Union Labs Becomes Part of the Eterna Capital Portfolio

We are excited to officially announce our recent investment into Union Labs.

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT here.

Interoperability is one of Web3’s hardest challenges, with fragmented ecosystems of appchains, Layer 1s (L1s), and Layer 2s (L2s) limiting seamless asset and data flow. This fragmentation hampers liquidity, creates inefficiencies, and undermines user experience, while traditional bridges often introduce vulnerabilities through centralized components. Union is uniquely positioned to solve this with its modular, zero-knowledge-powered architecture, delivering a trustless, scalable solution that connects thousands of chains securely and efficiently. By addressing fragmentation head-on, Union is paving the way for a truly interconnected and decentralized blockchain future.

We’re excited to announce our participation in Union’s $12M Series A round co-led by Gumi Cryptos Capital and Longhash Ventures. This funding will help the company expand its team, integrate with more partners and grow its ecosystem to bring the first modular interoperability layer designed to transform asset transfers and data sharing across the blockchain ecosystem.

Union’s approach sets a new standard in the interoperability space. By leveraging zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs), Union eliminates the inefficiencies and vulnerabilities of traditional bridges, such as reliance on centralized Multi-Sigs or MPCs. Key highlights of their solution include:

• Scalability and Efficiency: Union’s modular design supports thousands of chains while maintaining robust security and operational efficiency.
• Unprecedented Speed: Transactions are verified in just 7 seconds on consumer-grade hardware.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Minimal gas fees ensure accessibility for users across diverse blockchain ecosystems.
• Security and Trustlessness: The ZK-powered architecture significantly reduces attack surfaces, protecting digital assets and ensuring decentralization.

Karel Kubat, Founder of Union: “This raise reflects our team’s dedication to reducing fragmentation by bringing secure, sovereign, and seamless interoperability to Web3.”

Union’s success is driven by a team of extraordinary talent. Karel, Cor and Emir represent everything you would like to see from the founding team-hard working, innovative, complimentary and inspirational founders blending deep expertise in zero-knowledge cryptography, blockchain integration, and strategic operations. With leading cryptographers shaping the technical foundation, seasoned engineers ensuring seamless multi-chain integrations, and experienced leaders driving strategic partnerships, compliance, and financial planning, Union’s team is uniquely equipped to tackle the complexities of blockchain interoperability.

Union has already demonstrated significant momentum, with over 200,000 unique testnet wallets and one of the largest trusted setup ceremonies in the zero-knowledge space, involving more than 1,000 participants. Its engaged community continues to grow rapidly, showcasing strong adoption and enthusiasm ahead of its mainnet launch. Union will unlock liquidity between Cosmos, Ethereum, and ecosystems like Polygon, Berachain, Arbitrum, Solana, Sui, Aptos and Movement Labs.

The Web3 ecosystem is gravitating towards fragmented standards rather than converging on the best possible solutions. This fragmentation significantly impedes the potential for interoperability across different blockchain platforms and limits blockchain adoption all together. With its visionary founders, groundbreaking approach, and strong early traction, Union’s vision of a hack-free, trustless interoperability future aligns with the modular blockchain landscape of tomorrow, positioning them as a key enabler of scalable, secure cross-chain activity. We believe that by building a hyper-efficient zero-knowledge infrastructure layer for general message passing and asset transfers, Union is not only addressing a critical fragmentation bottleneck but also laying the foundation for a more interoperable, decentralized, and trustless internet.

We’re proud to support Union in this journey and look forward to witnessing its transformative impact to future-proof blockchain bridging and unlock interoperability across networks.

About Union Labs

Union Labs is the first modular interoperability layer pioneering trustless bridging between appchains, L1s, and L2s. Built to future-proof blockchain bridging with its unique consensus framework and flagship product, ETH to IBC.

Follow Union Labs for updates on the mainnet launch and future milestones via their blog or on X.

About Eterna Capital

Eterna Capital is a venture capital firm dedicated to advancing blockchain technology. We invest in visionary entrepreneurs pioneering breakthroughs with blockchain, aiming to drive growth and innovation across the industry. By empowering these innovators, Eterna Capital plays a crucial role in shaping the future of blockchain while providing our investors strategic access to this transformative market.

For more information, visit www.eternacapital.com or follow us on LinkedIn and X.

Disclaimer: This post is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell any investment and should not be used in the evaluation of the merits of making any investment decision. It should not be relied upon for accounting, legal or tax advice, or investment recommendations. This post reflects the current opinions of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Eterna Capital, its affiliates, or individuals associated with Eterna Capital. The opinions reflected herein are subject to change without being updated.