Serhiy Tokarev, a well-known IT investor, shared the news on Facebook that the British startup Arkis, founded by two Ukrainian entrepreneurs, has raised $2.25 million in Pre-Seed funding. Roosh Ventures, a Ukrainian venture fund, invested in this project. The company’s primary focus is on the DeFi (decentralized finance) market, allowing users to conduct short-term on-chain cryptocurrency transactions, including taking out loans and repaying them, without leaving the Arkis platform. In addition to Roosh Ventures, the American venture fund Gumi Cryptos Capital (gCC), the British G1 Ventures, and the French Psalion VC also invested in the startup.
In 2022, Serhii Tyshchenko and Oleksandr Proskurin created the Arkis company. Both of them have a background in academic mathematics and extensive experience in the financial sector. They noticed that after the bankruptcy of the cryptocurrency exchange service FTX and the cryptocurrency hedge fund Tree Arrows Capital, access to loans became difficult. In response, they developed a new mathematical approach to create a transparent system for providing loans, which allows the use of loan capital to trade financial assets. Thanks to this modern mechanism, Arkis users can take out loans and transact in financial assets without having to switch to other platforms.
Arkis, an innovative company in the DeFi space, aims to accelerate the development of this market. Its co-founder, Oleksandr Proskurin, compares the evolution of DeFi to the transformation of traditional finance, from an unstructured system to a complex infrastructure with brokers and hedge funds.
To ensure leverage security, Arkis partners with De-Fi hedge funds. Users enter into smart contracts that define the terms of the loan and its repayment terms. The process is controlled by an investment manager, which reduces risks and commissions.
Serhiy Tokarev, having learned about the startup in 2023, joined it as an angel investor. Having completed the development of the MVP, Arkis has attracted investment and is ready to attract customers. In December 2023, the startup announced a partnership with decentralized exchange aggregator 1inch and alternative investment manager Edge Capital.
Adam Gashchyshyn, Associate Partner at Roosh Ventures, commends Arkis for its role in developing transparent and efficient financial solutions in the DeFi space. Their technology, based on smart contracts, opens up new opportunities for corporate borrowers and lenders by ensuring the security and transparency of debt transactions based on crypto assets. By supporting Ukrainian founders, Roosh Ventures actively promotes the development of innovative projects aimed at changing the financial industry and creating a favorable environment for digital financial technologies.
The founders highlight their goal of revolutionizing cross-margin settlement using blockchain technology. This will significantly improve capital efficiency compared to traditional finance while maintaining full control over security and risk management. New blockchain-based approaches promise to eliminate many of the challenges faced by cross-margin market participants. This transition can make financial transactions more transparent, faster, and more reliable, providing a new level of confidence and stability in the investment industry.
In 2021, Denys Dmytrenko and Serhiy Tokarev joined forces to create Roosh Ventures, a venture fund that aims to invest in promising startups in the early stages of development. The fund’s main focus is on the development of innovative projects in various sectors, such as enterprise SaaS solutions, financial technologies, games, and products based on artificial intelligence.
In the short time of its existence, Serhiy Tokarev with Roosh Ventures has managed to establish itself as one of the leading venture funds. He has successfully invested in Deel, The Guarantors, Oura, Pipe, Alma, Playco, Dapper Labs, Alter, and more than 35 other innovative companies, helping them realize their potential.
