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§ Private Profile · San Francisco, CA, USA
A web3 automation platform and EigenLayer AVS enabling autonomous transactions for DeFi, GameFi, and NFT dApps.
San Francisco-based Ava Protocol is a Web3 infrastructure company providing an intent-based automation network for smart contracts across multiple blockchain ecosystems. Operating as an Actively Validated Service on EigenLayer for Ethereum, the platform enables decentralized applications to execute recurring or event-driven transactions without requiring manual user intervention. The protocol facilitates automated payment flows and trading strategies for sectors including decentralized finance, gaming, and real-world asset applications. The enterprise has registered over 12,000 unique testnet wallets and established integrations with more than 35 decentralized application partners. To support its ongoing development, the organization has raised $10 million in total seed funding from venture capital investors including Electric Capital, Greylock, and Foundation Capital. Originally launched under the name OAK Network before rebranding to align with its Ethereum expansion, the company was founded in 2021 by Chris Li.
Ava Protocol has raised $11.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Ava Protocol has raised $11.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Ava Protocol has raised $11.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $5.0M Seed in June 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2024 | $5M Seed | — | Alumni Ventures, Blockchain.com Ventures, Castle Island Ventures, Cipholio Ventures, Electric Capital, Foundation Capital, Greylock, Pantera Capital, Polygon Labs, Shima Capital, The HIT Forge, Gokul Rajaram | Announced |
| Feb 1, 2022 | $6M Seed | — | Alumni Ventures, Amplify Partners, Blockchain.com Ventures, Castle Island Ventures, Cipholio Ventures, Costanoa Ventures, Electric Capital, Foundation Capital, F Prime Capital, Greenoaks Capital, Greylock, Maverick Capital, OAK HC/FT, Pantera Capital, Polygon Labs, Second Century Ventures, Shima Capital, S J | Announced |
Ava Protocol is a blockchain technology company that builds an event-driven automation platform as an Actively Validated Service (AVS) on EigenLayer, enabling private, autonomous "super-transactions" for Ethereum, EVM chains, and Polkadot.[1][2][3][4] It serves DeFi users, NFT platforms, GameFi projects, RWAs, DePIN, and web3 developers by solving complex on-chain workflow challenges like scheduled payments, stop-loss orders, streaming rewards, and cross-chain triggers based on time, price, or smart contract events—delivering no-code, privacy-protected automation with up to 90% gas cost savings.[1][2][3][4][5] Formerly OAK Network, the San Francisco-based startup (1-10 employees) has raised $10M in seed funding, launched mainnet on Ethereum in July 2025 with $1.7B operator TVL in two weeks, onboarded 20 operators and 35+ dApp partners, and achieved 12,000+ testnet wallets, signaling strong growth momentum ahead of a token generation event.[1][2][5]
Ava Protocol originated as OAK Network (Onchain Autonomous Kernel) in 2021, founded by Chris Li (ex-Microsoft, University of Illinois) and Irsal McGinnis, initially targeting Polkadot's ecosystem with smart wallets and XCM for automating transactions on chains like Moonbeam and Astar.[1][5] The idea emerged from a need for seamless on-chain automation during the early DeFi and cross-chain boom; early traction came via a $5.5M seed round led by Electric Capital, Greylock, and Foundation Capital, with angels like Sandeep Nailwal (Polygon), fueling development through the 2022-2024 bear market.[5] Pivotal moments included launching Time Automation on Kusama's Turing Network in 2022, a $4.5M Seed VC-III round in late 2025 (backed by BingX, Bloccelerate VC, Shima Capital, Taisu Ventures), acquiring Openstory for on-chain data analytics, rebranding to Ava Protocol for Ethereum expansion, and mainnet launch on EigenLayer in July 2025.[1][2][5]
Ava Protocol rides the wave of on-chain automation and AI-Web3 convergence, addressing Ethereum's liquidity fragmentation and the demand for "Stripe-like" user experiences in DeFi, GameFi, and beyond amid EigenLayer's restaking boom.[2][5] Timing is ideal post-2024 bear market recovery, with modular blockchains like EigenLayer enabling off-chain computation and Polkadot's XCM enhancing cross-chain composability—market forces like rising TVL ($1.7B spike) and 12,000+ testnet users position it as a first-mover in event-driven AVSs.[2][5] It influences the ecosystem by empowering developers to build scalable, private apps, unlocking new primitives like autonomous agents and reducing barriers for non-coders, potentially accelerating Web3 adoption across verticals.[2][4][5]
Ava Protocol's mainnet traction and $10M war chest set it up for explosive growth, with an imminent token generation event, Polkadot mainnet expansion, and deeper AI workflow integrations via recent acquisitions like Openstory.[2][5] Trends like restaking dominance, AI agents on-chain, and cross-chain interoperability will propel it, evolving its role from automation pioneer to Web3 infrastructure backbone—watch for 100+ operator scaling and RWA/DePIN dominance. This positions Ava as a high-conviction bet on automation unlocking DeFi's next phase, much like its origins transformed Polkadot workflows into Ethereum-scale impact.[2][4][5]
Ava Protocol has raised $11.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Ava Protocol's investors include Alumni Ventures, Blockchain.com Ventures, Castle Island Ventures, Cipholio Ventures, Electric Capital, Foundation Capital, Greylock, Pantera Capital, Polygon, Shima Capital, The Hit Forge, Gokul Rajaram.