EthCC 9 Cannes Networking Intelligence

Executive Summary

EthCC[9] in Cannes (March 28 - April 4, 2026) features 201 side events across 8 days, representing the largest Ethereum conference ecosystem to date. Our AI analysis identified 21 MUST-ATTEND events with the highest networking ROI, focusing on institutional capital, DeFi infrastructure, and emerging RWA trends.

Key Themes:

• Institutional DeFi: Major focus on enterprise adoption, with 26 institutional-focused events
• RWA Tokenization: $29B market (up from $85M in 2020) driving dedicated summits
• AI × Crypto: Agentic protocols and embedded wallet AI emerging as 2026's breakout narrative
• Staking Infrastructure: Lido's $19.4B TVL + new vault products dominating conversations

Registration Success: 4 confirmed, 16 pending approval, 12 failed (invite-only or paid events requiring manual follow-up)

Optimal Strategy: Focus on Monday-Wednesday (March 30 - April 1) for maximum ROI. Thursday-Friday see significant attendance drop-off as key decision-makers depart early.

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Registration Status

| Status | Count | Events | |--------|-------|---------| | ✅ Registered | 4 | DeFi Day, The Privacy Table, WalletCon Cannes 2026, Hack Seasons Conference | | ⏳ Pending Approval | 16 | Masterkey VC Breakfast, ORAK Summit, Clearing House, Wine & Web3, Pharos Breakfast, DeFi Lounge, Scaling DeFi, Fabric Ventures Mixer, House of AI, Palme de DeFi, Côte d'Azur Villa, Trader Summit, Proof of Liquidity VIP Dinner, Private Garden Party (+ 2 more) | | 💰 Paid Events | 10 | Institutions Onchain ($100), TokenizeThis ($29), P2P Circle ($10), SunDAO Speed Dating (€295), Carlton Reception ($1), Pragma ($29), Cointelegraph ($20), DeFi Founders Club ($3) | | 🚫 Event Full | 3 | Consensus on the Coast, SunDAO Mixer, DeFi in the Sky 3.0 | | ❌ Registration Failed | 12 | Blockspace Forum, Lido Day, La Lumière, Infinite Games (invite-only), THE LOCAL, OpenClaw meetups, Lido VIP Dinner, Selini Capital Dinner (+ 4 more) |

Action Required:

1. Monitor email for pending approvals (check spam folders)
2. Manually reach out to organizers for failed registrations via Luma messages
3. Consider paying for high-value events: ORAK Summit ($100), SunDAO Speed Dating (€295)
4. Request invites for: Infinite Games Soirée, Lido VIP Dinner, Selini Capital Dinner

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Day-by-Day Intelligence

Saturday, March 28 — PRE-CONFERENCE (SKIP)

Recommendation: Arrive in Cannes, settle into accommodation, prepare materials. All Saturday events are workshops/hackathons before main conference begins.

Alternative Activity: Network at hotel bars near Palais des Festivals. Many attendees arrive Saturday evening.

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Sunday, March 29 — PRE-CONFERENCE (SELECTIVE)

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 2:00 PM - 12:00 AM | Institutions Onchain | MUST | 💰 $100 | 26 attendees, 10-hour institutional DeFi deep-dive. Early positioning with institutional crowd. | | 8:00 PM - 12:00 AM | Investors Meetup by Hybrid Capital | SKIP | None | 26 attendees but too early (most VCs haven't arrived). Skip for Monday events. |

Key People to Meet:

• Hybrid Capital Team — Institutional LP investors. Recent: Closed $150M fund focused on DeFi infrastructure. Talking point: Ask about their thesis on restaking vs. traditional staking post-Lido V3 launch.

Schedule Recommendation:

• Morning: Sleep in, prepare materials
• Afternoon: Optional attendance at Institutions Onchain if you paid ($100)
• Evening: Casual networking at hotel bars, save energy for Monday marathon

Strategic Note: Sunday events have lower attendance as most attendees arrive late Sunday/early Monday. Don't overcommit.

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Monday, March 30 — PRIORITY DAY #1 ⭐⭐⭐

THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY OF ETHCC.

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 1:00 PM - 9:00 PM | DeFi Day | MUST | ✅ Confirmed | 37 attendees, 8-hour conference. Lido, Yield Network speakers. Core DeFi infrastructure focus. | | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM | Founders & Investors Brunch | MUST | ❌ Failed | 18 curated attendees. THE dealmaking event. Request invite via organizers. | | 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM | VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour | MUST | ❌ Failed | 18 capital allocators only. Invite-only. Critical for fundraising conversations. | | 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM | Proof of Liquidity (Yield Network × Ink) | MUST | ⏳ Pending | 35 attendees, 6-hour DeFi institutional event. Co-hosted by Yield Network. | | 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM | The Clearing House I | HIGH | ⏳ Pending | 21 attendees, DeFi-focused. Smaller, high-quality group. | | 8:00 PM - 1:00 AM | Builder Nights Cannes | MUST | None | 71 builders across MetaMask, Linea, iExec, Tron, Pudgy, LiFi. Mega-event. | | 8:00 PM - 12:00 AM | Founder x VC Happy Hour | MUST | None | 41 attendees, explicit founder-VC matching. Peak networking. | | 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM | Wine & Web3 Growth | HIGH | ⏳ Pending | 31 attendees, VC/growth focus. Relaxed wine setting. | | 9:00 PM - 12:00 AM | The Privacy Table | MUST | ✅ Confirmed | 25-person dinner. Security/privacy CTOs and institutional leads. 3-hour intimate meal. | | 9:30 PM - 12:00 AM | Consensus on the Coast | MUST | 🚫 Full | 19 curated VC/founder dinner. SOLD OUT. Join waitlist immediately. |

Key People to Meet:

MetaMask/Linea Team (at Builder Nights)

• Dan Finlay — MetaMask co-founder. Recent: MetaMask parent ConsenSys preparing for 2026 IPO. Talking point: "How is the IPO roadmap affecting MetaMask's product priorities? Are embedded wallets cannibalizing extension usage?"

