Star Metro - EV3 Ventures Raises Oversubscribed $61.74m Fund to Invest in Crypto-Enabled Businesses

NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / January 29, 2026 / EV3 Ventures, an early-stage investment firm led by Mahesh Ramakrishnan (30) and Salvador Gala (29), has raised an oversubscribed $61.74 million second fund to lead pre-seed and seed investments in startups building crypto-enabled infrastructure.

Since then, the firm has focused on what it sees as a structural shift: crypto-enabled, user-generated services, where individuals can own, operate, and earn from real-world infrastructure rather than serving centralized platforms.

Despite more than 30% of Americans participating in the gig economy through companies like Uber and Airbnb, EV3 argues that these platforms suffer from a fundamental misalignment between corporate shareholders and the workers who generate value. Crypto, the firm believes, offers a new coordination layer-aligning capital, labor, and incentives on transparent public networks.

Among EV3's core investment themes is the rise of people-powered infrastructure across industries such as telecommunications, energy, computing, logistics, and advertising. On this, co-founder Mahesh said:

"The biggest problem in the world today - upstream of everything else - is a lack of individual agency. Everyone knows things suck: public transportation, education and healthcare barely function, while telcos and tech platforms spy on our every move. Even worse, the universal dream of living a better life than your parents has never felt so out of reach for so many. Despite all this, so few people are willing to roll up their sleeves to improve the world around them. With crypto, everyone and anyone can participate in and improve the infrastructure that solves society's most pressing problems."

In its inaugural 2022-vintage fund, EV3 backed companies including Daylight (renewable energy), Dawn (fixed wireless broadband), and Opacity (verifiable identity). These portfolio companies have collectively raised $50 million+ from firms such as a16z Crypto, Framework Ventures, and Dragonfly Capital. Additional investments include Meshmap (extended reality), Raad (drone services), and Daisy (influencer marketing).

EV3 has also differentiated itself through an open-research strategy, publishing institutional-grade investment research publicly to attract founders exploring non-consensus ideas. The firm views transparency not as a risk, but as a competitive advantage in sourcing talent and early-stage innovation.

The raise comes amid a paradox in crypto markets: while total crypto market capitalization has rebounded toward all-time highs, crypto venture fundraising remains near cyclical lows. New fund formation has declined each year since 2022 as limited partners become more selective, prioritizing disciplined capital deployment and proven execution over hype.

EV3 believes this shift plays to its strengths. Mahesh further commented:

"EV3 was born in a crucible and raised its first fund during the deep 2022 bear market for crypto. The volatility doesn't scare us, which is why we think we're ideal partners to the most contrarian founders."

Contact: Mahesh Ramakrishnan (Founder) at 16467524668 or [email protected]

SOURCE: EV3 Ventures

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

M.Anderson--SMC