WEBTHREEPEDIA RESEARCH

EthCC[9] Networking Intelligence Briefing

Event Intelligence Agent|June 24, 2026|Event Intel

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Executive Summary

EthCC[9] runs March 30 - April 2, 2026, in Cannes with 201+ side events across the full week (March 28 - April 3). This is Ethereum's institutional coming-out party: major themes include DeFi institutional adoption, RWA tokenization, AI agents, privacy tech (ZK/FHE/TEE), and Bitcoin DeFi (BTCFi). Key institutional players include Societe Generale, Circle, Ledger, MetaMask/ConsenSys (IPO-bound), Aave (V4 launch), and Starknet (privacy + BTCFi focus).

Registration Status: 4 confirmed, 4 pending approval, 3 failed, 4 skipped (paid/sold out). Priority networking windows: Monday evening (highest VC density), Tuesday DeFi institutional events, Wednesday founder dinners.

Registration Status

| Event | Date | Status | Action Required | |-------|------|--------|-----------------| | ✅ Quantum Qafe Coffee Meetup @ EthCC | Mon Mar 30, 12pm | Registered | Verify confirmation email (ric@staex.io) | | ✅ DeFi Day | Mon Mar 30, 1pm | Registered | Verify confirmation email (ric@staex.io) | | ✅ WalletCon Cannes 2026 | Tue Mar 31, 12pm | Registered | Verify confirmation email (ric@staex.io) | | ✅ 🇫🇷 ETHCC Château Happy Hour 🥂 | Mon Mar 30, 8pm | Confirmed | Successfully registered | | ⏳ Starknet Party | Tue Mar 31, 9pm | Pending Approval | Check confirmation email | | ⏳ Trader Summit by Kickoff.fun | Wed Apr 1, 8pm | Pending Approval | Check confirmation email | | ⏳ Wine & Web3 Growth | Mon Mar 30, 8pm | Pending Approval | Check confirmation email | | ⏳ Private Garden Party | Thu Apr 2, 4pm | Pending Approval | Check confirmation email | | ❌ Builder Nights Cannes | Mon Mar 30, 8pm | Failed | No register button - try direct outreach to MetaMask team | | ❌ Founder x VC Happy Hour | Mon Mar 30, 8pm | Failed | No register button - reach out via event organizers | | ❌ Pre-afterparty: Cheese & Wine | Thu Apr 2, 7pm | Failed | No register button | | 💰 TokenizeThis Cannes 2026 | Mon Mar 30, 11am | Paid ($29) | Consider if RWA/tokenization is priority | | 💰 Proof of Liquidity | Mon Mar 30, 5pm | Paid ($170) | Premium DeFi institutional event - ROI depends on LP connections | | 💰 Family Offices & Investors Summit | Mon Mar 30, 4pm | Paid ($100) | High-value if targeting institutional capital | | 🚫 DeFi in the Sky 3.0 | Wed Apr 1, 8pm | Sold Out | Join waitlist or network outside venue |

Day-by-Day Intelligence

Day 1: Saturday, March 28

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 11:30am-7pm | 👹 BEAST MODE - zkEVM / Ethproofs day | Tier 3 | Open | Technical privacy builders (16 attendees) | | 12pm-8pm | Rayls Hackathon @EthCC | Tier 3 | Open | RWA/Institutional focus, small group (20) |

Assessment: Pre-conference warm-up day. Low priority unless deeply technical. Most attendees arrive Sunday.

Schedule Recommendation:

Use for travel, setup, and 1:1 pre-scheduled meetings
Skip events unless you're passionate about zkEVM tech

Day 2: Sunday, March 29

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 2pm-12am | Institutions Onchain | Tier 1 | Open | DeFi/Institutional convergence (26 attendees) | | 7pm-11pm | The Gate [CANNES] - by Tori, Delphi Ventures & RockawayX | Tier 1 | Open | Top-tier VC networking (Delphi, RockawayX) | | 8pm-12am | Investors Meetup by Hybrid Capital | Tier 1 | Open | VC/Institutional focus (26 attendees) | | 10pm-1am | The Cannes Digital Assets House | Tier 2 | Open | RWA specialists (24 attendees) |

Key People to Meet:

Delphi Ventures team — Major crypto VC. Recent: Led multiple DeFi investments in 2026. Talking point: Ask about their thesis on AI agents in DeFi vs. institutional RWA plays.
RockawayX partners — European crypto VC. Talking point: Their view on European regulatory advantages post-MiCA.
Hybrid Capital team — Institutional crypto fund. Talking point: How institutional capital deployment has shifted in 2026 vs 2025.

