Key Takeaways

• Richard Muirhead is the co-founder and managing partner of Fabric Ventures, supporting Web3 founders and decentralized technologies since 2012. 

• He studied at Westminster School and Cambridge, building a strong engineering and technology foundation for his career. 

• In 2009, he founded Firestartr to support early-stage startups with funding, mentorship, and operational guidance.

Richard Muirhead is the co-founder and managing partner of Fabric Ventures, a venture capital firm dedicated to advancing the open economy. Since 2012, the firm has backed Web3 founders by investing in blockchain infrastructure, decentralized applications, and digital asset ecosystems. Beyond his role at Fabric Ventures, Muirhead is a member of the NEAR Foundation Council, where he provides strategic guidance and supports ecosystem development for the NEAR blockchain.

Early Career and Professional Background

Educational Background

Richard Muirhead studied at Westminster School in London between 1985 and 1990, focusing on Maths, Further Maths, Physics, and Russian. He then attended the University of Cambridge, where he joined the Engineering program in 1991 and completed his MA in Engineering in 1994. This technical education laid the groundwork for his later work in software, infrastructure, and emerging technologies.

Engineering Career and Entrepreneurship

Muirhead began his professional career as a technology engineer before moving into entrepreneurship. In 2002, he founded Tideway Systems, a cybersecurity company focused on enterprise network visibility and risk management. 

As chairman, he guided the company’s strategic direction and growth, helping it build a substantial enterprise customer base prior to its acquisition. His contributions to innovation were recognized by the World Economic Forum, which named him a Technology Pioneer in 2008 and 2009.

Executive, Board, and Advisory Roles

Over the years, Muirhead has held senior executive, advisory, and board positions across a wide range of technology companies. From 2012 to 2016, he served as interim chief executive officer, advisor, and board member at Automic Software, playing a role in its development before its acquisition by CA Technologies. He has also served on the boards of Outlyer, HeavenHR, Thimble, and Bitrise, and acted as an advisor or director to organizations including Ocean Protocol, Moralis, and Cronofy.

Firestartr and Early-Stage Investing

In 2009, Muirhead founded Firestartr, an investment and venture-building firm focused on supporting early-stage internet and software companies. As chairman and managing partner, he has worked closely with founders, providing capital, strategic guidance, and operational support during the early phases of company growth.

Co-Founding Fabric Ventures

Building on his experience in technology and investing, Muirhead co-founded Fabric Ventures in 2012 and currently serves as its chairman and managing partner. Fabric Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on scalable decentralized networks and the open economy, investing in Web3 infrastructure, blockchain protocols, digital assets, and emerging decentralized technologies. The firm backs founders building next-generation economic and digital systems.

Key Investments and Web3 Focus

Under Muirhead’s leadership, Fabric Ventures has invested in notable Web3 and blockchain projects, including Polkadot, Ocean Protocol, Orchid, Sorare, 1inch, The Graph, and NEAR. These investments reflect a long-term focus on decentralized infrastructure, data ownership, and open financial systems.

SVRN and AI Infrastructure

Since December 2025, Richard Muirhead has served on the Board of Directors of SVRN, a Nasdaq-listed commercialization entity within the NEAR ecosystem. SVRN focuses on developing infrastructure for artificial intelligence workloads, including cloud resources for AI model training and inference. 

The company operates on NVIDIA-based infrastructure and integrates NEAR-based token economics, aiming to support agent-driven commerce and AI-native applications within decentralized ecosystems.

Council Member of NEAR Foundation

Richard Muirhead was active within the NEAR Foundation from September 2019 through December 2025, supporting the organization as an early backer and serving on its governing council. During his tenure, he also served as chair of the compensation committee, contributing to leadership and organizational oversight.

The NEAR Foundation is a non-profit entity headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, that guides and supports the growth of the NEAR blockchain ecosystem. As a council member, Muirhead played a role similar to that of a board director, helping shape governance frameworks and long-term strategy. His involvement spanned critical periods in NEAR’s development, including the initial network launch and its expansion into a larger, scalable blockchain platform.

Muirhead’s Take on the Future of DeFi

On the latest Genzio YouTube Podcast, Richard Muirhead from Fabric Ventures talks about the future of finance and blockchain. He shares his experiences in Edinburgh, discussing stablecoins and platforms like Solana, Circle, and PayPal, and the exciting changes happening in the space. 

Richard also explains decentralized finance (DeFi) and his idea of “NoFi,” a new way of thinking about financial systems that gives people more control and helps them make a real impact in their lives and communities.

A Vision For Open Finance

Richard Muirhead imagines a future where finance truly works for people and communities, not the other way around. He believes that smarter, decentralized systems can give individuals more control over their money, unlock new opportunities, and create real, positive impact in everyday life. His vision is a world where finance is open, fair, and a force for growth and opportunity for everyone.

Final Thoughts

Richard Muirhead’s career combines technical expertise, entrepreneurial drive, and visionary thinking. From engineering and cybersecurity to leading Firestartr and Fabric Ventures, he has focused on building systems and supporting founders that push the boundaries of technology and finance. Through his work with Web3 projects, the NEAR Foundation, and SVRN, he continues to shape the future of decentralized technologies. At the core of his vision is a world where finance is inclusive, empowering, and accessible, giving individuals and communities the tools to create opportunities and drive meaningful growth.