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Founded in 2018 as a spin-out from Axiom Zen by CEO Roham Gharegozlou and CTO Dieter Shirley, Vancouver-based Dapper Labs develops blockchain-based consumer applications focused on fun and games. To advance decentralization through play, the company created the Flow blockchain network and originally pioneered the ERC-721 non-fungible token standard to support unique digital assets like CryptoKitties. Its consumer portfolio features high-profile digital collectible platforms, NFT marketplaces, and social commerce built in partnership with major brands, including NBA Top Shot, NFL All Day, and Disney Pinnacle. Operating with an estimated 51 to 200 employees, the enterprise has secured $357.6 million in total venture funding from prominent backers such as Andreessen Horowitz, Union Square Ventures, Venrock, Google Ventures, and Samsung. Following a major venture financing round in 2021, the startup reached a post-money valuation exceeding $7.6 billion.
Dapper Labs has raised $624.0M across 8 funding rounds.
Key people at Dapper Labs.
Dapper Labs has raised $624.0M in total across 8 funding rounds.
Dapper Labs is a Vancouver-based blockchain technology company that builds consumer-facing NFT platforms and the Flow blockchain to enable digital ownership and engagement.[1][2][3] It creates products like CryptoKitties, NBA Top Shot, NFL All Day, UFC Strike, and Disney Pinnacle, serving sports fans, gamers, and collectors by solving scalability issues in blockchain for mainstream use.[1][5] The company democratizes NFTs and Web3, turning viral hits like CryptoKitties into billion-dollar partnerships with NBA, NFL, UFC, and Disney, achieving a $7.6 billion valuation by 2024 as Canada's top unicorn.[1]
Dapper Labs spun out from Axion Zen, a venture studio founded in 2013 by CEO Roham Gharegozlou, and was officially established in 2018 by Gharegozlou, Dieter Shirley, and Mack Flavelle.[1][2] The idea emerged from CryptoKitties, launched in late 2017 as the first mainstream blockchain game on Ethereum, where users bred and traded unique NFT cats—its massive popularity clogged Ethereum, inspiring the creation of the scalable Flow blockchain.[1][2][3] Early traction came from this viral success, followed by $12 million in 2020 funding from NBA stars and others to scale Flow and partner with brands like Dr. Seuss and UFC.[2]
Dapper Labs rides the NFT, Web3, and digital collectibles wave, proving blockchain's viability for fan engagement amid crypto's volatility.[1][3] Timing was ideal: CryptoKitties in 2017 popularized NFTs pre-boom, while Flow (2020) addressed Ethereum's limits as dApps exploded.[2] Market forces like sports leagues seeking new revenue and consumers craving verifiable digital assets favor it, elevating Vancouver as a blockchain hub and influencing standards for mass-adoption Web3.[1][7] It shapes the ecosystem by onboarding non-crypto users via fun, branded experiences, paving for metaverses and tokenized economies.[5]
Dapper Labs will expand Flow for emerging metaverses, deepen entertainment partnerships, and launch new dApps amid maturing Web3 regulations and AI-blockchain integrations.[5][7] Trends like tokenized real-world assets and fan economies will propel growth, evolving its influence from NFT pioneer to foundational Web3 infrastructure provider. This builds on its CryptoKitties spark, solidifying blockchain's path to everyday digital ownership.[1][3]
Dapper Labs has raised $624.0M in total across 8 funding rounds.
Dapper Labs's investors include Accel, AirAngels, Andreessen Horowitz, AngelList Syndicator, Archetype, Benchmark, Blisce, Blockchange Ventures, Bond, Coatue, Dragonfly Capital Partners, DST Global.
Key people at Dapper Labs.
Dapper Labs has raised $624.0M across 8 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $250.0M Series D in September 2021.
