Alliance DAO Data Shows Solana Captures Record Founder Interest
Solana has achieved a major milestone by surpassing 25% of new founders for the first time, according to recent data from Alliance DAO. SolanaFloor reports that this achievement represents a watershed moment in blockchain development. The data shows 84% of funding applicants are building on Solana and Ethereum combined.
From H1 2021 through H2 2023, Ethereum consistently maintained the largest share of founders. More than half of all founders built within the Ethereum ecosystem during this period. Solana began with a small presence in H1 2021 and gradually lost founder share until H1 2023. Since then, it has grown steadily, reaching over 40% of founders in H1 2025.
Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko reacted to the news on social media with four words: "Hell to the yes." This milestone comes despite widespread skepticism following the FTX crash and incorrect claims by mainstream media that Solana had only 75 developers remaining.
Why This Matters
This founder milestone reflects broader developer adoption trends across the blockchain industry. According to Electric Capital's 2024 Developer Report, Solana attracted 7,625 new developers in 2024, the most of any blockchain. This represents an 83% increase compared to the previous year.
The Electric Capital data shows Solana became the first blockchain since 2016 to bring on board more new developers than Ethereum. In July 2024, Solana overtook Ethereum in attracting new developers and maintained this lead through the remainder of the year. This achievement represents the end of Ethereum's eight-year streak as the leading blockchain for onboarding new developers.
Regional data shows meaningful geographic shifts in founder distribution. North American regions declined from over 40% in H1 2021 to about 30-35% in H1 2025. Asia's share grew from 20% to more than 25%, while Africa showed visible growth despite remaining below 10%. This global expansion demonstrates Solana's worldwide appeal among blockchain entrepreneurs.
Industry Implications
Solana's founder growth coincides with renewed institutional interest in blockchain technology. Venture capital funding to crypto and blockchain startups reached $4.8 billion in Q1 2025, according to CryptoRank data. This represented the strongest quarterly total since Q3 2022, suggesting institutional confidence in blockchain platforms.
The shift toward Solana reflects its technical advantages in transaction speed and cost efficiency. While Ethereum maintains dominance in total developer count across all continents, Solana's rapid growth rate suggests a fundamental change in developer preferences. The competition between ecosystems has intensified as traditional financial institutions explore blockchain integration.
Industry experts note that founder distribution patterns often predict future market dynamics. The movement from North America-dominated development to a more globally distributed ecosystem creates new opportunities for innovation. Solana's growth in regions like Asia and Africa could accelerate adoption in emerging markets where fast, low-cost transactions provide the most value.
The data also reveals broader trends in blockchain specialization. Rather than building general-purpose applications, founders increasingly focus on specific use cases that leverage each blockchain's strengths. Solana's appeal appears strongest among developers creating consumer-facing applications and financial services that require high throughput.
Further Reading
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