Venture capital activity in the cryptocurrency space is booming. As you probably know, extraordinary investments are especially pouring into the decentralized finance (DeFi) and artificial intelligence (AI) projects. The latest strategic funding rounds prove that the DeFi sector is still strong despite initial signs of slowing down in recent months. Ever since the 2022 bear market, there has been increasing interest in AI applications in phase with blockchain technology. Blueprint Finance, Yupp, Gradient Network, Beam, and Frachtis are just a few of the fintechs that have recently raised substantial rounds.

Blueprint Finance Secures $9.5 Million

With these contributions, Blueprint Finance has exceeded their Capital Raise goal and has raised a total of $9.5 million. With this massive funding injection, it will help expand its world-leading DeFi platforms. Concrete is an Ethereum-based yield platform that went live this summer alongside Glow Finance, Blueprint’s Solana-based trading and staking platform.

Through these platforms, the company hopes to give its users innovative ways to experience and interact with the DeFi ecosystem. These platforms are being introduced at a particularly interesting time – just as the entire stablecoin market recently passed $250 billion. This increased volume reflects a growing demand for more stable, yield-generating crypto assets. Blueprint Finance’s platforms access the rapidly increasing demand for crypto yield. They ensure fast and safe ways for users to generate yields on their crypto assets.

This successful funding round and platform launches further highlight Blueprint Finance’s determined efforts to pave the way for sustainable innovation and growth in the DeFi space. The firm’s product suite is available on both Ethereum and Solana. This user-friendly approach serves both retail and accredited investors, reflecting their different interests and risk appetites.

Yupp Raises $33 Million for AI Evaluation Platform

Yupp announced the closing of a $33 million seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz’s crypto arm, a16z Crypto. The startup is currently creating a new type of platform specifically tailored to compare outputs from all of the top AI models. This ecosystem will allow users to receive cryptocurrency rewards for their ratings.

This participation from a16z Crypto is a solid affirmation of confidence in Yupp’s vision. Most importantly, it underscores the surprising, but great opportunity to marry AI and blockchain technology together. Yupp’s platform is designed to leverage the power of human intelligence to train AI models to be more accurate, trustworthy, and reliable. The platform will both reward its users for giving rapid feedback on AI’s outputs, thus developing a rich dataset that can be used to further refine its models.

"human judgment into a renewable economic resource" - a16z team

This new paradigm greatly improves the quality of AI models. It creates a totally new way for people to earn cryptocurrency. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, business leader, or just curious about Yupp’s innovative model, we’re prepared to welcome a diverse audience. It will further accelerate progress in AI and blockchain technologies available.

Gradient Network and Beam Secure Funding for AI and Compliance

Gradient Network has just raised $10 million in seed funding led by Pantera, Multicoin Capital, and HSG. The company has its sights set on creating a Solana-based decentralized AI runtime. This funding will ensure Gradient Network has the resources to develop an intelligent ecosystem for AI-powered applications on the Solana blockchain.

By providing a secure and transparent environment to create and deploy AI models, their decentralized AI runtime will fundamentally shift how developers approach AI. Fueled by the speed and scalability of Solana, Gradient Network is built to address the challenges and inefficiencies found in legacy AI infrastructure. The company's focus on decentralization aligns with the broader ethos of the crypto industry, promoting greater accessibility and control over AI technologies.

Beam also recently completed a $7 million funding round. Compliance Beam, looking ahead, continues to extend its compliance reach and network capacity. This funding infusion will allow Beam to build out its regulatory infrastructure, deepen its tech stack, and train its operating model. The company’s emphasis on compliance is no small matter, especially given the rapidly changing regulatory environment of the crypto industry.

Frachtis Backs Early-Stage Projects with $20 Million

Frachtis has raised $20 million in pre-seed funding. The company has already funded eight of those projects at the pre-seed and seed levels. It’s a sign of the still strong appetite for early stage crypto startups, this investment.

Frachtis favors pre-seed and seed-stage deals. This framework emphasizes the value of fostering new ideas and innovations in the crypto world. By providing early-stage funding, Frachtis is helping to accelerate the development of promising projects and contribute to the growth of the broader ecosystem. The company’s multifaceted portfolio of investments is a testament to the myriad opportunities and challenges that exist in the ever-evolving crypto industry.

"Blockchain infrastructure remains the lead story in the crypto space" - Kaden Stadelmann

This massive vision is achieved by leveraging the foundational role blockchain technology will play in driving innovation and economic growth. Frachtis’s bets on early-stage projects are in every sense of the word helping to build the next generation of blockchain infrastructure.