Sahara, a decentralized AI network aiming to revolutionize the way knowledge is owned, shared, and monetized globally, has announced the successful completion of its $6 million seed funding round. The round was led by Polychain Capital, with participation from notable investors such as Samsung Next, Matrix Partners, Motherson Group, dao5, Geekcartel, Canonical Crypto, Nomad Capital, Dispersion Capital, Alumni Ventures, Tangent Ventures, and Coho Deeptech. Angel investor Sandeep Nailwal also participated in the round.

The Sahara network enables individuals and businesses to create customized, autonomous Knowledge Agents (Sahara KA) in a trustless, permissionless, and privacy-centric environment. By leveraging this decentralized network, users can explore monetization and automation opportunities for their knowledge capital through AI while ensuring data sovereignty and reducing the risks associated with centralized control of data.

Co-founded in May 2023 by Professor Sean Ren and Tyler Zhou, Sahara boasts a team of experts from the AI and web3 industries. Professor Sean Ren, who serves as the Co-Founder and CEO, has made significant contributions to AI research and innovation, earning accolades such as Samsung AI Researcher of the Year, MIT TR Innovator under 35 (Asia Pacific), and Forbes’ Asia 30 Under 30. Tyler Zhou, the Co-Founder and COO, brings extensive experience in the blockchain industry, having previously served as the Investment Director at Binance Labs.

Sahara’s product suite encompasses infrastructure and applications that support various use cases, including business, consumer, research, and developer needs. The two cornerstone products are Sahara Knowledge Agent (KA) and Sahara Data. Sahara KA is an AI that goes beyond conversational capabilities, autonomously analyzing both external and internal proprietary data to offer reliable, personalized decision-making. Sahara Data provides high-value data services for AI model training while addressing security and privacy concerns in data handling.

Since its inception, Sahara has attracted over 30 enterprise clients, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to unicorn startups, including Microsoft, MIT, Motherson Group, and USC. The newly acquired funds will be utilized to expand Sahara’s team and enhance its portfolio of AI and blockchain-enabled products. In the next year, the network plans to grow to encompass Sahara Vault, Sahara ID, and Sahara Network, allowing individuals and businesses to navigate freely within the Sahara ecosystem.

Luke Pearson of Polychain Capital expressed his enthusiasm for Sahara’s network, stating, “The integration of blockchain technology with AI by Sahara not only enhances privacy and security but also ensures the traceability and acknowledgment of contributions. Sahara’s innovative approach will unlock unparalleled opportunities for individuals and businesses alike, setting a new standard in the way we own, share, and monetize knowledge in the digital age.”

As Sahara continues to develop its groundbreaking technology, the successful seed funding round marks a significant milestone in the company’s mission to democratize global knowledge capital access and advance human-AI collaboration while respecting user sovereignty and promoting a sustainable digital economy.

Image source: Shutterstock