Layer, an emerging startup focused on enhancing internet security through decentralized applications, has successfully raised $6 million in seed funding led by 1kx, with additional support from Fabric Ventures, Arrington Capital, Stake Capital Group, and IOBC. Notable angel investors include Sreeram Kannan of EigenLayer, Rok Kopp, Mike Silagadze of Ether.fi, and Paul Taylor, formerly of BlackRock. This funding marks a significant step in Layer’s mission to extend Ethereum’s capabilities for full-stack decentralized applications using Web Assembly.

As cyber threats from large corporations, attackers, and AI continue to escalate, Layer aims to leverage blockchain technologies, such as smart contracts, to restore trust in online interactions. However, existing smart contracts face limitations in computational capacity, which can hinder user experience. Layer’s innovative approach focuses on enabling developers to build more complex applications without compromising performance.

The forthcoming Layer SDK will allow developers to create decentralized applications that combine smart contracts, consensus mechanisms, user interfaces, and verifiable off-chain services, such as AI agents and decentralized messaging servers. This groundbreaking capability will empower developers to launch autonomous software products that maintain user experience integrity.

Layer’s founders—Sam Cassatt, Jake Hartnell, and Ethan Frey—are seasoned experts in the blockchain sector, having contributed to the development of critical technologies like MetaMask wallets and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). Their combined expertise is geared toward fulfilling blockchain’s promise of creating inherently trustworthy online experiences.

Cassatt emphasized the necessity of enhancing smart contracts to support a fully decentralized internet, stating, “While smart contracts have provided a foundational layer of trust, they aren’t sufficient for a complete decentralized architecture.”

Investors are optimistic about Layer’s potential to redefine blockchain infrastructure, with Wei Dai of 1kx noting the platform’s superior scalability and programmability compared to traditional smart contract platforms. Richard Muirhead from Fabric Ventures echoed this sentiment, highlighting Layer’s capacity to bridge off-chain and on-chain environments, thus establishing a new standard for shared economic security.

As the digital landscape becomes increasingly complex, Layer’s tools are poised to mitigate existential threats and foster the rise of a decentralized web, paving the way for innovative applications that uphold trust and security online.