Web3 Circle's "Co-founder" Title: Who's Actually Entrepreneuring and Who's Just Riding the Wave?

In the Web3 community, you often see women creators with beautiful avatars and a large following, prominently listing “Co-founder” in their bios. This title should represent a core entrepreneurial role, but in Web3, it seems to have become an easily attainable status symbol. How many people truly deserve the “Co-founder” label? And how many are just carefully crafted personas?

The Identity Anxiety Behind the Titles

“Co-founder” traditionally signifies responsibility and commitment in business. But in the Web3 world, its boundaries have become blurred. This stems from Web3’s decentralized nature—due to loose project structures and unclear team roles—anyone who has contributed to a project might slap the “Co-founder” label on themselves.

More importantly, this title has a strong “brand effect.” Listing “Co-founder” on social media quickly boosts personal professionalism and credibility, making strangers perceive you as a capable entrepreneur at first glance. For those looking to rapidly build influence in Web3, this is the cheapest way to upgrade their persona.

In reality, many who claim the “Co-founder” title may have never been involved in core development. Their true roles might be brand ambassadors, social media operators, or even someone who just attended one funding meeting and then went solo. However, due to information asymmetry in Web3 communities, these distinctions are often overlooked.

The Shortcut to Monetizing Traffic

If the title is just a matter of vanity, the real motivation is driven by business interests. The “Co-founder” identity, especially when combined with personas like “female entrepreneur” or “Web3 creative,” can generate massive traffic and commercial value.

Having the “Co-founder” label makes it easier to connect with venture capitalists, project teams, and partners. Some models, streamers, or influencers leverage their existing fan base to enter Web3, creating a dual identity as “female KOL + project founder,” attracting community attention, funding opportunities, and even converting fans into project supporters.

This combination often creates a “ripple effect” in social media algorithms—followers automatically assume you’re a key decision-maker rather than just a promoter. This provides a relatively low-cost path for quick monetization.

Co-founder ≠ Actual Operator

But it’s important to clarify: in many cases claiming to be a “Co-founder,” these individuals are actually just involved in promotion, publicity, or social media management, not in technical development or core business decisions.

A true Co-founder should bear responsibilities such as:

• Designing and developing the project’s technical architecture
• Making strategic business decisions
• Negotiating funding and allocating resources
• Building and managing the team

In contrast, many self-proclaimed “Co-founders” are mainly doing marketing work—writing social media content, organizing community events, or participating in branding. These tasks are important but should not be confused with the role of a “co-creator.”

How to Identify Genuine Co-founders

When you see someone claiming “Co-founder” on Twitter or other social platforms, consider these points:

Check the project background: Search for official info, funding announcements, whitepapers, and see if this person is listed in the founding team. Genuine Co-founders are usually mentioned in official documents.

Observe their role boundaries: What are they mainly doing? If 99% of their content is social media promotion and branding, with little involvement in technical or strategic discussions, they might be promoters rather than decision-makers.

Assess actual influence: Do they have real say in major project decisions? Or are they only brought out for endorsements when needed?

Look at project progress: Is the project advancing in technology and business? If the project is steadily developing and the Co-founder’s presence reflects that, it’s a good sign. Conversely, if progress is slow but the individual’s personal brand is growing rapidly, that’s a red flag.

While there are indeed genuine female entrepreneurs and co-founders working quietly in Web3, the exaggerated “Co-founder” label has become rampant due to social media amplification. Next time you see someone claiming to be a “Co-founder,” ask yourself: Is there a real entrepreneurial story behind this title, or is it a carefully crafted persona?