Web3 Went Full Gatsby – NBX Warsaw 2025 Behind the Scenes
We came to
@nextblockexpo Warsaw 2025 with a mission: host the 3rd edition of the WEB3 Startup Competition by
@COINsiglieriRO I left with a full heart, a lighter voice (too much talking), and also… my luggage took a detour. Then came back. More on that later.
Let me set the stage (pun intended). This was Next Block Expo: a beast of an event hosted inside
@Multikinoo Złote Tarasy. Over 1800 badges were scanned before 11 AM on Day 1, and the venue was already buzzing like a freshly airdropped Discord.
Compared to our previous edition (~200 attendees, €153K in prizes, 10 startups registered), this one felt like we went from a school talent show to Eurovision. 🎤
WEB3 Startup Competition 2025:
- €287,855 in prizes
- 26 Prize Pool Sponsors
- 7 Tier1 Jury Members the 8th jury (Community votes)
- 30 startups registered: 11 made it on stage (10 voted by community 1 golden ticket by us)
- and a venue packed wall-to-wall.
The Lost Luggage Chronicles 🧳
@madalchemx and I
@vilceanuionut landed in Warsaw, and our luggage, however, decided to do some sightseeing on its own .......in Budapest. So, there we were, at the Day 0 Opening Party, sipping cocktails and dodging cameras in travel-wrinkled outfits while pretending we were “going for a relaxed startup founder look.” Luckily, we got our gear back the next day and finally dressed like the stars we aspire to be. Kudos to Rachel, Greg &
@usithetalk for arranging this VIP Cocktail Party 🍸at Charlie Bar.
@madalchemx , by the way, crushed it on stage, moderating a panel on AI x Crypto, and even mentioned our own public GPT: COINsiglieri AI, built for Web3 founders to bootstrap like bosses. And yes, Madalin was the best-dressed man at NBX, no competition. The beard? Immaculate. The shoes? Sharp. The suit? Pitti Uomo. The vibe? 10/10.
WEB3 Startup Competition at NBX 💥
Our big moment came on Day 1, 3PM, on the Builders Stage (fitting name, right?). Everything was set. The crowd was seated. And then… the WiFi ghost struck. A 30-minute delay had us sweating but also gave us a beautiful chance to bond over tech hiccups. Once we were live, there was no turning back.
The startups delivered 🔥 pitches, the jury board was on point, and I didn’t hear a single fire alarm this time (PTSD from last edition still healing 😅).
🧠 Jury Legends Included:
@viewfromhk -
@animocabrands
@mikojava -
@GumiCryptos
@laura_gateio -
@Gate_io
@permaoptimist (ex- Binance, Angel Investor)
Alexandru Stanescu -
@lexters_
@sergiuliano -
@LudoHQ
@JakubowskaKasia - FU3L Growth Agency
YOU—the audience! (via community voting powered by Ludo)
Yes, Ludo also powered the live voting tool, turning attendees into the 8th juror, and we love them for it. Oh, and guess what?
@Funtico_com dropped a $10,000 curated airdrop to reward those who voted—using Ludo’s tech. Web3 magic at its finest. 🪄💰
🥇 Winners:
@carbonxtons – tackling carbon credits with transparency.
@GaleonCare – redefining healthcare access through blockchain.
@Qudocoin – gamifying rewards for developers & players alike.
These startups got real stage time and real prizes thanks to our amazing sponsors who made it all possible:
@InvestHK @LudoHQ @tokeroexchange @Cloudvisor2 @ETHBucharest_ @SuperteamPOL @FintechHarbor FastTrackCompany Nenos Software,
@BFG_VC_Main @EU_Startups Unchain Fintech Festival,
@ixfiexchange @lexters_ @Codemelt_ @playWAM @VDLawGroupEU @CryptoExpoEu @webitfactory Elodie Crespel
@chilibangs @ListingHelp_UK @sense4fit, thank you for fueling innovation! 🙌
Whole cohort of startups from this edition:
@cryptool_io @wolfswapdotapp @OwnerChip @NezoHub @cassator @TheRealVasto @Lawyerd_net @p100_app
They brought serious heat to the stage — innovative, well-prepared, and worth keeping an eye on (and your investment radar) in 2025. 🚀 These are the kind of projects that make you say, “Why didn’t I get in earlier?”
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