VC roundup: Arbelos Markets, ZKM, Volta, Hemera and more score new capital
In a whirlwind of funding activities, several projects in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space have recently clinched venture capital backing to propel growth and development.
Arbelos Markets secures $28 million
Arbelos Markets, a prominent New York-based liquidity provider in the crypto derivatives market, recently secured a substantial $28 million in funding.
This investment round was spearheaded by Dragonfly Capital and saw participation from Room40 Ventures, Selini Capital, Breed VC, FalconX, and Circle Ventures.
Founded by Joshua Lim and Shiliang Tang, Arbelos aims to enhance its quant trading infrastructure, expand its product offerings, and bolster its market presence with the newly acquired capital.
Lagrange Labs raises $13.2 million
Lagrange Labs, a New York-based blockchain computation startup, recently secured a significant $13.2 million seed funding.
This investment round was led by Founders Fund, which then saw participation from Archetype Ventures, 1kx, Maven11, Fenbushi Capital, Volt Capital, CMT Digital, and Mantle Ecosystem Fund.
Founded by a team of experienced professionals in the blockchain space, Lagrange Labs aims to improve how computations are performed on blockchain networks.
ZKM nabs $5 million
The Ethereum scaling startup ZKM recently secured $5 million in pre-seed funding, with OKX Ventures leading the round.
Other notable participants include Amber, Metis Foundation, and Crypto.com. This funding marks a significant milestone for ZKM as it aims to enhance Ethereum’s scalability solutions.
The support from key investors underscores the growing interest in Ethereum’s (ETH) development and the importance of scaling solutions in the blockchain space.
ZKM’s innovative approach and strategic partnerships position it as a promising player in the Ethereum scaling ecosystem.
Volta collects $4.1 million
Volta, a Las Vegas-based non-custodial crypto platform, has raised $4.1 million in seed funding to develop its institutional-focused infrastructure.
The investment round was co-led by Fika Ventures and Haven Ventures, with participation from Soma Capital, Dispersion Capital, and Uphonest Capital.
Volta’s flagship product, Volta Circuit, is a multi-signature, non-custodial platform designed to provide enhanced speed, security, and compliance for institutional investors.
The platform aims to address scalability, security, and performance concerns by integrating smart contract wallets with direct on-chain enforcement of governance and policy controls.
Hemera confirms $2.6 million in funds
Hemera, a San Francisco-based web3 infrastructure startup, has raised $2.6 million in funding co-led by LIF Capital and Nomad Capital.
The investment round also saw participation from SNZ, Chainlink, and notable angel investors, including the founders of ZetaChain, Sending Labs, Wish co-founder Danny Zhang, and Microsoft Senior Vice President and AI expert Harry Shum.
LIF Capital managing partner Jane Smith stated that Hemera’s approach to decentralized indexing and data processing has the potential to unlock new possibilities for Web3 developers and users.
“We are excited to support the team as they work to build a more scalable and efficient web3 ecosystem,” she added.
Hemera’s architecture is tailored to be compatible with large language models (LLMs) and broader AI models, facilitating seamless integration with cutting-edge technologies.
Crestal Network raises $2 million
Crestal Network, a San Francisco-based proof-of-performance service marketplace for Web3 developers, has raised $2 million in pre-seed funding.
A diverse group of investors took part in the effort. They include Lingfeng Capital, Cogitent Ventures, Kyro Ventures, Veris Ventures, Smape Capital, MH Ventures, LayerLabs, Pragma Ventures, Builder Capital, NxGen.lens, Artemis Capital, and Quotient Ventures.
Lingfeng Li, a managing partner at Lingfeng Capital, highlighted Crestal Network’s approach to establishing a decentralized, performance-driven marketplace for Web3 services as precisely what the industry currently requires.
He expressed enthusiasm in supporting the team’s efforts to enhance accessibility and efficiency in Web3 development for all stakeholders.
Moso sees $2 million in seed funding
Moso, a Los Angeles-based shop-to-earn platform that integrates online shopping with cryptocurrency rewards, has raised $2 million in seed funding. This investment round was led by Symbolic Capital and Dao5, with additional participation from Coinlist and Polygon Ventures.
Moso allows users to earn cryptocurrency rewards while shopping online, enhancing the e-commerce landscape with blockchain technology.
With support from investors such as Symbolic Capital, Dao5, Coinlist, and Polygon Ventures, Moso aims to revamp its platform, grow its user base, and establish itself in the shop-to-earn market.
