RISC Zero.
RISC Zero builds open-source zero-knowledge proof infrastructure (zkVM) and the Bonsai/Proving platforms, enabling developers and enterprises to generate cryptographic proofs of correct computation across blockchains and cloud environments.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What RISC Zero. does
RISC Zero, Inc. is a Delaware-incorporated, Seattle-based private company (founded 2022, 11–50 employees) that builds zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) infrastructure for blockchains and verifiable computation. Its foundational product is the open-source RISC Zero zkVM, a RISC-V-based virtual machine that executes programs written in standard languages and generates cryptographic proofs of correct execution, removing the need for developers to learn specialized ZK DSLs. Layered on top of the zkVM is the Bonsai Computing Platform and the commercial Proving Platform, a managed proof-generation service available via Free Access Subscriptions (freemium) and paid Order Forms with usage-based and recurring-subscription billing in USD.
The company monetizes through a developer-led, product-led growth motion: self-serve sign-up, a freemium tier for evaluation, and enterprise Order Forms that include invoicing and credit-card auto-recharge. Its primary customer segment is Web3 developers building scalable, trustless applications across cloud and decentralized environments, with a secondary enterprise use case around compliance verification and trust gaps in software supply chains. Notable commercial integrations include Eclipse, an Ethereum L2 that uses RISC Zero for validity proofs in a modular stack with Celestia data availability.
RISC Zero has raised approximately $54 million across three disclosed rounds — a $2M pre-seed (2022), a $12M seed led by Bain Capital Crypto (August 2022), and a $40M Series A led by Blockchain Capital with participation from Bain Capital Crypto, Galaxy Digital, and Fenbushi Capital (July 2023). Leadership is Jeremy Bruestle (CEO) and Frank Laub (Co-founder and CTO). Distribution is anchored in an open-source community (GitHub, Discord, X, YouTube) and self-serve onboarding, with direct enterprise sales for larger agreements.
RISC Zero. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- RISC Zero.
- Legal name
- RISC Zero, Inc.
- Website
- https://risczero.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- RISC Zero builds open-source zero-knowledge proof infrastructure (zkVM) and the Bonsai/Proving platforms, enabling developers and enterprises to generate cryptographic proofs of correct computation across blockchains and cloud environments.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
RISC Zero. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Zero-Knowledge Proof Infrastructure
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Decentralized Data Availability & Storage Verification (DA layers, proofs of storage/replication, audit networks) (FSAPALAH)
Keywords
Where RISC Zero. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
RISC Zero. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Proving Platform Subscription: RISC Zero offers its Proving Platform as a subscription service with Order Forms. Fees are quoted in USD with payment obligations that are non-cancelable and non-pro-ratable. The platform includes both free trial access and paid subscription tiers.
- Usage-based Proving Services: The platform offers consumption-based access where users pay for actual usage of the proving services. Credit card payments with auto-recharge or balance management are supported, along with invoicing options for approved enterprise customers.
- Free Access Subscriptions: Free or trial access to the Proving Platform is provided to allow developers to evaluate the technology before committing to paid plans.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free Access Subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | Paid Subscription |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
RISC Zero. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RISC Zero develops zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) technology, anchored by its open-source zkVM (zero-knowledge virtual machine) that executes programs and produces cryptographic proofs of correct execution. Built atop the zkVM, the company offers the Proving Platform — a managed proof-generation service available via free and paid subscriptions — and the Bonsai Computing Platform, a developer-facing environment for rapid deployment of ZK-powered applications across cloud and decentralized environments.
Product overview
RISC Zero provides a multi-layer product architecture centered on zero-knowledge proof technology. The foundational layer is the RISC Zero zkVM (Zero-Knowledge Virtual Machine), an open-source virtual machine that executes programs and generates cryptographic proofs of correct execution. Built on the zkVM, the Proving Platform is RISC Zero's commercial managed service that handles proof generation and verification, available via free and paid subscription tiers. The Bonsai Computing Platform serves as the user-facing developer platform atop the Proving Platform, enabling rapid ZK-powered application development across cloud and decentralized environments with ZK-proving functionality across multiple programming languages and blockchains.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- RISC Zero zkVM (Zero-Knowledge Virtual Machine)
Quantifiable outcome
- Verification of computation results in a fraction of the time required to compute them
Companies that use RISC Zero.
