YZi Labs Invests in Vana to Unlock AI’s Next Frontier: User Owned Data

YZi Labs has invested in Vana, a pioneer in AI data ownership and interoperability. The Vana L1 blockchain is designed for the secure exchange of private, personal data, addressing the skyrocketing demandfor high-quality datasetsin the global AI economy.By establishing data as a new and rapidly growing asset class, Vana empowers users to retain control over their data while contributing to AI advancements.

This marks YZi Labs’ first AI investment since its rebranding, reinforcing its expanded focus on transformative innovations beyond Web3, includingAI and biotechnology. With CZ joining Vana as an advisor, the team is well-positioned to accelerate its vision of powering the next generation of AI breakthroughs.

The personal data economy is estimated to be worth $1 trillion, with 329 million terabytes of data expected to be generated daily by 2025. However, the vast majority of this value is captured by a handful of corporations ratherthan the individuals who create the data. Vana is changing this paradigm by introducing a programmable data sovereignty layer that enables individuals to decide who uses their data and how it is monetized.

Vana’s mission is to ensure that data creators have a stake in the growing AI economy while enabling researchers, developers and businesses to access unique, high quality datasets. The network empowersusers to maintaincontrol over their data while participating in the growingAI economy by pooling their data with others and earning rewards for training AI models.

With the newly raised capital, Vana intends to further develop and expand its DataDAO ecosystem, accelerate the commercial success of its existing network of over 16 DataDAOs set to launch theirown data tokenson the Vana network, incentivize new data contributors, onboard additional DataDAOs, and build the infrastructure for expanded data financialization extending beyond crypto into industries like finance, social media, healthcare, and mobility.

“YZi Labs has expanded its focus beyond Web3 to include investments in AI and biotech, reflecting our commitment to pushing the boundaries of transformative innovation," said Andy Chang, Investment Director at YZi Labs. "Data sovereignty is becoming a critical issue as AI advances, and Vana is pioneering a model whereindividuals retain controlover their data while enabling groundbreaking AI research. We’re excited to support their mission to redefine how data is accessed, shared, and leveraged in the AI economy."

“Data is a competitive advantage when it comes to training next-generation AI. As the space becomes increasingly dynamic, new entrants like DeepSeek are rapidly shaking up the status quo. Competing at this pace requires continuous access to high-quality private data, and that’s exactlywhere Vana comes in: we connect researchers and developers to the datasetsthat fuel AI innovation across industries,” said Anna Kazlauskas, Creatorof Vana. “Vana and YZi Labs share a strong belief in the immense value—and untapped potential—at the intersection of AI and data. Together, we’re well positioned to seize this growing opportunity that’s transforming every industry and experiencing exponential growth beyond crypto.”