Placeholder Ventures, established in 2017 and headquartered in New York City, is a thesis-driven venture capital firm. It invests in decentralized information networks, with a focus on cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies. As a Registered Investment Adviser, the firm manages two funds, Placeholder Fund I and II, both targeting investments in the cryptocurrency and blockchain sectors.
Tally is a frontend for DAOs running on Ethereum and other EVM blockchains. Tally gives users real power in their decentralized organizations. On Tally, users can delegate voting power, create or pass proposals to spend DAO funds, manage a protocol, and upgrade smart contracts—all onchain.
Celestia
Series B in 2024
Celestia is a provider of modular blockchain networks based in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. Founded in 2019, the company specializes in deploying decentralized blockchains without the need for extensive initial setup. Celestia's platform serves as a scalable data availability layer for decentralized applications and sidechains with minimal trust requirements. This allows developers to efficiently store and manage blockchain data collectively, optimizing performance for various applications.
Squads
Series A in 2024
Squads is a developer of a decentralized program that enables the establishment of better and easier decentralized autonomous groups. The company's application combines all of the key components of a decentralized autonomous organization, such as deployment, treasury, vault management, on-chain voting, and chat, into a single portal with an easy-to-use interface, allowing users to streamline daily operations using a decentralized autonomous organization structure.
Botanix Labs
Seed Round in 2024
Botanix Labs is a technology company that develops decentralized applications (dApps) for the cryptocurrency ecosystem. It combines the strengths of Bitcoin and Ethereum to create a platform that offers diverse applications, including decentralized lending and wealth management, while ensuring fair distribution, decentralization, and security.
Movement Labs
Series A in 2024
Movement Labs is a modular framework platform that builds and deploys move-based blockchains and applications in distributed settings. Its platform offers a composable and horizontally scalable network that provides unparalleled smart contract security and asset portability to help users solve the cold start problem with unprecedented interoperability.
NFTFi
Series A in 2024
NFTFi operates a peer-to-peer lending platform that allows NFT holders to leverage their digital assets as collateral for loans. By using NFTs, users can borrow cryptocurrency from lenders, providing liquidity without the need to sell their valuable assets. When a loan is accepted, the NFT is placed in a secure escrow smart contract, and the borrower receives the agreed-upon cryptocurrency directly in their wallet. This model draws on traditional practices from the art world, where collateralized loans are commonly offered by banks and auction houses to artists based on the value of their artworks. NFTFi thus creates a marketplace that facilitates financial transactions for NFT owners, enhancing the utility of their digital assets.
Eclipse
Series A in 2024
Eclipse is building Ethereum's first Solana Virtual Machine Layer 2. While other L2 networks on Ethereum focus on providing Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility, Eclipse leans into performance improvements developed by the Solana Layer 1 and adds additional verification features to deploy the blockchain as a rollup. The Eclipse team includes veterans from dYdX, Uniswap, Citadel, and Airbnb. Eclipse Labs is backed by top investors including Polychain, Placeholder, and DBA.
Polymer Labs
Series A in 2024
Polymer Labs is building the fabric of web3. We're working on an IBC based multi-cluster routing/roll-up protocol providing E2E IBC connectivity across ecosystems.
Pocket Network
Venture Round in 2023
Pocket Network is a developer of decentralized infrastructure aimed at facilitating blockchain application development. The company's platform enables users to connect their applications to various blockchains by directing them to a node that manages requests across the protocol. This infrastructure not only streamlines the integration process but also allows developers to create custom plugins, thereby saving time and resources while acquiring knowledge and implementing blockchain technology.
Saga.xyz
Seed Round in 2023
Saga.xyz gives visionaries the high-end tools and support they need to turn their blockchain dreams into reality.
Squads
Venture Round in 2023
Squads is a developer of a decentralized program that enables the establishment of better and easier decentralized autonomous groups. The company's application combines all of the key components of a decentralized autonomous organization, such as deployment, treasury, vault management, on-chain voting, and chat, into a single portal with an easy-to-use interface, allowing users to streamline daily operations using a decentralized autonomous organization structure.
Infinity Exchange
Seed Round in 2023
Infinity Exchange is a platform that aims to enhance capital efficiency in decentralized finance, specifically targeting institutional investors. It offers a robust lending and borrowing system that facilitates efficient digital asset transactions. The platform is accessible through smart contracts, web interfaces, and APIs, providing enterprise-grade financial market infrastructure tailored for digital assets. This design enables institutional participants to engage in decentralized finance with features such as high-fidelity rate trading and financing options for real-world assets. By bridging traditional finance and decentralized finance, Infinity Exchange seeks to create opportunities for significant investment and participation in the evolving digital asset landscape.
