Original Title: "We surveyed 42 Solana founders. Here's what they said."
Author: Jack Kubinec
Compiled by: Bai Hua Blockchain
Lightspeed initiated an anonymous survey and distributed it to Solana founders, heavy users, and others, aiming to gain a true understanding of their views on other ecosystems, venture capital firms, startups, and more.
The survey questions covered a variety of options and provided spaces for written responses, which were edited for grammar and clarity.
Here are the results of our survey of 42 founders:
1. Besides Solana, which blockchain would you choose?
Some founders also stated: "If not Solana, I wouldn't get into crypto."
2. Which U.S. political party do you prefer?
3. Which crypto VC do you rate the highest?
Founders also stated: "Choosing one is unfair."
4. Which crypto VC are you least optimistic about?
Founders also stated: "Asian venture capital firms that blindly follow the lead investor are also not quite OK."
5. Rumor has it that the Solana inner circle is very deep, and in order to promote the development of projects within the circle, they often sacrifice projects outside the circle?
Founders also stated:
"I don't know, they're all the same, no big difference."
"I don't like this question, it feels like it's trying to stir up controversy rather than provide information."
"It does exist, and I'm part of it, but it's not 'at the expense of projects outside the circle'. Because I've also invested a lot of time and money in 'projects outside the circle'. It's a two-way street - you put in, you get back."
"It doesn't exist, but I'm part of it."
"In the early days and bear market, some personal networks were formed. Those who valued cooperation and helping Solana naturally built closer relationships through years of effort. Some people (including those from the OG Solana Labs team) later became influential figures with large followings. This is natural. Almost all surviving teams have also received funding from venture capital and Solana Ventures. These are facts, but I don't see any malice in it. The Solana Foundation has done a great job of diversifying this influence and supporting people who are doing great things in the ecosystem (e.g. Superteam). In my view, Toly is particularly good at supporting builders impartially, not based on personal preferences, but based on 1) their projects are cool, 2) their sincerity."
6. What is Solana's biggest problem right now?
Founders also stated: "Urgent need for more block space. 5x increase in demand + 2x price increase = 10x increase in block size needed to keep application developer costs constant!"
7. How do you see the significance of Memecoins for Solana?
8. There are many non-self-created startups in Solana, which one would you most like to join?
9. Which one would you least like to join?
Founders also stated: "I don't want to join the ones that haven't taken off yet either."
10. What is the most overvalued sector of Solana?
Founders also stated: "SocialFi, DeSci, and gaming still have potential."
11. What is the most undervalued sector of Solana?
12. Which of the following has done the most damage to Solana's reputation?
Founders also stated: "FTX was both the best and the worst in the early days, haha."
There is a lot of content here worth delving into, but I found a few points particularly noteworthy: Other founders don't rate pump.fun highly, but they generally believe that memecoins are beneficial to the ecosystem. And Base and Sui seem to be the most attractive Solana competitors at the moment.
As a journalist, getting founders to speak candidly in public is not easy. This survey has helped me better understand the real thoughts of Solana founders - at least in broad terms.
