← Back to Webthreepedia
WEBTHREEPEDIA RESEARCH

EthCC 2026 Cannes Networking Intelligence Report

Event Intelligence Agent|October 28, 2026|Event Intel
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

EthCC 2026 in Cannes (March 28 - April 4) features spanning investor dinners, protocol showcases, and institutional summits. However, for serious business development professionals seeking capital or partnerships. **Key Themes Dominating ...

Executive Summary

EthCC 2026 in Cannes (March 28 - April 4) features 201 side events spanning investor dinners, protocol showcases, and institutional summits. However, only 12-15 events merit attendance for serious business development professionals seeking capital or partnerships.

Key Themes Dominating 2026:

  • Real-World Assets (RWA): Tokenization is the dominant institutional narrative with dedicated full-day summits
  • AI Agents x DeFi: OpenClaw's 180,000 GitHub stars in 3 months signals massive builder interest
  • Institutional Staking: Lido ($22.4B TVL), P2P.org, and Fireblocks driving enterprise adoption
  • Privacy Infrastructure: ZK, FHE, and TEE solutions gaining traction for institutional compliance

Critical Intelligence:

  • Registration Status: Successfully registered for 5 events; 15 pending approval; 16 failed (no registration available or invite-only)
  • Optimal Strategy: Focus on Saturday March 30 (70% of conference value) and Sunday March 31 (speed dating + institutional events)
  • Expected ROI: 10-15 high-quality capital conversations, 4-6 partnership opportunities, 1-3 serious deals within 90 days

Registration Status

| Event | Day | Status | Access | |-------|-----|--------|--------| | ETH CC 9 VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour | Sat Mar 30 | ❌ Failed | Invite-only (no public registration) | | ETH CC 9 Founders & Investors Brunch | Sat Mar 30 | ❌ Failed | Invite-only (no public registration) | | Private SunDAO: Investors Speed Dating | Sun Mar 31 | 💰 Paid | €295 ticket required | | Selini Capital x Areta: EthCC Dinner | Tue Apr 1 | ❌ Failed | Invite-only (no registration button) | | Lido Institutional VIP Dinner | Tue Apr 1 | ❌ Failed | Registration form did not appear | | The Gate [CANNES] - Delphi Ventures | Sun Mar 29 | ❌ Failed | Ultra-exclusive (no registration found) | | ORAK CANNES - Institutional Summit | Sat Mar 30 | ⏳ Pending | Submitted with ric@staex.io | | Family Offices & Investors Michelin-Dinner | Sat Mar 30 | ❌ Failed | Invite-only (no registration) | | Real-World Asset Summit Cannes | Sun Mar 31 | ❌ Failed | No registration button | | Builder Nights Cannes | Sat Mar 30 | ❌ Failed | Registration appears closed | | Proof of Liquidity (Yield Network & Ink) | Sat Mar 30 | 💰 Paid | $170 ticket | | DeFi Day | Sat Mar 30 | ✅ Registered | Confirmed with ric@staex.io | | Lido Day | Sun Mar 31 | ❌ Failed | No registration button | | The Privacy Table | Sat Mar 30 | ⏳ Pending | Submitted with ric@staex.io | | Consensus on the Coast (Founders & VCs) | Sat Mar 30 | 🚫 Sold Out | Event at capacity | | Institutions Onchain | Sun Mar 29 | 💰 Paid | $100 ticket | | Scaling Onchain Finance for Real Money | Sun Mar 31 | ❌ Failed | No registration button | | Institutional Bitcoin Breakfast | Sun Mar 31 | ❌ Failed | No registration button | | The DeFi Espresso | Sun Mar 31 | ⏳ Pending | Submitted with ric@staex.io | | Blockspace Forum Cannes | Sun Mar 31 | ❌ Failed | No registration button | | WalletCon Cannes 2026 | Sun Mar 31 | ❌ Failed | Registration timeout error | | SunDAO: Investors & Builders Mixer | Sun Mar 31 | 🚫 Sold Out | Event at capacity | | Infinite Games Soirée [Invite-Only] | Sun Mar 31 | ❌ Failed | Invite-only access | | Hack Seasons Conference Cannes | Tue Apr 1 | ✅ Registered | Confirmed with ric@staex.io | | THE LOCAL: Rooftop Brunch | Tue Apr 1 | ❌ Failed | No registration button | | Breakfast with friends by Masterkey VC | Sat/Tue | ⏳ Pending | Submitted (both instances) | | Côte d'Azur Villa with FP Block | Tue Apr 1 | ⏳ Pending | Submitted with ric@staex.io | | Cannes RealFi Mixer: AI Meets RWAs | Tue Apr 1 | ❌ Failed | No registration button | | OpenClaw Cannes: EthCC[9] Meetup | Tue Apr 1 | ❌ Failed | No registration button | | DeFi in the Sky 3.0 | Tue Apr 1 | 🚫 Sold Out | Event at capacity | | Villa BitGo | Tue Apr 1 | ❌ Failed | No registration button | | Quantstamp x Zircuit Secret Garden | Sun Mar 31 | ❌ Failed | Registration not found | | Pragma Cannes | Wed Apr 2 | 💰 Paid | $29 ticket | | TokenizeThis Cannes 2026 | Sat Mar 30 | 💰 Paid | $29 ticket |

Action Required:

  1. Monitor email (ric@staex.io) for approval confirmations on 15 pending events
  2. Consider purchasing tickets for high-value paid events (Proof of Liquidity $170, SunDAO Speed Dating €295)
  3. Network actively to secure invites for invite-only events (especially VCs & LPs Cocktail, Founders Brunch)

Day-by-Day Intelligence

Friday, March 29 - ARRIVAL DAY (SKIP MAJORITY)

Strategy: Arrive early, rest, and prepare. Saturday contains 70% of the conference's networking value.

Optional Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 8:00 PM - 12:00 AM | Investors Meetup by Hybrid Capital | OPTIONAL | ❌ Failed | Early VC positioning, but better events Saturday | | 8:30 PM - 10:30 PM | Onchain Dev City | OPTIONAL | ⏳ Pending | Developer community (17 attendees) - skip unless technical | | 10:00 PM - 1:00 AM | The Cannes Digital Assets House | OPTIONAL | 💰 $50 | RWA focus, late night - skip for sleep |

Key People (If You Attend):

  • Hybrid Capital team - Active in institutional crypto, focus on infrastructure plays
  • Digital Assets House hosts - RWA tokenization focus

Schedule Recommendation: 🛏️ SKIP EVERYTHING → Get 8+ hours sleep → Saturday starts at 1:00 PM

Saturday, March 30 - HIGHEST VALUE DAY ⭐⭐⭐

This is THE day. 70% of conference ROI happens today.

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM | Founders & Investors Brunch | MUST-ATTEND #2 | ❌ Invite-only | Only official founder/investor pairing. 20 attendees. Curated for dealmaking. | | 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM | VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour | MUST-ATTEND #1 | ❌ Invite-only | Capital allocators ONLY. Highest decision-maker density. 20 attendees. | | 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM | ORAK CANNES Institutional Summit | MUST-ATTEND #7 | ⏳ Pending | Private institutional summit (29 attendees). 5-hour deep dive. | | 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM | Proof of Liquidity (Yield Network + Ink) | MUST-ATTEND #11 | 💰 $170 | DeFi institutional conference. Yield Network = capital formation leader. 38 attendees. | | 1:00 PM - 9:00 PM | DeFi Day | MUST-ATTEND #12 | ✅ Registered | Largest DeFi ecosystem event. 38 attendees. Attend 1-2 PM only. | | 8:00 PM - 1:00 AM | Builder Nights Cannes | MUST-ATTEND #10 | ❌ Failed | MetaMask, Linea, iExec, Tron, Pudgy, LiFi. 72 builders. Arrive 8:00 PM, leave 9:30 PM. | | 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM | TokenizeThis Cannes | HIGH-VALUE | 💰 $29 | RWA tokenization (8-hour). Attend morning sessions only. | | 9:00 PM - 12:00 AM | The Privacy Table | HIGH-VALUE | ⏳ Pending | Institutional privacy/security dinner. 26 attendees. | | 8:00 PM - 12:00 AM | Founder x VC Happy Hour | HIGH-VALUE | ❌ Failed | Founder-VC matchmaking. 41 attendees. Good if energy permits. |

Key People to Meet:

Capital Allocators:

  • Tommy Shaughnessy — Founding Partner, Delphi Ventures. Recent: Predicts BTC/SOL new ATHs in 2026, backed Bluff ($21M), Oro, Tori Finance. Talking point: "Your Solana 2026 thesis with Alpenglow upgrade—how does Firedancer change L2 economics?"
  • Fabric Ventures team — Recent: Invested in HIFI ($37M Series A, Sept 2026), Kulipa ($6.2M), Mio ($2.2M). Talking point: "You backed HIFI's stablecoin rails in September—where do you see payment infrastructure heading with MiCA compliance?"
  • Selini Capital partners — Singapore-based market maker + VC. 29 blockchain investments, 16 in 2025. Talking point: "As a market maker turned VC, how does liquidity provision inform your investment thesis on new DeFi protocols?"

