Funding Frenzy: Monad and Auradine Lead Charge in Blockchain Innovation

This week's significant funding rounds highlight the latest advancements in the blockchain and crypto sectors. Monad raised $225 million for its EVM-compatible PoS Layer 1 blockchain, Auradine secured $80 million for its next-generation web infrastructure, and Mezo garnered $21 million for its Bitcoin-native chain. Alpen Labs, Bored Slot, Uplink, KIKI World, Lumoz, GPU.Net, Sapien, Tomo, OpenTrade, Cove Finance, Mayan, Zoth, Multisynq, Stream Finance, Eesee, Sharpe AI, and NavyAI also received funding, showcasing the breadth of innovation and investment in this rapidly evolving industry.

Funding Frenzy: Monad and Auradine Lead the Charge in Web3 Innovation

April 8-14, 2024

The blockchain and cryptocurrency sector continues to witness a surge in investment activity, with a myriad of promising projects securing significant funding this week. Coinfactiva.com's latest research paints a vivid picture of the burgeoning Web3 ecosystem, highlighting the diversity and dynamism shaping the industry.

Monad: A Revolutionary Ethereum Layer 1

Leading the pack is Monad, a cutting-edge proof-of-stake (PoS) Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible Layer 1 blockchain. This innovative platform aims to revolutionize the broader Ethereum ecosystem, serving as a decentralized computation platform. Boasting superior throughput compared to existing smart contract blockchains, Monad's impressive architecture enables it to process a remarkable 10,000 smart contract transactions per second (tps). This exceptional performance is attributed to its groundbreaking advancements in virtual machine design and Byzantine Fault Tolerant (BFT) consensus mechanisms.

The project's $225 million investment, raised from industry heavyweights such as Paradigm, Coinbase Ventures, Electric Capital, Greenoaks Capital, Castle Island Ventures, and eGirl Capital, is a testament to the confidence investors have in Monad's potential to transform the Ethereum landscape.

Auradine: Pioneering the Future of Web Infrastructure

Another notable investment this week is the $80 million Series B funding round secured by Auradine. This technology startup is dedicated to developing next-generation web infrastructure solutions, leveraging blockchain, AI, and zero-knowledge proofs to drive innovation. Auradine's mission is to create scalable, sustainable, and secure web infrastructure for the future. By harnessing these cutting-edge technologies, the company aims to profoundly impact decentralized applications and play a transformative role in the global economy.

The round, led by StepStone Group, MVP Ventures, Celesta Capital, Mayfield, and Marathon Digital Holdings, underscores the growing demand for robust and innovative web infrastructure solutions.

Mezo: Empowering Bitcoin Holders

Mezo, a Bitcoin-native chain, has also garnered significant attention. With $21 million in Series A funding from Pantera Capital, Multicoin Capital, Hack VC, Draper Associates, ParaFi Capital, Nascent, Primitive, Asymmetric Fund, and DCF God, Mezo provides users with a novel opportunity to harness their Bitcoin holdings for collective wealth creation.

The platform offers genuine utility and transparent yield for Bitcoin holders, fostering a vibrant economy through user asset ownership, EVM compatibility secured by Bitcoin, reliable bridging with tBTC, and a dual staking model for rewards and validation.

Alpen Labs and Bored Slot: Expanding Gaming Horizons

Alpen Labs, a promising blockchain project, has raised $10.6 million in Seed funding. Led by Ribbit Capital, Castle Island Ventures, Geometry Research, Village Global, Stillmark, Paxos, Robot Ventures, Axiom, and prominent individual investors, the company aims to drive innovation in the blockchain space.

Bored Slot, a Web3 slots gaming venture from Spin City, has also secured $10 million from Plutus VC and LD Capital. This project cleverly blends traditional slot gaming with blockchain technology, introducing a play-and-mine platform where each spin offers the chance to acquire digital rewards. By incorporating NFTs from prestigious collections, Bored Slot provides a distinctive gaming experience.

Uplink: Democratizing Internet Access

Uplink has attracted $10 million in funding from Framework Ventures, Blockchange Ventures, Stratos Technologies, Outlier Ventures, NxGen, and MSM Fund (Mustard Seed Maze). This decentralized network infrastructure project strives to democratize internet access by providing distributed and user-operated connectivity.

Through its network, users and businesses can participate as Providers, contributing hardware to improve coverage and uptime while earning tokens. This model not only enhances network functionality but also empowers communities to directly profit from its usage.

KIKI World: Revolutionizing Beauty Product Development

KIKI World, a pioneering beauty platform, has raised $7 million from Andreessen Horowitz (a16z crypto), Estée Lauder New Incubation Ventures (NIV), Orange DAO, 2 Punks Capital, Advancit Capital, Red Dao, Double Down, and Gmoney. This innovative platform allows users to actively shape beauty product development by voting on preferred products and earning rewards.

KIKI World collaborates with renowned creators to curate unique, user-driven beauty items. This approach promotes inclusivity and interactivity in beauty creation.

