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Anand Iyer is the Founder and Managing Partner at Canonical Crypto, an early-stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco, California. Before launching his own fund, he served as a Visiting Partner at Pear VC and spent several years working as a software engineer and Developer Evangelist at Microsoft. Iyer also previously founded Trusted, a childcare marketplace startup that was successfully acquired by Care.com. In 2022, he raised a $20 million inaugural fund for Canonical Crypto, securing backing from prominent limited partners including Marc Andreessen and Chris Dixon. The firm has since expanded its assets under management, recently announcing a $50 million second fund in 2025 to target the convergence of artificial intelligence and decentralized networks. Iyer currently focuses on leveraging his technical engineering background to back founders building crypto-native developer tools and Web3 blockchain infrastructure.
Anand Iyer stands as a prominent figure in the web3 investment landscape, serving as a Managing Partner at Canonical Crypto. At Canonical Crypto, Anand is instrumental in leading early-stage investments into the most promising startups building the future of decentralized technologies. His role involves not only identifying innovative projects but also providing strategic guidance and leveraging his extensive network to help founders scale their visions.
Canonical Crypto, under Anand's leadership, focuses on a broad spectrum of web3 innovation. Key investment areas include foundational blockchain infrastructure, which underpins the entire decentralized ecosystem; decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols that are reshaping traditional financial services; non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and their applications across art, collectibles, and digital identity; and the rapidly expanding web3 gaming sector. Anand's investment thesis often centers on teams with strong technical expertise and a clear vision for how blockchain technology can solve real-world problems or create entirely new paradigms.
Anand's career background is marked by a blend of entrepreneurial success, product leadership, and venture capital acumen. Before co-founding Canonical Crypto, he was a Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, where he spearheaded investments in numerous transformative web3, fintech, and consumer companies. His tenure at Lightspeed saw him back several now-prominent projects, demonstrating his early conviction in the potential of decentralized technologies. Prior to his venture capital career, Anand held significant product leadership roles at major technology companies, including serving as VP of Product at Microsoft (Skype) and Head of Product at Cisco (Webex). He also co-founded and served as CEO of Hitlist, a travel app that was later acquired by Skyscanner, showcasing his entrepreneurial spirit and ability to build successful consumer products from the ground up.
His notable investments and involvement span across some of the most impactful projects in the crypto space. While at Lightspeed, Anand was involved with investments in companies like Mysten Labs (Sui blockchain), Aptos, Polygon, Dapper Labs (Flow, NBA Top Shot), OpenSea, Alchemy, and MoonPay, among others. These investments highlight his consistent focus on infrastructure, developer tools, and consumer-facing applications that drive mass adoption of web3. His deep understanding of product development, combined with his strategic investment approach, positions him as a valuable partner for founders navigating the complexities of the crypto industry.
Through Canonical Crypto, Anand Iyer continues to shape the future of web3 by empowering visionary entrepreneurs and fostering the growth of a more decentralized, open, and equitable digital world. His commitment to supporting early-stage innovation makes him a pivotal player in the ongoing evolution of blockchain technology.
Anand Iyer is a Managing Partner at Canonical Crypto, an early-stage venture fund focused on web3 and blockchain investments. He is also a seasoned entrepreneur and former product leader at major tech companies like Microsoft and Cisco, with a strong background in venture capital.
Anand Iyer primarily invests in early-stage web3 and blockchain companies through Canonical Crypto. His focus areas include foundational blockchain infrastructure, decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), web3 gaming, and consumer applications built on decentralized technologies.
Anand Iyer works as a Managing Partner at Canonical Crypto, a venture capital firm dedicated to investing in and supporting the next generation of web3 and blockchain startups.
