Vent Finance is a multi-chain launchpad and accelerator that sets the stage for Web3 projects to have a successful launch and withstand the turbulence of the crypto market.
Ishan Pandey: Hi Lucas, welcome to our series “Behind the Startup.” Please tell us about yourself and the story behind Vent Finance?
Lucas Mateu: I launched Vent along with my 3 other co-founders in early 2021 after years of working in strategy consultancy, operations and transformation management across multinationals like Coca-Cola and Live Nation. We saw the potential for Web3 projects to completely change tomorrow’s economy and that many great projects only needed the support of a solid community and a support system of strategic backers. We pooled our skills and resources so that we could provide a more frictionless launchpad experience for users while also incubating the best projects of the future.
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Ishan Pandey: Please tell us a little bit about Vent Finance and Vent’s DeFi launchpad?
Lucas Mateu: Vent is a multi-chain launchpad and accelerator that sets the stage for Web3 projects to have a successful launch and withstand the turbulence of the crypto market to produce long-term value and utility. Vent gives a direct pipeline between entrepreneurs and a community of blockchain believers who want to gain access to these early-stage ventures. We provide projects with partnership opportunities and critical support on strategy and tokenomics.
Ishan Pandey: What advice would you give to a blockchain startup, on how to build a community and market its product and services to users?
Lucas Mateu: I think it’s essential to find your voice and your unique selling proposition early on, then be consistent with that message. In the blockchain space, there is a lot of hype and copy-catting, but your community will resonate with authenticity and honesty. People should know who you are and how you’re different in every communication channel.
Ishan Pandey: Tell us about the onboarding process for a blockchain startup that wants to raise funds through a launchpad? What is the process and how is the due diligence conducted?
Lucas Mateu: Projects can apply from our site, although many are also directly referred to us. Our analysts look into their team, tokenomics, marketing, and product to evaluate how the project will perform in current market conditions and its ability to last. If everything looks good, we work together on their strategy. Some projects are ready to launch. We support marketing throughout the IDO, while others (which we call “Vent Originals”) help incubate from start to finish.
Ishan Pandey: How can we ensure that there are low amounts of rug pulls? Further, please elaborate on what is token purchase protection?
Lucas Mateu: This is a big concern for anyone buying into an early-stage token sale, so we’ve built protections into our contracts with projects. Beyond a thorough due diligence process, we also release a project’s funds based on milestone achievements. If we see they aren’t performing or building, we have the right to refund the community. Alternatively, where milestones aren’t clearly measurable, we do it at least according to the vesting schedule to expose the users to less risk.
Ishan Pandey: What advice would you give to people who want to join ICOs, IPOs and other token sales?
Lucas Mateu: Do your research behind a company and look into the token sale terms. Look for projects with a solid team and mission; projects that can truly speak to their purpose and not just rely on hype. And know that when you’re joining, it could be a longer play. As the crypto markets become more sophisticated, we will see higher quality projects, but their timeline could be stretched as they are building something bigger.
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