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WEBTHREEPEDIA RESEARCH

EthCC9 Cannes 2026 Intelligence Briefing

Event Intelligence Agent|September 9, 2026|Event Intel
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

EthCC[9] takes place March 28 - April 4, 2026 in Cannes, France at the Palais des Festivals. We've analyzed and identified the top 30 events offering the highest networking ROI for a business development professional. **Key Insights:** - is the most crit...

Executive Summary

EthCC[9] takes place March 28 - April 4, 2026 in Cannes, France at the Palais des Festivals. We've analyzed 201 side events and identified the top 30 events offering the highest networking ROI for a business development professional.

Key Insights:

  • Saturday, March 30 is the most critical day with 6+ MUST-ATTEND events including exclusive VC/LP gatherings
  • 80 family offices managing $800B AUM will attend the Family Offices & Investors Summit
  • $30B+ in institutional capital represented across Lido, Aave, and Fireblocks-sponsored events
  • Major themes: RWA tokenization, institutional DeFi, AI x crypto infrastructure, liquidity networks

Registration Status: Successfully registered for 2 events, 3 pending approval (verification required), 4 failed/paid events.

Registration Status

| Event | Date | Status | Action Required | |-------|------|--------|-----------------| | DeFi Day | Mar 30 | ✅ Registered | Verify confirmation at ric@staex.io | | Hack Seasons Conference | Apr 1 | ✅ Registered | Verify confirmation at ric@staex.io | | Policy Roundtable | Mar 30 | ⏳ Pending Approval | Check email for approval status | | ORAK Institutional Summit | Mar 30 | ⏳ Pending Approval | Check email for approval status | | The Privacy Table | Mar 30 | ⏳ Pending Approval | Check email for approval status | | Institutions Onchain | Mar 29 | 💰 Paid Event ($100) | Manual registration required | | The Circle (P2P.org) | Mar 30 | 💰 Paid Event ($10) | Manual registration required | | DeFi Founders Club | Apr 2 | 💰 Paid Event ($3) | Manual registration required | | WalletCon Cannes | Mar 31 | ❌ Failed | Timeout error - retry manually | | Lido Day | Mar 31 | ❌ Failed | No register button - invite only | | Lido Institutional Dinner | Apr 1 | ❌ Failed | Invite only - request access | | Selini Capital Dinner | Apr 1 | ❌ Failed | Invite only - request access |

Immediate Action: Check ric@staex.io inbox for confirmations and manually register for paid events if desired.

Day-by-Day Intelligence

Day 0: Friday, March 29 — Warm-Up Day

Strategy: Light attendance. Get situated in Cannes, make initial contacts, conserve energy for Saturday's marathon.

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 2:00-5:00 PM | Institutions Onchain | MUST | Paid ($100) | 10-hour institutional marathon. Attend opening 3 hours only. Enterprise adoption teams, institutional infrastructure focus. |

Key People to Meet:

  • Institutional DeFi Teams — Focus on compliance, custody, and enterprise blockchain adoption. Recent: MiCA regulation implementation driving institutional urgency. Talking point: "How is your team navigating MiCA's stablecoin provisions ahead of the December 2026 deadline?"

Schedule Recommendation:

  • Morning: Arrive in Cannes, hotel check-in, venue reconnaissance
  • Afternoon (2-5 PM): Institutions Onchain opening sessions
  • Evening: Early dinner, rest for Saturday's 12-hour push

Expected Outcomes: 3-4 warm introductions, venue familiarity

Day 1: Saturday, March 30 — PEAK CAPITAL DAY ⭐⭐⭐

Strategy: This is THE day. 10-12 hours of selective attendance across 8+ events. Most VCs, family offices, and institutional capital concentrate here. Budget energy carefully.

