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WEBTHREEPEDIA RESEARCH

EthCC[9] Cannes 2026 Intelligence Briefing

Event Intelligence Agent|July 15, 2026|Event Intel
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

EthCC[9] takes place March 28 - April 4, 2026 in Cannes, France with 201 identified side events across 8 days. This represents the most institutionally-focused EthCC in history, with unprecedented concentration of capital allocators, family offices, and institutional DeFi infrastructure builders....

Executive Summary

EthCC[9] takes place March 28 - April 4, 2026 in Cannes, France with 201 identified side events across 8 days. This represents the most institutionally-focused EthCC in history, with unprecedented concentration of capital allocators, family offices, and institutional DeFi infrastructure builders.

Key Themes:

  • Institutional Capital Formation: 15+ investor-focused events with explicit LP/VC/family office targeting
  • Real-World Assets (RWA): $31B+ market (400% growth YoY) driving 8+ dedicated RWA summits
  • DeFi Infrastructure Maturation: Staking, liquid staking derivatives, and institutional-grade DeFi taking center stage
  • AI × Crypto Convergence: OpenClaw (247K GitHub stars), AI agent infrastructure, and autonomous systems emerging
  • Privacy & Security: zkEVM, FHE, and sequencer-level security attracting technical founders

Registration Status: Successfully registered for 3 confirmed events, 9 pending approval, 7 paid events identified ($100-$295 range), 2 events sold out.

Optimal Strategy: Focus on 12-15 MUST-ATTEND events across Saturday-Tuesday (Days 1-3). The highest-value 6 hours of the entire conference are Saturday 1-7 PM (Founders & Investors Brunch → Family Offices Summit → VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour cluster). Expected outcomes: 18-25 quality conversations per day, 1-2 deals advancing within 3 months.

Registration Status

| Event | Day | Status | Notes | |-------|-----|--------|-------| | DeFi Day | Sat, Mar 30 | ✅ Registered | Confirmed with ric@staex.io | | WalletCon Cannes 2026 | Tue, Mar 31 | ✅ Registered | Confirmed with ric@staex.io | | Hack Seasons Conference | Wed, Apr 1 | ✅ Registered | Confirmed with ric@staex.io | | ORAK CANNES - Private Institutional Summit | Sat, Mar 30 | ⏳ Pending Approval | Awaiting host confirmation | | The Clearing House I: Cannes | Sat, Mar 30 | ⏳ Pending Approval | Awaiting host confirmation | | ETHCC Sunset Social | Sat, Mar 30 | ⏳ Pending Approval | Awaiting host confirmation | | Wine & Web3 Growth | Sat, Mar 30 | ⏳ Pending Approval | Awaiting host confirmation | | Mezo Devs Rooftop Happy Hour | Tue, Mar 31 | ⏳ Pending Approval | Awaiting host confirmation | | Scaling DeFi: Cannes Edition | Tue, Mar 31 | ⏳ Pending Approval | Awaiting host confirmation | | ETHCC Networking Mixer (Fabric Ventures) | Tue, Mar 31 | ⏳ Pending Approval | Awaiting host confirmation | | Côte d'Azur Villa with FP Block | Wed, Apr 1 | ⏳ Pending Approval | Awaiting host confirmation | | Private Garden Party | Thu, Apr 2 | ⏳ Pending Approval | Awaiting host confirmation | | Institutions Onchain | Fri, Mar 29 | 💰 Paid Event | $100 registration fee | | TokenizeThis Cannes 2026 | Sat, Mar 30 | 💰 Paid Event | $29 registration fee | | The Circle by P2P.org & Fireblocks | Sat, Mar 30 | 💰 Paid Event | $10 registration fee | | Private SunDAO: Investors Speed Dating | Tue, Mar 31 | 💰 Paid Event | €295 registration fee | | Scaling Institutional DeFi (Carlton) | Tue, Apr 1 | 💰 Paid Event | $1 registration fee | | Pragma Cannes | Thu, Apr 2 | 💰 Paid Event | $29 registration fee | | Cointelegraph Connect | Thu, Apr 2 | 💰 Paid Event | $20 registration fee | | DeFi Founders Club: Cannes | Thu, Apr 2 | 💰 Paid Event | $3 registration fee | | SunDAO: Investors & Builders Mixer | Tue, Mar 31 | 🚫 Sold Out | Event at capacity | | DeFi in the Sky 3.0 | Wed, Apr 1 | 🚫 Sold Out | Event at capacity | | Investors Meetup by Hybrid Capital | Fri, Mar 29 | ❌ Error | Event page not found | | Blockspace Forum Cannes | Tue, Mar 31 | ❌ Error | No register button found | | Lido Day | Tue, Mar 31 | ❌ Error | No register button found | | La Lumière w/ Wirex, Privy & Bridge | Tue, Mar 31 | ❌ Error | No register button found | | After Hours with Rain & Turnkey | Tue, Mar 31 | ❌ Error | No register button found | | THE LOCAL: Rooftop Brunch | Wed, Apr 1 | ❌ Error | No register button found | | OpenClaw Cannes: EthCC[9] Meetup | Wed, Apr 1 | ❌ Error | No register button found |

Action Items:

  • ✅ Follow up on 9 pending approval events (check ric@staex.io inbox)
  • ⚠️ Consider paid events based on ROI ($1-$10 reasonable, €295 SunDAO requires serious evaluation)
  • ⚠️ For error events (Lido Day, Blockspace, La Lumière), contact organizers directly via Twitter/LinkedIn
  • ⚠️ Two sold-out events: SunDAO Mixer and DeFi in the Sky—request waitlist spots immediately

Day-by-Day Intelligence

Day 0: Friday, March 29 — Pre-Conference Warm-Up

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 2 PM - 12 AM | Institutions Onchain | MUST-ATTEND | 💰 $100 | 10-hour institutional marathon; early positioning with DeFi + institutional infrastructure crowd | | 7 PM - 11 PM | The Gate [CANNES] | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | Delphi Ventures, Tori, RockawayX co-host; high VC concentration | | 8 PM - 12 AM | Investors Meetup by Hybrid Capital | HIGH-VALUE | ❌ Error | 26 vetted investors; early-conference dealmaking energy | | 7 PM - 10 PM | Cannes Pre-Launch Soirée: European Ethereum Institute | OPTIONAL | Not registered | 4 attendees only; ultra-intimate institutional positioning |

Key People to Meet:

  • Delphi Ventures Partners — Active in Tori, GenFlux (2026 investments). Recent: $21M in Bluff, $28M in DoubleZero. Talking point: "I saw Delphi backed Bluff's $21M round—how are you thinking about gaming infrastructure post-raise?"

  • RockawayX Investment Team — Co-hosting The Gate. Focus on CEE/European expansion. Talking point: "RockawayX has been expanding aggressively in CEE markets—what's your thesis on European DeFi adoption vs. US?"

  • European Ethereum Institute Founders — Launching institutional presence in Europe. Talking point: "What regulatory advantages does an EU-based Ethereum institute provide post-MiCA enforcement?"

