Gradient Network, a decentralized AI infrastructure startup built on Solana, has raised $10 million in a seed funding round co-led by Pantera Capital and Multicoin Capital, two of the most prominent venture firms in the crypto space. The announcement, made on June 17, 2025, marks a major milestone for the project as it aims to reshape how artificial intelligence is deployed and accessed globally.
Announcing our $10M seed round led by @PanteraCapital and @multicoincap, with participation from @hsgcap, distinguished partners, and top angels across AI and crypto.
— Gradient Network (@Gradient_HQ) June 17, 2025
This milestone fuels our mission to build the world’s first fully decentralized AI runtime.… pic.twitter.com/AMfVbHMk7t
At the heart of Gradient Network’s vision is a decentralized AI runtime, powered by blockchain and designed to democratize access to computing resources. By turning everyday devices—like smartphones and laptops—into part of a distributed compute network, the project hopes to address some of the most pressing concerns around AI adoption: privacy, bias, and centralization.
“This approach not only protects user privacy and democratizes access to AI but also mitigates the systemic biases entrenched in centralized systems,” the Gradient team wrote in a blog post.
Building AI at the Edge
The project is part of a growing trend of Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN), where blockchain is used to coordinate physical resources like computing power or network bandwidth. Gradient is positioning itself as a key player in this space, developing a system that blends AI and crypto in a user-centric way.
Gradient’s roadmap includes two major components:
- Lattica: A peer-to-peer data communication protocol designed to move data securely and efficiently across devices.
- Parallax: An AI inference protocol that boosts scalability across decentralized AI networks.
These tools aim to make decentralized AI not just technically viable, but competitive with centralized cloud-based systems in terms of speed, scale, and accessibility.
In addition to Pantera and Multicoin, the round included contributions from HSG (formerly Sequoia Capital China), as well as individual angel investors from both the AI and crypto sectors. The funds will be used to accelerate product development, grow the ecosystem, and onboard more users into the network.
As concerns mount over centralized control of AI tools and data, a new wave of crypto projects are emerging to offer alternatives. Gradient joins a lineup of blockchain-based AI infrastructure players including io.net, DePHY, Aethir, Metastreet, and CrunchDAO.
According to data, top DePIN projects by market capitalization currently include Bittensor, RENDER, Theta Network, Helium, Internet Computer, and Filecoin—a sign that demand for decentralized compute and storage is steadily rising.
