Layer Secures Funding to Rebuild Internet Trust with Ethereum

The recent seed round aimed at expanding Ethereum's capabilities was spearheaded by 1kx, accompanied by contributions from Fabric Ventures, Arrington Capital, Stake Capital Group, and IOBC. Noteworthy individuals backing the initiative include Sreeram Kannan from EigenLayer, Rok Kopp and Mike Silagadze from Ether.fi, and Paul Taylor, previously associated with BlackRock.

The primary issue Layer seeks to tackle is the inadequacy of existing internet security protocols in safeguarding users against significant threats posed by corporate entities, cyber attackers, and AI systems that manipulate online experiences, eroding trust in the process. While blockchain technologies, such as smart contracts, offer a viable solution to restore trust in the internet, their limited computational capabilities hinder their ability to support a wide range of applications.

Recognized leaders in the blockchain space have joined forces to bridge the gap and bring Ethereum's inherent trust guarantees to mainstream software applications. The innovative "Layer SDK" empowers developers to create efficient, secure, executable code in any programming language with integrated decentralization features. This collaboration envisions a digital landscape where all internet applications can be shielded from manipulation, including threats posed by malicious AI.

Smart contracts, typically compact programs designed to be executed by trusted validators on the blockchain, face challenges when it comes to powering complex software products like web platforms, mobile apps, and AI models. To address this issue, Layer leverages Web Assembly, enabling developers to write applications in languages like Rust that can run seamlessly across various devices, including smartphones.

Layer's forthcoming product, the "Layer SDK," will empower developers to construct new layers atop Ethereum, facilitating the creation of full-stack blockchain applications comprising smart contracts, consensus mechanisms, user interfaces, and verifiable off-chain services such as AI agents, ZK provers, and decentralized messaging servers. This breakthrough ensures that software developers can deploy tamper-proof versions of their products without compromising user experience.