Key Takeaways

• Andy Kangpan co-founded Metalayer Ventures to provide early-stage tech startups with first-check investments and active mentorship. 

• Kangpan’s experience at Two Sigma Ventures shaped his focus on crypto and DeFi, navigating market cycles and major disruptions like the FTX collapse. 

• He transitioned from consulting to venture capital to work directly with founders and help shape companies from their earliest stages.

Andy Kangpan is a U.S.-based venture investor and co-founder of Metalayer Ventures, where he serves as General Partner. The firm backs early-stage startups in blockchain and financial technology. Prior to launching Metalayer, he headed crypto-focused investments at Two Sigma Ventures. His background combines venture capital and strategy consulting, with a long-standing emphasis on emerging technologies. Kangpan holds a Bachelor of Science from New York University’s Stern School of Business, with an academic focus on finance and marketing.

Early Career and Professional Background

A Career in Strategy Consulting

Kangpan started his career in February 2013 at the strategy consulting firm Prophet, where he worked as a senior associate until mid-2015. During this period, he helped shape the firm’s early digital transformation practice, working closely on initiatives that explored how technology was changing the way companies operate, compete, and engage with customers.

Transition into Venture Capital

Drawn to the idea of building companies rather than advising them from the outside, Kangpan moved into venture capital in 2015. He joined ff Venture Capital in New York, where he spent just over two years sourcing and executing seed-stage investments. His work focused on identifying strong founding teams and supporting early-stage technology startups across several industries, reflecting his growing interest in hands-on company building.

Role at Two Sigma Ventures

In 2017, Kangpan joined Two Sigma Ventures as an investor. He initially worked across enterprise software and cybersecurity, gaining exposure to a wide range of infrastructure and data-driven businesses. As digital assets gained momentum, his attention shifted to cryptocurrency and decentralized finance, areas that would become central to his work at the firm.

Leading Digital Asset Investments

Kangpan was promoted to Digital Assets Lead in January 2020, taking responsibility for guiding Two Sigma Ventures’ crypto investment strategy. He focused on early-stage opportunities from seed through Series B, with particular emphasis on companies applying data science, blockchain infrastructure, and emerging technologies to financial systems. 

His time in this role spanned multiple crypto market cycles, from the ICO (Initial Coin Offering) era, when projects raised capital by issuing tokens, to major industry disruptions such as the FTX collapse, shaping a long-term and disciplined investment approach.

Co-Founding Metalayer Ventures

After leaving Two Sigma Ventures in August 2024, Kangpan co-founded Metalayer Ventures the following month with David Winton and Mickey Graham. He now serves as a General Partner at the New York–based firm, which specializes in making first-check investments in early-stage technology startups, with a strong focus on blockchain and financial technology.

Kangpan’s Take on DeFi and Venture Investing

In an episode of The Sure Shot Entrepreneur, aired in May 2025, Kangpan discussed the growth of decentralized finance, highlighting major protocols such as on-chain lending platforms and decentralized exchanges. He reflected on his shift from brand strategy to venture capital, driven by a desire to support founders and build companies from the ground up. 

Kangpan outlined a venture capitalist’s role, from spotting opportunities and conducting analysis to supporting portfolio teams, emphasizing disciplined risk-taking over speculation. He also covered Two Sigma Ventures’ early crypto and DeFi involvement since 2018, the sector’s potential to expand financial access, and ongoing infrastructure development.

Philosophy and Investment Approach

Building on his experiences at Prophet, ff Venture Capital, and Two Sigma Ventures, Andy Kangpan approaches investing as a collaborative journey with founders. Having seen firsthand how technology transforms industries and how early-stage teams navigate uncertainty, he emphasizes disciplined risk-taking and thoughtful capital allocation over speculation. 

He looks for startups tackling real problems with emerging technologies such as blockchain, AI, and data-driven solutions, and believes that understanding market trends, founders’ vision, and customer needs is just as important as financial metrics. For Kangpan, supporting a company’s growth means combining strategic guidance with active partnership.

Vision for the Next Generation of Innovators

Kangpan’s vision naturally flows from his hands-on work in venture capital and crypto investing. He aims to empower founders to build technology with real-world impact. Drawing on years of experience mentoring early-stage startups and guiding digital asset investments, he seeks to help teams scale effectively while creating inclusive, accessible solutions. 

Through a combination of mentorship, strategic advice, and early-stage capital, Kangpan works to shape the next generation of innovators, particularly in blockchain and fintech, who are solving meaningful problems and redefining the future of finance.

Final Thoughts

Andy Kangpan’s career reflects a unique blend of strategic expertise, hands-on investing, and a focus on emerging technologies. From consulting to leading digital asset investments at Two Sigma Ventures and co-founding Metalayer Ventures, he has consistently prioritized supporting founders and helping early-stage companies grow. His vision extends to the broader ecosystem, aiming to empower the next generation of blockchain and fintech innovators to create technologies that are impactful, accessible, and capable of shaping the future of finance.