Staging Labs is a technology company.
Staging Labs has raised $1.0M across 1 funding round.
Staging Labs has raised $1.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Staging Labs has raised $1.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Staging Labs's investors include Alumni Ventures, Cherubic Ventures, Defy Partners, Greylock, NGC Ventures, The General Partnership, XYZ Venture Capital, Dylan Field, Mike Vernal.
Staging Labs was a Web3 cybersecurity startup that built Saferoot, a software product providing real-time security for cryptocurrencies and NFTs by automatically scanning transactions 24/7 and transferring digital assets from vulnerable wallets to a secure backup safe in cases of hacks, scams, or errors.[1][2][3][4] It served crypto users, exchanges, and protocols facing rising threats in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space, solving the critical problem of malicious transaction interception before funds are lost—positioned as the "ultimate line of defense for crypto."[1][3] Founded in 2022 and headquartered in Miami with a Toronto office, the company raised $1.1M in pre-seed funding from investors like Flourish Ventures, Mistral Venture Partners, NGC Ventures, and Merkle Science, before being acquired by Merkle Science in June 2024 to enhance real-time mitigation and EVM/Tron attribution capabilities.[1][3][4][5]
This exit marked strong early momentum for the CDL graduate, integrating its tech into Merkle Science's broader risk intelligence platform to expand North American presence and product offerings amid growing crypto compliance demands.[1][3][5]
Staging Labs emerged in 2022 from the personal crypto scam experience of co-founder François "Frankie" Le Nguyen, a serial entrepreneur who lost $10,000, inspiring a mission to prevent such incidents through proactive security.[1][2][3] Alongside Jake Harwood (Co-Founder & CTO), the Canadian duo launched the company in Miami—while maintaining a Toronto office—as a graduate of the University of Toronto's Creative Destruction Lab (CDL).[1][3]
The idea crystallized around real-time transaction monitoring, leading to Saferoot's development: it intercepts suspicious sends post-"send" click but pre-execution, auto-routing assets to safety.[1][4] Early traction came via pre-seed funding in October 2022 (including from Merkle Science) and March 2023 ($1.1M round), backed by angels from ConsenSys, Coinbase, and Quicknode, setting the stage for its quick acquisition.[1][3][4]
Staging Labs rode the post-FTX surge in crypto security demands, where hacks and scams drained billions annually, aligning with regulatory pushes for compliance (e.g., AML for exchanges and protocols).[1][5] Its timing was ideal amid 2022-2024 DeFi maturation, where real-time tools addressed gaps in reactive forensics, favoring market forces like institutional crypto adoption and law enforcement needs for on-chain intelligence.[3][5]
By joining Merkle Science, it influences the ecosystem through enhanced North American expansion and hybrid solutions (predictive + immediate threat response), fostering trust to accelerate safe crypto growth—evident in collaborations for exchanges, governments, and protocols.[1][5]
Post-acquisition, Staging Labs' team is embedding Saferoot's tech into Merkle Science, likely driving new cross-chain security suites with improved EVM/Tron tracking and real-time defenses.[5] Trends like AI-enhanced fraud detection, tokenized real-world assets, and stricter global regs (e.g., MiCA, U.S. clarity) will shape this trajectory, positioning the combined entity as a compliance leader amid maturing Web3.
Expect evolved influence via broader client protection—potentially powering more "safe" wallets and protocols—ultimately making crypto "safe and easy for everyone," as envisioned.[1][5] This swift path from scam-inspired startup to strategic exit underscores resilient innovation in high-stakes crypto security.
Staging Labs has raised $1.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $1.0M Seed in March 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2023 | $1.0M Seed | Alumni Ventures, Cherubic Ventures, Defy Partners, Greylock, NGC Ventures, The General Partnership, XYZ Venture Capital, Dylan Field, Mike Vernal |