Token Launches Are About More Than Raising Capital: Eclipse Fi

Crypto token launches are a cornerstone of the web3 industry, enabling projects to generate the capital they need to progress through their roadmap, ship products and carve out a niche in a hyper-competitive space. Whether launched via ICO, IEO, IGO, INO or IDO, the success of such tokens out the gate generally sets the tone for what follows thereafter.

Although projects that debut on launchpads generally provoke headlines that report the ballpark figure of the raise and little else, there is a deeper, more community-centric aspect to the model that often gets overlooked. Which is something a brand-new token launchpad, Eclipse Fi, is hoping to remedy.

What Makes Tokens Tick

At the heart of every successful web3 project is a strong and engaged community. 

While essentially conducted to raise funds, token launches are not just money-making endeavors; they are powerful tools for community building, offering a platform for like-minded individuals to rally around a common cause. The community doesn’t just provide financial backing and get tokens in return; it represents a foundation for sustainable growth and continued engagement.

The fact that a token’s price tends to correlate with the size and commitment of its network of supporters is unsurprising. But projects that leverage their community can achieve much more than capital; they can go viral on the strength of chatter, memes and organic sentiment spread throughout Discord, Twitter, Telegram, Medium, YouTube, Facebook and the rest. 

Needless to say, authentic positive vibes from real people resonate much more than traditional advertising, leading to increased awareness and adoption. 

Achieving these positive vibes is easier said than done, however; the vast majority of token launches do not democratize investment opportunities and equitably reward early evangelists. Instead, high-flying investors and established VCs are at the front of the line while early backers have to make do with smaller allocations.

And there are other issues, too: needlessly complex onboarding, fraud (Sybil attacks/airdrop hunters), a lack of cross-chain interoperability. Many launchpads also platform startups with weak fundamentals like poor token design and substandard (or inexistent) products, often backed by dubiously big communities. Beware projects…