Why Web3 growth is broken, and how Bandit Network is fixing it

Web3 startups are obsessed with growth. And rightly so, between community building, token launches, and airdrop strategies, growth often determines survival. But what if the tools we've relied on, airdrops, point systems, bounty campaigns, are not just flawed but actively harming long-term community building?

That’s the exact problem Sandesh and the team at Bandit Network are solving.

In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I sat down with Sandesh to talk about growth in Web3: what works, what’s broken, and why building modular infrastructure instead of chasing hype is the only way to build something that lasts.

From AI and NFTs to solving Web3 growth

Before Bandit Network, Sandesh was deep in the AI world. In 2020, he was one of the early users of GPT technology, building smart reply tools for creators. His journey into Web3 came when his AI-enabled creator app pivoted into NFTs. That eventually led to an acquisition by a crypto exchange and the opportunity to work with WazirX and Binance on NFT marketplaces for celebrities and creators.

But amid all that activity, one persistent problem kept surfacing: growth campaigns were broken. Tools like Galxe and Layer3 brought in users, sure, but they were often bots, bounty hunters, or people just farming rewards with no real intent to engage.

That insight became the foundation for Bandit Network.

Bandit Network: A growth protocol, not a gimmick

Bandit Network isn’t just another quest platform. It’s a campaign infrastructure layer for Web3 projects, designed to help teams build, run, and track growth campaigns, without relying on centralized platforms or fleeting trends.

Whether it’s a Layer 1 like Shardeum, a meme coin like Bonk, or a browser like Brave, Bandit lets projects launch their own growth stack with features like:

• 🧱 Lego-style campaign building: Combine modules like referrals, social quests, testnet participation, and NFT drops
  
  
• 🛠️ Self-hosted & white-labeled: Own the experience and the data
  
  
• 📊 Web2–Web3 data mapping: Combine wallet addresses with Twitter, Discord, and Telegram IDs for true targeting
  
  
• 🤖 Bot filtering & Sybil resistance: Integrates with Bitcoin Passport for identity checks without sacrificing openness
  
  

Sandesh made it clear: the secret is flexibility. Trends in Web3 change fast, airdrops today, points tomorrow, meme coins the day after. Bandit is built like a toolkit, not a template. It empowers marketers to adapt without needing a dev team.

What’s working in Web3 growth?

According to Sandesh, memes are the new growth flywheel.

Projects are leaning into meme launchpads, turning community creativity into content, and sometimes even tokens. Examples like Pump.fun and Raydium’s meme tools highlight how playful, gamified participation can keep users deeply engaged.

Bandit has enabled meme campaigns where communities submit and vote on themed content (like “Roast of the Week”) which then gets tokenized and added to liquidity pools. It’s community-powered speculation, and it’s proving to be an engagement magnet.

Other key growth strategies Sandesh identified include:

• Rollups for campaign data: Bandit is now building a rollup layer to decentralize and index Web2–Web3 user identity, enabling targeting like “show an ad to a Twitter user who holds a certain token.”
  
  
• Allowing bots, strategically: Early in a campaign, bots can simulate traction. What matters is filtering them out during reward distribution.
  
  
• Devs focus on product, not marketing infra: Founders should build core products, not re-invent referral systems. Bandit gives them a plug-and-play solution.
  
  

Business model and scalability

Bandit runs as a SaaS product, with pricing from $250/month up to $2,000/month. Startups can even use a free tier, though limited by API usage. Larger clients, like Brave, Bonk, and Unstoppable Domains, can opt for custom white-labeled integrations, sometimes paying in tokens for bespoke features.

They're not just building a tool, they’re building a protocol. With a $1M grant from QuickNode and a seed round currently open ($3–4M target), Bandit is positioning itself as the go-to infra for growth in Web3.

Why this matters

Web3 has matured beyond airdrop chasers and bot farms. Today, teams want real users, real engagement, and growth tools they can own and optimize. Bandit Network isn’t another campaign gimmick, it’s infrastructure that scales with the space.

If you're a Web3 founder asking "How do we grow without burning our treasury on hype?", Bandit might be the answer.

🚀 Learn more about Bandit Network
If you're interested in investing or trying out their free version, check out https://bandit.network/ or reach out to Sandesh directly. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandeshbsuvarna/