Andreessen Horowitz Invests in AminoChain

Major venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz has invested in its first "DeSci" (decentralized science) project — AminoChain, led by a $5 million seed round announced on Wednesday by A16z General Partner Arriana Simpson on X.

AminoChain aims to incorporate ownership, transparency, and consent in medical data collection using blockchain. The project is developing a "decentralized biobank" and Layer 2 network to connect medical institutions while ensuring patient privacy.

Amino Node Software

According to AminoChain’s website, medical institutions can use the "Amino Node" software to integrate with existing tech stacks. This software keeps data self-custodial on the institutions' servers while standardizing and harmonizing data for interoperability among collaborators.

This software facilitates sourcing data from various providers, fostering credible neutrality in the network, allowing developers to create patient-centric applications from diverse medical data.

DeSci Overview

Decentralized science (DeSci) harnesses blockchain to enhance openness, incentivization, and community-driven efforts in scientific research and collaboration.

First Application: Specimen Center

The first application on AminoChain will be the Specimen Center, a peer-to-peer marketplace for bio-samples, which offers researchers access to human tissue samples for scientific studies. This platform allows biobanks to manage permissions, streamline licensing agreements, and maintain sample provenance within an interoperable network.

AminoChain has now raised a total of $7 million, having previously secured $2 million in pre-seed financing.