Raising Capital in Web3

SSA Fireside Chat with Katie Chiou

Mar 07, 2025

This week for our Solana Social Accelerator, we hosted a fireside chat with Katie Chiou, investor at Archetype, diving into the realities of fundraising in Web3. She shared advice on securing funding, what investors look for, common mistakes founders make, and emerging trends in crypto social.

Key Insights

Understanding Stages of Fundraising:

• Pre-seed: Investors care most about the problem you're solving and why you're the right person to build it. Less about traction, more about vision.

• Seed: Proof of execution matters. Investors want to see a working product, early users, and initial retention.

• Series A: Growth and scalability are key. Investors expect repeatable traction, network effects, and a plan to scale.

What Investors Look For:

• Founder-market fit: Why you? What unique insight do you have?

• Clarity of vision: Are you solving a real problem, or just experimenting?

• Execution speed: A live product beats a polished pitch deck.

• Potential for monetization: Even if you’re not monetizing today, show a plan for how value accrues.

Common Fundraising Mistakes

• Lack of focus – “If you build for everyone, you build for no one.” Investors prefer founders with a strong opinion over those chasing trends.

• Ignoring traction metrics – Especially in consumer crypto, daily active users and retention matter more than total signups.

• Fixating on valuation too early – Avoid putting a number in your pitch deck; let the market decide.

Emerging Trends in Web3

• AI + Crypto: The intersection of AI and blockchain is becoming a hotbed for innovation.

• Verticalized Social Apps: The next big thing in social might not be a broad platform, but niche, community-driven experiences (think: a “Crypto Letterboxd” for film buffs or “Crypto TikTok” for artists).

• Decentralized reputation systems: How can users build and carry status across apps? The question remains open.

Final Takeaways for Founders

1. Build first, raise second – Investors fund execution, not just ideas. Have something live.

2. Be opinionated – Strong vision wins. Serve a niche audience relentlessly.

3. Know your audience – Crypto-native or mainstream? This shapes your growth strategy.

4. Show traction early – DAUs > vanity metrics. Prove people come back.

5. Monetization matters – Even if not today, have a plan for long-term value.

Big thanks to Katie for sharing her insights! 🚀