Sahara, a decentralized AI network, has raised $6 million in a seed funding round led by Polychain Capital to transform knowledge sharing and monetization using AI and blockchain technologies.
Sahara, a decentralized AI network aiming to revolutionize the way knowledge is owned, shared and monetized globally, has announced the successful completion of its $6 million seed funding round. The round was led by Polychain Capital with participation from notable investors such as Samsung Next, Matrix Partners, Motherson Group, dao5, Geekcartel, Canonical Crypto, Nomad Capital, Dispersion Capital, Alumni Ventures, Tangent Ventures and Coho Deeptech. Angel investor Sandeep Nailwal also participated in the round.
The Sahara Network enables individuals and businesses to create personalized, autonomous Knowledge Agents (Sahara KA) in a trusted, permissionless and privacy-oriented environment. Using this decentralized network, users can explore monetization and automation opportunities for their knowledge capital through AI, while ensuring data sovereignty and reducing the risks associated with centralized data control.
Co-founded in May 2023 by Professor Sean Wren and Tyler Zhou, Sahara has a team of experts from the AI and web3 industries. Professor Sean Ren, who is the co-founder and CEO, has made significant contributions to AI research and innovation, earning honors as Samsung AI Researcher of the Year, MIT TR Innovator under 35 (Asia-Pacific region) and Forbes Asia 30 Under 30. Tyler Zhou, co-founder and COO, has extensive experience in the blockchain industry, having previously served as the investment director at Binance Labs.
Sahara’s product suite spans infrastructure and applications that support a variety of use cases, including business, consumer, research and development. The two cornerstone products are Sahara Knowledge Agent (KA) and Sahara Data. Sahara KA is an AI that goes beyond conversational capabilities by autonomously analyzing both external and internal proprietary data to offer reliable, personalized decision-making. Sahara Data provides high-value data services for training AI models while addressing security and privacy concerns in data processing.
Since its inception, Sahara has attracted over 30 corporate clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to unicorn startups, including Microsoft, MIT, Motherson Group and USC. The newly acquired funds will be used to expand Sahara’s team and enhance its portfolio of AI and blockchain-enabled products. Over the next year, the network plans to grow to include Sahara Vault, Sahara ID and Sahara Network, allowing individuals and businesses to freely navigate the Sahara ecosystem.
Polychain Capital’s Luke Pearson expressed his enthusiasm for the Sahara network, stating: “Integrating blockchain technology with Sahara’s AI not only improves privacy and security, but also ensures the traceability and recognition of contributions. Sahara’s innovative approach will unlock unparalleled opportunities for people and businesses, setting a new standard in how we own, share and monetize knowledge in the digital age.”
As Sahara continues to develop its innovative technology, the successful seed funding round marks an important milestone in the company’s mission to democratize global access to knowledge capital and advance human-AI collaboration, while respecting user sovereignty and promoting sustainable digital economy.
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