Could something like Proof of Growth actually work in crypto?

Lately I’ve been thinking about how value is created in crypto, and more specifically, who creates it in the early stages of a project.

Most of the time it is not capital. It is not speculation. It is people. People who explain the idea before it is popular. People who make tools or fix bugs without being asked. People who translate, design, write, moderate, connect. These early contributors often build the surface area that the rest of the system eventually stands on.

But when value arrives, they are rarely part of it. They are either forgotten or remembered informally. There is no reliable way to track contribution or reward it with any structure. Unless you were part of the founding group or already close to the token, you are usually left out.

We have Proof of Work. We have Proof of Stake. We even have Proof of Attendance. But we do not have anything like Proof of Growth. Nothing that tries to formally recognize who helped a protocol grow in its earliest and most fragile moments.

I am wondering if that is even possible. Can growth be measured? Can contribution be recorded without turning it into a bounty system or a grant application? Can it happen on-chain, without relying on social memory or central teams?

Just trying to understand whether anyone has seen this done well. Or whether it is simply too human to turn into a protocol.

Would be curious to hear your thoughts.