Risk Labs Foundation
Headquarters
Ottawa Canada
About us
To build infrastructure that brings truth onchain and unlocks seamless cross-chain interoperability.
Risk Labs is the foundation and core team behind UMA and Across, two decentralized protocols building crypto infrastructure. UMA's Optimistic Oracle records verifiable truth onto blockchains, while Across leads interoperability through intent-based architecture. Both protocols are governed by global communities with Risk Labs providing the technical foundation. The team operates as one cohesive, globally distributed group that's remote-first and impact-driven. Founded in January 2019, Risk Labs emphasizes values like curiosity, integrity, and high agency while building at the intersection of oracle infrastructure and cross-chain interoperability.
Products
The foundation supports two core protocols: UMA and Across. UMA (Universal Market Access) is an optimistic oracle that records off-chain data onto blockchains, enabling applications like prediction markets, insurance, and cross-chain bridges. Built on UMA are products like oSnap (optimistic governance for DAOs) and Oval (MEV capture for Chainlink price feeds). Across facilitates cross-chain asset transfers using intent-based architecture. Both protocols are decentralized and community-governed, with Risk Labs providing infrastructure and research support.
Funding
Risk Labs raised $4 million in a seed round in September 2018, led by Placeholder with participation from Bain Capital Ventures, Two Sigma Ventures, and Dragonfly. The foundation hasn't raised external venture funding since, though it has supported ecosystem initiatives like Across Protocol's recent $41 million token round led by Paradigm in early 2025. Current backers include Placeholder, Blockchain Capital, Bain Capital, Coinbase, and Dragonfly.
Recent news
In March 2025, Across Protocol—a key project supported by the Risk Labs foundation—announced the completion of a $41 million funding round led by Paradigm, with participation from Bain Capital Crypto, Coinbase Ventures, and Multicoin Capital. This capital was secured through the sale of ACX tokens to support the continued development and growth of the interoperability protocol.
Technology
Development centers on Solidity for smart contracts with Hardhat and ethers.js for testing. Frontend uses React and TypeScript, while backend runs on Node.js. Data infrastructure employs Python, Airflow, and BigQuery with dbt for transformations and GraphQL for querying. The stack includes blockchain infrastructure for UMA's oracle systems and Across's interoperability protocols, plus automated systems for AI quality assurance and user support. Infrastructure runs on Google Cloud Platform with Terraform for resource management.
Benefits
Risk Labs is 100% remote with a 3-4 hour overlap requirement with EST. Benefits include unlimited PTO, family care leave, and bi-annual team offsites. Compensation packages include competitive salaries (payable in fiat or stablecoins) plus meaningful token options in $UMA and $ACX for ecosystem governance. The company supports flexible work environments whether you're family-focused, nomadic, or somewhere in between, emphasizing personal wellness and professional growth with training and development resources.