In a significant move underscoring its commitment to the mass adoption of Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN), IDG Blockchain will make a 7-digit investment into U2U Network as a co-lead of the seed round. This pivotal funding will enable U2U Network to implement its innovative DePIN Subnet technology, marking a crucial step toward revolutionizing the exciting landscape of DePIN.
IDG Blockchain is an early-stage venture capital fund focusing on blockchain, AI, and emerging technologies with a global vision. IDG Blockchain has significantly influenced technological innovation, its portfolio including notable names such as dappOS, Pontem, Lumoz, ZkEX, Avalon, Catalyst, and Grindery, all of which have made great progress.
A proud member of the IDG Capital network, IDG Blockchain combines 20+ years of VC experience managing its earlier brother fund (IDG Ventures Vietnam, $100M) and a GP team of established technology and business experts in the Web3 space. IDG Blockchain is well-known in Southeast Asia and making its name known in the US. In fact, most of its portfolio companies are from the US. IDG Capital is renowned for pioneering venture capital in China. World-renowned investments include Tencent, Baidu, Ctrip, Xiaomi, Shein Meituan, iQiyi, SenseTime, Moncler, and Farfetch. After the success in China, the firm has expanded globally, operating 11 offices worldwide and managing several funds. Today, it has 23 billion USD of assets under management. Recognizing the transformative potential of blockchain technology, IDG Capital has made selective and visionary investments in notable projects such as Ripple, Coinbase, and Circle.
DePIN is an innovative approach to making compute power accessible to everybody and every task, by applying blockchain technology to decentralize the physical computing infrastructure. According to Cointelegraph, the DePIN market is valued at about $2.2 trillion currently and $3.5 trillion projected by 2028.
Given DePIN’s bright future, IDG Blockchain’s decision to invest in U2U Network was strategically aligned with the burgeoning demand and potential within the sector. U2U Network’s pioneering technology in DePIN Subnets is a transformative advancement in applying blockchain to physical infrastructures.
U2U Network is dedicated to delivering a robust infrastructure emphasizing a Modular Layer-1 Network and a DePIN Ecosystem, especially, a paradigm shift in the trillion-dollar DePIN marketplace. As a Layer 1 blockchain platform equipped with cutting-edge Subnet Technology, U2U Network is redefining how digital resources are shared and utilized. Each U2U Subnet operates independently from the mainnet, meaning that (1) even if the U2U Mainnet experiences downtime, the Subnets can continue to function without interruption and (2) the performance of each Subnet never affects the network as a whole. U2U Subnets and U2U Mainnet are interconnected to ensure shared security while each U2U Subnet can deliver high blockchain performance to a specific task. Additionally, transaction verification occurs directly on the Subnets, bypassing the need for packing as seen in other scaling solutions.
With the ambition to reach the Trillion-Dollar Market, U2U Network aims to create a decentralized, user-driven marketplace for digital resources called DePIN Marketplace. “We are developing a marketplace where digital resources, such as internet bandwidth, storage space, and valuable data, can be bought and sold. This marketplace is designed to meet the diverse needs of various participants, from small businesses to large government entities”, stated Mr. Lew Tran, Co-Founder & CEO of U2U Network. By providing a decentralized platform for resource exchange, U2U Network is unlocking new economic opportunities and driving efficiency across multiple sectors. By positioning itself as the Amazon or Alibaba of the Web3 world, U2U Network aims to drive massive adoption and network effects.
U2U Network’s team includes over 120 team members and 40 contributors, formerly from various high-profile companies such as Kardiachain, Google, and Infina (Y Combinator S21). The advisor team includes experts having affiliations with Stanford University, RMIT University, and Animoca. This makes their pool of expertise incredibly diverse and rich, positioning them strongly for leadership in the industry.
IDG Blockchain’s investment supports U2U Labs’ R&D, enhancing the Subnet Protocol and developing tools for developer engagement. This protocol allows network segments to operate independently, improving security and efficiency, and optimizing U2U Network for DePIN applications. Furthermore, this funding will accelerate the development and integration of DePIN technologies and hardware devices, making resource sharing simpler and more accessible to everyone.
Building on this momentum, U2U Network will launch a $1 million grant dedicated to furthering DePIN development, leveraging the strategic support from IDG Blockchain to fuel these efforts. This collaboration highlights IDG and U2U Network’s joint vision to foster widespread innovation and adoption in decentralized infrastructures, transforming global resource management.
IDG Blockchain’s investment in U2U Network signals a robust step forward in the evolution of decentralized physical infrastructure networks. This collaboration harnesses IDG’s financial strength and strategic insight alongside U2U Network’s innovative technology to push the boundaries of DePIN development.
