Paradigm
About Paradigm
Paradigm, doing business as Paradigm Operations LP, was founded in June 2018 by Fred Ehrsam, a Coinbase co-founder, and Matt Huang, a former Sequoia Capital partner. Alana Palmedo joined weeks after launch and later became managing partner. The firm is based in San Francisco, reported about $12.7 billion in assets under management as of April 2025, and had 59 employees in 2024. Its third fund closed at $850 million in 2024 and targets early-stage crypto projects, following a $2.5 billion fund raised in 2021. Ehrsam later stepped out of a leadership role.
Public sources I found describe Paradigm mainly as a crypto and blockchain investor. They do not name a dedicated AI fund or the partners who lead AI deals. Lounge tags the firm with AI, Robotics and frontier technology, and its deals desk lists one AI round: an idler Seed round of $9M in August 2026. Founders should confirm the current AI focus directly with the firm before pitching.
Lounge lists Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B and Series C+ as the stages the firm backs. Press coverage of its 2024 fund describes an early-stage focus. Check sizes are not public in the sources I found, so none are listed.
- idler: Seed round of $9M, August 2026, listed on the Lounge deals desk. The company's product is not described in the sources I found.
Investing activity
Paradigm has made 165 investments according to Crunchbase across 136 portfolio companies, and has led 113 rounds and seen 11 exits, 2 of them by IPO.
Paradigm appears in 1 AI deal tracked by the AI Lounge deals desk, and led 1 of them. The rounds are mostly Seed, with a median round size of $9M. The most recent is idler (Seed, $9M, Aug 2026).
Paradigm most often invests alongside Smaiyl Makyshov, Dan Posch, Lynett Capital and Feross Aboukhadijeh, and the companies it backs on AI Lounge are mostly in AI.
Deals
Frequently asked questions about Paradigm
What is Paradigm AI investments?
Paradigm is a San Francisco investment firm founded in 2018. Its public profile centers on crypto and blockchain, while Lounge's deals desk lists its recent AI rounds, including a $9M Seed round in August 2026.
Does Paradigm invest in AI startups?
Lounge lists AI, Robotics and frontier technology among the firm's focus areas. The public sources I found do not describe a dedicated AI fund or named AI partners.
What stages does Paradigm invest in?
Lounge lists Pre-Seed through Series C+ as the stages the firm backs. Check sizes are not disclosed in public sources.
How large are Paradigm's funds?
Paradigm raised $850 million for its third fund in 2024, aimed at early-stage crypto projects, after a $2.5 billion fund in 2021. It reported about $12.7 billion in assets under management as of April 2025.
Who founded Paradigm?
Paradigm was founded in June 2018 by Fred Ehrsam, a Coinbase co-founder, and Matt Huang, a former Sequoia Capital partner.
What AI companies has Paradigm invested in?
Paradigm's AI investments include idler. The 1 round on AI Lounge are listed on this page with amounts, dates and co-investors.
Where is Paradigm based?
Paradigm is based in San Francisco, California, United States.
What stage does Paradigm invest at?
In the rounds tracked on AI Lounge, Paradigm has invested at Seed, with a median round of $9M. Paradigm led 1 of those rounds.
Who does Paradigm co-invest with?
Paradigm's most frequent co-investors on AI Lounge are Smaiyl Makyshov (1 deal), Dan Posch (1 deal), Lynett Capital (1 deal), Feross Aboukhadijeh (1 deal) and Y Combinator (1 deal).
How can founders reach Paradigm?
Founders on AI Lounge can see Paradigm's contact details in AI Investor Contacts (paid plans), check for a warm introduction through members who worked with the firm under Warm Paths, and add Paradigm to their Investor Pipeline to track the conversation.