CoinMarketCap Launches CMC Labs Accelerator for Crypto Startups

CoinMarketCap (CMC), the world’s most visited crypto data platform, has announced its latest initiative through a tweet, inviting promising crypto startups to apply for its accelerator program, CMC Labs. This program is designed to support early-stage crypto projects, providing them with the tools and resources needed to grow and succeed in the competitive crypto market.

CMC Labs is more than just a conventional accelerator program. It leverages CoinMarketCap’s extensive network, industry reach, and digital footprint to offer startups access to a vast ecosystem of 250 million monthly users, along with connections to over 50 active high-value partners and hundreds more in the wider crypto community. The program is highly selective, targeting projects with strong fundamentals and a long-term vision, and aims to guide them through their growth phase using a structured approach that combines education, community building, visibility, and ongoing post-program support.

The application process for CMC Labs is rigorous and follows a step-by-step selection model. Startups apply directly through CMC’s website, and their submissions are reviewed to assess viability and potential. Shortlisted applicants then meet with the CMC Labs team for an introductory call. If there’s mutual interest, an internal committee votes on the application. Selected startups are formally welcomed into the accelerator and receive access to promotional tools and community engagement features during the acceleration phase. Even after the formal program ends, CMC continues to provide strategic support to the startups.

Startups accepted into the CMC Labs program can leverage several built-in CoinMarketCap features designed to build traction and credibility. These include Learn & Earn campaigns, where projects can educate users about their product via quizzes and video content, offering token rewards to turn passive readers into engaged community members. Airdrop campaigns, with structured requirements such as adding the project to a Watchlist and following the community page, help build loyalty and user stickiness. CMC’s in-house content team produces in-depth research articles and explainer videos, boosting a project’s SEO and visibility across CoinMarketCap and YouTube. Eye-catching infographics provide sharable, informative snapshots of each project, designed to engage wider audiences on social media. Additionally, startups can host Twitter Spaces under the CMC brand, allowing direct, real-time interaction with the crypto community and providing valuable feedback and increased transparency.

CMC Labs reflects CoinMarketCap’s broader mission to not just report on crypto innovation but actively shape it. By offering infrastructure, reach, and visibility to early-stage startups, CMC is creating a platform where quality projects can break through the noise. While it may not yet rival traditional venture capital in funding size, CMC Labs offers something equally powerful: discoverability at scale. In a space where attention is often the scarcest resource, this could be the edge a young project needs to succeed.