Schedule Recommendation:

  • 3:00-6:00 PM: Arrive at Institutions Onchain, capture opening sessions, network during breaks
  • 6:00-7:00 PM: Quick dinner, recharge
  • 7:00-9:00 PM: The Gate (Delphi Ventures) — target first 2 hours
  • 9:00-11:00 PM: Optional Investors Meetup (if still energized)
  • 11:00 PM: Early exit, sleep (Saturday is critical)

Logistics: All events within Cannes city center. Uber/taxi between venues: 5-10 min. Budget €10-15/trip.

Day 1: Saturday, March 30 — MAIN EVENT DAY (CRITICAL)

This is the single most important day of EthCC. Attend ALL priority events below.

Morning Events (10 AM - 1 PM):

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 10 AM - 1 PM | Coffee On Us ☕ (Espresso & Celo) | OPTIONAL | Not registered | Warm-up conversations; 24 attendees, infrastructure focus | | 11 AM - 2 PM | Builders Breakfast: Canton x Zenith | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 22 attendees; community + infrastructure builders | | 11 AM - 7 PM | TokenizeThis Cannes 2026 | HIGH-VALUE | 💰 $29 | 8-hour RWA/tokenization deep dive; 30 attendees | | 11 AM - 5 PM | Everything you can do on Ethereum - privately | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 6-hour privacy tech conference; 22 zkEVM builders |

Afternoon Events (1 PM - 7 PM) — HIGHEST-VALUE 6 HOURS:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 1 PM - 4 PM | ETH CC 9 Founders & Investors Brunch ⭐ | MUST-ATTEND #1 | Not registered | ONLY official 2-sided brunch. 20 vetted founders + investors. Curated by EthCC organizers. | | 1 PM - 9 PM | DeFi Day | MUST-ATTEND #2 | ✅ Registered | Largest DeFi ecosystem gathering (37 attendees); 8-hour format captures entire ecosystem | | 4 PM - 7 PM | Family Offices & Investors Summit (Michelin) | MUST-ATTEND #3 | Not registered | 39 family office managers; patient capital, largest check sizes; premium venue | | 4 PM - 9 PM | ORAK CANNES - Private Institutional Summit | MUST-ATTEND #4 | ⏳ Pending | 29 vetted institutional players; 5-hour deep dive on infrastructure | | 5 PM - 11 PM | Proof of Liquidity (Yield Network & Ink) | MUST-ATTEND #5 | Not registered | 37 attendees; DeFi + institutional capital formation hub |

Evening Events (5 PM - 1 AM) — VC/INVESTOR MEGA-CLUSTER:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 5 PM - 7 PM | ETH CC 9 VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour ⭐⭐⭐ | MUST-ATTEND #0 | Not registered | HIGHEST CAPITAL DENSITY EVENT. 20 LPs/VCs only. 2-hour window. Pure decision-makers. | | 8 PM - 12 AM | Founder x VC Happy Hour @ ETHCC [9] 2026 | MUST-ATTEND #6 | Not registered | Largest official mixer (40 people); founder/VC 2-sided format | | 8 PM - 1 AM | Builder Nights Cannes (MetaMask, Linea, iExec) | MUST-ATTEND #7 | Not registered | 71 builders; largest builder gathering; MetaMask Agent Wallet team present | | 8:30 PM - 12 AM | The Circle by P2P.org & Fireblocks | HIGH-VALUE | 💰 $10 | 29 attendees; DeFi + institutional staking infrastructure | | 8 PM - 11 PM | Wine & Web3 Growth | HIGH-VALUE | ⏳ Pending | 30-person VC + growth-focused gathering | | 7 PM - 10 PM | ETHCC Sunset Social | HIGH-VALUE | ⏳ Pending | 29 attendees; mid-conference social energy |

Key People to Meet:

  1. Yield Network Team (Proof of Liquidity hosts)

    • Role: Operating layer for onchain capital formation; $170M+ TVL orchestrated
    • Recent: Partnered with Ink Chain, Aptos, Etherlink for liquidity deployments
    • Talking point: "I saw Yield Network orchestrated $170M+ in TVL deployments—how do you structure pre-deposit campaigns to avoid mercenary farming?"

  2. Ink Chain (Kraken L2) Team

    • Role: Co-host Proof of Liquidity; Optimism Superchain L2
    • Recent: Launched Dec 2024, scaled to $500M+ TVL; Tydro (Aave V3 fork) hit $600M+ lending
    • Talking point: "Ink scaled to $500M TVL in 3 months—what's different about Kraken's institutional distribution compared to other L2s?"

  3. P2P.org Infrastructure Team (The Circle hosts)

    • Role: ETH-Link integration with Fireblocks; 8 years, zero slashing, $10B+ staked
    • Recent: May 2026 roundtable on institutional digital asset infrastructure
    • Talking point: "P2P.org integrated via Fireblocks ETH-Link—how does the standardized interface reduce time-to-market for institutions vs. custom integrations?"

  4. Fireblocks Institutional Sales (The Circle co-hosts)

    • Role: Institutional custody + staking infrastructure; setting standard for ETH staking
    • Recent: ETH-Link API launched; Blockdaemon, P2P.org, MAVAN now live
    • Talking point: "Fireblocks ETH-Link is standardizing validator infrastructure—what's the bottleneck preventing other staking providers from integrating?"

  5. MetaMask Product Team (Builder Nights co-hosts)

    • Role: Leading wallet infrastructure; Agent Wallet, Embedded Wallets, MetaMask Card
    • Recent: Agent Wallet launched June 2026 (AI-powered autonomous trading); Stripe acquisition of Privy (June 2025)
    • Talking point: "MetaMask Agent Wallet launched with 9-chain support—what's the security model preventing AI agents from draining wallets during autonomous execution?"

  6. Linea Core Team (Builder Nights co-hosts)

    • Role: Type-1 zkEVM (100% Ethereum compatibility); ConsenSys L2
    • Recent: Upgraded to 5,000 TPS, 15-min L1 finality; Linea Yield Boost feature; LINEA token launched March 2026
    • Talking point: "Linea achieved Type-1 zkEVM status and 5K TPS—how does L1 Soft Finality impact cross-chain composability for institutional users?"

  7. Fabric Ventures Partners (ETHCC Networking Mixer host, Tuesday)

    • Role: Early-stage Web3/AI VC; 104 companies, 9 unicorns
    • Recent: April 2026 investment in Kulipa (Financial Services); R3sidency Accelerator launching Jan 2026
    • Talking point: "Fabric just invested in Kulipa and launched R3sidency—what's your AI × crypto investment thesis for 2026?"

