The crypto industry has weathered one of its most turbulent years—fraught with market downturns, high-profile collapses, and regulatory scrutiny. Yet, amid the uncertainty, a new generation of venture capitalists is stepping forward with conviction, backing bold startups that could redefine Web3 and blockchain technology.
These rising-star investors aren't just chasing trends; they're shaping the next era of decentralized innovation. From infrastructure and DeFi to AI integration and consumer applications, their focus reflects a maturing ecosystem poised for long-term transformation.
To spotlight the most promising voices in crypto investing, we asked established VCs to nominate the rising stars they believe are making a significant impact. Below are 14 standout investors—listed alphabetically—who are not only funding the future but also redefining how value, ownership, and trust are built in the digital world.
Soona Amhaz – Managing Partner, Volt Capital (San Francisco)
Soona Amhaz’s journey into crypto began as an engineering student at the University of Michigan, where she was inspired by blockchain’s potential to challenge traditional financial systems. After gaining early-stage startup experience at companies like Alation and co-founding OnDeck, she launched Volt Capital in 2020.
Backed by industry heavyweights including Marc Andreessen and Chris Dixon, Volt Capital has invested in transformative projects like LayerZero, Magic Eden, and Nansen. Today, Amhaz is particularly focused on NFT financial tools and the convergence of artificial intelligence with blockchain—two areas she believes will unlock new utility and accessibility in Web3.
"Crypto isn't just about speculation—it's about rebuilding systems with greater transparency and inclusion," Amhaz said.
👉 Discover how emerging blockchain ventures are reshaping finance and tech.
Maya Bakhai – Founder & General Partner, Spice Capital (Brooklyn, NY)
Maya Bakhai draws a powerful analogy between venture capital and parenting: "Your portfolio companies are your children." This philosophy drives her work at Spice Capital, which she founded in 2021 after backing early leaders like OpenSea and Dapper Labs through Kevin Durant’s Thirty Five Ventures.
Bakhai’s unique edge comes from her background in cultural trends—she funded her angel investing through profits from Crocs stock, a brand that redefined fashion through collaboration. At Spice Capital, she champions the "culture-meets-finance" thesis, investing in startups that innovate around media, brand loyalty, and the creator economy.
She believes the next wave of Web3 adoption will come not from tech alone, but from emotionally resonant experiences that blend digital ownership with real-world culture.
Sterling Campbell – Investor, Blockchain Capital (San Francisco)
Sterling Campbell’s path to crypto began in entertainment—he performed as a DJ with artists like Lil Jon and later worked in tour booking at WME. His first major crypto exposure came when WME evaluated an investment in Dapper Labs, the $7.6 billion NFT powerhouse.
After earning an MBA and launching an NFT platform for brands called Minotaur, Campbell joined Blockchain Capital. Unlike many aggressive crypto investors, he emphasizes measured growth and public trust.
Today, he focuses on gaming and consumer startups with mass-market appeal. "We need products people love—not just crypto natives," he said. His belief is that gaming will be a primary gateway for mainstream Web3 adoption.
Evan Fisher – Founder & Managing Partner, Portal Ventures (Nomadic)
Evan Fisher began his career at Goldman Sachs but was drawn to technologies disrupting traditional finance. After investing across fintech and software at Insight Partners, he launched Portal Ventures in late 2021.
Fisher sees crypto as a new asset class that demands new types of investors. Despite recent volatility, he remains bullish: "The retention of top talent proves this cycle is different."
His fund targets distributed computing networks and novel data monetization models. With limited partners from Insight Partners, Portal Ventures is positioned to back deep-tech innovations that could redefine how digital infrastructure operates.
Megan Guy – General Partner & Cofounder, King River Capital (Denver)
Megan Guy’s investment journey began at Goldman Sachs in alternative energy and climate tech—sectors that mirror her passion for impactful innovation. For her, crypto intersects science, technology, finance, and social good.
At King River Capital, she focuses on decentralized finance (DeFi) and infrastructure for security, privacy, and digital identity. She cohosts The ReDeFined Podcast, exploring DeFi’s evolving role in financial inclusion.
"If designed thoughtfully, crypto can deliver financial services more efficiently and inclusively than ever before."
Guy believes the next breakthroughs will come from protocols enabling self-sovereign identity and secure cross-border transactions.
Geoff Hamilton – Investment-Research Partner, Variant (Las Vegas)
With a background in economics from Harvard, Geoff Hamilton is passionate about making finance more accessible through blockchain. At Variant, he dives deep into DeFi, particularly projects involving real-world assets (RWAs) like mortgages tokenized on-chain.
He also tracks the development of crypto-native financial instruments, which could offer alternatives to traditional banking products. Hamilton sees these innovations reaching underserved populations more effectively than legacy systems.