Monad
Seed Round in 2023
MONAD is a proof-of-stake (PoS) blockchain and decentralized computation platform that combines the best of performance and portability.
Across Protocol
Venture Round in 2022
Across is a cross-chain bridge secured by UMA's optimistic oracle for L2s and rollups. It also optimized for capital efficiency with a single liquidity pool, a competitive relayer landscape, and a no-slippage fee model.
Celestia
Series A in 2022
Celestia is a provider of modular blockchain networks based in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. Founded in 2019, the company specializes in deploying decentralized blockchains without the need for extensive initial setup. Celestia's platform serves as a scalable data availability layer for decentralized applications and sidechains with minimal trust requirements. This allows developers to efficiently store and manage blockchain data collectively, optimizing performance for various applications.
Zerion
Series B in 2022
Zerion Inc. is a blockchain software company based in San Francisco, California, founded in 2015. It specializes in decentralized finance (DeFi), providing a platform that allows users to invest, earn interest, and borrow cryptocurrency assets. Zerion's primary offering is an investment app that aggregates data from major decentralized exchanges, enabling users to manage their digital assets from a single interface. The platform features real-time asset tracking with live price updates and instant notifications. Additionally, Zerion emphasizes a non-custodial approach, meaning users retain control of their funds and do not have to delegate them to the platform, thereby mitigating centralization risks. The company also offers CryptoTrader, an application designed to track the cryptocurrency market through charts, news, and alerts, further enhancing user engagement in the evolving financial landscape.
Monaverse
Series A in 2022
Mona’s mission is to empower people around the world to create, collect, and share high quality immersive experiences on the blockchain, growing the Open Metaverse. Mona is the medium of the metaverse.
Matter Labs
Series B in 2021
Matter Labs is a blockchain technology company founded in 2018, with its headquarters in Berlin, Germany, and an additional presence in George Town, Cayman Islands. The company focuses on scaling Ethereum through the implementation of zero-knowledge proofs, which facilitate secure interactions between untrusted parties on the network. Matter Labs aims to enhance public blockchain adoption by providing solutions that improve scalability and privacy. Its technology allows decentralized applications to operate more efficiently while ensuring verifiable computation, enabling parties to prove integrity without compromising privacy. The company's mission is driven by a commitment to creating an open and free alternative to existing financial systems.
Futureswap
Funding Round in 2021
Futureswap is a decentralized futures exchange platform that leverages blockchain technology to facilitate non-custodial trading. Based in San Francisco, California, the company specializes in automated market making (AMM) algorithms, enabling users to buy and sell cryptocurrency futures contracts efficiently. By providing a decentralized environment, Futureswap aims to enhance trading flexibility and security for its users.
Futureswap
Venture Round in 2021
Futureswap is a decentralized futures exchange platform that leverages blockchain technology to facilitate non-custodial trading. Based in San Francisco, California, the company specializes in automated market making (AMM) algorithms, enabling users to buy and sell cryptocurrency futures contracts efficiently. By providing a decentralized environment, Futureswap aims to enhance trading flexibility and security for its users.
Orca
Series A in 2021
Orca is a decentralized cryptocurrency exchange built on the Solana blockchain, facilitating instant token swaps with minimal transaction fees. The platform is designed to handle thousands of transactions per second, ensuring low latency and capital-efficient trading. Users can exchange tokens while receiving fair pricing and have the option to provide liquidity to trading pools, allowing them to earn a share of the trading fees generated on the platform.
Zerion
Series A in 2021
Zerion Inc. is a blockchain software company based in San Francisco, California, founded in 2015. It specializes in decentralized finance (DeFi), providing a platform that allows users to invest, earn interest, and borrow cryptocurrency assets. Zerion's primary offering is an investment app that aggregates data from major decentralized exchanges, enabling users to manage their digital assets from a single interface. The platform features real-time asset tracking with live price updates and instant notifications. Additionally, Zerion emphasizes a non-custodial approach, meaning users retain control of their funds and do not have to delegate them to the platform, thereby mitigating centralization risks. The company also offers CryptoTrader, an application designed to track the cryptocurrency market through charts, news, and alerts, further enhancing user engagement in the evolving financial landscape.