Schedule Recommendation (CRITICAL PATH):

10:00-11:00 AM: Optional Coffee On Us (casual warm-up)

11:00 AM-12:30 PM: TokenizeThis opening sessions OR Privacy conference opening (choose based on sector focus)

12:30 PM: Exit, light lunch, recharge

12:50 PM: ARRIVE EARLY at Founders & Investors Brunch (most important event)

1:00-2:45 PM: Founders & Investors Brunch (stay 1 hour 45 min; first 45 min = highest quality)

  • Target 5-10 conversations in first 45 min
  • Exchange contact info
  • Schedule follow-ups

2:45-3:15 PM: Exit, grab coffee, review notes

3:15-4:30 PM: Quick break, hydrate, update CRM

4:00-5:00 PM: Family Offices Summit opening (Michelin venue—dress formally)

  • Arrive by 4:15 PM
  • Capture 3-5 family office conversations
  • Exit by 5:00 PM for VCs & LPs event

5:00-6:45 PM: VCs & LPs COCKTAIL HOUR (PRIORITY #1) ⭐⭐⭐

  • THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT 2 HOURS OF ETHCC
  • Arrive by 5:15 PM
  • Target 5-10 LP/VC conversations in first 45 min
  • Exchange contact info, schedule follow-up calls
  • Exit by 6:30-6:45 PM

6:45-8:00 PM: Dinner break, recharge, hydrate, update notes

8:00-8:45 PM: Founder x VC Happy Hour (PRIORITY #2)

  • Arrive early (8:00-8:15 PM)
  • Capture 5-8 conversations in first 45 min
  • Exit by 8:45 PM

8:45-9:15 PM: Walk to Builder Nights (5-10 min Uber)

9:15-11:00 PM: Builder Nights (PRIORITY #3)

  • 71-person mega event
  • 1.5-hour window: capture 5-8 builder conversations
  • Focus on founders (MetaMask, Linea teams), not just community
  • Exit by 11:00 PM

11:00 PM-12:00 AM: Optional secondary events if energy HIGH:

  • The Circle (catch final hour)
  • Wine & Web3 Growth (if still available)

12:00 AM: HARD CUT-OFF. GO TO SLEEP. Sunday is equally important.

Saturday Expected Outcomes:

  • Investor conversations: 8-12 (VCs, LPs, institutional)
  • Founder conversations: 5-10
  • Partnership leads: 2-3
  • Follow-up calls scheduled: 3-5
  • Time investment: 10-12 hours
  • Quality conversations: 18-25

Logistics:

  • All venues within Cannes center (3-5 km radius)
  • Uber/taxi: €10-20 per trip, 10-15 min between venues
  • VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour likely at premium venue (Carlton, Martinez, or Grand Hyatt)
  • Wear formal business casual (no jeans) for Family Offices + VCs & LPs events
  • Bring: Business cards, phone charger, water bottle, mints

Day 2: Sunday, March 31 — DeFi + RWA + Infrastructure Deep Dive

Morning Events (10 AM - 2 PM):

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM | Scaling Onchain Finance for Real Money | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 23 attendees; DeFi + institutional focus | | 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM | Institutional Bitcoin Breakfast | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 17 attendees; Bitcoin + institutional capital | | 11 AM - 1 PM | The DeFi Espresso | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 24 attendees; DeFi morning social | | 11 AM - 9 PM | Real-World Asset Summit Cannes 2026 | MUST-ATTEND | Not registered | 10-hour RWA deep dive; 27 attendees; fastest-growing sector | | 11:30 AM - 7:30 PM | Blockspace Forum Cannes | HIGH-VALUE | ❌ Error | 17 attendees; infrastructure focus (contact organizers directly) | | 12 PM - 8 PM | WalletCon Cannes 2026 | HIGH-VALUE | ✅ Registered | 8-hour wallet infrastructure conference; 34 attendees |

Afternoon Events (1 PM - 6 PM):

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 1 PM - 9 PM | Lido Day | MUST-ATTEND | ❌ Error | $35B+ protocol ecosystem gathering; 8 hours; 26 attendees (contact Lido team directly) | | 12 PM - 4 PM | DeFi Lounge at EthCC | OPTIONAL | Not registered | 17 attendees; low-pressure DeFi socializing | | 3 PM - 7 PM | Quantstamp x Zircuit Secret Garden | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 30 attendees; AI/Security/DeFi convergence |

Evening Events (6 PM - 2 AM) — VC/INVESTOR SECOND WAVE:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 6 PM - 12 AM | Proof of Liquidity (Evening Continuation) | MUST-ATTEND | Not registered | 6-hour RWA/DeFi/Institutional deep dive (23 attendees) | | 7 PM - 11 PM | SunDAO: Investors & Builders Mixer | MUST-ATTEND | 🚫 Sold Out | 20 vetted investors + builders; explicit 2-sided format (REQUEST WAITLIST) | | 6 PM - 10 PM | La Lumière w/ Wirex, Privy & Bridge | HIGH-VALUE | ❌ Error | 27 attendees; infrastructure/privacy focus (contact organizers) | | 6 PM - 9 PM | ETHCC Networking Mixer by Fabric Ventures | HIGH-VALUE | ⏳ Pending | 28 attendees; Fabric VC-backed founders, AI/DeFi focus | | 6 PM - 10 PM | Scaling DeFi: Cannes Edition | HIGH-VALUE | ⏳ Pending | 23 attendees; DeFi scaling focus | | 9:30 PM - 11:30 PM | Infinite Games Soirée (Invite-Only) ⭐ | MUST-ATTEND | Not registered | ULTRA-EXCLUSIVE: 17 people only; VC/founder gathering | | 6 PM - 10 PM | Mezo Devs Rooftop Happy Hour | HIGH-VALUE | ⏳ Pending | 26 attendees; rooftop + builders | | 9 PM - 2 AM | Starknet Party | OPTIONAL | Not registered | 41 attendees; large social gathering (only if energy HIGH) |

Key People to Meet:

  1. Lido DAO Core Team (Lido Day hosts)

    • Role: Largest liquid staking protocol; 24% of all ETH staked ($24.5B)
    • Recent: March 2026: Debating $20M LDO buyback (LDO rallied 18% to $0.32); exploring Dogecoin staking
    • Talking point: "Lido controls 24% of staked ETH—how do you think about centralization concerns with the upcoming Ethereum protocol changes?"

  2. RWA Summit Organizers & Attendees

    • Sector Focus: $31B+ tokenized RWAs (400% growth YoY); tokenized US Treasuries at $9.6B
    • Recent: BlackRock BUIDL fund reached $2.5B; JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs launched tokenized money market products; MiCA enforcement July 2026
    • Talking point: "Tokenized RWAs hit $31B with BlackRock BUIDL leading at $2.5B—what's the institutional bottleneck: custody, tax treatment, or regulatory clarity?"

  3. SunDAO Ventures Members (Speed Dating + Mixer hosts)

    • Role: 70+ VCs, validators, security auditors co-investing in blockchain infrastructure
    • Recent: 2025: 11 deals sourced, 4 investments, 36% conversion rate; 2026 target: 15-20 deals, 8-10 investments
    • Talking point: "SunDAO achieved 36% pipeline-to-deployment conversion—what due diligence filters are most predictive of success?"

  4. Quantstamp Security Team (Secret Garden co-hosts)

    • Role: Leading smart contract auditor; audited Zircuit, Lido, 100+ protocols
    • Recent: Partnered with Zircuit for AI-driven sequencer-level security; Zircuit Finance launched institutional yield platform (8-11% APR)
    • Talking point: "Quantstamp audited Zircuit's AI-powered sequencer security—how does sequencer-level threat detection differ from traditional smart contract audits?"

  5. Zircuit Core Team (Secret Garden co-hosts)

    • Role: AI-powered zkEVM rollup; Sequencer Level Security proactively quarantines malicious txns
    • Recent: Launched Zircuit Finance with Monarq, FalconX, Forteus (FCA-regulated); targeting 8-11% APR institutional yields
    • Talking point: "Zircuit's Sequencer Level Security uses AI to quarantine malicious transactions pre-block inclusion—what's the false positive rate, and how do you handle edge cases?"

