Tons of Chocolate and Side Events - EthCC Recap

In July, Brussels was flowing not just with chocolate but also with networking opportunities thanks to EthCC. I returned home richer with 95 new contacts and a few extra kilograms.

With over 100 side events per day (😱), EthCC was an amazing experience. It’s no wonder everyone is talking about the side events! It was challenging to juggle them all, and I wished I had someone to manage them for me, seriously! Picking the right ones, commuting (or walking) around Brussels, and keeping to the schedule was difficult. And the FOMO was real!

There was something for everyone, from highly technical events to hypothetical discussions about the future of RWAs and web3 space in general. The energy and excitement from meeting so many great people were indescribable. 

However, the main EthCC event itself was a bit of a letdown. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but I’m starting to see why some people question the value of spending so much time on the main event. Overall, EthCC was well-organized, and the merchandise was cool (I’m still using my EthCC logo bottle). Unfortunately,, the main event was overshadowed by the dynamic side events scattered across Brussels. I spent around three hours at the main venue and the rest of my time - literally from 9 AM to midnight - at side events.

And when it comes to side events, I can sum them up in three words: networking, networking, and networking! I met so many inspiring people with amazing ideas. The buzz was all about ZKPs, L2s, restaking, and RWAs, which was the perfect combination for me.

What I remember the most were educational speeches from the Aleph Zero team at the Boundless event, Modular DeFi Day, ZK Night, and the RWA Summit, which had a unique vibe blending corporate and crypto cultures. I particularly enjoyed the discussions on the future of lending and tokenization. They pointed out that while tokenization creates a new market that connects traditional and decentralized worlds it’s crucial to understand future market demand for different digital asset types. RWA will be the frontrunner in on-chain finance, with institutions showing strong interest in tokenization and significantly reshaping the current DeFi space.

A standout moment was when Hubert Rachwalski, co-founder of vlayer, took the stage to demonstrate how vlayer's verifiable data infrastructure can enhance current processes in the RWA space. He outlined several key workflows that could greatly benefit, such as generating Proof of Reserves and Ownership from Web2 data like PDFs, emails, and dashboard extracts. Additionally, he mentioned that vlayer could facilitate decentralized credit score assessments and improve KYC processes by integrating both on-chain and off-chain data. The feedback was fantastic and led to great conversations after the presentation.

On the last day, I attended an event by Last Network and enjoyed listening to discussions about the RWA market's potential and challenges, including the need for liquidity and clearer regulations.

And I can’t forget to mention seeing Vitalik in person! It was the first time, so you can imagine my excitement. The audience was packed, waiting to hear his speech about ‘crypto-culture, subcultures, and the role of decentralized socials. It was definitely worth waiting for - his approach, knowledge, and sense of humor were amazing. He was around for the whole EthCC conference, going on stage at a few events.

Last but not least - raves! Especially the hype around rAAVE was huge, and their marketing was on point. Everyone was talking about it and searching for tickets. And the next day, you could tell who attended the event… ;)

And the city itself? I was happy to see Brussels and visit a chocolate factory. I’m not kidding - I ate chocolate every day and don’t regret it! On the downside, Twitter was full of stories about people getting robbed in Brussels, but luckily, nothing happened to me.

I could talk about EthCC for hours because so much was happening. It was exciting and enjoyable, but also really draining. People should get a mandatory one-week holiday after the event!

I returned home exhausted but truly fulfilled, armed with a long list of great contacts. With more experience, I’m looking forward to the next events!

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