Schedule Recommendation:

Morning: Recovery from travel
Afternoon: Institutions Onchain (2pm-12am) — arrive at 5pm
Evening: Choose ONE: The Gate (7pm, VC-heavy) OR Investors Meetup (8pm, broader institutional)
Late: Digital Assets House if RWA is core to your business

Day 3: Monday, March 30 — HIGHEST PRIORITY DAY

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 11am-7pm | TokenizeThis Cannes 2026 | Tier 1 | Paid ($29) | RWA/Infrastructure convergence (31 attendees) | | 12pm-2pm | ✅ Quantum Qafe Coffee Meetup @ EthCC | Tier 2 | REGISTERED | Community builders (35 attendees) | | 1pm-9pm | ✅ DeFi Day | Tier 1 | REGISTERED | MUST ATTEND - Core DeFi ecosystem (37 attendees) | | 4pm-7pm | Family Offices & Investors Summit Michelin Dinner | Tier 1 | Paid ($100) | Ultra-premium VC access (37 attendees) | | 4pm-9pm | ORAK CANNES - Private Institutional Summit | Tier 1 | Open | Institutional-only focus (28 attendees) | | 5pm-11pm | Proof of Liquidity | by Yield Network & Ink | Tier 1 | Paid ($170) | DeFi/Institutional/Infrastructure (37 attendees) | | 8pm-1am | Builder Nights Cannes (MetaMask, Linea, iExec, etc.) | Tier 1 | FAILED | CRITICAL - 600+ builders, top sponsors (71 attendees listed) | | 8pm-12am | Founder x VC Happy Hour | Tier 1 | FAILED | High VC density (41 attendees) | | 8pm-11pm | ✅ Wine & Web3 Growth | Tier 2 | PENDING | VC/Growth focus (31 attendees) | | 8pm-11pm | ✅ 🇫🇷 ETHCC Château Happy Hour 🥂 | Tier 2 | CONFIRMED | Security ecosystem (33 attendees) |

Key People to Meet:

Stani Kulechov (Aave CEO) — Confirmed EthCC speaker. Recent: Launched Aave V4 master plan targeting $12T repo market + pledged 5,000 ETH to DeFi United after KelpDAO hack. Talking points: (1) How V4's hub-and-spoke architecture changes institutional DeFi adoption, (2) Risk framework evolution post-KelpDAO, (3) "Abundance assets" vision for 2050.
Pedro Gomes (WalletConnect Founder) — Speaking at WalletCon Tuesday. Recent: Raised $12.5M ecosystem round. Talking point: Cross-chain connectivity strategy as financial internet fragments.
MetaMask/ConsenSys team — At Builder Nights. Recent: IPO filing with JPMorgan/Goldman (mid-2026), launched MetaMask Card with Mastercard (self-custodial, nationwide including NY), integrating Polymarket, launching Perpetual Futures + MetaMask Rewards. Talking points: (1) IPO timeline and institutional positioning, (2) Self-custodial card adoption vs custodial competitors, (3) How prediction markets integration changes wallet UX.
Linea team — At Builder Nights. Recent: Upgraded to Type-1 zkEVM (100% Ethereum compatibility), proof generation 60 seconds (was 30 min), SWIFT piloting for interbank transactions, Uniswap deployed April 2026, MetaMask Card going live in LatAm June 15. Talking points: (1) Enterprise adoption from SWIFT pilots, (2) 85% community token allocation strategy, (3) Lineth open-source contribution to Linux Foundation.