  6. Fabric Ventures Team (Networking Mixer hosts)

    • Role: Early-stage Web3/AI VC; 104 companies, 9 unicorns (Hashflow, CUB3); recent focus on AI × crypto
    • Recent: April 2026 Kulipa investment; R3sidency Accelerator launching Jan 2026
    • Talking point: "Fabric's investing in AI × crypto—what's the technical moat that prevents OpenAI or Google from eating crypto-native AI infrastructure?"

  7. Privy Team (La Lumière co-hosts)

    • Role: Embedded wallet infrastructure; acquired by Stripe June 2025; 50M+ accounts, sub-100ms signing
    • Recent: Powers AWS Bedrock AgentCore payments (May 2026), Deel DLUSD payroll stablecoin (June 2026)
    • Talking point: "Privy powers AWS Bedrock AgentCore and Deel's stablecoin payroll—how do you balance self-custody UX with institutional compliance requirements?"

Schedule Recommendation:

10:30-11:00 AM: Attend one breakfast (Scaling Onchain Finance OR Institutional Bitcoin)

11:00 AM-12:30 PM: Real-World Asset Summit opening sessions (PRIORITY)

  • Arrive by 11:00 AM
  • Capture opening panels
  • Network during first break

12:30-1:30 PM: Lunch at RWA Summit venue + networking

1:30-3:00 PM: Choice:

  • Option A (DeFi-focused): Exit RWA Summit, attend Lido Day opening (1-3 PM)
  • Option B (RWA-focused): Continue RWA Summit through afternoon

3:00-5:00 PM: Mix between Lido Day and RWA Summit (both run until 9 PM)

  • Attend sessions at one, network at breaks
  • Rotate to other event for 30-45 min

5:00-6:00 PM: Light dinner, recharge, prepare for evening gauntlet

6:00-7:30 PM: Split between Proof of Liquidity and ETHCC Networking Mixer (Fabric Ventures)

  • Arrive at Proof of Liquidity first (6:00 PM)
  • Network for 45 min
  • Exit to Fabric Ventures Mixer (7:00 PM)

7:30-9:00 PM: Continue Fabric Ventures Mixer OR return to Proof of Liquidity

  • Capture 3-5 quality conversations
  • Exit by 9:00 PM

9:00-9:30 PM: Quick break, hydrate, review notes

9:30-11:30 PM: INFINITE GAMES SOIRÉE (ULTRA-EXCLUSIVE PRIORITY) ⭐

  • Only 17 people
  • Arrive by 9:30 PM
  • Capture 3-5 deep VC/founder conversations
  • This is the most intimate VC gathering of the week
  • Exit by 11:00 PM

11:00 PM+: Optional Starknet Party (only if energy HIGH and seeking community connections)

Sunday Expected Outcomes:

  • RWA/DeFi conversations: 8-12
  • Infrastructure conversations: 4-6
  • Partnership leads: 2-3
  • Follow-up calls: 2-3
  • Time investment: 10-12 hours

Logistics:

  • RWA Summit likely full-day venue (arrive with laptop, charger for work between sessions)
  • Lido Day contact: Reach out to Lido team on Twitter/Discord for registration link
  • Infinite Games Soirée: Confirm invitation status ASAP (ultra-exclusive)
  • SunDAO Mixer: REQUEST WAITLIST immediately (sold out)

Day 3: Tuesday, March 31 — Institutional DeFi + Final VC Push

Morning Events (10 AM - 3 PM):

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM | Scaling Onchain Finance for Real Money | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 23 attendees; institutional DeFi breakfast | | 11 AM - 3 PM | Pharos X Faroo Breakfast Networking | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 15 attendees; community + VC networking | | 11 AM - 1 PM | The Founders Circle - Morning Coffee (Frachtis) | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 22 attendees; VC + founders mix | | 12 PM - 7 PM | Stark Café | OPTIONAL | Not registered | 24 attendees; community space | | 12 PM - 8 PM | Searcher 2026: Market Making, MEV | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 16 attendees; markets/infrastructure focus | | 12 PM - 8 PM | WalletCon Cannes 2026 (Continuation) | HIGH-VALUE | ✅ Registered | 34 attendees; wallet infrastructure deep dive |

Afternoon Events (3 PM - 8 PM):

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 3 PM - 7 PM | Quantstamp x Zircuit Secret Garden | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 30 attendees; AI/security/DeFi | | 6 PM - 8 PM | Private SunDAO: Investors Speed Dating | MUST-ATTEND | 💰 €295 | 12 vetted investors; structured 2-hour format (EXPENSIVE—evaluate ROI) | | 5 PM - 8 PM | Bingo, Networking & Spritz | OPTIONAL | Not registered | 10 attendees; casual DeFi/infrastructure |

Evening Events (6 PM - 2 AM) — INSTITUTIONAL FINAL WAVE:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 6 PM - 12 AM | Proof of Liquidity (Institutional Continuation) | MUST-ATTEND | Not registered | 23 attendees; RWA/DeFi/institutional final push | | 8 PM - 12 AM | Scaling Institutional DeFi: Inner Circle (Carlton) | MUST-ATTEND | 💰 $1 | 26 attendees; premium Carlton venue; institutional DeFi gatekeeping | | 8 PM - 11 PM | ETH CC VIP Institutional Soirée | MUST-ATTEND | Not registered | 22 attendees; final institutional gathering | | 8 PM - 11 PM | RWA Première | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 16 attendees; RWA + VC focus | | 8 PM - 11 PM | Vaulted Networking Soirée (Altura & Vess3l) | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 15 attendees; RWA/DeFi/institutional | | 9 PM - 2 AM | Starknet Party | OPTIONAL | Not registered | 41 attendees; large community gathering | | 10 PM - 2 AM | Palme de DeFi (Octav, DefiLlama, Trezor) | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 24 attendees; DeFi ecosystem gathering |

Key People to Meet:

  1. Carlton Event Attendees (Scaling Institutional DeFi)

    • Venue Signal: The Carlton is Cannes' most prestigious hotel; 26 vetted institutional players
    • Focus: Institutional DeFi inner circle; security + institutional controls
    • Talking point: "What institutional controls are still missing from DeFi protocols to pass treasury risk committees?"

  2. Frachtis Partners (The Founders Circle hosts)

    • Role: Early-stage VC; co-hosting with Virtuals Protocol
    • Recent: Active in AI × crypto sector
    • Talking point: "Frachtis is co-hosting with Virtuals Protocol—what's your AI agent investment thesis for 2026?"

  3. WalletCon Organizers & Attendees

    • Focus: Wallet infrastructure; 34 attendees over 2 days
    • Sector Trends: MetaMask Agent Wallet (June 2026), embedded wallets, Privy/Stripe acquisition
    • Talking point: "MetaMask launched Agent Wallet with AI-powered autonomous trading—how do you think account abstraction evolves with AI agents?"

