Almanax Company Profile

Background

Almanax, established in 2024 and headquartered in New York, is a pioneering startup dedicated to enhancing Web3 security through advanced artificial intelligence. The company's mission is to prevent catastrophic crypto losses by leveraging AI to identify and rectify vulnerabilities in blockchain code. Founded by industry veterans from Coinbase, AnChain.AI, and Ripple, Almanax addresses the pressing need for robust security solutions in the rapidly evolving blockchain ecosystem.

Key Strategic Focus

Almanax's strategic focus centers on developing AI-driven tools to automate the detection and remediation of vulnerabilities in smart contracts. By integrating large language models (LLMs), the company offers solutions that provide comprehensive vulnerability assessments and security patches in seconds. This approach aims to reduce the costs and time associated with traditional security audits, which can be prohibitively expensive and time-consuming. Almanax's primary markets include blockchain developers and organizations operating on platforms such as Solana, Ethereum, Base, and Stellar.

Financials and Funding

Since its inception, Almanax has successfully secured funding to support its growth and development initiatives:

Pre-Seed Funding (June 2024): Received an undisclosed amount from defy.vc, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm.

Seed Funding (January 2025): Raised $1 million from investors including Blockchain Builders Fund, Exor Ventures, Vento Ventures, Italian Angels for Growth (IAG), Eden Ventures by IAG, Moonbase, and several strategic angels. This round brought the total funds raised to $1.5 million.

The capital is intended to accelerate the development of Almanax's AI Security Engineer and expand the Web3 Security Atlas initiative.

Pipeline Development

Almanax's flagship product is the AI Security Engineer, designed to assist security and engineering teams in identifying and fixing vulnerabilities in blockchain code. The first iteration, ALMX-1, has achieved state-of-the-art results in smart contract vulnerability detection, outperforming existing commercial AI models. Notably, ALMX-1 identified a vulnerability in one of Vitalik Buterin's smart contracts, underscoring its efficacy. The company is also developing ALMX-2, a next-generation model aimed at enhancing support for multiple programming languages.

Technological Platform and Innovation

Almanax distinguishes itself through its proprietary AI models and innovative methodologies:

Proprietary Technologies: The ALMX series of AI models, including ALMX-1 and the forthcoming ALMX-2, are tailored for detecting vulnerabilities in blockchain code.

Scientific Methods: Utilizing large language models, Almanax's AI agents perform automated security scans, providing detailed vulnerability assessments and security patches rapidly.

AI-Driven Capabilities: The integration of AI enables continuous monitoring and real-time detection of vulnerabilities, addressing the limitations of traditional point-in-time audits.

Leadership Team

Almanax's leadership comprises seasoned professionals with extensive experience in Web3, AI, and cybersecurity:

Francesco Piccoli, Co-Founder & CEO: Former Head of Product at AnChain.AI, where he developed products to investigate multi-million-dollar hacks for agencies such as the US SEC, FinCEN, and IRS. He also conducted AI research with Ripple and worked on autonomous driving research with Volvo Cars.

Maxwell Watson, Co-Founder & CTO: Former Senior Software Engineer at Coinbase, leading blockchain infrastructure projects. Prior to that, he developed runtime security products at Capsule8, contributing to its acquisition by Sophos.

Leadership Changes

As of June 2025, there have been no significant changes or appointments within Almanax's leadership team.

Competitor Profile

Market Insights and Dynamics

The Web3 security market is experiencing rapid growth, driven by the increasing adoption of blockchain technologies and the corresponding need for robust security solutions. The prevalence of smart contract vulnerabilities has led to substantial financial losses, highlighting the critical importance of effective security measures.

Competitor Analysis

Almanax operates in a competitive landscape with several key players:

AnChain.AI: Provides AI-driven blockchain security and analytics solutions, focusing on detecting and mitigating risks in blockchain ecosystems.

TRM Labs: Specializes in blockchain intelligence, offering tools for detecting and investigating cryptocurrency-related fraud and financial crime.

Hypernative: Focuses on real-time monitoring and detection of threats in the Web3 space, providing proactive security measures.

Almanax differentiates itself by integrating advanced AI models specifically designed for automated smart contract audits, offering rapid and comprehensive vulnerability assessments.

Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships

Almanax has established significant collaborations to enhance its market position and innovation capacity:

Web3 Security Atlas: Launched in partnership with AnChain.AI, TRM Labs, Hypernative, and supported by the Stellar Development Foundation, this open-source initiative aims to track vulnerabilities, exploits, and security best practices across the Web3 ecosystem.

NVIDIA Inception Program: Almanax's selection for this program provides access to advanced technology resources and expertise, accelerating the development of its AI-driven security solutions.

Operational Insights

Almanax's strategic considerations include:

Market Position: By offering AI-driven automated security solutions, Almanax addresses the limitations of traditional security audits, positioning itself as a leader in Web3 security.

Competitive Advantages: The company's proprietary AI models, rapid vulnerability detection capabilities, and strategic partnerships provide distinct competitive advantages in the blockchain security market.

Strategic Opportunities and Future Directions

Almanax's strategic roadmap includes:

Product Development: Advancing the development of ALMX-2 to support multiple programming languages and enhance vulnerability detection capabilities.

Market Expansion: Extending its solutions to a broader range of blockchain platforms and applications, addressing the diverse needs of the Web3 ecosystem.

Collaborative Initiatives: Continuing to build and expand collaborative efforts like the Web3 Security Atlas to foster a proactive security culture within the blockchain community.