The on-chain communication platform Towns supported by a16z officially launches

the on-chain communication platform Towns has officially launched. The platform previously raised $25.5 million in a Series A funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz (A16z) in February 2023.

Towns was founded by Ben Rubin, co-founder of the social network Houseparty and the video streaming app Meerkat, with the aim of providing a "new standard for digital communication" with blockchain capabilities.

The platform is built on the River messaging protocol and consists of an EVM-compatible Layer 2 chain, decentralized nodes, and smart contracts deployed on the Base protocol. It is understood that the Towns team launched the River protocol in May 2023.