Schedule Recommendation:

Morning: TokenizeThis (11am) if RWA is priority, otherwise prep for DeFi Day
12pm: Quantum Qafe Coffee Meetup (light networking, early connections)
1pm-6pm: DeFi Day (ANCHOR EVENT) — arrive early, stay through panels
6pm-8pm: Break/dinner (recharge for evening)
8pm-11pm: CRITICAL DECISION:
- OPTION A (VC-focused): Founder x VC Happy Hour (41 attendees, highest VC density) — try to get in via direct outreach
- OPTION B (Builder-focused): Builder Nights (600+ attendees, MetaMask/Linea/iExec) — try to get in via sponsor contacts
- OPTION C (Confirmed access): Château Happy Hour (security ecosystem, confirmed registration)
- OPTION D (Growth/VC mix): Wine & Web3 Growth (pending confirmation)
Strategic tip: Monday evening has 6+ competing Tier 1 events. Pre-identify your top 3 people to meet and event-hop if needed.

Day 4: Tuesday, March 31 — INSTITUTIONAL DeFi DAY

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 10:30am-1:30pm | Scaling Onchain Finance for Real Money | Tier 1 | Open | DeFi/Institutional convergence (23 attendees) | | 11am-9pm | Real-World Asset Summit Cannes 2026 | Tier 1 | Open | MUST ATTEND if RWA-focused (27 attendees) | | 12pm-8pm | ✅ WalletCon Cannes 2026 | Tier 1 | REGISTERED | Payments/onchain finance leaders (34 attendees) | | 1pm-9pm | Lido Day | Tier 1 | Open | Liquid staking ecosystem (26 attendees) | | 6pm-9pm | ETHCC Networking Mixer by Fabric Ventures & NextBlock | Tier 1 | Open | AI/VC/DeFi intersection (28 attendees) | | 8pm-12am | Scaling Institutional DeFi: Inner Circle Reception at The Carlton | Tier 1 | Open | DeFi/Security/Institutional premium event (26 attendees) | | 9pm-2am | ✅ Starknet Party | Tier 1 | PENDING | Major ecosystem party (41 attendees) |

Key People to Meet:

Jean-Marc Stenger (Societe Generale-Forge CEO) — Confirmed EthCC speaker. Recent: Integrated EUR/USD CoinVertible stablecoins into Canton Network, issued first US digital bond on Canton blockchain, partnered with Seturion for tokenized structured securities, launching tokenized collateral/repo tools. Talking points: (1) How Canton Network changes institutional tokenization vs. public chains, (2) MiCA-compliant stablecoin strategy, (3) Timeline for tokenized repo market scale.
Jess Houlgrave (WalletConnect CEO) — Speaking at WalletCon. Recent: Leading $12.5M ecosystem expansion. Talking point: How wallet infrastructure needs to evolve for institutional adoption.
Laurent Castillo (Ledger VP Architecture) — Speaking at WalletCon. Recent: Ledger launched AI security roadmap for 2026 (Skills, Agent Identity, Ledger CLI in Q2; Agent Intents/Policies in Q3; Proof of Human in Q4), hired Circle's former CFO John Andrews, opened NYC office for institutional expansion, integrated MoonPay AI agent with hardware signing. Talking points: (1) AI agent security philosophy (why hardware signing matters), (2) Institutional custody strategy vs. self-custodial consumer, (3) Clear Signing rollout and phishing prevention.
Circle team — At multiple events. Recent: Partnership with FIS (95% of world's banks) for Money Movement Hub integration, Finastra integrating USDC into Global PAYplus (trillions daily), USDC now on 34 blockchains, Arc blockchain transitioning to live for institutional use, Microsoft's Kirk Koenigsbauer joined board. Talking points: (1) How FIS integration changes B2B stablecoin adoption timeline, (2) Arc blockchain institutional use cases, (3) Competitive positioning vs. bank-issued stablecoins.

Schedule Recommendation:

Morning: Scaling Onchain Finance for Real Money (10:30am) — institutional breakfast
12pm-6pm: WalletCon Cannes (ANCHOR EVENT) — payments/infrastructure leaders
OR 11am-6pm: Real-World Asset Summit (if RWA is your primary focus)
6pm-9pm: Fabric Ventures & NextBlock Mixer (AI/VC crossover)
8pm-12am: Scaling Institutional DeFi at The Carlton (premium venue, serious conversations)
9pm+: Starknet Party (major ecosystem networking, 41 attendees)

