Original title: (Launch Your AI Agent Now, Build in Public Along the Way)
Original author: ehwangah, Virtuals Ecosystem Development
Original translation: Ismay, BlockBeats
Editor's note: As the leading project in this round of AI cycle, Virtuals has grown from zero to a market value of 2 billion. Behind it is not only the adaptation to the cycle, but also the team's control of the entrepreneurial rhythm, product polishing and market operations. This article is written by ehwangah, a member of Virtuals ecosystem development, about why "immediate launch and public construction" is the best strategy in the current environment. The article not only responds to the most common concerns of new projects, but also provides practical suggestions to help entrepreneurs find their own rhythm in the rapidly developing crypto market.
The following is the original content:
Let me make it clear that in the crypto space, your market capitalization is the primary criterion for measuring success. It’s not that technological innovation, fundamental value, PMF, etc. are not important, but whether it can bring multiple returns to the team, investors, and coin holders, whether the market capitalization can soar to the sky is the key. So how to do it?
It’s better to launch now and iterate on it in the public eye than to agonize over it or delay it until it’s ready.
Also, to ease your mind, the success of your launch only accounts for 10%-20% of your long-term success. Don’t make it complicated. Why? Here’s a quick explanation:
• Too much hype, no substance: The result is a massive pump and dump.
• Launch in a low-key manner and without any content: Death as soon as it is launched.
• Overhyped, solid content: soaring into the sky, straight to success.
• Low-key launch and solid content: steady growth will come naturally.
Do you see the commonality? The key is to build a solid core (the specific content is detailed in another article, but in short, it is the team, product, and community). The touchstone for judging whether the core is solid is whether your close circle is willing to take the lead in buying, holding, and believing in your project. If they are not convinced, others will not believe it either.
Why is it important to go online now?
1. Validate your idea before investing more than $100,000 in development
Instead of spending 3 months or more and hundreds of thousands of dollars carefully polishing a product, it’s better to launch it as soon as possible and prove your concept.
This is similar to the lean startup approach: first come up with a plan that attracts the target audience, verify feasibility, and then iterate and improve in the process. You may think this approach is unconventional, but it is one of the fastest and most efficient ways to cultivate the first 1,000 loyal believers. These early supporters will become a catalyst for the momentum of the project, whether in terms of network, resources or price, to help grow.
The key point is that in this way, you can verify whether your idea is valid, rather than verifying it after spending a lot of time and money.
2. Use the Lindy Effect to solidify your position in the top 50
Do you know why the top 50 projects can always occupy the list in different cycles? It is not only because of quality, but also because of the accumulation and positioning of time, which is the so-called Lindy effect. Early listing can help you establish a solid foundation in the community of coin holders, eliminate the so-called "weak hands" or "non-believers", and attract loyal supporters. Here, time is your ally.
If you wait too long, weaker projects may take your market position. Once someone else has taken over your narrative, funding, or user mind, it becomes very difficult to counterattack. You should have seen those PvP battles on X. Once investors are fully invested, it is difficult to convince them to switch to the so-called "better project".
Especially in the current trend of AI Agent competition, seizing the opportunity is no longer "icing on the cake", but crucial. Now everyone is scrambling to launch AI agents. The earlier you occupy a position in this ecosystem, the more you can activate and grow with the community, while others can only desperately catch up.
Whether we like to admit it or not, going online in the crypto space means participating in a "battle for attention". Product-led growth is important, but it is usually achieved later. It is essential to capture attention and form a community early on. In addition, issuing tokens is your best tool for distribution and interest alignment, while building a project in the public eye is the second best tool.
Choosing to go online in the Virtuals ecosystem provides you with an additional advantage, because the overall culture itself sends a signal of "high-quality projects", and capital will always flow to high-quality projects.
3. Instantly form the first-day community and distribution network
Launching brings buzz. Suddenly, users on X start writing long articles for you, summarizing your project as "3 reasons to buy/hold". This is not just because of the possibility of price increase, but because this buzz can inspire the formation of a community. They can help you iterate your product, conduct alpha testing, and even contribute development resources. From day one, you will have a group of loyal supporters.
4. Ahead of the 2025 VC-backed token TGE
In 2025, you may see a trend where many projects delay going online due to advice, because the long bear market in 2024 has led to poor market liquidity and low risk appetite, and almost no one will invest heavily. Then, you will find more projects conducting market activities according to predictable scripts:
• Raising significant amounts of capital from venture capital;
• Develop products and then launch GTM activities – points, tasks, KOL cooperation, data manipulation, etc.;
• Then TGE.
So what are your advantages? Fair launch, decentralized ethos, and naturally formed community accumulation. The market environment has changed and is now biased in favor of you.
What about focusing on product development first?
While a solid product does bring advantages, it is not the only factor for success. For early projects, especially in the still nascent market of crypto, team background is key. It can enhance the confidence of the outside world and make people believe that the team will continue to work hard to create value. The reality is that if the crypto industry relies entirely on practicality or products themselves, those "air projects" will not attract investment. I am not advocating "air projects", but I am saying that going online as early as possible can gain a competitive advantage in community building and narrative shaping.
In addition, the product launch is never perfect, there will always be bugs, server overloads, concurrency issues, etc. These should not be the focus of attention. With subsequent updates and iterations, the product will naturally prove its value.
Building projects in the public eye
People like to see how a “small but strong” team creates value through hard work. The narrative itself is important. Users don’t simply buy from a “faceless brand”. They care more about the founders and the stories behind the projects. Building a project in the public eye can make your journey more attractive and humane.
You don't need to present a perfect image on day one, start early, be authentic, and build in public.
Take a look at the top 20 in the Virtuals ecosystem, who have managed to win the love of their users by publicly showcasing their efforts.
Answering Common Concerns
Worried about snipers?
Snipers will exist no matter which chain you are on. But in the Virtuals ecosystem, the unique community culture and strong ecosystem can improve user retention. In addition, we have solutions to the sniping problem and can provide suggestions. (Related content will be released soon)
How to design the token economic model, Agent online structure, etc.?
We have seen over 100 launches and can share some optimization tips that helped you achieve your goals. (More to come)
Regarding the G.A.M.E framework, is it customizable? Do you own the technology stack?
The answer is yes! We are preparing more relevant content and are also building our own projects in an open and transparent way. We provide open source SDKs that can be flexibly integrated into your architecture. If you need more in-depth information, you can communicate on TG.
I didn’t want to just launch a speculative AI agent project, I had a business model.
No problem, we have a solution for that, too. (Coming soon)
How to maximize the build in public view?
We also have relevant resources and checklist tools for reference, and details can be communicated on TG.
What if I already have existing tokens?
We have answers for this as well. (Related content coming soon)
If there is no product when it goes online, will others think it is a scam?
A Kickstarter campaign doesn’t have a finished product when it launches, a landing page collecting email leads doesn’t have a product, and even the MVP itself isn’t finished, especially if you’re iterating quickly. Plus, your first 1, 000 fans will provide the most valuable feedback on your idea.
What to do next?
Go live now, build in the open, and don’t overthink it. Let us know if you need help and we can help you scale your journey. Reach me on TG (@ehwangah) and I have a bunch of resources to help you get started quickly.