The Evolution of the Role of Web3 Project Founders and Community Building

In the Web3 world, the role of the founder is undergoing a transformation. From purely technical experts to marketing-savvy promoters, and then to leaders who excel at building community atmospheres, Web3 founders need to showcase their talents in multiple areas. In recent years, the success of emerging projects like Monad and Berachain has highlighted the importance of founders as cultural symbols of the project. Founders with distinct personalities and charisma can directly reach a wide potential user base, rallying a loyal community even before the project officially launches.

The Evolution of the Web3 Founder Role

In early Web3 projects, Gavin Wood is a highly charismatic founding representative. As a co-founder of Ethereum and the founder of Polkadot, Wood not only has profound technical expertise but also possesses excellent market insight and communication skills. He can transform complex technical concepts into understandable user experiences and attract a large number of users and investors through effective marketing. In 2018, Wood left a deep impression on many people at the Web3 Summit by developing a blockchain demonstration in 15 minutes, as if ushering in a new era.

Today, the focus of competition in the Web3 field has shifted from technological narratives to large-scale commercial landing. The new generation of Web3 founders needs to accurately grasp market trends and user needs beyond technical capabilities and communicate effectively with all parties. In new waves such as consumer applications, the speed and breadth of information dissemination determine the project's influence. Founders need to clearly convey project value and vision to attract investor attention, win user trust, and establish solid relationships with partners.

Founder: The Key to Building the Community

In the Web3 space, consumer narratives are becoming an important force driving industry transformation. Compared to traditional technology narratives, consumer narratives focus more on user needs and experiences, demanding that users be placed at the core of projects. This requires a link to reach as many potential community users as possible and bring them together.

Berachain: From NFT Community to Blockchain Network

For Berachain, NFTs are the origin and unique cultural symbol of the project. Co-founder Smokey excels at building community atmosphere: in 2021, he proposed the idea of creating 100 cannabis-smoking bear NFTs, which garnered significant attention and support. This interesting NFT project was successfully distributed within the DeFi community, attracting a group of tech-savvy and communicative individuals. Community members added various new gameplay elements to the NFTs, maintaining high engagement. During the co-construction process of the community, Smokey identified a market gap and subsequently decided to gradually evolve from the NFT community into building a blockchain network.

Monad: Creating a "Religious" Community

Monad is one of the few successful cases that have pushed cultural and community building to the extreme. Founder Keone Hon, as a tech-oriented leader, advocates for true decentralization and emphasizes that Monad's low hardware requirements allow anyone to run a full node. By introducing a free Meme culture, Monad tightly integrates it with community development, pioneering a new paradigm for community building in Web3 projects.

Whether it is creativity, technology, or cultural expression, a sense of belonging can be found in the Monad community. By organizing Meme creation contests, themed events, and more, the community has stimulated the creativity and participation of its members. These activities not only spread widely within the community but also attract external attention, expanding Monad's influence. The community has formed a unique atmosphere, giving users a sense of participation and identity, allowing each member to feel their own value. Community members are no longer just users of the project; they have become creators and promoters. This strong sense of community cohesion has enabled Monad to gain significant market presence even before the mainnet launch.

Morph: Pioneer in Consumer Application Field

As a project centered around the narrative of "consumer applications", Morph faces unique challenges and opportunities. Founder and CEO Cecilia Hsueh exhibits a multifaceted talent that has sparked some interesting discussions. Her active presence on social media gives the impression of maintaining close communication with developers and users. As one of the few female CEOs in the L2 space, Cecilia naturally attracts more attention and scrutiny.

As a serial entrepreneur, Cecilia's achievements in the Web3 industry are remarkable. The exchange she co-founded early on ranks among the top five globally, while the Morph project has gathered top industry resources and a wide user base. These advantages provide Morph with favorable conditions in the fiercely competitive L2 arena.

For projects focused on consumer applications, founders need to build trust through interaction from the perspective of the market and users, and develop strategies that meet actual needs. Cecilia shares insights and explains how Morph creates value for users and developers through social media, offline events, and public speaking, which helps to form a friendly and approachable community culture, attracting user participation and enhancing stickiness.

Conclusion

The success of projects like Monad, Berachain, and Morph relies not only on their technical strength but also, more importantly, on a strong ecosystem and community power. The founders, as the soul of the projects, play an irreplaceable role in this process. They not only need technical expertise but also market insight, communication skills, and community building abilities.

As Web3 projects expand into consumer applications, the role of founders becomes increasingly important. They need to translate complex technological concepts into user-friendly experiences while fostering a vibrant and creative community. By building trust, encouraging participation, and driving innovation, a new generation of Web3 founders is redefining the standards of project success and injecting new vitality into the development of the entire industry.