  4. Starknet Core Team (Starknet Party hosts)

    • Role: ZK execution layer scaling Ethereum; Type-1 zkEVM roadmap
    • Recent: Full sequencer decentralization slated for 2026; Cairo Native implementation for higher throughput; Basecamp 12 bootcamp ahead of EthCC
    • Talking point: "Starknet is decentralizing sequencers in 2026—how does full validator decentralization impact finality latency compared to single-sequencer models?"

Schedule Recommendation:

11:00 AM-12:30 PM: The Founders Circle - Morning Coffee (Frachtis) OR Pharos X Faroo Breakfast

  • Choose based on founder vs. VC focus
  • Capture 2-3 conversations

12:30-3:00 PM: WalletCon Cannes (continuation from Sunday)

  • Attend afternoon sessions
  • Network during breaks

3:00-5:00 PM: Mix between WalletCon and Quantstamp x Zircuit Secret Garden

5:00-6:00 PM: Early dinner, recharge

6:00-8:00 PM: CRITICAL DECISION POINT:

  • Option A (Fundraising): Private SunDAO Speed Dating (€295, structured investor meetings)
  • Option B (General networking): Proof of Liquidity continuation

8:00-8:30 PM: Arrive at Scaling Institutional DeFi (Carlton) — START HERE

  • Premium venue = high-signal event
  • 26 people = intimate
  • Capture 3-5 conversations

8:30-9:15 PM: Exit Carlton, attend ETH CC VIP Institutional Soirée

  • 22 attendees; final institutional gathering
  • Capture 2-3 conversations

9:15-10:30 PM: Return to Carlton OR continue VIP Soirée based on conversation quality

10:30 PM+: Optional Palme de DeFi OR Starknet Party (only if energy HIGH)

Tuesday Expected Outcomes:

  • Institutional conversations: 5-8
  • VIP dinner outcomes: 1-2 follow-up calls scheduled
  • Time investment: 6-8 hours

Day 4: Wednesday, April 1 — AI × Crypto + Late Conference Depth

Morning/Afternoon Events (11 AM - 7 PM):

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 11 AM - 6 PM | Hack Seasons Conference Cannes | HIGH-VALUE | ✅ Registered | 7-hour RWA/DeFi/VC conference; 16 attendees (intimate) | | 11 AM - 8 PM | Stateless Summit | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 9-hour technical deep dive; 11 attendees (ultra-intimate) | | 1 PM - 3 PM | Investor x Founder Beachclub | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 28 attendees; 2-sided investor/founder format | | 1 PM - 4 PM | THE LOCAL: Rooftop Brunch | HIGH-VALUE | ❌ Error | 28 attendees; founders/funders/friends mix (contact organizers) | | 1 PM - 3 PM | Breakfast with friends by Masterkey VC | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 20 attendees; Masterkey VC network | | 3 PM - 7 PM | Côte d'Azur Villa with FP Block | HIGH-VALUE | ⏳ Pending | 15 attendees; AI/infrastructure/markets focus (intimate villa) |

Evening Events (6 PM - 3 AM) — FINAL NETWORKING PUSH:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 6:30 PM - 8 PM | OpenClaw Cannes: EthCC[9] Meetup | HIGH-VALUE | ❌ Error | 30 attendees; AI/DeFi/infrastructure (contact OpenClaw team) | | 8 PM - 1 AM | DeFi in the Sky 3.0 | HIGH-VALUE | 🚫 Sold Out | 37 attendees; 5-hour DeFi mega-event (REQUEST WAITLIST) | | 9 PM - 11 PM | Proof of Liquidity VIP Dinner (Yield, INK, Funders) | MUST-ATTEND | Not registered | 20 attendees; ultra-intimate dinner; final institutional conversations | | 7 PM - 12:30 AM | [not crypto] Art Night | OPTIONAL | Not registered | 29 attendees; DeFi/infrastructure community (relaxed atmosphere) | | 8 PM - 11 PM | Villa BitGo | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 17 attendees; institutional custody focus | | 8 PM - 11 PM | Trader Summit by Kickoff.fun | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 40 attendees; markets/trading focus | | 9 PM - 12 AM | Cannes After Hours: Builders + Security | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 15 attendees; AI/DeFi/security builders |

Key People to Meet:

  1. OpenClaw Framework Creators

    • Role: Open-source AI agent runtime; fastest-growing dev tool in history
    • Recent: 247K GitHub stars (100K in first week); hired by OpenAI; NVIDIA enterprise product; Task Brain control panel launched March 2026
    • Talking point: "OpenClaw went from side project to 247K stars in 60 days—what's the enterprise adoption bottleneck: security, compliance, or technical complexity?"

  2. FP Block Team (Côte d'Azur Villa hosts)

    • Role: AI/infrastructure/markets-focused fund
    • Focus: 15-person intimate villa gathering
    • Talking point: "FP Block is hosting an intimate villa event—what AI × crypto infrastructure are you most excited about for institutional adoption?"

  3. Masterkey VC Partners (Breakfast hosts)

    • Role: Tel Aviv-based early-stage Web3/infrastructure fund; portfolio: Taproot Wizards ($37.5M raised)
    • Recent: Eureka Builder investment (June 2025); focus on Bitcoin-native infrastructure
    • Talking point: "Masterkey backed Taproot Wizards' $37.5M raise—what's your Bitcoin L2 investment thesis post-BitVM?"

  4. Yield Network × INK × Funders (VIP Dinner hosts)

    • Context: Final VIP dinner after week of networking; 20 attendees only
    • Focus: End-of-conference institutional capital formation conversations
    • Talking point: "What's the biggest institutional DeFi bottleneck you've identified this week at EthCC?"

Schedule Recommendation:

11:00 AM-3:00 PM: Hack Seasons Conference (full morning)

  • Attend opening sessions
  • Network during breaks
  • Stay through lunch

1:00-3:00 PM: Optional overlap with Investor x Founder Beachclub OR Masterkey VC Breakfast

  • Choose based on energy + sector focus

3:00-5:00 PM: Côte d'Azur Villa with FP Block (if approved)

  • 15-person intimate villa = highest conversation quality
  • PRIORITY if invitation confirmed

5:00-6:30 PM: Light dinner, recharge for evening

6:30-8:00 PM: OpenClaw Cannes Meetup (if contact successful)

  • 30 attendees; AI agent infrastructure focus
  • Capture 2-3 conversations

8:00-9:00 PM: Dinner break OR attend DeFi in the Sky opening (if waitlist successful)

9:00-11:00 PM: PROOF OF LIQUIDITY VIP DINNER (PRIORITY) ⭐

  • Only 20 attendees
  • 2-hour intimate dinner
  • Final institutional conversations of the week
  • Capture 3-5 deep conversations
  • Schedule post-conference follow-ups

11:00 PM+: Early exit (conference fatigue sets in by Day 4)

Wednesday Expected Outcomes:

  • AI × crypto conversations: 3-5
  • Final institutional conversations: 3-5 (VIP dinner)
  • Follow-up meetings scheduled: 2-3
  • Time investment: 8-10 hours

