A launch badge is a small image a launch platform gives makers to put on their own site, usually reading "Featured on" or "Launched on" and linking back to the product's page on that platform.
Badges do two jobs. For the maker, they are social proof: a visitor sees the product has been listed elsewhere. For the platform, each badge is a link back, which is why many platforms reward it.
The usual reward is a dofollow link from the platform to the maker's site, checked automatically by looking for the badge on the page.
Why it matters for a launch
Adding a badge is a two-minute trade: a link in your footer for a followed backlink to your site. Put it somewhere it stays, because platforms re-check.
Read more: Free dofollow backlinks for a new site