Proof of Talk 2023

Paris, June 19th 2023 – Over 1,500+ attendees, VCs, founders, start-ups, industry leaders, students, developers coming from Asia, Europe and the US gathered in Paris for the Proof of Talk Summit. In a rapidly evolving and challenging crypto landscape, they discussed the pressing issues and opportunities to shape a better future for the Web3 space.‌

As a result of these two days of intensive talks, the Proof of Talk constitution was presented, 10 commitments to truly revolutionize the Web3 industry: transparency, community engagement, education, ethical conduct, best practices, collaboration, inclusivity, long-term vision, accountability, and advocating for positive change.

‌“These two days of talks have shown us that the Web3 industry, which is based on a strong sense of community, shared leadership and transparency, is ready to move to the next stage.”, 

said Zohair Dehnadi, Co-Founder & Partner, X Ventures who organized the Summit.‌

Learning from the past to build the future of Web3

“We are at a crossroads right now, not only in the industry, but in the world as a whole. How we forge the path forward as pioneers in this paradigm shift is crucial”,

highlighted Megan Nilson, the conference MC when introducing the conversation.

‌Among the key takeaways from the 100+ speakers from all sides of the industry and beyond who joined, Yat Siu, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of Animoca Brands emphasized that:

 “People joining your vision are joining something bigger than their own. Just like education, which touches all of us, NFTs provide a great way to develop new opportunities. Teachers deserve to make more money, and one potential avenue could be through NFTs in the educational sector.“‌

When discussing decentralization, Pascal Gauthier, CEO of Ledger pointed out that:

“Interestingly, in the realm of crypto, the playing field is different. Unlike other sectors, it is the first domain where the United States and China are not leading due to regulatory constraints. This presents a unique opportunity for Europe, marking the first time it is not losing the game but actively participating and shaping the future.”‌

Among the main takeaways from conversations with Neil-Cunha-Gomes (Head of EMEA Fintech, Softbank Vision Fund), Nicolas Louvet (CEO, Coinhouse), Kate Levchuk (Institutional Sales, CEX.IO), Ivan De Lastours (Blockchain/Crypto Lead, BPI France), James Tromans (Director, Google Cloud Web3), David Uhryniak (Director of Ecosystem Development, Tron), Alexis du Peloux (Partner, XAnge), Alex Odagiu (Investment Director, Binance Labs), Christian Rau (Senior VP Fintech and Crypto Enablement Europe, Mastercard), Elise Yoshida (Digital and Web3 Communications Director, Christian Louboutin), Caroline Malcom (VP Global Public Policy, Chainalysis), Joseph Collement (General Counsel, http://Bitcoin.com ), Kunal Bhasin (Director & Co-Lead Cryptoassets & Blockchain CoE, KPMG), Alban Vendeuvre (Investor, Cathay Ledger Fund), Nova Lorraine (Author, Designer & Editor in Chief, Raine Magazine):

• The importance of actively participating in regulation to ensure that regulators understand the real problems being solved by crypto companies. Regulation is needed to establish trust and create a framework for the crypto industry. Banks and traditional financial institutions also need to better understand the risk-reward proposition of leveraging technology in the crypto space.
• The future of centralized exchanges (CEX) innovation may lead to unforeseen changes in the landscape. the potential influence of AI agents, the importance of financial support and community assistance
• The importance of UX and user-friendly interfaces for governance. Good UX leads to understanding, engagement, and adoption, thereby removing barriers to participation. The integrity of governance and cross-chain compatibility are also key considerations for lowering barriers‌

The themed workshops also enabled participants to engage in practical activities and delve into the intricacies of tokenomics, strategies to build a successful Web3 marketing pipeline, and who to navigate fundraising in bear market conditions.‌

Start-up & funding at the heart of Proof of Talk

‌On the second day, the start-up competition challengers came to showcase their innovative concepts to a prestigious Jury of experts:

• Jocelyn Cheng, Head of DCG Expeditions
• Lou Yu, Head of KuCoin Labs
• Blake Lezenski, Partner Program Director Outlier Ventures
• Paul Solntsev, Head of Cointelegraph Accelerator
• Matthias Reiser, Co-Founder X Ventures (Moderator & Tie Breaker)

‌Redstone Oracle, the laureate, will receive a 30 000€ grant from Cointelegraph, and a 5 000€ grant from Hacken as well as tailored mini-accelerator programmes at Xventures.

‌RedStone creates a scalable and highly customizable Oracles ecosystem that takes a brand new approach to deliver data on the Celo blockchain.

‌“We were impressed by the level of quality of all the start-ups that applied, and of the ecosystem. We selected Redstone Oracle’s project because it offers a very concrete solution to a major challenge without adding any cost: ensuring the data’s accuracy, updating it every minute against every 15 minutes actually.”,

explains, Matthias Reiser, Co-Founder X Ventures (Moderator & Tie Breaker).‌

Over 200 founders applied to the competition from all over the world, 60% of which were at seed stage and who have altogether raised over $370 million in various funding rounds previously, showing the sector’s dynamic.‌

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For more information: www.proofoftalk.io Site web Twitter LinkedIn‌

About Proof of Talk

Proof of Talk is Web3’s most exclusive, prestigious and well-attended executive summit, scheduled for June 14 and 15 at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, France. The summit boasts an impressive audience, with 90% of participants being decision-makers, the highest attendance rate of any Web3 event in Europe. 

Over 85 industry leaders are scheduled to speak at this groundbreaking two-day event. The summit focuses on restoring trust in the Web3 industry through open discussion and collaboration between thought leaders, CEOs, founders, influencers, legal experts and regulators.

The first day, entitled “Restoring Trust in Web3”, will feature forums and panels on how to shape the future of the industry with integrity and trust. The second day will bring together promising Web3 startups and esteemed investors to stimulate creativity and collaboration. Proof of Talk is organized by German-based investment fund X Ventures, dedicated to supporting and empowering entrepreneurs in the Web3 industry.

About X Ventures

X Ventures is an impact investment fund based in Germany. The team of experienced entrepreneurs is dedicated to supporting and empowering other entrepreneurs to create positive and transformative change, with a focus on the Web3 industry. In addition, X Ventures founded www.xschool.io, a global network of schools providing sustainable education to future leaders and change-makers, regardless of social status, financial need or background.