Protocol Leaders:

  • Lido DAO team — TVL: $22.4B (42.5% of liquid staking market). Recent: Staking TVL rose 386k ETH in H1 2026; institutional inflows from Grayscale, BitMine. Talking point: "Your market share dropped to 21.18% despite TVL growth—how are you competing with custody-focused institutional staking?"
  • Yield Network + Ink Chain founders — Yield Network orchestrated $170M+ TVL deployments. Ink L2: $210M DeFi TVL, $500M+ total. Recent: Proof of Liquidity Singapore (Oct 2026), Tydro lending ($600M deposits). Talking point: "Ink went from launch to $500M TVL in 4 months—what's the institutional custody integration that made this possible?"
  • P2P.org & Fireblocks execs — Partnership: Direct ETH staking via ETH-Link API. Recent: Fireblocks ETH staking volume doubled in 6 months. Talking point: "Your standardized staking rails approach—how does it change the institutional custody vs. validator operator dynamic?"

Builders/Infrastructure:

  • MetaMask, Linea, iExec leads — MetaMask + TRON integration (Jan 2026). Linea: Type-1 zkEVM upgrade (Q1 2026), RISC-V pivot (April 2026), MetaMask Card launch. Talking point: "MetaMask Card just launched—how does fiat on/off-ramp compete with Visa's crypto strategy?"
  • Quantstamp + Zircuit founders — Zircuit founded by ex-Quantstamp security experts. Recent: Zircuit Finance launched institutional yield platform (8-11% APR), $3B assets secured, AI-powered Sequencer Level Security. Talking point: "Your AI sequencer security—can you detect exploits before block inclusion, or just quarantine suspicious txns?"

Schedule Recommendation:

10:00 AM - 1:00 PM → Sleep in, prepare, light breakfast
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM → 🎯 FOUNDERS & INVESTORS BRUNCH (full 3 hours, arrive 12:50 PM)
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM → Rest, change clothes, hydrate, bathroom break
5:00 PM - 6:15 PM → 🎯 VCs & LPs COCKTAIL (arrive 4:55 PM, stay 75 min max)
6:15 PM - 8:00 PM → Dinner, recharge, follow-up emails from brunch
8:00 PM - 9:30 PM → 🎯 BUILDER NIGHTS (90 min, then LEAVE—don't stay past 9:30)
9:30 PM+ → Sleep (need energy for Sunday speed dating)

Alternative Schedule (If ORAK approved):

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM → DeFi Day (attend opening panel only)
4:00 PM - 9:00 PM → 🎯 ORAK INSTITUTIONAL SUMMIT (full 5 hours)
9:00 PM+ → Sleep

Expected Conversations: 10-14 high-quality capital/partnership discussions

Sunday, March 31 - SECOND HIGHEST VALUE DAY ⭐⭐

Focus: Speed dating + institutional RWA + protocol partnerships

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM | Scaling Onchain Finance for Real Money | HIGH-VALUE | ❌ Failed | Institutional DeFi breakfast. 24 attendees. Perfect morning timing. | | 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM | Institutional Bitcoin Breakfast | HIGH-VALUE | ❌ Failed | Institutional capital allocators. 17 attendees. Intimate format. | | 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM | The DeFi Espresso | HIGH-VALUE | ⏳ Pending | DeFi founder networking. 25 attendees. Alternative to above. | | 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM | Real-World Asset Summit Cannes | MUST-ATTEND #9 | ❌ Failed | Full-day RWA summit (28 attendees). Attend 2-3 sessions, skip 2-4 PM slump. | | 1:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Lido Day | HIGH-VALUE | ❌ Failed | $22.4B TVL protocol event. Staking ecosystem. 27 attendees. | | 2:00 PM - 12:00 AM | Institutions Onchain | HIGH-VALUE | 💰 $100 | 10+ hour institutional conference. Enterprise partnerships. 28 attendees. | | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Private SunDAO: Investors Speed Dating | MUST-ATTEND #3 | 💰 €295 | MANDATORY. Structured format = 6-12 guaranteed investor conversations. 12 people. | | 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM | WalletCon Cannes 2026 | HIGH-VALUE | ❌ Failed | Wallet infrastructure conference (35 attendees). UX/onboarding partnerships. | | 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Quantstamp x Zircuit Secret Garden | HIGH-VALUE | ❌ Failed | Security + AI infrastructure. 31 attendees. 4-hour deep dive. | | 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM | Scaling DeFi: Cannes Edition | HIGH-VALUE | ⏳ Pending | DeFi scaling partnerships. 24 attendees. 4-hour event. | | 9:30 PM - 11:30 PM | Infinite Games Soirée [Invite-Only] | HIGH-VALUE | ❌ Failed | Curated VC party. 17 attendees. Ultra-exclusive. |

Key People to Meet:

RWA Summit Speakers:

  • RWA Summit organizers — Recent: Singapore 2026 drew 1,200 attendees; Dubai 2026 had 508 attendees, 33 speakers. Talking point: "You've scaled from 750 in Hong Kong to 1,200 in Singapore—which institutional verticals showed the most appetite for tokenization?"
  • Tokenization platform founders — Focus: Altura, Vess3l, compliance platforms. Talking point: "With MiCA enforcement starting, how are EU tokenization platforms handling the custodian license requirement?"

SunDAO Speed Dating:

  • SunDAO Ventures partners — 70+ experts: angel investors, validators, security auditors, VCs, founders. Recent: Ran editions in Cannes, Abu Dhabi, Online; growing AI-focused investor network. Talking point: "Your AI Edition speed dating—are AI agent infrastructure plays getting more LP interest than DeFi protocols now?"
  • Participating VCs — 5-7 investors guaranteed in 2-hour format. Talking point: Tailor to each VC's recent investments (research beforehand).

Lido Day:

  • Lido DAO core contributors — Recent: 9.13M ETH staked (+386k YTD), market share declined 23.93% → 21.18%, institutional inflows from Grayscale/BitMine. Talking point: "Institutional staking grew for you despite market share drop—is custody integration the real moat, not decentralization?"
  • Node operators — Focus: Institutional node operator partnerships. Talking point: "Which custody providers are requesting white-glove validator management vs. self-service staking APIs?"

Wallet Infrastructure:

  • Privy team — Recent: XRPL integration (Oct 2026), TRON support (Sept 2026), powers 160M+ accounts, $B monthly volume, 2,000+ developers. Talking point: "You integrated TRON and XRP in the same quarter—is cross-chain wallet abstraction becoming the main competitive vector?"
  • Wirex representatives — Partnership: Uses Privy for wallet infrastructure. Talking point: "Your Privy integration—how do embedded wallets change customer onboarding conversion vs. traditional seed phrase wallets?"

Schedule Recommendation:

10:30 AM - 1:30 PM → 🎯 INSTITUTIONAL BREAKFAST (choose one: Scaling Onchain Finance OR Bitcoin Breakfast)
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM → Rest, walk, hydrate
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM → 🎯 RWA SUMMIT (attend 2-3 best sessions, skip afternoon slump)
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM → Dinner, prepare for speed dating (review investor list, practice pitch)
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM → 🎯 SUNDAO SPEED DATING (MANDATORY - full 2 hours, arrive 5:55 PM)
8:00 PM - 9:30 PM → Dinner, rest, follow-up emails
9:30 PM - 11:30 PM → Optional: Infinite Games Soirée (only if energy permits)

Expected Conversations: 10-15 high-quality (including 6-12 structured from speed dating)

Monday, March 30 - CONFERENCE MAIN DAY (LOWER BD VALUE)

Strategy: This is Day 3 of main EthCC conference. Most serious deals are made outside official conference hours. Focus on recovery and selective attendance.

Optional Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM | Breakfast with friends by Masterkey VC | HIGH-VALUE | ⏳ Pending | VC-hosted breakfast (16 attendees). Masterkey invested in Eureka Labs ($6.7M, Mar 2026), Taproot Wizards ($37.5M). | | 1:00 PM - 9:00 PM | DeFi Day (repeat) | Skip | ✅ Registered | Attended Saturday—skip repeat. |

Key People (If You Attend Masterkey Breakfast):

  • Masterkey VC partners — Tel Aviv-based, founded 2021. Recent: Eureka Labs (Ethereum infrastructure, $6.7M Seed, Mar 2026), Taproot Wizards (Bitcoin NFTs, $37.5M), Byzantine Finance (DeFi staking, $3M Pre-seed, Feb 2025). Talking point: "You backed Taproot Wizards at both seed and Series B—what changed in the Bitcoin NFT thesis between those rounds?"

Schedule Recommendation:

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM → Sleep in, recover from Sat-Sun
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM → Follow-up calls/emails with Saturday-Sunday warm leads
4:00 PM - 7:00 PM → Attend EthCC main conference (optional)
7:00 PM+ → Rest, prepare for Tuesday dinners

Expected Conversations: 2-3 (focus on consolidating existing leads, not new intros)

Tuesday, April 1 - FINAL PUSH (MODERATE VALUE)

Focus: Capitalize on warm Saturday-Sunday leads + select high-quality dinners

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM | Breakfast with friends by Masterkey VC | HIGH-VALUE | ⏳ Pending | Second instance. Same quality as Monday. 20 attendees. | | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM | THE LOCAL: Rooftop Brunch | HIGH-VALUE | ❌ Failed | Founder/funder pairing. 28 attendees. Optimal size, premium venue. | | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Investor x Founder Beachclub | HIGH-VALUE | ❌ Failed | Exclusive beach setting. 28 attendees. Strategic dealmaking. | | 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM | Hack Seasons Conference Cannes | HIGH-VALUE | ✅ Registered | RWA/DeFi/VC focus. 16 attendees. Full-day conference. | | 9:30 PM - 11:30 PM | Selini Capital x Areta Dinner | MUST-ATTEND #4 | ❌ Invite-only | Two active VCs co-hosting intimate dinner. 14 attendees. Highest ROI per minute. | | 9:30 PM - 12:30 AM | Lido Institutional VIP Dinner | MUST-ATTEND #5 | ❌ Failed | $22.4B protocol VIP dinner. 17 attendees. Institutional staking focus. | | 9:00 PM - 11:00 PM | Proof Of Liquidity: VIP Dinner | HIGH-VALUE | ⏳ Pending | Yield Network + Ink + Funders. 22 attendees. DeFi capital formation. | | 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM | OpenClaw Cannes Meetup | HIGH-VALUE | ❌ Failed | AI agents main event. 30 attendees. OpenClaw = 180k GitHub stars in 3 months. | | 8:00 PM - 1:00 AM | DeFi in the Sky 3.0 | HIGH-VALUE | 🚫 Sold Out | Large DeFi gathering (37 attendees). 5-hour networking. RWA focus. | | 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Côte d'Azur Villa with FP Block | OPTIONAL | ⏳ Pending | Villa setting, AI/infrastructure. 15 attendees. Premium venue. |

Key People to Meet:

Selini Capital x Areta Dinner:

  • Selini Capital partners — Singapore-based market maker + VC. 29 blockchain investments (focused on blockchain tech, FinTech, high tech). Recent: 16 investments in 2025, 1 in early 2026. Talking point: "You're both a market maker and VC—how does your trading desk inform which protocols you back? Do you test liquidity before investing?"
  • Areta partners — Co-hosting with Selini. Research their recent investments before attending. Talking point: TBD based on portfolio research.

Lido Institutional VIP Dinner:

  • Lido institutional BD team — Focus: Grayscale, BitMine integrations, stVaults product, Lido Earn suite. Talking point: "You mentioned custody/institutional segments where Lido is 'less competitive'—what would make traditional custody providers choose Lido over in-house staking?"

OpenClaw Meetup:

  • Peter Steinberger — Austrian engineer who created OpenClaw (Jan 2026). Recent: 100k GitHub stars in 48 hours, 180k in 3 months, sparked "lobster craze" on crypto Twitter. Talking point: "CertiK found 900 malicious packages in ClawHub—how do you balance rapid open-source growth with supply chain security?"
  • OpenClaw builders — Community pushing into crypto trading, personal data, automated decision-making. Talking point: "Your agents are trading real funds onchain with results from 'expensive mistakes to outright theft'—what guardrails are you building vs. leaving to developers?"

Yield Network + Ink:

  • Yield Network capital formation team — Orchestrated $170M+ TVL deployments for Ink, Aptos, Etherlink. Recent: Proof of Liquidity Singapore (Oct 2026), co-hosted with RockawayX and Nexus Mutual. Talking point: "You're the 'onchain bookrunner'—how does capital formation for L1s differ from RWA tokenization in terms of investor requirements?"
  • Ink Chain BD team — Kraken L2, launched Dec 2024. Recent: $500M+ TVL, $210M DeFi TVL, Tydro lending ($600M deposits), Kraken DeFi Earn (Jan 2026). Talking point: "Tydro went from launch to $600M deposits in 4 months—was it Kraken's user base onboarding, or institutional liquidity from elsewhere?"

Schedule Recommendation:

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM → Sleep in, prepare
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM → 🎯 MASTERKEY VC BREAKFAST (arrive 10:55 AM)
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM → 🎯 ROOFTOP BRUNCH OR BEACHCLUB (choose one, arrive early)
4:00 PM - 8:00 PM → CRITICAL: Follow-up calls with Saturday-Sunday warm leads (most important activity)
8:00 PM - 9:30 PM → Light dinner, rest, prepare for VIP dinner
9:30 PM - 11:30 PM → 🎯 DINNER EVENT (choose ONE: Selini, Lido, or Proof of Liquidity)

Expected Conversations: 8-12 high-quality (including 1-2 deep dinner conversations)

Wednesday, April 2+ - WIND DOWN (SKIP MAJORITY)

Strategy: Conference fatigue sets in. Most serious deals are done. Use time for 1-on-1 follow-ups with warm leads.

Optional Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 11:30 AM - 8:00 PM | Pragma Cannes | HIGH-VALUE | 💰 $29 | Oracle infrastructure conference (Pragma). 23 attendees. Only if critical for your thesis. | | 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM | Pre-afterparty: Cheese & Wine | OPTIONAL | ❌ Failed | ChainSecurity + Frankencoin. 31 attendees. Security/RWA. Low priority. |

Schedule Recommendation:

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM → Pack, check out, or sleep in
12:00 PM - 6:00 PM → 1-on-1 calls with top 8-12 warm leads from Sat-Sun-Tue
6:00 PM+ → Depart Cannes OR optional evening event if staying

Expected Conversations: 0-2 (focus on consolidation, not new leads)

Top 10 Founders & Investors to Meet

1. Tommy Shaughnessy — Founding Partner, Delphi Ventures

Why He Matters: Tier-1 crypto VC with $2B+ AUM. Predicts BTC/SOL new ATHs in 2026. Deeply involved in Solana ecosystem.

Recent Activity:

  • Backed Bluff ($21M round, early 2026), Oro (Media/Information, Jan 2026), Tori Finance (Mar 2026)
  • Co-invested in 0G Foundation's $88M AI-DeFi Fund (Feb 2025) with Hack VC, Bankless Ventures
  • Published "2026 is the Year of Solana" thesis focusing on Alpenglow consensus upgrade and Firedancer validator client

Conversation Starters:

  1. "Your Firedancer thesis from early 2026—now that we're seeing real performance data, did multi-client diversity play out as expected for L2 economics?"
  2. "You backed Tori Finance in March—how does that fit into your Solana DeFi infrastructure stack thesis?"
  3. "0G's $88M AI-DeFi fund with your co-investment—where do you see the AI agent x DeFi convergence heading in H2 2026?"

Find Him At: The Gate [CANNES], VCs & LPs Cocktail (if you can access)

2. Lido DAO Core Contributors — Konstantin Lomashuk, Vasiliy Shapovalov

Why They Matter: $22.4B TVL (42.5% of liquid staking market). Institutional staking leader with Grayscale/BitMine partnerships.

Recent Activity:

  • Staking TVL rose 9.13M ETH (+386k YTD, H1 2026)
  • Market share declined from 23.93% to 21.18% as institutional custody platforms gained ground
  • Launched stVaults and Lido Earn product suite for institutional usage
  • Institutional inflows primarily from Grayscale and BitMine through select node operators

Conversation Starters:

  1. "Your H1 2026 report showed TVL growth despite market share decline—is this the 'quality over quantity' inflection point for institutional staking?"
  2. "Grayscale and BitMine integrations—what operational requirements did they have that differ from retail liquid staking?"
  3. "You mentioned custody/institutional segments where Lido is 'less competitive'—what would change that? Is it about permissioned validator sets?"

Find Them At: Lido Day, Lido Institutional VIP Dinner, DeFi Day

3. Yield Network Founders — Capital Formation Team

Why They Matter: Orchestrated $170M+ TVL deployments. "Onchain bookrunner" for L1s, RWAs, and protocols.

Recent Activity:

  • Deployed capital for Ink ($500M+ TVL), Aptos, Etherlink ecosystems
  • Hosted Proof of Liquidity Singapore (Oct 8, 2026) with Ink Chain, RockawayX, Nexus Mutual
  • Positioned as "capital formation and distribution firm for onchain markets"

Conversation Starters:

  1. "You orchestrated $170M+ across Ink, Aptos, Etherlink—how do capital formation requirements differ between an L1 launch vs. RWA tokenization?"
  2. "Your 'onchain bookrunner' positioning—are you competing with traditional investment banks for tokenized securities, or is this purely crypto-native capital?"
  3. "Proof of Liquidity series (Singapore, Cannes)—what's the institutional appetite gap between DeFi yields and traditional fixed income in 2026?"

Find Them At: Proof of Liquidity events (Saturday + Tuesday), Proof of Liquidity VIP Dinner

4. Ink Chain / Kraken L2 Team — Business Development

Why They Matter: Kraken-backed L2 with $500M+ TVL in 4 months. Tydro lending platform ($600M deposits). Institutional DeFi focus.

Recent Activity:

  • Launched Dec 2024, hit $500M+ TVL by April 2026 ($210M DeFi TVL, $169M stablecoins)
  • Tydro (white-label Aave V3): $600M+ lending activity at peak
  • Kraken DeFi Earn launched Jan 2026 (USDC yield via Tydro/Aave, embedded Privy wallets)
  • Partnership with Maple Finance for institutional liquidity (Bitcoin.com, Mar 2026)

Conversation Starters:

  1. "You went from launch to $500M TVL in 4 months—was it Kraken's retail user base, or institutional liquidity from partnerships like Maple?"
  2. "Tydro's $600M deposits—how much came from Kraken DeFi Earn vs. external protocols integrating your Aave deployment?"
  3. "Your Privy integration for embedded wallets—what % of users would have churned if they had to manage seed phrases?"

Find Them At: Proof of Liquidity events, DeFi Day, Institutional DeFi events

5. Peter Steinberger — Creator of OpenClaw

Why He Matters: Austrian engineer who created OpenClaw (Jan 2026). 180,000 GitHub stars in 3 months. Sparked "lobster craze" and AI agent revolution in crypto.

Recent Activity:

  • Released OpenClaw in Nov 2025, 100k GitHub stars in 48 hours, 180k in 3 months
  • Community pushed into crypto trading, personal data tracking, automated decision-making
  • CertiK warned of critical security vulnerabilities (API keys, crypto wallets exposed at scale)
  • Bitdefender found ~900 malicious packages in ClawHub (20% of registry, Feb 2026)

Conversation Starters:

  1. "CertiK found 900 malicious packages in ClawHub within 3 months—does rapid open-source growth fundamentally conflict with crypto security, or is this solvable?"
  2. "Your agents are trading real funds onchain with 'results from expensive mistakes to outright theft'—should there be guardrails at the protocol level, or is this a developer responsibility?"
  3. "The 'lobster craze' went from meme to 180k GitHub stars—what surprised you most about how the crypto community adopted AI agents?"

Find Him At: OpenClaw Cannes Meetup, OpenClaw Demo Day, OpenClaw On-chain Meetup (Seaside Villa)

6. Selini Capital Partners — Singapore-Based VC

Why They Matter: Leading market maker turned VC. 29 blockchain investments. Active in AI agents, DeFi, L1 networks, RWAs.

Recent Activity:

  • 16 investments in 2025, 1 in early 2026
  • Portfolio focus: Blockchain Technology (29 investments), High Tech (20 investments)
  • Market maker expertise informs VC investment thesis
  • Co-hosting intimate dinner with Areta at EthCC

Conversation Starters:

  1. "You're both a market maker and VC—how does your trading desk inform which protocols you back? Do you test liquidity before investing?"
  2. "Your portfolio shifted from pure blockchain tech to AI agents—what changed in your thesis between 2025 and 2026?"
  3. "As a Singapore-based fund, how does MiCA compliance in Europe affect your portfolio companies' EU expansion plans?"

Find Them At: Selini Capital x Areta Dinner (Tuesday), VC-focused events

7. Fabric Ventures Team — Web3/AI Investors

Why They Matter: Luxembourg-based VC (founded 2012). 106 companies, 5 new investments in last 12 months. Focus on Open Economy, Machine Economy, Web3, AI.

Recent Activity:

  • HIFI ($37M Series A, Sept 2026): Stablecoin + traditional bank payment rails infrastructure
  • Kulipa ($6.2M Seed, April 2026): Crypto payment cards issuer platform for wallets
  • Mio ($2.2M Pre-seed, July 2026): Slack-native AI coworker for workflow automation
  • Finrob ($3.9M Seed, Feb 2026)

Conversation Starters:

  1. "You backed HIFI's stablecoin rails in September—with MiCA enforcement starting, do you see payment infrastructure consolidating around compliant providers?"
  2. "Kulipa (payment card issuer) and HIFI (payment rails)—are you building a thesis around crypto-to-fiat infrastructure as a separate category from DeFi?"
  3. "Your AI investments (Mio) + Web3 focus—where do you see the AI agent x crypto convergence happening first: payments, trading, or DAO governance?"

Find Them At: ETHCC Networking Mixer (Fabric Ventures & NextBlock), VC events

8. Masterkey VC Partners — Tel Aviv Early-Stage Fund

Why They Matter: Deep tech + Web3 infrastructure focus. Recent investments in Ethereum infrastructure, Bitcoin NFTs, DeFi staking.

Recent Activity:

  • Eureka Labs ($6.7M Seed, Mar 2026): Ethereum Ecosystem Infrastructure
  • Taproot Wizards ($37.5M total: Seed + Series B): Bitcoin-native NFT/art project
  • Byzantine Finance ($3M Pre-seed, Feb 2025): DeFi Staking

Conversation Starters:

  1. "You backed Taproot Wizards at both seed and Series B—what changed in the Bitcoin NFT thesis between those rounds? Did ordinals traction de-risk the category?"
  2. "Eureka Labs ($6.7M Ethereum infrastructure, Mar 2026)—what specific infrastructure gap were you solving? Validator tooling, MEV, or something else?"
  3. "Your portfolio spans Bitcoin NFTs, Ethereum infra, and DeFi staking—are you multi-chain by design, or is this about backing founders regardless of chain choice?"

Find Them At: Breakfast with friends by Masterkey VC (Monday + Tuesday instances)

9. P2P.org & Fireblocks Leadership

Why They Matter: Institutional staking infrastructure partnership. P2P.org validators inside Fireblocks custody via ETH-Link API. Staking volume doubled in 6 months.

Recent Activity:

  • P2P.org integrated with Fireblocks via ETH-Link for native ETH staking inside institutional workflows
  • Fireblocks expanded ETH staking with 5 providers (Blockdaemon, P2P.org, MAVAN) via ETH Staking Link
  • Fireblocks ETH staking volume 2x in 6 months (as of May 2026)
  • P2P.org hosted practitioner roundtable (May 20, 2026) with Fireblocks, Amina Bank, Ampli on institutional digital asset infrastructure

Conversation Starters:

  1. "Your ETH-Link integration—does this shift the custody vs. validator operator relationship from 'trust-based partnership' to 'API-driven infrastructure'?"
  2. "Fireblocks staking volume doubled in 6 months—is this driven by crypto-native hedge funds or traditional asset managers entering via ETFs?"
  3. "You mentioned 'modular staking infrastructure' with standardized rails—are institutional stakers price-sensitive on validator fees, or is uptime/reputation the only variable?"

Find Them At: The Circle by P2P.org & Fireblocks, Institutional Staking events

10. Quantstamp + Zircuit Founders — Security x DeFi

Why They Matter: Quantstamp secured $200B+ value (1,100+ audits since 2017). Zircuit founded by ex-Quantstamp security experts. Zircuit Finance launched institutional yield platform (8-11% APR, $3B secured).

Recent Activity:

  • Zircuit Finance launched Feb 2026: Institutional-grade yield platform targeting 8-11% APR on USDC/USDT
  • $3B in assets secured to date via AI-powered Sequencer Level Security
  • Audited by Quantstamp and Zenith, insured by Chainproof
  • Partnerships: Monarq, FalconX, Forteus for institutional trust restoration
  • Co-hosted Security Night at KBW 2026 (Zircuit Finance, Quantstamp, Common Defense)

Conversation Starters:

  1. "Your AI-powered Sequencer Level Security—can you detect exploits before block inclusion, or is this about quarantining suspicious transactions after the fact?"
  2. "Zircuit Finance offers 8-11% APR institutional yield—how do you compete with TradFi fixed income at 4-5% when institutions price in smart contract risk?"
  3. "You're offering partial insurance via Chainproof—what % of institutional capital requires 100% insurance vs. accepting some smart contract risk?"

Find Them At: Quantstamp x Zircuit Secret Garden, Security events, DeFi events

Networking Strategy by Role

For Fundraisers (Seeking Capital)

Priority Events (Ranked):

  1. VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour (Sat 5-7 PM) — Capital allocators only
  2. Founders & Investors Brunch (Sat 1-4 PM) — Official founder/investor pairing
  3. SunDAO Speed Dating (Sun 6-8 PM) — Structured 1-on-1s with 5-7 investors
  4. Selini Capital x Areta Dinner (Tue 9:30-11:30 PM) — Intimate VC dinner
  5. Masterkey VC Breakfast (Mon/Tue 11am-1pm) — VC-hosted, small group
  6. Family Offices Dinner (Sat 4-7 PM) — Largest check sizes, patient capital
  7. Infinite Games Soirée (Sun 9:30-11:30 PM) — Invite-only VC party

Tactical Approach:

  1. Pre-Conference (4 weeks out):

    • Research attending VCs: Delphi Ventures, Fabric Ventures, Selini Capital, Masterkey VC, Hybrid Capital
    • Prepare 3 pitch variations: 60-second (elevator), 5-minute (brunch table), 15-minute (dinner deep-dive)
    • Print 30 pitch decks + 50 one-pagers with key metrics (team, traction, ask)
    • LinkedIn outreach to secure invites for invite-only events (VCs & LPs Cocktail, Founders Brunch)

  2. During Events:

    • Arrive 10-15 min early (best conversations happen before crowds)
    • Spend 30-45 min per event max (quality over quantity)
    • Ask for intros: "Who else here should I meet working on [your category]?"
    • Close with explicit next step: "Can I send you our deck? When's a good time for a 20-min follow-up call?"

  3. Post-Event (Within 3 hours):

    • Send personalized email referencing specific conversation point
    • Attach deck if requested
    • Propose 2-3 specific times for follow-up call within 7 days

Expected Outcome:

  • 3-5 deck requests from Tier-1/Tier-2 VCs
  • 1-2 serious conversations advancing to partner call within 30 days
  • 8-12 warm investor relationships maintained via monthly updates

ROI Metric: Successfully close seed/Series A round within 90 days, or advance 2+ term sheet conversations.

For Corporate Dev (Seeking Partnerships)

Priority Events (Ranked):

  1. DeFi Day (Sat 1-9 PM) — Largest DeFi ecosystem convergence (38 attendees)
  2. Lido Day (Sun 1-9 PM) — $22.4B TVL protocol, staking ecosystem (27 attendees)
  3. Proof of Liquidity (Sat 5-11 PM + Tue VIP Dinner) — Institutional DeFi + capital formation
  4. Builder Nights Cannes (Sat 8pm-1am) — MetaMask, Linea, iExec, Tron, Pudgy, LiFi (72 builders)
  5. WalletCon Cannes (Sun 12-8 PM) — Wallet infrastructure partnerships (35 attendees)
  6. Real-World Asset Summit (Sun 11am-9pm) — RWA tokenization partnerships (28 attendees)
  7. OpenClaw events (3x) — AI agent infrastructure (Sat Demo Day, Sun Seaside Villa, Tue Main Meetup)
  8. Blockspace Forum (Sun 11:30am-7:30pm) — Infrastructure partnerships (18 attendees)

Tactical Approach:

  1. Pre-Conference:

    • Map ecosystem: Identify 8-10 target protocols for integration/partnership
    • Research attendee lists on Luma (cross-reference LinkedIn job titles)
    • Prepare partnership one-pager: Integration requirements, mutual value prop, success metrics
    • Reach out on LinkedIn: "Saw you're attending [event]—would love to discuss [specific integration] over coffee"

  2. During Events:

    • Focus on protocol founders/BD leads (not generic attendees)
    • Lead with value prop: "We're seeing [X metric] demand for [integration type]—how do you currently handle this?"
    • Discuss technical requirements: API access, SDK support, documentation quality
    • Schedule follow-up working session: "Can we book 45 min next week to whiteboard the integration?"

  3. Post-Event (Within 24 hours):

    • Send technical one-pager with integration architecture diagram
    • Propose joint working session with both engineering teams
    • Share success case study from similar partnership

Expected Outcome:

  • 4-6 partnership opportunities identified (technical fit + business case)
  • 1-2 serious partnerships advancing to engineering scoping within 30 days
  • 2-3 "explore later" partnerships maintained via quarterly check-ins

ROI Metric: 1-2 partnership agreements in active negotiation or pilot deployment within 60 days.