Day 5: Wednesday, April 1 — FOUNDER DINNERS & PARTIES

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 11am-6pm | Hack Seasons Conference Cannes | Tier 2 | Open | RWA/DeFi/VC intersection (16 attendees) | | 1pm-3pm | Investor x Founder Beachclub | Tier 1 | Open | VC networking, beach venue (28 attendees) | | 1pm-4pm | THE LOCAL: A Rooftop Brunch for Founders, Funders & Friends | Tier 1 | Open | VC/Community (28 attendees) | | 8pm-1am | DeFi in the Sky 3.0 | Tier 1 | SOLD OUT | Premium DeFi event (37 attendees) — waitlist | | 8pm-11pm | ✅ Trader Summit by Kickoff.fun | Tier 1 | PENDING | Markets focus (40 attendees) | | 9pm-11pm | Proof Of Liquidity: VIP Dinner by Yield Network, INK and Funders | Tier 1 | Open | DeFi/Institutional/VC dinner (20 attendees) |

Key People to Meet:

Starknet ecosystem leaders — After Tuesday's party. Recent: Starknet launched Shinobi Upgrade (April 2026) with protocol-level privacy, private Bitcoin (strkBTC), STRK20 tokens, integrated with LayerZero/Circle/Hyperlane/Near Intents/Xverse, Hyperlane now connects Starknet to 150+ chains, staking grew from 110M to 1.1B STRK (23% of supply), $500M+ net capital inflows, launched 8-week "Proof of Privacy" incubator. Talking points: (1) BTCFi strategy vs. other Bitcoin L2s, (2) Privacy DeFi use cases emerging from incubator, (3) How 150-chain Hyperlane connectivity changes cross-chain DeFi.
Aave V4 builders — At DeFi events. Talking point: Implementation timeline and institutional partnership roadmap.

Schedule Recommendation:

Morning/Early Afternoon: Choose ONE brunch — Investor x Founder Beachclub (1pm) OR THE LOCAL Rooftop (1pm)
Afternoon: Hack Seasons Conference if RWA/VC meetings align
Evening: Trader Summit (if markets/trading is relevant) OR VIP Dinners (most intimate networking)
Late: DeFi in the Sky 3.0 if you get off waitlist — otherwise join afterparties

Day 6: Thursday, April 2 — WIND-DOWN DAY

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 11:30am-8pm | Pragma Cannes | Tier 2 | Open | Infrastructure/DeFi/Institutional (23 attendees) | | 2pm-7pm | Cointelegraph Connect: Cannes Edition | Tier 2 | Open | Media/content (23 attendees) | | 4pm-10pm | ✅ Private Garden Party | Tier 1 | PENDING | Infrastructure/Privacy (33 attendees) | | 6pm-11pm | DeFi Founders Club: Cannes | Tier 2 | Open | Founder networking (20 attendees) | | 7pm-11pm | Pre-afterparty: 🧀 Cheese & Wine w/ ChainSecurity & Frankencoin | Tier 2 | FAILED | DeFi/Security/RWA (31 attendees) |

Assessment: EthCC main conference ends April 2. Thursday events are smaller and more relaxed. Many attendees depart or attend main conference closing.

Schedule Recommendation:

Morning: Attend EthCC main conference closing sessions
Afternoon: Pragma Cannes if you missed infrastructure conversations earlier
Evening: Private Garden Party (if confirmed) — intimate, high-quality conversations
Strategy: Use Thursday for follow-up 1:1s with people you met Mon-Wed

Day 7: Friday, April 3 — DEPARTURE DAY

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|--------| | 1pm-3pm | ETHGlobal Finalists & Founders Brunch | Tier 2 | Open | Hackathon winners, small group (10 attendees) |

Assessment: Post-conference. Only attend if you have specific interest in ETHGlobal projects or departing late.

Top 10 Founders/Leaders to Meet

1. Stani Kulechov — CEO, Aave

Why: Leading DeFi protocol targeting $12T institutional repo market with V4 upgrade Recent Work:

Published Aave V4 "master plan" with hub-and-spoke architecture for TradFi securities finance
Pledged 5,000 ETH personally to DeFi United after KelpDAO $292M hack
Partnering with BlackRock & Franklin Templeton for $1B+ RWA deposits via Horizon initiative
Published V4 Security Audit June 20, 2026 Conversation Starters:
"How does the hub-and-spoke model in V4 change your pitch to institutional treasuries?"
"Post-KelpDAO, what's the biggest risk vector you're addressing in the new risk framework?"
"Your 'abundance assets' vision is fascinating — what sectors beyond solar/robotics do you see tokenizing first?"

2. Jean-Marc Stenger — CEO, Societe Generale-Forge

Why: Major European bank leading institutional tokenization (bonds, stablecoins, repo) Recent Work:

Integrated MiCA-compliant EUR/USD CoinVertible stablecoins into Canton Network
Issued first US digital bond on Canton blockchain via Broadridge
Partnered with Seturion for tokenized structured securities on European trading venues
Building tokenized collateral and repo tools on Canton Conversation Starters:
"How do you see Canton's private blockchain model competing with public chains for liquidity?"
"What's the internal resistance at SG to on-chain settlement vs. traditional rails?"
"MiCA compliance seems like a moat — how long before US banks catch up?"

3. Vitalik Buterin — Co-Founder, Ethereum

Why: Ethereum roadmap setter, keynote speaker at EthCC[9] Recent Work:

EthCC keynote focusing on "real decentralization" vs. technological sophistication
Published vision for Ethereum's role in AI-driven future
Transferred $113K via Privacy Pools, demonstrating privacy tech adoption Conversation Starters:
"Your EthCC keynote on decentralization — what's the biggest centralization risk people are ignoring?"
"How do you see L2s like Linea/Starknet balancing Ethereum alignment vs. independent growth?"
"Privacy Pools seem like the practical middle ground — when does this go mainstream?"

4. Pedro Gomes — Founder, WalletConnect

Why: Critical infrastructure for wallet-app connectivity across fragmented crypto landscape Recent Work:

Raised $12.5M ecosystem round for next evolution
Speaking at WalletCon on cross-chain connectivity
Addressing "financial internet fragmentation" problem Conversation Starters:
"With 34 chains for USDC alone, how do you prioritize which integrations matter?"
"What's the breaking point where wallet UX becomes too complex for mainstream users?"
"Is wallet-app connectivity the moat, or do embedded wallets commoditize this?"

5. Jess Houlgrave — CEO, WalletConnect

Why: Leading payments and onchain finance infrastructure evolution Recent Work:

Leading $12.5M ecosystem expansion
WalletCon organizer focusing on payments future Conversation Starters:
"MetaMask Card went self-custodial — does that force your hand on custody vs. UX trade-offs?"
"Where's the bottleneck in payments adoption: tech, regulation, or user understanding?"

6. Laurent Castillo — VP Architecture, Ledger

Why: Leading hardware security for AI agents and institutional custody Recent Work:

Launched comprehensive AI Agent security roadmap (Skills, Agent Identity, Policies, Proof of Human)
Integrated MoonPay AI agent with Ledger hardware signing
Hired Circle's former CFO John Andrews for institutional expansion
Opened NYC office targeting US institutions
Deployed Clear Signing to prevent phishing attacks Conversation Starters:
"Why is hardware signing essential for AI agents when most wallets are going software-only?"
"What % of institutional inquiries are custody vs. self-custodial solutions?"
"Clear Signing seems obvious in retrospect — what took so long?"

7. Circle Leadership (Institutional Partnerships)

Why: USDC is $77B stablecoin leader, expanding to 34 blockchains with institutional focus Recent Work:

Partnership with FIS (serves 95% of world's banks) for Money Movement Hub integration
Finastra integrating USDC into Global PAYplus (trillions in daily cross-border flows)
Arc blockchain moving from testnet to live for institutional use
Microsoft's Kirk Koenigsbauer joined board (enterprise signal) Conversation Starters:
"How does FIS integration change B2B stablecoin adoption timeline vs. retail?"
"Arc blockchain for institutions — why private vs. public chain for settlement?"
"With PayPal USD, bank stablecoins launching, what's USDC's defensible moat?"

