Welcome to Episode 3 of Safary’s Revenue Series! 🦁
We’re interview the growth operators behind the companies that are *actually* making money in crypto. We’ll break down their growth strategies, challenges, and tech stacks to give you the insights you need to grow your business in crypto & beyond.
In this episode, Justin sits down with Deba of KGen, a verified distribution protocol that has grown into a $4M/month business serving crypto and AI companies.
Deba’s Journey: From Ad Agency to Crypto
Before KGen, Deba spent decades at the intersection of advertising, entertainment, and media:
National Creative Director at DDB India
Founding leadership at Hotstar (later acquired by Disney)
Head of Brand & Design at Fox Group’s Indian TV network
Photographer and filmmaker
Having lived through the pre-internet and web2 eras, Deba was drawn to Web3 for its openness and experimentation:
“We’re still in the prenatal stage of Web3. It feels like where the internet was in 1997—there’s so much room to experiment.”
What KGeN Does
KGen connects businesses with engaged users through an onchain reputation system.
In practice:
Businesses (gaming, DeFi, AI, consumer apps) run campaigns on KGen
Users participate, earn rewards, and build portable reputation profiles
Reputation belongs to the user, lives on-chain, and ensures trust + privacy
As Deba frames it:
“We’re not just an acquisition platform—we’re an engagement engine. Every user has a reputation score that businesses can trust, and that users can take with them.”
How KGeN Makes Money
KGeN’s revenue comes directly from businesses in two main ways:
Campaigns → Publishers, protocols, and apps pay KGeN to acquire and engage users
B2B Data Contracts → Crypto and non-crypto companies pay for specialized datasets to train AI models
The Road to $4M/mo
Jan 2023 → Launched with a focus on gamified user acquisition for gaming companies
Feb 2024 → Crossed first $1M in revenue, almost entirely gaming-driven
Aug 2024 → Added a digital goods store, pushing revenue past $2M
Early 2025 → AI data training became a new revenue stream, accelerating growth
July 2025 → Hit $4M/month in revenue
Community as a Distribution Moat
Rather than chase vanity metrics, KGeN doubled down on community as product.
Two core strategies:
Passionate early members → Gamers who built clans and micro-communities
Focus on the Global South → India, SEA, LATAM, Africa—regions where demand is high and impact is real
The result: a trusted, loyal user base that businesses return to again and again.
“Every industry will need people. If you stay focused on your community, growth follows naturally.”
Why People Stay in the Community
Tangible rewards → For many, KGeN was their first real income from gaming
Belonging → Global friendships, clans, and entire social lives formed inside the platform
As Deba puts it:
“Imagine being a student in Vietnam, gaming with friends in Brazil, and actually earning money for it. That’s life-changing.”
Deba’s Lessons for Web3 Builders
Leverage blockchain’s unique trust advantage → Transparency builds credibility
Prioritize quality over vanity metrics → Avoid chasing hollow “DAU” numbers
Think revenue from day one → Don’t build a community with the wrong incentives, then try to pivot later
“If you start with a community that isn’t aligned with your revenue model, you’ll face massive drop-off when you try to monetize later.”
Watch the full episode for all of Deba’s growth insights!
Episode Timeline
00:00 Introduction to KGen and Web3
02:46 Understanding KGen's Business Model
05:40 Revenue Streams and Evolution
11:24 Growth Journey and Revenue Milestones
14:18 Community Building and Engagement Strategies
18:49 Value of Community in Users' Lives
21:35 Advice for Sustainable Revenue in Crypto
Looking for more insights from top growth experts? Sign up for the Safary Certification—a hands‑on crypto marketing course taught by the growth minds behind Berachain, EigenLayer, Kraken, and more (spots are limited).
