Protocol Labs
also invests · investor profileYC S14San Francisco, US · Founded 2014 · 130 employees · 9 known investors
Protocol Labs is an innovation network connecting over 750 tech organizations developing breakthrough technologies across web3, AI, AR, VR, BCI, hardware, and related fields. Organizations collaborate to solve shared problems and accelerate R&D across technological frontiers.
Also known as Filecoin
AI & Machine LearningCrypto & Web3Data & InfrastructureDeep TechEnterprise SoftwareCrypto / Web3Open SourceUnited States of AmericaAmerica / CanadaFully Remote
Founders & leadership· Y Combinator alumni (S14)
Protocol Labs was founded in 2014 by Juan Benet.
JB
Juan Benetin𝕏Founder/CEO, EngineerJuan Benet founded Protocol Labs and initiated IPFS and Filecoin, which work on distributed systems and decentralized storage infrastructure.
Investors · 9
a16z cryptoMenlo Park
Andreessen HorowitzMenlo Park · $500K – $50M
BlueYard CapitalBerlin · $500K – $5M
Digital Currency GroupNew York
IA Seed VenturesBerkeley
MetaplanetTallinn · $500K – $10M
Union Square Ventures (USV)New York City · $1M – $8M
Winklevoss CapitalNew York · $100K – $5M
Y CombinatorSan Francisco · $500K
Founder mafia
2 people who came through Protocol Labs went on to found or lead other companies.
Competitors · 4
by search overlapMaster Class46 shared keywordsOnline education subscription platform with pre-recorded tutorials and lectures by experts.
Lumen44 shared keywordsLumen Learning provides courseware and teaching tools built on open educational resources (OER) for higher education, aimed at faculty and students. Its products support course delivery, faculty professional development, and student-centered learning in colleges and universities.
Fiveable40 shared keywordsFiveable provides AI-powered exam preparation for AP classes, offering practice questions with automated scoring and personalized study tools for high school students.
Outlier39 shared keywordsOutlier offers fully online dual enrollment college courses for high school students across the US, letting them earn transferable credits from a top-ranked university. Courses use cinematic lectures, interactive textbooks, and code-along exercises across subjects including sciences, math, business, and humanities.
Companies competing with Protocol Labs for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.
In the news
Hemispheric emerges from stealth with $52M for brain-decoding platformynetnews.com · Jul 2026Frequently asked questions
- What does Protocol Labs do?
- Protocol Labs is an innovation network connecting over 750 tech organizations developing breakthrough technologies across web3, AI, AR, VR, BCI, hardware, and related fields. Organizations collaborate to solve shared problems and accelerate R&D across technological frontiers.
- Who founded Protocol Labs?
- Protocol Labs was founded by Juan Benet in 2014.
- Who are Protocol Labs's investors?
- Protocol Labs's investors include a16z crypto, Andreessen Horowitz, BlueYard Capital, Digital Currency Group, IA Seed Ventures, Metaplanet, Union Square Ventures (USV), Winklevoss Capital and 1 more.
- Where is Protocol Labs headquartered?
- Protocol Labs is headquartered in San Francisco, US.