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 10:30 AM-2:30 PM | Policy Roundtable: Token Taxonomy | HIGH | ⏳ Pending | Ultra-intimate (13 attendees). European regulatory expertise. MiCA banking focus. Speakers: Regulatory affairs teams from TradFi institutions. | | 1:00-4:00 PM | Founders & Investors Brunch ⭐ | MUST | Invite-only | ONLY official founder-VC matchmaking. Both sides pre-vetted. 3-hour intimate format. Expected: 5-7 qualified VC conversations. | | 1:00-9:00 PM | DeFi Day | MUST | ✅ Registered | Presented by Aave Labs + The Rollup. Speakers: JPMorgan, Circle, Mastercard, Fireblocks. Attend 1-3 PM + 6-8 PM blocks strategically. | | 4:00-7:00 PM | Family Offices Summit ⭐⭐ | MUST | Manual | 80 family offices, $800B AUM. Michelin-star venue. $5M-50M+ checks. Theme: "Legacy of Leadership - AI x Capital x Tokens." | | 4:00-9:00 PM | ORAK Institutional Summit | MUST | ⏳ Pending | Private vetted institutional summit. 5-hour format. Confirmed: State Street, HSBC, Moody's, PayPal, JPMorgan, Galaxy, a16z. | | 5:00-7:00 PM | VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour ⭐⭐⭐ | MUST | Invite-only | Pure capital allocators ONLY. Zero founders. Highest LP/VC decision-maker density. Expected: 4-6 investor meetings. | | 5:00-11:00 PM | Proof of Liquidity | MUST | Manual | Yield Network + Ink (Kraken L2) co-hosting. Capital formation summit. Institutional liquidity focus. Attend 5-8 PM peak hours. | | 8:00 PM-1:00 AM | Builder Nights | HIGH | Manual | MetaMask, Linea, iExec, Tron, Pudgy, LiFi hosting. 71 attendees. Multi-protocol ecosystem. Attend 8:30-10 PM. | | 9:00 PM-12:00 AM | The Privacy Table | HIGH | ⏳ Pending | Ultra-intimate institutional dinner (25 people). Privacy infrastructure + institutional security focus. | | 9:30 PM-12:00 AM | Consensus Coast Dinner ⭐ | HIGH | Manual | Curated founder-VC matchmaking dinner. 2.5 hours. Intimate setting = substantive conversations. |

Key People to Meet:

  1. Stani Kulechov (Aave Founder/CEO) — Find at DeFi Day

    • Recent: August 2026: Aave crossed $30B TVL ("liquidity is back"). V4 launched March 30 with Avalanche RWA focus. "Aave Will Win" proposal passed April 2026 redirecting 100% revenue to DAO.
    • Talking points: "Congrats on the $30B milestone—what's driving the institutional surge?" / "How is Horizon's $1B RWA target progressing?" / "Thoughts on the V4 hub-and-spoke liquidity model?"

  2. Family Office Allocators — Find at Family Offices Summit

    • Recent: Family offices managing $800B collective AUM focusing on "regenerative investment 2030," AI x capital formation, digital sovereignty, green capital.
    • Talking points: "How are you balancing DeFi exposure with traditional alternatives?" / "What due diligence frameworks are you using for crypto allocations?" / "Are you seeing LP interest in the $50T 'abundance assets' thesis?"

  3. Delphi Ventures Partners — Find at VCs Cocktail, Consensus Dinner

    • Recent: 106 companies, 3 unicorns. Recent investments: $21M (Bluff, Feb 2026), focus on "crypto plus deep tech" across trustless systems, infrastructure, AI, robotics.
    • Talking points: "How is your deep tech thesis evolving with AI agents?" / "What sectors are you prioritizing post-Bluff investment?" / "Thoughts on institutional DeFi vs. consumer crypto in 2026?"

  4. Fabric Ventures Team — Find at ETHCC Networking Mixer (Mar 31)

    • Recent: $100K-$5M checks across pre-seed to Series B. 128 investments. Co-launched UK web3 accelerator with Coinbase + Animoca. Led Loop Crypto stablecoin payment round (Aug 2025).
    • Talking points: "How is the UK accelerator performing?" / "Are you seeing stablecoin infrastructure as a bigger wedge into institutions?" / "What's your AI-DeFi crossover thesis?"

  5. P2P.org & Fireblocks Teams — Find at The Circle (Mar 30)

    • Recent: P2P.org manages $10B+ across 40+ PoS networks, 190+ institutional clients. Fireblocks partnership via ETH-Link API (2026). 2,400+ Fireblocks clients, 80+ banks. Hex Trust Asia partnership (March 2026).
    • Talking points: "How is the Fireblocks ETH-Link integration performing?" / "What's institutional demand looking like for non-Ethereum staking?" / "Thoughts on qualified custody for DeFi yields?"

  6. Kraken Ink Foundation Team — Find at Proof of Liquidity

    • Recent: Ink upgraded to Optimism's OP Enterprise (multi-year deal). TVL: $7M → $450M (Oct 2025 → Feb 2026). $40M estimated ARR. Partners: Curve, Frax, Gelato, LayerZero, Across.
    • Talking points: "Congrats on the Optimism infrastructure deal—why shift ops to them?" / "What's driving the 64x TVL growth?" / "How are you positioning against Base/Arbitrum?"

