Subzero Labs, a web3 infrastructure startup, has closed a $20 million seed funding round. Pantera Capital led the investment, with participation from Coinbase Ventures, Fabric Ventures, Mysten Labs, Susquehanna Crypto, and Variant. The company plans to use the capital to build Rialo, a new layer-1 blockchain designed for large-scale decentralized applications.
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Subzero Labs raises $20 million
Subzero Labs is developing Rialo to make building decentralized applications as simple as developing for traditional web2 platforms. The company says existing blockchain environments create steep learning curves and impose performance constraints that push developers away. Rialo targets these problems by providing infrastructure that supports the kind of responsive, reactive applications users expect from standard internet services.
The company says Rialo will handle use cases from tokenized assets to AI agent orchestration and global trading platforms. Developers will work with familiar tools, and the platform aims to deliver better cost-efficiency and user experience than centralized alternatives.
Subzero Labs Raises $20 Million
Rialo's technical foundation
Rialo uses RISC-V, an open instruction set architecture that has drawn attention in web3 circles, including from Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin. The blockchain will also support the Solana virtual machine. This setup is meant to deliver the scalability required for internet-scale applications while maintaining compatibility with existing developer tools and standards.
The funding round reflects sustained interest from major venture firms in web3 infrastructure. Paul Veradittakit, managing partner at Pantera Capital, called Rialo a full-stack network built for real-world applications. He pointed to the technical talent at Subzero Labs and the leadership of co-founders Ade and Lu. Pantera believes the team can deliver infrastructure that lets developers build decentralized products practical enough for everyday users.
Subzero Labs Raises $20 Million
Final thoughts
Subzero Labs enters the web3 space with the goal of closing the gap between centralized and decentralized development. By prioritizing performance, ease of use, and compatibility, the company wants to lower barriers for developers and push broader adoption of blockchain-based applications. As web3 infrastructure matures, projects like Rialo will shape how developers approach decentralized application development.
