Acurast Raises $11M for Smartphone Compute Network

Acurast’s ambitious vision centers on transforming the world’s smartphone ecosystem into a decentralized computing powerhouse. According to founder Alessandro De Carli, “billions of smartphones are the most battle-tested hardware on earth,” representing an untapped resource for secure, verifiable computation. The project’s core innovation lies in its claim of achieving tamper-resistant execution on consumer mobile devices, potentially unlocking massive computing capacity while maintaining confidentiality and security.

The $11 million funding round represents significant validation for Acurast’s approach to confidential compute. By leveraging existing smartphone hardware rather than building specialized infrastructure, the project aims to dramatically reduce computing costs while maintaining enterprise-grade security standards. This approach could potentially disrupt traditional cloud computing models by creating a distributed network of verified, secure computing resources accessible to developers and enterprises worldwide.

The funding round attracted notable investors from across the cryptocurrency and blockchain ecosystem, including Ethereum co-founder and Polkadot founder Gavin Wood, whose involvement signals strong technical credibility. Michael van de Poppe, founder of MN Capital, and GlueNet founder Ogle also participated in the round, bringing diverse expertise in crypto investments and network infrastructure.

Gavin Wood’s participation is particularly significant given his background in founding both Ethereum and Polkadot, two of the most influential blockchain platforms. His support suggests confidence in Acurast’s technical approach to decentralized computing and its potential to create new paradigms for secure computation. The diverse investor base indicates broad industry belief in smartphone-based computing as a viable alternative to traditional centralized infrastructure.

The strategic timing of the funding, coming just weeks before the planned November 17 mainnet launch, positions Acurast to rapidly scale its network and onboard developers. The simultaneous release of the native ACU token will create economic incentives for smartphone owners to participate in the network while providing the foundation for a decentralized ecosystem of computing services.

Acurast’s claim of achieving tamper-resistant execution on consumer smartphones represents a significant technical breakthrough in confidential computing. The project’s focus on secure hardware verification addresses one of the fundamental challenges in decentralized computing: ensuring that computation occurs in trusted environments without centralized oversight. By leveraging the security features already embedded in modern smartphones, Acurast aims to create a network that is both scalable and secure.

The project’s positioning at the intersection of decentralized computing and mobile technology comes as smartphone penetration continues to grow globally. With billions of devices potentially available for computation, Acurast could theoretically create the world’s largest distributed computing network. This approach contrasts with traditional confidential computing solutions that typically rely on specialized, expensive hardware in data centers.

The planned November 17 mainnet launch and ACU token release will mark a critical milestone for the project, transitioning from development to live network operation. The success of this launch will depend on Acurast’s ability to demonstrate real-world applications for its confidential compute network and attract both smartphone participants and enterprise customers seeking secure, cost-effective computing solutions.