Saturday Schedule Recommendation:

10:30 AM - 2:30 PM: Policy Roundtable (arrive 10:15 AM, full 4 hours—regulatory intel is critical) Break (2:30-3:00 PM): Real lunch, hydrate 1:00-4:00 PM: Founders & Investors Brunch (overlap with Policy—leave roundtable at 1 PM sharp) 4:00-5:30 PM: Family Offices Summit + ORAK (hit both—they're overlapping timing) 5:00-8:00 PM: VCs Cocktail (5-7 PM) → Proof of Liquidity (7-8 PM) Break (8:00-8:30 PM): Real dinner 8:30-10:00 PM: Builder Nights 9:30 PM-12:00 AM: Consensus Coast Dinner

Energy Management:

  • Eat real meals at 12 PM, 5 PM, 8 PM (not just event snacks)
  • Hydrate constantly (Cannes is warm)
  • 15-min breaks between events to process conversations
  • Arrive early to every event (networking starts 15 min before)

Expected Outcomes: 15-20 qualified conversations, 5-8 serious follow-ups

Day 2: Sunday, March 31 — Quality Over Quantity Day

Strategy: Saturday's crowds thin out. Smaller attendance = higher conversation quality. More strategic, less exhausting.

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 10:30 AM-1:30 PM | Scaling Onchain Finance Breakfast | HIGH | Manual | 3-hour institutional DeFi breakfast. "Real money" focus = actual capital deployment. | | 11:00 AM-9:00 PM | Real-World Asset Summit | MUST | Manual | Full-day RWA summit. Institutional tokenization partnerships. Attend 11 AM-1 PM + 4-6 PM blocks. | | 12:00 PM-8:00 PM | WalletCon Cannes | HIGH | ❌ Retry | 8-hour wallet infrastructure conference. Integration partnerships critical for adoption. | | 1:00-9:00 PM | Lido Day | MUST | ❌ Invite-only | Tier-1 protocol ($30B+ TVL). Staking = institutional capital strategy. Attend 1-4 PM sessions. | | 3:00-7:00 PM | Quantstamp Secret Garden | OPTIONAL | Manual | Security + AI + DeFi focus. AI agents category emerging. | | 6:00-8:00 PM | Private SunDAO Speed Dating | HIGH | Manual | Ultra-rapid investor speed dating format. 12 attendees. 2 hours = 8-12 investor conversations. | | 6:00-9:00 PM | Fabric Ventures Mixer | OPTIONAL | Manual | Fabric Ventures + NextBlock co-hosting. AI + VC + DeFi focus. Alternative to speed dating. | | 9:30-11:30 PM | Infinite Games Soirée ⭐⭐ | MUST | Invite-only | Ultra-elite VC party. Smallest event (16 people) = most selective filter. |

Key People to Meet:

  1. Lido Finance Team — Find at Lido Day

    • Recent: February 2026: Launched institutional stablecoin vaults (USDT/USDC yield). Partnerships: Taurus, Fireblocks (July custody integration). $19.4B TVL, 23% staking market share. $60M budget for expansion beyond staking.
    • Talking points: "How are institutions responding to the stablecoin vaults?" / "What's the Fireblocks custody integration enabling?" / "Plans for the $60M expansion budget—new products coming?"

  2. Maven 11 Partners — Find at VIP events

    • Recent: $350M across 3 funds. 109 portfolio companies, 2 unicorns (Uniswap, 1inch). 2026: Added market-neutral Yield Fund for liquidity/credit/leverage returns. Fund III: $107M.
    • Talking points: "What's the thesis behind the new Yield Fund?" / "How are you thinking about DeFi liquidity vs. CeFi in 2026?" / "Portfolio construction—what % infrastructure vs. apps?"

  3. RWA Protocol Founders — Find at RWA Summit

    • Recent: RWA tokenization is 2026's mega-trend. TOK26 London summit (Jan 2026), $30T tokenization opportunity, Brooklyn summit (Sept 2026), institutional demand surging.
    • Talking points: "What assets are institutions actually tokenizing?" / "How are you navigating MiCA compliance for tokenized securities?" / "Thoughts on the $30T opportunity timeline—realistic?"

Sunday Schedule Recommendation:

10:30 AM-1:00 PM: Scaling Onchain Finance Breakfast 11:00 AM-1:00 PM: RWA Summit opening (overlap with breakfast—leave at 12:30 PM) 1:00-4:00 PM: Lido Day sessions 4:00-6:00 PM: RWA Summit mid-day block Break (6:00-6:30 PM): Light dinner 6:00-8:00 PM: Private SunDAO Speed Dating (rapid-fire investor conversations) Break (8:00-9:30 PM): Real dinner, rest 9:30-11:30 PM: Infinite Games Soirée

Expected Outcomes: 10-15 qualified conversations, 4-6 serious follow-ups

Day 3: Monday, April 1 — Final Push (Selective)

Strategy: Conference winding down. Attend only top-tier remaining events. Many attendees departing.

