In this episode, Sunny Ray interviews Chris Zong, co-founder and Summoner of Sundao Ventures, a decentralized venture capital DAO with more than 70 validators, security auditors, protocol founders and VCs across over 20 countries who collectively source and vet early stage web3 deals. Chris traces her path from studying computer science in China and Australia, through architecture roles at Microsoft and Accenture, to becoming Managing Architect at the Bank for International Settlements in Basel and later Technical Director at the Interchain Foundation, steward of the Cosmos ecosystem. She explains how Sundao's structure collapses the traditional GP and LP divide, letting every member invest and contribute expertise, aligning incentives across legal, marketing and technical disciplines. Drawing on lessons from central banking's round table consensus and enterprise software's slow, stakeholder driven adoption cycles, Chris argues that collective intelligence, not speed, produces better investment decisions in a fast moving industry. The conversation covers her first encounter with Bitcoin, why sovereign blockchains fascinated her at Cosmos, and the philosophy behind naming the DAO after the sun, symbolizing inclusivity and equal opportunity for founders worldwide.
A BIS architect turned Cosmos steward explains why 70 experts voting together beat any single VC's gut call.
What is Sundao Ventures and what are you building?
Sundao Ventures is a decentralized venture capital DAO doing early stage investing in web3 startups. We have more than 70 DAO members across legal, marketing, market making and technical fields. Everyone is both an LP and a GP, so incentives align since members invest their own capital. We were incubated by Hydra Ventures and have operated for about a year and a half, growing from under 30 to over 70 members.
Why did you choose the name Sun for the DAO?
It's a play on DAO, decentralized autonomous organization. The sun rises and shines on everyone equally, whether you're in Canada, Australia or India. We wanted the DAO to feel inclusive, giving diverse perspectives a chance and giving startups a fair opportunity to present their ideas. Everyone likes to be warm, so it fit the spirit we wanted.
What insight took you from the height of centralized finance to building a decentralized DAO?
At BIS, decisions happen around round tables designed to give every participant equal representation. Central banks aren't profit driven like private firms, they exist for public goods, so their consensus process prioritizes stability and coordination over speed. That experience taught me collaboration over competition, and it shaped how I think about decision making in Sundao today.
When did you first learn about Bitcoin and what was your reaction?
That was around 2017-2018. Technically it felt revolutionary because it offered a shared ledger that removes the reconciliation work companies do between each other, cutting settlement time dramatically. I was also drawn to its emerging monetary characteristics, though I questioned whether one global currency could really work given how differently regions and economies need monetary policy.
What blockchains does the DAO actually build on?
We don't issue our own coins or tokens, we run a traditional investment business with a new governance model, mostly using stablecoins like USDC and USDT for deals. My co-founder and I both came from the Cosmos ecosystem and worked at the Interchain Foundation, so early members were Cosmos heavy, but now our portfolio spans Ethereum, Solana and beyond.
What did your years at Microsoft and Accenture teach you about how large organizations adopt technology?
Large organizations have limited risk appetite because so much governance is involved. Adoption is never a single person's decision, even a pilot needs buy in from multiple stakeholders. That's why enterprise sales cycles are long, it's not about speed, it's about building genuine consensus and balanced agreement across the organization before moving forward.
What made you jump from BIS to the Interchain Foundation?
Cosmos was built around sovereign finance, the idea that governments could one day issue currencies on sovereign chains, and that excited me. It let me get to the heart of the technology and work directly with founders. I also carried an entrepreneurial streak, having started a nonprofit called Blockchain Philanthropy Foundation, so joining ICF felt like a natural step toward eventually building my own venture.
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