Recently, a16zs Crypto Startup Accelerator (CSX) has been frequently on the screen, and it can be seen as the lead investor or co-investor in many financing projects. On March 31, the official tweet announced that the fourth phase of CSX (CSX 04) will be officially launched in San Francisco in the spring of 2025. Even in the garbage time when market sentiment is low, which is ridiculed by netizens, CSX still incubates new projects continuously. So what is the origin of this accelerator? What surprises will it bring to the OGs in the cryptocurrency circle?
Web3 version of Star Factory
CSX is an acceleration program designed by a16z crypto for early blockchain and encryption technology startups, each lasting 8 to 10 weeks. Participants can not only receive at least $500,000 in direct investment (standard terms are 7% equity), but also quickly improve product development and market competitiveness through intensive courses, one-on-one coaching and industry resource development.
Since its inception, CSX has successfully held multiple events in San Francisco, London and New York. The London cohort in spring 2024 selected 25 startups, the New York cohort in fall included 21, and the San Francisco cohort in spring 2025 (CSX 04) has announced 9 finalists. At the end of each session, CSX will hold a Demo Day to allow entrepreneurs to showcase their results to top investors and industry leaders, accelerating the rapid entry of other funds into the project.
Through financial support, industry resources and top mentors, CSX has helped a large number of startup projects to realize their concepts and has become one of the most influential accelerators in the Web3 startup circle.
Investment highlights and representative projects
CSX 04 announced on March 31, 2025 that the fourth cohort of the Crypto Startup Accelerator program will be launched in early April. In the next two months, the founders of these companies will receive first-hand guidance and support from the investment and operations team of a16z crypto. a16z CSX will also invest at least US$500,000 in each accepted company.
CSX will help early-stage startups find technology development to accelerate products and quickly achieve accurate matching with market demand. The companies participating in CSX 04 are Cambrian Network, Ambient, Inco, KYD Labs, Launcher Capital, Mahojin, ORO AI, Toji and ZAR.
Here are some of the more outstanding project examples from the Crypto Startup Accelerator program:
AminoChain (CSX Spring 2024)
AminoChain was co-founded by biotechnology expert Elena Petrova and blockchain engineer Mark Smith, hoping to connect research institutions and biopharmaceutical companies through blockchain technology to create a transparent biological sample trading platform.
The project emerged in the London cohort in the spring of 2024, and after receiving a $500,000 investment from a16z, it attracted $3 million in follow-up financing at Demo Day. Petrova said: The mentors at CSX helped us redefine our market strategy and take us from the laboratory to the world.
Cork Protocol (CSX Fall 2024)
Cork Protocol was founded by former Goldman Sachs analyst Liam Chen with the goal of expanding on-chain credit markets through blockchain technology to help market participants price and hedge risks.
In the fall 2024 New York cohort, Cork not only received initial investment from CSX, but also announced during the acceleration period that it had partnered with Orange DAO and IDEO VC to complete a multimillion-dollar round of financing. Chen admitted: CSXs group therapy guidance allowed us to quickly find the product positioning.
Cambrian Network (CSX 04, 2025)
Cambrian Network is one of the star projects of the spring 2025 cohort. It is led by Chinese engineer Zhang Wei. The team focuses on combining AI with blockchain to provide decentralized financial intelligence solutions. It is reported that the project has been valued at US$59 million during the CSX period.
Project leader Zhang Wei said: “CSX’s resources allow us to communicate with top crypto founders and accelerate the implementation of technology.”
In addition, CSXs investment portfolio also includes PIN AI, which focuses on AI, Blocksense in the infrastructure field, and consumer applications such as Sekai (interactive narrative platform). The diversity of these projects well demonstrates CSXs support for full-stack Web3 innovation.
The CSX team is the hero behind a16z
CSX’s success is inseparable from the strong team behind the a16z crypto department, and all of this is personally managed by Jason Rosenthal.
As an operating partner of a16z, Rosenthal has extensive entrepreneurial experience and has served as CEO of several technology companies. The team he leads is not simple. Investment partner Elizabeth Harkavy, technical expert Ali Yahya, and policy advisor Tomicah Tillemann have each provided crucial support to the project in their respective fields. The tacit cooperation of the three constitutes the core pillar of CSXs success.
Harkavy once said: What makes CSX unique is that we not only provide funding, but also act like a startup doctor to help founders diagnose problems and find solutions. In addition, CSX often invites industry leaders to share their experiences, such as Coinbase founder Brian Armstrong and Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko. This also shows that CSX can actually learn from the experience of these high-quality projects and bring better resources to accelerate projects.
CSX is an accelerator and catalyst that accelerates the growth of projects by connecting founders with capital, experts and industry networks. For example, AminoChain, a 2024 London cohort, launched its product beta less than half a year after the end of CSX, while Cork Protocol completed a key testnet deployment during the acceleration period.
The future is promising, heading for new heights
For the entire crypto ecosystem, the significance of CSX lies in promoting technology popularization and diversified innovation. Chris Dixon once said: The potential of crypto is underestimated, and CSX is our tool to realize this potential. While other venture capital firms are taking a wait-and-see attitude towards the crypto field, a16zs continued investment has attracted more talents and creativity into Web3.
From San Francisco to London and then to New York, a16z CSX has become the rocket fuel for crypto entrepreneurs with its unique model and strong support system.
Whether it is the biotechnology revolution led by AminoChain or the AI computing breakthrough brought by Cambrian Network, these innovative projects have the profound influence of CSX. Under the leadership of Chris Dixon and Jason Rosenthal, CSX is injecting continuous power into the future of Web3. Let us look forward to the development of the projects they support.
