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PIN AI secures $10M from a16z CSX, Hack VC, and All-Star angels to launch open platform for personal AI

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    San Francisco, United States, September 9th, 2024, Chainwire

     

    Innovative startup from Ethereum Core research, Google Brain, Stanford, MIT, and CMU aims to democratize on-device intelligence, empowering users with control over their personal AI, and receiving investment from a16z CSX, Hack VC, and investors from projects like Solana, Polygon, Near, Worldcoin, etc.

    PIN AI, a pioneering AI infrastructure company, announces $10 million in pre-seed funding to develop the world’s first open-source Personal Intelligence Network (PIN). A16z CSX, Hack VC, and notable investors, including Blockchain Builders Fund (Stanford Blockchain Accelerator), Illia Polosukhin (Transformer paper author; Founder, NEAR Protocol), Anagram/Lily Liu (President, SOL Foundation), Symbolic Capital (Co-Founder, Polygon), Evan Cheng (CEO, Mysten Labs/SUI), dcbuilder (Worldcoin Foundation), Foresight Ventures (parent company of the Block), Nomad Capital, Tim Shi (Co-Founder, Cresta), Ben Fisch (CEO, Espresso), Scott Moore (Co-Founder, Gitcoin), Alumni Ventures, and Dispersion Capital, have backed the project.

    Offering an open-source, web3-enabled alternative to Apple Intelligence, PIN AI’s platform turns smartphones into privacy-focused AI personal assistants. By redirecting profits from users’ data and attention, it empowers users to regain control and monetize their data. The platform leverages personal, contextual data and cryptography, deploying cutting-edge AI models on-device to handle tasks across apps—like shopping, ordering food, wealth management, and interacting with centralized exchanges, DeFi, and prediction markets.

    This AI-driven assistant ensures robust privacy and user-controlled data management, disrupting ultra-profitable models of web2 giants, including Apple’s 30% app revenue cut (over $100 billion) and Google’s mobile ads and Android store revenue cuts.

    Davide Crapis, Co-Founder leading Protocol Research, said, “We’re building a movement towards an open-source future where personal AI assistants can work on PIN AI’s platform like smart contracts on Ethereum.” He added, “PIN AI will take back the $100b+ profit from tech giants and return it to users, allowing them to control and monetize their data. Our platform offers access to a wider range of AI agents, developed by the open-source community, capable of handling tasks across popular apps.”

    PIN AI’s mission is to foster innovation for personal AI agents by offering access to personal, contextual data that reflects individual users’ needs and preferences. Unlike closed ecosystems like Apple, PIN AI’s open platform connects privacy-protected user data via a Layer-2 blockchain. This enables more flexibility in AI application development without the constraints of traditional, closed systems.

    Bill Sun, Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, said, “On-device multi-modality models will revolutionize daily life. We are building a personal index for each user to create an on-device model that evolves via distributed training on the user’s phone. Soon, users won’t need to open multiple apps to complete tasks. The personal AI assistant will understand preferences and manage tasks efficiently.” PIN AI’s assistant will connect users with apps and services bidding on its blockchain protocol to fulfill tasks like shopping or crypto activities.

    PIN AI shifts data monetization from big tech to users, allowing secure monetization of personal data. Users receive token incentives through data onboarding and intent fulfillment, only providing necessary data with matched Personal AI Agents, while maintaining control of their information.

    At launch, PIN AI partners with Worldcoin and is developing a front-end product similar to Siri, expanding its reach and enhancing user experience.

    Leading the team are co-founders Davide Crapis and Ben Wu. Crapis, formerly of Ethereum Core Research, leads Protocol Research. Ben Wu, heading Strategy, is an MIT graduate, Y Combinator alum, and serial entrepreneur. The technical leadership includes Bill Sun, a Stanford AI/Math PhD and early Google Brain researcher, as Chief AI Scientist, and Regan Peng, a CMU graduate and former lead at Didi Fintech and Yahoo Data Infra, as Founding Head of Engineering.