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 11:00 AM-6:00 PM | Hack Seasons Conference | HIGH | ✅ Registered | 7-hour RWA + DeFi + VC conference. RWA partnerships + VC participation. Attend 1-4 PM core block. | | 1:00-4:00 PM | THE LOCAL Rooftop Brunch ⭐ | MUST | Manual | Premium rooftop venue. 3-hour founder-funder brunch. Daylight = better conversation quality. | | 1:00-3:00 PM | Investor x Founder Beachclub | MUST | Manual | Premium beachfront. 28 attendees. Intimate setting. Alternative/overlap with THE LOCAL. | | 9:00-11:00 PM | Lido Institutional VIP Dinner | HIGH | ❌ Invite-only | Ultra-intimate (16 people). Tier-1 protocol institutional dinner. Request access. | | 9:00-11:00 PM | Proof of Liquidity VIP Dinner | HIGH | Manual | Yield Network + INK + Funders. Institutional DeFi + RWA focus. | | 9:30-11:30 PM | Selini Capital x Areta Dinner ⭐⭐⭐ | CRITICAL | ❌ Invite-only | Ultra-intimate (14 people). Highest ROI/minute. Curated capital allocators. Request access urgently. |

Key People to Meet:

  1. Selini Capital Team — Find at Selini x Areta Dinner (if access granted)

    • Recent: Multi-strategy digital asset fund (founded 2021, NYC). 2026: 16 investments in 2025, ongoing 2026 activity. Portfolio: DeFi (16.95%), DEX (11.86%), Infrastructure (11.86%), AI (3.39%). Recent: Neuramint, Arbelos Markets.
    • Talking points: "What's driving your AI investments thesis?" / "How do you balance systematic trading vs. venture exposure?" / "Thoughts on infrastructure vs. application layer in 2026?"

  2. Masterkey VC Team — Find at brunch events

    • Recent: Tel Aviv-based (founded 2021). Early-stage Web3 infrastructure + deep tech. Focus: Promising entrepreneurs who built crypto space. Recent: Eureka Builder (June 2025), Ethereum infrastructure projects.
    • Talking points: "How is your Tel Aviv crypto ecosystem developing?" / "What's your hands-on support model for portfolio companies?" / "Cryptography + cybersecurity focus—thesis on ZK/FHE?"

  3. Institutional RWA Buyers — Find at Hack Seasons

    • Recent: Institutional appetite for RWA tokenization exploding. Banks piloting Linea zkEVM (SWIFT integration). Maple Finance integrated Ink L2 (May 2026, $3.8B AUM access).
    • Talking points: "What asset classes are you prioritizing for tokenization?" / "How are you thinking about custody for tokenized securities?" / "MiCA compliance timeline concerns?"

Monday Schedule Recommendation:

11:00 AM-1:00 PM: Hack Seasons Conference opening 1:00-4:00 PM: THE LOCAL Rooftop Brunch (full 3 hours—this is premium) Break (4:00-6:00 PM): Afternoon rest Light evening attendance: If energy permits and you secure invite to Selini Dinner 9:30-11:30 PM: Selini Capital x Areta Dinner (if access granted—HIGHEST PRIORITY)

Expected Outcomes: 6-10 qualified conversations, 3-5 serious follow-ups

Day 4: Tuesday, April 2 — Conference Tail End

Strategy: Minimal attendance. Only decision-makers remain. Pick 1-2 events maximum.

Priority Events:

| Time | Event | Tier | Registration | Why Go | |------|-------|------|--------------|---------| | 11:30 AM-8:00 PM | Pragma Cannes | OPTIONAL | Manual | 8.5-hour infrastructure/DeFi/institutional conference. Attend 2-4 PM if infrastructure-focused. | | 6:00-11:00 PM | DeFi Founders Club ⭐ | HIGH | 💰 Paid ($3) | Founder-only event. Day 4 = highest-quality founders remain. 5 hours, decision-makers only. | | 7:00-11:00 PM | Pre-afterparty Cheese & Wine | OPTIONAL | Manual | ChainSecurity + Frankencoin. DeFi + Security + RWA. 31 attendees. Casual close-out. |

Tuesday Schedule Recommendation:

Morning/Afternoon: Rest, process contacts, send follow-up messages 6:00-11:00 PM: DeFi Founders Club (if founder-focused networking still valuable) Alternative: Depart Cannes Tuesday morning

Expected Outcomes: 3-5 conversations OR departure day

Days 5-6: Wednesday-Thursday, April 3-4 — SKIP

Strategy: Conference over. Only attend if you have confirmed 1:1 meetings with specific individuals.

Top 10 Founders & Investors to Meet

1. Stani Kulechov — Aave Founder/CEO

  • Why: Controls $30B TVL DeFi protocol. V4 launched March 30. Institutional RWA expansion via Horizon ($1B target).
  • Recent: August 2026: "Liquidity is back" announcement at $30B milestone. "Aave Will Win" governance passed (100% revenue to DAO). Aavenomics 3.0 incoming with buyback mechanism.
  • Find at: DeFi Day (March 30)
  • Talking points:
    • "The V4 hub-and-spoke model—how does liquidity routing work across chains?"
    • "Horizon's $1B institutional target—what's the current run rate?"
    • "Your $50T 'abundance assets' thesis—practical timeline?"

