Former Aptos Labs head Mo Shaikh has announced the creation of the Maximum Frequency Ventures (MFV) fund with a volume of $50 million. The new project will focus on investments in crypto infrastructure, consumer Web3 solutions, and AI networks, especially in the Asian region.
New fund from the creators of Aptos
Several key Aptos top managers joined MFV alongside Shaikh. Among them are the company’s first employee and former ecosystem lead Neil Harounian, former head of institutional business in the Asia-Pacific region Alexander Tang, and former Aptos ecosystem lead in APAC Jerome Ong.
According to fund representatives, MFV’s first pool mirrors the structure of the first Founders Fund from 2005, which was also $50 million and once supported Facebook, SpaceX, and Palantir. MFV is confident they can play a similar role for the next generation of companies defining the Web3 and AI industries.
Concept: from venture capital to co-founding
‘MFV is the fund we lacked when we were building Aptos,’ the founders note.
According to them, the fund’s approach combines the discipline of classic venture capital, the agility of an accelerator, and the involvement of a startup studio.
MFV plans to support projects from the very start to scaling, participating in product development and market launch. As part of this model, the fund will offer startups a ‘founders residency program’ and 12-week sprints to accelerate development and attract users.
‘Working with MFV is less like interacting with an investor and more like partnering with a co-founder,’ Shaikh emphasized.
Focus on Asia and institutional capital
Half of the fund’s investors (LPs) are Asian family offices and institutional structures from the USA, East and Southeast Asia. More than 50% of MFV’s current portfolio also has roots in the region.
‘Our goal is to prove that operator-led capital is more effective than passive investments in the crypto industry,’ Mo Shaikh wrote in an official statement.
‘In five years, success will be measured by whether founders can say: MFV helped us build a company that endured.’
According to Fortune, the fund has already invested $5 million in six startups working in Web3 infrastructure and AI.
Context: Aptos and Shaikh’s path
Mo Shaikh left his position as CEO of Aptos Labs in December 2024. His new project symbolizes a shift from building a blockchain to supporting the next wave of crypto companies.
Shaikh was one of the founders of Aptos—a layer-1 blockchain that grew out of the Diem team, which was associated with Meta. Despite notable success, in 2022 he found himself at the center of a legal dispute involving early project investors. The conflict was later fully resolved.
What’s next?
MFV intends to become a strategic player in the market, combining capital, technological expertise, and operational support. The fund is betting on Web3 infrastructure, consumer products, and AI networks, where the synergy of technologies promises new forms of user interaction.
If Shaikh’s strategy succeeds, Maximum Frequency Ventures could become for Web3 what Founders Fund became for Web2—a catalyst for companies defining the digital future.
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