Berkan Altun’s Post

The hype is real. Opacity has raised $12M led by Archetype and Breyer Capital, with support from a16z crypto CSX, Finality Capital Partners, Bodhi Ventures North Island Ventures,Escape Velocity (EV3), Ambush Capital and GD1 (Global From Day One). The internet today is a black hole for time, money, and attention, feeding ads and brainrot back at users while rent-seeking platforms hoard data. The real problem is verifiability. Without private verification, ownership is an illusion. We’re here to change that. Opacity’s Verified Data Network (VDN) shifts control from platforms to users, letting them verify, control, and monetize their data without sacrificing privacy. And starting today, the developer platform is live at https://opacity.network. Our tech stack is purpose-built to scale with security: - zkTLS: Verifies data without exposing it - MPC architecture: Delivers speed and integrity - Eigen Labs: Protects against malicious actors with economic security We’re not here to rebuild the internet from scratch. We’re extending what already works—embedding developers into existing networks and making users the point of control. Bridging offchain data with onchain value unlocks entirely new business models. This isn’t just about tech—it’s about real economic value and making crypto adoption seamless for mass adoption We’re coming for the rent seeking middle men. With Opacity, industries like finance, healthcare, and advertising are finally moving beyond gatekeepers toward trust, privacy, and innovation. No more excuses, it’s time to take back the internet. LFG Read A Treatise on Verifiability, Control, and the Future of Our Internet: https://lnkd.in/gkWSmz8z Try the new Developer Platform: https://lnkd.in/guNqpDDP

It was a real honor to interview Brad Burnham co-founder of Union Square Ventures and partner Placeholder on the history of hype cycles in technology and the value they bring to capital and market formation. Brad has had tremendous success across decades investing at the frontier - when it was the frontier/ before it was obvious. Crypto is still the underdog and his views on the opportunity and its nuances are prescient. Specifically it is both a technical and financial innovation which can lead to excess volatility and a unique muscle as it relates to being a venture manager. But the returns are real. And the innovation is real despite some of the the common narratives. No one debates the breakthrough applications in AI at M13 we have been very active. It is also very clear that incumbents have massive data and distribution advantages which can make it challenging to find the right pockets to invest. AI is on its own hype cycle and as always the best teams (typically with contrarian takes) win. Very exciting times to be a venture investor.

What will top VCs prioritize in 2025? 🤔 In 2024, crypto investments reached $13.7B, up 28% from 2023 but far below 2021-2022 levels. With VC activity now at a "normal" pace, what sectors will they bet on in 2025? Dragonfly Capital 🐉: Focuses on CeFi, DeFi, and stablecoins, while exploring new areas like DePIN and Crypto-AI. Pantera Capital 🐾: Excited about Crypto-AI, DePINs, and new Layer 1 projects. Multicoin Capital 🌀: Bullish on Solana's ecosystem, especially DeFi, and optimistic about stablecoins. Coinbase Ventures 🌐: Focuses on payments, stablecoins, DeFi, Crypto-AI, gaming, social, and creator apps, alongside infrastructure. Binance Labs 🛠️: Long-term investments in real-world products with Web3, AI, and biotech potential. Galaxy Ventures 🌟: Betting big on stablecoins and tokenized RWAs, seeing massive growth potential. Hashed 📊: Prioritizes data infrastructure, institutional DeFi, regulated stablecoin systems, and Crypto-AI infrastructure. Scaling back on generic L1/L2s, short-term GameFi, and utility-less NFTs. Hack VC 🚀: Invests in Crypto-AI (including GPU-based DePIN), scalable infrastructure, and stablecoins as a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity. Portal Ventures 🏗️: Focuses on infrastructure and user experience apps, noting funding won’t match 2021-2022 levels due to the economic climate. Blockchain Capital 💡: Targets infrastructure for stablecoins and DeFi. Key takeaway: Stablecoins, DeFi, and AI dominate VC interest. Gaming is less prioritized, and NFT/Metaverse projects are losing favor—except for select blue-chip NFTs. What’s your perspective? Share below! 👇