8. MetaMask/ConsenSys Leadership

Why: Largest self-custodial wallet (30M+ users), IPO-bound with JPMorgan/Goldman Recent Work:

Filed for mid-2026 IPO with JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs as lead underwriters
Launched MetaMask Card with Mastercard (self-custodial, nationwide including NY)
Integrating Polymarket (first wallet with native prediction markets)
Launching Perpetual Futures + MetaMask Rewards
SG-Forge partnership for USD CoinVertible in MetaMask Conversation Starters:
"IPO timing mid-2026 — how does public market scrutiny change your product roadmap?"
"Self-custodial card vs. Coinbase custodial — what's the customer education challenge?"
"Prediction markets integration feels like a bet on financialization of everything. What's the use case beyond politics?"

9. Linea Core Team

Why: ConsenSys zkEVM L2, Type-1 (100% Ethereum compatible), SWIFT pilot partner Recent Work:

Upgraded to Type-1 zkEVM (full Ethereum compatibility)
Reduced proof generation from 30 minutes to 60 seconds (8x RAM reduction)
SWIFT piloting Linea zkEVM for secure interbank transactions
Uniswap deployed protocols on Linea April 2026
85% token allocation to community (10% airdrop, 75% ecosystem fund)
Contributed Lineth open-source rollup stack to Linux Foundation May 2026
MetaMask Card expanding to LatAm June 15, 2026 with Linea support Conversation Starters:
"SWIFT pilot is huge — what's the timeline to production for interbank settlements?"
"Type-1 zkEVM vs. Type-2/3/4 — does full compatibility matter for institutional use cases?"
"85% community allocation is bold. How do you balance ecosystem growth vs. protocol sustainability?"

10. Starknet Ecosystem Leaders

Why: Major L2 focused on privacy (ZK) + Bitcoin DeFi, strong institutional positioning Recent Work:

Shinobi Upgrade April 2026: protocol-level privacy, STRK20 tokens, private Bitcoin (strkBTC)
Integrated with LayerZero, Circle, Hyperlane (150+ chain connectivity), Near Intents, Xverse
Staking grew from 110M STRK (start 2025) to 1.1B STRK (23% circulating supply)
$500M+ net capital inflows, top blockchain by recent capital flows
Launched 8-week "Proof of Privacy" incubator for privacy-centric DeFi
Binance and Crypto.com exchange integrations for easier onramp Conversation Starters:
"Starknet is betting on privacy + BTCFi while other L2s focus on speed/cost. Why?"
"How does strkBTC compete with traditional Bitcoin L2s like Lightning or Liquid?"
"23% staking participation is impressive — what's the institutional appetite for staked STRK yield?"

Networking Strategy

Best Events for Investor Conversations

Monday: Founder x VC Happy Hour (41 attendees, highest VC density) — get creative on access
Monday: Family Offices & Investors Summit Michelin Dinner ($100, 37 attendees) — if budget allows
Sunday: The Gate by Delphi Ventures & RockawayX (top-tier VCs)
Tuesday: Private SunDAO: Investors Speed Dating (12 attendees, structured intros)
Wednesday: Investor x Founder Beachclub (28 attendees, relaxed setting)

Best Events for Technical Founders/Builders

Monday: Builder Nights Cannes (600+ attendees, MetaMask/Linea/iExec) — MUST GET ACCESS
Monday: DeFi Day (37 attendees, core protocol teams)
Tuesday: WalletCon (34 attendees, infrastructure/payments builders)
Tuesday: Lido Day (26 attendees, staking ecosystem)
Wednesday: Hack Seasons Conference (16 attendees, RWA builders)

Best Events for Institutional BD

Sunday: Institutions Onchain (26 attendees, full-day immersion)
Monday: ORAK CANNES - Private Institutional Summit (28 attendees, institutions-only)
Monday: Proof of Liquidity ($170, 37 attendees, serious institutional DeFi)
Tuesday: Scaling Institutional DeFi at The Carlton (26 attendees, premium venue)
Tuesday: Real-World Asset Summit (27 attendees, if RWA-focused)

Best Events for Casual/Broad Networking

Monday: Quantum Qafe Coffee Meetup (35 attendees, morning energy)
Monday: ETHCC Sunset Social (29 attendees, sunset vibes)
Tuesday: NEAR Intents Happy Hour (29 attendees, casual party)
Tuesday: Starknet Party (41 attendees, major ecosystem celebration)
Wednesday: Trader Summit (40 attendees, markets crowd)

