Before diving into the highlights, let’s address something that hit close to home this month: burnout. Recently, a member of our community faced severe burnout, forcing them to step back from their founder journey. This isn’t just a one-off story—it’s the unspoken reality for too many of us.
Burnout costs more than health. It robs us of projects with potential, disrupts ecosystems, and leaves behind emotional and financial wreckage. Founders are twice as likely to face depression, and the damage is staggering—both personally and economically.
And when you layer this with Web3’s inefficiencies, the picture becomes even grimmer.
Founders, humans, degens alike, put your mental and physical health first. It is as simple as standing up every 45 mins and stretching, increasing your heart rate by either jumping, walking, push ups, or even playing with your pet, if you have one. That, and hydrate!
Tweet - Mental Health and Startup Founders: How to Address Burnout and Promote Well-Being
Before you scroll ahead, do us a favor and yourself, bookmark this article because it is worth every minute of your time. Better yet, share, RT and comment so that we can grow the pie.
The Web3 Capital Crisis: $520M Wasted Annually
The Web3 ecosystem faces a crisis of its own: $520 million wasted every year due to inefficient funding, failed projects, and abandoned innovations.
Here’s what we’re seeing:
Duplicate Funding: Over 20% of projects get overlapping grants, wasting resources across ecosystems like Ethereum and Solana.
Missed Milestones: Nearly half (45.6%) of funded projects fail to deliver what they promised.
Project Abandonment: 38.1% of projects disappear within a year. On Solana and Polygon, it’s even worse—48% and 43%, respectively.
Misallocation of Funds: 30% of funding gets funneled into non-core activities like marketing, leaving product development to flounder.
The result? A $520M annual loss—and that’s not just cash. It’s opportunities, trust, and progress slipping through the cracks.
How FHN Is Bridging the Gap
At Founders Hub Network, we’re building tools that tackle these inefficiencies head-on. Powered by OptimusAI, our platform combines transparency with actionable insights to ensure that founders and investors get the most out of their efforts:
FounderTrust Scores: Helping investors back the right founders.
Cross-Chain Verification: Cutting out duplicate grants.
Real-Time Monitoring: Ensuring projects hit milestones and stay on track.
By embracing this approach, Web3 could save $300M annually, reinvest those resources into innovation, and accelerate the space’s growth.
November: Wins, Lessons, and What’s Next
The People: Expanding the Team
Through our hackathon hiring process in collaboration with @dcodeblock24, we found some of the best minds out there:
4,000 participants.
30 finalists.
5 incredible hires, spanning engineering, design, product, and DevOps.
This brings us to a lean, focused team of 8, ready to keep pushing boundaries.
Recruited through - Dcodeblock's Hiring Hackathon
Community Wins
40% Growth: Our community expanded significantly, proving the demand for what we’re building.
80,000 Listeners: Across multiple X Spaces, we tackled big topics like founder resilience and scaling strategies.
Devcon Week: Co-hosted four major events, sparking meaningful conversations around Web3 funding and founder wellness.
Devcon - Museigen.io
Progress That Counts
Secured 10 new partners to provide services tailored to early-stage founders.
Closed a $30,000 friends-and-family round and received $120,000 in soft commitments from angels and VCs.
Personal Branding Workshop: Kicking Off 2025
Start the new year strong with our 4-week intensive workshop, designed to take founders from 0 to 1 in building their personal brand.
Why Personal Branding? Because in a crowded market, you are your story. A powerful personal brand builds credibility, attracts investors, and helps you stand out.
Here’s the plan:
Start Date: January 2025.
Duration: 4 weeks of guided, actionable sessions.
Focus: Crafting a personal narrative that’s impossible to ignore.
Q1 is about clarity and momentum. Let’s set the tone for a game-changing year.
We’re Live! Check Out Our Website
It’s been a long time coming, but our website is finally live at www.foundershub.network.
We want your feedback—seriously. Tell us what works, what doesn’t, and what you’d love to see. Let’s make this platform the ultimate space for founders.
The Good, The Bad, and The Honest Truth
The Good: Our momentum is real, and the community is growing faster than ever.
The Bad: Fundraising is slower than we’d like—it’s a grind, but we’re not backing down.
The Honest Truth: Scaling at this pace is messy. But hey, great things rarely happen without a little chaos.
Founders Retreat in Chiang Mai
Amid the hustle, don’t forget to recharge. Our Founders Retreat in Chiang Mai is designed for builders who need to reset, refocus, and reconnect.
When: Dec 8-10, 2024
Where: The lush and serene landscapes of Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Why: To reflect, strategize, and return with a clear vision for 2025.
Tickets are still available! Grab yours here before they’re gone.
Sometimes, stepping back is the best way to leap forward. Don’t miss this chance to reset your founder mindset.
Motivation for the Builders
We’ll leave you with some words to keep you going:
"What’s the point of dreaming big if you don’t chase it with everything you’ve got?"
"You didn’t come this far to only come this far."
"Done is better than perfect." Start now, iterate later.
What We Need From You
Investors: Impact-driven angels, we’re still raising. Let’s talk.
Partners: Got tools or services founders need? Let’s collaborate.
Feedback: Check out the website, join our X Spaces, and let us know how we’re doing.
Founders, you’re not just building startups—you’re building the future. We’re here to make sure you don’t have to do it alone.
With gratitude (and just a pinch of sarcasm), @moeiman
CEO & Founder Founders Hub Network
And one more news to share
I met the legend - Yat Siu