The decentralized AI data infrastructure project Poseidon, incubated by the on-chain IP protocol Story, today announced the completion of a $15 million seed round financing, led by a16z crypto. The funds will be used to accelerate the construction of a full-stack data infrastructure layer for robotics, multimodal models, and next-generation physical AI, to tackle the most critical yet overlooked bottleneck in current AI development: high-quality, IP-secure, and traceable data acquisition.
"In today's world where models and computing power are gradually commoditized, the real competitive barrier is data."
---Sandeep Chinchali, Story Chief AI Officer and Poseidon Chief Scientist
Poseidon's mission is to extend the programmable IP layer built by Story into real-world data and AI training scenarios. Story aims to create a foundational protocol that supports programmable ownership, licensing, and attribution of creative and AI assets, while Poseidon further applies these capabilities to support the circulation and compliant use of data for AI.
AI moving from digital to physical, exacerbating data bottlenecks
In the past two years, AI has made significant breakthroughs in text and image domains. However, as AI extends into physical world scenarios such as robotics, autonomous driving, and smart devices, the demand for real-world data has surged dramatically.
However, existing data collection models face three major structural challenges:
Long-tail data scarcity: High-value data (such as POV videos, 3D simulations, edge sensors) has high collection costs and dispersed sources
Licensing and compliance risks: Traditional data chains are complex with unclear copyright, making it difficult for companies to call safely
Lack of incentive mechanisms: Data contributors lack protection of belonging and revenue distribution, leading to a lack of willingness to participate
As Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth said: "No amount of content on the internet can simulate the intuitive judgment people make when they pick up a coffee cup." Next-generation AI models need not only to "see the world" but also to "understand and act in the world."
Poseidon: A data operating system for AI
To address the above challenges, Poseidon provides a comprehensive operating system covering collection, annotation, licensing, circulation, traceability, and incentives, transforming data from a "resource" into a true "asset" with legal validity and economic incentive mechanisms.
Story CEO and co-founder, Poseidon President S.Y. Lee stated, "Relying on Story's programmable IP layer and immutable IP registration system, we ensure that every dataset is licensed, traceable, and enforceable. Combined with our integrated licensing module, teams can seamlessly complete data authorization, monetization, and usage without worrying about legal risks. This is not just infrastructure development; it is empowering AI systems that can truly be deployed in the real world."
Poseidon is a data operating system designed for the AI training process, from collection to annotation, from licensing to circulation, each link possesses native IP tracking and programmable incentive capabilities. Its core capabilities include:
Full-stack data pipeline: Supporting standardized collection and cleaning of multi-source data (POV video, sensors, voice, synthetic simulations)
On-chain IP registration and traceability: All data is registered as IP assets on the Story Protocol, ensuring clear origin and legal authorization
Incentives and licensing module: Contributors, annotators, and synthetic models can earn revenue distribution through smart contracts, achieving sustainable growth of the data network
Composable data marketplace: Developers can filter, call, and integrate data by license, automatically triggering licensing and revenue sharing, reducing copyright risks
Poseidon provides a truly compliant, composable, and sustainable data network for AI model training, becoming an important infrastructure for AI transitioning from model-driven to data-driven.
Building the data economy foundation for the AI era
"AI foundational models have exhausted the most readily available training data. Poseidon's decentralized data layer is attempting to establish a new economic foundation for the internet, rewarding creators and data providers who offer diverse inputs for the next generation of intelligent systems. We are excited to support Poseidon in addressing one of the most critical bottlenecks in AI development."
---Chris Dixon, a16z crypto founder and managing partner
Poseidon has partnered with several leading AI companies and will use this round of financing to expand its tech stack, including SDK toolkits, data contributor workstations, and licensing and revenue management modules. Early access channels will open this summer, inviting registrations from AI developers and data contributors.
About Poseidon
Poseidon is a decentralized full-stack data layer tailored for AI training processes. Incubated by the Story Protocol team, it aims to connect high-quality data supply with AI model demand. The platform supports the entire link process from data contribution, authorization licensing to verification and integration, ensuring that data possesses security, compliance, and economic incentive mechanisms.
Visit the official website for more information: www.poseidonai.io
