Participated · Seed · Nov 2023

Sleek is a Web3 social network that launched in April 2023 and aims to bring blockchain-powered social media to the masses. Its core product, Sleek Card, uses NFC and a proprietary messaging bot to create blockchain wallets and decentralized identities, onboarding users into Web3 and building on-chain social graphs. The Sleek Card has powered over 300,000 connections and supported 60+ global events through partnerships with groups like Solana Hacker Houses, Coinfest, Digital Art Fair, and NFTNow. Sleek also plans to launch an open knowledge marketplace in the first half of 2024 to let domain experts tokenize and monetize their knowledge. The company raised US$5 million in a seed round and positions itself to enable creator monetization via SocialFi business models.

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 · Equity · Apr 2021

TeraBlock offers an automated portfolio trading tool and is building a Binance-powered crypto exchange that uses machine learning to manage risk and execution. The platform provides trade automation and access to leading strategies with controls over transaction frequency and risk tolerance. A partnership with Binance Cloud and the Binance platform gives TeraBlock access to Binance liquidity, tokens, exchange technology, funds management, security, and routes KYC/AML verification through Binance. Users can buy crypto via bank-issued credit or debit cards and manage assets through automated portfolios; advanced users receive additional automation features. TeraBlock also powers a TBC utility token designed to help minimize fees. The company positions itself as a user-friendly onboarding solution that supports users across the crypto learning curve.