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Topic: 2015-03-10 WSJ - Secretive Bitcoin Startup 21 Reveals Record Funds, Hints at Mas (Read 1113 times)

legendary
Activity: 1260
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World Class Cryptonaire
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21’s lead investors include U.S. venture-capital heavyweights Andreessen Horowitz and RRE Ventures, along with Chinese private-equity firm Yuan Capital, with a strategic stake going to chipmaker Qualcomm Inc.QCOM -1.13% through its venture-capital unit.

Additionally, Khosla Ventures and Data Collective have invested in 21, as well as chief executives and founders from various tech companies, including PayPal co-founders Peter Thiel and Max Levchin, eBay Inc. co-founder Jeff Skoll, Dropbox Inc. CEO Drew Houston, Expedia Inc. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi and Zynga Inc. co-founder Mark Pincus

--Those are some big investors


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Qualcomm’s involvement could spur speculation that 21 has its sights on the so-called “Internet of Things.” That’s the idea that a myriad of smart, Internet-connected appliances will in the future communicate with servers, networks and each other to optimize their operation, maintenance and energy usage without direct human involvement.

--It would be great if they are really working on an Internet of Things based off of the Bitcoin network rather than Etherum (IE IBM). Especially if they end up creating a decentralized stock exchange or if they are the first to introduce a full implementation of smart contracts.



sr. member
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Proud Canuck

Well, this certainly is some interesting news!  Anybody have any further idea on what these guys are all about?  Historically these stealth launches then to fortell bigger things, but who knows when it comes to Bitcoin? Certainly the area is ripe for some major developments... here's hoping these guys really are working on something to bring bitcoin to a wider audience!
sr. member
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Now, that company, which bears the name 21 Inc., is emerging from stealth to announce it has raised $116 million in venture funding, the most ever by a startup in the digital-currency sector, based on data from bitcoin news service Coindesk.

What it’s not yet publicizing is the precise nature of its operations, Chief Executive and co-founder Matthew Pauker will only say there will be “several interesting developments over the next weeks and months” about software and hardware products designed “to drive mainstream adoption of bitcoin.”


http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2015/03/10/secretive-bitcoin-startup-21-reveals-record-funds-hints-at-mass-consumer-play/
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