Paris Blockchain Week 2026 Travel Guide
Paris Blockchain Week has become one of the most important Web3 events in Europe, bringing together founders, investors, developers, and infrastructure teams from across the global blockchain ecosystem. Each year, thousands of participants gather to discuss the future of decentralised technology, explore new partnerships, and showcase emerging projects. This coming April, the Spectrum team will be attending Paris Blockchain Week 2026, joining builders, startups, and investors from across the industry.
This guide explains what Paris Blockchain Week is, when and where it takes place, who typically attends, and how startups can participate in the competition.
What Is Paris Blockchain Week?
Paris Blockchain Week is one of the largest blockchain conferences in Europe, attracting thousands of participants from across the Web3 industry. Over several days, the event hosts keynote presentations, panel discussions, technical workshops, and networking sessions covering a wide range of blockchain related topics.
Because of its scale and industry participation, Paris Blockchain Week has become a key meeting point for companies building across the blockchain ecosystem. Infrastructure providers, protocol teams, venture capital firms, exchanges, and startups all attend to explore partnerships and share insights about the evolving Web3 landscape.
When and Where Paris Blockchain Week Takes Place
Taking place in Paris, France, Paris Blockchain Week 2026 will be hosted at the Carrousel du Louvre. This venue sits directly beneath the Louvre Museum and is within walking distance of many major landmarks, making it one of the most recognisable conference locations in the city.
Although the official dates of the conference are the 15 and 16 of April 2026, the conference will be surrounded by a broader programme of industry gatherings across the city, which include private meetups, ecosystem events, a VIP Dinner and Hack TheBlock, all running throughout the same week. Considering this, and also considering that Paris Blockchain Week attracts many international participants, we suggest that you arrive a few days earlier to make the most of the conference and the side events.
Paris Blockchain Week Side Events and Networking Opportunities
While the main conference draws thousands of attendees, many participants consider the surrounding Paris Blockchain Week side events to be just as valuable for networking and industry discussions.
Alongside the primary conference sessions, the event hosts a range of on site forums and curated gatherings that focus on specific areas of the digital asset ecosystem. These smaller sessions provide opportunities for deeper conversations between founders, investors, and infrastructure providers.
Some of the official on site side events scheduled during the week include:
Bitcoin Treasury Forum
A dedicated forum exploring institutional Bitcoin allocation strategies and treasury management. Discussions typically focus on how large organisations integrate Bitcoin into corporate balance sheets and long term financial planning.
Stablecoin and Payment Infrastructure Track
A session examining the evolution of digital payment systems and stablecoin infrastructure. Topics often include settlement layers, payment rails, and the role of blockchain networks in financial infrastructure.
Investing at an Institutional Scale
A discussion track focused on large scale digital asset deployment, risk management frameworks, and the growing participation of institutional capital in crypto markets.
These structured side events complement the main conference agenda and often create a more relaxed environment for meaningful conversations. Founders frequently use these sessions to discuss partnerships, investors explore early stage opportunities, and infrastructure providers exchange insights about scaling blockchain systems.
The Start in Block Startup Competition
One of the most anticipated elements of Paris Blockchain Week is the Start in Block startup competition, which provides early stage Web3 companies with the opportunity to pitch their ideas to investors and industry leaders.
The competition focuses on identifying promising blockchain startups and giving them exposure to venture capital firms and ecosystem partners. Participating teams typically present their technology, explain their business model, and outline their roadmap for growth.
Startups that participate gain several advantages:
- visibility among investors and venture capital firms
- exposure to the broader Web3 ecosystem
- opportunities to form strategic partnerships
To be eligible, startups must generally meet the following criteria:
- the company must be less than 5 years old
- total funding raised must be below 5 million USD
- the project must be building in the blockchain or Web3 space
For many early stage teams, the competition provides a rare opportunity to present their work directly to investors and industry leaders in a highly visible setting.
The DeFAI Track Led by Spectrum
As part of the startup competition programme, this year Spectrum will lead the DeFAI track, which focuses on startups exploring the intersection between artificial intelligence and decentralised technologies.
The DeFAI track highlights projects combining:
- decentralised finance systems
- artificial intelligence models
- blockchain infrastructure
This growing sector reflects a broader trend within Web3 where teams are experimenting with combining AI driven applications with decentralised infrastructure, and startups participating in this track compete for a prize pool valued at approximately €100,000 which includes support, exposure, and ecosystem opportunities.
Startups interested in participating in the competition can submit their application through the official form, while developers who are interested in learning more about Spectrum may explore Spectrum's documentation.
Meet the Jury
The Start in Block competition is evaluated by a panel of experienced industry professionals drawn from across the Web3 ecosystem. This year’s jury includes:
- Tomasz Stańczak
- Cosmin Staicu
- Samiz Bayan
- Matthew Felice Pace
Each member of the jury brings expertise from different areas of the blockchain industry, including venture investment, infrastructure development, and protocol research. Their role is to evaluate startup submissions and identify projects that demonstrate strong technical innovation, realistic business models, and meaningful contributions to the blockchain ecosystem.
Meet the Spectrum Team at Paris Blockchain Week
Members of our team will be attending Paris Blockchain Week 2026 and will be participating in discussions across the ecosystem. If you are building a project within Web3 and what to connect, we encourage you to contact us to set a meeting. Furthermore, if you are interested in learning more about spectrum, you may find the below resources useful: