ARO Network, a decentralized infrastructure startup focused on edge computing for AI and content delivery, has secured $2.1 million in pre-seed funding. The round was co-led by Dispersion Capital and NoLimit Holdings, with participation from Escape Velocity, Maelstrom, and a group of strategic angel investors. The capital will be used to accelerate the rollout of ARO’s peer-to-peer edge cloud network and support early-stage adoption and development.
ARO Network aims to reimagine Internet infrastructure by building a decentralized edge cloud powered not by centralized data centers, but by individuals. The platform turns underutilized internet bandwidth and compute power into a scalable peer-to-peer content delivery network (PCDN), designed to support both content distribution and AI workloads with low latency and cost.
The company’s architecture builds upon earlier deployments in latency-sensitive markets, which demonstrated commercial viability at scale. A prior network using similar principles reached over 1.5 million active nodes and generated $140 million in annual revenue. ARO now intends to apply this proven model to developed markets, positioning itself as a next-generation alternative to traditional CDNs.
“Our vision goes beyond latency and cost optimization – we’re redefining who owns the internet,” said Adam Farhat, Head of Marketing at ARO Network. “This funding validates that decentralized infrastructure is not only technically feasible but also commercially viable. We’re scaling an enterprise-grade P2P CDN for the Open Internet.”
Backers see ARO’s approach as strategically timed to capitalize on growing demands for decentralized compute infrastructure. “CDN is the Trojan horse of decentralized edge computing,” said Patrick Chang, Managing Partner at Dispersion Capital. “ARO brings together the right technology and timing to lead this transformation.” Malcolm, General Partner at NoLimit Holdings, added, “ARO significantly reduces latency and operating costs, delivering value to both Web2 and Web3 ecosystems.”
Community-Driven Model
With the new funds, ARO will launch its testnet, expand hardware and software node deployment, and grow its contributor base through its Aronaut Pioneers Program. The initiative offers rewards to early adopters who provide bandwidth and compute resources using the ARO Pod or ARO Client. Participants can earn incentives, contribute feedback, and help scale the network during the initial rollout.
ARO is also deepening integration with other modular and infrastructure-native protocols such as EigenLayer, Base, and IoTex, aligning itself with the broader decentralized ecosystem. The company is targeting global regions like Southeast Asia and Latin America, where legacy CDNs often face challenges in maintaining dense edge coverage.
“ARO Network is reshaping the infrastructure layer of the internet,” said Salvador Gala, co-founder of Escape Velocity. “Its edge-first, community-driven model sets a new precedent for decentralized delivery of compute and content.”The early-access PreviewNet is now live, offering contributors the chance to earn “Jade” rewards and climb the community leaderboard. A competitive referral sprint is underway, with top participants eligible for recognition and a reward pool that includes a $30,000 prize for the leading contributor.