2. Delphi Ventures Partners (Piers Kicks, Tom Shaughnessy)

  • Why: 106 companies, 3 unicorns, $150M fund. "Crypto plus deep tech" thesis across DeFi, L1/L2, AI, robotics.
  • Recent: $21M Bluff investment (Feb 2026). Focus: Trustless systems, infrastructure, intelligence, atomic tech.
  • Find at: VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour (March 30), Consensus Dinner
  • Talking points:
    • "How is your robotics thesis playing out in crypto context?"
    • "Deep tech—what's the wedge between crypto-native and TradFi crossover?"
    • "Portfolio construction: What % infrastructure vs. consumer apps?"

3. Fabric Ventures Team (Richard Muirhead, Max Mersch)

  • Why: 128 investments, pre-seed to Series B. UK web3 accelerator with Coinbase + Animoca. Loop Crypto stablecoin payments lead investor.
  • Recent: Kulipa investment (April 2026). 5 new investments in last 12 months. Focus: Web3, blockchain, DeFi, gaming, AI, fintech.
  • Find at: ETHCC Networking Mixer (March 31, 6-9 PM)
  • Talking points:
    • "UK accelerator with Coinbase—what's the thesis behind European builders?"
    • "Stablecoin payments via Loop—wedge into institutions or consumers?"
    • "Gaming investments—sustainable business models emerging?"

4. P2P.org Leadership (Alex Esin, CSO)

  • Why: $10B+ staked across 40+ PoS networks. 190+ institutional clients. Fireblocks ETH-Link integration.
  • Recent: March 2026: Hosted "The Circle" with AMINA Bank + Fireblocks. Northstake partnership (Feb 2026). Fireblocks ETH/SOL staking integration.
  • Find at: The Circle (March 30, 8:30 PM-12 AM)
  • Talking points:
    • "ETH-Link API with Fireblocks—what's institutional uptake?"
    • "Solana staking demand from institutions vs. Ethereum?"
    • "Restaking vs. liquid staking—where's institutional appetite?"

5. Fireblocks Institutional Team

  • Why: 2,400+ clients, 80+ banks. $450M Ink L2 TVL partner. Hex Trust Asia integration (March 2026).
  • Recent: March 2026: Hex Trust partnership (Asia/Middle East regulatory entry). June 2026: Figment staking partnership. Mastercard + Visa stablecoin pilots.
  • Find at: The Circle (March 30), DeFi Day, Family Offices Summit
  • Talking points:
    • "Hex Trust partnership—how does regulated custody differ across jurisdictions?"
    • "Institutional DeFi—are banks actually deploying or just testing?"
    • "MPC vs. MPC-TSS vs. smart contract wallets—what are institutions standardizing on?"

6. Kraken Ink Foundation Team

  • Why: Fastest-growing L2: $7M → $450M TVL in 4 months. Optimism OP Enterprise multi-year deal. $40M estimated ARR.
  • Recent: 2026: Upgraded to Optimism-managed infrastructure. Partnerships: Curve, Frax, Gelato, LayerZero, Across, Maple Finance ($3.8B AUM).
  • Find at: Proof of Liquidity (March 30, 5-11 PM)
  • Talking points:
    • "Outsourcing infrastructure to Optimism—why not self-operate?"
    • "64x TVL growth—what's the retention vs. airdrop farming split?"
    • "Kraken's institutional custody—how does Ink integrate with exchange flows?"

7. Maven 11 Partners

  • Why: $350M across 3 funds. 109 companies, 2 unicorns (Uniswap, 1inch). New market-neutral Yield Fund (2026).
  • Recent: 2026: Launched Yield Fund transforming crypto liquidity/credit/leverage into income returns. Fund III: $107M. Recent: Utexo (March 2026 seed).
  • Find at: Sunday Padel Club (March 29), VIP investor events
  • Talking points:
    • "Yield Fund thesis—structural vs. directional alpha?"
    • "European vs. Asia crypto allocations—where's better risk/reward?"
    • "DeFi infrastructure maturity—are protocols finally profitable?"

8. Lido Finance Team (Konstantin Lomashuk, Maria Magenes)

  • Why: $19.4B TVL, 23% Ethereum staking market share. Institutional stablecoin vaults. $60M expansion budget.
  • Recent: Feb 2026: Launched institutional stablecoin vaults (USDT/USDC). Partnerships: Taurus, Fireblocks. July 2026: Fireblocks custody integration for stETH collateral.
  • Find at: Lido Day (March 31, 1-9 PM), Lido Institutional VIP Dinner (April 1)
  • Talking points:
    • "Stablecoin vaults—are institutions actually deploying or just testing?"
    • "23% market share—regulatory risk of concentration?"
    • "$60M expansion—what products beyond staking?"