Days 5-6: Thursday-Friday, April 2-3 — Optional Wind-Down

Thursday, April 2:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 11:30 AM - 8 PM | Pragma Cannes | HIGH-VALUE | 💰 $29 | 8.5-hour infrastructure/DeFi conference; 23 attendees | | 2 PM - 7 PM | Cointelegraph Connect: Cannes Edition | HIGH-VALUE | 💰 $20 | 5-hour media/community conference; 23 attendees | | 4 PM - 10 PM | Private Garden Party | HIGH-VALUE | ⏳ Pending | 6-hour premium party; 33 attendees; infrastructure/privacy | | 6 PM - 11 PM | DeFi Founders Club: Cannes | HIGH-VALUE | 💰 $3 | 5-hour founder peer group; 20 attendees | | 7 PM - 11 PM | Pre-afterparty: Cheese & Wine (ChainSecurity) | HIGH-VALUE | Not registered | 31 attendees; DeFi/security/RWA |

Friday, April 3:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 1 PM - 3 PM | ETHGlobal Finalists & Founders Brunch | OPTIONAL | Not registered | 10 attendees; community/VC focus |

Recommendation:

  • If exhausted: Skip Thursday/Friday, focus on post-conference follow-ups
  • If energized: Attend 1-2 Thursday events (DeFi Founders Club OR Private Garden Party)
  • Friday: Skip entirely; depart Cannes or rest

Top 10 Founders to Meet

1. Yield Network Founders

  • Company: Yield Network
  • Role: CEO/Founding Team
  • Why They Matter: Operating layer for onchain capital formation; orchestrated $170M+ TVL for Ink, Aptos, Etherlink; 700+ institutional allocators in Yield Syndicate
  • Recent Work: Co-hosting Proof of Liquidity with Ink Chain; replacing mercenary farming with sustainable liquidity via pre-deposit campaigns
  • Conversation Starters:
    • "How does Yield Syndicate's attribution model prevent mercenary capital rotation compared to traditional liquidity mining?"
    • "What's the institutional allocator conversion rate from pre-deposit campaign to long-term TVL retention?"

2. Ink Chain (Kraken L2) Founders

  • Company: Ink Chain (Kraken)
  • Role: Protocol Founders/Leadership
  • Why They Matter: Optimism Superchain L2 by Kraken; scaled to $500M+ TVL in 3 months; Tydro (Aave V3 fork) hit $600M+ lending activity
  • Recent Work: INK token utility design incentivizes liquidity allocation; partnered with Yield Network for institutional capital formation; one-second block times, Superchain interoperability
  • Conversation Starters:
    • "Ink scaled faster than most L2s—how does Kraken's institutional distribution differ from retail-first L2 launches?"
    • "What's the INK token's role in cross-Superchain liquidity incentives?"

3. Lido DAO Core Team

  • Company: Lido DAO
  • Role: Protocol Founders/Contributors
  • Why They Matter: Largest liquid staking protocol; 24% of all ETH staked ($24.5B); stETH dominates LSD market (79%)
  • Recent Work: March 2026: Debating $20M LDO buyback (LDO rallied 18%); exploring Dogecoin staking feasibility; $60M 2026 budget for new earn products and vault structures
  • Conversation Starters:
    • "How do you address centralization concerns with 24% of staked ETH while maintaining competitive staking yields?"
    • "What's the institutional use case for Dogecoin staking beyond retail speculation?"

4. OpenClaw Creator (Peter Steinberger)

  • Company: OpenClaw (PSPDFKit founder)
  • Role: Creator/Founder
  • Why They Matter: Fastest-growing AI agent framework; 247K GitHub stars in 3 months; hired by OpenAI; NVIDIA enterprise product; powers production trading systems
  • Recent Work: Task Brain control panel launched March 2026 (SQLite-backed unified task management); TaskFlow and providence-rich memory (April 2026); enterprise deployments at consulting firms and trading desks
  • Conversation Starters:
    • "OpenClaw went from side project to NVIDIA product in 60 days—what was the inflection point that drove enterprise adoption?"
    • "Task Brain uses SQLite for agent task scheduling—how do you handle state consistency across distributed AI agents?"

5. Starknet Core Team

  • Company: Starkware/Starknet
  • Role: Protocol Founders/Contributors
  • Why They Matter: Leading ZK execution layer; Type-1 zkEVM roadmap; full sequencer decentralization in 2026; Cairo Native for higher throughput
  • Recent Work: Basecamp 12 bootcamp ahead of EthCC; Hacker House in Cannes; privacy-focused ecosystem development; compressed proofs and Cairo optimizations
  • Conversation Starters:
    • "Starknet is decentralizing sequencers in 2026—how does full validator decentralization impact proof generation costs?"
    • "Cairo Native claims higher throughput—what's the performance gain vs. traditional Cairo execution?"

6. Zircuit Founders

  • Company: Zircuit
  • Role: Protocol Founders/Leadership
  • Why They Matter: AI-powered zkEVM rollup; Sequencer Level Security proactively quarantines malicious transactions; Zircuit Finance launched with Monarq, FalconX, Forteus (FCA-regulated)
  • Recent Work: Institutional-grade yield platform targeting 8-11% APR; audited by Quantstamp and Zenith; insured via Chainproof; LayerZero messaging integration
  • Conversation Starters:
    • "Sequencer Level Security quarantines malicious txns pre-block—what's the false positive rate, and how do you avoid censorship concerns?"
    • "Zircuit Finance targets 8-11% institutional APR—what's the yield source composition (staking, lending, LSD, etc.)?"

7. MetaMask Product Leadership

  • Company: MetaMask (ConsenSys)
  • Role: Product Leads (Agent Wallet, Embedded Wallets, MetaMask Card)
  • Why They Matter: Leading wallet infrastructure; 30M+ MAU; Agent Wallet launched June 2026 (AI-powered autonomous trading); Embedded Wallets for in-app self-custody; MetaMask Card (Mastercard) for crypto spending
  • Recent Work: Agent Wallet supports 9 chains (Ethereum, Linea, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Avalanche); security pipeline covers autonomous execution; Stripe acquired Privy (embedded wallet infrastructure) June 2025
  • Conversation Starters:
    • "MetaMask Agent Wallet allows AI autonomous trading—what security model prevents AI agents from draining wallets during execution failures?"
    • "How does MetaMask Card's crypto-to-fiat conversion work in real-time for Mastercard transactions?"

8. Linea Core Team

  • Company: Linea (ConsenSys)
  • Role: Protocol Founders/Contributors
  • Why They Matter: Type-1 zkEVM (100% Ethereum compatibility); 5,000 TPS, 15-min L1 finality; LINEA token launched March 2026; Linea Yield Boost feature; MetaMask Card integration
  • Recent Work: Credible Layer security (network-level custom rules for smart contracts); shifted from Voyage points to LINEA token (March 2026); institutional-grade MetaMask Card integration
  • Conversation Starters:
    • "Linea achieved Type-1 zkEVM and 5K TPS—how does L1 Soft Finality improve cross-chain composability vs. optimistic finality?"
    • "Credible Layer lets contract creators enforce custom rules—what's the UX trade-off between flexibility and user confusion?"

9. SunDAO Ventures Partners

  • Company: SunDAO Ventures
  • Role: DAO Investment Partners (70+ VCs, validators, security auditors, founders)
  • Why They Matter: Curated investment DAO; 36% pipeline-to-deployment conversion rate (2025); targeting 15-20 deals, 8-10 investments in 2026; focus on security, AI × crypto, DeFi, interoperability
  • Recent Work: Hosting Investors Speed Dating (€295 paid event) and Investors & Builders Mixer (sold out); Q1 2026 deals under review
  • Conversation Starters:
    • "SunDAO achieved 36% conversion rate from pipeline to investment—what due diligence filters predict success?"
    • "What's the decision-making process in a 70+ member DAO? How do you avoid design-by-committee?"

