Catalyst · Founder guide

For founders

This is the end-to-end guide for launching a startup on Catalyst. If you have read What is Catalyst and How it works, this page gives you the practical steps.

Before you start

You need to have:

  • •A wallet with ETH on Base Sepolia (for collateral + gas). The minimum collateral for the current deployment is 0.1 ETH, but larger collateral signals stronger commitment and attracts more investors.
  • •A clear idea of your funding target (how much USDx liquidity you want investors to provide), commitment deadline (how many days your cycle lasts), and minimum token price target (what you promise the token will be worth at cycle end).
  • •A written description of what your startup does. This is stored on-chain and displayed to every potential investor. Don't skip it — it is your primary way to attract funding.

⚠️Choose your parameters carefully

Once you register, the targets, deadline, and collateral are immutable. You cannot change the minimum price if the market moves against you, and you cannot extend the deadline if the cycle takes longer than expected. Plan conservatively: it's better to promise a modest price target you will definitely hit than an ambitious one that might fail.

Step by step

  1. 1

    Connect your wallet

    Go to the Catalyst frontend, click Connect, and choose your wallet provider. Make sure you are on Base Sepolia (chainId 84532). If you don't have testnet ETH, use a faucet.
  2. 2

    Open the Register flow

    From the home page, click Register Startup. A form opens asking for all the parameters your startup needs.
  3. 3

    Fill in the parameters

    Name, description, funding target (in USDx), commitment deadline (in days), minimum token price target (in USDx), and collateral amount (in ETH). The form validates inputs and shows you an estimate of the gas cost.
  4. 4

    Submit and sign

    Click Register. Your wallet will ask you to sign a single transaction that: deploys your startup token (ERC-20), locks your collateral in the vault, and creates the startup entry in the registry. After confirmation (typically 2-5 seconds on Base), you are live.
  5. 5

    Wait for funding

    Your startup is now in Funding status and visible on the marketplace. Investors can see your description and back you. Share the link to your startup page on social media to attract attention. Once the funding target is reached, the commitment clock starts.
  6. 6

    Operate during the Active cycle

    Focus on delivering the product. Pool 1 is generating fees that flow to your withdrawable balance — check your founder dashboard to withdraw operational funds at any time. The adoption oracle is watching your token's usage metrics, so make sure you have real users, not fake volume.
  7. 7

    Evaluation at deadline

    When the commitment deadline passes, anyone can call the evaluator. If your token price is at or above target AND the oracle verdict is APPROVE, your startup is Completed: you can recover collateral and your token allocation is yours. Otherwise, it is Failed: investors can file claims against your collateral.

How to maximise your chances of success

  • •Set realistic targets. A modest price target you definitely hit beats an ambitious one that triggers failure.
  • •Build something real. The adoption oracle will flag wash-traded activity. Your users must be real, the volume must be real, the holders must be real.
  • •Communicate.Investors are locked in but they are watching. Keep them updated on progress through your own channels — the protocol gives them on-chain metrics, but context comes from you.
  • •Over-collateralise if you can. More collateral = more investor trust = easier funding. The collateral is at risk only if you fail, so commit more if you are confident.