IYK Secures $16.8 Million Seed Funding Led By A16z Crypto With Multiple Investors

RAISE IMAGE: Ryan Ouyang & Christopher Lee DATE: 09/29/2023 COMPANY: IYK INVESTORS: Synergis Capital, Palm Tree Crew, Lattice Fund, Justin Aversano, G money, Coop Records, Collab+Currency, Art Blocks, a16z crypto & 1kx ROUND: Seed AMOUNT: $16,800,000 NOTE: Web3 startup IYK has secured $16.8 million in seed round funding, led by A16z crypto and featuring Collab Currency, Lattice Capital, 1kx, Synergis Capital, and others. Founded by Ryan Ouyang and Christopher Lee, IYK uses NFC (near-field communication) chips in merchandise to verify authenticity with a simple smartphone tap. Customers receive NFTs and exclusive brand offers, while businesses gain insights into ownership and direct customer communication. IYK recently partnered with Adidas for a limited shirt release tied to NFT NYC 2023, illustrating its mission to enable brands and creators to create "digi-physical" products. This fundraising success comes in a challenging funding landscape for blockchain startups, following IYK's participation in the A16z Crypto Startup School accelerator program. HQ: #Manhattan #NewYork #VentureCapital #RyanOuyang #ChristopherLee #IYK #SynergisCapital #PalmTreeCrew #LatticeFund #JustinAversano #Gmoney #CoopRecords #CollabCurrency #ArtBlocks #a16zcrypto #1kx #TradedVC