The Most Promising Startups in Web3 Are Pitching at the Louvre in Front of a World-Class Jury
PARIS, May 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Proof of Pitch, the official startup competition of Proof of Talk organized by X Ventures and hosted by Spectrum, will return to the Louvre Palace in Paris on June 2 and 3, 2026, for its fourth and most ambitious edition to date. Held as part of Proof of Talk, gathering together the core 2500 leaders in digital assets and AI , the competition will once again bring together high-potential early-stage Web3 startups, top-tier venture investors, and strategic ecosystem partners in one of the world’s most iconic venues. Over two days, founders will take part in live pitches designed to deliver investor access and high-value exposure.
Proof of Pitch is built to connect promising teams with the investors and ecosystem partners best placed to support their next stage of growth. A curated group of startups selected from a global applicant pool will pitch live before senior figures from across the digital asset landscape. Now in its fourth edition, Proof of Pitch has established itself as a flagship recurring program within Proof of Talk’s annual calendar.
Multiple tracks will shape the 2026 edition. A dedicated Canton Network track and Bittensor track will run alongside the main competition, giving founders broader visibility and targeted investor access.
Top-tier investors and ecosystem leaders join the jury
Proof of Pitch brings together one of the strongest investor juries in today’s digital assets competition landscape, giving founders direct access to capital allocators actively shaping the market.
The lineup includes Rob Hadick of Dragonfly, whose firm closed a $650 million Fund IV in February 2026, and Diogo Monica of Haun Ventures, which announced a new $1 billion fund in May. It also includes Andy Tang of Draper Associates, a firm with $2 billion in assets under management and more than 60 unicorns in its portfolio, and Leeor Groen of Spartan, one of the most established names in crypto investing (171 portfolio investments and 7 unicorns, including Consensys and Animoca Brands).
A prize package built to create real momentum
Proof of Pitch 2026 will offer a partner-backed prize package designed to create practical momentum after the lights go down. The package will include AWS cloud credits, a smart contract audit from Softstack, legal and structuring support from Simplicity Group, and media coverage from Cointelegraph, along with track-specific rewards from Canton Network and Bittensor partners. BPI joins as ecosystem partner, Bitpanda as exchange partner, and INPUT Global as PR partner.
Spectrum will serve as the main partner hosting the competition and will also provide up to $100,000 in blockchain infrastructure support. Its contribution includes a one-year Business Plan for first place, a six-month Business Plan for second place, a three-month Business Plan for all finalists, a one-month Growth Plan for every startup competition entrant, and three 30-minute consultancy sessions for finalists and winners, redeemable within one year.
The competition with post-stage proof
Proof of Pitch enters its fourth edition with a track record that gives the platform credibility well beyond event day. The competition’s previous winners have gone on to raise significant follow-on capital, turning the stage into a clear signal for investors and ecosystem participants watching for the next breakout company.
Redstone, the 2023 winner, raised a $15 million Series A with backing from Arrington, Spartan, and Amber. Usual, the 2024 winner, went on to raise a $10 million Series A with support from YZi, Coinbase Ventures, and Galaxy. Accountable, the 2025 winner, followed with a $7.5 million Series A backed by Pantera and OKX.
“Proof of Pitch was instrumental in connecting us with Pantera, who led our $7.5M round,” said Wojtek Pawlowski, Co-Founder of Accountable and a Proof of Pitch winner.
Built to surface the next generation of Web3 leaders, Proof of Pitch is designed to give founders high-signal exposure, real capital opportunities, and ecosystem access in one of the world’s most iconic venues. As Proof of Talk’s official startup competition, Proof of Pitch has become a reliable launchpad for founders turning early conviction into real companies. On June 2 and 3, 2026, Paris will once again bring together the founders, investors, and partners helping define Web3’s next chapter.
About Proof of Talk
Proof of Talk is known as the Davos of Web3, held annually at the Louvre Palace in Paris. It convenes the most senior decision-makers in digital assets, finance, policy, and media under one roof, with no pay-to-speak, a journalist-led agenda, and back-to-back sold-out editions. Alongside the public agenda, the event has become a place where partnerships are formed, deas are tested, and some of the industry’s more serious discussions happen face to face.
About X Ventures
X Ventures is a Germany-based digital assets investment fund dedicated to supporting and empowering entrepreneurs in the Web3 industry. Alongside its investment activities, X Ventures founded X-School, aiming to provide accessible education to future leaders worldwide.
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