Originally a41 Ventures, a41 is a blockchain infrastructure company based in South Korea founded in July 2021.  ^[1]

History

Initially, a41 Ventures engaged in investments in blockchain-related projects. Their focus was Proof of Stake protocols, Play-to-Earn, and DeFi. ^[1]

In September 2022, they rebranded to a41 as a blockchain infrastructure company. With the participation of investors including SK Inc, DSC Investment, Schmidt, KB Investment, and Springcamp, they started operating as a blockchain validator. ^[2]

Supernova

Supernova was a product of a41 that was Cosmos-based liquidity staking service with the vision of being the “Ultimate Platform for Staked Assets”. The project introduced auto compounding and liquid staking through a self-made module, provided stake-swap between shadow tokens, and enabled shadow token holders to use them as collateral for minting 'over-collateralized' stablecoins to add a practical dimension to the tokens' functionality. ^[1][3]

Their testnet Champagne was launched in November 2022. ^[4]

In February 2023, Supernova formally announced its decision to cease operations and wind down the protocol. The team revealed that the decision was primarily influenced by the growing uncertainty of the relevant regulation and the increasing competition from similar products. They made their protocol code open source, which includes codes of functions like “lazy-minting” and “auto-staking”. ^[5]

Overview

a41 focuses on node operation, governance, and research of blockchain protocols.

In June 2023, Sandbank, a Korean fintech company, revealed its release plans for a Polygon on-chain investment product that would be delegated to the Polygon network through a41. After the launch of this product, Sandbank planned to continue its collaboration with a41, with the aim of introducing a range of mainnet-based products on the Web3 platform. ^[6][7]

Multichain Staking Platform

The A41 Multichain Staking Platform (MSP) is a tool that enables users to stake their tokens on different blockchain networks. MSP is designed to streamline the staking process by addressing common challenges. It focuses on providing solutions for platform inconsistencies in supporting staking across different blockchains, simplifying staking procedures for various tokens, and automating the calculation of staking rewards.

Features include multichain staking, where users can stake Ethereum tokens and Cosmos ecosystem tokens, and an APY calculator, where users can determine the probable rewards and their corresponding value by taking into account factors such as the staking amount, current token price, target token price, APR, staking period, and compounding period. ^[8][9]

Products

Staking Dashboard for Institutions

The Staking Dashboard is a tool designed for institutional clients who have staked with a41, allowing them to manage their delegated assets. ^[10]

White-Label Validator

a41 offers a validator outsourcing service. ^[10]

Multichain Validator

a41 is a validator of chains including Aptos, Neutron, Cosmos Hub, Polygon, Sui, Archway, Evmos, Juno, Kyve, Medibloc, Noble, Osmosis, Stargaze, Stride, and Tenet. ^[10]

Portfolio

Their portfolio includes: ^[11]

• Alex
• Apricot Finance
• Port Finance
• Manta Network
• Super Oracle
• Space
• Orion Money
• Kokoa Finance
• Cypher
• Kollect
• Valkyrie
• Minti
• Only1
• Block Survey
• Portal Finance
• Bridge Split
• Stack Swap
• Eggs Chain
• Shade
• Arkadiko
• Stargaze
• Solice
• Petaverse Network
• Hubble Protocol
• Meanfi
• Deltaone
• Frag Color
• Derby Stars
• Klaybank
• Claim Swap
• Amulet