The decentralized AI data infrastructure project Poseidon, incubated by the on-chain IP protocol Story, announced today the completion of a $15 million seed round financing led by a16z crypto. The funds will be used to accelerate the construction of a full-stack data infrastructure layer aimed at robotics, multimodal models, and next-generation physical AI, addressing the most critical yet overlooked bottleneck in current AI development: high-quality, IP-secure, and traceable data acquisition.
“In an era where models and computing power are gradually commoditized, the true competitive barrier is data.”
——Sandeep Chinchali, Chief AI Officer of Story and Chief Scientist of Poseidon
Poseidon's mission is to extend the programmable IP layer built by Story into real-world data and AI training scenarios. Story aims to create a foundational protocol that supports programmable ownership, licensing, and attribution of creative and AI assets, while Poseidon further utilizes these capabilities to support the circulation and compliant use of data for AI.
AI Moves from Digital to Physical, Data Bottlenecks Intensify
In the past two years, AI has made significant breakthroughs in text and image domains. However, as AI extends into physical world scenarios such as robotics, autonomous driving, and smart devices, the demand for real-world data has surged.
Yet, existing data collection models face three major structural challenges:
Scarcity of Long-Tail Data: High-value data (such as POV videos, 3D simulations, edge sensors) has high collection costs and scattered sources.
Licensing and Compliance Risks: Traditional data chains are complex, with unclear copyrights, making it difficult for enterprises to call data safely.
Lack of Incentive Mechanisms: Data contributors lack protection of attribution and revenue distribution, leading to a lack of willingness to participate.
As Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth stated, “No amount of content on the internet can simulate the intuitive judgment people make when they pick up a coffee cup.” Next-generation AI models need not only to “understand the world” but also to “comprehend and act upon the world.”
Poseidon: A Data Operating System for AI
To address the above challenges, Poseidon provides a comprehensive operating system covering collection, annotation, licensing, circulation, traceability, and incentives, transforming data from a “resource” into a true “asset” with legal validity and economic incentive mechanisms.
S.Y. Lee, CEO and co-founder of Story, and President of Poseidon, stated, “Leveraging Story's programmable IP layer and immutable IP registration system, we ensure that every dataset is IP licensed, traceable, and enforceable. Combined with our integrated licensing module, the team can seamlessly complete data authorization, monetization, and usage without worrying about legal risks. This is not just infrastructure building; it is empowering AI systems that can truly be deployed in the real world.”
Poseidon is a data operating system designed for AI training processes, with native IP tracking and programmable incentive capabilities at every stage, from collection to annotation, from licensing to circulation. Its core capabilities include:
Full-Stack Data Pipeline: Supports standardized collection and cleaning of multi-source data (POV videos, sensors, voice, synthetic simulations).
On-Chain IP Registration and Traceability: All data is registered as IP assets on the Story Protocol, ensuring clear origins and legal authorization.
Incentive and Licensing Modules: Contributors, annotators, and synthetic models can earn revenue distribution through smart contracts, achieving sustainable growth of the data network.
Composable Data Market: Developers can filter, call, and integrate data by license, automatically triggering licensing and revenue sharing, reducing copyright risks.
Poseidon provides a truly compliant, composable, and sustainable data network for AI model training, becoming an important infrastructure for AI to transition from model-driven to data-driven.
Building the Data Economy Foundation for the AI Era
“AI foundational models have exhausted the most easily accessible training data. Poseidon's decentralized data layer is attempting to establish a new economic foundation for the internet, rewarding creators and data providers who offer diverse inputs for the next generation of intelligent systems. We are excited to support Poseidon in addressing one of the most critical bottlenecks in AI development.”
——Chris Dixon, Founder and General Partner of a16z crypto
Poseidon has partnered with several leading AI companies and will use this round of financing to expand its technology stack, including SDK toolkits, data contributor workstations, and licensing and revenue management modules. Early access channels will open this summer, allowing AI developers and data contributors to register.
About Poseidon
Poseidon is a decentralized full-stack data layer tailored for AI training processes. Incubated by the Story Protocol team, it aims to connect high-quality data supply with AI model demand. The platform supports the entire link process from data contribution, authorization, and licensing to verification and integration, ensuring data security, compliance, and economic incentive mechanisms.
Visit the official website for more information: www.poseidonai.io
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