    PIN AI collaborates with a16z crypto research, Flashbots, Espresso Systems, and academics from Stanford, Columbia, and NYU. Ben Wu emphasized the importance of an open platform, saying, “The open internet has made large language models possible. We need to build an open platform for users on their trusted device, allowing access to their various data, making their Personal AI possible.” Unlike Apple Intelligence, PIN AI’s system can run on low-spec smartphones by dynamically shifting between edge AI (on-device) and server AI to optimize performance, ensuring wide accessibility.

    The funding will expand research, grow the team of AI and blockchain experts, and accelerate the deployment of PIN AI’s technology. The company will join the a16z CSX Fall 2024 cohort in New York City.

    About PIN AI

    PIN AI is developing an open-source personal AI operating system that leverages smartphone and app data to empower users with control and privacy. The company’s approach aims to connect AI developers with users, promoting data sovereignty and developer empowerment. PIN AI collaborates with Ethereum Core Research and is committed to privacy and innovation.

    For more updates, visit pinai.io, X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, Discord, and Linkedin.

     

    Contact

    PIN AI
    contact@pinai.io

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    Costanoa Ventures Closes Oversubscribed Early-Stage Fund, Expands Investments in AI-Enabled B2B Tech

    2024-09-18T14:11:37Z

    Firm surpasses $2 billion in total assets under management as it targets AI-enabled SaaS, AI & Data Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Fintech and Defense Tech sectors with promotion of new general partner

    SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Costanoa Ventures, a boutique early-stage venture capital firm, today announced the successful close of two new funds: Costanoa Fund V, a $275 million early-stage fund, and Opportunity Fund III, a $119 million fund for investing in later rounds of its early-stage winners. With these additions, the firm’s total assets under management now exceed $2 billion.

    Costanoa invests as early as Day One in Seed and Series A startups in high-growth sectors across AI-enabled SaaS, Cyber- and National Security and Fintech. In recent years, the firm has doubled down on critical sectors that lay the foundation to grow and scale AI’s use in business.

    "Our goal has always been to be the best possible partner to incredible founders building extraordinary companies that can solve big problems,” noted Greg Sands, Costanoa's founder and managing partner. “The huge leaps forward we're now seeing in AI make this a tremendous time to be an early-stage investor.”

    In Fund V, Costanoa has continued to expand its focus on Cybersecurity and Defense Tech. Costanoa also announced that John Cowgill has been promoted as its newest General Partner. Cowgill has built Costanoa’s cybersecurity and space practices and has led investments in category standouts like AppOmni, Cyberhaven, Muon Space and Kepler Communications.

    “Costanoa is building the most founder-aligned early stage venture firm in the industry. I couldn’t be more excited for the extraordinary companies we’ve partnered with and the amount of innovation that still lies ahead,” said Cowgill.

    One of the firm’s standout investments in Defense Tech is Vannevar Labs, founded by two Stanford GSB students and incubated in Costanoa’s Palo Alto office in 2019. Vannevar has since emerged as a leader in providing state-of-the-art technology for the defense industry. Other investments in the sector include Cape, Auterion, Kepler Communications and Muon Space, among others.

    “Costanoa has been part of our team through all the highs and lows and every phase of company building,” said Nini Hamrick, President and Co-Founder of Vannevar Labs. “The Costanoa team feels like an extension of our team at this point, with a very different level of engagement than we see from other investors that is hyper specific to this early stage of company building. They are also just really great people who want to have a really big impact on the world, and we can't imagine building Vannevar without them."

    Costanoa sets itself apart by building a highly concentrated portfolio focused on outstanding technical founders, where it can add real value with the world-class expertise of its BuilderOps Team. They provide the hands-on support these teams need in go-to-market strategy, company building and talent recruitment. With a boutique approach, Costanoa offers a tailored, high-touch approach that early-stage founders need and value.

    For more information about Costanoa and its portfolio companies, please visit https://costanoa.vc/.

    About Costanoa Ventures:
    Founded in 2012, Costanoa Ventures partners with builders as early as company formation, with a focus on apps and infrastructure in data, dev, security and fintech. Costanoa is a long-term, boutique partner to entrepreneurs from the earliest stages of company building with expertise from its BuilderOps team. For more information, please visit www.costanoa.vc.

    CONTACT: Media Contact For Costanoa Ventures:
Angela Petersen
SamsonPR
Costanoa@samsonpr.com

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