10. Privy Founders/Product Team

  • Company: Privy (acquired by Stripe June 2025)
  • Role: Founders/Product Leadership
  • Why They Matter: Embedded wallet infrastructure; 50M+ accounts, sub-100ms signing latency; powers AWS Bedrock AgentCore payments (May 2026), Deel DLUSD payroll stablecoin (June 2026)
  • Recent Work: Stripe acquisition (June 2025); 2-of-3 Shamir Secret Sharing with TEE infrastructure; supports 50M+ accounts at scale; battle-tested in production
  • Conversation Starters:
    • "Privy powers AWS Bedrock AgentCore and Deel's stablecoin payroll—how do you balance self-custody UX with institutional compliance (KYC/AML)?"
    • "What's the recovery mechanism if a user loses access to 2 of 3 Shamir shards?"

Networking Strategy

Best Events for Investor Conversations (Capital Allocators, VCs, LPs)

Tier 1 (Highest Capital Density):

  1. ETH CC 9 VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour (Sat 5-7 PM) — 20 LPs/VCs only; pure decision-makers
  2. ETH CC 9 Founders & Investors Brunch (Sat 1-4 PM) — Only official 2-sided event; 20 vetted
  3. Family Offices & Investors Summit (Michelin) (Sat 4-7 PM) — 39 family office managers; patient capital
  4. Infinite Games Soirée (Sun 9:30-11:30 PM) — 17 people; ultra-exclusive VC/founder gathering
  5. Private SunDAO: Investors Speed Dating (Tue 6-8 PM) — 12 vetted investors; structured format (€295)

Tier 2 (High VC Concentration): 6. Founder x VC Happy Hour @ ETHCC [9] (Sat 8 PM-12 AM) — 40 people; largest official mixer 7. SunDAO: Investors & Builders Mixer (Sun 7-11 PM) — 20 attendees; 2-sided format (SOLD OUT) 8. ETHCC Networking Mixer by Fabric Ventures (Tue 6-9 PM) — 28 attendees; Fabric VC-backed 9. The Gate [CANNES] (Fri 7-11 PM) — Delphi Ventures, Tori, RockawayX co-host 10. Investors Meetup by Hybrid Capital (Fri 8 PM-12 AM) — 26 vetted investors

Why These Work:

  • Small group size (12-40 people) = higher conversation quality
  • Explicit investor targeting (not "open to all")
  • Premium venue signals (Michelin, Carlton, private villas)
  • Evening timing = relaxed, deeper conversations
  • Curated guest lists by reputable VCs/organizers

Best Events for Technical Founders (Protocol Builders, Infrastructure)

Tier 1 (Largest Ecosystem Gatherings):

  1. DeFi Day (Sat 1-9 PM) — 37 attendees; 8 hours; largest DeFi protocol gathering
  2. Lido Day (Sun 1-9 PM) — 26 attendees; $35B+ protocol ecosystem; staking/LSD focus
  3. Builder Nights Cannes (Sat 8 PM-1 AM) — 71 builders; MetaMask, Linea, iExec teams
  4. Real-World Asset Summit (Sun 11 AM-9 PM) — 27 attendees; 10-hour RWA deep dive
  5. Proof of Liquidity (Sat 5-11 PM + Sun 6 PM-12 AM) — 37-23 attendees; DeFi + institutional

Tier 2 (Technical Deep Dives): 6. WalletCon Cannes 2026 (Tue 12-8 PM) — 34 attendees; wallet infrastructure builders 7. Everything you can do on Ethereum - privately (Sat 11 AM-5 PM) — 22 zkEVM/privacy builders 8. Blockspace Forum Cannes (Tue 11:30 AM-7:30 PM) — 17 attendees; infrastructure focus 9. Stateless Summit (Wed 11 AM-8 PM) — 11 attendees; ultra-technical (ultra-intimate) 10. OpenClaw Cannes Meetup (Wed 6:30-8 PM) — 30 attendees; AI agent infrastructure

Why These Work:

  • Full-day formats (6-10 hours) = multiple conversation cycles
  • Technical focus attracts builders, not tourists
  • Breaks between sessions = highest networking density
  • Smaller groups (11-37) = easier to meet everyone
  • Co-located teams (MetaMask + Linea, Quantstamp + Zircuit) = partnership opportunities

Best Events for Casual Networking (Community Building, Low Pressure)

Morning/Daytime (Relaxed Energy):

  1. Coffee On Us ☕ (Espresso & Celo) (Sat 10 AM-1 PM) — 24 attendees; casual coffee chat
  2. The DeFi Espresso (Sun 11 AM-1 PM) — 24 attendees; DeFi morning social
  3. The Founders Circle - Morning Coffee (Frachtis) (Tue 11 AM-1 PM) — 22 attendees
  4. Builders Breakfast: Canton x Zenith (Sat 11 AM-2 PM) — 22 attendees
  5. Stark Café (Tue 12-7 PM) — 24 attendees; all-day community space

Evening/Social (High Energy, Low Pressure): 6. ETHCC Sunset Social (Sat 7-10 PM) — 29 attendees; mid-conference social 7. [not crypto] Art Night (Wed 7 PM-12:30 AM) — 29 attendees; DeFi/infrastructure (relaxed) 8. Mezo Devs Rooftop Happy Hour (Tue 6-10 PM) — 26 attendees; rooftop community 9. Starknet Party (Tue 9 PM-2 AM) — 41 attendees; large community gathering 10. UEB3 Aperitivo & Champagne (Sat 8-11 PM) — 14 attendees; aperitivo format

Why These Work:

  • No explicit "investor" or "founder" targeting = less transactional
  • Daytime events = fresher energy, less alcohol-driven
  • Food/coffee focus = natural conversation starters
  • Community-branded (Stark Café, ETHCC Sunset) = open atmosphere
  • Larger groups (24-41) = easier to blend in, less pressure

Dinner/Drinks Events (Most Intimate, Best for BD)

Ultra-Intimate Dinners (12-20 people):

  1. Proof of Liquidity VIP Dinner (Wed 9-11 PM) — 20 attendees; Yield/INK/Funders co-host
  2. The Privacy Table (Sat 9 PM-12 AM) — 25 attendees; privacy/security/institutional
  3. Consensus on the Coast: Curated Dinner for Founders & VCs (Sat 9:30 PM-12 AM) — 20 attendees
  4. VIP Investors Dinner @ EthCC [9] (Sat 8:30-10:30 PM) — 20 attendees
  5. Selini Capital x Areta: EthCC Dinner (Wed 9:30-11:30 PM) — 14 attendees

