Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev’s artificial intelligence startup, Harmonic, has announced a new research sponsorship for Neel Somani, the former founder and chief executive of blockchain firm Eclipse Labs. The decision, shared publicly this week, has drawn attention because Somani stepped down from Eclipse last year following allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has denied.
Harmonic revealed the sponsorship in a post on X, describing Somani as the first recipient of its “Rising Mathematician Research Sponsorships.” According to the company, the program is designed to support individuals working at the intersection of advanced mathematics and artificial intelligence. The post highlighted Somani’s ongoing interest in exploring how math and AI can be combined to push new boundaries in research. Tenev later reposted the announcement, amplifying its visibility.
We’re excited to announce @neelsomani, the first recipient of our Rising Mathematician Research Sponsorships. His continuing mission: to explore the strange new world of math + AI.
— Harmonic (@HarmonicMath) February 3, 2026
Welcome Neel! pic.twitter.com/kUwTCbbRMl
The sponsorship is part of a broader initiative announced by Harmonic last month. The company said it plans to distribute up to $1 million in funding to students and researchers working in mathematical fields. Harmonic CEO Tudor Achim compared the effort to sponsorships commonly seen in sports and the arts, arguing that academic research also has standout contributors who benefit from direct financial support.
“Just like in sports and the arts, we have superstars in mathematical research,” Achim said in a statement at the time. “Harmonic is excited to take this first step and commit resources to help mathematical pioneers expand the frontiers of human understanding.”
Harmonic, which focuses on math-centered AI systems, was co-founded by Tenev and raised $120 million in funding late last year, according to Reuters. That round valued the company at approximately $1.45 billion, placing it among the more prominent new entrants in the AI research space.
Somani’s background includes founding Eclipse Labs in 2022. The company develops blockchain infrastructure, including an Ethereum Layer 2 network that uses the Solana Virtual Machine. In 2024, Somani exited his role as CEO following pressure from investors, including Hack VC, after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced. Somani has consistently denied the claims.
When we were originally diligencing Eclipse, we heard rumors that @neelsalami had a history of sexual harassment. We passed pretty quickly on the investment.
— Haseeb ＞|＜ (@hosseeb) May 9, 2024
If we heard this doing only minimal diligence, there's no way the actual investors didn't also hear the same.
It's one…
“I have never sexually assaulted or harassed any woman,” Somani wrote at the time of his resignation.
He added that while misconduct is a serious and widespread issue within the technology industry and society more broadly, he maintained that the allegations against him were false.
Following his departure, Eclipse appointed Sydney Huang as its new CEO. The company has continued development of its blockchain projects under the new leadership.
Harmonic has not publicly commented on the allegations beyond its announcement of the sponsorship, which focuses on Somani’s research interests rather than his past role in the blockchain sector. The company has also not disclosed the financial size or duration of Somani’s individual sponsorship.
The announcement highlights the growing role of private funding in academic-style research, particularly in fast-moving fields such as AI and applied mathematics. It also underscores how technology leaders are increasingly backing individual researchers, sometimes drawing scrutiny when recipients have been involved in past controversies.
