-chain gaming, Autonomous Worlds (AW), and cryptographic AI. ARPA recently raised $6M in funding to support these initiatives. It is backed by funds including Binance Labs, Arrington Capital, and DWF. The company is based in Singapore. ARPA Network is a decentralized secure computation network built to improve the fairness, security, and privacy of blockchains. Its threshold BLS signature network serves as infrastructure for verifiable random number generation (RNG), secure wallets, cross-chain bridges, and decentralized custody. The project was previously known as ARPA Chain and was founded in 2018; its Mainnet has completed over 224,000 computation tasks. Randcast, a verifiable RNG, is the first application built on ARPA and offers a cryptographically generated random source with claimed superior security and lower cost. The company plans to expedite development of applications across gaming, lottery, NFT minting and whitelisting, key generation, and blockchain validator task distribution. ARPA is led by co-founder Felix Xu and aims to expand marketing, raise its brand profile, and engage diverse industries.

Participated · Seed · Feb 2024

BounceBit is a Singapore-based BTC restaking infrastructure provider focused on enabling BTC holders to earn yield across multiple networks via a CeFi + DeFi framework. The company is building the BounceBit chain, a PoS Layer 1 secured by validators staking both BTC and BounceBit’s native token in a dual-token model that combines Bitcoin security with full EVM compatibility. Ecosystem infrastructure such as bridges and oracles are secured by restaked BTC, and custody for the model is provided by regulated providers Mainnet Digital and Ceffu. Led by Founder and CEO Jack Lu, BounceBit positions its chain as a showcase restaking product within a broader ecosystem of restaking offerings. The company recently raised $6M in Seed funding and plans to use the proceeds to expand operations and accelerate development efforts.

Participated · Seed · Nov 2022

Fordefi builds a self-custodial MPC wallet platform. The company is extending its MPC wallet product to retail-facing platforms such as trading platforms and fintech platforms. Fordefi recently completed a $10M financing led by Electric Capital, with Paxos and Alchemy participating. In November 2022 the company raised an $18M seed round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners. Participants in that seed included Electric Capital, Alameda Research, Jump Crypto, Castle Island, Pantera Capital, Illuminate Financial, PayPal Alumni Fund, Nima Capital, Digital Currency Group, Defiance Capital, and StarkWare. Fordefi provides an institutional MPC wallet platform and Web3 gateway that enables institutions to connect to dApps across a wide range of chains while keeping digital assets secure. Its platform offers MPC key management, self-serve DeFi policy controls, time-of-transaction smart contract insights, transaction simulation and risk alerts. The company targets institutional DeFi users and emphasizes security and policy controls for enterprise workflows. Fordefi intends to use the Seed proceeds to cement its strategic position, accelerate growth and expand its business reach. Leadership includes Josh Schwartz (CEO), Dima Kogan (CTO) and Michael Volfman (VP of Research and Development). The company is based in New York and Tel Aviv, Israel.

Led · Seed · Jun 2022

Laevitas is a data analytics platform that implements quantitative finance models to analyze crypto-asset derivatives markets, including futures and options. Launched in early 2021 by Hassen Naas, a former World Economic Forum project specialist, the company is incorporated in Canton Vaud and runs a distributed team of 20. Its platform serves more than 2,000 daily active users as well as several hedge funds, market makers and trading firms. In the coming months Laevitas plans to launch a new user interface, additional features and integrations with leading projects to enable seamless access to data and analytical tools. Its product roadmap includes pricing for crypto exotics, risk management using spot/vol ladders, spread analytics and volatility curve construction. The company says the seed financing will fund expansion of its analytics and research suite and growth of users and ecosystem partners, with a particular focus on DeFi derivatives, options pricing and risk management.