9. Selini Capital Team

  • Why: Multi-strategy (systematic trading + liquidity provision + venture). Recent: Neuramint, Arbelos Markets investments.
  • Recent: 2026: Ongoing investments across AI, DeFi, infrastructure, identity/ZK. Portfolio: 16.95% DeFi, 11.86% DEX, 11.86% infrastructure, 3.39% AI.
  • Find at: Selini Capital x Areta Dinner (April 1, 9:30-11:30 PM) — REQUEST ACCESS
  • Talking points:
    • "How do you balance systematic trading volatility vs. venture illiquidity?"
    • "AI investments—infrastructure layer or application layer?"
    • "Market making—how has DeFi liquidity matured vs. 2021?"

10. Masterkey VC Team (Ran Goldi)

  • Why: Tel Aviv early-stage fund. Focus: Promising entrepreneurs who built crypto space. Hands-on support, cryptography/cybersecurity expertise.
  • Recent: June 2025: Eureka Builder investment. 2026: Ethereum infrastructure, DeFi/staking platforms. 10 portfolio companies.
  • Find at: Breakfast with Friends by Masterkey VC (March 30 + April 1, 1-3 PM)
  • Talking points:
    • "Tel Aviv crypto ecosystem—how does it compare to SF/London/Singapore?"
    • "Hands-on support model—what does that look like in practice?"
    • "Cryptography focus—ZK vs. FHE vs. TEE investment thesis?"

Networking Strategy

Best Events for BD Partnerships

If building protocol integrations, liquidity partnerships, or infrastructure collaborations:

  1. Proof of Liquidity (Mar 30, 5-11 PM) — Yield Network + Ink. Liquidity providers + protocol ecosystem. Hit 5-8 PM.
  2. DeFi Day (Mar 30, 1-9 PM) — Aave, JPMorgan, Circle, Mastercard, Fireblocks. Hit 1-3 PM + 6-8 PM blocks.
  3. Real-World Asset Summit (Mar 31, full day) — Tokenization partnerships. Hit 11 AM-1 PM + 4-6 PM.
  4. WalletCon (Mar 31, 12-8 PM) — Wallet integration partnerships (retry registration).
  5. Lido Day (Mar 31, 1-9 PM) — Staking ecosystem. Hit 1-4 PM sessions.

Strategy:

  • Prepare 1-pager on partnership value
  • Research 15 specific protocols beforehand
  • Target specific teams at protocol-specific events
  • Ask specific technical questions (not generic pitches)
  • Expected: 10-15 partnership conversations, 3-5 serious follow-ups

Best Events for Meeting VCs/Investors

If fundraising or seeking capital:

  1. VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour (Mar 30, 5-7 PM) — Pure capital allocators, zero founders
  2. Founders & Investors Brunch (Mar 30, 1-4 PM) — Curated 1:1 matchmaking
  3. Family Offices Summit (Mar 30, 4-7 PM) — 80 family offices, $800B AUM
  4. ORAK Institutional Summit (Mar 30, 4-9 PM) — Vetted institutional-only
  5. Infinite Games Soirée (Mar 31, 9:30-11:30 PM) — Ultra-elite (16 people)
  6. Selini Capital Dinner (Apr 1, 9:30-11:30 PM) — Ultra-intimate (14 people) — REQUEST ACCESS
  7. Consensus Coast Dinner (Mar 30, 9:30 PM-12 AM) — Founder-VC dinner
  8. Private SunDAO Speed Dating (Mar 31, 6-8 PM) — Rapid-fire investor meetings

Strategy:

  • Research 20 specific VCs ahead of time
  • Request warm intros 1 week before (via mutual connections)
  • Plan 3-4 VC meetings per day (not more—quality over quantity)
  • Prepare 3-min pitch + 1-pager
  • Follow up within 8 hours of each conversation
  • Expected: 8-12 investor conversations, 3-5 serious follow-ups

Best Events for Meeting Protocol Founders

If seeking founder peer network, talent, or co-founder:

  1. DeFi Founders Club (Apr 2, 6-11 PM) — Founder-only, day 4 = highest quality
  2. DeFi Day (Mar 30, 1-9 PM) — Protocol leaders (Aave, etc.)
  3. Builder Nights (Mar 30, 8 PM-1 AM) — MetaMask, Linea, iExec, Tron builders
  4. Lido Day (Mar 31, 1-9 PM) — Staking ecosystem founders
  5. Hack Seasons (Apr 1, 11 AM-6 PM) — RWA builders + VC participation

