insights from Ryze Labs’ Matthew Graham

In an exclusive interview at the Emergence Conference in Prague, Ryze Labs founder and CEO Matthew Graham shares his views on the next frontier of AI and crypto adoption.

In the ever-evolving world of crypto and AI, few voices are as bold and influential as Ryze Labs founder Matthew Graham. Headquartered in Shanghai, Graham and Ryze Labs venture into funding cutting-edge companies at the intersection of crypto innovation and operate with a mission to spur innovation in emerging markets by aligning talent and capital.

The company’s portfolio consists of companies including alt-L1s like Polygon and Sui, as well as infrastructure investments through companies like Layer Zero and Builders Tribe, as well as various DApps and gaming/metaverse companies leaning towards web3.

In an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the Ascension Conference in Prague on December 5, Graham shared his views on the transformative potential of AI in the crypto industry, highlighting what he said are unique opportunities in emerging markets and the next wave. Potential for blockchain entrepreneurs.

Graham’s enthusiasm for the convergence of AI and blockchain is evident. “In my view, the intersection of AI with crypto and the tremendous innovation around that is the most significant wave of innovation we have seen since the summer of DeFi,” he asserted. This is the belief that drives Ryze Labs to focus on projects that combine the best of both worlds.

The firm’s AI Combinator, launched in collaboration with a16z, exemplifies this focus by serving as a hub for AI and blockchain developers to collaborate, exchange ideas, and accelerate progress. “We have already made 10 to 12 investments at this intersection,” said Graham, adding that the incubator has a fund of $5 million that it aims to distribute across sectors.

Additionally, Ryze Labs has gained a strong position in Solana’s ecosystem by purchasing MNDE tokens through Solana’s leading staking protocol, Marinade, reflecting trust in Solana’s SVM framework, staking advancements, and PayFi applications. Graham also invested in the 900 million-strong user base for the TON blockchain, which served as the foundation for building Telegram’s next Web3 super-app, strengthening his fund’s commitment to supporting projects with transformative potential across diverse ecosystems, including social media. and messaging.

But Graham’s main thesis is that the big wave in crypto will be powered by artificial intelligence. “The possibilities of artificial intelligence in crypto are vast; They range from automating tasks with varying levels of intelligence to creating AI agents that influence and inspire real-world human actions.

“I think it’s less likely that you’ll have AI innovation with some sort of L1-specific AI agents designed just for that language.” Graham emphasized. Instead, “we’re likely to see a stack that includes a layer designed for AI agents sitting on top of multiple L1s as a sort of middle layer.”

“Our superpower is helping our portfolio companies enter these unique markets,” Graham emphasized.

He noted that emerging markets are one of the areas Graham sees as poised for growth. “These markets are where the next wave of users and builders will come from,” he said, underscoring the need for dedicated support to overcome regulatory, cultural and technological challenges in jurisdictions far from major crypto nerve centers such as New York and San Francisco. Zug or London, Graham has turned to global hubs like Lagos and Bangalore in search of talent and the next AI/crypto unicorns.

Drawing parallels with cultural phenomena such as internet memes and knowledge, he noted how internet knowledge and culture can synergize movements across time and space despite geographical barriers.

“Knowledge is becoming really important to the success of these innovations,” he said, citing projects that creatively integrate AI with cultural and historical narratives, such as Terminal of Truths, an AI agent that garnered significant attention earlier this year by combining knowledge of the Goatsee meme. along with an X account and a Solana wallet. This project received $50,000 in funding from a16z’s Marc Andreessen, which led to a shift in Graham’s thinking about the potential for AI agents to work in the crypto ecosystem.

“Ultimately, our goal is to stay away from the people who are building the most exciting projects at the intersection of AI and crypto,” Matthew said. “There was a moment when everything stopped when I learned about Terminal of Realities. The convergence of artificial intelligence and crypto is not just a trend; this is the next frontier.”