👉 Explore how blockchain is bridging traditional finance and digital assets.
Liz Harkavy – Partner, A16z Crypto (San Francisco)
Liz Harkavy brings a rare blend of technical depth and visionary thinking. With a master’s from MIT and experience at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Meta, she joined Andreessen Horowitz’s crypto arm to focus on AI-Web3 convergence.
Her interest lies in how Web3 enables attribution and attestation of AI-generated content—critical as deepfakes and misinformation rise. Projects like CreatorDAO and Golden reflect her focus on decentralized ownership of digital outputs.
Magdalena Kala – Founder & General Partner, Double Down (Miami)
Magdalena Kala transitioned from private equity at Bain Capital to early-stage Web3 investing after recognizing crypto’s alignment with human desires for control, ownership, and self-sovereignty.
At Double Down, she backs startups in media, entertainment, and digital verification—especially those solving provenance issues in an age of AI-generated content. Her portfolio includes Shibuya, a platform for tokenized film rights.
Medha Kothari – Investment Partner, Variant (San Francisco)
Medha Kothari’s journey began at UC Berkeley’s blockchain program. She worked as a software engineer on the Celo Protocol before launching Komorebi Collective, an investment DAO supporting female and nonbinary founders.
Now at Variant, she focuses on crypto infrastructure, especially interoperability and security. "Innovation has shifted to the protocol layer," she said. "Blockspace is becoming cheaper, faster, and more user-friendly."
Winnie Lau – Vice President, BlockTower Capital (New York)
While many VCs focus on infrastructure ("picks and shovels"), Winnie Lau bets on the next generation of consumer-facing crypto companies. She believes 2025 is the "year of consumer crypto."
At BlockTower Capital, she targets startups in social media, creative collaboration, and brand-consumer tools—platforms that transcend crypto-native audiences.
"Crypto isn’t about replicating Web2 models—it’s about building entirely new business paradigms."
Alana Levin – Investment Partner, Variant (Boston)
Alana Levin’s regulatory internship at the SEC sparked her interest in crypto policy. But it was the technology’s potential that hooked her. Now at Variant, she explores overlaps between AI and crypto, especially tools verifying LLM integrity and tracking AI output provenance.
Despite slowed deal activity, she sees resilient developer activity: "High-integrity builders are still creating."
Yuan Han Li – Senior Associate, Blockchain Capital (New York)
Yuan Han Li’s crypto journey started with a Lunar New Year windfall—and an ICO crash six months later. Undeterred, he interned at Blockchain Capital in 2021 and dropped out of UPenn to join full-time.
He dives deep into zero-knowledge proofs, DeFi, and DAO treasury management. His current passion? User-friendly wallet technologies that empower control without complexity.
Breck Stodghill – Investment Associate & Engineer, Haun Ventures (San Francisco)
Breck Stodghill started as an engineer at Coinbase before joining Zora as an early hire. He co-founded DAO Jones, an investment collective backing 30+ startups.
Now at Haun Ventures, he focuses on blockchain infrastructure, addressing scalability limits: "We’re hitting physical ceilings. The next leap requires foundational innovation."
Guy Wuollet – Partner, A16z Crypto (Miami)
With a computer science background from Stanford, Guy Wuollet brings a research-driven approach to investing. After interning at a16z and contributing to Protocol Labs, he joined full-time.
He backs crypto infrastructure, especially tools scaling blockchain networks and those modernizing physical infrastructure—transportation, energy, telecom—through decentralized coordination.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What defines a "rising-star" crypto VC?
A: A rising-star VC demonstrates early success in identifying high-potential startups, shows deep domain expertise in blockchain or Web3, and is recognized by peers as an emerging leader in the space.
Q: Why invest in crypto during a market downturn?
A: Downturns often reveal resilient teams and sustainable models. Many breakthrough technologies—from AI to blockchain—advance most during quiet cycles when builders focus on fundamentals.
Q: How do these VCs choose which startups to back?
A: Most look for strong technical foundations, real-world utility, team integrity, and alignment with long-term trends like decentralization, AI integration, or financial inclusion.
Q: Is consumer crypto really making a comeback?
A: Yes—investors like Winnie Lau believe we're entering a consumer-driven phase where usability, design, and emotional engagement matter as much as technology.
Q: What role does AI play in crypto investing today?
A: AI intersects with crypto in content verification, data ownership, decentralized model training, and tracking digital provenance—key concerns as generative AI expands.
Q: Are these VCs only funding U.S.-based startups?
A: While many are based in the U.S., their portfolios are global—backing teams from Asia to Europe—reflecting crypto’s borderless nature.