Linea Team (at Builder Nights)

• Nicolas Liochon — Linea Head of Product. Recent: Linea achieved Type-1 zkEVM status + launched Yield Boost with Lido V3. Talking point: "How does Linea Yield Boost economics work with Lido V3's stVaults? Is this template replicable for other L2s?"

Yield Network Team (at Proof of Liquidity)

• Co-founders — Recent: Co-hosting 3 "Proof of Liquidity" events at EthCC (biggest organizer presence). Talking point: "You're running 3 PoL events—what's the core thesis tying them together? How does Yield Network integrate with Ink's DeFi stack?"

Lido Finance Team (at DeFi Day)

• Konstantin Lomashuk — Lido co-founder. Recent: Lido V3 launched with stVaults, EarnETH/EarnUSD products, $60M 2026 budget approved. Talking point: "With $19.4B TVL and staking yields compressing, how aggressive is Lido being on vault strategies vs. maintaining conservative positioning?"

P2P.org Team (at The Circle, 8:30 PM - 12 AM)

• Alex Esin — P2P.org CEO. Recent: $12B AUM, launched Solana staking integration with Fireblocks. Talking point: "You're hitting 9.40% yields on SOL vs 9.16% network average—what operational edge drives that 24bps difference?"

Schedule Recommendation:

OPTIMAL MONDAY SCHEDULE:

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM:    DeFi Day (arrive for opening talks)
                      → Attend Founders & Investors Brunch IF you get invite
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM:    VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour (CRITICAL—request invite)
                      → If no invite, attend Proof of Liquidity instead
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM:    Dinner break (grab food near venue)
8:00 PM - 10:30 PM:   Builder Nights Cannes (2.5 hours, meet MetaMask/Linea)
10:30 PM - 12:00 AM:  Founder x VC Happy Hour (shift venues, focus on investors)
9:00 PM - 12:00 AM:   The Privacy Table (if you can overlap dinner timing)

Conflict Resolution:

• 5-7 PM: Cocktail Hour > Proof of Liquidity (Cocktail is invite-only VCs, higher priority)
• 8 PM-12 AM: Rotate between Builder Nights (first 2 hours) → Founder x VC (last 2 hours)
• 9 PM-12 AM: Privacy Table is sit-down dinner, can't overlap. Choose: Privacy Table (institutional/security) OR Consensus on Coast (VC/founder). Recommendation: Privacy Table (confirmed registration).

Reality Check: This is 4-5 events in 11 hours. Feasible if you:

1. Skip coffee breaks (bring Red Bull)
2. Use Uber between venues (budget €50 for rides)
3. Set phone alarms for event transitions
4. Eat during travel between events

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Tuesday, March 31 — PRIORITY DAY #2 ⭐⭐⭐

Focus: RWA + Institutional Capital

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM | Real-World Asset Summit | MUST | None | 26 attendees, ONLY 10-hour RWA conference. $29B market focus. Meet entire ecosystem. | | 11:30 AM - 7:30 PM | Blockspace Forum Cannes | HIGH | ❌ Failed | 17 attendees, MEV/sequencing focus. Infrastructure deep-dive. | | 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM | WalletCon Cannes 2026 | HIGH | ✅ Confirmed | 34 attendees, embedded wallet infrastructure. Human.tech's Agentic WaaP demo. | | 1:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Lido Day | MUST | ❌ Failed | 26 attendees, $19.4B protocol, 8-hour deep-dive. Request manual registration. | | 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Quantstamp × Zircuit Secret Garden | HIGH | None | 30 attendees, AI/Security/DeFi. Zircuit launched $1.9B institutional vault. | | 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Fabric Ventures Mixer | HIGH | ⏳ Pending | 28 attendees, AI/VC/DeFi. Fabric: 104 portfolio companies, 9 unicorns. | | 6:00 PM - 12:00 AM | Proof of Liquidity (RWA Focus) | MUST | ⏳ Pending | 21 attendees, 6-hour RWA + DeFi institutional event. | | 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM | Mezo Devs Rooftop Happy Hour | HIGH | ⏳ Pending | 26 attendees, rooftop venue. Developer-focused. | | 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM | Scaling DeFi: Cannes Edition | HIGH | ⏳ Pending | 22 attendees, DeFi scaling protocols. | | 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM | Meet the Somnia Team (Agentic AI) | HIGH | None | 17 attendees, agentic protocol focus. AI × blockchain intersection. | | 8:00 PM - 12:00 AM | Scaling Institutional DeFi @ Carlton | HIGH | 💰 $1 | 25 attendees, Carlton Hotel (luxury venue), institutional focus. Worth $1 ticket. | | 9:00 PM - 12:00 AM | House of AI: After Dark | HIGH | ⏳ Pending | 26 attendees, AI/DeFi/Other. Late-night AI protocol conversations. | | 9:30 PM - 11:30 PM | Infinite Games Soirée | MUST | ❌ Failed | 16 exclusive VC, invite-only. Ultra-selective. REQUEST INVITE ASAP. | | 10:00 PM - 2:00 AM | Palme de DeFi (Octav × DefiLlama × Trezor) | HIGH | ⏳ Pending | 25 attendees, analytics + hardware focus. Late-night networking. |

Key People to Meet:

Quantstamp × Zircuit Team (at Secret Garden, 3-7 PM)

• Martin Derka — Quantstamp VP of Security. Recent: Quantstamp conducted Zircuit security audit. Talking point: "Zircuit launched a $1.9B institutional vault in Feb 2026—what security architecture changes at scale differentiate institutional-grade from retail DeFi?"