Lumoz: Simplifying ZK-Rollup for Developers

Lumoz, formerly known as Opside, has secured $6 million in Series A funding from OKX Ventures (formerly OKEx Blockdream Ventures), Hashkey Capital, KuCoin Ventures, Comma3 Ventures, Kronos Research, Kernel Ventures, and Sandeep Nailwal. This Modular Compute Layer and ZK-RaaS platform simplifies ZK-Rollup development for Web3 developers by employing a PoW mining mechanism for ZKP arithmetic.

Lumoz's hybrid consensus mechanism, combining PoS and PoW, facilitates the creation of zkEVM application chains, driving broader adoption of ZK-Rollup technology.

GPU.Net: Supercharging Generative AI

GPU.Net has raised $5.3 million in a Series A round from Momentum 6 (M6), Spicy Capital, Exnetwork Capital, Black Dragon, and other notable investors. This decentralized infrastructure for on-demand GPUs is fueling advancements in generative AI, Web3 metaverses, high-end graphics, and crypto mining. GPU.Net provides a robust platform for developers and users to harness the power of GPUs on a flexible and scalable basis.

Sapien: Enhancing Developer Tools

Sapien has secured $5 million in Seed funding from Primitive, Animoca Brands, Artichoke Capital, and Yield Guild Games (YGG). This project is dedicated to developing developer tools for the Web3 ecosystem. Its mission is to empower Web3 developers with innovative and effective tools to accelerate project development and enhance user experiences.

Tomo: Cross-Chain Integration for Enterprise

Tomo has raised $3.5 million in a Seed funding round from Polychain Capital, ConsenSys, Nomad Capital, Symbolic Capital (ex Hyperedge Capital), OKX Ventures (ex OKEx Blockdream Ventures), HTX Ventures (ex Huobi Ventures), KuCoin Ventures, and dao5 (daofive). This project is focused on enabling seamless cross-chain integration for enterprises and developers. By providing robust interoperability solutions, Tomo aims to bridge the gaps between various blockchain networks, facilitating data sharing, asset transfer, and smart contract execution across diverse platforms.

OpenTrade: Decentralized Exchange for Institutional Investors

OpenTrade has secured $3.2 million in a Seed funding round from a16z Crypto Startup Accelerator (CSX), CMCC Global, Draper Dragon, Ryze Labs, Plassa Capital. This project is building a decentralized exchange tailored to the needs of institutional investors. By leveraging cutting-edge blockchain technology, OpenTrade aims to provide a secure, transparent, and efficient trading platform for professional traders and financial institutions.

Cove Finance: Streamlined DeFi Portfolio Management

Cove Finance has raised $3 million in a Pre-seed funding round from Electric Capital, Accomplice Blockchain, Robot Ventures, Daedalus, and other prominent investors. This project provides DeFi users with a streamlined and intuitive platform for portfolio management. Cove Finance simplifies yield optimization and risk management, enabling users to maximize returns and mitigate potential losses in the dynamic DeFi market.

Mayan: Social Media Platform for Crypto Enthusiasts

Mayan has secured $3 million in a Seed funding round from 6th Man Ventures (6MV), Solana Ventures, Borderless Capital, Hash3, Big Brain Holdings, Arrington Capital, Cogitent Ventures, Syndicate by Boogle, Stakeholder Capital (SHV), Cross-Chain Ecosystem Fund, and individual investors. This project is developing a social media platform specifically designed for crypto enthusiasts. Mayan aims to create a vibrant community where users can connect, share knowledge, and engage with the latest developments in the crypto space.

Zoth: NFT-Based Game

Zoth has raised $2.5 million in a Seed funding round from Blockchain Founders Fund, Momentum 6 (M6), YAP Capital, Borderless Capital, Mindfulness Capital, Outlier Ventures, Wormhole, Graviton Fund, Orbit Startups, Decubate, and Aztlan Capital. This project is developing an NFT-based game that combines engaging gameplay with a compelling storyline. Zoth seeks to push the boundaries of interactive entertainment by leveraging the unique capabilities of blockchain technology.

Multisynq: Secure Multi-Chain Wallet

Multisynq has raised $2.2 million in a Seed funding round from Manifold, Arkn Ventures, PHD Capital, Enigma Fund, AlphaCrypto Capital, Republic Crypto, Gmoney, NaniXBT, 0xLawliette, and Hype.eth. This project is focused on developing a secure and user-friendly multi-chain wallet. By supporting a wide range of blockchain networks, Multisynq aims to provide users with a seamless and comprehensive platform to manage their crypto assets.

Stream Finance: DeFi Lending and Borrowing Protocol

Stream Finance has secured $1.5 million in a Seed funding round from Polychain Capital. This project is building a DeFi lending and borrowing protocol designed to provide users with flexible and accessible financial services. Stream Finance aims to unlock liquidity and enable efficient capital utilization within the DeFi ecosystem.

Eesee: Gamified Marketplace for Digital Assets

Eesee has raised $100,000 in a Public Sale funding round. This project has introduced a gamified marketplace for digital assets. By employing a unique raffle system, Eesee empowers sellers to creatively promote their