Strategy:

  • Target specific protocols (not random networking)
  • Prepare 2-3 specific questions per protocol
  • Aim for 15-20 minute conversations
  • Exchange Telegram/Signal (not just Twitter)
  • Expected: 8-12 founder conversations, 3-5 long-term relationships

Peak Networking Time Slots

Saturday Evening (7:00 PM - 12:00 AM) — HIGHEST DENSITY

Overlapping events create massive optionality:

  • Proof of Liquidity (5-11 PM)
  • Builder Nights (8 PM-1 AM)
  • The Privacy Table (9 PM-12 AM)
  • Consensus Coast Dinner (9:30 PM-12 AM)
  • The Circle (8:30 PM-12 AM)

Optimal Path:

  • 5:00-8:00 PM: Proof of Liquidity
  • 8:00-8:30 PM: Break, real dinner
  • 8:30-9:30 PM: Builder Nights
  • 9:30 PM-12:00 AM: Consensus Coast Dinner

Result: 4 events, 7 hours, 12-18 conversations

Sunday Extended Window (3:00 PM - 12:00 AM) — HIGH QUALITY

Smaller crowds = better conversations:

  • RWA Summit (11 AM-9 PM)
  • Lido Day (1-9 PM)
  • SunDAO Speed Dating (6-8 PM)
  • Fabric Ventures Mixer (6-9 PM)
  • Infinite Games Soirée (9:30-11:30 PM)

Optimal Path:

  • 4:00-6:00 PM: RWA Summit
  • 6:00-8:00 PM: SunDAO Speed Dating (rapid investor meetings)
  • 8:00-9:30 PM: Break, real dinner
  • 9:30-11:30 PM: Infinite Games Soirée (ultra-exclusive)

Result: 3 events, 5.5 hours, 10-15 conversations

Conversation Starters & Hot Topics

Universal Openers (Works at Any Event)

  1. "What's your take on the institutional custody battle—Fireblocks vs. Anchorage vs. Coinbase Prime?"

    • Context: Fireblocks just added Hex Trust (Asia), partnered with Mastercard/Visa for stablecoin settlement

  2. "Are you seeing real RWA tokenization deals or just pilots?"

    • Context: $30T tokenization opportunity, TOK26 London summit, MiCA compliance driving urgency

  3. "Thoughts on Aave's $30B milestone—is institutional liquidity actually back?"

    • Context: Stani Kulechov announced Aug 2026, V4 launched March 30 with Avalanche RWA focus

  4. "How are you navigating MiCA's December 2026 stablecoin deadline?"

    • Context: European regulatory urgency, banks/family offices need compliant stablecoin strategies

  5. "What's your AI agents thesis—infrastructure layer or application layer?"

    • Context: Emerging category at EthCC (Build X, Quantstamp events), Delphi/Fabric investing

For VCs/Investors

  1. "Portfolio construction—what % DeFi vs. infrastructure vs. consumer apps in 2026?"
  2. "Are you seeing sustainable business models in DeFi, or is it still token emissions?"
  3. "How has your diligence process changed post-FTX?"
  4. "Thoughts on liquid staking derivatives—Lido at 23% market share, regulatory risk?"
  5. "European vs. Asia vs. US crypto allocations—where's better risk/reward?"

For Protocol Founders

  1. "How are you thinking about go-to-market for institutional vs. retail?"
  2. "V4 upgrade strategies—how do you migrate liquidity without fragmenting?"
  3. "What's your moat against forks? Is it just liquidity network effects?"
  4. "How do you balance DAO governance vs. execution speed?"
  5. "Restaking vs. liquid staking—where's the better risk-adjusted yield?"

For Institutional Buyers (Family Offices, Banks)

  1. "What custody solution are you standardizing on? MPC vs. smart contract wallets?"
  2. "How are you thinking about DeFi exposure—direct protocol interaction or structured products?"
  3. "What's your due diligence timeline for new allocations?"
  4. "Stablecoin vaults (Lido, Aave Horizon)—are you actually deploying or just testing?"
  5. "How do you balance crypto allocation vs. traditional alternatives (PE, VC, hedge funds)?"

Logistics & Venue Clustering

Event Clustering by Location

Palais des Festivals (Main EthCC Venue):

  • DeFi Day, WalletCon, Policy Roundtable
  • Strategy: These are co-located. Easy to hop between.

Hotels & Villas (Carlton, Martinez, Private Villas):

  • Family Offices Summit, ORAK, The Circle, Infinite Games Soirée, Lido Dinners
  • Strategy: Spread across Cannes. Budget 10-15 min taxi between venues.

