Press Release
EthConnect 2024: Pioneering Web3 Innovation in Italy’s First Startup Pitch Competition
Groundbreaking event unites top industry leaders and startups at the historic Palazzo di Volta Mantovana
October 7th, 2024 – Palazzo of Volta Mantovana, Italy — EthConnect brought together 17 trailblazing startups and a diverse array of ecosystem partners, forward-thinking entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists in a stunning historical location on the outskirts of Milan. Held at the Palazzo of Volta Mantovana, this unique event highlighted the most promising developments across AI, Real-World Assets, SocialFi, gaming, and infrastructure sectors, showcasing Europe’s brightest minds in the startup landscape.
Among the most anticipated startups were Intraverse, Temple Technology, Mintdash, and Ecoverse, all leading the charge in AI, gaming, and infrastructure.
The jury assessed each startup based on their business model, market potential, team expertise, traction, and innovation. Startups competed for top prizes and the chance to collaborate with leading names in the industry, including venture capital firms like N8 Capital, Outlier Ventures, Phemex venture arm, Hodl Ventures, and Atmos, as well as accelerators such as IBC Group and Cointelegraph.
A unique aspect of this year’s event was that 26 nights were booked through our travel partner, Sleap.io. This innovative approach allowed guests to reserve their stays using over 200 cryptocurrency options, making travel arrangements fully on-chain. Attendees also enjoyed an interactive quest within the historic castle, exploring its rich history with MintPass, a web3 travel recommendation rewards network with $100 prizes courtesy of their booking partner, Sleap.io.
Key winners included the Intraverse team, which received a skip-the-line ticket to directly access the next selection of ICP Hub’s Lugano incubator, contingent on committee approval. Folks Finance also secured a €25K media grant from the Cointelegraph Accelerator.
During the event, Avihay Hermon from Leia Games briefly mentioned their upcoming private sale on the Gems Launchpad, integrating popular mobile games with crypto rewards and building a strong gaming community around their $LEIA token ecosystem. To gain access to the private sale, interested participants are encouraged to join this Telegram group for the access code.
The day concluded with an Italian dinner, featuring fine wines and meaningful conversations among VCs, founders, and partners.
EthConnect 2024 celebrated innovation, fostered connections, and demonstrated a shared commitment to global causes—all while setting the stage for the future of entrepreneurship.Special thanks to our sponsors—ICP Hub Italy & Ticino ,MintPass, Sleap.io, Leia Games, Gems Launchpad, Temple Technology—for their incredible support in bringing this event to life.