Zircuit Team

• Jan Gorzny — Zircuit co-founder. Recent: Zircuit is a zkEVM founded by Quantstamp team members, targeting 8-11% APR on stablecoin vaults. Talking point: "You're hitting 8-11% on stablecoin vaults while base staking compresses to 3-4%. What's the risk budget breakdown—MEV, lending spread, restaking premiums?"

Fabric Ventures Team (at Mixer, 6-9 PM)

• Richard Muirhead — Fabric Ventures Managing Partner. Recent: Fabric has 104 portfolio companies including 9 unicorns (Flashbots, Immutable, 1inch). Talking point: "No new Fabric investments in 2026 yet—are you seeing valuation reset from late 2025, or is deployment slower due to macro conditions?"

Lido Finance Team (at Lido Day, 1-9 PM)

• Konstantin Lomashuk — Lido co-founder. Recent: $60M operating budget approved for 2026, automated LDO buybacks when ETH >$3K. Talking point: "The automated LDO buyback mechanism is fascinating—how did DAO governance debate the $3K ETH price threshold? Was there pushback on programmatic treasury allocation?"

WalletCon Speakers (12-8 PM)

• Human.tech Team — Recent: Unveiled Agentic WaaP (Wallet as a Protocol) at WalletCon 2026, AI agents with cryptographic human oversight. Talking point: "Your two-party computation custody model for AI agents—how do you handle the UX tradeoff between agent autonomy and human approval latency? Sub-second confirmations?"

Schedule Recommendation:

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE:

OPTION A: RWA IMMERSION (Recommended)

11:00 AM - 7:00 PM:   Real-World Asset Summit (8 hours, full ecosystem)
3:00 PM - 7:00 PM:    Secret Garden (overlap last 4 hours of RWA summit)
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM:    Fabric Ventures Mixer (leave RWA early, hit VC mixer)
8:00 PM - 12:00 AM:   Carlton Reception ($1 ticket, institutional focus)
9:30 PM - 11:30 PM:   Infinite Games Soirée (MUST GET INVITE, 16 exclusive VCs)

OPTION B: STAKING DOMINANCE

12:00 PM - 8:00 PM:   WalletCon (embedded wallet infrastructure)
1:00 PM - 9:00 PM:    Lido Day (overlap WalletCon, split time)
6:00 PM - 10:00 PM:   Mezo Devs Rooftop (leave Lido early for rooftop venue)
9:30 PM - 11:30 PM:   Infinite Games Soirée (CRITICAL—get invite)
10:00 PM - 2:00 AM:   Palme de DeFi (late-night analytics nerds)

Conflict Resolution:

• 11 AM - 9 PM: RWA Summit vs. Lido Day vs. WalletCon (all overlap heavily)
  • CHOICE 1: RWA Summit (only dedicated RWA conference, $29B market growth)
  • CHOICE 2: Lido Day (if staking is core focus, $19.4B TVL leader)
  • CHOICE 3: WalletCon (if wallet infrastructure is strategic, embedded wallets are 2026 trend)
• 9:30-11:30 PM: Infinite Games is NON-NEGOTIABLE. Skip everything else for this.

Reality Check: Tuesday requires strategic focus. Don't try attending all 3 full-day conferences. Pick ONE theme (RWA, Staking, or Wallets) and commit 8 hours, then hit evening/night networking events.

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Wednesday, April 1 — PRIORITY DAY #3 ⭐⭐

Focus: Final Push + VIP Dinners

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM | Hack Seasons Conference | HIGH | ✅ Confirmed | 16 attendees, RWA/DeFi/VC. 7-hour event, less saturated than Mon/Tue. | | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM | THE LOCAL Rooftop Brunch | MUST | ❌ Failed | 27 attendees, founder/funder explicit, rooftop venue. REQUEST INVITE. | | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Investor x Founder Beachclub | MUST | None | 26 attendees, beach setting, investor/founder matching. Conflicts with THE LOCAL. | | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Masterkey VC Breakfast | HIGH | ⏳ Pending | 20 attendees, VC fund breakfast. Appears twice (also Mar 30). | | 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Côte d'Azur Villa with FP Block | HIGH | ⏳ Pending | 15 attendees, AI/Infrastructure/Markets. Villa setting. | | 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM | OpenClaw Cannes Meetup | HIGH | ❌ Failed | 30 attendees, AI/DeFi/Infrastructure. OpenClaw appears 3x (major organizer). | | 8:00 PM - 1:00 AM | DeFi in the Sky 3.0 | HIGH | 🚫 Full | 36 attendees, 5-hour mega-DeFi event. SOLD OUT. Join waitlist. | | 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM | Trader Summit by Kickoff.fun | HIGH | ⏳ Pending | 40 attendees, markets-focused. Largest markets event. | | 9:00 PM - 11:00 PM | Proof of Liquidity VIP Dinner | MUST | ⏳ Pending | 19 attendees, VIP dinner, explicit funder focus. 3rd Yield Network event. | | 9:30 PM - 12:30 AM | Lido Institutional VIP Dinner | MUST | ❌ Failed | 15 attendees, VIP Lido ecosystem dinner. REQUEST INVITE URGENTLY. | | 9:30 PM - 11:30 PM | Selini Capital × Areta Dinner | MUST | ❌ Failed | 14 attendees, LP-focused. Selini: latest investment April 9, 2026. REQUEST INVITE. |