Beach/Outdoor:

  • RWA Summit, Proof of Liquidity, Builder Nights
  • Strategy: Outdoor events = weather-dependent. Bring layers (Cannes evenings can be cool).

Travel Time Between Venues

  • Palais des Festivals ↔ Carlton Hotel: 10 min walk / 5 min taxi
  • Carlton ↔ Martinez: 8 min walk / 4 min taxi
  • Palais ↔ Private Villas (hills): 15-20 min taxi
  • Beach venues ↔ Palais: 5-10 min walk

Optimization:

  • Cluster events by location when possible
  • Budget 15-min buffer between non-adjacent venues
  • Use taxi apps: Uber, Bolt, local cabs

Expected Outcomes by Profile

| Your Profile | Events to Attend | Time Investment | Expected Meetings | Follow-up Timeline | |--------------|------------------|-----------------|-------------------|--------------------| | Founder Fundraising | Top 10 (MUST-ATTEND tier) | 20-25 hours | 8-12 investors | 3-6 months to term sheet | | BD/Partnership | Top 14 (MUST + HIGH tiers) | 25-30 hours | 10-15 partnerships | 6-12 months to revenue | | Institutional Investor | Top 10 (capital-focused) | 15-20 hours | 8-12 founders | 3-6 months due diligence | | Protocol Leader | Top 12 (builder-focused) | 20-25 hours | 8-12 partnerships | 2-3 months to pilot |

ROI from Perfect Execution

  • $10M-100M+ in potential partnership/funding value
  • 2-3 strategic relationships that become permanent
  • 1-2 deals that close in subsequent 6-12 months

This is what elite operators do. Focus ruthlessly on quality over quantity.

Final Checklist

Before You Go

  • [ ] Check ric@staex.io for registration confirmations (DeFi Day, Hack Seasons, Policy Roundtable, ORAK, Privacy Table)
  • [ ] Request access to invite-only events: VCs Cocktail, Founders Brunch, Infinite Games, Selini Dinner, Lido Dinner
  • [ ] Manually register for paid events if desired: Institutions Onchain ($100), The Circle ($10), DeFi Founders Club ($3)
  • [ ] Retry WalletCon registration (timeout error)
  • [ ] Research 20 specific VCs, 15 specific protocols beforehand
  • [ ] Request warm intros via mutual connections (1 week before)
  • [ ] Prepare 3-min pitch + 1-pager (digital + printed)
  • [ ] Book hotels near Palais des Festivals or Carlton cluster
  • [ ] Download taxi apps: Uber, Bolt

Day-Of Essentials

  • [ ] Business cards (200+)
  • [ ] Portable charger (events run late)
  • [ ] Water bottle (hydration critical for 12-hour days)
  • [ ] Notebook for follow-up notes
  • [ ] Layers (Cannes evenings cool down)
  • [ ] Comfortable shoes (walking between venues)

Follow-Up Protocol

  • [ ] Send follow-up messages within 8 hours of each conversation
  • [ ] Tag contacts in CRM: VC, Founder, BD, Institutional
  • [ ] Schedule 2-week follow-up calls before leaving Cannes
  • [ ] Document key takeaways after each event (same day)

Sources & References

  1. EthCC 9 VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour - Sero
  2. Family Offices & Investors Summit Cannes - Luma
  3. Proof of Liquidity by Yield Network & Ink - Luma
  4. DeFi Day Cannes - Aave announcement on X
  5. ORAK Institutional Summit Miami - Luma
  6. Lido Finance Institutional Stablecoin Vaults - FinanceFeeds
  7. Lido Outlines $60M Expansion Plan - The Defiant
  8. P2P.org Integrates with Fireblocks via ETH-Link
  9. Aave V4 Launch & 2026 Roadmap - ByDFI
  10. Aave Deposits Reach $30B - KuCoin
  11. Stani Kulechov on Aave V4 and RWAs - The Block
  12. Kraken Ink Upgrades to Optimism OP Enterprise - The Block
  13. Ink Ecosystem Gains Maple Finance Partnership - Bitcoin News
  14. Fireblocks and Hex Trust Partnership
  15. Fireblocks Review 2026 - Stablecoin Insider
  16. MetaMask Parent Consensys Taps Wall Street for IPO - CoinMarketCap
  17. ConsenSys Deep Dive: MetaMask, Linea Infrastructure - BlockEden
  18. Delphi Ventures Portfolio 2026 - Tracxn
  19. Fabric Ventures Investment Portfolio - Waveup
  20. Maven 11 Capital Portfolio - Tracxn
  21. Selini Capital Investment Profile - CryptoRank
  22. Masterkey VC Portfolio - Crypto-Fundraising
  23. RWA Summit Global Series
  24. Real-World Asset Summit Cannes 2026
  25. Institutional DeFi Is Already The Default In 2026 - FinanceFeeds