The European Blockchain Convention (EBC) has been a cornerstone in connecting the blockchain ecosystem in Europe for the past six years. Born with a mission to accelerate the blockchain ecosystem on the continent, EBC has grown exponentially since its inception in 2018 in Barcelona. Over the years, it has welcomed thousands of attendees, including leading speakers and the most innovative startups in the blockchain and crypto space. Its diverse audience, comprising founders, investors, regulators, developers, corporations, and many more, converge annually to learn, draw inspiration, and foster connections.
Fast forward to the second half of 2023, with a staggering 5,000 attendees and 300 speakers, the convention returned to Barcelona, bigger and better than ever. The two-day event was nothing short of spectacular, offering attendees a chance to experience three stages, a bustling exhibition area, startup competitions, parties, and so much more.
Amidst the sea of innovation and knowledge, the TrustChain project made its mark at the convention. Memories from the 9th edition of EBC are still fresh, with the vibrant blockchain community showcasing intriguing use cases and sharing optimistic views about the future.
TrustChain, along with the TruBlo project, stood as two notable Next Generation Internet (NGI) initiatives. Both projects had the chance to share their progress and the opportunities they bring to the table. TrustChain’s stand at the convention was a hub of activity. Attendees had the chance to delve deeper into the project, meet the innovators behind it, and understand the cascade projects’ workings. Moreover, the Trublo.eu innovators presented their work, shedding light on why one should consider joining their upcoming Open Calls.
By the second day of the convention, the TrustChain team was in full swing, providing more details about their project, networking with new startups, and promoting their innovators. As the event neared its conclusion, there was a palpable rush to meet the team at the NGI TrustChain/TruBlo stand.
As a special part of TrustChain activities at the convention, the project team was gathering more insight and trying to learn more about the startups, researchers, developer, entrepreneurs & SMEs looking for funding. By reversing the approach and offering the funding, we wanted to know why they should be funded – in their own words!
Here are some findings:
- Most of the teams consist of either one or 2 persons (59%) whereas 41% are 3-11 members big. There were no participants that were part of teams bigger than 11 members.
- Most of the teams are based in the EU (76%) while the other are positioned in Europe and or globally.
- Applying the levels of Technology Readiness by the EU Commission, the participants had to mark the TRL of their idea/product. The findings are following:
It is important to highlight that most of the teams are varying between just being founded and being 2 years “old”. Nonetheless, most of the participants also marked to have more than a decade in their respective industries.
Lastly, we learned that we were at the right spot to spread the word about EU-funded projects as most of the participants have not heard of and/or participated in such project before! This is a valuable lesson not only for TrustChain but for other projects as well as events that focusing more on equity-free opportunities and reliable funding & mentoring schemes is definitely necessary!
In retrospect, the European Blockchain Convention was a monumental event that provided TrustChain with a platform to share, learn, and connect. For those who missed the opportunity to engage with TrustChain at EBC, fret not. Stay tuned and follow TrustChain on social media and their official website to learn more about their upcoming Open Calls and be a part of their exciting journey!
