We contributed to Lido DAO, P2P.org, =nil; Foundation, DRPC, Neutron and invested into 150+ projects
Naptha is co-founded by Mark Schmidt and Richard Blythman, industry veterans with extensive experience in crypto, ML and agentic systems. Mark is an early contributor to llama.cpp, and the first agent frameworks like as AgentGPT and AutoGPT. Richard has a lot of experience working in machine learning R&D. He also previously founded Algovera, one of the first startups building decentralized AI and autonomous agents for clients such as Protocol Labs, Autonolas and Ocean Protocol.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, we've seen remarkable advancements in large language models and their applications. However, as we look to the future, it's becoming increasingly clear that the next leap forward isn't just about bigger models—it's about smarter collaboration between increasingly large networks of heterogenous agents.
A growing trend in AI research increasingly reveals large leaps in capabilities when systems of agents have a diversity of models, prompts, tools, or workflows. Any one of these types of diversity can outperform the most powerful closed source models with only a small number of agents. Combining all of these types of diversity in a scalable way is where Naptha comes in, and why we’re excited to back their vision.
OpenAI bet on scaling individual LLMs to unprecedented sizes. While this approach has yielded impressive results, we believe the future lies in scaling networks of specialized agents. Just as human civilization advanced through specialization and collaboration, AI will reach new heights through multi-agent systems.
Naptha is positioning itself at the forefront of this paradigm shift. Their platform enables the creation and orchestration of decentralized AI workflows and agent networks. This approach offers several key advantages:
Enhanced performance: Multiple specialized agents working in concert can outperform even the largest single models on complex tasks.
Improved scalability: Distributed systems can leverage vastly more computational resources than centralized approaches.
Economic efficiency: Decentralization allows for more efficient resource allocation and lower costs leading to viability of new use cases.
When you move from a single-agent to multi-agent worldview that markets, economies and game theory become necessary.
Throughout history, markets have been the key enabler of collaborative human capabilities. We believe the same principle will apply to the next generation of multi-agent AI systems. Naptha is creating an ecosystem where AI agents can be discovered, can collaborate, and compete — driving rapid innovation and specialization.
Just like any efficient market, Naptha marketplace will be open and decentralized. A complex task doesn't fall to a single, monolithic AI, but instead is broken down and distributed among multiple specialized agents.
But markets need more than just participants – they also need infrastructure, rules, and incentives.
The Naptha platform is already being used to build a new state of the art in microeconomic simulations by combining formal economic models of trade and learning used at leading hedge funds with recent advancements in LLM agent-based modeling capabilities. Naptha will be conducting experiments to discover which kinds of infrastructure, rules, and incentives are best suited to unlock the potential of agentic markets in the cybernetic economy.
This decentralized, market-based approach doesn't just solve technical challenges – it opens up entirely new possibilities.
In the realm of software development, we can envision a scenario where a complex project isn't tackled by a single team, but by a dynamic network of AI coding agents. Each agent might specialize in a particular language or framework, collaborating in real-time to build sophisticated systems. Human developers would shift into roles more akin to project managers or architects, guiding the overall vision while the AI agents handle the nitty-gritty implementation details.
Scientific research stands to benefit enormously from this paradigm. Imagine running large-scale simulations involving millions of AI agents to model complex systems like global economics or climate patterns. These simulations could provide insights far beyond what's possible with current methods, potentially revolutionizing fields like sociology, epidemiology, and urban planning.
In the business world, AI-driven market research and predictive analytics could reach unprecedented scales and speeds. Companies could deploy swarms of specialized AI agents to do real-time highly specialized work that will eventually make them more competitive and cost-efficient.
What excites us most about Naptha is not just these individual use cases, but the ecosystem they're creating. Like in any network, the value of Naptha's platform will grow exponentially as more participants join. Each new AI agent, each new service, each new application builds on what came before, creating a flywheel effect.
We believe Naptha represents the next evolutionary step in AI—from isolated models to connected, collaborative Internet-like systems. The potential impact is enormous: from revolutionizing software development to enabling massive-scale simulations that could transform scientific research and decision-making. As investors, we're not just excited about the technology—we're excited about the new possibilities it unlocks for the cybernetic economy.
Naptha is building the foundation for the next era of AI. And we're thrilled to be part of this journey. Please check them out HERE.