DELV
Seed Round in 2021
DELV is focused on advancing the safe adoption of decentralized financial systems through the development of a crypto-asset trading platform. This platform offers liquidity for yield and principal tokens, allowing users to buy and sell these assets without any minimum investment requirements. By integrating various protocols, DELV aims to facilitate the creation of a new financial system that enhances capital efficiency, enabling users to grow their savings at a fixed rate. The company's commitment to open-source infrastructure and research-backed solutions underscores its mission to support the evolving landscape of decentralized finance.
Async Art
Seed Round in 2021
Async Art operates an innovative online platform that connects artists and collectors, enabling them to buy, sell, and trade programmable art on the Ethereum blockchain. Founded in 2019 and based in Fort Bragg, California, Async Art allows users to create and engage with multi-layer artworks. Each artwork consists of a Master piece and various Layers, which can be independently owned and controlled by different individuals. This unique structure empowers users to actively participate in the evolution of the art, as they can modify their respective Layers within parameters set by the original artist. For example, one user may control the sky in a landscape painting while another owns a character, allowing for dynamic collaboration and interaction in the creative process. This platform represents a new frontier in the art world, merging technology and creativity in the 21st century.
Nexus Mutual
Venture Round in 2021
Nexus Mutual Limited is a London-based company that operates a decentralized insurance platform utilizing blockchain technology, specifically the Ethereum public blockchain. Founded in 2017, it offers a novel alternative to traditional insurance by enabling users to become members and collectively share insurance risks without the involvement of conventional insurance companies. Members can purchase coverage, and their decisions are governed by smart contracts, which ensure transparency and enforceability. Initially, Nexus Mutual launched with a product focusing on earthquake coverage, allowing participants to manage and mitigate risks collaboratively. The platform aims to recreate traditional mutual insurance models on a broader scale, providing an innovative approach to risk management in the insurance industry.
Matter Labs
Series A in 2021
Matter Labs is a blockchain technology company founded in 2018, with its headquarters in Berlin, Germany, and an additional presence in George Town, Cayman Islands. The company focuses on scaling Ethereum through the implementation of zero-knowledge proofs, which facilitate secure interactions between untrusted parties on the network. Matter Labs aims to enhance public blockchain adoption by providing solutions that improve scalability and privacy. Its technology allows decentralized applications to operate more efficiently while ensuring verifiable computation, enabling parties to prove integrity without compromising privacy. The company's mission is driven by a commitment to creating an open and free alternative to existing financial systems.
API3
Seed Round in 2020
API3 is focused on developing a decentralized API infrastructure that connects blockchain applications with off-chain data providers. The company's platform addresses the API connectivity challenge by utilizing decentralized APIs, which are composed of first-party oracles. This approach allows data providers to operate as their own blockchain oracles, eliminating the need for third-party intermediaries. By aggregating data from reputable API providers through its innovative dAPI framework, API3 enables the creation of decentralized applications that utilize secure, quantifiable data feeds. This infrastructure empowers developers to effectively integrate real-world data into blockchain solutions, enhancing the functionality and reliability of decentralized applications.
Magic
Seed Round in 2020
Magic is a technology company that specializes in password-less authentication solutions, providing an alternative login method that enhances security and user experience. Its innovative technology employs a plug-and-play kit combined with blockchain infrastructure, enabling developers to easily integrate customizable password-less login features into their applications. With just a few lines of code, developers can implement this scalable solution, allowing users to access services without traditional passwords, thus streamlining the login process and reducing security risks associated with password management.
Zerion
Seed Round in 2019
Zerion Inc. is a blockchain software company based in San Francisco, California, founded in 2015. It specializes in decentralized finance (DeFi), providing a platform that allows users to invest, earn interest, and borrow cryptocurrency assets. Zerion's primary offering is an investment app that aggregates data from major decentralized exchanges, enabling users to manage their digital assets from a single interface. The platform features real-time asset tracking with live price updates and instant notifications. Additionally, Zerion emphasizes a non-custodial approach, meaning users retain control of their funds and do not have to delegate them to the platform, thereby mitigating centralization risks. The company also offers CryptoTrader, an application designed to track the cryptocurrency market through charts, news, and alerts, further enhancing user engagement in the evolving financial landscape.
Matter Labs
Seed Round in 2019
Matter Labs is a blockchain technology company founded in 2018, with its headquarters in Berlin, Germany, and an additional presence in George Town, Cayman Islands. The company focuses on scaling Ethereum through the implementation of zero-knowledge proofs, which facilitate secure interactions between untrusted parties on the network. Matter Labs aims to enhance public blockchain adoption by providing solutions that improve scalability and privacy. Its technology allows decentralized applications to operate more efficiently while ensuring verifiable computation, enabling parties to prove integrity without compromising privacy. The company's mission is driven by a commitment to creating an open and free alternative to existing financial systems.
