Viewpoint: Tim Hafner, Founder and CEO, OpenServ
Originally designed to connect Web3 ventures with early-stage funding, crypto launchpads, in their current form, often prioritize short-term gains over sustainable growth. This has led to a surge of underdeveloped projects entering the market, lacking adequate support for the developers behind them.
Data shows significant activity; Virtuals Protocol facilitated over 17,000 AI-driven agent token introductions by February 2025, revealing no slowdown in launch infrastructure. Despite this, questions persist regarding the long-term viability and responsibility of these launch platforms.
Fundamentally flawed projects are receiving capital, eventually resulting in failures that point to a broader industry issue. Launchpads have become hollow pathways, channeling funds to projects without requiring substantial products or a solid technical base.
The Original Promise of Launchpads
Conceived as hubs where developers and investors converge, launchpads were designed to help new ventures secure funding and boost brand recognition. They were supposed to allow global investors early access to promising technologies, addressing a crucial need by simplifying the funding and community support process for teams.
However, as the industry matured, the model’s limitations became apparent. Many launchpads remain primarily focused on raising funds rather than achieving sustained success. In essence, they are outdated, resembling decentralized versions of Shark Tank more than innovation drivers. Rather than championing technical advancements, some launchpads have sidelined them entirely.
The Trouble with Unselective Launches
Many launchpads take pride in their chain-agnostic approach, presenting themselves as neutral grounds for protocols to secure funding. This neutrality often results in a lack of focus and consistent standards, transforming the platforms into unregulated environments that fail to distinguish and promote truly exceptional projects.
While some argue against policing innovation and advocate for unrestricted fundraising, the absence of emphasis on genuine, sophisticated technology or clear guidelines for token design turns launchpads into competitive arenas where everyone loses. Investors are overwhelmed with poorly developed pitches and fleeting hype cycles, while developers struggle to raise capital without meaningful backing.
Related: Grayscale Integrates AI Launchpads and Solana DeFi into Q1 2025 Top Token List
This strategy may have suited earlier iterations of Web3 projects that prioritized token distribution over long-term advancement. However, this model is no longer beneficial to the current market. The era of swift gains and effortless launches is over. Faced with increased regulatory scrutiny, the next wave of launchpads must move beyond theoretical frameworks and prioritize launching projects with tangible products.
Developers Require Improved Infrastructure
Most developers struggle with a fragmented toolkit to launch a project. Numerous aspects need consideration, including backend development, cost management, server hosting, and security protocols. It’s not surprising that many promising projects never truly get off the ground.
Building a viable product requires significant effort. Traditional launchpads have primarily focused on helping projects secure capital. However, funding alone does not address operational challenges. Developers, particularly those without substantial resources or established reputations, need launchpads that offer comprehensive support to streamline the entire process.
The guiding principle for launchpads should be enabling developers to focus on their products rather than piecing together the underlying infrastructure.
The Need for Multi-Agent Support in Projects
Beyond enhanced tooling, launchpads must evolve to empower developers to create genuinely impactful applications that address real-world user problems. Instead of simply deploying token contracts, modern platforms must provide the infrastructure for building applications with practical utility, widespread adoption, and revenue generation.
As 2025 becomes the pivotal year for AI agent technologies, projects should prioritize developing a robust platform for building applications first, then creating a launchpad around those applications. This approach creates a virtuous cycle where successful applications drive platform adoption, attracting more developers and fostering a network of valuable applications, developers, and users solving real problems on a significant scale.
Focusing on Building, Not Just Funding
For launchpads to contribute to the solution, they must change their approach. They are uniquely positioned to drive technical advancement, but better tools are necessary for better projects.
The next generation of launchpads must shift away from token distribution and toward enabling developers to build better products. This involves providing end-to-end support throughout the building and growth phases, along with clear incentives and safeguards to ensure alignment of interests for all parties involved.
Viewpoint: Tim Hafner, Founder and CEO, OpenServ.
This content is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or investment advice. The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cointelegraph.