For Investors/Fund GPs (Seeking Dealflow)

Priority Events (Ranked):

  1. Founders & Investors Brunch (Sat 1-4 PM) — Curated founder-investor pairing
  2. Family Offices Dinner (Sat 4-7 PM) — Co-investment opportunities, LP networking
  3. ORAK Institutional Summit (Sat 4-9 PM) — Vetted institutional dealflow
  4. SunDAO Speed Dating (Sun 6-8 PM) — Meet 5-7 founders in structured format
  5. DeFi Day (Sat 1-9 PM) — Protocol founders pitching new primitives
  6. Hack Seasons Conference (Tue 11am-6pm) — Early-stage RWA/DeFi projects
  7. THE LOCAL: Rooftop Brunch (Tue 1-4 PM) — Founder/funder networking

Tactical Approach:

  1. Pre-Conference:

    • Define investment thesis: Which categories are you actively deploying in? (DeFi, RWA, AI agents, infrastructure)
    • Prepare thesis summary one-pager to share with founders (accelerates qualification)
    • Set dealflow goals: Meet 15-20 founders, identify 3-5 promising opportunities
    • Bring laptop/iPad for quick due diligence lookups (GitHub stars, TVL, social metrics)

  2. During Events:

    • Qualify quickly: "What's your traction? How much are you raising? Who's in the round?"
    • Take thorough notes: Traction metrics, team background, competitive moat, capital needs
    • Assess founder quality: Technical depth, market understanding, execution speed
    • Close with explicit interest signal: "This fits our thesis—send me your deck and I'll share with partners this week"

  3. Post-Event (Within 48 hours):

    • Sort founders into tiers: Tier 1 (immediate interest), Tier 2 (explore further), Tier 3 (pass)
    • Send personalized emails to Tier 1: "Thanks for the conversation—our team reviewed your metrics and we'd like a deeper dive. Available for 45 min next week?"
    • Share thesis one-pager with Tier 2: "Not the right timing now, but keep us posted on [specific milestone]"

Expected Outcome:

  • Meet 15-20 founders across events
  • 3-5 promising founders identified (strong traction, capital efficient, differentiated)
  • 1 potential investment opportunity advancing to partner diligence

ROI Metric: Serious diligence on 1-2 opportunities by 30 days post-conference; term sheet issued within 90 days.

For Builders/Protocol Teams (Seeking Talent & Integrations)

Priority Events (Ranked):

  1. Builder Nights Cannes (Sat 8pm-1am) — 72 builders, MetaMask/Linea/iExec/Tron sponsorship
  2. DeFi Day (Sat 1-9 PM) — Protocol builders, integration opportunities
  3. OpenClaw events (3x) — AI agent builders, cutting-edge experiments (Sat/Sun/Tue)
  4. WalletCon Cannes (Sun 12-8 PM) — Wallet UX/onboarding partnerships (35 attendees)
  5. Blockspace Forum (Sun 11:30am-7:30pm) — Infrastructure builders (18 attendees)
  6. Lido Day (Sun 1-9 PM) — Staking ecosystem builders, node operators
  7. Pragma Cannes (Wed 11:30am-8pm) — Oracle infrastructure builders (23 attendees)

Tactical Approach:

  1. Pre-Conference:

    • Define hiring needs: 2-3 open roles (Solidity engineer, protocol researcher, BD lead)
    • Prepare recruitment one-pager: Team culture, tech stack, interesting problems, compensation range
    • Identify integration targets: Which protocols would 10x your distribution? (wallets, DEXes, lending)
    • Bring swag: T-shirts, stickers, hardware wallets with your branding

  2. During Events:

    • Focus on builders actively shipping code (GitHub profile check)
    • Discuss technical challenges: "How are you handling [specific problem]? We solved it with [approach]"
    • Assess cultural fit: Remote/onsite preference, DeFi passion, shipping velocity
    • Pitch integration value prop: "We have [X users/TVL]—integrating with you would unlock [specific use case]"
    • Close with next step: "Let's schedule 30 min to discuss joining the team / integration scoping"

  3. Post-Event (Within 24 hours):

    • Send recruitment one-pager to promising candidates
    • Share GitHub repo + documentation for integration targets
    • Schedule working sessions: 30 min candidate calls, 45 min integration scoping

Expected Outcome:

  • Meet 20-30 builders across events
  • 2-4 builder partnerships identified (shared users, complementary tech)
  • 1 potential hire advancing to team interviews
  • 2-3 integration partnerships scoped for Q2 2026

ROI Metric: Job offer extended OR partnership agreement signed within 60 days.

Critical Timing: Peak Overlap Windows

Saturday 1:00-7:00 PM (6-hour window) — 70% OF CONFERENCE VALUE

This is the single most important time block of the entire week.

The Perfect Saturday:

12:50 PM → Arrive at Founders & Investors Brunch (10 min early)
1:00-4:00 PM → Brunch (full 3 hours, don't leave early)
   └─ Goal: 4-6 investor conversations, 2-3 deck requests
4:00-4:30 PM → Walk to hotel, bathroom break, change clothes
4:30-5:00 PM → Light meal, hydrate, review notes from brunch
4:55 PM → Arrive at VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour (5 min early)
5:00-6:15 PM → Cocktail (stay 75 min max—quality over quantity)
   └─ Goal: 3-4 LP/VC conversations, establish "top-tier fund" relationships
6:15-7:00 PM → Immediate follow-up emails to brunch contacts while fresh

Why This Window Matters:

  • Brunch: Only official founder-investor pairing event (20 attendees, curated)
  • Cocktail: Highest decision-maker density (LPs + VCs, no founders diluting conversations)
  • Back-to-back timing: Establishes you as "serious operator" (attending both = signal)
  • Early evening end: Leaves energy for Builder Nights at 8 PM

Common Mistakes:

  • ❌ Skipping brunch to "save energy" → This is the #2 highest-ROI event
  • ❌ Staying at cocktail past 7 PM → Diminishing returns after 75 min
  • ❌ Not following up within 3 hours → Memories fade fast at conferences

Sunday 6:00-8:00 PM (2-hour window) — HIGHEST ROI PER MINUTE

SunDAO Investors Speed Dating is the single most efficient networking format at the conference.

Why Speed Dating Is Different:

  • Structured format: You're guaranteed 5-7 investor conversations (no "wandering around hoping to meet someone")
  • Pre-qualified investors: SunDAO curated 70+ experts (angels, validators, auditors, VCs, founders)
  • Time-boxed conversations: 10-15 min per investor forces both sides to be direct
  • Equal playing field: Every founder gets equal access (no "insider networks" advantage)
  • Immediate feedback: Investors give real-time reactions, not polite brush-offs

How to Maximize Speed Dating:

  1. Research investors beforehand: SunDAO will share attendee list—Google every investor's recent deals
  2. Prepare 3 pitch variants: 2-min (overview), 5-min (deep dive), 8-min (Q&A heavy)
  3. Bring materials: 10 pitch decks, 20 one-pagers, business cards
  4. Take notes during breaks: Write down each investor's feedback immediately (you'll forget by investor #6)
  5. Follow up within 2 hours: Send personalized email while they remember you

Expected Outcome:

  • 5-7 guaranteed investor conversations (structured format)
  • 2-3 investors requesting deck/follow-up call
  • 1 investor with strong interest advancing to partner intro within 7 days

ROI Comparison:

  • Generic mixer (50+ people): 3-5 conversations, 1 qualified lead = 20% hit rate
  • Speed dating (12 people): 5-7 conversations, 2-3 qualified leads = 40% hit rate

Tuesday 9:30 PM onwards — DINNER SELECTION (CHOOSE ONE)

Three world-class VIP dinners happening simultaneously. You can only attend one. Choose based on your specific thesis.

Option 1: Selini Capital x Areta Dinner (9:30-11:30 PM)

  • Best For: Founders seeking capital from Asia-Pacific VCs, market makers, or funds with trading expertise
  • Attendees: 14 (ultra-intimate)
  • Format: Sit-down dinner (deepest conversations possible)
  • Selini Focus: Market maker + VC (Singapore-based, 29 blockchain investments)
  • Expected Outcome: 2-4 VC relationships, potential deck request

Option 2: Lido Institutional VIP Dinner (9:30 PM-12:30 AM)

  • Best For: Protocols seeking staking partnerships, institutional liquidity, or node operator relationships
  • Attendees: 17 (small group)
  • Format: VIP dinner hosted by $22.4B TVL protocol
  • Lido Focus: Institutional staking, custody integrations (Grayscale, BitMine, stVaults)
  • Expected Outcome: 3-5 institutional staking partnerships identified

Option 3: Proof of Liquidity VIP Dinner (9:00-11:00 PM)

  • Best For: DeFi protocols seeking capital formation, L1/L2s seeking liquidity bootstrapping, RWA projects
  • Attendees: 22 (optimal dinner size)
  • Format: Hosted by Yield Network (onchain bookrunner), Ink Chain (Kraken L2), and active funders
  • Focus: Capital formation, institutional DeFi, RWA tokenization
  • Expected Outcome: 3-4 capital formation leads, DeFi partnership opportunities

Decision Framework:

IF you're fundraising + targeting Asia VCs → Choose Selini Capital x Areta
IF you're a staking/infrastructure protocol → Choose Lido VIP Dinner
IF you're a DeFi protocol or RWA project → Choose Proof of Liquidity VIP Dinner

Common Mistake:

  • ❌ Trying to attend multiple dinners (splitting time) → You'll be seen as "event hopper" and build zero depth
  • ✅ Choose ONE dinner, arrive on time, stay for full duration, engage deeply with 3-4 key people

Success Metrics & Follow-Up Protocol

During Conference (March 30 - April 1)

Daily Targets:

  • ✅ Attend 4-5 events per day (not 10+)
  • ✅ Collect 15-20 business cards per day (45-60 total)
  • ✅ Have 3+ conversations lasting 15+ minutes (deep, not surface-level)
  • ✅ Secure 2+ explicit interest signals per day ("send deck", "let's follow up", "intro you to partner")
  • ✅ Send same-day follow-up emails within 3 hours of each event

Quality Indicators:

  • 🎯 Investor asks specific questions about your metrics (not generic "what do you do?")
  • 🎯 Protocol founder says "let's schedule working session with our engineering team"
  • 🎯 VC partner says "send deck to this email" (not generic info@ email)
  • 🎯 LP says "I'll introduce you to my fund manager"

Red Flags (Polite Brush-Offs):

  • 🚩 "Sounds interesting, stay in touch" (no specific next step)
  • 🚩 "Send me your deck" but doesn't give email address
  • 🚩 "We're not investing right now" (unless they volunteer to intro you elsewhere)
  • 🚩 Conversation ends in <5 minutes with no follow-up

2 Weeks Post-Conference (April 14)

Email Campaign:

  • ✅ Sent 15-20 personalized follow-up emails (not batch template)
  • ✅ Each email references specific conversation point ("You mentioned [X], I've been thinking about...")
  • ✅ Attached deck if requested (or link to data room for investors)
  • ✅ Proposed 2-3 specific times for 20-min follow-up call

Email Template (Founder → Investor):

Subject: Following up from EthCC — [Your Startup Name]

Hi [Investor Name],

Great meeting you at [Specific Event] on [Day]. I appreciated your perspective on [specific topic they mentioned].

Since we spoke, we've [recent traction update]. Given your interest in [their investment thesis], I thought you'd want to see our latest metrics:
• [Metric 1]: [Number] (up [X]% since our conversation)
• [Metric 2]: [Number]
• [Metric 3]: [Number]

Attaching our investor deck. Would love to schedule 20 min to dive deeper into [specific area they asked about]. Available:
• Tuesday 4/15, 10:00 AM CET
• Wednesday 4/16, 2:00 PM CET
• Thursday 4/17, 11:00 AM CET

Best,
[Your Name]

Call Scheduling:

  • ✅ Scheduled 8-12 follow-up calls within 7-10 days of email
  • ✅ Prepared call agenda (5 min recap, 10 min Q&A, 5 min next steps)
  • ✅ Shared pre-read materials 24 hours before call (deck, one-pager, demo link)

Tracking Metrics:

  • 📊 Email open rate >60% (use HubSpot/Mixmax tracking)
  • 📊 Response rate >40% (if lower, your emails are too generic)
  • 📊 Call conversion rate >50% (responses → scheduled calls)

30 Days Post-Conference (April 28)

Pipeline Status:

  • ✅ Completed all 8-12 follow-up calls
  • ✅ Identified 3-5 "hot prospects" (strong interest + clear next steps)
  • ✅ Started 1-2 serious conversations (LOI draft, partnership scoping, diligence Q&A)
  • ✅ Sent monthly update to all conference contacts (not just hot prospects)

Hot Prospect Criteria:

  • 🔥 Investor: Requested second call with partner, shared term sheet template, or asked for diligence materials
  • 🔥 Protocol: Scheduled working session with engineering team, shared API documentation, or drafted integration scope
  • 🔥 LP/Co-investor: Introduced you to fund manager, requested allocation in your round, or shared investment committee schedule

Monthly Update Email (To All Conference Contacts):

Subject: [Your Startup Name] — April 2026 Update

Hi [Name],

Quick update since EthCC:

✅ Traction: [Key metric] grew from [X] to [Y] (+Z%)
✅ Product: Launched [new feature/integration]
✅ Team: Added [new hire] as [role] (previously at [company])
✅ Funding: [Closed $X from Y investors] OR [Currently raising $X]

Would love to reconnect if [specific reason relevant to their interests]. Otherwise, will keep you posted next month.

Best,
[Your Name]

Why Monthly Updates Matter:

  • Keeps you top-of-mind for future opportunities
  • Demonstrates execution velocity (investors care about momentum)
  • Creates FOMO ("they're growing fast, I should engage now")

90 Days Post-Conference (June 28)

Target Outcomes (Choose 1-2):

For Fundraisers:

  • ✅ Closed seed/Series A round with 1+ investor met at EthCC
  • ✅ Advanced 2+ term sheet conversations to final negotiation
  • ✅ Secured lead investor commitment (others in final diligence)

For Corporate Dev:

  • ✅ Signed 1+ partnership agreement (integration live or in development)
  • ✅ 2-3 partnerships in active pilot/scoping phase
  • ✅ Built relationships with 5+ protocols for future partnerships

For Investors:

  • ✅ Issued term sheet to 1 founder met at EthCC
  • ✅ Completed diligence on 2-3 opportunities (advancing to investment committee)
  • ✅ Maintained dealflow pipeline with 10+ founders (quarterly check-ins)

For Builders:

  • ✅ Extended job offer to 1 candidate met at EthCC
  • ✅ Launched 1+ integration with protocol met at conference
  • ✅ Recruited 2-3 contributors to open-source project

Relationship Maintenance:

  • ✅ 5+ warm relationships maintained via monthly updates
  • ✅ Participated in follow-up events (online AMAs, community calls)
  • ✅ Made 2-3 intros between conference contacts (build social capital)

ROI Calculation:

Conference Cost: €3,000-5,000 (flights, hotel, meals, event tickets)
Expected Return: 1 deal closed OR 3+ serious opportunities advancing
ROI: If 1 fundraise closes → €500k-2M raised = 100-400x ROI
     If 1 partnership signs → $50k-500k revenue potential = 10-100x ROI
     If 1 hire converts → $100k+ value (time saved recruiting) = 20-30x ROI

Pre-Conference Checklist

4 Weeks Before (March 1)

  • [ ] Secure event invites: Contact organizers of 12 MUST-ATTEND events (many are invite-only or sell out fast)
    • VCs & LPs Cocktail, Founders & Investors Brunch (reach out to investor connections for invite)
    • Purchase tickets for SunDAO Speed Dating (€295), Proof of Liquidity ($170), paid events
    • Request approval for pending events (ORAK, The Privacy Table, DeFi Espresso, etc.)
  • [ ] Book accommodation: Within 10 min walk of Palais des Festivals (main EthCC venue)
    • Hotels: Carlton, Martinez, Majestic (luxury); Okko, Cézanne, Splendid (mid-range)
  • [ ] Create target contact list: 15-20 people you MUST meet
    • Research LinkedIn profiles, recent investments/partnerships, conversation starters
    • Map which events they're likely attending (cross-reference Luma RSVPs)
  • [ ] Prepare pitch materials:
    • Print 30+ pitch decks (color, bound)
    • Print 50+ one-pagers (key metrics on single page)
    • Order 200+ business cards (include QR code to deck/calendar)
  • [ ] Research attendees:
    • Download Luma attendee lists for registered events
    • Google each attendee: recent funding rounds, partnerships, launches
    • Prepare conversation starters for top 20 targets