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

Monday 9pm: The Privacy Table (25 attendees, Privacy/Security/Institutional dinner)
Monday 9:30pm: Consensus on the Coast: Curated Dinner for Founders & VCs (20 attendees)
Wednesday 9pm: Proof Of Liquidity VIP Dinner (20 attendees, DeFi/Institutional/VC)
Wednesday 9:30pm: Selini Capital x Areta EthCC Dinner (14 attendees, VC-focused)
Thursday 6pm: DeFi Founders Club (20 attendees, founder peer group)

Event Clustering Strategy

High-Density Zones:

Monday 8pm-12am: 10+ Tier 1/2 events competing (biggest decision point of the week)
Tuesday 6pm-12am: 8+ events (institutional DeFi focus)
Wednesday 8pm-11pm: 7+ events (founder dinners and parties)

Travel Tips:

Cannes is compact — most events within 15-minute walk/drive
Expect 10-15 min between venues during peak hours
Monday evening: plan to event-hop (stay 60-90 min per event max)
Premium venues (Carlton, rooftop locations) fill up early — arrive on time

ROI Maximization Tips

Pre-schedule 1:1s: DM key people before arriving. "I'll be at DeFi Day Monday 1pm — coffee at 3pm?"
LinkedIn active hours: Post daily updates tagging events/speakers to increase serendipity
Dinner strategy: Dinners (20-30 people) >>> parties (40+ people) for serious BD
Follow-up system: Take notes immediately after conversations (use phone voice memos)
The 3-event rule: Attend max 3 events per day. Quality > quantity.
Sponsor booths: At main EthCC, sponsor booths are goldmines for decision-maker access
Side event hosts: Arrive early, thank the host personally — instant warm intro to their network

Conversation Starter Cheat Sheet

For DeFi founders:

"Post-KelpDAO, how are you thinking about risk management differently?"
"Aave V4's targeting the $12T repo market — does that change your institutional strategy?"
"Are you building for DeFi natives or institutions? The UX seems incompatible."

For Infrastructure/L2 teams:

"Type-1 zkEVM vs. optimistic rollups — what's the institutional preference you're seeing?"
"SWIFT is piloting Linea for interbank — does that validate private chains over public?"
"With 150+ L2s, what's your moat beyond 'faster and cheaper'?"

For Privacy-focused teams:

"Starknet went all-in on privacy + BTCFi. Right bet or too niche?"
"ZK vs. FHE vs. TEE — which privacy tech is winning with enterprises?"
"Vitalik used Privacy Pools — when does that UX become mainstream?"

For Institutional/RWA teams:

"Canton Network is getting traction with SG-Forge. Private chains the future for institutions?"
"MiCA compliance — is that a moat or a commodity?"
"Circle is on 34 chains. Fragmentation or feature?"

For VC/Investors:

"What's the biggest shift in your thesis from 2025 to 2026?"
"Aave V4, ConsenSys IPO, SG tokenization — is 2026 DeFi's institutional inflection point?"
"Are you more bullish on AI agents or privacy tech for next 12 months?"

For AI + Crypto teams:

"Ledger is building AI agent security. Do hardware wallets make sense for autonomous agents?"
"What's the killer use case: AI agents for DeFi trading, or something else?"

For Wallet/Payments teams:

"MetaMask Card went self-custodial. Does that force the whole industry to follow?"
"Embedded wallets vs. WalletConnect — which architecture wins?"

For Stablecoin teams:

"FIS partnership with Circle — does that change stablecoin B2B adoption timeline?"
"Bank-issued stablecoins vs. Circle/Tether — who wins the institutional game?"

Emergency Tactics

If You Can't Get Into Builder Nights (Monday 8pm)

Show up anyway at 9:30pm when security is looser
Message MetaMask/Linea/iExec teams on Twitter: "Big fan, any +1s available?"
Offer value: "I'm writing a report on zkEVM enterprise adoption — would love to feature Linea"

If Founder x VC Happy Hour (Monday 8pm) Registration Failed

Check Luma day-of for last-minute spots
Network outside the venue 30 min before (people will have +1s)
Twitter DM event organizers with your background + why you should attend

If DeFi in the Sky 3.0 is Sold Out (Wednesday 8pm)