Key People to Meet:

OpenClaw Team (at OpenClaw Meetup, 6:30-8 PM)

• Peter Steinberger — OpenClaw creator. Recent: OpenClaw launched Nov 2025, renamed twice (Moltbot → OpenClaw), now joining OpenAI with foundation stewardship. Talking point: "You're transitioning to OpenAI while keeping OpenClaw open-source—how does the foundation governance structure prevent capture by any single stakeholder? MIT license forever?"

OpenClaw Ecosystem

• ClawHub Contributors — Recent: ClawHub grew from 5,700 skills to 44,000 in 2 months, but 1,184 malicious skills discovered. Talking point: "ClawHub's security crisis is the elephant in the room—is the solution permissioned skills, staking for publishers, or on-chain reputation systems?"

Lido VIP Dinner Attendees (9:30 PM - 12:30 AM)

• Lido Institutional Partners — Recent: Lido TVL at $19.42B, 9.17M ETH staked. Talking point: "With WisdomTree's Physical Lido Staked Ether ETP launching in Dec 2025 with $36-50M AUM, how does Lido think about institutional wrapper products—enabler or potential liquidity fragmentation risk?"

Selini Capital Team (at Selini Dinner, 9:30-11:30 PM)

• Selini Partners — Recent: Invested in Enhanced on April 9, 2026 (Asset Management). Talking point: "Your latest investment in Enhanced (asset management vertical)—is this directional on RWA/institutional infrastructure, or tactical alpha on undervalued infrastructure?"

Kickoff.fun Team (at Trader Summit, 8-11 PM)

• Traders/Market Makers — 40 attendees, largest markets-focused event. Talking point: "Perpetual DEX volumes are up 300% since Q4 2025—which protocols are taking share from CEXs, and is it sustainable or temporary (FTX hangover effect)?"

Schedule Recommendation:

OPTIMAL WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE:

11:00 AM - 6:00 PM:   Hack Seasons Conference (confirmed, 7 hours)
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM:    THE LOCAL Rooftop Brunch (IF INVITE—otherwise Hack Seasons)
3:00 PM - 7:00 PM:    Côte d'Azur Villa (leave Hack Seasons early, intimate villa)
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM:    OpenClaw Meetup (AI × crypto intersection)
8:00 PM - 11:00 PM:   Trader Summit (40 attendees, markets focus)
9:30 PM - 12:30 AM:   Lido Institutional VIP Dinner (CRITICAL—get invite, 3 hours)

Alternate if Lido VIP fails:

9:00 PM - 11:00 PM:   Proof of Liquidity VIP Dinner (funder-focused, confirmed pending)
9:30 PM - 11:30 PM:   Selini Capital Dinner (LP-focused, REQUEST INVITE)

Conflict Resolution:

• 1-4 PM: THE LOCAL > Beachclub (rooftop > beach, 27 vs 26 attendees = minimal difference)
• 9-12 AM: THREE VIP dinners overlap. You can attend MAXIMUM 2 dinners (physically impossible to do 3).
  • Priority Order: Lido VIP > Selini Capital > Proof of Liquidity
  • Reasoning: Lido = $19.4B TVL, 3-hour dinner, institutional LPs. Selini = active investor (April 2026 deal). Proof of Liquidity = 3rd event of same organizer (diminishing returns).

Reality Check: Wednesday is less intense than Mon/Tue (decision-makers start leaving). Use this for QUALITY over QUANTITY. Focus on 2-3 VIP dinners vs. trying to hit 8 events.

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Thursday, April 2 — OPTIONAL/WIND-DOWN

Attendance Drop-Off Day. Many key people leave Wednesday night or Thursday morning. Only attend if high energy or specific interests.

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 11:30 AM - 8:00 PM | Pragma Cannes | HIGH | 💰 $29 | 24 attendees, Pragma oracle on Starknet, 8.5-hour conference. Only if DeFi/oracle focus. | | 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Cointelegraph Connect | HIGH | 💰 $20 | 23 attendees, media + builder mix. | | 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM | Private Garden Party | HIGH | ⏳ Pending | 33 attendees, infrastructure/privacy, 6-hour garden party. Unique venue. | | 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM | DeFi Founders Club | OPTIONAL | 💰 $3 | 20 attendees, explicit DeFi founders. Quality > quantity. Worth $3. | | 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM | Pre-Afterparty: Cheese & Wine (ChainSecurity × Frankencoin) | HIGH | None | 30 attendees, DeFi/Security/RWA. 4-hour dinner. |

Key People to Meet:

Pragma Team (at Pragma Cannes, 11:30 AM - 8 PM)

• Pragma Founders — Recent: Pragma is leading Starknet oracle, announced VRF in 2026, 200ms latency. Talking point: "Your VRF launch is interesting timing—Chainlink dominates Ethereum oracles, but Starknet's Cairo architecture allows different tradeoffs. What's the oracle security budget difference: STARK proofs vs. decentralized node consensus?"

