Bluwhale, an AI Web3 startup based in the San Francisco Bay Area, has secured a $7 million seed funding round to revolutionize the way companies connect with consumers through blockchain technology.
The round was led by SBI, with contributions from both SBI Ven Capital and SBI Decima Fund, and saw participation from a diverse group of investors, including Cardano, Momentum6, Primal Capital, NxGen, Ghaf Capital Partners, Spyre Capital, Baselayer Capital, and notable figures such as Haseeb Qureshi, Charles Huang, and Jack McCauley.
Collaborative funds from Animoca (Japan), Gumi, MZ Crypto, Sygnum Bank, and Azimut Investment Management also joined the round.
Bluwhale is setting a new standard in digital engagement by allowing Web3 wallet holders to opt-in to communications with dApps and other companies, thus giving them control over their personal data and enabling them to earn from their digital footprint.
This marks a significant departure from traditional practices where tech giants monetized user data without direct compensation to the individuals.
Han Jin, CEO of Bluwhale, emphasized the company’s mission to empower users:
For nearly two decades, online platforms have profiled and targeted users without their consent. At Bluwhale, we’re offering a new paradigm where wallet holders take control of their digital profile and decide if they want to receive communications, while at the same time taking a majority share of the outreach spending.
The funding will support Bluwhale’s continued development of its platform, which is already in open beta and has attracted 180 companies.
With more than 270 million wallets indexed, the platform offers a secure, efficient way for Web3 companies to reach their target audience through dynamically priced messages.
This not only optimizes marketing expenditures but also transforms digital communication into a market-like incentive system, rewarding users based on their popularity and engagement.
Investors have expressed strong support for Bluwhale’s approach. Haseeb Qureshi, an investor in the round, praised the team’s blend of industry veterans and innovative researchers, predicting that Bluwhale’s platform could serve as an AI-powered Salesforce for the Web3 space.
Looking ahead, Bluwhale aims to further democratize user data, providing wallet holders with unprecedented control over their digital profiles and the extent to which they share information with enterprises for profit.
This initiative is seen as a transformative shift in the data landscape, leveraging AI and blockchain technology to enhance digital engagement and champion data ownership.