Filipino techpreneur Louise Ivan Valencia Payawal is gaining recognition in Silicon Valley.
Photo: Ryder
His company, Ryder, has just closed a $3.2 million seed funding round, led by billionaire investor Tim Draper, founder of Draper Associates, also known for his early investments in Facebook, Tesla, SpaceX, Baidu, and Skype.
“After working on our flagship product Ryder One for a couple of years, we at Ryder are still inspired by our mission of making crypto feel simple, secure, and even enjoyable for everyone,” Payawal said. “We are grateful for the overwhelming support we have received in this seed funding round, a clear indication that we are on the right track.”
Additional investment came from Anatoly Yakovenko, founder of Solana, and Joe McCann of Asymmetric. Other participants also include venture capital firms Borderless, Semantic, Smape, and VeryEarly.
Reshaping the crypto experience
With Payawal at the helm, Ryder is changing how people interact with crypto by creating world-class products that make it safer, simpler, and more social. The company’s flagship product, Ryder One, introduces
Photo: Ryder
Their flagship product, Ryder One, is the easiest-to-use crypto hardware wallet that gives users crypto security in 60 seconds or less. It introduces TapSafe recovery, a tap-based experience that makes securing and using crypto as simple as tapping a phone, eliminating the single point of failure that has existed with seed phrases until now.
The solution the product brought forward made Draper recognize Ryder’s potential to become a category-defining product in consumer crypto. “What the crypto industry needs more than anything right now is solutions that don’t require in-depth technical knowledge while maintaining high security standards. This is exactly what I saw in Ryder’s hardware wallet with its minute-or-under setup and offline design that keeps users’ holdings safe,” Draper claims.
The funding will be used to ramp up production, scale the marketing and engineering teams, and further develop Ryder One. It will also enable the next big marketing push and raise brand awareness.
Innovation Rooted In Filipino Heritage, For Filipinos
Since its inception, Ryder has been on a mission to make real-world crypto transactions seamless, intuitive, and secure, revolutionizing the use of digital assets in everyday life.
In a little over two years, Ryder went from concept to mass production, proving that world-class consumer crypto products can emerge from Asia, powered by grassroots vision and global ambition.
This innovation reflects Payawal’s strong commitment to making crypto ownership more accessible to everyday users, including and especially his fellow Filipinos. He believes that crypto doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With ample knowledge and the proper tools, crypto can feel as natural as sending a text.
“I’ve spent years getting the same feedback that crypto is ‘too complicated, too confusing, and too intimidating,’” shared Payawal. “But crypto should be for everyone, not just developers or early adopters.”
Refusing to be limited by geography, Payawal stepped outside his hometown and pursued opportunities abroad, carrying with him the grit, resilience, and resourcefulness of his roots.
Originally from Bulacan, he started his entrepreneurial journey as the 2015 champion of Startup Weekend ASEAN. At age 21, he relocated to the Netherlands on a full-ride scholarship, where he completed a double master’s degree in Green IT at the University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit, further sharpening his technical expertise.
Before Ryder, Payawal also held roles at various tech companies across Europe and the United States, most notably Stacks, a prominent smart contract platform built on Bitcoin. Under Payawal’s leadership, Stacks evolved into a global network of over 100,000 community members across more than 30 countries.
As CEO of Ryder, he stands as proof that world-class innovation can come from unexpected places and that a Filipino with vision can shape technology for a global tech stage.
“We’re all big dreamers. No matter where we come from or what our circumstances are, we Filipinos all share the same dream: to build a better future for other Filipinos. That spirit, that refusal to give up, is what put us on the global tech map.” Payawal shared. “After seeing what’s out there, what really stands out to me is how resilient and hardworking we Filipinos are, no matter what life throws at us. That grit, the ability to keep moving forward even when the odds are stacked against you, has always been our quiet superpower.”
