Virtuals teaches you how to start your AI Agent entrepreneurship journey

Original Title: 《Launch Your AI Agent Now, Build in Public Along the Way》

Author: ehwangah, Virtuals Ecosystem Development

Compiled by: Ismay, BlockBeats

Editor's Note: As a leading project in this AI cycle, Virtuals has grown from zero to a market cap of 2 billion. This success is not only due to the favorable cycle but also the team's control over the rhythm of entrepreneurship, product refinement, and market operations. This article, written by ehwangah, a member of the Virtuals ecosystem development team, discusses why "launching now and building in public" is the best strategy in the current environment. The article addresses common concerns for new projects and provides practical advice to help entrepreneurs find their own rhythm in the rapidly evolving crypto market.

The following is the original content:

Let me be clear: in the crypto space, your market cap is the primary measure of success. This is not to say that technological innovation, fundamental value, PMF, etc., are unimportant, but when it comes to delivering multiple returns for the team, investors, and token holders, whether the market cap can soar is key. So how should you proceed?

Launch now and continuously iterate and improve in the public eye, rather than getting overly entangled or delaying before launch.

Additionally, to ease your mind, the success or failure of your launch only accounts for 10%-20% of your long-term success; don’t complicate it. Why? A simple explanation is as follows:

• Overhyped, lacking substance: results in a massive pump and dump.

• Low-key launch, lacking substance: dead on arrival.

• Overhyped, solid content: skyrockets to success.

• Low-key launch, solid content: steady growth, naturally successful.

Do you see the commonality? The core lies in building a solid foundation (specific content will be detailed elsewhere, but in short, it’s about the team, product, and community). The litmus test for whether your foundation is strong is: are your close circle willing to be the first to buy, hold, and believe in your project? If they are not convinced, others will be even less so.

Why is launching now important?

1. Validate your idea before investing over $100,000 in development

Instead of spending 3 months or more and tens of thousands of dollars meticulously refining a product, it’s better to launch early and validate your concept.

This is similar to the lean startup approach: propose a solution that attracts your target audience, validate its feasibility, and then iterate and improve throughout the process. You might think this approach is unconventional, but it is one of the fastest and most efficient ways to cultivate your first 1,000 loyal followers. These early supporters will become catalysts for driving the project’s momentum, helping growth in terms of network, resources, and price.

The key point is to validate your idea through this method, rather than waiting until you’ve spent a lot of time and money to do so.

2. Leverage the Lindy Effect to solidify your position in the top 50

Do you know why the top 50 projects consistently occupy the leaderboard across different cycles? It’s not just because of quality, but also due to the accumulation of time and positioning, known as the Lindy Effect. Launching early can help you establish a solid foundation within the token holder community, weed out 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 occupy your market position. Once others seize your narrative, funding, or user mindshare, it becomes exceptionally difficult to reclaim your advantage. You’ve likely seen those PvP battles on X; once investors are fully invested, it’s hard to persuade them to switch to a so-called "better project."

Especially in the current trend of the AI Agent race, seizing the initiative is no longer just "the icing on the cake," but crucial. Everyone is racing to launch AI agents; the sooner you establish a position in this ecosystem, the more you can activate and grow alongside the community, while others can only scramble to catch up.

Whether we like to admit it or not, launching in the crypto space means participating in a "battle for attention." Product-led growth is certainly important, but this is usually achieved later. Capturing attention early and forming a community is essential. Moreover, issuing tokens is the best tool for achieving distribution and aligning interests, while building your project in the public eye is a secondary tool.

Choosing to launch within the Virtuals ecosystem provides you with an additional advantage, as the overall culture itself conveys a signal of "quality projects," and capital will always flow toward quality projects.

3. Instantly form a community and distribution network on day one

Launching can generate buzz; instantly, users on X start writing long posts, summarizing your project into "three main reasons to buy/hold." This is not just due to the potential for price increases, but because this buzz can inspire community formation. They can help you iterate on the product, conduct alpha testing, and even contribute development resources. From day one, you will have a group of loyal supporters.

4. Get ahead of the many VC-backed token TGEs in 2025

In 2025, you might see a trend where many projects delay their launches due to advice, as the long bear market of 2024 has led to poor market liquidity and low risk appetite, with hardly anyone willing to invest heavily. Subsequently, you will find more projects following a predictable script for market activities:

• Raising significant funds from venture capital;

• Developing products, then launching GTM activities—points, tasks, KOL collaborations, data manipulation, etc.;

• Then TGE.

So what is your advantage? A fair launch, the spirit of decentralization, and a naturally formed community accumulation. The market environment has shifted, now leaning toward supporting you.

What about focusing on product development first?

While a solid product can indeed provide an advantage, it is not the only factor for success. For early-stage projects, especially in the still nascent crypto market, the team’s background is key. It can enhance external confidence, making people believe the team will continue to create value. The reality is, if the crypto industry relied solely on utility or the product itself, those "air projects" would not attract investment. I am not advocating for "air projects," but rather saying that launching early can give you a competitive edge in community building and narrative shaping.

Moreover, product launches are never perfect; there will always be bugs, server overloads, concurrency issues, etc. These should not be the focus; as updates and iterations follow, the product will naturally prove its value.

Building your project in the public eye

People enjoy seeing a "small but strong" team create value through hard work; the narrative itself is important. Users are not simply buying from a "faceless brand"; they care more about the founders and the story behind the project. Building your project in the public eye can make your journey more appealing and humanized.

You don’t need to present a perfect image on day one; start early, be authentic, and build in public.

Look at the top 20 in the Virtuals ecosystem; they have successfully won users' affection by openly showcasing their efforts.

Addressing common concerns

Worried about snipers?

Snipers exist on any chain. But within the Virtuals ecosystem, the unique community culture and strong ecosystem can enhance user retention. Additionally, we have solutions for sniper issues and can provide advice. (Related content coming soon)

How to design token economic models, Agent launch structures, etc.?

We have witnessed over 100 launch cases and can share optimization experiences that help achieve goals. (Related content coming soon)

Is the G.A.M.E framework customizable? Do I own the tech stack?

The answer is yes! We are preparing more related content and are building our project in an open and transparent manner. We provide an open-source SDK that can be flexibly integrated into your architecture. For more in-depth information, feel free to communicate on TG.

I don’t want to just launch a speculative AI agent project; I have a business model.

No problem, we also have solutions for this situation. (Related content coming soon)

How to maximize building in the public eye?

We also have relevant resources and checklist tools available for reference; details can be discussed on TG.

What if I already have an existing token?

We have answers for this as well. (Related content coming soon)

If there’s no product at launch, will others think it’s a scam?

Kickstarter projects also launch without a final product; landing pages collecting emails from potential customers have no product, and even MVPs are not the final form, especially in the case of rapid iteration. Moreover, your first 1,000 fans will provide the most valuable feedback for your ideas.

What’s the next step?

Launch now, build in public, and don’t overthink it. If you need assistance, let us know; we can help amplify your journey. You can contact me on TG (@ehwangah); I have a wealth of resources to help you get started quickly.