Web3 launchpads are funding ideas, not products

Web3 launchpads have become cash-grab funnels funding ideas without substance. The industry needs platforms that build better, not just raise more.

Opinion by: Tim Hafner, founder and CEO of OpenServ

Launchpads were introduced to give Web3 projects access to early investors. As they operate today, however, they too often result in cash grabs over long-term success. This has resulted in a flood of half-formed products hitting the market without real support for builders. 

Virtuals Protocol has facilitated over 17,000 AI agent token launches as of February 2025, indicating that infrastructure for token launches is not slowing down. Questions remain, however, regarding the long-term sustainability and accountability of launchpads. 

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