Polyhedra Network is a company that is building foundational infrastructure for trust and scalability in AI and blockchain systems to enable secure, verifiable, high-performance applications. Headed by a world-class team of engineers, researchers and business leaders from institutions such as UC Berkeley, Stanford, and Tsinghua University, Polyhedra’s deep expertise in zero-knowledge proofs and distributed systems underpins the development of technical solutions. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Polyhedra Network CTO and co-founder Tiancheng Xie to learn more about the company.
Tiancheng Xie’s Background
Could you tell me more about your background? Xie said:
“I’m Tiancheng Xie, the CTO and co-founder of Polyhedra Network. I graduated from UC Berkeley with a Ph.D. in Computer Science, where my research focused on cryptography, particularly zero-knowledge proofs.”
Formation Of The Company
How did the idea for the company come together? Xie shared:
“The foundation of Polyhedra Network is rooted in a paper we wrote on zkBridge back in 2022. This work laid the groundwork for our company and its subsequent innovations. As the CTO, my primary responsibilities include overseeing the development and implementation of our core technologies and ensuring that we remain at the forefront of zero-knowledge proof advancements.”
Favorite Memory
What has been Xie’s favorite memory working for the company so far? Xie reflected:
“One of my favorite memories was the day we successfully launched the zkBridge testnet in April 2023. It was a significant milestone that showcased our hard work and the potential of our technology to revolutionize the industry.”
“The product launch for zkBridge was particularly meaningful for me since it was based on a research paper I was co-author of while in the PhD program at UC Berkeley.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Xie explained:
“Polyhedra Network’s core products include efficient zero-knowledge proof protocols and their implementations, specifically deVirgo and Expander. Our application layer features zkBridge, which invents and implements zkLightclient for various blockchain networks. To support our applications, we also provide a compiler for zk applications, crucial for our protocol’s efficiency.”
Challenges Faced
Have there been any industry challenges in your line of work recently? Xie acknowledged:
“While the industry more broadly has been facing questions around scalability and efficiency, our products and technology actually work to solve these issues, thereby helping ourselves and our partners stay ahead of such challenges.”
Evolution Of Polyhedra Network’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since launching? Xie noted:
“Since our inception, our technology has seen significant advancements. We completed the zkBridge paper in May 2022, launched the zkBridge testnet in April 2023, finished developing deVirgo in December 2022, and open-sourced Expander in May 2024. These milestones mark our continuous growth and dedication to pushing the boundaries of zero-knowledge proofs.”
“More recently we are making a big push into making zero-knowledge proofs more accessible. Our recent product Proof Cloud makes it extremely easy for anyone to quickly spin up the infrastructure necessary to generate proofs.”
“Another recent product, Proof Arena, aims to make comparing provers fair and transparent by providing an open platform where benchmarks are run under identical conditions and results are easily replicated.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Xie cited:
— Completion of the zkBridge paper in May 2022.
— Launch of the zkBridge testnet in April 2023.
— Completion of deVirgo in December 2022.
— Closed strategic fundraising round at $1B valuation, March 2024.
— Announced partnership with Google to work on Proof Cloud in April 2024.
— Open-sourcing of Expander in May 2024.
— Launched Proof Cloud open beta, July 2024.
— Announced integration with BitGo to protect cross-chain transfers, September 2024.
— Launched production-ready zkML with Berkeley RDI in November 2024.
— Launched Expchain layer 1 testnet in December 2024.
Customer Success Stories
When asking Xie about customer success stories, he highlighted:
“We have had numerous success stories where our technologies have significantly improved the efficiency and scalability of our clients’ blockchain operations. One notable case involved a major blockchain project that integrated zkBridge, resulting in faster transaction confirmations and reduced operational costs.”
“Our partnership with Google to work on our second product Proof Cloud was also a significant milestone. Since we’ve announced the partnership it has been great to work with them on developing the platform and to see their investment in making zero-knowledge proofs more accessible.”
Funding/Revenue
When asking Xie about the company’s funding and revenue details, he revealed:
“While I cannot disclose specific funding and revenue metrics, I can share that our innovative technologies and strong market position have attracted significant interest and support from the investment community. Our last fundraiser was a $20 million round valued at $1 billion.”
“Our first product zkBridge has facilitated over 20 million cross-chain messages.”
Total Addressable Market
What total addressable market (TAM) size is the company pursuing? Xie assessed:
“We are targeting the multi-billion dollar market of zero-knowledge proofs. Our aim is to become the foundation layer of blockchain technology and expand the usage of zk proofs to sectors such as banking and other privacy-sensitive areas.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Xie affirmed:
“Polyhedra Network stands out due to our superior proof system, which is orders of magnitude faster than our competitors. Our advanced technology, coupled with our efficient implementations and comprehensive application support, sets us apart in the industry.”
“Polyhedra was born out of a research institution and continues to invest heavily in R&D. This has allowed us to continually push the envelope in terms of zero-knowledge performance along with what applications are feasible with zero-knowledge proofs.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future goals? Xie pointed out:
“Our future goals include solidifying our position as the foundation layer of blockchain technology and extending the application of zero-knowledge proofs to various industries, particularly in banking and other areas where privacy is paramount.”
“During our discussions with financial institutions, it has been apparent that many are eager to utilize blockchain technology. A primary deterrent seems to be the public nature of blockchains. Zero-knowledge proofs allow for data privacy where it is needed but also allow for the creation of functionality needed in order to be fully compliant. The flexibility of zero-knowledge proofs makes them an excellent tool for web2 companies interested in utilizing blockchain.”
Additional Thoughts
Any other topics you would like to discuss? Xie concluded:
“The collaboration of other researchers, developers, and institutions could greatly advance the field of zero-knowledge proofs. Our aim is to foster a collaborative environment that drives innovation and accelerates the adoption of zk technology across different sectors.”
