Silicon Valley-based privacy-focused blockchain and artificial intelligence startup Auradine announced it has closed an $81 million Series A round led by venture capital firms Celesta Capital and Mayfield. Other investors in the round included Cota Capital, DCVC and Stanford University. Bitcoin mining company Marathon Digital Holdings (MARA) is also among the supporters. As part of the investment, Celesta's Sriram Viswanathan and Mayfield's Navin Chaddha will join Auradine's board. Marathon CEO Fred Thiel sits on the network infrastructure startup's board of directors.

Founded in 2022, Auradine is developing a wide range of hardware and software infrastructure, including energy-efficient silicon, zero-knowledge proofs (a blockchain-based privacy tool), and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for decentralized applications . Auradine expects to release its first product this summer and will focus on serving clients in industries such as finance and healthcare.