Pump.fun Launches $3M Investment Arm and Hackathon to Seed Memecoin Projects

Pump.fun, the memecoin launchpad, is pivoting beyond its roots with the introduction of Pump Fund—a $3 million investment vehicle designed to back early-stage projects. The initiative kicks off with a public hackathon offering twelve winning teams $250,000 each at a $10 million valuation, coupled with mentorship from Pump.fun's founders.

The funding model breaks from traditional venture capital by prioritizing market-driven signals over pitch decks. Projects will be evaluated based on real token demand and community traction, requiring teams to build in public, mint tokens, and demonstrate organic user interest. The hackathon's rules mandate transparency: participants must disclose development steps and maintain a public share of token supply.

This approach accelerates fundraising visibility while aligning long-term incentives between the platform and projects. Pump.fun's MOVE signals a maturation of the memecoin ecosystem, where liquidity and community engagement now dictate viability as much as technical merit.