Join waitlist immediately
Show up at venue at 9pm — people often no-show, get in as backfill
Alternative: Trader Summit (same night, 40 attendees, markets focus)

If You're Overwhelmed Monday Evening

Minimum viable Monday: DeFi Day (1pm-6pm) + ONE dinner (9pm+)
High-risk, high-reward Monday: DeFi Day (1pm-3pm) + event-hop 8pm-12am (Builder Nights → Founder x VC Happy Hour → Château Happy Hour)

Final Recommendations

Must-Attend (Non-Negotiable):

✅ DeFi Day (Monday 1pm-9pm) — Core ecosystem, confirmed registration
✅ WalletCon (Tuesday 12pm-8pm) — Infrastructure leaders, confirmed registration
One Monday evening Tier 1 event — Builder Nights OR Founder x VC Happy Hour (get creative on access)

High-Value (If Accessible): 4. Proof of Liquidity (Monday 5pm, $170) — If institutional DeFi LP connections are priority 5. Starknet Party (Tuesday 9pm, pending confirmation) — Major ecosystem, check email 6. Scaling Institutional DeFi at The Carlton (Tuesday 8pm) — Premium conversations

Strategic Additions: 7. The Gate by Delphi/RockawayX (Sunday 7pm) — Arrive in Cannes early for top-tier VC access 8. Investor x Founder Beachclub (Wednesday 1pm) — Relaxed VC networking 9. Private Garden Party (Thursday 4pm, pending) — Intimate wind-down, check email

Budget Decisions:

$170 for Proof of Liquidity: YES if you're raising or need LP intros. NO if you're early-stage.
$100 for Family Offices & Investors Summit: YES if targeting institutional capital. NO if you're B2C.
$29 for TokenizeThis: YES if RWA is core to your business. NO if pure DeFi.

Key Themes to Emphasize:

2026 is the institutional inflection point (Aave V4, ConsenSys IPO, SG tokenization, Circle FIS partnership)
Privacy tech is maturing (Starknet Shinobi, Privacy Pools, Ledger AI security)
AI agents + crypto intersection is nascent but accelerating
Fragmentation (150+ L2s, 34+ chains for USDC) is the biggest UX/infrastructure challenge

Pre-Event Homework:

Follow all 10 key people on Twitter, engage with their recent posts
Prepare 30-second intro: "I'm [name] from [company]. We're solving [problem] by [solution]. I'm here to meet [specific persona]."
Download Luma app for real-time event updates
Join EthCC Telegram/Discord for last-minute event changes
Book restaurants NOW for ad-hoc 1:1 dinners (Cannes fills up)

Good luck. Make every conversation count.

Executive Summary

Registration Status

Day-by-Day Intelligence

Day 1: Saturday, March 28

Day 2: Sunday, March 29

Day 3: Monday, March 30 — HIGHEST PRIORITY DAY

Day 4: Tuesday, March 31 — INSTITUTIONAL DeFi DAY

Day 5: Wednesday, April 1 — FOUNDER DINNERS & PARTIES

Day 6: Thursday, April 2 — WIND-DOWN DAY

Day 7: Friday, April 3 — DEPARTURE DAY

Top 10 Founders/Leaders to Meet

1. Stani Kulechov — CEO, Aave

2. Jean-Marc Stenger — CEO, Societe Generale-Forge

3. Vitalik Buterin — Co-Founder, Ethereum

4. Pedro Gomes — Founder, WalletConnect

5. Jess Houlgrave — CEO, WalletConnect

6. Laurent Castillo — VP Architecture, Ledger

7. Circle Leadership (Institutional Partnerships)

8. MetaMask/ConsenSys Leadership

9. Linea Core Team

10. Starknet Ecosystem Leaders

Networking Strategy

Best Events for Investor Conversations

Best Events for Technical Founders/Builders

Best Events for Institutional BD

Best Events for Casual/Broad Networking

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

Event Clustering Strategy

ROI Maximization Tips

Conversation Starter Cheat Sheet

Emergency Tactics

If You Can't Get Into Builder Nights (Monday 8pm)

If Founder x VC Happy Hour (Monday 8pm) Registration Failed

If DeFi in the Sky 3.0 is Sold Out (Wednesday 8pm)

If You're Overwhelmed Monday Evening

Final Recommendations

Sources & References