DevvDigital Welcomes a Visionary Leader: Will Stewart Joins the Board We are proud to announce that Will Stewart has joined the DevvDigital™ Board of Directors. Will brings an unparalleled track record as a Silicon Valley venture capitalist, strategic advisor, and board member, having raised billions for hundreds of innovative companies. Will Stewart will play a pivotal role in advancing the growth of DevvExchange™, the world’s first non-custodial, instant-settlement digital exchange, built on the DevvX™ blockchain. His leadership will also guide DevvDigital™’s capital strategy and strengthen its global partnerships as we continue to revolutionize financial markets through tokenization, T+0 settlement, and institutional-grade compliance. “Will’s proven track record in innovation and capital strategy is a game-changer for DevvDigital™,” said Ray Quintana, CEO of DevvDigital™. “His board participation will drive global partnerships, funding opportunities, and the rapid adoption of our ecosystem.” Reflecting on his appointment, Will Stewart stated: “Timing could not be better for DevvDigital™ and DevvExchange™ at the intersection of this tsunami of public and institutional adoption of crypto products. We fully anticipate this mega trend to continue under a new Federal Administration providing a policy framework that positions digital assets as a legitimate component of the U.S. financial system and aims to establish the United States as a leader in digital financial technology.” Will’s expertise and network will help position DevvExchange™ at the forefront of the $65 trillion alternative asset market projected by Bain & Co. to grow rapidly by 2032. His focus on strategic alliances and transformative technology adoption will ensure DevvDigital™ and DevvExchange™ remain leaders in reshaping financial markets. This announcement builds on recent developments for DevvX™ and the $DEVVE token, as we continue to deliver innovative products and expanded utility within the DevvEcosystem. 👉 Read the full announcement: https://lnkd.in/e_SfadVy 👉 Sign up for early access: https://devv.exchange

Summer reading list idea for AI investors: Chris Dixon's "Read Write Own" explains how blockchain technology can revolutionize the internet by taking control away from corporate networks and granting users more agency over their data and digital assets. The book highlights the power of token incentives and network effects in creating a more decentralized and user-driven online world. It's a must-read for tech enthusiasts and anyone curious about the future of digital innovation. Corporate vs. Blockchain Networks: In companies like Twitter, employees do all the work, such as making the app better and stopping spam. In blockchain networks, the work is done by outside developers who get paid with tokens. These tokens give them partial ownership and some control over the network. Token Incentives: When people earn tokens, they become part-owners of the network. This makes them want to help the network succeed by creating software or content. Tokens also create competition, giving users more choices, like picking different web browsers. Tokens are given out in a way that’s fair and open, unlike company stocks. Empowerment through Tokens: Tokens let people be owners in the network, not just users. When people feel like they own part of the network, they want to contribute more and tell others about it. Marketing without Advertising: Top blockchain networks don’t spend much on ads. They don’t need to because users promote them by spreading the word themselves. https://readwriteown.com/

What opportunities can hype cycles bring? Union Square Ventures co-founder Brad Burnham shared what he’s learned from decades of venture investing in conversation with M13 Partner Latif Peracha at this year's Future Perfect. A few highlights: 1. Hype cycles bring innovation opportunities: "Without that financial bubble, without that enthusiasm, you don't get the experiments that you need in order to put the infrastructure in place to build real systems,” Brad says. "[At USV] we made the argument that we were through the initial crash of the information technology hype cycle, and that we were going to be building now into what Carlota Perez called the deployment period. That’s when a lot of the technologies that were first introduced in the crash actually became important." 2. Adaptability is key: "It's our job to figure out how to live with these new problems. It's not the job of the technology or the market to make it easy for us,” says Brad.  3. Focus on implications: Both investors encouraged looking at the implications of a technology, not just the technology itself. Thinking beyond the infrastructure or core technical pieces brings a huge number of meaningful opportunities. Read more on #AI, #crypto, and riding hype cycle waves from Brad and Latif: https://lnkd.in/eJEyHj6m

