Author: Jack Kubinec
Translation: Blockchain in Plain Language
Lightspeed launched an anonymous survey and distributed it to Solana founders, heavy users, etc., aiming to gain an authentic understanding of their views on other ecosystems, venture capital firms, startups, and more.
The survey questions covered a variety of options and provided space for written responses, edited for grammar and clarity.
Here are the results of our survey of 42 founders:
1. Besides Solana, which blockchain would you choose?
Some founders also stated: “If it weren't for Solana, I wouldn't be involved in cryptocurrency.”
2. What is your favorite American political party?
3. Which crypto VC do you rate the highest?
The founders also stated: “Choosing one is unfair.”
4. Which crypto VC do you have the least confidence in?
The founders also stated: “Blindly following based on who the lead investor is, is also not okay for Asian venture capital firms.”
5. I've heard that the internal circle of Solana is quite deep, often promoting projects at the expense of non-ecosystem projects?
The founders also stated:
“I don't know; it's all the same; there's not much difference.”
“I don't like this question; it feels provocative rather than informative.”
“It does exist, and I am part of it, but not at the expense of ‘non-ecosystem projects.’ Because I have also invested a lot of time and money in ‘non-ecosystem projects.’ It's reciprocal—you give, and you will receive in return.”
“It doesn't exist, yet I am part of it.”
“In the early days and during the bear market, personal networks were formed. Those who valued collaboration and helped Solana naturally established closer relationships over years of effort. Some individuals (including those from the OG Solana Labs team) later became influential figures with large followings. This is natural. Almost all surviving teams received funding from venture capital and Solana Ventures. These are facts, but in my view, there is no malice. The Solana Foundation is actively working to disperse this influence and support those who excel in the ecosystem (such as Superteam, etc.). In my opinion, Toly is particularly good at supporting builders impartially, not based on personal preferences, but based on 1) the coolness of their projects, and 2) their sincerity.”
6. What is the biggest problem facing Solana right now?
The founders also stated: “There is an urgent need for more block space. A 5x increase in demand + a 2x price increase = to keep the costs for application developers unchanged, the block size needs to be increased by 10x!”
7. What do you think is the significance of Memecoins for Solana?
8. Solana has many startups that you didn't create; which one do you hope to join the most?
9. Which company do you least want to join?
The founders also stated: “Companies that haven't shown improvement also don't want to join.”
10. Which Solana sector is the most overrated?
The founders also stated: “SocialFi, DeSci, and gaming still have potential.”
11. Which Solana sector is the most underrated?
12. Which of the following has the most damaging effect on Solana's reputation?
The founders also stated: “FTX was both the best and the worst in the early days, haha.”
There are many aspects worth discussing in depth, but I found a few points particularly noteworthy: other founders have a low opinion of pump.fun, but they generally believe that memecoins are beneficial to the ecosystem. Base and Sui seem to be the most attractive competitors to Solana at the moment.
As a journalist, it is not easy to get founders to speak candidly in public. This survey helped me better understand the true thoughts of the Solana founders—at least overall, it seems quite genuine.