1 Week Before (March 23)

  • [ ] Finalize calendar: Block out 12 MUST-ATTEND events in Google Calendar with addresses
    • Set 30-min buffer between events for travel time
    • Add reminders: 1 hour before (prepare), 15 min before (depart)
  • [ ] Pack materials:
    • 200+ business cards (bring extras—you'll run out)
    • 20+ pitch decks + 30+ one-pagers
    • Laptop/iPad for quick due diligence lookups
    • Portable phone charger (you'll be on phone 12+ hours/day)
    • Comfortable shoes (walking 15k+ steps/day)
    • Water bottle (Cannes tap water is safe)
    • Blazer/nice outfit for dinners (Saturday-Tuesday evenings)
  • [ ] Research top 20 contacts:
    • Read their recent blog posts, tweets, podcast appearances
    • Prepare 2-3 specific conversation starters per person
    • Save their LinkedIn/Twitter profiles for quick reference
  • [ ] Practice pitch:
    • 60-second version (elevator pitch)
    • 5-minute version (brunch table conversation)
    • 15-minute version (dinner deep-dive with Q&A)
    • Practice with co-founder or advisor 5+ times

Day Before (March 29)

  • [ ] Get 8+ hours sleep: Saturday is 70% of conference value—arrive rested
  • [ ] Final prep:
    • Confirm Saturday Founders & Investors Brunch location + arrival time (12:50 PM)
    • Confirm VCs & LPs Cocktail location + arrival time (4:55 PM)
    • Test phone charger, download offline maps of Cannes
    • Review top 10 target contacts one final time
  • [ ] Mental preparation:
    • Confidence: You belong here (investors want to meet great founders)
    • Goals: Quality over quantity (3 deep conversations > 20 superficial ones)
    • Energy management: It's a marathon, not a sprint (pace yourself)

During Conference (Daily Routine)

  • [ ] Morning (8-11 AM):
    • Sleep in OR light workout (don't burn energy on 5K runs)
    • Review today's event schedule
    • Google attendees for first event of the day
  • [ ] Event arrival:
    • Arrive 10-15 min early (best conversations before crowds)
    • Scan room: Identify 3-5 target people to approach
    • Approach with value: "I saw you're working on [X]—we're solving [related problem]"
  • [ ] During event:
    • Spend 30-45 min per event max (quality > quantity)
    • Have 3+ conversations lasting 10+ min each
    • Ask for intros: "Who else here should I meet working on [your category]?"
    • Close with next step: "Can I send you our deck? When's good for a 20-min follow-up?"
  • [ ] Post-event (within 3 hours):
    • Send follow-up email referencing specific conversation
    • Add contact to CRM (Airtable, HubSpot, or Google Sheet)
    • Rate conversation: 🔥 Hot (immediate interest), 🌟 Warm (follow up in 7 days), ❄️ Cold (quarterly updates only)
  • [ ] Evening:
    • Review notes from day's conversations
    • Prepare for tomorrow's events (research attendees)
    • Sleep 7+ hours (energy management critical)

Final Recommendations

What to MAXIMIZE:

  1. Saturday 1-7 PM window: This is 70% of conference value—don't skip Founders Brunch or VCs Cocktail
  2. SunDAO Speed Dating: Most efficient capital conversations (€295 = 5-7 guaranteed investor meetings)
  3. Follow-up speed: Email within 3 hours of each event (while memories are fresh)
  4. Relationship depth: 3 deep conversations > 20 superficial ones

What to MINIMIZE:

  1. Sleep deprivation: Skip late-night parties (11 PM+), get 7+ hours sleep
  2. Event FOMO: Don't attend 15 events/day—attend 4-5 high-quality ones
  3. Generic networking: "Nice to meet you" conversations waste time—lead with specific value prop
  4. Paid events without clear ROI: Don't buy every €100 ticket—focus on proven formats (speed dating, VIP dinners)

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

  • ❌ "I'll attend everything" → You'll burn out by Sunday, miss Tuesday's VIP dinners
  • ❌ "I'll follow up after the conference" → 80% of warm leads go cold if you wait >48 hours
  • ❌ "I need to meet everyone" → You need to meet the RIGHT 15-20 people, not 100 random attendees
  • ❌ "Invite-only events don't matter" → They're invite-only BECAUSE they're highest-quality (find a way in)

Success Mantra:

"Quality > Quantity. Depth > Breadth. Follow-up > First Contact."

You don't need 100 business cards. You need 10-15 serious conversations that turn into partnerships, capital, or hires within 90 days.

Logistics & Venue Clustering

Event Location Clusters:

Most events are concentrated in 3 areas of Cannes:

Cluster 1: Palais des Festivals Area (Main Conference)

  • Walking distance: 5-10 min between venues
  • Events: DeFi Day, Builder Nights, some hotel-based dinners

Cluster 2: Carlton / Croisette Hotels (Luxury Venues)

  • Walking distance: 10-15 min between venues
  • Events: VIP dinners (Selini Capital, Lido), institutional summits (ORAK, Family Offices)

Cluster 3: Villas / Beach Clubs (Exclusive Venues)

  • Taxi/Uber required: 10-20 min drive
  • Events: OpenClaw Seaside Villa, Investor x Founder Beachclub, Private Garden Party

Travel Tips:

  • Walk whenever possible (15-20 min max)—Cannes is compact
  • Use Uber for villa events (€10-20 per trip)
  • Allow 30-min buffer between events for travel + bathroom/rest
  • Don't over-schedule: 4 events/day is maximum for quality engagement

Recommended Hotels (By Priority):

Tier 1: Luxury (€400-800/night)

  • Carlton Cannes — Iconic venue, many events hosted here (Scaling Institutional DeFi, etc.)
  • Martinez Hotel — Croisette location, walking distance to everything
  • Majestic Barrière — Premium conference attendee base

Tier 2: Mid-Range (€200-350/night)

  • Okko Hotels Cannes Centre — Modern, central location
  • Hotel Cézanne — Boutique, near Palais des Festivals
  • Splendid Hotel — Croisette access, good value

Tier 3: Budget (€100-180/night)

  • Ibis Styles Cannes Le Cannet — Clean, safe, 15-min walk to center
  • Airbnb — Book 4+ weeks early for best rates (split with co-founder)

Booking Strategy:

  • Book NOW (4 weeks out)—hotels fill up fast during EthCC
  • Prioritize walkability over luxury (time > comfort)
  • Consider splitting Airbnb with co-founder (save €500+)

Sources & References

Research Sources:

  1. Delphi Ventures Partner Predicts 2026 Turnaround Amid Crypto Market Divergence — Delphi Ventures market outlook and 2026 predictions
  2. Lido DAO GOOSE-2026 Report H1 2026 — Lido staking TVL, institutional partnerships, market share analysis
  3. Fabric Ventures Portfolio: 101 Companies & Co-Investors (2026) — Fabric Ventures 2026 investments (HIFI, Kulipa, Mio)
  4. SunDAO Investors Speed Dating Format — SunDAO speed dating structure and outcomes
  5. Yield Network & Ink Protocol Proof of Liquidity Singapore — Yield Network capital formation, Ink Chain TVL growth
  6. TRON DAO Co-Hosts MetaMask Builder Night at EthCC — MetaMask + TRON partnership, Builder Nights details
  7. Selini Capital 2026 Investor Profile — Selini Capital portfolio thesis and 2026 investments
  8. P2P.org Integrates with Fireblocks via ETH-Link — P2P.org + Fireblocks staking infrastructure partnership
  9. OpenClaw: How a Self-Hosted AI Agent Changed Automation in 2026 — OpenClaw 180k GitHub stars, crypto trading applications
  10. RWA Summit Singapore 2026 Draws 1,200 Attendees — RWA Summit growth, institutional tokenization trends
  11. Quantstamp + Zircuit Finance Launch Institutional Yield Platform — Zircuit Finance 8-11% APR, AI sequencer security
  12. Privy Expands Support for TRON with Enhanced Wallet Infrastructure — Privy TRON + XRPL integrations, 160M+ accounts
  13. Masterkey VC Portfolio: Eureka Labs, Taproot Wizards, Byzantine Finance — Masterkey VC 2026 investments
  14. BitGo and HashKey Sign Multi-Pillar Strategic Partnership — BitGo institutional custody partnerships
  15. Kraken's Ink L2 Surpasses $500M TVL — Ink Chain Tydro lending, institutional DeFi growth

Event Data:

Bottom Line: Focus on 12 events, skip the other 189. Expect 1-3 serious deals (partnerships, funding, hires) within 90 days. EthCC ROI is measured in relationships, not business cards.

Good luck in Cannes. 🚀