From Codebase to Capital: Suzaku Raises $1.5M to Scale Avalanche Layer 1 Decentralization
From Codebase to Capital: Suzaku Raises $1.5M to Scale Avalanche Layer 1 Decentralization
Aug 28, 2025 / By Codebase / 5 Minute Read
As an alumni of Codebase Season 1, Suzaku exemplifies the caliber of innovation emerging from the accelerator program and demonstrates the strong investor confidence in Avalanche's infrastructure future.
Today marks a milestone in the Avalanche ecosystem as Suzaku, the pioneering Decentralization Hub for Layer 1 (L1) blockchains, announces the completion of a $1.5M total raise across seed funding, public sales, and grants. As an alumni of Codebase Season 1, Suzaku exemplifies the caliber of innovation emerging from the accelerator program and demonstrates the strong investor confidence in Avalanche's infrastructure future.
Building the Future of L1 Security
Suzaku is a (re)staking protocol dedicated to helping Avalanche L1s scale and decentralize their validator set securely. The protocol addresses a critical infrastructure gap in the Avalanche ecosystem by providing L1s with a structured pathway from centralized validation to fully permissionless decentralization.
The team has developed an elegant solution to one of blockchain's most pressing challenges: how emerging L1s can transition from permissioned validator sets to truly decentralized networks without compromising security. Suzaku provides builders with a unified framework that encapsulates reference network architectures, an L1 development stack, and battle-tested security modules to choose from.
The Codebase Journey
Suzaku's path to funding was bolstered by its participation in Codebase Season 1, where co-founders Léo Paul and Gauthier Leonard refined their vision through an intensive 10-week program. Each selected team received a $50,000 stipend—no equity, no strings, allowing founders to focus entirely on building without dilution concerns.
Throughout the program, Suzaku benefited from Codebase's unique approach:
Technical Strategy: Engineering mentors from Ava Labs helped refine Suzaku's security architecture and integration within the Avalanche stack
Product Strategy: Hands-on pitch sessions and expert feedback, the team crafted a compelling narrative around progressive decentralization
Ecosystem Connections: Codebase's network facilitated and strengthened key partnerships within the ecosystem
Strategic Positioning for Avalanche9000
Suzaku's funding comes at a pivotal moment for the Avalanche ecosystem. Thanks to ACP-77, it is now possible to run a validator for any Avalanche L1 without validating the Avalanche Primary Network, and therefore without having to stake 2,000 AVAX.
This fundamental change unlocks massive opportunities for L1 builders, and Suzaku is perfectly positioned to capture this wave. The protocol has played a crucial role during Avalanche9000's incentivized testnet, helping new L1s implement robust security models from day one. The Suzaku team also co-authored ACP-99 with Ava Labs, a shared standard for validator set management on Avalanche.
A Marketplace for Decentralization
What sets Suzaku apart is its marketplace approach to validator infrastructure. The protocol connects three critical stakeholder groups:
Stakers who provide cryptoeconomic security through native token staking and blue-chip asset restaking
Operators who run professional validator infrastructure with high Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
L1 Networks who can access distributed validation while maintaining security guarantees
Strong Investor Backing and Strategic Partners
The $1.5M raise was supported by an impressive roster of long-term ecosystem players, demonstrating deep confidence in Suzaku's vision. Key investors include:
Blizzard Fund (Avalanche Ecosystem Fund)
Yield Yak
Tegridy Capital
50 Partners
The round also featured strategic angel investors, including founders from BENQI, Yield Yak, SwissBorg, Chorus One, and StableJack, alongside other prominent ecosystem builders.
Suzaku's public sales were hosted on leading Web3 launchpads, including SwissBorg, Seedify Fund, and Colony, while the Avalanche Foundation provided additional grant support through programs InfraBUILD() and Retro9000.
Since launching their restaking dApp in October 2024, Suzaku has demonstrated strong product-market fit with support for AVAX LSTs, BTC.b, and AUSD as collateral, and a TVL ATH of $9M. The team has secured partnerships across the Avalanche ecosystem, including integrations with Dexalot and PLYR as one of their first L1 customers.
Building Momentum for the Avalanche Ecosystem
Suzaku's successful $1.5M raise validates the thesis that the Avalanche’s platform architecture deeply supports sovereign network development. The team has positioned itself to deliver on its mission of helping L1s decentralize securely and build robust staking infrastructure for the Avalanche ecosystem.
For L1 builders, Suzaku offers a clear path to decentralization without the traditional security-scalability tradeoffs. For the broader ecosystem, it represents critical infrastructure that will enable the next wave of Avalanche L1 adoption, particularly as Avalanche9000 removes traditional barriers to L1 validation.
Codebase: A Catalyst for Success
The funding success validates the effectiveness of the Codebase accelerator program. Suzaku has consistently recognized the value of Avalanche Foundation support through programs like Codebase, InfraBUILD(), and Retro9000 in their journey to this milestone, as discussed on the Avalanche Builders Spotlight podcast in August 2025.
Suzaku's journey illustrates what makes Codebase unique in the Web3 accelerator landscape. Built by one of the most knowledgeable teams in the Avalanche ecosystem, Suzaku benefited from Codebase's comprehensive support system throughout its 10-week intensive program through:
Zero dilution funding that preserves founder equity
Execution-first mentorship from builders who've scaled protocols
Deep Web3 expertise on token economics, validator strategy, and protocol design
Tight-knit cohorts that foster lasting peer relationships
Looking Ahead: Codebase Season 4
On the heels of Suzaku's success, the future looks bright. Codebase Season 4 is on the horizon and we are always seeking the next generation of founders who will define the Web3 landscape.
For founders building infrastructure, applications, or entirely new primitives for the decentralized web, Codebase offers the resources, mentorship, and community to accelerate the journey from concept to capital.
Codebase is the official Avalanche accelerator, providing $50K non-dilutive funding and 10 weeks of intensive support to Web3 startups. Applications for Season 4 open soon. Learn more at .
Suzaku is building the decentralization infrastructure for Avalanche L1s. Learn more at or read documentation at .
