Hsin-Ju Chuang, Former Hack VC Partner, Dies at 37
Key Takeaways
- •Hsin-Ju Chuang, a 37-year-old former partner at crypto venture capital firm Hack VC, was pronounced dead on Aug. 24 on southbound Interstate 15 in San Bernardino County, California, and authorities have not released a cause of death.
- •Chuang served as head of growth at Stellar and later Solana, founded Dystopia Labs, joined Hack VC as a venture partner in 2021, and was promoted to partner and head of platform in 2025.
- •The California Highway Patrol responded to the Aug. 24 call but did not respond to a request for further details before publication, and no other information about the event has been made public.
- •On Aug. 23, the day before her death, Chuang posted on X that she would rather take $0 than accept a settlement requiring her silence about alleged mistreatment at Hack VC, saying she had fired her lawyers and planned to release evidence, though it is unclear whether she did.
- •Hack VC co-founder and managing partner Alexander Pack said the firm was shocked and saddened by her death, had not spoken with Chuang directly in more than 10 months, and did not know the circumstances, asking the public to respect those who are grieving.
Hsin-Ju Chuang, a former partner at crypto venture capital firm Hack VC who previously held senior roles at Stellar and Solana, has died at the age of 37.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner confirmed her death in a public notice. According to authorities, Chuang was pronounced dead on Aug. 24 on southbound Interstate 15 in San Bernardino County, California. No cause of death has been released.
From Stellar and Solana to Hack VC
Chuang spent years working in the crypto industry. Her LinkedIn profile lists several senior roles at blockchain projects: she served as head of growth at Stellar and later held the same position at Solana. She also founded Dystopia Labs, though her profile offers few details about the company.
In 2021, Chuang joined Hack VC as a venture partner. The firm invests in crypto and blockchain startups. She was promoted in 2025, taking the title of partner and head of platform.
What Authorities Have Said
California Highway Patrol officers responded to a call on Aug. 24. The location was southbound Interstate 15, south of Field Road, and Chuang was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials have not shared a cause of death.
Cointelegraph reached out to the California Highway Patrol for more details, but the agency did not respond before the story was published. No other details about the event have been made public, and it is not known what led to her death.
Public Claims Against Hack VC
Before her death, Chuang made public claims against Hack VC. In a post on X shared on Aug. 23, she said the firm had mistreated her while she worked there.
1/ gm. gm. Name is Hsin-Ju. I have a dark, kinda tragic personal announcement. I've decided I'd rather take $0 than accept a settlement that requires me to stay silent about what happened to me. I have since fired my lawyers at @sanfordheisler & will be releasing all the…
— Hsin-Ju (@hsinju) August 23, 2026
In the same post, Chuang said she planned to release evidence to support her claims. It remains unclear whether that evidence was ever shared.
Hack VC Responds
On Wednesday, Hack VC co-founder and managing partner Alexander Pack posted a statement on X. He said the firm was "shocked and saddened" by the news and offered condolences to Chuang's family, friends, and others who were close to her.
Pack said the firm had not spoken directly with Chuang in more than 10 months and added that Hack VC did not know the circumstances of her death.
"We have no further information, and only wish to ask everyone to be respectful of those who are grieving," Pack said.
