a16z
VC Table | DAOs Table | Games | Mind Map | Raises | Trends
Business Models
Crypto Investment Thesis
- Multi-sided Platform Analysis:
- Identify the different sides of the platform (e.g., users, developers, miners/validators, investors)
- Analyze how each side interacts with and provides value to the others
- Network Effects:
- Evaluate same-side network effects (e.g., more users attracting more users)
- Assess cross-side network effects (e.g., more developers attracting more users)
- Analyze how network effects contribute to the protocol's defensibility
- Token Economics:
- Examine the role of the native token in the ecosystem
- Analyze how the token captures value from the network's activities
- Evaluate the token's utility and its integration into the broader ecosystem
- Defensibility Mechanisms:
- Assess the protocol's integration with other projects and services
- Evaluate the strength of network effects and their impact on defensibility
- Analyze the composability of the protocol with other smart contracts or applications
- Scalability and Performance:
- Evaluate the protocol's ability to handle increased usage and transactions
- Assess any layer 2 solutions or scaling mechanisms implemented
- Governance Model:
- Analyze the governance structure and token holder rights
- Evaluate the decision-making process for protocol upgrades and changes
- Incentive Alignment:
- Assess how well the protocol aligns incentives among different participants
- Evaluate the distribution of rewards and fees among stakeholders
- Market Positioning:
- Analyze the protocol's unique value proposition
- Evaluate its competitive advantage over similar protocols or traditional alternatives
- Adoption Strategy:
- Assess the go-to-market strategy (E.g targeting developers vs. end-users)
- Evaluate the protocol's brand and its importance in the target market
- Economic Flywheel:
- Analyze how the protocol creates a self-reinforcing cycle of value creation and capture
- Evaluate the sustainability of this flywheel effect
- Regulatory Considerations:
- Assess any potential regulatory challenges or compliance requirements
- Evaluate the protocol's resilience to regulatory changes
- Technical Architecture:
- Analyze the underlying blockchain or layer 1 protocol (if applicable)
- Evaluate the smart contract design and security measures
Investments
What is the most important question you could ask yourself to make progress?