UMA
Seed Round in 2019
UMA is a decentralized platform focused on financial contracts, aiming to provide global market access through innovative technology. It allows users to trade derivative products without reliance on a centralized authority, minimizing risk and eliminating single points of failure. By enabling customers to create customized financial products, UMA facilitates automatic enforcement and immediate settlement of agreements. The platform also features a unique oracle that records verifiable truths or data on a blockchain, enhancing the integrity of the financial contracts. This structure incentivizes participants to challenge and provide evidence against recorded claims, fostering a transparent and robust ecosystem for decentralized finance.
Enzyme
Venture Round in 2019
Enzyme is a decentralized asset management infrastructure built on ethereum. They offer an autonomous system that has both its frontend and its backend hosted and executed on decentralized platforms, thereby replacing a large proportion of the middlemen with smart contracts and enabling asset managers to perform the same tasks at a fraction of the cost and with higher transparency, greater security, and a reduced requirement for trust.
Risk Labs
Venture Round in 2018
Risk Labs is the foundation and core team behind the Across and UMA Protocols.
Decred
Venture Round in 2018
Decred is a cryptocurrency that emphasizes community involvement, open governance, and sustainable development. It employs a hybrid mining system combining proof-of-work and proof-of-stake to prevent centralization and ensure that no small group can control transaction processes or implement changes without community consensus. Each unit of currency is referred to as a decred (DCR). To maintain the integrity of the currency and prevent fraud, Decred utilizes blockchain technology, which securely records all transactions. This approach enables users to engage in transparent and equitable trading within the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
OpenZeppelin
Venture Round in 2017
OpenZeppelin is a company that specializes in developing tools and conducting security audits for decentralized applications, which are critical for supporting multimillion-dollar economies. It has established itself as a leader in the open-source community with its library, OpenZeppelin Contracts, which is utilized by over 3,000 public projects and supported by a network of more than 180 contributors. The company provides security audits for prominent entities such as the Ethereum Foundation and Coinbase, helping to set industry standards for secure system development. In addition to its auditing services, OpenZeppelin offers consulting, development, and escrow services, aimed at reducing barriers for businesses seeking to secure their decentralized systems. With a commitment to fostering a robust ecosystem, OpenZeppelin is also expanding its offerings to include a development platform that caters to the increasing number of developers creating applications on decentralized protocols.
0x
Venture Round in 2017
0x is a developer of an open protocol that enables decentralized exchanging of tokens on the Ethereum blockchain. The protocol serves as a standard framework that facilitates peer-to-peer transactions and promotes interoperability among decentralized applications that incorporate exchange capabilities. By providing a mechanism for users to seamlessly convert a diverse range of assets into cryptographic tokens, 0x aims to enhance the accessibility and efficiency of digital asset trading in a decentralized manner.
Ethereum Foundation
Venture Round in 2017
The Ethereum Foundation, through its subsidiary Ethereum Switzerland GmbH, operates a decentralized platform that enables developers to create and publish distributed applications. Founded in 2014 and based in Baar, Switzerland, the foundation provides essential tools and services, including the Ethereum Wallet, which allows users to securely hold ether and other crypto-assets, as well as interact with smart contracts. The platform supports a variety of applications, such as crowdfunding, decentralized autonomous organizations, and the creation of new cryptocurrencies. By leveraging the principles of decentralized consensus, Ethereum facilitates the trading and management of diverse assets, including voting systems, financial exchanges, and intellectual property. The Ethereum Foundation is dedicated to promoting and supporting the development of the Ethereum ecosystem, ensuring its resilience and adaptability in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Agoric
Agoric is a developer of a framework designed to enhance the programming of smart contracts for the blockchain ecosystem. The platform facilitates the creation and deployment of smart contracts using JavaScript, making it accessible to millions of programmers. By emphasizing composability, Agoric enables rapid development and offers a competitive advantage in creating decentralized applications. Its framework allows for secure execution of transactions, the establishment of new markets, and the creation of innovative exchange patterns without centralized control. The Agoric team comprises experienced technologists, economists, and business leaders who have collaborated on smart contracts technology for over three decades. They aim to revolutionize how smart contracts are developed and utilized, fostering unprecedented global cooperation and enabling entrepreneurs to explore new business opportunities with digital assets. Agoric has partnered with notable projects within the blockchain space and received support from various investors, further solidifying its mission to advance smart contract technology.
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