Arda Raises $3 Million to Develop Real Estate Operating System, Led by Former Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase Digital Assets Executives
New York, USA, March 19, 2025
Arda, a startup focused on developing a comprehensive operating system for the real estate industry, has successfully raised $3 million in a pre-seed funding round, led by Lightshift Capital. The investment is aimed at supporting Arda in its quest to increase efficiency and transparency in the $380 trillion real estate sector, by addressing the issues of fragmented infrastructure and lack of transparency.
Arda’s Perspective: Digitizing Real Estate
Arda is building a digital platform that unifies real estate assets, data, and financial services into a single, interoperable system. By leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology, the platform aims to reduce transaction times and increase transparency, enabling real-time asset management and financing processes.
Digital Infrastructure Dedicated to Real Estate
Arda’s platform introduces a programmable execution layer for real estate, integrating digital rights management, AI-powered automation, and seamless data interoperability. Key features include:
Digital Asset Records: Create verifiable records of asset history, streamlining the due diligence process.
Real-Time Money Movement: Link payments directly to transactions, improving settlement efficiency.
Data Integration and Automation: Automate workflows, reducing administrative friction in asset management.
A Team with Extensive Experience
Arda was founded by Oli Harris, former Head of Digital Assets at Goldman Sachs and Head of Crypto Asset Strategy at JPMorgan Chase. Harris played a key role in the development and commercialization of Quorum, an enterprise Ethereum platform, and has contributed to the adoption of digital assets in financial institutions. His experience also includes board positions at Anchorage, BitGo, Blockdaemon, and TRM Labs.
Harris shares: "Real estate remains one of the most valuable yet operationally fragmented asset classes. By creating a trust-based, programmable system, we aim to bring real estate transactions into line with modern digital financial infrastructure."
Moving Toward Digitalization in Real Estate
With institutional investment in digital assets on the rise, governments and industry leaders are exploring frameworks for secure and verifiable digital asset transactions. Regions like the Gulf are driving adoption, while U.S. policymakers are shaping regulations to integrate digital assets into the mainstream financial system.
Simao Cruz, Founding Partner at Lightshift Capital, commented: "We invest in founders who are building the foundations of next-generation industries. Arda is developing purpose-built infrastructure that can redefine how real estate is owned, transacted, and financed."
About Arda
Arda is developing a real estate operating system designed for institutions, businesses, and governments. Their platform enables digital interoperability, automated trading, and real-time execution in the global real estate sector. Founded by Oli Harris, Arda is backed by investors interested in developing digital real estate infrastructure.
About Lightshift Capital
Lightshift Capital is a venture capital firm focused on early-stage companies in the digital infrastructure and programmable assets space. The firm partners with founders to provide capital, technical expertise, and strategic insights to drive innovation and reshape markets.
With financial backing and strategic vision, Arda is on track to become a key player in the digitization and modernization of the global real estate industry.