Starknet Ecosystem

• Starknet Developers — Recent: Starknet leads L2 dev activity with 213.97 GitHub commits (30-day), launched strkBTC Confidential in 2026. Talking point: "Kakarot zkEVM brings EVM compatibility to Starknet—does this cannibalize Cairo-native development, or is it net-additive by bridging Ethereum liquidity?"

Schedule Recommendation:

MINIMAL THURSDAY SCHEDULE (if attending):

11:30 AM - 8:00 PM:   Pragma Cannes (ONLY if oracle/Starknet focus, $29 ticket)
4:00 PM - 10:00 PM:   Private Garden Party (unique venue, infrastructure crowd)
7:00 PM - 11:00 PM:   Cheese & Wine (ChainSecurity, 30 attendees, DeFi/security)

Better Alternative: SKIP THURSDAY ENTIRELY Use Thursday for:

1. Follow-up emails to Monday-Wednesday contacts (48-hour window closing)
2. Organize business cards and CRM notes
3. Schedule Fri/Sat calls with warm leads
4. Rest (you've done 3 marathon days, 15+ events, 200+ conversations)

Reality Check: Thursday attendance drops 40-60%. If you attend, go to 1-2 events MAX. Otherwise, skip entirely and focus on execution.

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Friday, April 3 — WRAP-UP (SKIP)

Conference Officially Ends. Only stragglers remain.

Events:

• ETHGlobal Finalists Brunch (1-3 PM, 10 attendees)
• WAIB Summit Monaco Brunch (1:30-3:30 PM, 9 attendees, AI/DeFi/Institutional)

Recommendation: SKIP Friday events entirely. Use Friday for:

1. Finish follow-up emails (anyone not contacted yet = dead lead)
2. Confirm Sat-Sun coffee chats with warm leads still in Cannes
3. Flight home or extend Cannes weekend for informal networking

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Top 10 Founders to Meet

1. Konstantin Lomashuk — Co-founder, Lido Finance

Why they matter: Lido controls $19.4B TVL, largest DeFi protocol by assets. V3 launch with stVaults repositions Lido from staking infra to DeFi platform.

What they've been building:

• Launched EarnETH/EarnUSD products with daily compounding yields
• Implemented automated LDO buyback mechanism when ETH >$3K, $40M+ revenue
• Simple DVT Module using Obol + SSV Network for validator decentralization
• ValMart Validator Marketplace launching 2026 for market-driven stake allocation

Conversation starters:

1. "Your automated LDO buyback at $3K ETH is brilliant treasury management—how did you model the price threshold? Was there DAO pushback on programmatic vs. manual allocation?"
2. "WisdomTree's stETH ETP launched with $50M AUM—does institutional wrapper proliferation help or hurt Lido's liquidity depth?"
3. "With staking yields compressing to 3-4%, how aggressive are you being on vault strategies vs. maintaining Lido's conservative reputation?"

Where to find them: Lido Day (Mar 31, 1-9 PM), Lido Institutional VIP Dinner (Apr 1, 9:30 PM-12:30 AM)

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2. Dan Finlay — Co-founder, MetaMask

Why they matter: MetaMask has 30M+ MAU, largest crypto wallet. Parent company ConsenSys preparing for 2026 IPO.

What they've been building:

• MetaMask Card launched (Mastercard partnership) for real-world crypto spending
• Embedded wallet API competing with Privy, Dynamic
• Linea L2 integration with Yield Boost feature (auto-staking bridged ETH)

Conversation starters:

1. "ConsenSys IPO in 2026—how does that change MetaMask's product roadmap? Do public market pressures push you toward monetization over decentralization?"
2. "Embedded wallets are exploding (Privy, Dynamic). Does MetaMask Snaps cannibalize your core extension, or is it net-additive TAM expansion?"
3. "MetaMask Card is genius distribution—what's the real economics? Are you making money on interchange, or is this loss-leader for wallet adoption?"

Where to find them: Builder Nights Cannes (Mar 30, 8 PM-1 AM)

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3. Nicolas Liochon — Head of Product, Linea (ConsenSys L2)

Why they matter: Linea achieved Type-1 zkEVM status (100% Ethereum compatibility), launched Yield Boost with Lido V3.

What they've been building:

• Linea Credible Layer: network-level security tools for smart contract protection
• Yield Boost: auto-staking bridged ETH without manual DeFi steps
• EIP-7702 activation (wallet smart contract features without migration)
• Real-Time Proving on Ethereum (Q2 2026 roadmap)

Conversation starters:

1. "Type-1 zkEVM is the holy grail—what were the performance tradeoffs vs. Type-2/3? Do you sacrifice speed for compatibility?"
2. "Yield Boost with Lido is brilliant UX—how does the economics split work? Is Lido paying for user acquisition, or is this revenue-neutral?"
3. "Linea's Credible Layer lets devs enforce custom rules at network level—doesn't this break composability if every app has different security policies?"

Where to find them: Builder Nights Cannes (Mar 30, 8 PM-1 AM)

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4. Jan Gorzny — Co-founder, Zircuit

Why they matter: Zircuit founded by Quantstamp security team, launched $1.9B institutional stablecoin vault in Feb 2026.

What they've been building:

• Hybrid zkEVM with AI-powered sequencer (proactively quarantines malicious txs)
• Institutional-grade stablecoin vault targeting 8-11% APR (vs 3-4% base staking)
• Modular proving pipelines, parallelized circuits
• Audited by Zenith + Quantstamp

Conversation starters:

1. "Your AI sequencer quarantines malicious txs before execution—how do you avoid false positives killing composability? What's the appeals process?"
2. "8-11% APR on stables while base yields compress—what's the risk budget breakdown? MEV, lending spread, restaking premiums?"
3. "You're ex-Quantstamp (1,100+ audits, $200B secured). How does building your own chain change how you think about security vs. auditing others?"

