Framework Ventures
DeFi-focused crypto fund building value through active governance participation in decentralized protocols.
Framework was arguably the first VC to "go all in" on DeFi with early bets on Chainlink, Aave, Synthetix, and The Graph - they didn't just invest, they became the largest outside holders. These guys actually run critical infrastructure themselves including Chainlink nodes servicing 200+ price feeds and major Graph indexer nodes - as Vance puts it, "if you used crypto over the past few years, there's a very strong chance that you've interacted with us." They run a lean but highly effective platform with former founders who focus on behind-the-scenes deliverables that directly add value rather than churning out Twitter content, with a reputation for deep knowledge on business building, DeFi services, tech, governance, and tokenomics. Historically, they've led around 80% of the major funding rounds they participate in, showing genuine conviction rather than just following others.
- —Best for: Crypto-native founders who want investors that actually understand and use the infrastructure they're building
- —Known for: Being DeFi OGs who run nodes and infrastructure themselves, not just write checks from the sidelines
- —Watch out for: High-conviction means they're picky - they lead 80% of rounds they join, so expect real diligence
Framework is a San Francisco-based, crypto-native venture firm searching for winning founders in DeFi, stablecoins, AI, and blockchain infrastructure who lead early-stage rounds with check sizes typically ranging from $250k to $40 million. The firm believes that crypto-native builders will create the next wave of valuable networks and applications, and they provide strategic capital combined with operational expertise to founders executing at the intersection of technology, protocol design, and real-world utility.
Framework leads early-stage seed and Series A rounds, frequently taking a leading role in defining investment terms and participating actively on portfolio company cap tables. Despite being arguably the first VC firm to "go all in" on DeFi with seminal early investments in multi-billion dollar protocols like Chainlink, Aave, Synthetix, and The Graph, the firm has evolved to become deeply involved in AI infrastructure, protocol-owned L2s, and real-world asset tokenization.
Co-founded and sold Hashletes (NFL-licensed digital collectibles) with Michael before founding Framework, and previously worked at Netflix in Los Angeles and Tokyo where he was part of the Japan business relaunch team and led corporate development for northern Asia. Spencer and Anderson became the largest owners of Chainlink and Synthetix outside of the core teams and exchanges.
Co-founded and sold Hashletes with Vance before Framework, and previously served as a product manager at both Snapchat (2016-2018) and Dropbox (2013-2016) where he helped build out their monetization platforms. Anderson advocates for founders being diligence-ready before first VC meetings, emphasizing having data rooms, KPI dashboards, and clean financials prepared ahead of time to build investor confidence.
Has been involved in crypto since 2016, initially publishing market research at Messari, was part of the founding team at Wave Digital Assets (2018-2020) deploying an actively-managed liquid crypto fund, and previously worked as Market Development Manager with the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance helping Fortune 500 enterprises trial blockchain use cases.
Active crypto researcher and investor since discovering Ethereum in 2015, previously Head of Business Development at AnChain.ai (blockchain intelligence) and Chief of Staff at Startup Sandbox (UC Santa Cruz bioscience incubator), and has led Framework's investments into stablecoins, AI, energy, DeFi, security, and infrastructure since joining in 2021.
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