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
RISC Zero. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
RISC Zero. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- EclipsecoreEthereum Layer 2 network that leverages Solana's Virtual Machine for high scalability while maintaining Ethereum ecosystem compatibility. Uses RISC Zero for validity proofs as part of its modular architecture combining Ethereum settlement, Celestia data availability, and RISC Zero proving technology.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
RISC Zero. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Ingonyama: Develops ZK acceleration hardware (e.g., ICICLE) and prover infrastructure; an adjacent ZK-proving ecosystem participant that competes for prover compute workloads underlying services like RISC Zero's Bonsai.
- Succinct Labs: Builds ZK proving infrastructure (including SP1 zkVM and a prover network) targeting the same developer and rollup market as RISC Zero's zkVM and Bonsai stack.
- Modulus Labs: Applies ZK proofs to AI/ML inference verification; shares the verifiable-computation thesis with RISC Zero and may compete for enterprise ZK workloads.
Direct peers
- Aleo: ZK-application platform with a developer-friendly programming model and its own proving system; positioned similarly to RISC Zero around ZK-enabled, privacy-preserving computation.
- zkSync (Matter Labs): Developer of zkSync, a ZK-rollup L2 with its own zk proving stack; competes head-on with RISC Zero for ZK-rollup and prover-service workloads.
- Scroll: ZK-rollup L2 building its own proving infrastructure; comparable to RISC Zero as a ZK-proving-based scaling platform targeting EVM-equivalent execution.
- Aztec Network: Privacy-focused ZK rollup using Noir (a ZK DSL) and its own proving infrastructure; competes for the same ZK-proving and L2 privacy workloads as RISC Zero.
- Starkware: Builds STARK-based validity proof systems (StarkEx, StarkNet) for blockchain scaling; directly competes with RISC Zero in the ZK proving infrastructure layer serving L2s and app-chains.
- Polygon zkEVM / Polygon Miden: Polygon zkEVM (validity proofs for EVM-equivalent execution) and Polygon Miden (zkVM-based STARK rollup) overlap directly with RISC Zero's zkVM and proving-service positioning.
Others
- RISC Zero strategic L2 partner: Eclipse: Eclipse is a customer/integrator of RISC Zero (uses its zkVM for validity proofs) rather than a direct competitor; included as a peer to anchor the ecosystem context around RISC Zero's proving service.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
RISC Zero. social profiles
Digital presenceRISC Zero. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
RISC Zero. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
RISC Zero. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors19 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
RISC Zero. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about RISC Zero.
What does RISC Zero. do?
RISC Zero develops zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) technology, anchored by its open-source zkVM (zero-knowledge virtual machine) that executes programs and produces cryptographic proofs of correct execution. Built atop the zkVM, the company offers the Proving Platform — a managed proof-generation service available via free and paid subscriptions — and the Bonsai Computing Platform, a developer-facing environment for rapid deployment of ZK-powered applications across cloud and decentralized environments.
Is RISC Zero. a public or private company?
RISC Zero. is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was RISC Zero. founded?
RISC Zero. was founded in 2022. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is RISC Zero. based?
RISC Zero. is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does RISC Zero. make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Proving Platform Subscription is the primary driver. The others are usage-based Proving Services and free Access Subscriptions.
Who are RISC Zero.'s main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Ingonyama, Succinct Labs and Modulus Labs. Direct peers are Aleo, zkSync (Matter Labs), Scroll, Aztec Network, Starkware and Polygon zkEVM / Polygon Miden. RISC Zero strategic L2 partner: Eclipse is listed as an others.
Does RISC Zero. have an API?
No public API is recorded for RISC Zero..
What industry is RISC Zero. in?
RISC Zero.'s product category is Zero-Knowledge Proof Infrastructure. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAPALAH, Decentralized Data Availability & Storage Verification (DA layers, proofs of storage/replication, audit networks). Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7372.