Participated · Series A · Sep 2021

Merkle Science (Stackseer Technologies Pte. Ltd.) is a Singapore-based predictive cryptocurrency risk and intelligence platform founded in 2018. Its core product leverages a proprietary Behavioral Rule Engine to enable detection, investigation, and prevention of illicit cryptocurrency activity. The platform serves crypto firms, DeFi participants, financial institutions, and government agencies. The team includes alumni from PayPal, Forter, Luno, Bank of America, the FBI, and the U.S. DOJ. Merkle Science plans to use new capital to accelerate global growth, expand across the U.S. and Europe, and invest in R&D. R&D priorities include analytics and forensics for NFTs, DeFi, and cryptocurrency bridge protocols; total funding now exceeds $24 million following the extension. Merkle Science provides a predictive blockchain monitoring and investigative platform that leverages a proprietary Behavioral Rule Engine to detect illicit activity beyond traditional blacklist approaches. Its Blockchain Monitoring tool helps compliance teams detect suspicious incoming and outgoing cryptocurrency transactions and meet local KYC/AML obligations. The company serves crypto companies, financial institutions, and government entities, and has clients globally. Merkle Science plans to use new funding to accelerate product development for enterprise segments such as law enforcement agencies and financial institutions. It will continue evolving its Behavior-based Rule Engine to address the rise of privacy protocols, expand token coverage to over 500,000 tokens, and customize solutions for DeFi and NFT platforms. The company is led by co‑founder and CEO Mriganka Pattnaik and recently launched in the USA. Merkle Science is described in the article as a deep-tech startup. The company raised $804,000 in a seed funding round. The round was co-led by SGInnovate, the Singapore government’s innovation platform. The fundraising was reported in DealStreetAsia’s SG Digest. The article provides no product details, operating metrics, or future plans for the company.

Participated · Equity · Dec 2020

Vauld is a Bangalore-based platform that provides a suite of products to earn and build crypto wealth, including an asset-backed lending and borrowing platform. The platform currently supports over 30 cryptocurrencies and offers rates to users in more than 160 countries through partnerships with Binance and BitGo. Led by co-founder and CEO Darshan Bathija, the company uses exchange and custody partners to deliver its services. Vauld raised $25M in a Series A and has raised $27M in total capital since inception. The company intends to use the Series A proceeds to build out its team—aiming to fill at least 100 new roles—and to further its global expansion. Vauld is a cryptocurrency-based lending and decentralized finance (DeFi) platform registered as DEFI Technologies Pte Ltd and based in Singapore and Bengaluru. The platform allows users to lend various cryptocurrencies and earn interest. Vauld is seeking to become a holistic DeFi platform that will offer payments, credit, and trading. The company raised $2 million and plans to use the capital to hire and expand its presence in India and enter underpenetrated markets. It also aims to promote the adoption of digital tokens and cryptocurrencies as a legitimate asset class. Vauld says it will work closely with commodities and banking regulators to ensure partners remain compliant through changing regulatory landscapes.

Participated · Series A · Sep 2019

Dapix develops the FIO Protocol, an industry-standard decentralized service layer intended to improve usability across every blockchain, token, or coin. The protocol is designed to be guided by the Foundation for Interwallet Operability, a consortium of wallets, exchanges, and payment processors. Dapix has launched a FIO Address Presale enabling users to reserve human-readable FIO usernames and domains ahead of mainnet. FIO Domains are self-sovereign NFTs that can be traded via smart contracts, and the consortium supporting the protocol has grown to 24 members including Trust Wallet, BRD, ShapeShift, Edge Wallet, and Coinomi. The company says the Address Presale and recent funding will enable a mainnet launch in early 2020.