Memecoin launchpad Pump.fun is branching out beyond token launches with a new investment arm aimed at backing early-stage builders.
The Solana-based platform has unveiled Pump Fund, a $3 million initiative that will spread funding across 12 projects. The announcement was made through an animated video posted on X, which framed the fund as a long-term bet on startups building in and around the Pump.fun ecosystem.
Alongside the fund, Pump.fun also announced a Build in Public Hackathon, where 12 selected teams will each receive $250,000 at a $10 million valuation. According to the platform, the goal is to support builders earlier than traditional venture programs typically would.
“It will advance the startup ecosystem on Pump.fun by aligning itself with projects long-term,” the team wrote in an X thread.
A Hackathon Built Around Tokens, Not VCs
Pump.fun says the hackathon is deliberately different from conventional accelerators. Rather than pitching to judges or venture capitalists, participants are encouraged to launch a token and let the market decide their value.
“Instead of having to please judges or VCs for money, tokenizing allows the market to become the judge,” the platform wrote. “Your users are the ones that fund you by betting on you early.”
To qualify, teams must launch a token and retain at least 10% of the total supply. Notably, Pump.fun stressed that projects don’t have to be crypto-native. Startups from any sector, at any stage, are welcome to apply, as long as they can demonstrate momentum.
When selecting winners, Pump.fun says it will focus on product quality, social traction, open communication, and long-term viability.
The announcement struck a chord with builders on X. One user described the hackathon as “the biggest unlock of builder talent,” arguing that while AI has massively expanded the number of people who can build, funding models haven’t kept pace.
“The talent pool just 100x’d, yet the funding system didn’t,” the user wrote. “Time to change the game.”
The first cohort of Pump Fund-backed startups is expected to launch by February 2026.
PUMP Token Reacts to the News
Pump.fun’s native token, PUMP, rose 3.04% in the 24 hours following the announcement. At the time of writing, the token was trading at around $0.00256, according to CoinMarketCap.
While the move reflects short-term momentum, PUMP faces resistance near $0.00274. The token is still down roughly 70% from its all-time high reached in September.
That said, renewed interest in memecoins — including several tokens launched on Pump.fun that have recently gained traction — has pushed PUMP back into focus. Data from DefiLlama also shows steadily rising platform revenue, which some traders see as strengthening the token’s longer-term fundamentals.
