Pumpfun Launches $3M Build In Public Hackathon Via Pump Fund

Pump.fun has announced a $3,000,000 Build in Public Hackathon, confirming that it will fund 12 projects with $250,000 each by letting token markets, not judges, decide which ideas succeed. The program is run through a newly launched investment arm called Pump Fund and is open to crypto and non-crypto projects alike.

Instead of traditional accelerators, pitch decks, or closed-door evaluations, the platform is asking founders to launch tokens, build products openly, and let users vote with capital.

How Is Pump Fund Different From Traditional Accelerators?

Pump Fund breaks from the standard accelerator model in several important ways. Traditional programs often focus on founder background, network access, or prior funding history. Pump.fun says it will instead focus on visible traction and execution.

Key differences include:

• No pitch decks or demo days
• No private judging panels
• No emphasis on founder pedigree
• Market participation determines outcomes

Rather than selecting winners through panels or venture capital committees, Pump.fun will rely on market participation. Projects must tokenize early and allow users to support them directly by buying into their tokens.

Founders are required to own at least 10% of their token supply, aligning incentives between builders and early supporters. This ownership requirement ensures teams remain exposed to the same risks as their communities.

The program also removes geographic and institutional barriers that often limit who can access early-stage funding.

Who Can Apply And What Are The Eligibility Rules?

The hackathon is open to projects across all verticals and maturity levels. Pump.fun has stated that teams do not need to be crypto-native, as long as they are willing to launch a token and engage publicly.

To be eligible, participants must meet the following requirements:

• Launch a token
• Build a functional project
• Own at least 10% of the token supply
• Build in public through frequent updates

Building in public includes posting progress on X, forming a visible community, and streaming development sessions on Pump.fun. While these activities are not strictly mandatory, the platform has said they are strongly encouraged.

The emphasis is on speed, openness, and consistency rather than polished presentations.

How Will Winners Be Selected?

Pump.fun says winners will be chosen based on a combination of product traction, social engagement, and long-term viability. The platform has stressed that organic traction matters more than connections or promotional language.

Teams are expected to:

• Ship early versions quickly
• Communicate plans clearly and often
• Respond to user feedback in real time
• Demonstrate sustained interest, not short spikes

Market behavior plays a central role. Tokens that attract real demand, maintain liquidity, and support an active user base signal stronger validation than those relying on short-term attention.

This model mirrors how decentralized markets already function, but applies it directly to early-stage funding.

Why Pumpfun Is Expanding Beyond Memecoins

Pump.fun is best known as a memecoin launchpad, but the company has steadily expanded its scope. According to the platform, more than 14 million tokens have launched through Pump.fun in its first two years, generating over $1 billion in revenue.

The introduction of Pump Fund suggests a move toward longer-term ecosystem development rather than one-off token launches. Pump.fun stated that the fund is designed to align with projects over time, not just at launch.

This is not the first step in that direction. In August last year, Pump.fun supported the Glass Fund Foundation, which focused on providing liquidity support to memecoins during volatile market conditions.

The Build in Public Hackathon extends that idea by combining funding, token ownership, and visible execution into a single structure.

How Tokenization Replaces Judges And VCs

Tokenization allows users to fund projects directly, removing intermediaries. Early supporters take on risk, but also gain exposure if a project succeeds.

Pump.fun summarized this approach by saying that users fund builders by betting on them early. Builders who capture attention and trust are rewarded with capital and liquidity.

This structure resembles early decentralized finance experiments, where protocols bootstrapped liquidity and governance through token incentives rather than institutional backing.

By formalizing this approach into a hackathon, Pump.fun is applying familiar crypto mechanics to startup funding.

Conclusion

Pump.fun’s $3,000,000 Build in Public Hackathon introduces a market-based approach to early-stage funding through its new Pump Fund. By allocating equal capital to 12 projects, requiring token ownership, and prioritizing visible execution, the program replaces traditional gatekeeping with open participation. 

The initiative shows Pump.fun moving beyond memecoins toward long-term ecosystem development focused on transparency, tokenomics, and real user demand.

Resources 

1. Pumpfun on X: Posts (January, 2026)

2. Report by The Block: Pump.fun launches new investment arm for funding startups

3. Pumpfun’s Build In Public Global Hackathon website: General info