What it sells
Protocol Labs makes internet protocols: IPFS, Filecoin, and more.
Business model breakdown
Workflow: what inputs become what output?
Runs an innovation network: PL R&D funds pre-commercial invention, PL Capital invests in venture-scale ideas, then spins prototypes into startups and supports productization and scaling.
Economics: what it saves and how it charges
UnverifiedNo product pricing; funds R&D and takes venture equity/token positions through PL Capital in network teams ('$40B combined valuation of teams').
Distribution: how it reaches customers
Network and ecosystem model: 750 projects/teams, hackathons, grants and community events rather than sales.
Funding history and coverage
| Round date | Stage | Amount | Investors | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Y Combinator Summer 2014 | — | Y Combinator | ycombinator.com |
Profiles summarize public reporting and company websites. Business-model notes are MaxBC's reading of that material, not confirmed facts; unknowns are left blank rather than guessed. Updated 2026-10-12.