Vangrid Raises $9M to Map the Physical World with Decentralized Intelligence

Vangrid, a Dutch startup, has raised $9 million in seed funding to build a decentralized spatial intelligence network that crowdsources 3D mapping data from ordinary smartphones. The capital will go toward expanding edge computing capabilities and developing enterprise tools for what Vangrid calls a 'perception grid' for physical AI.

The core idea is to tap into the billions of smartphones already in people's pockets, using each phone as an edge node that captures high-fidelity 3D spatial data through its cameras and sensors. The data is then processed on-device before being pushed onto a blockchain.

Vangrid has established memorandums of understanding with data partners and is actively engaging with defense and robotics platforms. Real-time transactions are already underway, which suggests the network isn't purely theoretical.