Memecoin launchpad Pump.fun is pivoting from its traditional focus on meme tokens with the launch of Pump Fund, a new investment arm aimed at supporting promising startups across multiple sectors. The initiative marks the platform’s first major expansion beyond memecoins.
Pump Fund will begin with a $3 million hackathon, funding up to 12 projects with $250,000 each at a $10 million valuation. The fund emphasizes long-term alignment with teams, offering mentorship from Pump.fun founders and supporting projects that are fast-moving, transparent, and demonstrate sustainable potential, even outside the crypto space.
Pump.fun said on Monday ;
The hackathon structure allows the market itself to evaluate projects. Participants create a token, provide project updates, and rely on early users and investors to “bet” on their success, rather than traditional venture capital approval. This model taps into instant liquidity, enabling projects to gain funding quickly while providing real market validation.
Pump.fun co-founder highlighted the continued high demand for capable founders, noting that traders and long-term allocators remain eager to support innovative projects despite market volatility. This approach has already spurred interest in tokenized early-stage projects, including emerging AI and tech ventures within crypto ecosystems.
Alon Cohen said on X that;
The move comes as Pump.fun’s trading volumes have declined from the $11.75 billion peak in January 2025 to $2.43 billion in December 2025, reflecting waning interest in speculative memecoins. Pump Fund represents a strategic shift to diversify the platform’s offerings while maintaining engagement with a growing community of investors and builders.
Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Cryptocurrency trading involves risk and may result in financial loss.