✨ Last Friday at Draper University, the event featured exciting VC's reverse pitches, rapid-fire lightning pitches, and exceptional networking opportunities with Web3, AI, and Tech Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A+ founders, developers, VCs, and angel investors. ✨ Many thanks to Organizers and Pavel Vinitsky, PhD! Hosted by Synexis.io, TellyWelly.io, Reform.com.sa, Investarbd.com. 🌟 Synexis.io an innovative diligence SaaS platform that ensures the ongoing success of startups and investors. Using AI and blockchain, we streamline fundraising, startup management, and investor relations for startups and risk management and reporting for investors. TellyWelly.io is a decentralized short-form video sharing platform and Marketplace, where users earn rewards not only for creating but also for viewing, sharing, and collecting video contents. Users maintain complete control over their user trends data and video creations inside their digital wallet while all files are stored on decentralized nodes. Reform.com.sa, a pioneering platform that leverages advanced technology to efficiently connect researchers with ideal participants. Currently operating on a Web2 foundation, we are transitioning to a decentralized Web3 model to offer greater transparency, security, and ownership to all stakeholders. InveStar is the first AI driven Wealth tech & Learning Platform of Bangladesh that aims to build financial literacy across the world. Pavel Vinitsky, PhD (Bay Area and Lisbon) #Kudos You play a crucial role in our success #MakingAnImpact

Venture capital is evolving, and so are the opportunities. I wanted to share one of the latest episodes of "Thought on the Market" from Morgan Stanley which explores the dramatic shifts in funding from crypto to AI and what these trends mean for the future of disruptive technologies.

It's predicted that crypto x AI will drive generalist VC funding to the Web3 space in '25 A comms advantage of crypto x AI companies versus AI companies is that the barrier to entry for high-impact coverage is lower in crypto given great trades like Blockworks with reaches far beyond your average industry pub

🌊aelf Ventures Weekly News Highlight: 27 December 2024💡 1️⃣aelf Launches aevatar Intelligence: No-Code Framework Empowering AI Agent Development aelf has introduced aevatar intelligence, an open-sourced, no-code framework designed to simplify the creation and deployment of AI agents to enable both novices and experts to build cross-platform AI agents without extensive developer knowledge. aevatar intelligence offers multiple large-language models (#LLMs) as customisation options for #AIagents and is looking to create an open and collaborative platform. Furthermore, it aims to enable seamless cross-chain and cross-platform inter-agent communication through its partnership with AetherLink. An AI pump pad is also set to launch, showcasing aevatar intelligence's versatility and paving the way for more innovative applications to be built on aelf blockchain. 2️⃣Meme Coins Capture 31% of Investor Focus in 2024 In 2024, meme coins experienced a fourfold increase in #crypto investor mindshare compared to last year. While meme coins are primarily driven by cultural virality rather than traditional fundamentals, there has been growing investor appetite for speculative opportunities, as meme coins now dominate 14.36% of investor narratives, making it on par with crypto AI. Meme coins, particularly those on Solana Foundation and Coinbase's Base platform, emerged as one of the most profitable narratives with average returns of 201% annually, outperforming AI tokens which saw an 11.6% decline. Despite rising interests in #AI and real-world assets, the meme coin craze reflects a potential shift in investor focus within the blockchain landscape. 3️⃣Gen Z Crypto Adoption Surges Post US Election Following Trump’s presidential win, crypto exchange Bitget reported a dramatic 683% rise in Gen Z users in November, highlighting a significant shift in crypto demographics. Gen Z's proportion of new users soared from 26.2% in October to 53.8%, likely driven by Trump's pro-Bitcoin and crypto stance. This influx of Gen Z users highlights the influence of political narratives on financial decisions. Globally, this shift mirrors broader trends as nations like El Salvador and Brazil explore #Bitcoin-friendly policies, suggesting political events will continue to shape future crypto adoption. 4️⃣Utility Meme Coins Predicted to Propel DeSci Sector's Growth MV Global forecasts that the #DeSci sector will expand significantly in 2025, propelled by utility meme coins. DeSci’s primary aim was to revolutionise scientific research through blockchain and has diversified beyond #DAO-driven funding to include health data management and open research initiatives. Pump.Science has enabled the creation of DeSci-specific meme coins like Rifampicin and Urolithin A, which have grown to $73M and $59M in market cap respectively. These tokens fund research and provide updates, linking token ownership to scientific advancements with strong community support.