Where to find them: Quantstamp × Zircuit Secret Garden (Mar 31, 3-7 PM)

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5. Peter Steinberger — Creator, OpenClaw

Why they matter: OpenClaw is open-source AI agent for blockchain, ClawHub grew to 44,000 skills in 2 months. Steinberger joining OpenAI while keeping OpenClaw MIT license.

What they've been building:

• OpenClaw: autonomous AI agent executing tasks via LLMs, messaging platforms
• ClawHub marketplace: 44,000+ community-built skills (up from 5,700 in Feb)
• ZK proofs for off-chain AI compute with on-chain verification
• Foundation governance model post-OpenAI transition

Conversation starters:

1. "You're joining OpenAI while keeping OpenClaw open-source—how does the foundation prevent capture? Can OpenAI fork it if they want?"
2. "ClawHub has 1,184 malicious skills discovered—is the solution permissioned skills, staking for publishers, or on-chain reputation?"
3. "Your ZK proof architecture for AI compute is fascinating—what's the latency overhead? Can you get sub-second proofs for LLM inference?"

Where to find them: OpenClaw Cannes Meetup (Apr 1, 6:30-8 PM), multiple OpenClaw events

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6. Richard Muirhead — Managing Partner, Fabric Ventures

Why they matter: Fabric Ventures has 104 portfolio companies, 9 unicorns (Flashbots, Immutable, 1inch). No 2026 investments yet.

What they've been building:

• Focused on blockchain infrastructure, DeFi, Web3 gaming
• Last investment: Loop Crypto (Aug 2025)
• 23 Seed investments averaging $15.8M rounds

Conversation starters:

1. "Fabric hasn't deployed in 2026 yet—are you seeing valuation reset from late 2025, or is this macro caution slowing deployment?"
2. "Your unicorns (Flashbots, Immutable, 1inch) are all infrastructure—is that thesis directional or did consumer bets not work out?"
3. "You invested in Flashbots pre-MEV boom. What's the next infrastructure primitive with 10x latent demand nobody's pricing in?"

Where to find them: Fabric Ventures Mixer (Mar 31, 6-9 PM)

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7. Alex Esin — CEO, P2P.org

Why they matter: P2P.org: $12B AUM, 40+ blockchains, zero slashing incidents in 7 years. Launched Solana staking on Fireblocks hitting 9.40% yields.

What they've been building:

• Fireblocks integration: Solana staking at 9.40% (vs 9.16% network avg)
• SOC 2 compliance, 99.9% uptime
• Northstake integration as node operator (Feb 2026)

Conversation starters:

1. "You're hitting 9.40% SOL yields vs 9.16% network average—what operational edge drives that 24bps alpha? MEV tips, validator selection?"
2. "Zero slashing in 7 years across 40 chains—that's insane. What's your secret? Redundant infrastructure, conservative attestation timing?"
3. "Institutional staking is a race to zero fees. How do you compete with Coinbase/Kraken who can subsidize with exchange revenue?"

Where to find them: The Circle by P2P.org & Fireblocks (Mar 30, 8:30 PM-12 AM)

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8. Selini Capital Partners

Why they matter: Selini is global trading firm + VC focused on digital assets. Latest investment: Enhanced (April 9, 2026, Asset Management).

What they've been building:

• 38 investments over 4 years (12 new/year avg)
• 23 Seed rounds averaging $15.8M
• Focus: Asset Management, Business Software, Financial Services

Conversation starters:

1. "Your latest investment in Enhanced (asset management vertical)—is this directional on RWA/institutional infrastructure?"
2. "You're both a trading firm AND a VC. How do you avoid conflicts when portfolio companies launch tokens you might trade?"
3. "Selini did 16 investments in 2025, pacing toward similar in 2026. What's the deployment strategy—spray-and-pray Seed, or concentrated Series A?"

Where to find them: Selini Capital × Areta Dinner (Apr 1, 9:30-11:30 PM)

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9. Pragma Team — Oracle Infrastructure

Why they matter: Pragma is leading oracle on Starknet, 200ms latency, STARK proofs for data correctness. Launched VRF in 2026.

What they've been building:

• On-chain data pushed directly by whitelisted providers (no off-chain infra)
• VRF (verifiable random functions) for onchain randomness
• Partnerships with leading Starknet DeFi protocols

Conversation starters:

1. "Chainlink dominates Ethereum oracles, but Starknet's Cairo allows different tradeoffs. What's the security budget difference: STARK proofs vs. decentralized nodes?"
2. "Your VRF launch is interesting timing—what's the demand driver? NFT minting, gaming, DeFi liquidation randomness?"
3. "200ms oracle latency is insane. What's the architecture—WebSocket streaming, on-chain caching, or pre-signed oracle updates?"

Where to find them: Pragma Cannes (Apr 2, 11:30 AM-8 PM, $29 ticket)

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10. Human.tech Team — Agentic Wallet Infrastructure

Why they matter: Unveiled Agentic WaaP (Wallet as a Protocol) at WalletCon 2026, AI agents with cryptographic human oversight.

What they've been building:

• Two-party computation custody (key split between user device + secure enclave)
• AI agents with "cryptographic leash" (user-defined boundaries)
• Human oversight without sacrificing agent autonomy

Conversation starters:

1. "Your two-party computation custody model—how do you handle latency between agent action and human approval? Sub-second confirmations?"
2. "What happens when the user device is offline but the agent needs to act? Do you have fallback approval mechanisms?"
3. "WaaP is fascinating architecture—is this designed for retail AI agents (ChatGPT-style), or enterprise automation (Zapier-on-chain)?"

Where to find them: WalletCon Cannes 2026 (Mar 31, 12-8 PM)

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Networking Strategy

Best Events by Conversation Type

FOR CAPITAL RAISING / VC CONVERSATIONS:

| Event | Time | Why | |-------|------|-----| | VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour | Mon, 5-7 PM | 18 capital allocators only. Invite-only. THE fundraising event. | | Infinite Games Soirée | Tue, 9:30-11:30 PM | 16 exclusive VCs, invite-only. Ultra-selective. | | Selini Capital Dinner | Wed, 9:30-11:30 PM | LP-focused, active investor (April 2026 deal). Intimate dinner. | | Fabric Ventures Mixer | Tue, 6-9 PM | 28 attendees, 104 portfolio companies, 9 unicorns. | | Family Offices Summit | Mon, 4-7 PM | Michelin dinner, highest-net-worth LPs. |

Strategy: Prepare 30-second pitch, 2-minute deep-dive, ask for follow-up call vs. pitching entire deck. VCs want to see traction, not vision.

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FOR TECHNICAL/BUILDER CONVERSATIONS:

| Event | Time | Why | |-------|------|-----| | Builder Nights Cannes | Mon, 8 PM-1 AM | 71 builders, MetaMask/Linea/iExec/Tron/Pudgy/LiFi. Mega-event. | | DeFi Day | Mon, 1-9 PM | 37 attendees, 8-hour DeFi deep-dive. Technical talks + networking. | | Lido Day | Tue, 1-9 PM | 26 attendees, $19.4B protocol, 8-hour ecosystem immersion. | | WalletCon | Tue, 12-8 PM | 34 attendees, embedded wallet infrastructure, AI agent wallets. | | OpenClaw Meetup | Wed, 6:30-8 PM | 30 attendees, AI × blockchain, OpenClaw ecosystem. |

Strategy: Ask technical questions, show you've read their docs. Builders respect competence over sales pitches.

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FOR INSTITUTIONAL/ENTERPRISE CONVERSATIONS:

| Event | Time | Why | |-------|------|-----| | Institutions Onchain | Sun, 2 PM-12 AM | 26 attendees, 10-hour institutional adoption focus. | | ORAK Private Summit | Mon, 4-9 PM | 28 attendees, explicitly private + curated institutional. | | Carlton Reception | Tue, 8 PM-12 AM | 25 attendees, Carlton Hotel (luxury), institutional DeFi. | | Lido Institutional VIP Dinner | Wed, 9:30 PM-12:30 AM | 15 VIP attendees, institutional Lido ecosystem. | | Real-World Asset Summit | Tue, 11 AM-9 PM | 26 attendees, only 10-hour RWA conference. $29B market. |

Strategy: Speak their language. Use "compliance," "custody," "audit trail," not "decentralization." Focus on risk mitigation, not disruption.

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FOR CASUAL/SERENDIPITOUS NETWORKING:

| Event | Time | Why | |-------|------|-----| | ETHCC Sunset Social | Mon, 7-10 PM | 28 attendees, relaxed vibe, sunset setting. | | Wine & Web3 Growth | Mon, 8-11 PM | 31 attendees, wine tasting = relaxed conversations. | | Mezo Devs Rooftop | Tue, 6-10 PM | 26 attendees, rooftop venue = memorable setting. | | Côte d'Azur Villa | Wed, 3-7 PM | 15 attendees, intimate villa, AI/Infrastructure/Markets. | | Private Garden Party | Thu, 4-10 PM | 33 attendees, unique garden venue, 6 hours. |

Strategy: Don't hard-sell. Build relationships first, business second. Exchange Telegrams, schedule coffee follow-ups.

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FOR INTIMATE/DINNER CONVERSATIONS (Best for BD):

| Event | Time | Why | |-------|------|-----| | The Privacy Table | Mon, 9 PM-12 AM | 25-person dinner, 3 hours, security/privacy focus. | | Consensus on the Coast | Mon, 9:30 PM-12 AM | 19 curated VC/founder dinner. SOLD OUT. | | Proof of Liquidity VIP Dinner | Wed, 9-11 PM | 19 attendees, VIP funder-focused dinner. | | Lido Institutional VIP Dinner | Wed, 9:30 PM-12:30 AM | 15 VIP, 3-hour Lido ecosystem meal. | | Selini Capital Dinner | Wed, 9:30-11:30 PM | 14 attendees, LP-focused intimate dinner. |

Strategy: Dinners = uninterrupted 2-3 hour conversations. Sit next to (not across from) people you want to build relationships with. Ask questions 70% of the time, talk 30%.

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Logistics & Venue Clustering

Cannes Geography:

• Most events cluster around Palais des Festivals (main EthCC venue)
• Carlton Hotel (luxury venue, 10-min walk from Palais)
• Beachfront venues (5-15 min walk along Croisette)
• Villa events (10-20 min Uber rides, budget €15-25 per trip)

Travel Time Between Venues:

• Walking: 5-15 minutes between most events
• Uber: 5-10 minutes (budget €10-20 per ride)
• Total daily Uber budget: €50-75 for 3-5 venue changes

Event Clustering by Location:

Monday Cluster (Walkable):

1-9 PM:    DeFi Day → Palais area
5-7 PM:    VCs Cocktail → Carlton Hotel (10-min walk)
8 PM-1 AM: Builder Nights → Palais area (walk back)
9 PM-12 AM: Privacy Table → Beachfront restaurant (15-min walk)

Tuesday Cluster (Mixed):

11 AM-9 PM:  RWA Summit → Conference center (Uber €15)
6-9 PM:      Fabric Mixer → Palais area (Uber back €15)
9:30-11:30 PM: Infinite Games → Private venue (Uber €20)

Wednesday Cluster (Villa Heavy):

1-4 PM:    THE LOCAL → Rooftop venue (Uber €20)
3-7 PM:    Villa FP Block → Villa (Uber €25)
6:30-8 PM: OpenClaw → Palais area (Uber back €20)
9:30 PM:   Lido VIP Dinner → Restaurant (walk/Uber €15)

Pro Tips:

1. Stay near Palais des Festivals (walk to 70% of events)
2. Bring portable charger (you'll be on phone/Google Maps all day)
3. Wear comfortable shoes (you'll walk 15,000+ steps/day)
4. Budget €200 for Ubers over 4 days (Mon-Thu)
5. Pre-download offline maps (Cannes cell service gets overloaded)

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Final Execution Checklist

1 Week Before EthCC:

• [ ] Request invites for: VCs Cocktail, Infinite Games, Lido VIP Dinner, Selini Dinner, THE LOCAL
• [ ] Confirm pending registrations (check spam for Luma emails)
• [ ] Print 250 business cards (you'll exchange 30-40, bring extras)
• [ ] Prepare 3 pitch versions: 10-second, 30-second, 2-minute
• [ ] Research top 20 people to meet (LinkedIn, recent news)
• [ ] Book hotel near Palais des Festivals
• [ ] Set GCal reminders for all MUST-ATTEND events

During EthCC (Mon-Wed):

• [ ] Arrive 5-10 min early to EVERY event (meet organizers first)
• [ ] Collect business cards (target 30-40 quality contacts)
• [ ] Take photo of each business card + voice memo (name, topic, follow-up)
• [ ] Set phone alarms for event transitions (don't get stuck in bad convos)
• [ ] Skip coffee breaks (bring Red Bull/caffeine pills)
• [ ] Focus on happy hours (7-10 PM = peak networking energy)

Immediately After Event (Same Night):

• [ ] Capture notes from business cards in Google Sheet:
  • Name | Company | Role | Email | Topic Discussed | Follow-up Action | Priority (A/B/C)

Within 48 Hours (CRITICAL):

• [ ] Send personalized emails to ALL 30-40 contacts
• [ ] Reference specific conversation point ("loved your take on Lido V3 vaults")
• [ ] Include relevant link (your website, article, mutual connection)
• [ ] Ask for 15-min call in next 2 weeks
• [ ] Target 80%+ response rate with personalization

Within 1 Week:

• [ ] Schedule calls with top 10 prospects
• [ ] Send follow-up summaries after calls
• [ ] Identify 2-3 partnership opportunities
• [ ] Update CRM with all EthCC contacts

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Success Metrics

By end of EthCC[9], you should have:

✅ 30-40 business cards from quality attendees (70%+ founder/investor/protocol leader) ✅ 5-10 deep conversations (10+ minutes, not just handshakes) ✅ 1-3 partnership opportunities identified with next steps ✅ 100% email follow-up within 48 hours (personalized, not templated) ✅ 3-5 follow-up meetings scheduled post-event ✅ Zero FOMO because you executed strategically

Remember: You're not trying to attend 201 events. You're trying to have 5 meaningful conversations that turn into deals.

Go execute. 🚀

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Sources & References

Market Data & Trends

1. Lido Finance 2026 Transition: Staking to DeFi Platform - AIinvest
2. Lido Launches Vaults and Earn Products - Bitcoin.com News
3. RWA Tokenization Trends for 2026 - RWA.io
4. Asset Tokenization Statistics 2026 - CoinLaw

Infrastructure & Technology

5. MetaMask Linea 2026 Updates - Bitget Academy
6. ConsenSys Deep Dive: MetaMask, Infura, Linea, Besu - BlockEden
7. Privy Review 2026: Embedded Wallets - CryptoAdventure
8. Human.tech Unveils Wallet Infrastructure for AI Agents at WalletCon 2026 - TheStreet Crypto

Protocols & Projects

9. OpenClaw AI Agent Guide 2026 - Petronella Tech
10. What is OpenClaw? Complete Guide - XT Exchange/Medium
11. Zircuit Review 2026: AI-Powered zkEVM - Coin Bureau
12. Zircuit Finance Launches Institutional Yield Platform - Chainwire
13. Starknet 2025 Year in Review
14. Pragma Oracle - The Network of zk-truth Machines

Venture Capital & Investment

15. Fabric Ventures 2026 Investor Profile - Tracxn
16. Selini Capital 2026 Investor Profile - Tracxn
17. Selini Capital Funding Rounds - CryptoRank

Staking & Infrastructure

18. P2P.org 2025 Wrapped: Institutional Staking Leader
19. Fireblocks Clients Access Solana Staking via P2P.org

Layer 2 Ecosystems

20. Announcing Ink: Kraken's DeFi L2 - Kraken Blog
21. Ink Fast-Tracks Mainnet Launch - Kraken Blog
22. Ink on Superchain Eco