DeepNode Secures $5 Million to Develop Decentralized AI on Base

DeepNode, a decentralized AI network, has successfully raised $5 million in funding. This investment will support the development of a new platform on Base that rewards AI models through its unique Proof-of-Work Relevance (PoWR) mechanism. The company aims to facilitate collaboration among AI developers across various sectors.

Key Takeaways

DeepNode raised $5 million through a combination of seed and strategic funding rounds.
The funding includes a $2 million seed round and a $3 million strategic round.
The company uses a PoWR consensus mechanism that incentivizes AI contributions based on utility.
DeepNode’s platform will operate on Base, an Ethereum Layer-2 network, ensuring low transaction costs.
The mainnet is expected to launch by the end of Q1 2026.

DeepNode raises $5M to build decentralized AI on Base - 1

DeepNode's Ambitious Plans for Decentralized AI

DeepNode, a pioneer in decentralized artificial intelligence, announced the successful completion of $5 million in funding through two investment rounds, according to the company's recent statement.

This funding includes a $2 million seed round at a valuation of $25 million, and a $3 million strategic round valued at $75 million. DeepNode envisions its platform as a foundation for “open intelligence,” fostering collaboration among AI developers, compute providers, and validators, thus allowing them to earn rewards without being dependent on centralized tech corporations.

Collaborations and Investment Rounds

The seed round saw participation from community members and network validators, including WildSageLabs from RoundTable21 and Rizzo from DNA. Additionally, infrastructure partner Gateway.FM joined the investment efforts.

In the strategic round, DeepNode attracted interest from a variety of Web3 and AI infrastructure investors, such as Blockchain Founders Fund, Side Door Ventures, TBV, IOBC Capital, Fomo Ventures, and Nestoris.

DeepNode operates on a unique Proof-of-Work Relevance (PoWR) consensus mechanism. This innovative framework rewards contributions based on their utility rather than just computational output. Within this ecosystem, AI models compete and develop based on their real-world effectiveness, allowing contributors to earn emissions proportional to their efforts.

Diverse Applications and Strategic Development

The platform is tailored to address predictive and decision-making tasks in a variety of industries, including healthcare diagnostics, fraud detection, and cryptocurrency trading.

DeepNode is building its infrastructure on Base (BASE), an Ethereum Layer-2 network, which allows it to benefit from Ethereum’s security features while keeping transaction fees below $0.01. The company aims to launch its mainnet by the end of the first quarter of 2026, with foundational domains in development across different sectors.

The network's objective is to empower builders by enabling them to retain intellectual property rights, provide contributors with performance-based earnings, and offer enterprises options for private participation—all while utilizing shared network advantages.