Highlights:

  • OpenGradient platform uses blockchain technology for model verifiability, secure hosting, and scalable deployment, eliminating the need for complex cryptographic or hardware solutions.
  • By providing decentralized infrastructure, OpenGradient aims to enhance security and composability, equipping developers with tools to create intelligent applications effortlessly.

Recently, a startup focused on decentralized artificial intelligence infrastructure, OpenGradient, has secured USD 8.5 million in new funding to develop its platform for sovereign, secure, and open-source AI.

Founded in 2023 as Vanna Laboratories Inc., OpenGradient is developing a decentralized platform aimed at improving the security, transparency, and accessibility of AI. By emphasizing open-source AI, the company aims to assist developers through an ecosystem that simplifies the integration of AI models into decentralized applications, eliminating the typical challenges associated with blockchain technology.

According to the company, the OpenGradient platform utilizes blockchain technology to guarantee model verifiability, secure hosting, and large-scale deployment while also removing the necessity for complex cryptographic or hardware solutions.

The company utilizes a multi-layer technology stack that features an earned value management-compatible blockchain in conjunction with Heterogeneous AI Compute Architecture. This architecture enables scalable on-chain AI computation, allowing developers to deploy AI models securely and instantly.

By providing decentralized infrastructure, OpenGradient asserts that it improves security and composability, equipping developers with the necessary tools to create intelligent applications with ease.

“Developers today face significant hurdles when developing secure software for custom AI models, often grappling with developing a variety of complex cryptographic or hardware solutions into their stack. OpenGradient revolutionizes this approach, offering near-instantaneous model deployment and secure inference of AI models in mere seconds,” said Co-founder and Chief Executive Matthew Wang.

The seed round included contributions from a16z Crypto Startup Accelerator, SV Angel, Coinbase Ventures, SALT Fund LP, Symbolic Capital Partners LP, Foresight Ventures LP, and various angel investors. Among the notable angel investors are Balaji Srinivasan, former CTO of Coinbase Inc.; Illia Polosukhin, founder of NEAR; and Sandeep Nailwal, founder of Polygon Technology Pte. Ltd.

“OpenGradient is ushering in a new era for decentralized AI by developing infrastructure to support the next generation of intelligent applications. They’ve built a truly disruptive tech stack at the intersection of AI and blockchain,” said SV Angel Principal Mike Liu.