Over the last 15 months, we've launched over 27 Web3 MVPs across almost every vertical that collectively attracted 2.3 million users and helped raise $51.9 million in funding.

If there's anything that's helped us reach this point with this much success, 

It's preparing for the launch and everything that comes after before the launch even happens.

Today, I'm going to share that exact prep checklist with you in a way you can replicate and reuse every time.

So that you: 

→ Avoid launch-day bugs, crashes, and FUD that kill token momentum and cost you real money 

→ Save weeks of cleanup and confusion by catching mistakes before they go live 

→ Make your launch look clean, professional, and trustworthy to KOLs, users, and investors from day one

This isn't theory or some generic advice. 

This is what we do behind the scenes for every single launch because we've seen what happens when you don't.

And YOU can literally duplicate, customize, and follow this when launching your next project.

That sick feeling right before launch (and why it doesn't have to be that way)

You haven't slept in days. 

Every bug you fix creates two more. 

Your devs are losing it, and "wen token?" DMs never stop.

Everything feels massive because months of work comes down to this moment.

Something always breaks. A button, the site, a typo in the contract.

When it happens, you're screwed. 

Discord goes toxic, Twitter calls out red flags, token dumps, and investors disappear.

Everything slips away in real-time.

But it doesn't have to be this way.

That's exactly why I’ve put together this checklist, not to add work, but to give you a way to breathe before launch.

To feel like... "Yeah, we've covered our bases. Let's go."

Because trust me, 30 minutes spent now can save you from weeks of chaos later.

What happens when you tick this checklist

When you execute on this 30-minute prep work:

→ Launch day doesn't feel like you're about to throw up

→ Your site works, people don't leave immediately,and investors think you have your shit together

→ You build your project instead of running around fixing problems

I know, before the launch, it seems annoying, it seems like too much work, and sometimes unnecessary. 

But it's worth it if it even decreases the probability of something going wrong by 1%.

Most projects share a large part of the launch prep checklist, so here I'm going to give you a template you can just copy and paste into your project.

The launch prep checklist that has saved us $Millions in potential losses

CHECKLIST

🧱 Infrastructure & Backend

• Final domain is set and propagated (no .vercel.app or test domains)

• Hosting plan matches expected traffic (no surprise Vercel/Render bills)

• CDN is enabled and caching is working as expected

• Load tested for traffic spikes (simulate at least 10–100x expected users)

• Fallback error pages and downtime messages are branded and clear

• Environment variables are correctly configured (prod keys only)

• All testnet and dev RPCs replaced with mainnet endpoints

• Email service (if used) is authenticated (SPF, DKIM) and warmed up

• Database is scaled and monitored, with alerts in place

• Logging and error monitoring (e.g. Sentry) is integrated and tested

• Cloud cost monitoring in place to avoid post-launch overages

💻 Frontend & Web App

• Final copy is reviewed (no placeholder or lorem ipsum anywhere)

• Complete responsiveness on any device of any size is configured

• All final images are compressed and optimized

• Meta tags, OpenGraph image, Twitter cards are properly set

• Favicon is uploaded and appears on all devices

• SEO basics are implemented (title, description, alt tags)

• Mobile responsiveness is fully tested

• Page load speed <2s on desktop + mobile (Lighthouse tested)

• Dead links checked (no 404s, no broken anchors)

• Navigation works properly across all pages

• Cookie consent + privacy policy banners (if needed)

• Translations (if applicable) are complete and correct

• Wallet connect flow tested on all supported wallets

• "Wrong network" handling and errors are graceful and actionable

🔐 Smart Contracts

• All contracts deployed to final mainnet

• Verified on Etherscan/SolanaFM/etc.

• Contract addresses are updated in frontend

• Contracts are initialized with correct parameters

• Ownership is transferred or multisig is configured

• Emergency pause function tested and ready

• Contract upgradeability path is clear and secure (if used)

• All admin functions tested and access-controlled

• Vesting/locking contracts are deployed and funded

• Token contract settings (decimals, name, symbol) confirmed

• Gas usage reviewed (check for expensive or revert-prone functions)

• Add contract to MetaMask/Phantom integration (if token)

🧪 Final QA & Testing

• Every flow is tested by someone not on the team

• All buttons, inputs, forms are tested with valid + invalid inputs

• Onboarding journey is smooth for first-time users

• Clear error handling for failed transactions, rejected txs, 0 balance, etc.

• Token purchase flow tested end-to-end (real funds)

• Test on all major browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, mobile Safari/Chrome)

• Referral codes, tracking params, and affiliate flows are tested

• Check console for frontend warnings/errors (clean)

• Analytics tools (e.g., GA, Mixpanel) are firing properly

🎨 UX/UI Polish

• Typography and spacing consistent across devices

• Buttons have loading states + disabled states

• Toasts and feedback messages are clear and helpful

• Tooltips explain technical concepts (APR, slippage, etc.)

• Animations/transitions don't break on slow devices

• Dark mode works (if supported)

• Empty states are designed and informative

• All icons and images render properly on Retina/HDPI screens

BONUS - Catch what the checklist misses

Now, lists vary from project to project, but there are specific questions you should ask yourself to figure out what else should be on yours:

What's the worst-case scenario on launch day and how can we prevent it?

Think: frontend doesn't load, token contract bug, price manipulation, RPC failure, etc.

What parts of our stack are still pointing to testnet, dev, or staging environments?

This catches things like RPCs, API keys, feature flags, or dummy data.

If we had 10x more traffic than expected, what breaks first?

Hosting, rate limits, databases, or wallet connections are common weak points.

What are all the manual steps involved in the launch and who owns each one?

No orphan tasks. Every action should have a name next to it and a fallback person.

Have we tested everything under worst-case conditions?

Slow internet, rejected transactions, mobile browsers, wallets with $0 balance, etc.

What questions will users flood us with and are we ready to answer them?

Prep moderator scripts, FAQs, and fast-access links for everything.

"But we don't have time for all this..."

Now, you might be thinking this is a lot of work. "We don't have time to go through a full checklist. We're launching in 48 hours."

Or "We already checked everything. We've done internal QA."

Or "Even if we miss something... It's fine. We'll fix it post-launch."

I totally get it. It's normal, and honestly, every founder feels overwhelmed and crunched for time right before launch.

That's exactly why we made this checklist.

Not to add work, but to avoid chaos.

Because it's 100x better to spend 30 minutes reviewing now... than deal with angry VCs, 100s of users, and moderator DMs after launch.

The goal here isn't perfection, but to reduce launch risk by 80% in 30 minutes or less.

Look, I know you're probably thinking you can handle whatever comes up post-launch. 

Most founders do.

But when everything's falling apart at once - bugs everywhere, token dropping, community going nuts - you're not just dealing with tech problems.

You're doing damage control on your reputation, your relationships, and your runway.

The projects that survive and thrive are the ones that make preparation look effortless.

They launch smoothly, their communities trust them, and they get to focus on what matters:

building and growing.

If you want help implementing this system for your specific project, or if you're looking at a launch in the next few months and want someone who's been through this 20+ times to review your prep...

Hit me up on Telegram or let’s talk 1-on-1 on a 30-minute strategy call where we can walk through your launch plan together.

We’ll go through the exact timeline we use, and I'll show you how to prioritize these checklist items based on what's most likely to break for your specific setup.

Andre