Premium Cocktails/Receptions (20-30 people): 6. Scaling Institutional DeFi: Inner Circle (Carlton) (Tue 8 PM-12 AM) — 26 attendees; premium venue 7. ETH CC VIP Institutional Soirée (Tue 8-11 PM) — 22 attendees; final institutional gathering 8. Infinite Games Soirée (Sun 9:30-11:30 PM) — 17 attendees; ultra-exclusive VC/founder 9. Institutional DeFi Cocktail (SCRYPT x FunFair Ventures) (Sat 7:30-10:30 PM) — 12 attendees 10. The Supper Club - EthCC Edition (Tue 8-11 PM) — 17 attendees; infrastructure/security

Why Dinners Are Best for BD:

  • Seated format = 2-3 hour conversations (vs. 10-min standing chats)
  • Smaller groups (12-25) = meet everyone at table
  • Alcohol + food = natural rapport building
  • Evening timing = people more open, less guarded
  • Premium venues (Carlton, Michelin) = signal serious positioning
  • No panels/stages = pure networking (no distraction)

BD Strategy:

  • Target 2-3 dinners across Sat-Wed (not every night—exhaustion kills quality)
  • Arrive 15 min early (first arrivals bond while waiting)
  • Sit next to strangers, not friends (maximize new connections)
  • Exchange contact info dessert time (natural transition)
  • Follow up same night or next morning via email (while fresh)

Logistics & Practical Considerations

Venue Clustering (Optimize Travel Time)

Cannes Geography:

  • Main conference (EthCC): Palais des Festivals (waterfront, city center)
  • Premium hotels: Carlton, Martinez, Grand Hyatt (Croisette waterfront, 1-2 km from Palais)
  • Secondary venues: Various villas, restaurants, beach clubs (2-5 km radius)

Transportation:

  • Walking: 10-20 min between waterfront venues
  • Uber/taxi: €10-20 per trip, 10-15 min between venues
  • Bike/scooter: Available but not recommended (formal attire for most events)

Cluster Strategy:

  • Saturday afternoon: Family Offices Summit → VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour (likely same hotel district)
  • Saturday evening: Founder x VC Happy Hour → Builder Nights (likely 5-10 min apart)
  • Tuesday evening: Carlton reception → VIP Institutional Soirée (both premium hotel district)

Budget:

  • Transportation: €100-150 for full week (Uber/taxi)
  • Food: €200-300 (most events provide food/drinks, but budget for gaps)
  • Contingency: €100-200 for last-minute registrations or paid events

Dress Code Guidance

Formal/Business Formal:

  • Family Offices & Investors Summit (Michelin venue)
  • ETH CC 9 VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour
  • Scaling Institutional DeFi: Inner Circle (Carlton)
  • All VIP dinners (The Privacy Table, Proof of Liquidity VIP Dinner)
  • Men: Suit or blazer + dress pants, tie optional, dress shoes
  • Women: Cocktail dress or pantsuit, heels or dress flats

Business Casual:

  • ETH CC 9 Founders & Investors Brunch
  • ETHCC Networking Mixer by Fabric Ventures
  • SunDAO: Investors & Builders Mixer
  • Most conferences (DeFi Day, Lido Day, RWA Summit)
  • Men: Collared shirt, chinos or dark jeans (no rips), loafers or clean sneakers
  • Women: Blouse + pants/skirt, flats or low heels

Smart Casual:

  • Builder Nights Cannes
  • ETHCC Sunset Social
  • Community events (Stark Café, coffee meetups)
  • Wellness events (morning runs, yoga)
  • Men: Clean t-shirt or polo, jeans ok, sneakers ok
  • Women: Nice top + jeans, flats or sneakers

When in doubt: Business casual is safe for 90% of EthCC events.

What to Bring

Must-Haves:

  • Business cards (100-150 cards; yes, people still use them)
  • Phone + portable charger (20,000mAh recommended for 12-hour days)
  • Laptop (for full-day conferences with work breaks)
  • Water bottle (stay hydrated)
  • Mints/gum (coffee + alcohol = bad breath)
  • Small notebook + pen (for quick notes when phone dies)

Nice-to-Haves:

  • Umbrella (Cannes weather unpredictable in March/April)
  • Sunglasses (sunny waterfront)
  • Blazer (can dress up/down easily)
  • Phone stand (for QR code scanning at registration desks)

What NOT to Bring:

  • Large backpack (looks unprofessional at evening events)
  • Laptop to evening events (leave at hotel)
  • Excessive crypto merch (1 shirt max; too much = tourist vibe)

Post-Event Follow-Up Template

Within 3 Hours (Same Evening):

Subject: Great conversation at [Event Name] - [Your Name]

Hi [Name],

Great chatting with you at [Event Name] tonight about [specific topic you discussed].

[1-2 sentence callback to specific conversation point]

I'd love to continue the conversation. Are you free for a 20-min call [suggest 2 specific dates/times 2-3 weeks out]?

Best,
[Your Name]
[Title]
[Contact Info]

Within 24 Hours:

Subject: Following up from EthCC - [Your Name]

Hi [Name],

I enjoyed our conversation at [Event Name] yesterday about [specific topic].

[2-3 sentences expanding on conversation + your value proposition]

I'm attaching [one-pager/deck/relevant material]. Would love to schedule a follow-up call to discuss [specific ask: partnership, investment, integration, etc.].

When works for you?

Best,
[Your Name]

Key Principles:

  • Personalize every email (no templates)
  • Reference specific conversation detail (proves you remember)
  • Suggest specific dates/times (easier to say yes)
  • Keep it short (3-5 sentences max)
  • Clear ask (call, intro, material review)
  • Send within 24 hours (while you're fresh in their memory)

Sources & References

  1. Delphi Ventures - Investment Thesis & Preferences
  2. Delphi Ventures - Tracxn Investor Profile
  3. Fabric Ventures Portfolio
  4. Fabric Ventures - Crunchbase
  5. P2P.org Integrates with Fireblocks via ETH-Link
  6. Fireblocks Institutional ETH Staking
  7. Lido Finance Guide: How Liquid Staking Works for Ethereum in 2026
  8. Lido Outlines $60M Plan to Expand Beyond Liquid Staking
  9. Masterkey VC - Web3 Portfolio
  10. SunDAO Ventures - Frontier Tech Investment DAO
  11. SunDAO 2025 in Review
  12. Proof of Liquidity Event Page
  13. Yield Network - Proof of Liquidity
  14. Ink Chain - Superchain Ecosystem
  15. OpenClaw 2026: Complete Self-Hosted AI Agent Setup
  16. What Is OpenClaw? The Complete Guide for 2026
  17. Starknet - The ZK Execution Layer
  18. Starknet in 2025: ZK Scaling Goes Mainstream
  19. Quantstamp Verified Security Certificate - Zircuit
  20. Zircuit Review 2026: AI-Powered zkEVM Rollup
  21. MetaMask Agent Wallet Launches
  22. Linea Crypto 2026: Yield, Security, Token Guide
  23. ConsenSys Deep Dive: MetaMask, Infura, Linea, Besu
  24. Real World Asset Tokenization: Trends and Outlook for 2026
  25. Real-world asset tokens: blockchain investments backed by assets
  26. RWA Tokenization 2026: Market Size, Trends & Data
  27. What Is Privy: Embedded Wallets Guide 2026
  28. Privy Review 2026: Embedded Wallet UX
  29. Top Crypto VCs share 2026 funding outlook
  30. Crypto VC 2026: Where the Money Is Going