Zero Latency Labs — Pre-Round — Dossier

One-Liner & Thesis

Zero Latency Labs is an asset-agnostic perpetual-derivatives exchange (perpdex) built as an Ethereum L2, founded by Daniel Lubarov of Polygon Labs and Mir Protocol fame. The wedge is two technical bets: better security than HyperLiquid's closed-source stack, and exchange-grade latency that crypto venues currently lack by running on slow cloud hosting.

Three co-founders are bootstrapping and operating without outside capital — Daniel works part-time while the other two are full-time. Plan is to repay a founder loan via a future token; outside funding is "unlikely" unless the token timeline shifts. The deeper crypto focus is likely outside StoryHouse's universe, and Daniel signaled this is more relevant as a potential LP relationship for Fund III than a Fund II portfolio investment.

Founders

Daniel Lubarov

Co-Founder (part-time)

Harvey Mudd alumnus and crypto founder; previously co-founded Mir Protocol and sold to Polygon Labs for several hundred million. Took an intentional break from full-time work after Polygon; living in Chehalis, WA with family and now bootstrapping Zero Latency Labs part-time with two co-founders.

Open Questions & Risks

Mandate fit: Deep crypto/perpetual-derivatives focus is likely outside StoryHouse's investment universe.
Founder commitment: Daniel is part-time and intentionally pulling back from full-time work; only two of three co-founders are full-time.
No raise planned: Founders have the capital to bootstrap and intend to monetize via a future token, not equity — limiting any near-term entry point.
Venture-scale uncertainty: Daniel himself was non-committal on whether this is venture-scale.

Next Steps

Daniel to flag SH if Zero Latency Labs ever pursues outside capital.
Miles to include Daniel in the StoryHouse Fund III LP raise (~18 months out).
Daniel tentatively attending the November 6 Bay Area event around Thanksgiving travel.

Latest Meeting Notes

2026-06-08 Catch-up call Bootstrapped perpdex; LP fit for Fund III

Catch-up with Daniel post-Polygon. He's part-time on Zero Latency Labs (a perpdex L2 on Ethereum), bootstrapping with two co-founders, and not raising. Conversation shifted toward Daniel as a potential LP in Fund III.

Product: Asset-agnostic perpdex bridging crypto rails to traditional assets (Apple, Google derivatives), HyperLiquid-style.
Wedge: Security improvements vs. HyperLiquid's closed-source stack; exchange-grade latency vs. cloud-hosted crypto venues.
Team: Three co-founders; Daniel part-time, other two full-time; loan repayment via future token.
Concern: Daniel non-committal on venture scale; deep crypto focus may be outside SH mandate.
Next step: Daniel to signal if they raise; Miles to loop him into Fund III LP conversations.

Source: Meeting Notes recSZIcyy2EpLDgJ6

One-Liner & Thesis

Deal Box

Company Snapshot

Founders

Open Questions & Risks

Next Steps

Latest Meeting Notes

Deal Timeline