Virtuals teach you how to start the AI Agent entrepreneurship road

The narrative itself is very important, in short, it is the team, product, and community.

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 the leading project of this AI cycle, Virtuals has grown from scratch to a market value of 2b. Behind this success is not only the adaptation to the cycle, but also the team's control of the rhythm of entrepreneurship, product polishing, and market operation. This article, written by ehwangah, a member of the Virtuals ecosystem development team, explains why 'immediate launch, public construction' is the best strategy in the current environment. The article not only addresses the most common doubts of new projects, but also provides practical advice to help entrepreneurs find their own pace in the rapidly developing crypto market.

The following is the original content:

Let me make it clear first, in the field of encryption, your market value is the primary measure of success. It's not that technical innovation, fundamental value, PMF, and so on are unimportant, but whether the market value can soar is the key to bringing multiple returns to the team, investors, and holders. So, how to do it?

Now go live and iterate and improve in the public eye, rather than getting stuck in overthinking or postponing before going live.

In addition, to put your mind at ease, the success or failure of the launch only accounts for 10%-20% of your long-term success, don't overcomplicate it. Why? A simple explanation is as follows:

• Over-hyped, without any substance: the result is a large-scale surge in sales.

• Low-key launch, no content: launch equals death.

• Over-hyped, solid content: Soaring to success.

• Low-key launch, solid content: steady growth, everything falls into place.

Do you see the commonality? The key lies in building a solid core (specific details are described in another document, but in short, it is the team, product, and community). The touchstone for judging the strength of the core is: whether your inner circle is willing to be the first to buy, hold, and believe in your project. If they don't believe, others will be even less likely to believe.

Why is it important to go live now?

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

Instead of spending 3 months or even more time and hundreds of thousands of dollars carefully polishing the product, it is better to go online as soon as possible to validate your concept.

This is similar to the approach of lean entrepreneurship: first propose a solution that attracts the target audience, verify its feasibility, and then continuously iterate and improve during the process. You may feel that this approach is unconventional, but it is one of the fastest and most efficient methods, capable of cultivating the first 1000 loyal followers. These early supporters will become catalysts to drive the project's momentum, helping its growth in terms of network, resources, and price.

The key point is to verify whether your idea is valid through this method, instead of verifying it after consuming a lot of time and funds.

Consolidate your position in the top 50 using the Lindy effect.

Do you know why the top 50 projects can consistently occupy the list in different cycles? This is not only because of quality, but also because of the accumulation of time and positioning, which is the so-called Lindy effect. Early online launch can help you establish a solid foundation in the holder community, 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 occupy your market position. Once others have taken your narrative, funding, or user mindshare, it will be extremely difficult to make a comeback. You may have seen those PvP battles on X, once investors are fully invested, it's hard to convince them to switch to so-called 'better projects'.

Especially in the current trend of AI Agent competitions, taking the lead is no longer just an added bonus, but crucial. Nowadays, everyone is rushing 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 admit it or not, going live in the crypto field means participating in an 'attention battle'. While product-led growth is important, it usually happens later. Early attention and community building are essential. In addition, issuing tokens is the best tool for distribution and aligning interests, while building projects in the public eye is the second best tool.

Choosing to list in the Virtuals ecosystem provides you with additional advantages, as the overall culture itself conveys the signal of "quality projects", and capital always flows to quality projects.

Real-time formation of first-day community and distribution network

Going online can bring heat, and instantly, users on X start writing long articles for you, summarizing your project into "three major reasons to buy/hold". This is not only because of the possibility of price increase, but also because this heat can stimulate the formation of a community. 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.

Leading token TGE supported by numerous VCs by 2025

In 2025, you may see a trend where many projects are delayed from going online due to following advice, as the long bear market in 2024 has led to poor market liquidity and low risk appetite, with almost no one willing to invest heavily. Subsequently, you will find more projects conducting market activities according to a predictable script:

• Raise a large amount of capital from venture capital.

• Develop products, then launch GTM activities - points, tasks, KOL cooperation, data brushing, etc.;

• Then TGE.

So what are your strengths? Fair launch, the spirit of decentralization, and the naturally formed community accumulation. The market environment has changed, and it is now leaning towards supporting you.

What about focusing on product development first?

While a solid product can indeed bring advantages, it is not the only factor for success. For early-stage projects, especially in the cryptocurrency market that is still in its infancy, team background is key. It can enhance external confidence and make people believe that the team will continue to work hard to create value. The reality is that if the cryptocurrency industry relies 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 going online early can gain a competitive advantage in community building and narrative shaping.

In addition, the product launch is never perfect, there will always be vulnerabilities, server overload, concurrency issues, etc. These should not be the focus of attention, and 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 are not simply buying from a 'faceless brand'; they are more interested in the stories behind the founders and the project. Building a project in the public eye can make your journey more attractive and humanized.

You don't need to present a perfect image on the first day, start early, be true, and build in public.

Take a look at the top 20 in the Virtuals ecosystem, they have won the love of users by publicly displaying their efforts and achievements.

Responding to Common Concerns

Worried about snipers?

No matter which chain, snipers will exist. However, in the Virtuals ecosystem, the unique community culture and powerful ecological system can improve user retention. In addition, we have solutions for sniper problems and can provide suggestions. (Related content coming soon)

How to design token economic model, Agent online structure, etc.?

We have witnessed more than 100 cases of going online and can share some optimization experience that helps to achieve goals. (Related content will be released soon)

Regarding the G.A.M.E framework, is it customizable? Does it have ownership of the technology stack?

The answer is yes! We are preparing more related content and also building our project in a transparent manner. We provide an open-source SDK that can be flexibly integrated into your architecture. If you need more detailed information, you can 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 a solution for this situation. (Related content will be released soon)

How to maximize the construction in the public view?

We also have related resources and checklists available for reference, and details can be discussed on TG.

What should I do if I already have existing tokens?

We also have an answer in this regard. (Related content will be released soon)

If there is no product when it goes live, will others think it's a scam?

Kickstarter projects don't have a final product when they go live, and even the landing page for collecting email addresses from potential customers doesn't have a product. The MVP itself is not the final form, especially in cases of rapid iteration. In addition, the first 1,000 fans will provide the most valuable feedback for your idea.

What should I do next?

Go live immediately, build openly, and don't overthink. If needed, let us know, we can help you amplify your journey. You can contact me via TG (@ehwangah), I have a bunch of resources to help you get started quickly.