Adlunam

Adlunam Inc., established in 2021 by co-founders Nadja Bester, Jason Fernandes, and Lawrence Hutson, operates as a Web3 investment and fundraising ecosystem. The company was founded to address perceived inequities in the crypto investment space, aiming to create a more democratized model that moves beyond capital-based privilege. Bester brings two decades of experience in entrepreneurship and marketing, including founding two marketing agencies and serving as a thought leader in the Web3 space since 2017. Fernandes is a technology columnist and serial entrepreneur who began his journey in tech as a teenager, later co-inventing an Internet-based DVR and gaining experience evaluating token-based investments. The company secured $2 million in a seed funding round in March 2022.

The firm's business model centers on its integrated product suite designed for both retail investors and early-stage Web3 projects. A core component is the "Proof of Attention" protocol, which tracks user engagement across Web2 and Web3 platforms and converts this activity into a reputation score. This score, expressed as a dynamic NFT, is used in its "Engage to Earn" model, allowing users to earn allocations in Initial DEX Offerings (IDOs) based on their participation rather than purely on capital. This system serves a dual purpose: it provides a mechanism for retail investors to gain access to early-stage projects and allows projects to identify and reward committed community members. For startups, Adlunam offers the "Zero2IDO" accelerator, providing end-to-end support that includes refining business strategies, tokenomics, community growth, and connecting founders with institutional investors and exchange partners.

Adlunam's ecosystem includes a gamified SocialFi platform, an IDO Launchpad, and a planned AdLunam Exchange that will link trading incentives to reputation. The company also operates a media division, which includes publications like Altcoin Observer and podcasts such as "The Future of NFTs" and "Diving into Crypto," to provide industry analysis and thought leadership. The firm has received several industry recognitions, including being named the Best Web3 Investment & Engagement Platform at the 2025 World Future Awards and winning accolades for its crowdfunding and blockchain work at the BOLD Awards.

Keywords: IDO launchpad, Proof of Attention, Web3 investment, Engage to Earn, crypto accelerator, SocialFi, tokenomics, decentralized finance, seed funding, blockchain fundraising