Sounds like a perfectly fine mismatch between proper bootstrapping and the mindset of growing investment fueled by some hypothetical value proposition.

Is submithub what I think I am seeing? Basically a solution to a spam problem by offering a channel that requires the equivalent of stamps so that senders rate-limit themselves, focusing a bit more on quality over quantity? If that's not a complete misperception I like it very much, great niche-spotting!