1kx
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1kx is what a crypto VC should be: technical founders who actually understand token economics and hold for the long haul (5+ years vs. typical crypto flip mentality). They have a median 5+ year hold mentality vs. typical VC exit pressure, suggesting focus on protocol maturation vs. quick flip exits. The firm literally 'architects network success' - they study network effects, token design, and governance mechanisms more deeply than most VCs, with founder quality over idea being paramount. Their Head of Trading (Karim Helmy) and economics team provide unique market understanding that most VCs lack. The downside? They're extremely selective about founders having real crypto expertise - they avoid founders without demonstrated crypto/cryptography knowledge. If you're building genuine infrastructure or middleware with solid tokenomics, they're gold. If you're trying to slap tokens onto a Web2 business model, look elsewhere.
- —Best for: Technical founders building genuine token-native networks with sustainable economics
- —Watch out for: Extremely high technical bar - they won't invest if you lack crypto expertise
- —Known for: 5+ year hold periods, deep tokenomics expertise, and fundamentals-driven approach
1kx believes deeply in bringing the best possible version of a decentralized future to life. The fund's thesis centers on identifying and backing founders building token-native networks with sustainable token economies. 1kx is a token network fund that specializes in architecting network success through token design, governance, and community bootstrapping, positioning itself as crypto-native operators who help founders build sustainable token economies from day one rather than treating tokens as an add-on.
1kx is an active investor, having invested in 90 companies, with 16 new investments in the last 12 months. It primarily invests in Seed round in United States based startups. Infrastructure & Layer 1/2 Networks (40%+ of portfolio), Middleware & Developer Tools (30%+ of portfolio), Consumer & Applications (20%+ of portfolio) with typical check sizes ranging from seed ($100K-$5M) to Series A rounds.
With over a decade of experience in the blockchain ecosystem, Lasse has been at the forefront of the industry's evolution, successfully navigating four market cycles and establishing a reputation for disciplined, fundamentals-driven investing. Since co-founding 1kx in 2018, he has played a key role in building one of the most institutionalized funds in the blockchain space. Prior to 1kx, Lasse was one of Europe's most active token angel investors and from 2015 to 2017, he served as Founder and CEO of WeRide GmbH, a Berlin-based mobility technology company.
With a deep technical background and history of leading multiple startups as a CTO, he has spent the past eight years advising teams on cryptoeconomic design, governance, and scaling decentralized systems. Between 2012 and 2015, he worked as a self-employed application developer and served as the Mobile Lead for FOUNDD, and was the CTO of MassMatics and Daily Ride, a carpooling service for commuters.
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