DeepNode, a decentralized artificial intelligence network aiming to democratize AI development, has successfully raised $5 million across two funding rounds, a $2 million seed round at a $25 million valuation and a subsequent $3 million strategic round at a $75 million valuation.​

The funding represents a significant milestone for the project, which is positioning itself as the infrastructure for "open intelligence", a network where AI developers, compute providers, and validators can collaborate and earn rewards without relying on centralized tech giants.​

DeepNode's seed round prioritized community participants over institutional investors. The round was backed by major validators including WildSageLabs from RoundTable21 and Rizzo from DNA, alongside infrastructure partners like Gateway.FM.​

"What makes this raise truly special is that it was driven by our community. The validators, miners, and early adopters pushing decentralized AI forward," the company stated in its announcement.​

The approach signals DeepNode's commitment to building what it calls a "community-first" ecosystem, where those who will actually operate the network infrastructure have early ownership stakes.​

The strategic round was led by a consortium of Web3 and AI infrastructure investors, including Blockchain Founders Fund, Side Door Ventures, TBV, IOBC Capital, Fomo Ventures, and Nestoris. These investors bring expertise spanning enterprise integrations, operational scaling, and go-to-market support.​

For the DeepNode team, the strategic backing represents more than capital, it's validation of the decentralized intelligence thesis. The investors have track records in Web3 infrastructure and understand how decentralized systems can reshape industries and digital economies.​​

DeepNode differentiates itself from other decentralized AI projects through what it calls a "multi-tool" approach. Rather than focusing solely on large language models or a single use case, the platform is designed to handle any predictive or decision-making task across multiple industries. From healthcare diagnostics to fraud detection to crypto trading and more.​

The network operates using a novel Proof-of-Work Relevance (PoWR) consensus mechanism that rewards AI contributions based on actual utility rather than just computational output. Models compete and evolve based on real-world performance, with contributors earning emissions for valuable work.​

DeepNode is building on Base, an Ethereum Layer-2 network, to leverage Ethereum's security while maintaining transaction costs below $0.01. The company plans to launch its mainnet by the end of Q1 2026, with foundation-supported domains already in development across multiple verticals.

The combined funding positions DeepNode to execute on a multi-year vision of creating what the team calls "the world's first truly open intelligence network", one where builders keep their IP, contributors earn from performance, and enterprises can participate privately while benefiting from shared network effects.

With backing from both ecosystem participants and strategic investors, DeepNode is betting that the future of AI development will be collaborative, transparent, and owned by the contributors who build it.