DePIN project Vangrid raises $9 million in token round to build spatial data network for physical AI

Quick Take

• Vangrid has raised $9 million in a token round backed by HashKey, Crypto.com Capital, Animoca Brands, and others, CEO Robert Brighton told The Block.
• The DePIN project plans to use the funding to grow its spatial data network for Physical AI applications, including robots and autonomous agents.

Vangrid, a decentralized physical infrastructure network, or DePIN, focused on collecting spatial data, has raised $9 million in a seed funding round.

HashKey, Borderless, Crypto.com Capital, Animoca Brands, Gate Labs and Mapleblock Capital participated in the round as "key stakeholders," Vangrid co-founder and CEO Robert Brighton told The Block.

"The round combines financial investors with strategic partners who contributed infrastructure, technology and exchange relationships rather than only capital," Brighton said.

Vangrid started fundraising in August 2025 and completed the round through multiple tranches in January 2026, Brighton said, noting that it waited to announce until the network was live.

The seed round was structured as a simple agreement for future tokens, or SAFT, Brighton said, declining to comment on Vangrid's valuation. He also noted that no board seats were granted as part of the round.

Vangrid plans to use the funding to grow its spatial data network and form partnerships with companies building Physical AI infrastructure and applications.

Spatial data DePIN

Vangrid has built a network for users to provide geospatial data and get paid for it.

"Contributors capture real-world locations on their smartphones, we reconstruct them into 3D spatial models and verify everything onchain," Brighton said. "Buyers commission specific locations, contributors get paid for delivering verified captures."

That makes the network demand-driven from day one, which is the main lesson from "DePIN 1.0," Brighton said, noting that reward emissions without a real revenue source do not survive.

Vangrid's target customers include Physical AI builders, including those developing robots, autonomous agents and digital models.

Brighton said Physical AI systems require ground-level, continuously updated spatial data that Vangrid aims to offer at scale.

The same data could be used by defense and government organizations operating in places where GPS is unavailable, or conditions are changing quickly, he added.

Vangrid positions itself between traditional mapping companies, which use expensive, centrally owned vehicle fleets, and open crowdsourcing networks that may struggle to verify the quality and origin of submitted data, according to Brighton.

As for privacy, Vangrid said faces and license plates are anonymised before data leaves the device. Each capture is then verified onchain to establish its origin before it is made available to customers, the project said.

Contributor rewards

Vangrid contributors are currently paid bounties, Brighton said, noting that a token is planned and the reward mechanics tied to it will be announced closer to its launch later this year.

Vangrid has built its network on Base and uses Ethereum Attestation Service to verify batches of captured data, Brighton said.

"Our public explorer shows close to 100,000 verified captures, 200,000 grid events and over 1,300 batch attestations," he added.

Vangrid's web app and Android app are live, and an iOS app is planned next, Brighton noted. He said Vangrid has also signed a memorandum of understanding with strategic data partners and is in discussions with organizations building defense and robotics platforms.

Brighton declined to identify the companies involved but said the agreements cover AI infrastructure and enterprise services, with additional partnerships under discussion.

Vangrid is based in Amsterdam and has a core team of 14 people, Brighton said, noting that the team plans to hire across engineering and data operations over the coming quarters.

Brighton joined Vangrid as co-founder and CEO in May of this year after Khalid Benrafik founded the project in July 2025, Brighton said.

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