The Paris Blockchain Week Startup Competition, "Start in block", attracts top startups, entrepreneurs and investors.
Submissions are now open and close 28 February!

Held during PBW’s Investors and Founders Day, it showcases cutting-edge Web3 projects and entry to the competition is free!

In 2024, over 800 startups applied, with the top 100 reviewed by investors, and the final 10 pitching live to a jury.

Start today!

2025 Sponsors

Prize by
Meet the Drapers

4 of the 10 finalists will have the chance to pitch on season 6 of Meet The Drapers TV Show, shoot during Investors Day (March 20th). Session 6 will be aired in May. Semi-finals will be held in Silicon Valley, where a finalist will receive at least a $1m investor from Tim Draper.

2025 PRIZE FUND 10+MILLION

$200k in funding
Pro Listing
Market Report
Office Space
$36,000 Grant
$100k in Funding
$1M Funding
Acceleration Programs

2025 Partners

Want to join this elite group? Entry is free, and with up to $10B in VC AUM and $10M in prizes, grants, and funding, there's a lot on the line!

*Eligibility criteria: Companies with less than $5 million in funding raised. Age: Less than 4 years

Prize by
Meet the Drapers

4 of the 10 finalists will have the chance to pitch on season 6 of Meet The Drapers TV Show, shoot during Investors Day (March 20th). Session 6 will be aired in May. Semi-finals will be held in Silicon Valley, where a finalist will receive at least a $1m investor from Tim Draper.

2024 saw some of the biggest names in the industry
contribute to this competition

$200k in Funding
via NEO EcoBoost and EcoFund Fast Track
$2M in Funding
opportunity from RockawayX
Pro Listing
opportunity on Bit2Me
Listing & Mentoring
opportunity from Bitpanda.
$2M Credits
Opportunity for 4 winners to be accelerated
Accelerations
programs by Consensys Scale, for any eligible startup (up to 20)
$300k AWS Credits
for the 10 finalists ($25k each) and more
Accelerator program
fast track application for CMC Labs
$135k in Funding
opportunity via CV Labs Accelerator Fast Track
Market Report
to featured 10 finalists of StartInBlock
$400k in Funding
opportunity from Blockwall Capital
Killer Whales Show
for up to 4 winners fast-tracked into the shortlist
100k GRANT
Grant opportunity by iExec
Office Space
Space B by BNB Chain, at Station F
400k Credits
TDMM Credits
75k Credits
Launchpad Program for 3 winners
Mentorship, etc..
Mentorship, free tickets, and speaking opportunities at IFF
$100k in Funding
opportunity via Outlier Ventures IC fast track
$1M - TV Show
$300K Grant
funding opportunity from XRPL Accelerator
$200k in Funding
opportunity from Mirana Ventures & Mantle Ecofund
$100K Grant
funding opportunity via XRPL Accelerator - Launch Program
Dubai Market Access
Flight, Hotel, Free exhibition stand and more...
$200k in Funding
opportunity from Mirana Ventures & Mantle Ecofund
$200k in Funding
Blockchain Founders Fund
$200k in Funding
opportunity from Morningstar Ventures
$1M in Funding
opportunity via Foresight X fast track, for 5 Startups
$1M in Funding
opportunity from v3ntures
$100k Fellowship
fast track by OrangeDAO
$90k in Scholarship
for Hero Training program by Draper University
$50k Media Grant
$200k in Funding
opportunity from Lbank Labs
$100k Grant
opportunity from Mercy Corps Ventures - Crypto for Good Fund
$50k in Startup Booths
for the 10 finalists, on the Investors Day
More coming soon...

Pitch and convince

300+ VCs, Accelerators, Angels, and DAOs to back your project!

Gain priceless exposure

in front of thousands of people on the master stage!

Be one of 4 winners

prizes, funding, and grants from industry leaders.

Startups: Show the world what you're made of

Join the competition and:
  • Gain exposure to 300+ top VCs, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and the Web3 ecosystem.
  • Receive coaching, feedback, and challenges from Web3 experts.
  • Explore funding opportunities from reputable investors.
  • Network directly with investors via our app for 1:1 meetings.
  • Test your solution and sharpen your pitching skills.
  • Compete for grants and prizes from sponsors, including free credits, coaching, devices, legal advice, and more!
If you win:
  • Finalists get a booth at the 2025 PBW Startup Village.
  • Winners get a booth and speaking slot at PBW 2026.
  • Access exclusive VIP investor events.
  • Pitch to thousands on PBW's closing day!
be a start in block winner

How it works

1 - Submission

Now open! Close 28 February‍

Submissions are open exclusively to early-stage Web3 startups.

Eligibility criteria:

  • Funding: Companies with less than $5 million in funding raised.
  • Age: Less than 4 years old.

2 - selection

10th - 25th March 2025  ‍

Investors will select the 10 finalists to pitch, via the Top100 deal-flow.

Feedback Opportunity: Investors provide tips and feedback to the selected projects.

Finalist Announcement: The top 10 finalists will be officially announced on March 25th.

3 - startup pitch

10th April 2025 - Founders Stage

Founder Presentations: 10 Finalist founders will pitch their startup.

Q&A: Following each pitch, there will be a short Q&A session.

Jury's Insights: The jury's experts will share their views and ranking.

1-1 Discussions: Investors will have the opportunity for separate in-depth chat with the founders.

4 - Finals

10th April 2025 - Master Stage

Pitching Opportunity: The three winning founders will have the opportunity to pitch in front of Paris Blockchain Week Summit attendees.

Final Jury Evaluation: The last jury will evaluate the pitches and elect the final winner.

Start today

3 tracks to compete in

AI
DeFI
Gaming

Our Jury

Meet the 2024 winners

CrossCurve: Enabling low-slippage cross-chain swaps of any assets (LSTs, Stables, Curve LPs) in one click utilizing Curve's deep liquidity pools ($2B+ TVL).

Find out more
Bitstack: Democratizing access to Bitcoin is critical to wealth creation and economic freedom. Bitstack was founded to empower everyone to take control of their money.

Find out more
Reveel: The Global Omnichain Payments ID for Everyone. Connecting people across borders & networks, with one-click cross-chain payments.

Find out more
Zyfi: Building the best
on-chain experiences. Powered by Native AA and Intents.

Find out more

Investors: Be the first to discover the next big web3 startup

Get a PBW investor ticket and:
  • Be the first to invest early in web3 startups with high potential.
  • Get exclusive access to 100+ screened startup decks.
  • Be part of the startup competition and help choose the 10 finalists who'll pitch on Investors Day.
  • Connect and discuss tech and deals with 200+ founders and other investors.
  • Join the pitch sessions from the 10 finalists and hear what the experts have to say.
Book a pbw investor ticket

Sponsor: Why just watch from the sidelines when you can SPONSOR the action?

As a sponsor, you’ll position your brand at the intersection of innovation and opportunity, creating lasting connections with blockchain’s boldest founders.
Be a Jury Member
  • Join our jury to engage with cutting-edge startups, share your expertise, and position your brand as a thought leader while building strong connections with founders and investors.
Sponsor Your Track
  • Boost your brand’s visibility and credibility by sponsoring a specific category, aligning with innovation, and making a tailored, lasting impact.
Offer a Prize
  • Amplify your brand by offering bespoke prizes that engage top startups, expand your reach, and spark valuable collaborations.
Gain Deal-Flow Access
  • Unlock exclusive access to detailed insights on participating startups and talents, ideal for strategic partnerships and collaborations in Web3.
Download the brochure

Industry Leaders, VCs, DAOs, Accelerators, Incubators, Angels, and web3 Communities who have previously partnered with us

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