Mask Network: Suji Yan's Path to Decentralized Social Revolution
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Mask Network: Suji Yan's Path to Decentralized Social Revolution
Suji Yan founded Mask Network in 2017 with the intention of becoming a bridge between the traditional internet and the decentralized web.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsAs Bitcoin's price approaches its previous high, sentiment in the crypto market has been soaring. The annual ETHDenver conference is currently underway, and Suji Yan, founder of Mask Network, recently delivered a keynote speech titled "Decentralized Social Revolution for Public Good" at the event, sharing his vision for a decentralized social revolution and his commitment to advancing this cause through Mask Network.
Recently, two major decentralized social application giants, Farcaster and Lens, both opened public registration, reigniting community hopes for the SocialFi sector. As a veteran OG in the SocialFi space, Mask Network is less of a single product and more accurately described as having evolved into a Web3 social conglomerate—focusing on investing in and building decentralized social applications, developer tools, protocols, and creative content to help more people enter the Web3 world.
Suji Yan founded Mask Network in 2017 with the goal of becoming a bridge between the traditional internet and decentralized networks. Initially focused on encrypting posts on mainstream social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, Mask Network has since grown into a multifaceted platform encompassing the browser extension Mask.io, the mobile app Mask X - Firefly (Firefly), and its investment arm Bonfire Union.
The Mask.io plugin now functions as middleware across various social platforms such as Facebook, Bluesky, and Lens. Meanwhile, the Mask X - Firefly App (Firefly) is a web3 social aggregation application featuring a social feed that connects users across all major social networks (X, Lens, Farcaster, Mirror, etc.). Additionally, Mask Network and Firefly have jointly launched a $10 million Builder Program dedicated to accelerating the development of all decentralized social protocols through subsidies.
Recently, Mask announced its second fundraising fund, bringing its total assets under management to $100 million. The first fund successfully backed many of the most prominent projects in the Web3 social protocol space, including Lens, Galaxy, CyberConnect, TON, and other well-known SocialFi products. Beyond social applications, it has also invested in infrastructure projects such as Scroll, Orbiter Finance, Meson Network, and RSS3.
According to RootData, Bonfire Union has invested in eight projects so far in 2024, including notable names like AltLayer, 0xScope, and Orbiter Finance, spanning areas such as decentralized social and infrastructure.
In early February this year, Mask Network formed a strategic partnership with BlockBooster, an emerging Asian venture capital firm, focusing on advancing high-quality projects in social, gaming, and Web3 infrastructure. This move suggests Mask Network will leverage its strengths to build a compelling investment portfolio. With the recent resurgence of AI sweeping through the crypto world, Mask Network has also deeply engaged with the AI-powered social product Chirper, aiming to foster greater social interactions among individuals and AI agents.
Beyond investments, Mask Network has also been generous in project grants. Since 2021, Mask has launched three rounds of funding for the Web3 social ecosystem, supporting approximately 100 outstanding Web3 innovation projects. In November 2023, Sujitech, an entity under Mask Network, donated $100,000 to Mastodon, the nonprofit decentralized social media platform—the largest single donation Mastodon has ever received. In addition to the donation, the Mask Network team will collaborate with Mastodon to upgrade its system.
Earlier mentioned, at ETHDenver 2024, Suji Yan, founder of Mask Network, delivered a keynote on decentralized social revolution for the public good, once again showcasing his—and Mask Network’s—dedication to decentralized social technologies. A project that has remained active through two market cycles owes its longevity not only to deep involvement by its founder and team but also to the powerful ecosystem shaped by the product's own appeal.
In December 2023, Mask established a nonprofit entity, Mask Network Academy, providing funding and technical support to top universities and journalism initiatives worldwide, aiming to advance Web3 research and storytelling. From Suji’s speech, we catch a glimpse of how a compelling narrative can inspire imagination and motivation.
In his talk, Suji stated that Mask Network’s mission is to drive a new wave of social revolution: “We believe a true revolution is coming—whether it takes 10 or 20 years. We will systematically use our balance sheet and DAO to support this revolution. I believe one day there will be a great cyberspace alliance, and a truly independent digital realm.”
Suji was once one of the contributors to the Anti-996 License on GitHub. Surrounding Mask Network is a group of people who share a strong vision for a better society and the determination to act on it. Thus, the revolutionary path Suji speaks of already has solid talent and ideological backing. Combined with Mask Network’s robust investment portfolio, we have every reason to believe that Suji Yan and Mask Network are leading the next wave of decentralized social innovation.
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