Blockchain Builders, a venture firm rooted in Stanford’s crypto ecosystem, has successfully closed its oversubscribed $28 million Fund I. The eight-year vehicle targets pre-seed and seed investments in blockchain startups, with a focus on projects emerging from Stanford and other elite institutions.
Targeting High-Impact Sectors in Crypto
Founded by Stanford graduate students Gil Rosen, Kun Peng, and Steven Willinger, Blockchain Builders has already invested more than $16 million across 40 startups. The fund’s portfolio spans:
AI-integrated blockchain infrastructure
DeFi protocols and decentralized physical infrastructure (DePIN)
RWA tokenization platforms and crypto payment systems
Several portfolio companies are nearing token generation events (TGEs) by year-end, aligning with the fund's strategy to fully deploy capital within 2025.
Notable investments include:
0G: A modular AI blockchain backed by Hack VC, Bankless, and Delphi Digital.
Nexus Labs: A decentralized supercomputer project supported by Lightspeed, Pantera, and Dragonfly.
Hyperbolic: An open-access AI cloud solution with backing from Variant, Polychain, and Topology.
Pod: A “blockless” Layer-1 blockchain, supported by a16z and 1kx.
Academic Roots and Community Building
Blockchain Builders was born from hands-on efforts to cultivate Stanford’s crypto scene. Co-founder Kun Peng explained: “We started Stanford’s Blockchain Accelerator, teach the MS&E 447 Blockchain Entrepreneurship course, and host the Blockchain Application Stanford Summit (BASS). These initiatives have reached over 200 founders, 400 students, and nearly 5,000 attendees.”
Stanford professor David Tse echoed this view, noting the university’s deep ties to blockchain research through the Tse Lab, the Center for Blockchain Research, and advanced courses like EE 374. “The Stanford ecosystem continues to be a launchpad for groundbreaking blockchain innovation,” he said.
Experienced Leadership with Industry Depth
The fund’s leadership blends traditional finance and crypto-native experience:
Steven Willinger: Formerly led Coinbase Ventures, with previous roles at Capital One Ventures, Blockstream, and Google X.
Gil Rosen: A seasoned angel investor who scaled a distributed compute venture serving JPMorgan and the IRS before its acquisition by NGData.
Kun Peng: A serial crypto founder with ventures in DeFi, NFTs, indexing, and analytics.
“Our Stanford network gives us early access to technical, mission-driven founders,” said Rosen. “We collaborate deeply on strategy, go-to-market, and fundraising to help teams secure follow-on capital from top-tier investors.”
Expanding National Footprint with Fund II
Looking ahead, Blockchain Builders plans to expand its academic partnerships through the IC3-Cornell accelerator. This initiative brings together institutions like Berkeley, Princeton, Carnegie Mellon, Yale, and UCL. The fund is also joining forces with the Ethereum Foundation, Solana, Starkware, and BASE (Coinbase) on new community-focused events.
By broadening its reach beyond Stanford, Blockchain Builders aims to foster a nationwide network of crypto founders while maintaining its hands-on, founder-first ethos.
