Sei Foundation launches a $65 million DeSci venture fund to support decentralized science initiatives

The Sei Foundation has launched a $65 million venture fund called the “Sapien Capital – Open Science Fund I,” with a focus on investing in the decentralized science (DeSci) ecosystem. The new fund is designed to support DeSci projects that are being developed on Sei, a layer 1 blockchain, aiming to revolutionize the way science is funded, shared, and validated.

The Se Foundation emphasized that the fund is not intended for the Sei ecosystem itself and does not involve grants. Instead, the capital is directed towards venture investments in DeSci startups, with a particular interest in areas like gamified drug discovery and wearable technology. The fund will invest in both project tokens and equity, with individual investments ranging from $100,000 to $2 million.

Sapien Capital’s goal is to fully deploy the capital within the next three to four years, according to Justin Barlow, Sei Foundation’s head of business development and investments. This new initiative reflects the growing interest and investment in DeSci, which aims to use blockchain technology to transform the scientific research and funding landscape, making it more decentralized and accessible.

The launch of this fund aligns with the increasing attention DeSci has been receiving, particularly with venture capital firms backing innovative projects in this space. Notable investments have already been made, such as a16z Crypto’s support for AminoChain in September and YZi Labs’ investment in BIO Protocol through Binance Labs last November. The Sei Foundation’s fund could play a pivotal role in furthering the development of DeSci and blockchain-driven solutions for science.

By targeting projects that embrace both the decentralized nature of blockchain technology and the scientific research community, the Sapien Capital fund could help reshape how scientific discoveries are made, validated, and funded in the future.