Overview
DAO Maker was founded in 2019 by Christoph Zaknun and Giorgio Marciano, positioning itself as a comprehensive crypto venture platform combining launchpad services, incubation, and community building. The platform's signature innovation is the Strong Holder Offering (SHO), which uses on-chain analytics to identify and prioritize committed long-term holders over short-term flippers for IDO participation.
The SHO model was a genuine innovation in the launchpad space. Instead of random lottery selection (as used by most competitors), DAO Maker's algorithm analyzes participants' wallet histories — looking at holding patterns, staking behavior, and on-chain activity — to allocate IDO slots to users most likely to hold tokens long-term. This approach theoretically benefits both projects (getting committed holders) and the platform's reputation (better post-launch price action).
DAO Maker hosted dozens of successful launches during 2021-2022, including early sales for projects that generated significant returns. The platform expanded beyond launches to offer incubation services, marketing support, and tokenomics consulting for early-stage projects. This full-service approach differentiated it from pure launchpad competitors.
Like all launchpads, DAO Maker experienced a dramatic decline in activity during the bear market. The platform has continued operating through the downturn with reduced frequency, and has pivoted toward AI and gaming-focused launches to align with current market narratives.
Technology
The SHO system is DAO Maker's primary technical differentiator. The on-chain scoring algorithm evaluates multiple wallet metrics to generate a "DAO Score" that determines participation eligibility and tier. This is more sophisticated than the simple stake-and-lottery systems used by most competitors.
The platform supports multi-chain launches across Ethereum, BNB Chain, Polygon, Arbitrum, and other networks. Smart contracts handle the sale mechanics — fixed-price allocations, vesting schedules, and token distribution. The technical infrastructure is well-built and has handled high-demand launches without significant issues.
DAO Maker also offers a social mining platform where community members earn rewards for promotional activities, and venture yield products that expose DAO token holders to early-stage project upside. These additional products demonstrate technical ambition beyond basic launchpad functionality.
Security
DAO Maker experienced a significant security incident in September 2021, when a vulnerability in the platform's smart contracts was exploited for approximately $7 million. The team responded by compensating affected users through a recovery plan funded by platform revenue. This response was credible and demonstrated accountability, though the incident itself highlighted smart contract risks.
Since the 2021 incident, the platform has upgraded its security infrastructure, conducted additional audits, and implemented more rigorous smart contract review processes. Project curation is thorough — DAO Maker's due diligence process is considered among the strongest in the launchpad sector, reducing (but not eliminating) the risk of launching fraudulent or incompetent projects.
Decentralization
DAO Maker is operationally centralized. The team controls project selection, platform development, and the SHO scoring algorithm. While DAO token holders can stake for participation rights, governance over platform direction is minimal. The centralization is purposeful — strong curation requires editorial control — but it means the platform's quality depends entirely on the team's judgment and integrity.
The SHO scoring system introduces some algorithmic decentralization (objective on-chain criteria rather than purely subjective selection), but the algorithm's parameters are set by the team and are not publicly auditable.
Adoption
DAO Maker has been one of the most active launchpads by number of launches and total funds raised. The platform has hosted over 100 SHOs, raised hundreds of millions in aggregate, and attracted a large community of launch participants. The DAO token holder base is substantial, and the platform consistently generates participation demand for its launches.
Peak adoption was during the 2021 bull market when SHO allocations were highly coveted. Current activity is lower but the platform remains more active than many competitors that have effectively ceased operations. The incubation arm provides pipeline for new launches, helping maintain activity levels even in bear markets.
Tokenomics
DAO token has a total supply of approximately 312 million tokens. Staking DAO tokens determines SHO participation tiers — higher stakes unlock larger allocations and access to more launches. Additional utility includes governance voting (limited), venture yield products, and fee sharing.
The tokenomics create strong holding incentives during active launch periods. When SHO returns are attractive, demand for DAO tokens rises as participants seek higher staking tiers. This creates positive feedback loops in bull markets but can reverse sharply when launch activity and ROI decline. The token is inherently cyclical, correlated with both broader crypto market conditions and launchpad-specific demand.
Risk Factors
- Cyclical revenue model: Launch activity and demand track crypto market cycles
- Launchpad sector structural decline: Airdrops and points systems are displacing IDOs
- Historical security breach: 2021 exploit demonstrated smart contract vulnerability
- Centralized project selection: Platform reputation hinges on curation quality
- Regulatory risk: Token launches may face securities regulation globally
- ROI sustainability: Participants require positive returns to justify DAO token staking
- Competition from exchange launches: Binance Launchpool and similar products capture market share
Conclusion
DAO Maker is arguably the most sophisticated launchpad in crypto, with the SHO model representing a genuine innovation in participant selection. The platform's combination of strong curation, on-chain scoring, incubation services, and consistent operation through bear markets puts it at the top of its category.
The 4.1 score reflects technical innovation, strong execution track record, and continued operation, balanced against the cyclical nature of the launchpad business and the structural shift away from IDOs as the primary token distribution method. DAO Maker is the best version of a product category whose long-term market share in crypto fundraising remains uncertain. If launchpads remain relevant, DAO Maker is well-positioned. If the industry moves fully toward airdrops and exchange launches, even the best launchpad faces headwinds.