Equilibrium Group, a pioneering blockchain engineering company, has taken a significant leap forward with the launch of its venture capital unit, Equilibrium Ventures, and its inaugural early-stage fund, Equilibrium Ventures Fund I. This groundbreaking initiative has already secured over $6.5 million in its first close, with a target of raising 30 million euros (approximately $32.5 million) by the end of the year.

Equilibrium Group, founded in 2018, has been actively investing from its balance sheet since 2020, with a vision to create a dedicated venture capital unit. This dream has now become a reality with the establishment of Equilibrium Ventures, led by investment partner Mika Honkasalo, who brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles at ParaFi Capital, The Block, and Access Protocol.

What sets Equilibrium Ventures apart is its unique "engineering-first" approach, leveraging the technical expertise of Equilibrium Group's global team of over 80 experts. This synergy enables the venture firm to provide hands-on support to founders and investors, fostering innovative solutions in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space.

Equilibrium Ventures Fund I has already secured backing from esteemed limited partners, including Sebastien Borget from The Sandbox, Mask Network, and Jigeum Capital, demonstrating the confidence in the fund's vision and potential. The fund's focus lies in investing in tech and infrastructure-focused startups, particularly those exploring cutting-edge areas like zero-knowledge fully homomorphic encryption and novel cryptographic technologies.

Honkasalo envisions an acceleration in two key trends driving mainstream adoption: blockchains becoming faster and more efficient, and increased connection to the real-world economy through stablecoins and real-world assets. He believes that "on-chain" will become an integral part of our digital lives, much like "online" is today.

The Equilibrium Ventures team, comprising Honkasalo, Henrik Sundvik (formerly of Bain & Company), and Christopher Ahn (formerly of Molten Ventures), is poised to invest in pre-seed, seed-stage, and select Series A startups, with an average check size ranging from $250,000 to $1 million. Although the fund has yet to deploy its capital, it plans to fully invest the fund over the next 24 months, backing projects that will eventually launch tokens.

Equilibrium Ventures Fund I is revolutionizing the blockchain investment landscape with its technical expertise, strategic approach, and commitment to fostering innovation. As the blockchain and cryptocurrency space continues to evolve, Equilibrium Ventures is well-positioned to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of this exciting and rapidly growing industry.