From Smart Money to Smart Support: Why Founders Prefer Strategic Incubation in Web3

The concept of “smart money” has long dominated early-stage investing. But in today’s Web3 landscape, founders seek more evolved smart support beyond capital, offering tactical help, deep ecosystem knowledge, and hands-on collaboration. At ChainGPT Labs , we’ve seen this shift up close. Web3 builders today don’t just want exposure or funding they want partners who understand the stack, can challenge product decisions, and help them build through ambiguity. And now the numbers are starting to reflect what we’ve seen on the ground. In a 2023 survey of over 100 Web3 founders by Bloccelerate VC, 72% said they prioritized strategic incubation over traditional VC funding, even when offered larger checks. This isn’t surprising given the evolving market conditions funding has tightened, expectations have risen, and founders are being more deliberate about who they bring on board. Building in Web3 has unique challenges: rapidly shifting tech standards, unclear regulatory frameworks, the need for community alignment, and multi-chain infrastructure decisions. These aren’t problems most generalist investors are equipped to support. For early teams navigating these layers, funding alone is rarely enough. This has led to a growing preference for incubators that provide more hands-on involvement, whether helping shape a token model, refining a product strategy, reviewing architecture decisions, or connecting with potential collaborators and early users. Strategic Incubators Are Delivering Good incubation isn’t about micromanaging founders. It’s about creating the right conditions for focused building. This usually means working with teams on early experiments, serving as a sounding board during pivotal decisions, and offering flexible, context-aware guidance as the product evolves. Strategic incubators often plug into teams with capital, domain expertise, technical mentorship, and ecosystem access. This support is especially valuable in Web3, where moving fast can lead to decisions that don’t hold up over time. Having a partner who understands the tradeoffs and can help avoid common pitfalls can make a significant difference. Case in Point: Datai Network’s Journey with MVB One of the teams we’ve supported at ChainGPT Labs, Datai Network , was recently selected for BNB Chain’s MVB Season 9 , which is laser-focused on the intersection of AI and Web3 infrastructure. The timing couldn’t be better. Datai is tackling a core infrastructure challenge that often goes ignored: making blockchain data usable by machines. Their approach, peer-to-peer indexing, AI-ready data outputs, and modular projections stand out in a sea of tools that stop at surface-level insights. MVB gives them access to critical resources: direct mentorship from Yzi Labs (ex-Binance), scaling support on BNB Chain, and a community of builders tackling complementary problems. This environment allows an infrastructure-heavy team to move faster through funding, collaboration, and feedback. And it’s working. Datai is already powering AI agents, analytics layers, and dashboards while generating revenue from data services with partners like Zerion and Etherspot. The Broader Shift: Why Incubation Models Are Evolving with Builders Founders in today’s Web3 landscape are becoming more intentional about the support they seek. It’s no longer just about capital finding partners who can contribute strategically, offer technical guidance, and help navigate the complexities of building at the edge of innovation. ChainGPT Labs takes this approach to incubation. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, the focus is on working closely with teams to provide them with the go-to-market strategy, build resilient infrastructure, and connect with the right ecosystems. The goal is to create an environment where builders can experiment, iterate, and confidently scale. Working with teams like Datai Network reflects this philosophy, supporting those solving meaningful problems with focus, flexibility, and a strong sense of purpose. As the lines between technologies blur and the demands on early-stage teams grow, strategic incubation models will play an increasingly important role in shaping what comes next. Final Thoughts Today’s Web3 founders are no longer chasing capital for its own sake but evaluating its full value. In a leaner and more selective market, what matters most isn’t the size of the check, but whether the partner behind it can help accelerate product-market fit, support responsible scaling, and contribute meaningfully to long-term success. ChainGPT Labs embraces this model. The lab prioritizes deep, strategic incubation over transactional investment, offering hands-on support, infrastructure guidance, and ecosystem access. Their work with teams like Datai Network, tackling foundational challenges in AI and blockchain data, reflects a commitment to backing builders who solve meaningful problems with discipline and clarity. As the Web3 and AI spaces continue to converge, incubation models focusing on substance, not just capital, are essential for the next generation of innovation. Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

Source: Crypto Daily