# Arthur Hayes Leads $6.9M Raise for BIO Protocol

*Author: Bankless*
*Published: Sep 17, 2025*
*Source: https://www.bankless.com/read/arthur-hayes-leads-6-9m-raise-for-bio-protocol*

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Arthur Hayes, current CIO of the Maelstrom Fund, is doubling down on decentralized science, with his firm leading a nearly $7 million seed investment into Bio Protocol.

## What’s the Scoop?
- **$6.9M for DeSci’s New Star:** Bio Protocol’s seed raise was anchored by Maelstrom, with Mechanism Capital, Animoca Brands, and Atria Ventures joining in. 
- **Hayes Sees a New Launchpad:** Calling Bio “a category-defining launchpad,” Hayes said it aims to fund research based on community appeal rather than academic gatekeeping. If successful, it could birth a new AI-native research market.
- **AI-Powered Science Agents:** Bio Protocol’s platform allows users to deploy BioAgents – autonomous AI “co-scientists” that generate hypotheses, manage wallets, and commercialize discoveries.
[Decoding BIO Protocol & DeSci’s Big Dreams on BanklessHow Decentralized Science teams are gearing up to tackle moonshot challenges through onchain coordination.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/b7/e4b77544-5a37-4f0b-8824-8440aa348476/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-539.png)BanklessDavid Christopher Jan 8, 2025 • 6 min read![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/b7/e4b77544-5a37-4f0b-8824-8440aa348476/content/images/thumbnail/lu.ma._a_mechanical_plant_leaf_circuitry_green_87f9c89d-8690-4756-948f-5015f8c7cdca-1.webp)](https://www.bankless.com/read/decoding-bio-protocol-descis-big-dreams)