# How Merit-Based Fundraising Aligns Projects and Investors | Fabrizio Giabardo

- Channel: [Ethereum Denver](https://streameth.org/ethereum-denver)
- Date: 2026-03-09
- Duration: 13:12
- Topics: ETHDenver, Crypto, Web3, Blockchain, Event, Conference, ETHDenver 2025, ETHDenver 2024, Bitcoin, Ethereum
- Watch: https://streameth.org/watch/yt-qHpnmkmpPpc
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHpnmkmpPpc

## Description

Exploring how reputation-based allocation improves incentive alignment. We show why ICOs and IPOs favor insiders over real contributors, how this persists in crypto fundraising, and how onchain systems enable merit-based access that benefits both projects and investors.